Posted on 06/13/2006 6:05:50 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
World Cup favorite Brazil will kick off its World Cup campaign on Tuesday as the opening round of the tournament continues in Germany. The defending champions will face Croatia at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN2) in Berlin in the second Group F match, following Australia's come-from-behind victory over Japan Monday.
The match will feature the highly-anticipated debut of FC Barcelona great Ronaldinho as he looks to lead the South Americans to a record sixth championship. But the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year is hardly the only weapon in coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's arsenal. Also at his disposal are Ronaldo, Kaka, Robinho and Roberto Carlos -- just to name a few -- who could leave the Croatian defense in for a busy day.
In the day's first match, first-time qualifiers Togo will be looking to upset 2002 semifinalists South Korea (9 a.m. ET, ESPN2). Though the Asian side does not have home field advantage as they did four years ago, the side is very experienced and boasts much talent, including 10 players returning for their second consecutive finals. The Koreans will be looking to Ahn Jung-Hwan for offense.
Togo enters the match as one of the surprise teams in the field, having secured qualification for the first time in the tiny nation's history. With many players coming from the French, Swiss and English leagues, they are a side capable of raising a few eyebrows.
Also making their 2006 World Cup debuts on Tuesday will be France and Switzerland, the neighboring nations squaring off at 12 noon ET on ESPN2. 'Les Blues' are chock full of world-class talent, including Arsenal's Thierry Henry and former FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane, who led the French to their only World Cup title on home soil eight years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
lol the Swiss player tried to pull a Maradona
LOL!
That's because we're one of the few sports that get criticized by people who know nothing about it. If you want to give watching the sport an honest shot, wait till Brazil plays another good team...or on the internet look for highlights from Ronaldinho. To us soccer fans, those clips are Jordanesque.
Why, oh why, could the US not have been in this group?
Only fat Commies can get away with that.
Brazil vs Croatia in 45 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!
Trust me on this, if they win two games, they WILL advance. However, that's unfortunately the only way they could advance due to the goal differential. 4 points just is not going to do it for us this time around.
If Italy beats the Czechs, and everybody beats Ghana, then the three teams would have six points each, and odds are, the US would be the odd team out in that case.
But this is all moot if the US doesn't play better, they will end up with no points, if they don't vastly improve.
Best description ever about US footbal and European football (not worldwide, but great description regardless).
Better for the Aussies if Brazil routs the Croats. I think the Aussies are going to play Brazil tougher than most people expect.
Brazil v Croatia: Preview
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=191928&cc=5901
(For the future the US has got to get quality athletes not undersized track stars.)
You're right. But as of now, there is much more money in football, baseball, and basketball. Therefore the top US athletes end up there, and soccer ends up getting third rate athletes. The athletes we currently have are way better than we used to get. Hopefully that will continue as MLS gives them a shot at being professionals in their own country. However, our best players had better go to Europe to improve their skills.
The United States' disappointing 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic on Monday in their World Cup opener might have cost them the services of defender Eddie Pope, too.
Pope might have broken his left hand during the second half, according to a report in The Dallas Morning News. Pope hurt his hand or thumb while challenging the Czech Republic's Pavel Nedved.
One bite at a time ...... right now I'm digesting the babe factor to the game.
:)
Player Ratings:
Kasey Keller, 4 - He waited eight years for this? Granted, there wasn't a thing he could have done about any of the goals, but the fact that he picked the ball out of his net three times has got to leave a bitter taste.
Steve Cherundolo, 3.5 - Arena said afterwards that his substitution of Cherundolo was tactical, but given Cherundolo's poor distribution out of the back, it was a switch that the head coach didn't have to sweat over.
Eddie Pope, 4 - There were worse performances on Monday, but Pope didn't cover himself in glory, either. It was telling that every time Pope was matched up against Koller, he was badly out-muscled. It was not the kind of performance that the U.S was looking for.
Oguchi Onyewu, 5 - One of the few players who showed up. One could quibble with his positioning on the first goal, as well as being caught square on the last one, but he not only won most of the head balls that were sent his way, but he came out on top in some key challenges on the ground as well.
Eddie Lewis, 3.5 - Another player whose passing was just shocking at times and he must bear some of the responsibility for the first goal, in which Zdenek Grygera was left wide open on his side, and ultimately crossed the ball for Koller's goal. He'll likely retain his place because there really isn't anyone else.
DaMarcus Beasley, 3 - Right midfield was where American attacks went to die. If he starts against Italy, it will be a major upset.
Pablo Mastroeni, 3.5 - When he wasn't slipping on the turf, he was a step slow to pressure the ball, and he didn't seem to win any of the second balls that the U.S. needed in order to have a chance.
Claudio Reyna, 5.5 - This guy just seems snake-bit when it comes to scoring goals in World Cups, as he hit the post just like he did back in '98. Reyna was one of the few players who at least wanted the ball, but was probably guilty of playing too deep. He'll need to get closer to goal against the Italians.
Bobby Convey, 4.5 - His runs didn't always come off, and his crossing was subpar, but Convey was one of the only players in the attacking half to play with any courage. He certainly showed better than some of his more experienced teammates.
Landon Donovan, 4 - Had some bright moments in the first half, including his setup of Reyna's ill-fated shot, but he faded badly in the second. Four years after a sparkling World Cup debut, it appears that Donovan's game hasn't progressed enough to have an impact at the highest level.
Brian McBride, 3.5 - McBride was starved of service, but struggled with his passing and hold-up play as well. He often seemed to be operating on an island, and he will need to either fix his spacing with Donovan, or be paired with more of an out-and-out forward.
Subs:
John O'Brien, 5 - If O'Brien has a pulse prior to the next match against Italy, then he'll start in Mastroeni's place. He delivered a solid performance, and even got in some good tackles as well.
Eddie Johnson, 6 - The only forward to be truly dangerous, as he just missed with a left-footed effort in the 70th minute and had another effort blocked just a minute later. Johnson certainly showed that he wasn't overawed in his World Cup debut, as he was active throughout.
Josh Wolff, NR - Wolff had a goal-bound effort blocked with just minutes to go, but otherwise, didn't make much of an impression.
Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPNsoccernet. He can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com
Read more: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=370949&cc=5901
I doubt French lobbying had much to do with it, as the draw was done openly in front of the world.
All of the people wailing about our poor performance and how it proves something definitive just don't understand the World Cup. France won in 1998 and then Euro 2000 -- that did not stop them from becoming the first team to finish bottom of their group as defending champs. Nor did they score a goal in 2002. They now have gone four matches without a goal, and become the first team of 23 to get shut out by the Swiss. Does that prove anything? Not really.
We stunk against the Czechs. Now at least all of the haters can go watch NASCAR or roided-up home run hitters and let those of us who enjoy soccer get on with it. If we mange to beat the Italians then the Czech heartbreak will be quickly forgotten.
GOETTINGEN, Germany - Mexican forward Jared Borgetti will miss one game and possibly the rest of the first round of the World Cup with a torn left thigh muscle.
The 33-year-old Borgetti, Mexico's leading career scorer with 38 international goals since his first appearance in 1997, pulled up lame while going after a loose ball early in the second half of a 3-1 win over Angola on Sunday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060613/ap_on_sp_so_ne/soc_wcup_mexico_borgetti;_ylt=AsJ0FMDFUg8D7vXw.bKZ7fx2yLQF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--
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