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.
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Afternoon Ping!
Wow, the defense of Croatia has been heroic so far. Not much of an offense, but that strategy might be the wisest when playing Brazil.
KAKA.
A rocket!!
Kaka is a quality player.
1-0 Brazil!!!!!!!!!!
Brazil hasnt really impressed all that much. Must be a bitter pill to swallow for Croatia to let in a goal just before the break.
Probably good for the game though. Croatia must press forward in the second half.
BRA__________________________CRO
5 ________Shots on Goal______ 0
9 ___________Shots___________ 3
you have to understand how tedious it is to see all the snarky and supercilious comments by freepers who come on to these threads and make their oh-so-witty comments. The first 50 are just about tolerable, after that it starts to wear. If you could think of something original and funny to disparage football, you're likely to get a more receptive welcome.
It's not how you start of the tournament that matters....Brazil know to finish tournaments rather well.
Croatia have been doing what Paraguay did to England, damage limitation. It's hard to perform when these sides don't play to win.
And in all fairness, Mr Irish has actally come onside.
sorry, posted before ploughing through the thread. I've now seen your Clintonian apology!
It WAS embarrassing. I blame the coach and the players. I watch a great majority of the games, and this was probably one of the worst games I have seen in 6 years. The passing was awful and the trapping/ball control was even worse. Surprisingly I have yet to see too many Europeans rub it in and tell us how not ready for prime time we are.
Donovan was a ghost. Someone should have filed a missing persons report on him b/c he was no where to be found. I would bench Beasley as well. These people have the skill to drive to goal, and they piddled around with the ball yesterday.
Fighting Irish has seen the soccer chick pics and he's coming around. Also he's stuck around for the fun instead of dropping flames and running like the haters do.
When I see Croatia's uniforms, I'm thinking, "Rook to King's Rook Seven"
That's because compared to Brazil most of them aren't ready for prime time either.
France hasn't scored in four Cup matches dating back to the 2002 Cup. This is a tough tournament and some good teams always get humiliated. Nobody will laugh too hard until their own teams are well advanced, and it's very early in this tournament.
That game of the US was the worst I have seen in years. Just awful. They looked BAD.
A lot of European pundits were surprised and dissapointed by the US match. There were quite high expectations for the US team this time around.
Hopefull you guys can manage to turn things around.
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