Togo will be the first team in FIFA’s 76-year-history who qualified for the World Cup Finals to widraw from a match.
Togo is reported to be on a bus going to catch a flight from Friedrichshafen airport to go home. Reports are flying that Togo is fighting over pay row and opted to leave the Finals instead of waiting for a decision by their officials.
Only in FIFA World Cup. Need I say anything because I am sure his head tells everything.
Seriously, I am fascinated and in awe on the passion of players, fans and the entire world in football. Only in this game would you see the most creative styles in face, body and different eye popping looks.
Taribo West: This Prodigy-esque effort was as green as the Nigerian flag; what a lovely, proud gesture. Pity it stopped him heading a last-minute equaliser against the Swedes in 2002, eh?
Photograph: David Cannon/Getty.
News from Football Guardian.
[tags]FIFA World Cup, World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, Germany, Hair[/tags]
Below is a diary of all games played by Australia in FIFA World Cup 2006.
Last Updated: June 18, 2006
Date Played: June 12, 2006 (Group Stage)
Opponent: Japan
Scorer/s: S. Nakamura (JPN 26′), T. Cahill (AUS 84′, 89′), J. Aloisi (92+’)
Budweiser Man of the Match: Tim Cahill
A morale boosting win for Australia who trailed most of the way starting from the disputed goal of S. Nakamura on the 26th minute. Japan’s defense held strong all throughout the game but Australia made necessary adjustments in the second period in hope of coming back.
Below is a diary of all games played by Japan in FIFA World Cup 2006.
Last Updated: June 18, 2006
Date Played: June 12, 2006 (Group Stage)
Opponent: Australia
Scorer/s: S. Nakamura (JPN 26′), T. Cahill (AUS 84′, 89′), J. Aloisi (92+’)
Budweiser Man of the Match: Tim Cahill
A heartbreaker loss for Japan who led most of the way starting from the disputed goal of S. Nakamura on the 26th minute. Their defense held strong all throughout the game with their goalie Kawaguchi playing great football with a series of save including a double block off striker Mark Viduka early in the game.
Below is a diary of all games played by Portugal in FIFA World Cup 2006.
Last Updated: June 18, 2006
Date Played: June 11, 2006 (Group Stage)
Opponent: Angola
Scorer/s: Pauleta 4′
Budweiser Man of the Match: Luis Figo
This was not a convincing win for Portugal but a good start nevertheless for a team that had a disastrous opening in FIFA World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004 which they were not able to reverse. The goal came at the 4th minute from Pauleta to secure three points for the team. It was not a great performance but the points matter more.
After scoring the first goal Angola responded by playing hard making Portugal earn possession while the leader on the other hand protected their lone goal until the final minute. Portugal’s early aggresiveness subsided in the second half and relegating themselves into a defensive stance making sure they get the win.
I cannot believe how a talent like Ronaldo would show up overweight in the greatest sporting event in the world. The 1996, 1997 and 2002 World Footballer of the Year was a disgrace in the first game against Croatia with Kaka providing the only goal for the team. Brazil’s below expectation performance and Argentina’s spectacular showing are tipping the scale of the World Cup Finals.
After Sunday’s game Ronaldo was blasted across the Brazilian press with headlines:
Goalkeepers complain about the ball and now strikers point to their grass problem.
French trainer Raymond Domenech said the grass was a problem to their quick forwards which according to him becomes slow especially with the kind of heat in Germany.
We grabbed the first lead on the 23th minute with Van Nistlerooy burying it in front of me with my eyes wide open magnifying the moment a gazillion times. Oh it was beautiful, a feeling I can’t explain. Four minutes after my eyes saw another goal this time courtesy of Bakary Kone.
The first game sent out a red alert warning to all goalies that a one month nightmare is in sight when Germany’s Torsten Frings fired a cannon ball like shot from 40 meters to score a goal. The match ended 4-2 with a total of 6 goals; which broke the opening salvo record total that stood for more than 40 years.
The strikers are the biggest threat to goalies, combine it with a technologically superior ball plus a lightweight boot similar to what Rooney wears then you have a nightmare game after game.
Adidas altered the standard 26 or 32 panels of Football balls and instead created Teamgeist with 14 panels. Ken Bray, a sports scientist at the University of Bath in England says the ball behaves similar to a baseball.
Wayne Rooney came to the rescue as if on cue the Bat signal was raised and the hero appears. I would agree with Sven-Goran Eriksson’s decision before the game to keep Wayne Rooney from playing especially against a physical team like Trinidad and Tobago.
The first half ended and the score still tied, T&T are pounding on the drums, the fire is burning and the ritual of slaugthering a sacrifice is going to happen in the second half at the expense of England. With raw power rather than experience, with strength rather than finesse, with killer instincts rather than intelligence; this team is circling the field focus on taking down their opponent and claim their rightful place after 40 painful years of waiting.
