Little Boy Blue's World Cup Diary - Day 14
This always had the look of being a fairly straightforward day, so much so that I've slapped a nifty-fifty on a Brazil-Turkey-Italy-Croatia roll-up. Who needs to work when bookies are so free with their money? We shall see.
Having overslept for England v Nigeria yesterday, there was no way I was going to miss out on the boys from BRAZIL. They make the game look so easy, you wonder why everybody doesn't play this way. Mind you, it helps if you have a guy like Ronaldo lurking in the background. He is so fresh, he looks like he is now benefitting from missing out on so much of last season and COSTA RICA will no doubt be wishing Serie A's defenders had been able to kick some of the sparkle out of the Inter Milan man's legs. Ronaldo's presence forced Marin into giving away an early own goal and, when he beat the keeper at the near post after just 12 minutes, a goal fest was on the cards.
Edmilson got the third with a stunning overhead kick - another contender for goal of the tournament - but this was no one-sided affair. Costa Rica had several good chances before Wanchope pulled a goal back just prior to half-time and, when Gomez made it 3-2 early in the second half, they were back in the game and still in the competition. Having drawn with Turkey, the Costa Ricans might have qualified if they'd kept things tight but they, like Brazil, simply don't know how to play that way.
There was no lack of action in and around the Brazilian goalmouth but a strike from the strangely subdued Rivaldo and one from Roberto Carlos' stand-in Junior wrapped up a very entertaining 5-2 victory for my favourites.
This was one of those rare games you just don't want to end. Alan Hansen was spot-on when he described it as Brazil v Brazil. Football would be better for it if more teams would show the fearless approach of the Costa Ricans. Sure, they are out on their ear at the end of the group stage but they leave with their heads held high and they have entertained and won a lot of friends in the process.
Meanwhile, TURKEY were taking CHINA apart to join Brazil in the knock-out stages.
Two goals in the first nine minutes from Hasan Sas and Bulent had Tugay and company in easy street but they didn't press home their outfield superiority in front of goal. Perhaps they had faith in Brazil's ability to knock Costa Rica out of the equation but, had they known how many chances the Central Americans would create, the Turks might have been a bit more ruthless.
Even when Chinese substitute Shao Jiayi was rather harshly sent off, Turkey merely continued to go through the motions and only a late volley from Davala added to their winning margin. At the end of the game they celebrated qualifying for the second round as if they'd won the World Cup but if, as expected, they meet Japan in the next round the Turks will have to refind the form which gave Brazil are problem or two in their opening match. Their performances against Costa Rica and China were far from impressive and I can't help thinking that, had they been in a tougher group, the Turks would be on their way home.
Brazil are now likely to face either Belgium or Russia in Kobe on Monday and, very significantly, they would then be on course to meet England or Denmark in the quarter-finals. Maybe finishing second in Group F wasn't such a smart move by the English but will the TV pundits admit it? Don't hold your breath waiting. Never mind, it will all be academic when Peter Lovenkrands sorts them out on Saturday.
The possibility of ITALY going the same way as France and Argentina was the main point at issue today. Having lost to Croatia, the Italians needed to beat MEXICO to be sure of going through and, with Vieri, Totti and Inzaghi all in the starting line-up, nobody could accuse Trapattoni of not going for it. They certainly started brightly enough and, remembering how they had two goals disallowed last weekend, there were menacing looks being directed towards the linesman when Inzaghi had one ruled out after 12 minutes.
Totti missed a glorious chance, a Vieri volley was saved and a Totti free-kick whistled wide as the Italians continued to dominate but they were dealt a savage blow after 34 minutes. Borgetti got his head to a Blanco chip to wrong-foot Buffon and give Mexico the lead. And Italy had a lucky escape when Carmona ventured forward and fired in a 20-yarder which flew just wide of goal, then it took the last ditch intervention of Cannavaro to stop Borgetti from getting a shot on target.
With Montella, Del Piero and Delveccio all available on the bench, it was only a matter of time before Trappatoni reshuffled his pack and, having missed a couple of half-chances early in the second half, Inzaghi looked the likeliest to be replaced. When Avellano wriggled through the Italian defence and missed a great opportunity to make it 2-0, it underlined the need for change and the ineffective Totti also found his number was up when Del Piero entered the fray.
Six minutes from the end it was Del Piero who levelled the scores with a glancing header from a cross from fellow sub Montella. Yet remarkably it was a goal the Italians didn't need. After beating Italy, victory over ECUADOR would have taken CROATIA through yet they contrived to blow it, losing 1-0 and enabling Italy and Mexico to fart around in the closing stages, safe in the knowledge that both would progress.
Croatia started as if they were certs to slaughter the South Americans. Alen Boksic had several chances to open the scoring, grazing the post with a left foot shot, being thwarted by an excellent tackle from Hurtado, then looking on in horror when he hooked the ball over the keeper, only to see Poroso get back to head off the line. And his inability to find the net cost his team dearly in the second half.
Three minutes after the break Edison Mendez got in a shot on the turn and the ball squirmed under the goalkeeper's body and into the net to give Ecuador a shock lead. Normal service was then resumed as the Croatians piled on the pressure but they could not dig themselves out of the hole and, effectively, let the Italians off the hook. The Azzuri have to be the luckiest team left in the competition but, remembering how they stumbled through the opening group before winning the thing in 1982, it would be daft to write them off.
However, they could find themselves facing co-hosts South Korea in the next round and, having already been on the wrong end of a couple of iffy decisions, the Italians might have more cause for complaint. Mexico, meanwhile, look like lining up against Portugal or the USA and, on the evidence of their three games in Japan, the Group G winners might just fancy their chances.
Amidst it all, however, my nifty-fifty has now been added to the bookie's fortune...but what's 50p between friends?
LITTLE BOY BLUE