Group H

FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Match Number 15 14-06-06

Spain 4

14. XABI ALONSO (13')


21. VILLA David (17')


21. VILLA David (48' PEN)


9. TORRES Fernando (81')

Ukraine 0

• Venue: Zentralstadion


• Referee: BUSACCA Massimo


• Temperature: 20°C 68°F


• Conditions: Fair

Spain showed no signs of their ‘chokers’ tag as they easily dismissed a below par Ukraine team, in the process scoring the biggest win of the 2006 FIFA World Cup so far.

Spain started off well enough and played some neat football in the initial stages of the game and made their early dominance pay off with a well-taken goal by Xabi Alonso.

Spain’s midfield dominance in this game was really key to their victory as Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso brought their understanding of each other at club level to the international fold and it showed.

Spain might count themselves lucky with their second goal as Villa’s free kick was deflected past Shovkovshyi to double Spain’s advantage.

Things really got tougher for Ukraine in the second half when they were reduced to ten men and at 2-0 down it could only get worse for them, Spain then got a penalty.

Before Fernando Torres the real future of Spanish football scored a well worked goal to round off a good afternoon of work for the Spaniards, who probably played well enough to win but Ukraine were really poor.

I was particularly disappointed with Andriy Shevchenko the former AC Milan striker on his way to Chelsea, who did not even get one shot at goal in the entire game.

That statistic probably demonstrates that he does not have a good support structure around him, like he did at AC Milan.

With the likes of Kaka, Genarro Gattusso and Andrea Pirlo supporting him from the midfield and he looks very lonely up front. Ukraine meet Saudi Arabia next they should play much better although Saudi won’t be pushovers like the Tunisians found out on Wednesday.

FIFA World Cup Match Number 16

14-06-06

Tunisia 2

5. JAZIRI Zied (23')


15. JAIDI Radhi (92+')

Saudi Arabia 2

20. AL KAHTANI Yasser (57')


9. AL JABER Sami (84')

• Venue: FIFA World Cup Stadium, Munich


• Referee: SHIELD Mark


• Temperature: 26°C 79°F


• Conditions: Fair

After the debacle of the last FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan four years ago the Saudi’s will be much happier with their start this time around, as they played the same kind of attractive attacking football they did at the 1994 World Cup under the guidance of Argentine Jorge Solari.

The Saudi’s highly qualified and experienced Brazilian coach has taken a leaf out of Solari’s book and has opted for the Saudi’s to model their game on a Brazilian style.

It seems to work well for them Parquetta also looks like a shrewd tactician pulling off Al Khatani at the right time to bring on the experienced Sami Al Jaber, his substitution paid dividends.

The Saudi’s teamwork also needs special commendation as both of their goals came after some good teamwork and there is a lesson for us in the way they scored their second goal.

A Tunisian attack broke down and with four touches from their own 18-yard box they played sublime one touch football and scored, this really something four youngsters to learn from.

Quick passing, making paces and running off the ball combined with one touch passing allows you to score goals.

Tunisia on the other hand started off well and scored a spectacular goal through Jaziri, it is not the kind of goal that one sees scored every day.

They held the upper hand in the first half but they began to self-destruct in the second and were lucky not to have Adel Chedli sent off in the second half.

I also feel Roger Lemerre got things wrong with his substitutions when he brought on Nefti, a player who has not seen much action with his club side Birmingham as he has been injured for a long time.

Tunisia will be happy with a point and will need to do a lot more against Spain if they want to outdo the Saudi’s in a sprint for second.

Group A

FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Match Number 17 14-06-06

Germany 1

10. NEUVILLE Oliver (91+')

Poland 0

• Venue: FIFA World Cup Stadium, Dortmund


• Referee: MEDINA CANTALEJO Luis


• Temperature: 17°C 64°F


• Conditions: Fog

Germany booked their place in the next round albeit it with a heart stopping injury time goal from substitute Oliver Neuville and in the end it was heartbreak for the Poles.

Poland came into this game with the knowledge that they needed to put in a big performance after disappointing in their first game against Ecuador.

They did well for more than ninety minutes and were than undone in injury time which I suppose was unfair to them, Germany did have the upper hand in the game and had the Poles on the back foot.

Jurgen Klinsmann will be happy with the result although his strikers did not deliver the goods and placed the team under unnecessary and unwanted pressure.

Poland played better but the service to striker Ebie Smolarek was not great and many goal-scoring opportunities were not created for him.

Though it must be said that goalkeeper Artur Boruc had a great game for Poland in goals and was unfortunate to concede that goal in injury time, he made some superb saves through the night.

He was one of the few goalkeepers so far in the tournament to read the turn and swerve of the new Team ‘Giest’ official 2006 FIFA World Cup Ball.

The Poles now have to hope results elsewhere go their way in order to make it in to the last sixteen, Germany are through and will be happy with the way their defence played on Wednesday.

Klinsmann and company need to beat Ecuador in their last game to avoid possibly facing England in the next round.