Paraguay knew that only a win in Seogwipo would be enough to see them gain a place in the Second Round on Wednesday. The result had looked totally impossiblw when Carlos Parades was sent off just 21 minutes into the game after a dreadful challenge on new Tottenham signing Milenko Acimovic. The eastern Europeans made the task even more unlikely when Acimovic manages to squeeze his cross-shot past extroverted goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert in first half injury time.
However, the South Americans were not about to lie down and die. Despite Acimovic (again) and Milan Osterc going close, Paraguay got back on level terms on 66 minutes when substitute Nelson Cuevas smashed a left-footed effort past Mladen Dabanovic to equalise. With a little over a quater of an hour to go, striker Jorge Campos fired a second past Dabanovic to give Paraguay real hope.
With South Africa still in contention against Spain only a third goal would see the Paraguayans qualify on goals scored. Chilavert stepped up for a trademark 45 yard free-kick that clipped the top of the bar, and their chances were increased with Nastja Ceh's sending-off with ten minutes to go. Then, on 84 minutes, Cuevas got his second with a powerful shot which hit the underside of the bar and went over the line to pit Paraguay against Germany on Saturday morning.
Meanwhile in Daejeon, South Africa were just one goal away from their greatest ever footballing achievement as they sunk to an unfortunate 3-2 defeat against Spain in a match that they could have won. With Fernando Morientes and Gaizka Mendieta recalled to the starting line-up, coach Jose Camacho made sure that there would be no complacency in the Spaniards performance. It was Mendieta who sent a ball into the box on four minutes which South African goalie Andre Arendse somehow managed to let slip out of his grasp and Raul of Real Madrid did the rest.
Arendse made amends by saving superbly from Morientes header at the near post, and just a minute later his side were on level terms thanks to Benni McCarthy who fired home Siyabonga Nomvethe's header. But the goal was not to be the last action of the first half as Mendieta stepped up to fire home a free-kick from 22 yards with his right foot with Arendse out of position again just before the break.
Eight minutes into the second half, Leeds' Lucas Radebe scored only his second international goal in eleven years when he powered in Quinton Fortune's corner with his head, although Iker Casillas won't be happy with his reactions. The lead was to be short-lived, and as Joaquin floated in a cross from the right, Radebe found himself slightly out of position. Raul took advantage to head home from the edge of the six-yard box and give the 'keeper no chance. Luis Enrique missed a sitter from ten yards out but South Africa were unable to dominate possession enough to create the one chance that they may heve needed to equalise against the European team and qualify for the Second Round.
Group C: Brazil 5 Costa Rica 2, Turkey 3 China 0
There was a similar position in Group C as Costa Rica needed just a point to progress and Turkey required a heavy defeat of China. Once again, both events occured to send the UEFA team through. In Suwon, Brazil's 5-2 win looks easier than it actually was. Mauricio Wright missed mthe first of three guilt-edged chances in the seventh minute when he headed over when unchallenged. He was punished three minutes later when Edilson raced down the left flank to cross and Ronaldo deflected the ball onto Luis Marin's toe and put the Brazilians in front.
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Rivaldo missed an open goal with Lonnis stranded before striking the post with a free-kick and then watching Wanchope have his shot cleared from off of the line just after the break. The Central Americans were pushing hard, and Carlos Castro had his shot tipped over the bar by Marcos before finally the pressure in opening ten minutes of the second period told and Gomez dived onto Steven Bryce's cross to bring Costa Rica within a goal of the Brazilians.
On the hour, Rivaldo attoned for earlier errors to convert Junior's cross and then two minutes later the latter found the net himself by striking past Lonnis. The Costa Ricans still wasted good chances through Rolando Fonseca, Wright again and Wanchope hitting the bar, only to see the ball stay out of the net. At the other end Ronaldo hit the inside of a post but the match did eventually end 5-2, the early morning start proving to be the best of the tournament so far.
Meanwhile in Seoul, Turkey had to defeat China heavily and hope that the Brazilians would do likewise. With the Brazilians keeping their side of the bargain, Turkey started the game with some fireworks. Umit Davala delivered a free-kick to the centre of the area on six minutes, and Hasan Sas took advantage of some dodgy Chinese defending to score. Three minutes later it was 2-0 as Bulent Korkmaz floated a header over the top of goalkeeper Jiang Jin to put the Turks firmly in control.
The Turk's task was made all the easier on 51 minutes when Shao Jiayi was sent off for a terrible stamp on Emre Belozoghe. Davala and Sas combined again six minutes from time to seal Turkey's passage through to Round Two with the former striking home low into the net.
Group G: Mexico 1 Italy 1, Ecuador 1 Croatia 0
The exciting end to the First Round continued on Thursday lunchtime as Italy managed to survive a major scare to qualify in second place behind their final opponents Mexico. Italy went into the game knowing that only a win would absolutely guarrantee them a place in the next round and to attempt to overpower the Mexicans played Francesco Totti just behind both Christian Vieri and Filippo Inzaghi up front.
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Inzaghi was denied by Oscar Perez diving at his feet four minutes into the second period before substitute Vincenzo Montella, who had scored fourteen in as many games at the end of the Seie A season had yet another goal ruled out for offside. Vieri saw his shot pushed around a post expertly by Perez and then Montella blasted over seven minutes from the end, but just five minutes from time Italian hero Alessandro Del Piero headed home from Montella's cross to equalise and give the Italians a chance of progressing.
Their prospects depended on Ecuador beating Croatia, despite the fact that it would not be enough for the South Anericans to qualify for the next round. After 30 minutes, Middlesbrough striker Alen Boksic struck the outside of a post with his reliable left-foot before Ivan Hurtado saved Jose Cevallos having to make a superb save from the same player by sliding the ball off Boksic's toes. The Craotian forward could have scored yet again when the dangerous left winger Milan Rapaic lofted the ball up to Boksic, who beat Cevallos but not Augusto Poroso, who cleared for a corner.
Three minutes after the interval Edison Mendez ran onto Southampton forward Agustin Delgado's through-ball and blasted past Stipe Pletikosa to put the Ecuador in front. The goal seemed to stun the Croatians, who were unable to create anything opf substance until the closing minutes, when only two goals would have sufficed. Davor Vugrinec fired over the bar and Ivica Olic watched as Alex Aguinaga stopped his header from crossing the line in injury time.
Group H: Tunisia 0 Japan 2, Belgium 3 Russia 2
Only a defeat would have hindered Japan's qualification for the Second Round for the first time, and their result was never in question. The score meant that the winner of Belgium against Russia would join them in Round Two, unless it was a draw and Russia would then progress. In Osaka, it was comfortable for the co-hosts. The first half was, as has been the case in most early morning games, pretty dire, a distict lack of chances spoiling the good build-up play that had been on show from Japan.
Tunisia, requiring a two-goal win to go through, only created a Khaled Badra header on goal in the closing minutes of the opening half in a poor performance which made the fans wonder just how they had managed to draw with Belgium in their last game. Three minutes into the second period, substitute Hiroaki Morishima headed home brilliantly from Hidetoshi Nakata's right-wing cross to beat Ali Boumnijel from eight yards. Shinji Ono could have doubled the laed, but Boumnijel somehow managed to save his header, but was not able to do likewise with Nakata's which nutmegged him after Daisuke Ichikara's cross.
In Shizouka, Belgium just about clung on to defeat Russia and move on to face Brazil. The Belgians always seemed the more positive and were rewarded seven minutes in when little Johan Walem smashed a free-kick through a poor defensive wall and easily past goalkeeper Ruslan Nigmatullin into the top left-hand corner. The rest of the first half simply saw Begium attempt to increase their advantage, firstly Gert Verheyen's lob clearing the crossbar and then another chance to the same player go blazing into the stands.
Seven minutes into the second half Russia looked more confident, and finally they scored. Dmitri Khokhlov found Dmitry Sychev, whose shot rebounded to Vladimir Beschastnykh, who scored at last having wasted numerous chances in his first two games. The same player then returned to his wasteful self, heading over from a few yards out. Belgium brought on Wesley Sonck, and it was he that put the low country back in front with just twelve minutes to go. He headed past Nigmatullin and just four minutes later the tie appeared to be over when skipper Marc Wilmots fired hard and true into the goal.
However, Russia did not give up and Sychev was able to pull back a vital goal by taking advantage of poor Belgian defending to slot home past Geert De Vlieger and give the Russians a chance. However, despite their best efforts, there was simply not enough in the tank and Belgium progressed, Alexander Kerzhakov heading over to conclude the game.
Group D: Poland 3 USA 1, Portugal 0 South Korea 1
Yet another shock in this amazing 2002 World Cup was sealed when South Korea defeated Portugal to move on to the Second Round and send the Europeans home. The result also meant that the Poland victory over the USA meant little. The Incheon crowd were treated to a decent game tainted by shoddy tackling and dodgy refereeing. Seol Ki Hyeon was the main architect of the Portuguese downfall, teasing Beto in the right-back position with his trickery and forcing Luis Figo to participate in more defensive duties.
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Seol Ki Hyeon poked home on the half-hour, but his celebrations soon turned to dejection as he realised that 'keeper Vitor Baia had been fouled by Choi Jin Chul after a corner. Pauleta wasted Portugal's best chance of the half when he blazed Figo's pass well wide of the target. The second half began with a flurry of South Korean activity, Seol Ki Hyeon, Yoo Sang Chul and Kim Nam Il all seeing their various shots and headers go wide.
Beto was then probably unfairly dismissed with 25 minutes to go when he appeared not to touch Lee Young Pyo who theatrically tumbled over to get the Portuguese defender sent off. Five minutes later they were plunged into even more trouble when Park Ji Sung controlled a deep left-wing cross, cut inside Sergio Conceicao and Fernando Couto to fire underneath the body of Baia and put the Koreans one up.
Portugal desperately attempted to get an equaliser that would have sent them through, but Luis Figo sent his free-kick inches wide of the left hand post, Sergio Conceicao hit the inside of it and then saw his fierce shot palmed away from danger by goalie Lee Woon Jae. The Portuguese were out and another big name fell by the wayside.
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Poland had long gone, but this did not stop them worrying USA with a 3-1 win in Daejeon. Three minutes into the game Emmanuel Olisadebe opened up his World Cup account with a shot that cannoned off of the underside of the bar and into Brad Freidel's net. Landon Donovan had his 'equaliser' ruled out for a push on Arkadiusz Glowacki a minute later, but another minute on Jacek Krzynowek squared the ball for Pawel Kryszalowicz to beat Freidel, who had little cjance of stopping his shot.
Freidel then had to watch Krzynowek, whose shot was brilliantly saved and then Maciej Zurawski who hit the post with the follow-up. Freidel once again prevented Kryznowek from increasing the lead just before half time but on 66 minutes Marcin Zewlakow headed in the Poles third goal. The Blackburn 'keeper saved a second penalty of the competiton when he stopped Zurawski converting his spot kick. Donovan scored a late consolation, but thankfully for the USA, the South Korean victory over Portugal was enough to see them scrape through.
Full Second Round Fixtures:
Saturday: Germany vs. Paraguay
Denmark vs. England
Sunday: Sweden vs. Senegal
Spain vs. Republic of Ireland
Monday: Mexico vs. USA
Brazil vs. Belgium
Tuesday: Japan vs. Turkey
South Korea vs. Italy
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com