On the pitch

08 Jun 2006

Brazil train and 25,000 people watch

Brazil's historic reputation as international football's glamour team was reinforced on Thursday when 25,000 people turned up here to watch a training session.

Around 500 journalists were also on hand to witness the defending champions go through their paces in the obligatory, open World Cup workout.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira organised an exhibition match for the team's impressive audience.

With Ronaldo absent with a fever, the team was composed of Dida, Cafu, Juan, Lucio, Roberto Carlos, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Robinho, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Kaka.

The game finished 2-2 with Robinho and Adriano on target while Mineiro and Luisao were the scorers for the 'other' Brazil.

Croatia's squad stricken by virus

Croatia's football squad has been stricken by a mysterious virus since its arrival last week at Bad Brückenau, Germany, ahead of the World Cup there, team officials said on Thursday.

Doctors could not determine the cause of the infection which had stricken most of the squad - Darijo Simic, Ivica Olic, Bosko Balaban, Dado Prso, Stjepan Tomas, Anthony Seric and Joseph Didulica.

The last victim of the virus, of which his teamates have barely recovered, was defender Darijo Srna reporting symptoms of nausea, high fever and headache.

In the group phase of the World Cup, the 1998 World Cup semi-finalists have been drawn to face five-time champions Brazil, Asian champions Japan and Australia.

Saudis warm-up with 8-0 win

Saudi Arabia enjoyed World Cup goal-scoring practice against a hapless Frankfurt reserve side winning 8-0 on Thursday.

Coach Marcos Paqueta took the opportunity to try out his options in the absence of star striker Sami Al-Jaber who has a knee injury.

Al-Jaber scored seven times in a 15-0 win against another amateur side three days ago.

The Saudis - who reached the second round in 1994 - are in Group H at the World Cup and play Tunisia, Ukraine and Spain.

Double blow for Iran

Iran's World Cup campaign was dealt a serious blow on Thursday with two players looking set to miss the crucial opening clash with Mexico through injury and sickness.

Left back Sattar Zare was carried from the training field after twisting a right knee while midfielder Ferydoon Zandi is still recovering from a fever.

"I'm scared it's not so good for both players and I'm not so sure they will be passed to play," said coach Branko Ivankovic.

With dynamic front-runner Ali Karimi and playmaker Mehdi Mahdavikia both returning from ankle and back trouble respectively, a double withdrawal would raise doubts over Iran's ability to compete with the Group D seeds.

Ukraine cruise past Luxembourg

Andriy Shevchenko was on the scoresheet as Ukraine completed their final preparation match with a 3-0 victory over Luxembourg.

Andriy Voronin opened the scoring on 55 minutes before Shevchenko and Maksym Kalnychenko sealed a comfortable result.

The Ukraine are in a group with Spain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

Viduka injures calf in training

Skipper Mark Viduka gave Australia a new injury scare three days out from their World Cup opener with Japan when he sat out team training here Thursday with a calf muscle complaint.

He returned later in the two-hour session wearing a calf support and noticeably limping as he watched the work-out from the sidelines.

Italian-based midfielder Marco Bresciano returned to training Thursday after missing a few days' work because of an ear infection.

Another of Australia's injury concerns, Harry Kewell, is well on track to playing against Japan after another successful test of his groin injury late Thursday.

Nakamura confident about injury

Japan faced a fresh injury scare on Thursday as playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura cut short the team's training for a second straight day because of a painful left hamstring.

Just four days before their crucial opener against Australia, the 27-year-old Celtic midfielder skipped a shooting session and left the ground with a bundle of ice strapped round his left thigh.

"I feel a little pain when I lift it. It is not due to a former injury but it comes back when I am off colour with fatigue and such," said Nakamura

"There is no problem at all in kicking the ball, no matter what part of the foot it is," he added. "I think it will go away on a day or two."

Swede 'keeper KO'd by teammate

Sweden No1 Andreas Isaksson was knocked senseless after a fierce shot from former Rennes team-mate Kim Kallstrom caught him off guard and smacked him full in the face in training Wednesday.

The 24-year-old 'keeper has felt so poorly he's been ruled a no go for the opening Group B clash with Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.

"His head hit the ground. He was never unconscious but quite confused and the symptoms persisted for hours," said Sweden team doctor Anders Vallentin.

"It is too early to play against Trinidad and Tobago. It will take around five or six days for him to get back."

Ballack out of Germany's opener

Captain Michael Ballack will miss Germany's World Cup opener against Costa Rica at Munich on Friday, coach Jurgen Klinsmann announced here on Thursday.

The midfielder has been struggling to recover from a calf injury.

"Michael was unable to complete training yesterday," Klinsmann said.

"He was limited in his running, but we hope that he will be available for our second game," he added.

The 29-year-old Ballack who recently left Bayern Munich to play for Chelsea was missing from Germany's training sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

We can handle it says Beckham

England captain David Beckham says his team is more than capable of meeting the huge expectations of the English public and predicted unprecedented celebrations if they win the tournament.

"Without a doubt these players can handle expectations. They've done it week in, week out for their clubs, they've all played in huge competitions and huge games all year round, and for a couple of years now," he said.

"We are very lucky in that case and we have to go into this competition and have the belief and, to be honest, we do have the belief."

"Paraguay are a very good team and very difficult to play against. It is going to be complicated," he said.

"We need to go into this game confident, full of belief and hoping that we can get off to a good start.

Cocu and Sneijder still limping

The Netherlands trained in public for the first time here on Thursday and looked to have major doubts over veteran Phillip Cocu and youngblood Wesley Sneijder.

The duo - both injured in the 1-1 friendly draw with Australia, whose robust approach came in for harsh criticism - trained separately from the rest of the squad with Cocu visibly still restricted by a bruised thigh and Sneijder struggling with a foot injury.

There was some cheer for the Dutch with the return to full training of playmaker Rafael van der Vaart, who has been out of action for two months.

The Dutch face their first Group C match on Sunday against defensively sound Serbia-Montenegro.

France call up Govou

Shock greeted France coach Raymond Domenech's decision Thursday to call up Lyon reserve striker Sidney Govou to replace the injured Djibril Cissé.

Among those in the frame to be called up as France's 23rd man were four other players - Nicolas Anelka, Johan Micoud, Robert Pires and Barcelona's Champions League winner Ludovic Giuly.

Govou has 19 caps and three goals, but struggled last season to make Lyon's starting 11.

Cisse broke a leg in a horror fall during France's 3-1 win over China Wednesday.

Gerrard '50-50' for opener

Injured England midfielder Steven Gerrard has emerged as a fitness concern for Saturday's World Cup opener against Paraguay, describing himself as only '50-50' for the match.

The in-form Liverpool star has been forced to sit out training over the past two days after complaining of a sore back caused by a bang on the hip, raising fears he could miss England's opening Group B match.

"Overall I've got a good chance of playing on Saturday," Gerrard said Thursday. "I've just got to keep working on it but I've got a good chance."

"As we speak now it's probably 50-50 but if it keeps improving the way it has done over the past 24 hours I'll be there.

"I've had no back problems for years. I don't now how it will respond between now and the game but it has improved a lot over the last 24 hours.

"And if it keeps going like that I'll be ready for Saturday."

Injury doubts for Costa Ricans

Germany may have lost Michael Ballack for the encounter but rivals Costa Rica have their own injury worries ahead of Friday's opener.

The 'ticos' are sweating on the fitness of goalkeeper Jose Francisco Porras, defender Gilberto Martinez and wide man Mauricio Solis after they picked up knocks in Wednesday training.

But experienced goalkeeper Alvaro Mesen is fully over a leg strain, team sources said.

If Porras doesn't make it Costa Rica will likely field Mesen with Luis Marin, Douglas Sequeira and Michael Umana at the back with Leonardo Gonzalez, Solis - assuming he recovers, Danny Fonseca, Walter Centeno and Martinez - if he recovers in time, in midfield.

Veteran former English Premiership star Paulo Wanchope will lead a two-pronged attack with Ronald Gomez.

Ronaldo misses training

Brazilian striker Ronaldo, top scorer in his country's march to glory in 2002, missed training on Thursday with a fever, the Brazilian Football Federation CBF said.

The CBF said the Real Madrid star was having treatment but did not go into further details.

He had to be taken off in last week's friendly win over New Zealand complaining of blisters in his new boots.

The champions open their Group F campaign on Tuesday against 1998 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia in Berlin.

Rooney injury free: Eriksson

Wayne Rooney is injury free and only needs match fitness before he can play England coach Sven Goran Eriksson said here on Thursday.

"The good news from yesterday evening and today is that Rooney has no more injury. He is injury free," Eriksson said.

"Now it is up to us to get him match fit ..."

Eriksson also brushed aside stories of discontent at Rooney's club Manchester United.

"I'm prepared to listen to everyone and discuss with them about Wayne Rooney but the last say in this story is Rooney's and mine," he said.