On the pitch

12 Jun 2006

Australia pull off remarkable 3-1 win over Japan

Australia scored three goals in eight minutes of madness to pull off a dramatic 3-1 win over Japan in an extraordinary Group F match in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Everton midfielder Tim Cahill was the hero poking home the equaliser on 84 minutes after Japan's Shunsuke Nakamura had given the Asian champions a controversial first-half lead.

Australian 'keeper Mark Schwarzer was blatantly impeded as he came for the ball alllowing Nakamura's chip to float into the unguarded goal.

In the end it didn't matter as Cahill scored Australia's first ever World Cup goal to level the match and then put the Soceroos ahead with a deadly shot off the post five minutes later.

John Aloisi sealed a dramatic victory when he raced through the Japan defence and put Guus Hiddink's side top of the group deep into injury time. Final score Australia 3 Japan 1.

Italy beat Ghana 2-0

Italy began their World Cup campaign with a solid 2-0 victory over Ghana on Monday.

Andrea Pirlo's rasping 40th-minute drive put Italy ahead before substitute Vincenzo Iaquinta settled an intriguing Group E contest of contrasting styles with a breakaway goal seven minutes from the end.

Italy twice hit the woodwork in the first half and Ghana keeper Richard Kingston made a series of excellent saves to keep the four-time African champions in the game before Iaquinta struck the winner.

Koller out of first round

Czech striker Jan Koller badly injured his thigh in the 3-0 win over the United States in the World Cup on Monday, Czech coach Karel Bruckner said.

"The injury is really, really serious and it makes me very sad," Bruckner told the post-match press conference.

Koller later insisted his World Cup was not over.

"I have to rest for four or five days and though I'll miss the rest of the first round, I'll be back in action if we qualify for the next round," said the lanky 33-year-old, who has now scored 43 times in 69 international appearances

Koller put the Czechs ahead with a thundering header but was stretchered off just before half-time.

Rosicky inspires Czech rout over USA

Tomas Rosicky scored two classy goals and Jan Koller added a crushing header as the Czech Republic got their campaign off to a flyer with a 3-0 rout over the USA.

One of the only black marks on a sparkling display was a first-half injury suffered by Koller who was carried off on a stretcher and obviously in some distress.

Before his misfortune, Koller set the ball rolling with his fifth minute opener which set the stage for a magnificent long-range effore from Rosicky who blasted the ball past the despairing dive of Kasey Keller.

To cap a miserable night for the Americans who hoped to do justice to their world ranking of number five by FIFA, Rosicky broke clear on 76 minutes following a deft flick from Pavel Nedved and again left Keller grasping at air as he shot home.

Iran captain out of Portugal match

Iran's World Cup hopes took another hit on Monday when it was revealed that captain and top-scorer Ali Daei would miss the Portugal match with a back problem.

Coach Branko Ivankovic said Daei, who holds the world record for international goals with 109, took a knock during Iran's 3-1 Group D defeat to Mexico on Sunday.

"He suffered a hit in the back during yesterday's game and probably won't be fit to play against Portugal," Brankovic said.

Daei has scored more goals than both Pele and Ferenc Puskas in an international career stretching back to 1993.

Total recall for Sweden keeper

Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, who briefly blacked out after a freak training ground accident, could be recalled for his team's World Cup clash against Paraguay next Thursday.

Isaksson was hit in the face by a ball leaving him sick and confused and was therefore forced to miss Saturday's Group B clash with Trinidad and Tobago which finished 0-0.

He was replaced by back-up Rami Shaaban.

"Andreas returned to training with a light workout and I hope that he will be available again to face Paraguay," said Sweden coach Lars Lagerback.

Japan lead Australia 1-0 at h-t

A dubious Japanese goal from Shunsuke Nakamara gave them a 1-0 half time lead over Australia in their Group F tie in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Nakamura centred in the 26th minute but as Aussie goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer came out for the ball he was bundled out of the way by another Japanese player Atsushi Yanagisawa and the ball bounced into the empty goal as the Socceroos turned to the referee.

But Egyptian match official Essam Abdullah el Fatah gave the goal, which separated the sides at half time.

Scolari explains Deco absence

Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari said caution had led him to keep Deco's powder dry for Sunday's opening World Cup game against Angola.

The Barcelona Champions League winner was a surprise absentee when Scolari announced his team before kick-off here in a game Portugal went on to win 1-0.

At Saturday's eve of match press conference Scolari had suggested he would risk playing the influential midfielder despite Deco suffering an injury in a training tackle with teammate Costinha.

Explaining the change of heart Scolari said: "If it was our third game against Mexico to decide our qualification then perhaps I might have risked him.

"But it might have worsened his injury and kept him out for a fortnight.

"Given the physical examinations we thought it was more cautious not to play him. We want to get through the group and in the circumstances we thought the best thing was to use somebody in better condition."

Lippi drops Totti hint

Italy coach Marcello Lippi hinted Sunday that Francesco Totti would start their opening World Cup match against Ghana, despite him being only 70 per cent fit.

"I've evaluated his condition and I've seen him improve - he will be there," Lippi said ahead of Monday's Group E game.

Totti, who has played just one full match since breaking his left ankle in February and admitted on Friday that he was only 70 per cent fit, is expected to start in the hole behind strikers Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni.

Portugal beat Angola 1-0

Portugal beat Angola 1-0 in Cologne on Sunday thanks to a fourth minute strike from Paris St Germain striker Pauleta, who slotted home a Luis Figo pass in the 4th minute.

Angola can thank some fine goalkeeping from Joao Ricardo for keeping the tally down to just one, though going forward Angola had a handful of lang range shots too.

Robben hands Dutch crucial win

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben scored a brilliant first-half goal which was enough to give the Netherlands a valuable 1-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro in Group C action on Sunday.

The lively Robben latched onto a defence splitting pass from Robin van Persie after 18 minutes, broke in a alone and cooly slipped the ball past exposed Serbia and Montenegro keeper Dragoslav Jevric.

The result means both the Netherlands and Argentina sit top of the group on three points while Serbia and Ivory Coast now have an uphill battle to reach the knockout phase.

Bravo to the double as Mexico open with win

Mexico struck twice in three second-half minutes to break open a tight match against Iran and sew up maximum points with a 3-1 win in the opening match in Group D.

Omar Bravo was the hero for the Aztecs with a brace including the go-ahead goal on 76 minutes after some dreadful defending from the Iranians.

Iran defender Yahya Golmohammadi had cancelled out Bravo's opener and the two sides were locked at 1-1 for most of the second-half before the Central American side seized the lead for good with 14 minutes left.

Following Bravo's opportunist strike, Zinha then headed home three minutes later following a swift break down the right to shatter the resistance of the Iranians.

Group favourites Portugal are in action later Sunday against Angola.

Eriksson mulling Rooney return

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is poised to unleash Wayne Rooney upon Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday as his team seeks to wrap up qualification from Group B.

The Manchester United star has impressed in training after returning from injury and is now set to make an appearance from the substitutes bench against the 'Soca Warriors' in Nuremburg, British newspapers reported.

"We have to decide on Rooney day by day, to be honest," Eriksson said after the Paraguay victory. "I'm very optimistic, always. I will change something in the team if we have some problems."

Rooney's chance could come sooner than expected after Theo Walcott picked up a minor injury during a post-match five-a-side on Saturday that left the teenager needing strapping to a sore calf.

Ironically, Walcott picked up the knock courtesy of a clattering tackle by Rooney. "Theo has a slight knock and it has been strapped up for compression purposes," the FA confirmed.

France set to start Ribery

France look set to turn to Marseille midfielder Frank Ribery to inject new ideas into their attack when they start their challenge against Switzerland on Tuesday.

There are wide reportst Ribery will replace the out-of-form David Trezeguet as coach Raymond Domenech rips up his tactics book.

Midfield veteran Claude Makelele has been impressed by the young tyro.

"Frank is the sort of player who can bring a lot to a team in 15 or 20 minutes," Makelele said.

"Each time he's played he's brought freshness, vivacity and technique to the team," added left-back Eric Abidal.

"He creates chances. I think it's great for the team, he pushes the side forward regardless of how many minutes he's on the pitch."