On the pitch

17 Jun 2006

Blood and red cards galore as Italy-USA draw 1-1

Nine-man USA held on to draw 1-1 with Italy on Saturday in a full-blooded and chaotic tie that leaves all four Group E teams in with a shout of qualification.

Alberto Gilardino gave Italy the lead in the 22nd minute with a diving header, before an own goal by Cristian Zaccardo brought the USA on level terms five minutes later.

Italy were reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute when Daniele De Rossi was shown a straight red card for elbowing Brian McBride in the face, leaving him streaming with blood

Pablo Mastroeni joined De Rossi for an early bath following a late tackle on Andrea Pirlo, just before half time.

The United States then had Eddie Pope sent of for a second yellow in the 47th minute making in nine men against ten.

Italy had the best of the second half with Alessandro Del Piero going closest to bagging the winner while Damarcus Beasley had the ball in the goal for the US but it was disallowed for an off-side infringement from another player blocking the Italian goalkeeper.

Croatia captain Kovac fit for Japan

Croatia captain Niko Kovac declared himself fit to play in Sunday's crucial World Cup clash against Japan and denied that there was a rift in the team camp.

"I'm very fit," said the 35-year-old midfielder.

"We must win tomorrow because Japan can beat Brazil in their last group match....Brazil are beatable."

Kovac, who was stretchered off with a rib injury in Croatia's 1-0 loss to five-time champions Brazil on Tuesday, returned to team training on Friday at Croatia's base camp in Bad Brueckenau.

Japan lost their opener 3-1 to more physical Australia.

Meanwhile, Kovac hit back at rumours that his younger brother, and defender, Robert Kovac was involved in an on-pitch row with Josip Simunic and Niko Kranjcar.

"There is no problem in the team. The atmosphere is good," he said.

Kranjcar, the son of Croatian coach Zlatko Kranjcar, also said the team was on good terms.

Deco the difference: Ivankovic

Iran coach Branko Ivankovic Paid homage to Portugal's Deco Saturday suggesting his moment of class had been the difference between the two teams as the Persians lost 2-0.

"It was an equal game between both teams until he scored a wonderful goal," he said of the 63rd minute strike.

"Exactly at that moment I was trying to make my substitutions to bolster the centre of midfield."

Cutting in from the left, captain Luis Figo laid off to Deco whose first-time 25-yard shot sailed into the top-right corner, giving Iran's goalkeeper no chance.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the second from the penalty spot sealing Iran's doom to World Cup elimination after their previous loss 3-1 to Mexico.

Efficient Portugal see off Iran 2-0

A classy strike from Deco and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty carried Portugal into the second round as they defeated Iran 2-0 in Frankfurt and sent Branko Ivankovic's side tumbling out of the tournament in the process.

It was slightly harsh on the Iranian's who defended well and threatened on more than one occasion to snatch the opening goal.

However the experience and poise of Deco broke open a tight match when he hit a pure strike into the corner following some unselfish build-up play from the impressive Luis Figo.

It was Figo who was hacked down in the box on 80th minute allowing Ronaldo to seal his afternoon with a first World Cup goal and a cooly taken penalty it was too.

Portugal now face Mexico in their final match while Angola can still dream of a shock place in the next round if they can beat Iran and hope Luiz Felipe Scolari's side see off the Aztecs.

Hiddink to field strongest team against Brazil

Coach Guus Hiddink says the big-match occasion of facing champions Brazil demands the strongest Australian team he can field for Sunday's enthralling Group F World Cup game of contrasts here.

"There are some conditions on this game and the last against Croatia because we have some yellow cards and I have told the guys to be aware of the consequences of further cards," Hiddink said Saturday.

"We have to consider whether to bring players in who are on the fringe of the team.

"This game deserves a team which is good enough to make an opposition to Brazil and not just considering leaving out all the players on yellow cards.

"We would like to make a result and make a good impression world wide and I don't think we have to think too much about the third game (Croatia) and what will happen then."

Ibrahimovic doubt for England decider

Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could miss his country's Group B decider against England because a groin injury, coach Lars Lagerback said on Saturday.

"As things stand at the moment, it does not look as if he will be able to play," Lagerback said.

Juventus forward Ibrahimovic was withdrawn at half-time in the 1-0 win over Paraguay on Thursday, saying he had strained a groin muscle while warming up.

Sweden trail England by two points in Group B and need to win Wednesday's match in Cologne to finish top of the group.

England and Sweden's opponents in the next round, Germany and Ecuador, face off to decide the positions in Group A on the same day.

"Both teams are strong, so it does not really matter who we play against. But Ecuador would perhaps be easier, because Germany have the home crowd behind them," said Lagerback

Metzelder injury scare for Germany

Hosts Germany were handed an injury scare ahead of Tuesday's World Cup match against Ecuador when first choice centre back Christoph Metzelder suffered a knee injury in Saturday's training session.

Metzelder was forced to pull out of training after 50 minutes, complaining of pain in his right knee and coach Jurgen Klinsmann is unlikely to risk him against Ecuador as his side have already qualified for the last 16.

The 26-year-old defender only returned to the national team in October last year after 21 months out with achilles tendon problems.

Metzelder played in both of Germany's opening two wins over Costa Rica and Poland.

Serbia Montenegro coach resigns

Ilija Petkovic announced on Saturday he would not seek to renew his contract as coach of Serbia and Montenegro once the team returns home following their elimination at the first hurdle of the World Cup.

The 60-year-old takes charge for the last time of the national side when they play African Nations Cup finalists Ivory Coast on June 21.

The Serbs have already lost 1-0 to The Netherlands and 6-0 at the hands of Argentina.

"I will resign when we return to Serbia," said Petkovic, who had accepted sole responsibility for the Argentinian humiliation.

Though the Serbs arrived on the back of a successful qualifying competition, where they saw off Spain to top the group and conceded just one goal, their campaign here was riven by internal disputes.

Tough guy Scolari denies tears of joy

Tough-guy coach Luiz Felipe Scolari denied showing a softer side as he celebrated Portugal's qualification for the World Cup knock-out stages on Saturday.

Scolari, known as 'Big Phil' and 'Sergeant-Major', insisted he was not crying as he crossed the field to greet his family in the stadium after the 2-0 victory over Iran ensured Portugal moved into the second round for the first time in 40 years.

"Obviously we were emotional and we were happy with what happened," said Scolari.

"I'm not sure whether I was crying but I was very happy and I showed my emotions. Maybe my eye colour changed, but that's it."

Scolari won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and took Portugal to the final of Euro 2004 on home soil.

World Cup tremor as Ghana shock the Czechs

African outsiders Ghana caused the sensation of the tournament so far whey they upset the Czech Republic 2-0 to turn Group E on its head going into the day's final match in the same pool between Italy and the USA.

It took just two minutes for the former African champions to stamp their authority on the match when Asamoah Gyan beat the Czech offside trap on a through ball from Stephen Appiah, shooting low past the outstretched Petr Cech.

Ghana should have wrapped the match up on 67 minutes when Gyan got behind the Czech defence and was brought down by Tomas Ujfalusi.

Ujfalusi received his marching orders but the Czech's got a reprieve when Gyan blasted the spot-kick back off Petr Cech's right-hand post.

However the result was put beyond doubt on 82 minutes when Sully Muntari found room in the box after the linesman suspiciously kept his flag down to allow the Ghana marksman to ram a left-foot shot high in the corner.

It was no more than Ghana deserved after running the show in the second-half with only the brilliant Cech denying them a bigger win.

The result breaks the group wide open with their final match against the USA who are in action later against Italy. An American win would leave all four teams on three points going into the final matches.