Live from Germany
France upset Spain to set up 98 repeat against Brazil
The 2006 World Cup continues to produce fantastic entertainment as Ronaldo helped Brazil into the quarter-finals with his record breaking 15th goal where they will now meet France who upset favoured Spain 3-1 in another second round thriller on Tuesday.
The mouthwatering last 8 matchup will be a repeat of the 1998 final when Zinedine Zidane - who scored the insurance goal against Spain - bagged two headers in a 3-0 win in Paris for their only global triumph.
Spain went into the match as heavy favourites and took the lead on 26 minutes when David Villa made no mistake from the spot but despite holding the advantage, France came roaring back picking up inspiration from a brilliant equaliser from Franck Ribery just before half-time.
The match seemed heading for extra-time before veteran Patrick Vieira who scored on his birthday last Friday against Togo to keep France in the competition popped up on 81 minutes to head the all important go-ahead goal in a cracking tie in Hanover.
Zidane then guaranteed a famous win and set off a party for French fans when he scored in injury time to set up a dream date against Brazil on Saturday.
"We're really happy as we had a great desire after a first round that wasn't too easy for us to show we had the quality to do something," said Zidane.
Coach Raymond Domenech could afford to joke that things had finally gone well on the night for his side of "oldies," who some critics have for weeks dubbed too long in the tooth to do well at the tournament.
"We were admirable on all levels, courageous, reactive, solid, intelligent, lucid and patient," he insisted.
"Patrick Vieira was written off, Zizou ought not to be playing... But our little team of oldies are still in there. They may be old but they are patient," noted Domenech, saying that he couldn't wait for a match with Brazil.
"It's for matches like that that we are here."
Earlier in the day. the headlines belonged to Ronaldo who became the top all-time World Cup scorer with 15 career goals with a glorious solo effort in 3-0 win over brave Ghana.
Ghana were the only African side that made the last-16, Togo, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and Angola all falling at the group stage.
Ronaldo scored the historic goal on 5 minutes after he burst onto a through ball from Kaka and used his trademark stepover to deceive Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingston and slot the ball into the net
In doing so Ronaldo moved past Germany's Gerd Muller, who had a total of 14 from the 1970 and 1974 Cups, with his third goal of this year's tournament, after scoring four in 1998 and eight more in 2002.
Brazilian forward Adriano celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the round of 16 World Cup football match between Brazil and Ghana at Dortmund's World Cup Stadium, 27 June 2006. Brazil were leading 2-0 at half-time. AFP PHOTO / ROBERTO SCHMIDT
Joyous team-mates mobbed Ronaldo in celebration and delighted Brazilian supporters chanted his name in tribute after his 62nd goal in 96 appearances for his homeland.
Adriano scored Brazil's second in first-half injury time, a hotly contested goal coming against the run of play and which appeared to be a clear case of off-side.
That goal effectively ended the last-16 tie as a contest.
Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto gestures to the heavens after scoring his team's third coal during the round of 16 World Cup football match between Brazil and Ghana at Dortmund's World Cup Stadium, 27 June 2006. Brazil were leading 3-0 during the second half. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHE
Ze Roberto rounded off the score after 84 minutes when he broke the off side trap and clipped the ball over the onrushing Kingston as Ghana began to wilt in an increasingly uphill battle.
Cafu, the 36-year-old AC Milan fullback, also set a record with his 19th World Cup appearance for Brazil and set another all-time mark by playing on a winning World Cup side for a 16th time.