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ITALY 3-0 UKRAINE

L'Italia è in semifinale

GERMANY 1-1 ARGENTINA (4-2) Penality

Discuss the games so far

Saturday Games
ENGLAND VS. PORTUGAL
BRAZIL VS. FRANCE

For more coverage check out FIFAWorldCup.com

HANOVER, June 27 (Reuters) - Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane put France into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with two late goals in a 3-1 victory over Spain on Tuesday.

Vieira nodded home off a defender in the 83rd minute following a Zidane free kick and Zidane himself secured victory in stoppage time after France had come from behind.

David Villa had given Spain the lead with a penalty in the 28th minute after Lilian Thuram brought down Pablo Ibanez in the area.

But Franck Ribery equalised for France in the 41st minute, racing on to a Vieira pass and rounding keeper Iker Casillas to score.

France will play Brazil in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Frankfurt.

Brazil 3-0 Ghana World Cup 2006

Ronaldo became the leading scorer in World Cup finals history when he struck early in Brazil's last-16 match against Ghana in Dortmund.
It means the 29-year-old exceeded the record set by Gerd Muller, which he equalled against Japan, and has now scored a total of 15 goals at World Cup finals.

DORTMUND (Reuters) - A moment of Ronaldo class and a controversial Adriano goal helped give Brazil a 3-0 win over Ghana on Tuesday but their path to the World Cup quarter-finals was far from smooth.

Ronaldo struck after five minutes but Ghana piled on the pressure and exposed the world champions' defence on several occasions before Adriano broke their hearts, if not their spirits, in first-half injury time.

Midfielder Ze Roberto added the third in the 84th minute when he slipped the Ghanaian offside trap once more.

Ghana ended the match with 10 men, striker Asamoah Gyan sent off in the 81st minute when he collected his second yellow card for a dive.

Brazil, seeking a fourth successive final appearance and a sixth triumph, now face Spain or France, who meet in the last remaining second round game later on Tuesday.

Brazil got the ideal start when Kaka sprung the offside trap with a pass into the path of Ronaldo and the striker bamboozled Ghana goalkeeper Richard Kingston with a quickstep dummy before tucking in his 15th World Cup goal, overhauling the record he shared with Germany's Gerd Mueller.

Ghana, without suspended midfield inspiration Michael Essien, looked in disarray in the first 20 minutes but gradually settled to attack the shaky heart of the Brazilian defence and create a series of chances that had the world champions rattled.

Matthew Amoah should have scored but scuffed his shot in front of goal after 24 minutes and John Mensah then met a corner with a perfect downward header that Brazil keeper Dida somehow kept out with his foot.

Ghana were then stunned on the break with a controversial goal as Kaka fed the overlapping Cafu, making a Brazilian record 19th World Cup finals appearance.

Adriano was well offside at that point but play continued as he had not collected the ball but he was certainly involved, and probably still marginally offside, as he drove into the six-yard box to nudge home his captain's low cross.

The Ghana players protested to no avail as did their Serbian coach Ratomir Dujkovic, who was sent to the stands for his troubles.

The last remaining African side in the competition did well to come out fighting, with Gyan forcing Dida into a good diving save after 69 minutes.

Ghana had many opportunities to score but they blew it.

In the end the top team won. What is your take? Have your say

Ghana Boots U.S. From World Cup

Team USA will be home in time for July 4, while Ghana advances to the Second Round.

Next up is Brazil for the Black Stars.

Ghana 2-1 USA

Ghana Boots U.S. From World Cup

Last Updated:
06-22-06

There was no glory for the United States at this year's World Cup, only frustration and failure. The Americans were eliminated in the first round, losing to Ghana 2-1 Thursday in a game they had to win to advance to the tournament's knockout phase.

With thousands of red, white and blue-clad fans cheering them on in Franken-Stadion, the Americans fell flat against a Black Stars team that was stronger and faster. Surprising Ghana advanced along with Italy from Group E.

It was a bitter ending for the United States, which carried high hopes _ and a No. 5 world ranking from FIFA _ onto soccer's biggest stage. Four years ago, the Americans made the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Haminu Draman put the Africans ahead in the 22nd minute, breaking in alone on goalkeeper Kasey Keller after colliding with Claudio Reyna, who crumpled to the ground in pain.

The United States, which has never won a World Cup game in which it trailed, tied it when Clint Dempsey scored in the 43rd minute with a smashing 10-yard shot off a perfect feed from DaMarcus Beasley. But Ghana captain Stephen Appiah converted a penalty kick in the second minute of first-half injury time after American defender Oguchi Onyewu was called for a foul in the penalty area.

Eddie Johnson entered in the 61st minute as the United States pressed, and Brian McBride nearly tied it again in the 66th, but his diving header inside the 6-yard box clanked off the near post. A minute later, Onyewu sent a header off Landon Donovan's corner kick just over the crossbar.

In order to advance, the Americans needed a victory and some help. They got the needed assistance when Italy defeated the Czech Republic 2-0 in a game played simultaneous in Hamburg. But the United States (0-2-1) didn't come through and finished the tournament with one point _ its first in a World Cup played in Europe, but not enough to escape the basement in Group E.

Italy (2-0-1) won the group with seven points and Ghana (2-1), making its first World Cup appearance, advanced with six points.

Four years ago, the Americans became heroes with their best showing since 1930. But this time, in what probably marked the final World Cup appearances of Reyna, McBride and perhaps Keller, they reverted to their form of 1998 in France, when they finished last overall.

U.S. fans outnumbered the Ghanaians dressed in red, yellow and green, both in the cobblestone streets of Nuremberg's old town before the game and in the historic ballpark where Hitler Youth marched seven decades ago.

With Eddie Pope and Pablo Mastroeni suspended, the Americans used Jimmy Conrad to replace Pope at central defender and Reyna shifted back to Mastroeni's defensive midfield role. Beasley joined Donovan in the center of the midfield and Eddie Lewis, who started the opener at left back, took over in left midfield -- his more familiar position -- from Bobby Convey.

Draman scored after Dempsey played a back pass to Reyna, and the U.S. captain collided with the Ghanaian left knee to left knee. As Reyna fell, Draman took possession and rushed in one-on-one against Keller, putting the ball onto his right foot and sending it into the corner of the net beyond the diving goalkeeper from 10 yards.

Reyna was taken off the field on a stretcher, grimacing, but returned in the 26th minute, just about the time Italy went ahead of the Czechs. Still looking pained, he was replaced by Ben Olsen in the 40th minute and went to the bench, where the knee was wrapped.

Donovan, who failed to score after getting two World Cup goals as a 20 year old in 2002, had a great chance to tie it in the 35th. He had an open shot after Brian McBride dropped a header for him, but got under the ball and his volley attempt went way high -- with U.S. coach Bruce Arena looking disgusted in front of the bench.

Dempsey then tied it.

Beasley, along the left flank just past midfield, battled Derek Boateng and John Pantsil and stole the ball. After a short run, Beasley sent a pinpoint left-footed cross in front of the goal. Racing ahead of Habib Mohamed, Dempsey one-timed the ball with his right foot from about 12 yards.

It was the first goal by a U.S. player in the World Cup in 338 minutes. Dempsey did his rap dance as Americans celebrated.

But moments later, the Americans fell behind again. For good.

Onyewu pushed down Razak Pimpong in the penalty area battling for a header, and Germany's Markus Merk -- one of the world's top-rated officials -- immediately pointed to the penalty spot as Arena buried his face in his hands. Keller dived left, but Appiah put the ball high to the goalkeeper's right.

Arena kept on talking in the referee's direction until an assistant coach pulled him away.

A gift from the US finds its way to soldiers at a base in Afghanistan's Zabul province. BBC Photo

Have Your Say

USA coach Bruce Arena has pinpointed Michael Essien as the main danger to his side's hopes of beating Ghana and potentially reaching the second round.

The Chelsea midfielder was in outstanding form in the Black Stars' 2-0 win over the Czech Republic and Arena sees denying him control of the midfield as key to the 2002 quarter-finalists' chances of advancing.

"Essien is one of the top players in this tournament," said Arena. "He not only organized their attack, he played well on defence.

"He's a player who is brilliant. We can't let him do what he wants for 90 minutes or we're going to lose."

Chelsea paid 38 million Euros, the largest transfer fee for any African player, to bring Essien from French champion Lyon. Essien responded by helping the London club capture a second consecutive English Premier League crown.

Essien has the ability to orchestrate the backline and serve as a creative force in attack, impressing US counterpart Landon Donovan.

"Essien is dynamic. He is the modern two-way player. He plays tough defence and he scores a lot of goals," Donovan said.

"He's going to hurt you if you're not aware of where he is all the time. So we're going to be aware."

While Ghana and the US squad have never clashed in a full international, they did meet in the match for third place in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, when defensive co-ordinator Essien helped Ghana get the best of Donovan's US side to win bronze.

Asked if he recalled Essien from the match, Donovan admitted, "No, I don't. But you can say I did."

Donovan might soon remember Essien as the man who sparked an African nation's side to a FIFA World Cup™ dream triumph over a team from one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries on the planet.

Just ask Czech goalkeeper Peter Cech, who saw his own country's title hopes imperiled by his Chelsea teammate.

"Essien showed what a great player he is," Cech said.

Essien himself knows that victory over the Americans in the Group E showdown would send the tournament debutantes into the round of 16, possibly against reigning champion Brazil.

"It would be hard, but we are prepared for it," Essien said. "We're not afraid to meet the Brazilians. We are ready to play anyone. First we have to deal with the USA. They play good football and they will be tough."

"We will go for a win against the US team. And our chances are good I think."

Ukraine forward Andriy Voronin skips past Spain's Carles Puyol
Ukraine forward Andriy Voronin fights for the ball with Spain's Carles Puyol

Source:
FIFAWorldCup.com

Original Picture
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/photos/?aid=264909&d=1

Italy 2
Ghana 0

ITA : GHA, 12 June 2006, Hanover, Germany
ESSIEN Michael (GHA), ZACCARDO Cristian (ITA), DE ROSSI Daniele (ITA)

So far all African teams lost, with Togo and Tunisa to go next.

It looks like Tunisa may have the chance to go further.

Voodoo priest predicts Togo glory
Togo's chief voodoo priest is predicting success for Togo's football team at the World Cup in Germany.
Read More from BBC

Would you bet your money on Togo?

As World Cup heats up, Brazil grinds to a halt
Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:32 AM ET

"Nationwide, banks have received government approval to close early on game days. Courts and schools will shut down after a half day. And the Sao Paulo stock market will ring the closing bell two hours early"

By Todd Benson

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - When Brazil's national soccer team takes the field in Berlin on Tuesday for its first game of the 2006 World Cup, this continent-sized country of 185 million people will grind to a halt.

Nationwide, banks have received government approval to close early on game days. Courts and schools will shut down after a half day. And the Sao Paulo stock market will ring the closing bell two hours early so investors can watch Brazil's so-called magical quartet -- Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Kaka --- work their magic in Germany.

In the capital Brasilia, the Senate and the House of Deputies have canceled afternoon sessions on days when Brazil is scheduled to play. Government agencies, with the exception of the police and public hospitals, will close their doors two hours before kick-off times.

Even in Sao Paulo, a bustling metropolis with a workaholic streak, city officials expect the normally traffic-clogged streets to be virtually deserted when Brazil takes the field.

Rather than run the risk of having hordes of employees call in sick, many private companies are allowing staff to head home early. Others, like chemicals company DuPont, have also installed big-screen televisions for those employees that stick around.

"Soccer is an integral part of the culture in Brazil and people would be thinking about it anyway," said Jose Perdomo, a vice-president at DuPont in Sao Paulo. "This is about balancing the employees' needs and our business needs."

Brazil has plenty of reasons to be excited about its national team. It has won the World Cup a record five times, most recently in 2002 in Japan. It is the only country to have participated in all 17 World Cups, and it has played in the past three finals, winning two of them.

It is also the country that produced Pele, arguably the greatest to ever play the "beautiful game", although that is an honor that archrival Argentina tends to bestow on its own Diego Maradona.

Soccer is so ingrained in the national psyche that Brazilians of all ages still speak of the country's shocking loss to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro's famed Maracana stadium as a national tragedy.

All across this soccer-crazed nation, cars, streets, apartment and office buildings are festooned with Brazilian flags and green-and-yellow banners that proclaim in Portuguese, "On Our Way to the Sixth." Vendors swarm cars at intersections, hawking flags, Brazil soccer jerseys and other World Cup paraphernalia.

For some, especially bar and restaurant workers, the World Cup means big business and twice the work.

Bar Astor, a popular pub in Sao Paulo's bohemian Vila Madalena district, installed six flat-screen plasma TVs just for the Cup. Every seat in the bar -- almost 250 of them -- has already been reserved for all of Brazil's games.

"For us, the Cup is work, and lots of it," said Genival Silva, the bar's manager. "After all, people need something to drink while they watch the games."

(Additional reporting by Daniela Perdomo)

United States 0
Czech Republic 3

President Bush, called from Camp David before the game and wished them well. But Czech Republic trashed team USA. Next up is Italy.
Read more on SI

The Czech Republic started their Germany 2006 campaign in style with a 3-0 win over the USA in Gelsenkirchen on Monday, 12 June 2006.

Jan Koller gave the Czechs a dream start in the opening match in Group E by heading them in front after five minutes and Tomas Rosicky doubled their advantage with a superb swerving strike in nine minutes before the break.

Despite the setback of losing Koller to a hamstring injury, Karel Bruckner's men retained their grip on the game and Rosicky sealed the three points with his second goal on 76 minutes.

Source: Fifaworldcup.com

Did you watch the match? Have your say.

Match Highlights , Photos and Video on FifaWorldcup.com

Togo's World Cup Group G preparations are in turmoil after coach Otto Pfister resigned over a pay dispute.

His former assistant Kodjovi Mawuena will take charge of the side for their first game with South Korea on 13 June.

"When I started to be manager of Togo, I was promised that bonuses for the players would be cleared," Pfister told Fifaworldcup.com.

"That is still not the case, so I decided to quit immediately. It has destroyed a dream of my life."

Pfister, who was only appointed in March, said he blamed the Togolese Football Association for the row and he was not interested in further talks.

"I'm not going back and I am giving up my work as national trainer. I won't be messed with any more," said Pfister.

"The players boycotted training sessions and with that my basis to work has been removed."

Fifa's head of communications Markus Ziegler said they had not yet had confirmation that Pfister was no longer in charge, but changing the coach was unlikely to be a problem.

"The situation for players is clear, but the rules do not apply to coaches," he said.

An earthquake shook our preparations

Team manager Gerson Kwadjo Dobou
World Cup debutants Togo are in the same group as South Korea, Switzerland and France.

They are the lowest Fifa-ranked team in the tournament and only appointed Pfister as coach in March.

The Togolese Prime Minister Edem Kodjo had said he would travel to Germany to personally intervene in the row.

Team manager Gerson Kwadjo Dobou said Pfister could return if he wanted to.

"Last night, an earthquake shook our preparations. Therefore everything is in a bit of chaos now," said Dobou .

"It is a shame that we are talking about money, not football."
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Fan Runs Onto Pitch To Embraces Brazilian Striker Ronaldinho During Training Session In Switzerland
A fan runs onto the pitch to embrace Brazilian striker Ronaldinho (L) during a training session at Thermoplan Arena in Weggis, Switzerland, May 26, 2006. WORLD CUP 2006 PREVIEW REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker
Copyright: Reuters / Reuters

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Brazil's midfielder Ronaldinho controls the ball during a friendly football game against FC Luzern Selection, in preparation for the 2006 World Cup, 30 May 2006 in Basel. AFP PHOTO FABRICE COFFRINI



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Voodoo priest predicts Togo glory
Togo's chief voodoo priest is predicting success for Togo's football team at the World Cup in Germany.
Read More from BBC

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