Admin
23rd June 2006, 06:31 PM
The match
There were plenty of changes in the two sides’ line-ups. Notably, Zico plumped for a new strike partnership in Keiji Tamada and Seiichiro Maki, while Carlos Alberto Parreira brought in Robinho for Adriano and also promoted Gilberto, Juninho Penambucano, Gilberto Silva and Cicinho to the starting line-up.
7’: Brazil, already qualified, began the match intent on claiming the maximum nine points from the group. On the edge of the box, Ronaldo shimmied past his man but his left-foot shot was saved low down by Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.
10’:Kaka then cut inside Nakata and shot just over from 20 yards.
11’:Robinho, finding himself on the left, stepped inside a challenge and gave Kawaguchi more work with another fine strike from the edge of the area.
15’:The holders were on fire. Twisting and turning on the edge of the box, Robinho brought another tip-over from Kawaguchi with a fierce left-footed shot.
20’: Bursting through the centre of the field, Ronaldinho fed Ronaldo, who again found room for the shot. Once more, Kawaguchi was equal to it, pulling off a fine save low to his left.
22’:Two minutes later and the Jubilo Iwata goalkeeper produced one of the saves of the tournament. Ronaldo laid the ball back to Juninho Pernambucano, whose rasping 20-yard drive seemed destined for the top of the net until Kawaguchi arched backwards and somehow got his fingertips to turn the ball over.
24’:Japan had offered little until then but they almost sneaked a goal when Gilberto Silva very nearly turned Akira Kaja’s cross into his own net after the right-back had been slipped in by Mitsuo Ogasawara.
34’:Zico’s men did not have to wait much longer, though. Alessandro Santos played a fine pass through to the unmarked Tamada who drilled his shot high into the net to spark pandemonium in the stands.
45+1’:However, just when it looked like Japan would carry the lead into the half-time break, Brazil struck. Ronaldinho crossed for Cicinho to head back across goal, where Ronaldo ghosted into space to nod home.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/fifa/gen/afp/20060622/i/666128197.jpg
There were plenty of changes in the two sides’ line-ups. Notably, Zico plumped for a new strike partnership in Keiji Tamada and Seiichiro Maki, while Carlos Alberto Parreira brought in Robinho for Adriano and also promoted Gilberto, Juninho Penambucano, Gilberto Silva and Cicinho to the starting line-up.
7’: Brazil, already qualified, began the match intent on claiming the maximum nine points from the group. On the edge of the box, Ronaldo shimmied past his man but his left-foot shot was saved low down by Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.
10’:Kaka then cut inside Nakata and shot just over from 20 yards.
11’:Robinho, finding himself on the left, stepped inside a challenge and gave Kawaguchi more work with another fine strike from the edge of the area.
15’:The holders were on fire. Twisting and turning on the edge of the box, Robinho brought another tip-over from Kawaguchi with a fierce left-footed shot.
20’: Bursting through the centre of the field, Ronaldinho fed Ronaldo, who again found room for the shot. Once more, Kawaguchi was equal to it, pulling off a fine save low to his left.
22’:Two minutes later and the Jubilo Iwata goalkeeper produced one of the saves of the tournament. Ronaldo laid the ball back to Juninho Pernambucano, whose rasping 20-yard drive seemed destined for the top of the net until Kawaguchi arched backwards and somehow got his fingertips to turn the ball over.
24’:Japan had offered little until then but they almost sneaked a goal when Gilberto Silva very nearly turned Akira Kaja’s cross into his own net after the right-back had been slipped in by Mitsuo Ogasawara.
34’:Zico’s men did not have to wait much longer, though. Alessandro Santos played a fine pass through to the unmarked Tamada who drilled his shot high into the net to spark pandemonium in the stands.
45+1’:However, just when it looked like Japan would carry the lead into the half-time break, Brazil struck. Ronaldinho crossed for Cicinho to head back across goal, where Ronaldo ghosted into space to nod home.
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/fifa/gen/afp/20060622/i/666128197.jpg