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Colombia joins France in Cup semis Posted: Sunday June 22, 2003 5:16 PMUpdated: Sunday June 22, 2003 5:51 PM SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) -- Colombia joined host and defending champion France in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup on Sunday by edging Japan 1-0 on a goal by Giovanni Hernandez. France thrashed New Zealand 5-0 to win Group A ahead of the South American champions. Japan would have gone through with a draw, and for much of the game it looked like Zico's team would achieve just what it needed. But a dreadful defensive blunder allowed Hernandez to strike the winner for the South American champion in the 68th minute. Wearing all black didn't help New Zealand. In rugby, just the uniform would be enough to install fear and respect. In soccer, though, France is in a different league and it overwhelmed the hapless Kiwis in Saint-Denis. France got goals from Oliver Kapo and Thierry Henry within a three-minute span early in the first half and Djibril Cisse, Ludovic Giuly and Robert Pires completed the rout in the last 20 minutes to make sure France won Group A. It will now probably play either Brazil or Turkey in Thursday's semifinal in Saint-Denis. Colombia will likely face Cameroon in Lyon. With the victory, France won the group with a 3-0 record, after struggling in its first two matches, beating Colombia 1-0 and Japan 2-1. France was never threatened Sunday and the big victory gave the team a small measure of atonement for its disastrous World Cup campaign last year, when the holder went out after the first round without scoring a goal. On Monday, Turkey plays five-time World Cup champion Brazil for a place in the semifinals. Turkey will look for revenge for two losses it suffered against Brazil in the World Cup last year. Brazil beat Turkey 1-0 in the semifinal then before winning the title, while Turkey finished third in its biggest soccer success in history. Cameroon, which beat both Brazil and Turkey, will win Group B unless it suffers a major upset against the winless United States. In case the Indomitable Lions lose against the Americans, either Turkey or Brazil could win the group and play Colombia in Lyon. Colombia survived a late offensive flurry by Japan to finish the group stage 2-1. Japan, whose forward Naohiro Takahara struck the post with a finely timed header shortly before Colombia's goal, applied a lot of pressure in the final minutes but could not overcome Colombia's defense. Capitalizing on a turnover by Japanese midfielder Yasuhito Endo, the Colombians pushed forward against a Japanese defense caught short and Hernandez -- a Deportivo Cali striker -- controlled the ball and swiftly released it on the turn to beat goalkeeper Seijo Narazaki from eight meters (yards). Hernandez's strike was Colombia's fourth goal in two matches after a 3-1 win against New Zealand on Friday concluded a 13-month scoring drought. Coach Francisco Maturana's side had not found the net in five games, since May of last year in a 2-1 loss to Mexico.
New Zealand never recovered from conceding two goals by the first 20 minutes and left the tournament with a 0-3 record, having scored just one goal and allowing 11.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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