|
Star duo fail to shine
Zidane, Figo could be going home early
Posted: Thursday June 06, 2002 12:56 PM
Updated: Saturday June 08, 2002 4:54 AM
By Simon Hooper, CNNSI.com
A week into the World Cup and already there has been more drama than most tournaments manage in a month.
When France kicked off the action against Senegal in Seoul last Friday nobody could have possibly dreamt that the world champion would need a late save by Fabien Barthez from Uruguay's Federico Magallanes in the final seconds of the final game of the first seven days to avoid becoming the second team (after hapless also-ran Saudi Arabia) to exit the competition.
The goalless draw with a cynical Uruguay team was the culmination of a miserable week for the French.
Notorious for their game-spoiling tactics, the South Americans can't have believed their luck when their early efforts to provoke the French resulted in Thierry Henry launching a red card tackle at Marcelo Romero.
The French were already without their talisman Zinedine Zidane, who was still suffering the thigh muscle injury that ruled him out of the opening game.
Without him, France has looked listless and directionless in attack. In turn that has put additional pressure on an aging defense that is already creaking under the strain exerted by players like El Hadji Diouf and Alvaro Recoba.
With French hopes of making the second round hanging by a thread, Zidane, fit or not, will surely play against Denmark but it may be too little too late.
France needs a two-goal win over a side that has looked solid in defense and dangerous on the break and has the mental advantage of knowing it need not chase the game. Jon Dahl Tomasson and chunky midfielder Stig Tofting have been among the stars of the competition so far.
Anything less and France will become the first champion to depart in the opening round since Pele and Brazil were kicked out of the 1966 finals.
At least the French have the consolation of knowing they're not alone in being cast as fall guys. For once the Spanish have avoided that tag, winning their opening match against Slovenia for the first time since 1950, but the habit has spread to their Iberian neighbor.
While a defeat against a determined and well-organized United States may not have been beyond the realms of Portuguese possibility, the nature of Antonio Oliveira's side's defeat -- conceding three goals in a manner that suggested the back four and goalkeeper had been introduced to each other in the tunnel -- was incomprehensibly inept for a team that had been considered among the outside contenders.
Most damning of all, Portugal got away with the same haplessness at Euro 2000, conceding two early goals to England before rallying to win 3-2. Clearly the lessons of that game have not been heeded.
Figo's brilliance hauled Portugal back to win 3-2 that day, but with the Real Madrid star still struggling with the injuries that have dogged his season it seems unlikely we'll see him at his best in this tournament, unless you include his performances in Nike's "cage" during the advert breaks.
Still, at least if FIFA's last two world footballers of the year do fail to make the last 16 they'll be able to share a flight home to Madrid.
 |
Zahovic sent home by Slovenia
Slovenian superstar Zlatko Zahovic is heading home early after catching a dose of Roy Keane syndrome. Zahovic was incensed when he was substituted by coach Srecko Katanec during the Slovenes' defeat by Spain and launched a Keane-style tirade of abuse at the coach and other national officials. Katanec, who has guided Slovenia to two major championships despite a long-running feud with Zahovic, says he'll quit as soon as his side's involvement in the tournament ends.
|
Rivaldo punished for cheating
Rivaldo is the biggest name so far to fall foul of FIFA's clampdown on cheating. The Brazilian playmaker was fined US$6,390, but escaped a suspension, for slumping in a heap with his hands to his face after Turkey's Hakan Unsal kicked a ball at him while he was waiting to take a corner. Unsal received a red card, although the ball only hit Rivaldo in the legs.
|
Cash-strapped Austrian champion relegated
European soccer's cash crisis has claimed another victim, with Austrian champion Tirol Innsbruck was expelled from the premier division after failing to prove it could afford the requisite cash deposit for a licence for the 2002-03 season. On Tuesday the club's general manager Robert Hochstaffl was arrested on charges of fraud and embezzlement. Tirol, which has been champion for the past three seasons, will start next season in the regional western league, while relegated Admira Wacker returns to the top flight.
|
 |
| Robbie Keane |
 |
The Leeds striker's last-minute goal to earn a 1-1 draw against Germany makes Ireland a favorite to advance from Group D, and silences the critics who thought Ireland couldn't do it without namesake Roy Keane. |
| Portugal |
 |
Yes, the United States played out of its skin, but the so-called "golden generation" looked as if they had never even met, never mind played together. |
|
 |
England vs. Argentina: Tabloid frenzy
A day ahead of England and Argentina's clash in Sapporo, the English and Argentine press have already opened hostilities. "We'll cheat your boys again," screamed the front page of the Sun, quoting numerous Argentine fans relishing the prospect of a repeat of Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal at the 1986 World Cup and claiming it had been "bombarded with abusive emails from bragging Argentinians... some aiming insults at the Queen." But the Mirror is confident England can meet fire with fire, extracting a promise from captain David Beckham to win by any means necessary. "Of course I would," said Beckham when asked if he'd copy Maradona's stunt and adding "We are definitely not cynical enough. We are not cunning enough. Too honest for our own good." Meanwhile, in Argentina, Ole ran a frontpage photo of Gabriel Batistuta relaxing on the beach under the headline, "Look how I'm trembling," and Clarin carried a gruesome image of Beckham's face superimposed with Margaret Thatcher's hair...
|
Liverpool targets Senegal duo
Senegal's World Cup debut has certainly impressed Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier. The Mirror claims Liverpool are ready to pay US$15 million for star striker El Hadji Diouf, currently with Lens, and US$7.5 million for Sedan midfielder Salif Diao, the hero/villain of the west Africans' 1-1 draw with Denmark.
|
Barca fancies a Danish
With Jon Dahl Tomasson already on his way to AC Milan, goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is the latest member of the Danish squad to catch the eye of Europe's scouts, says the Sun. The US$15 million-rated stopper is a transfer target for Barcelona, although Spanish rival Deportivo La Coruna is also reportedly keeping an eye on developments. |
 |
"What I did was typical Brazilian trickery in the face of violence from opposition defenders. I respect FIFA's decision but I will go on playing football in the way I always have."
-- Rivaldo says his "trickery," FIFA says "cheating."
|
|
