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Rivaldo, Ronaldo on a roll Brazil gets past Belgium 2-0, into Cup quarterfinalsPosted: Monday June 17, 2002 6:59 AMUpdated: Monday June 17, 2002 2:33 PM
KOBE, Japan (Reuters) -- A spectacular Rivaldo goal and a late Ronaldo effort sent Brazil into the quarterfinals of the World Cup after a 2-0 victory over underdogs Belgium on Monday. For the first hour of the game, the four-time champion was matched by the Europeans who were robbed of a goal by a controversial refereeing decision and a series of fine saves by goalkeeper Marcos. Rivaldo struck in the 67th minute, controlling a high pass from Ronaldinho on his chest with his back to goal, bringing the ball under control with his next touch and then scoring on the turn with a shot that deflected off defender Timmy Simons. Ronaldo matched his teammate's goal-a-game record with a left foot strike from inside the area three minutes from time. "The Cup starts now, every match is going to be a final," Ronaldo said. Brazil plays England on Friday for a place in the semifinals, in a replay of the famous 1970 World Cup game won 1-0 by Brazil. (Memories of 1970 recalled) "We must think about England. I think the match against England is going to be better because they play better football," Ronaldo added. Ronaldo, equal top scorer for the tournament with Germany's Miroslav Klose, now has five goals and Rivaldo four. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari described Monday's victory as a team effort.
"Everyone including our fans was very worried before this game but I kept telling them that this was a team with great fighting qualities and that is what we showed tonight," he said. "We knew about the way Belgium would play with the high balls but we prepared for this and were able to cope. "The players pulled together and we knew we had to score goals and we have the players to score goals, like Ronaldo," Scolari added. But Monday's game may have hinged on the effort which Belgium had disallowed in the 36th minute. Jacky Peters sent over an inswinging cross from the right, Marc Wilmots won a tussle with Roque Junior and headed the ball into the net beyond a despairing Marcos only to see the referee disallow his effort, apparently for pushing. But replays suggested that Wilmots' leap was a clean one and that the decision was extremly harsh on the Europeans. Belgium began by giving Brazil a first-minute fright when a dipping long-range effort from Mbo Mpenza was tipped over by Marcos. Brazil then took control of the first half, although its defense looked vulnerable every time Belgium lofted a high ball into the area. Roberto Carlos was close with a viciously swerving free kick while Ronaldo had three good chances to break the deadlock. The Inter Milan striker finished off a darting run by the lively Ronaldinho by firing just past the top corner, then forced goalkeeper Geert de Vlieger to dive at his feet as he homed in on goal.
His most spectacular attempt came when he met Rivaldo's cross from the left with an acrobatic volley but the ball again flew narrowly wide. Belgium made a bold start to the second half and Wilmots was unlucky again when his awkward bouncing shot from outside the area was turned around the post at the last minute by Marcos. Marcos again saved the four-times champion when he dived at the feet of Mpenza to block his shot from close range at the far post in the 55th minute. Marcos made an even better save in the 62nd minute when he turned around a curling shot by Wilmots after he had cut inside Lucio. Scolari said his priority was to relax and he had nothing to say about England at this stage. Ronaldo said the pressure had been on the Brazilians to beat the Belgians, but that now they would be able to relax and play more flowing football. "Playing England is going to be like a great final. We're going to have to analyze their best points and we're going to have to wait up to the last minute (for a result) like today," he said. "We will be very evenly matched." Brazil reunites 'Triple R' attack for Belgian clashBrazil reunited its "Triple R" attack for Monday's second-round World Cup match against Belgium, with Ronaldinho rejoining Ronaldo and Rivaldo after a one-game rest. Ronaldinho sat out Brazil's final Group C match against Costa Rica last Thursday to avoid the risk of picking up a second yellow card and an automatic one-game suspension. Brazil hardly missed him, winning 5-2 to reach the last 16. Defender Roque Junior also sat out the Costa Rica match with one yellow card and returns to the lineup. But his replacement, Edmilson, was maintained on the starting squad, while Anderson Polga went to the bench. Edmilson is three centimeters (1.2 inches) taller than Polga, and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari felt he might be more effective against the Belgian aerial game. Edmilson also shone at the offensive end against Costa Rica, scoring Brazil's third goal on a spectacular bicycle kick. Veteran winger Roberto Carlos, recovered from muscle pains in his calves, returns to the lineup in place of Junior. Belgium was missing starting defender Glen De Boeck, who missed practice on Sunday with back pains and was replaced by defensive midfielder Timmy Simons. Score Summary:Brazil 2 Belgium 0 - result World Cup, second round Scorers: Rivaldo 67, Ronaldo 87 Yellow cards: Brazil - Roberto Carlos 28 Belgium - Yves Vanderhaeghe 24 Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 40,440 Teams:Brazil (3-5-2): 1-Marcos; 3-Lucio, 4-Roque Junior, 5-Edmilson; 6-Roberto Carlos, 2-Cafu, 8-Gilberto Silva, 19-Juninho (17-Denilson 57), 10-Rivaldo (7-Ricardinho 90); 9-Ronaldo, 11-Ronaldinho (15-Kleberson 81) Belgium (4-4-2): 1-Geert De Vlieger; 5-Nico Van Kerckhoven, 16-Daniel Van Buyten, 15-Jacky Peeters (9-Wesley Sonck 73); 11-Gert Verheyen, 6-Timmy Simons, 18-Yves Vanderhaeghe, 10-Johan Walem, 8-Bart Goor; 22-Mbo Mpenza, 7-Marc Wilmots Match referee: Peter Prendergast (Jamaica) Linesmen : Yuri Dupanov (Belarus), Mohamed Saeed (Maldives)
The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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