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Ronaldo, Rivaldo put on show
Brazil moves into next round with 3-0 win over Morocco
Posted: Tuesday June 16, 1998 05:08 PM
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Ronaldo rifles home Brazil's first goal of the game with a half volley (AP) |
NANTES, France (AP) --
Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal and Brazil became
the quickest team into the second round Tuesday by cruising to a 3-0
victory over Morocco.
The Inter Milan striker, who was on the Brazilian squad that completed a
record fourth World Cup title in 1994 but didn't get on the field, drove
the ball home from the edge of the area for a simple strike in the ninth
minute after taking a pass from Rivaldo. It was Rivaldo who made it
2-0 in first half injury time with a close-range tap-in from Cafu's right
wing cross and Ronaldo set up the third for Bebeto four minutes into the
second half. The result meant that Brazil, already a 2-1 winner over
Scotland,
has maximum points from two games and can't be caught in Group A. Brazil
was also the first team into round two in 1994. Leonardo thought he
had given Brazil the lead when he fired home in the second minute but was
thwarted by an offside flag. But there was nothing wrong with
Ronaldo's strike seven minutes later. The 21-year-old striker was on
his own when he collected a forward pass by Rivaldo but didn't need any
help. He hit the ball first time from 18 yards in the ninth minute.
There were anxious looks from the Brazilian bench when Ronaldo went down
after a late, high tackle from Said Chiba, who clattered into him just
above the left knee. The bench was relieved to see him resume after brief
treatment. The Moroccans had enough possession to force a series of
corners but didn't worry Taffarel in the Brazilian goal while Ronaldo went
close in the 24th minute to adding to his early goal. Roberto Carlos
curled in a low cross from the left and Ronaldo, stretching at the far
post, was a toe cap away from prodding the ball home but failed to make
contact. But there was still plenty to worry coach Mario Zagallo as
errors began to creep into the Brazilian midfield and defense as half time
neared. Bebeto and team captain Dunga became involved in a heated
argument after the defending champions had been exposed by a Moroccan raid
and conceded a free kick just outside of their own area. Although
they blocked the free kick, Brazil conceded another corner and Said Chiba
flicked a long-range header just wide of the post. But a second goal
came with first half time running out, Cafu breaking down the right and
crossing low for the unmarked Rivaldo to run the ball in from barely five
yards for his sixth goal in a Brazilian shirt. Rivaldo was involved
in the move that almost brought a third goal only two minutes into the
second half. The Barcelona forward swung in a cross from the left directly
onto the head of Bebeto whose firm header was held by the diving Driss
Benzekri just inside his right hand post. But the third goal came
two minutes later when Ronaldo won the ball wide on the left and slipped
past two defenders with a magical change of pace and mesmerizing footwork.
He drew goalkeeper Benzekri off his line and pulled the ball across
to Bebeto to slide the ball into an unguarded net. Abdeljilil Hadda
exposed more lapses in the Brazilian defense by climbing above the lanky
Junior Baiano and heading just wide. But Ronaldo squandered a good chance
to make it 4-0 when he fired wide from 15 yards after a slick Brazilian
move. Lineups: Brazil: Taffarel, Cafu, Junior
Baiano, Aldair, Roberto Carlos; Dunga, Cesar Sampaio (Doriva, 68th),
Leonardo, Rivaldo (Denilson, 88th); Bebeto (Edmundo, 72nd), Ronaldo.
Morocco: Driss Benzekri; Abdelilah Saber (Lahcen Abrami, 76th),
Youssef Rossi, Abdelkrim El Hadrioui, Noureddine Naybet; El Moustafa Hadji,
Said Chiba (Gharib Amzine, 76th), Youssef Chippo, Tahar El Khalej;
Abdeljilil Hadda (Ali El Khattabi, 89th), Salaheddine Bassir
Referee: Nikolai Levnikov, Russia.
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