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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 08:52 PM
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Morocco had 10 scoring opportunities, but did not have a shot on target (AP) |
NANTES, France (AP) --
The defending World Cup champions had gotten an earful about Morocco's
"Brazilian-style" soccer. So Ronaldo and Co. went out and showed the
disciples how it's done.
With art and cool efficiency, Brazil
dispatched the Atlas Lions 3-0 Tuesday night to clinch first place in Group
A with six points. Norway, which
tied Scotland 1-1
earlier Tuesday, has two points, while Morocco and Scotland have one.
Ronaldo, who had done everything but score in a 2-1 win over Scotland,
broke the ice in the ninth minute for his first World Cup goal and set up
Bebeto for the third at the 49th. But that hardly measured the torment he
caused the Lions' defense with a variety of dribbles, passes and
near-misses.
"We played joyful, sparkling and efficient soccer," said coach Mario
Zagallo. "I'm happy with everything -- the defense, the midfield and the
attack."
Two games, two wins, a berth in the second round. What else could Brazil
ask for? Defensive consistency? Showtime? They got that, too.
After working all week on coverage, the Brazilian defense stiffened and
kept the agile Moroccan strikers out of the danger zone. Goalie Taffarel
didn't make a save all night.
Despite the one-sided outcome, Zagallo had nothing but praise for the
Lions.
"We didn't draw just any adversary," he said. "Morocco is a good team that
knows how to play soccer. It might not qualify, but it has every chance to
take second in the group."
Moroccan midfielder Moustafa El Hadgi hasn't given up.
"There is still hope," he said. "It will be difficult for Norway to beat
Brazil. We are going to concentrate our efforts on Scotland."
Coach Henri Michel admitted Morocco's fate was no longer in its hands.
Rivaldo made it 2-0 in first half injury time with a close-range tap-in from Cafu's right wing cross (AP) | |
"Mathematically, it is still possible, but it wont be our doing. It is
something that will be decided after the games.
"We have to be realistic," Michel said. "Brazil was better than us tonight
and the score proves it."
The Brazilian party started early at Beaujoire stadium in this
northwestern river port. The 40,000 fans were a festival of Brazil's
green-and-yellow jerseys, face paint and glitter wigs, daubed with splashes
of Moroccan red.
What would be a long evening for the Lions began in the second minute,
when Rivaldo sent Leonardo in on a breakaway, but his apparent goal was
called back for offside.
Five minutes later, Rivaldo tried to catch goalie Driss Benzekri napping
with a long shot from midfield, a goal he had made for FC Barcelona. This
one went high.
But in the ninth minute, Rivaldo found Ronaldo streaking up the middle.
The two-time FIFA Player of the Year took a step and drilled a right-footed
shot past the diving Benzekri to make it 1-0.
The Lions defense tried every way to shut down Ronaldo, even physically.
In the 18th minute, Said Chiba came in cleats high, tearing Ronaldo's
shorts and leaving an ugly bruise on his left thigh. But Russian referee
Nikolai Levnikov let him off with a warning.
Zagallo refused to comment on the incident. "That's FIFA's problem," he
said.
Five minutes later it was Brazil's Cesar Sampaio who drew a yellow, his
second of the Cup, and misses the game against Norway as a result.
It was injury time when Bebeto found Cafu open on the right wing, and he
sent a cross to Rivaldo that struck Benzekri's arm before going in for a
2-0 lead.
"When we relax, the results start coming," said Cafu. "We knew we'd gather
momentum once the Cup started, and that's what's happening."
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Ronaldo rifles home Brazil's first goal of the game with a half volley in the game's ninth minute (AP) |
In the second period, Bebeto took over.
In the 47th minute he slipped between two defenders for a testing header
that Benzreki picked off in the corner.
Three minutes later, defender Abdelilah Saber stepped on the ball and
Ronaldo picked it off. He blew in from the left side, stutter-stepped
around a defender and fed Bebeto for the tap-in. After that, it was
showtime.
Rivaldo opened with a behind-the-back pass, and Cafu danced over the ball
before a perplexed defender. The highlight was a
Rivaldo-to-Ronaldo-to-Bebeto gem that was cleared at the last Minute but
drew the appreciation of the crowd.
Rivaldo said the game showed that it makes little difference whom Brazil
plays. "I think we've grown and can beat anyone," he said.
Doriva, making his World Cup debut, replaced Sampaio in the 68th minute,
and four miniutes later Edmundo came in for Bebeto.
Morocco then sent in Lahcen Abrami and Gharib Amzine for Saber and Chiba
in the 76th minute. Amzine would have Morocco's best chance on a feed from
Hadji, but his shot from outside the area went high.
In the final minutes, Denilson replaced Rivaldo and Ali El Khattabu came
in for Hadda. Junior Baiano drew a yellow card for a rough tackle.
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 Harioui, 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.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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