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Denilson helps Brazil hit fourth gear
Brazilian striker provides different pace than older Bebeto
Posted: Saturday June 27, 1998 06:28 PM
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Denilson replaced Bebeto in the 65th minute to set up Ronaldo for Brazil's fourth goal (AP) |
ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- If it's time for the real games, it must be time
for the real Brazil. The
Brazilians put on a display worthy of their soccer past, easily disposing
of Chile 4-1
in a Round of 16 contest that was over after Ronaldo and Company took a 3-0
halftime lead. But it was in the second half that Brazil played the
brand of soccer that has made it the most popular team in the world. The
Brazilians can make it look so effortless and carefree, and the second half
against Chile offered many of those moments with the ball moving up and
down the field with an ebb and flow that is distinctly Brazilian.
Ronaldo and Cesar Sampaio both scored two goals for Brazil, but it was a
substitute who really got the squad rolling. Denilson, who has been
outspoken in his desire to replace Bebeto at the striker spot alongside
Ronaldo, entered the game in the 65th minute for Bebeto and instantly
changed the pace of the contest. Five minutes later, Denilson made a
beautiful run up the middle past two Chilean defenders and drew two more
defenders to him before laying the ball off on the right to a wide open
Ronaldo, who calmly deposited the ball into the goal for Brazil's fourth
score. The rest of the half was just as pretty to watch with Denilson and
Ronaldo working nicely together up front. For the 34-year-old Bebeto,
time may have finally passed him by. He is not the player he was in '94
when he teamed with Romario, and Brazil is clearly a better team when
Bebeto is on the bench and Denilson is on the field. If Brazil is to
advance past likely opponent Nigeria in the
quarterfinals, it will have to play like it did when Denilson was on the
pitch. Whether that comes with him or Bebeto teamed up front with Ronaldo
will be the subject of much speculation over the next few days. In the
morning contest, Italy advanced
past a Norwegian team that had the audacity to complain afterwards that
Italy was a bad team, which they should have beaten. To win the World
Cup, you have to get out of your group and then win four difficult games.
One can hardly blame Italy for not pushing all-out forward in the second
half when it had a 1-0 lead and Norway was not
pushing forward itself. Norway relies on the counterattack or long ball
to score, and Italy took away both of those options with its play in the
second half. There was no need for the Italians to score any more goals,
seeing as Paraguay or France will be
waiting for them in the quarterfinals regardless of the final score.
Player of the Day: Ronaldo. It was only a matter of time before
the world's best player broke out in the world's biggest tournament. After
three so-so games, Brazil's star striker got untracked in a big way against
Chile. Ronaldo's pace and play picked up after the first 30 minutes
Saturday, and he was able to dazzle the crowd with two goals and some
magnificent moves.
Ronaldo scored a pair of goals against Chile to give him three for the tournament (AP) | |
There has been enormous pressure placed on the
21-year-old, but he simply goes about his business, smiles all the time
and, more often than not, finds the back of the net as he did against
Chile. Goal of the Day: Christian Vieri. The Italian striker
takes the honors again, having scored his fifth goal of the tournament
against Norway. Vieri took a beautiful through ball from midfielder
Luigi Di Biagio in the 18th minute right up the middle, collecting it at
the top of the penalty area. He held off defender Dan Eggren and calmly
slid the ball past Norway goalkeeper Frode Grodas. Few players in France
'98 have the speed and size to do what Vieri makes look so effortlessly.
Saturday, his goal was the difference against Norway. Quote of the
Day: "We are going to win, we are going to go all the way." -- Brazil
coach Mario Zagallo after his team's 4-1 win over Chile Outlook for
Sunday:Two of the more potent offenses left in France '98 will be
tested against two superb goalkeepers when Nigeria takes on Denmark and the
host French face Portugal. The morning contest matches France, which has
already scored nine goals in the finals, against Paraguay, which rode
goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert into the second round. Chilavert gave up
just one goal in three matches, helping Paraguay earn two scoreless draws
and a 3-1 win over Nigeria. That earned Paraguay the second berth out of
the group of death and left powerhouse Spain packing for
home. If Paraguay is to beat the powerful French, it will have to get
another inspired performance from the charismatic goalkeeper who vowed
before the finals that his goal was to become the first netminder to score
in a World Cup. Chances are, he'd give up scoring, if it meant Paraguay
could move through. In the evening contest, Denmark will be looking for
the same thing Paraguay is, great goaltending shutting down a superior
offense. It will put legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel in the net and
hope he can hold off Nigeria. The Nigerians are the only African team
left in it, and they have that continent's hopes on their shoulders. But
those shoulders have the appearance of being quite broad based on Nigeria's
showing in Group D. Nigeria knows only one way to go -- forward. Sunday
against Denmark that will be too much for Schmeichel to handle. His
teammates do not have enough firepower of their own to test Nigeria's weak
link, goalkeeper Peter Rufai.
Look for Nigeria to ease by Denmark 2-0,
peppering Schmeichel with shots and displaying just enough defense to keep
the punchless Danes off the scoreboard.
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