FIFA World Cup 2006 - Socceroos' Late Burst

FIFA World Cup 2006 Socceroos Gatecrash Japanese Party

Australia 3 - 1 Japan USA 0 - 3 Czech Republic Italy 2 - 0 Ghana

Hope & Inspiration. Fear & Despair. Sport can be a ruthless judge of attitude and character. More so when the occasion is as big as the World Cup. The Japanese had their nose in front, they had just a few minutes left to play. But the Australians see things differently. There is a certain Lleyton Hewitt in tennis, who makes it his business to run down every single ball till the opponent is frustrated or the ball is beyond the reach of his best abilities. Japan, though ahead, courted fear and found themselves in despair. The Australians, even when behind dated hope and invented the inspiration necessary to carry them farther. A Shunsuke Nakamura cross found its fortuitous way to the goal, with the help of Naohiro Takahara, who displaced the Aussie goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Controversial, but Japan took the lead in the 26th, and carried it into the tunnel for a little break. Guus Hiddink will find it difficult to match his results, he got his teams to the quarters and semis in the past two World Cups. But he is among the best in the business, and the substitutions he made yesterday determined the result of this match by scoring thrice in the last eight minutes to leave the Japanese distraught. A good result against Croatia may ensure a second round, and Hiddink may yet again make a mark. Cahill made the most of a goalmouth melee to equalise for Australia in the 84th minute and four minutes later unleashed a powerful shot that hit the bar and ricocheted into the goal. Unbelievably, they were winning a game, that was almost a certain loss. And Aloisi rubbed it in by adding a third in injury time. Czech Republic is ranked second, they put in a performance that clearly demonstrated why. In possibly the best showing by a team in this event, they put in a well oiled performance that must take them well past the second round. It was a moment of joy watching Zdenek Grygera bide his time to send a brilliant cross that Jan Koller headed past Kasey Keller. The game had just begun. The instigated Americans play an attacking ten minutes, as the Czech settle down to being in the lead. But neither Claudio Reyna nor Brian McBride can convert the opportunities that were so well created. You cannot hold sway against an organised team for long, the Yanks will vouch for that. Tomas Rosicky is headed to Arsenal, what a mouth watering thought that must be for one Arsene Wenger. He shot a gem from 25 yards, into the top right corner. It is moments like these that capture the imagination of a billion people, a beautiful goal. However, Jan Koller collapsed in pain clutching his thigh and was taken off on a stretcher. A sober Czech camp went into the break, 2 up, but uncertain about any further role for Jan Koller in this World Cup. Bruce Arena's team is in the game, but hardly making an impression. Rosicky chipped a ball from Nedved over the hapless Keller in the 76th minute to take the game beyond the Yanks. Italy has always been known for the quality of their defenses. But these days it is their referees and champion clubs that are in the limelight, and for all the wrong reasons. A lot of curiosity has centered around the impact of the recent scandal on their performance. If yesterday was any indication, then their opponents would do well to forget the issue, for the Italians have shown that they have put it firmly in their past. The Africans have brought with them oodles of spirit and aggression. None of them have won a match, but they have shown great heart and the game to boot. Italy though, had enough in the can to carry them through this spirited encounter, much of it from Ghana. The lines were memorised, positions on the stage laid out, modulation refined through rehearsal, but Ghana's hopes were dashed due to their strikers' nerves at the goal. Francesco Totti wasted no time in claiming his place on the stage with a neat corner that Andrea Pirlo converted into a spectacular goal in the 40th minute. Italy remained on edge, as Ghana fought gamely for an equaliser. That was until Samuel Kuffour botched a back heel pass, late in the second half, for Vincenzo Iaquinto to dance past Richard Kingston to slot into an empty goal. Michael Essien put his heart into the game, but missed the finishing touch, Ghana might fall short of just that in this world cup.