World Cup Today
BERLIN – A look at Day 19 of the 2006 World Cup on Tuesday:
Results
Brazil 3, Ghana 0 (Brazil advances to quarterfinals)
France 3, Spain 1 (France advances to quarterfinals)
Highlights
“Ronaldo, Adriano and Ze Roberto scored as Brazil advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Ghana.
“France rallied from a 1-0 deficit, with Patrick Vieira’s header going off a Spanish defender for the winning goal.
Stars
“Zinedine Zidane, back from a one-game suspension, helped set up the winning goal with a free kick, then scored the clincher in a win against Spain.
History
“Brazil’s Ronaldo became the all-time leading scorer in the World Cup with his 15th goal. Ronaldo broke a tie with Germany’s Gerd Mueller in leading Brazil to a victory.
“A red card for Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan extended the tournament record to 25.
Goal of the day
In the fifth minute against Ghana, Kaka (No. 8) slid a perfect through pass from about midfield to Ronaldo (No. 9), who had bolted past three defenders. Ronaldo went 1-on-1 with goalkeeper Richard Kingson (No. 22). Ronaldo used a step-over move that sent Kingson flailing. Ronaldo looked as if he would fake right, then he danced his foot back over and around the ball as Kingston fell. Ghana defender John Pantsil (No. 15) tried to catch up, but Ronaldo put a right-footed poke into the net as Pantsil arrived.
Look ahead
The quarterfinals are set, with seven traditional powers joining Ukraine in the final eight.
Germany will play Argentina on Friday in Berlin – between them, they own five World Cup titles. Also Friday, Italy, which has won the tournament three times, plays Ukraine in Hamburg.
On Saturday, England, the 1966 champion, faces Portugal in Gelsenkirchen, and Brazil takes on France later that day in a rematch of the 1998 final won by the French. Brazil holds the record with five titles.
Quotable
“The big guys are coming to the quarterfinals. It is getting closer and closer. It’s getting tougher and tougher.” – Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira after his team’s 3-0 victory over Ghana.
“As the players were saying in the locker room, it is for games like this that we live in the soccer world, for this kind of excitement.” – France coach Raymond Domenech after a 3-1 victory over Spain set up a quarterfinal with Brazil.