Switzerland 2-0 South Korea

Switzerland sent South Korea home in a 2-0 victory with goals from Philippe Senderos and Alex Frei on Friday, earning a clash with Ukraine in the last 16.

Senderos headed the opening goal from a free kick by Hakan Yakin in the 23rd minute. Frei made sure of victory with 13 minutes left, pouncing on a stray pass by a defender, rounding goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae and slotting the ball into an empty net to seal Korea's elimination. This goal was a bit controversial as the striker scored after an offside flag went up. Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo ruled the goal should stand after a protest from the Koreans and a consultation with his linesman.

This is a disappointing result for the South Koreans as they finished fourth when they co-hosted the tournament in 2002. They did not play too badly in this match but the Swiss had the luck and made their chances count. The news of France taking the lead against Togo had probably put pressure on them and they were not able to play the patient game which they are accustomed to. They had no choice but to attack and win to qualify but this left a lot of gaps at the back for the Swiss to exploit.

The Swiss once again demonstrated a strong team ethics and looked very dangerous at set pieces, with Yakin a revelation in his first international start for more than nine months. He set up the first goal for Senderos and showed no signs of rustiness. Switzerland are the only team yet to concede a goal in the World Cup so far and by topping the group, they get to avoid the highly rated Spain.

However, an injury to defender Senderos when he dislocated his shoulder in the second half will have an effect on their defence as he has proven himself to be a valuable member of the team. Nevertheless, Soccer Pundit feels that they have a more than even chance of progressing into the quarter finals given their excellent defensive record so far and the Ukraine attack is not exactly looking sharp despite featuring the top-notch Shevchenko. If they can shackle Shev, then the job is half done...

France 2-0 Togo

France can finally heave a sigh of relief as they won their first World Cup match in 8 years by scoring two goals against Togo and moved into the second round.

David Trezeguet and Frank Ribery started this match and the striker had a few chances but the first half did not yield any goals. The French supporters can be forgiven if they thought the end is nigh. Fortunately, in the 55th minute, Vieira turns inside the area and curls the ball into the corner of the net with his right foot after a Ribery pass.

Then in the 61st minute, Henry fires into the corner with his right foot from near the penalty spot after a brave downward header from Vieira. Score 2-0 and the French are through to the last 16. The goal by Henry resulted in a wild celebration for the Les Bleus' and it is his best possible answer to the critics.

Soccer Pundit wonders if this is the start of a French revival or just a final struggle to salvage some pride. Henry is as dangerous as he can ever be but the team still cannot find the much needed creative spark nor impose their authority in the match. The addition of Frank Ribery in the first XI is a positive and it is time for the team to discard the old baggage.

During their time, the class of '98 have brought glory to the French cause by sweeping the major tournaments (World Cup and European Cup) but now, it is almost painful to watch these old warhorses challenging and losing out to the pace, stamina and trickery of other teams. Soccer Pundit cannot imagine them going into foot races with an African team for a full 90 minutes. Let this be their final shot at glory, after that the French have to dismantle this team and induct fresh, young talents. Meanwhile, Spain awaits....

Ukraine beat Tunisia 1-0

An Andriy Shevchenko penalty gave Ukraine a 1-0 victory over 10-man Tunisia in World Cup Group H on Friday assuring them a place in the last 16. Shevchenko converted the spot kick in the 70th minute after referee Carlos Amarilla of Paraguay ruled the striker had been brought down by Tunisian defender Karim Hagui.

Needing a win to qualify, Tunisia suffered a major blow in first half injury time when striker Ziad Jaziri was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Anatoly Tymoshchyuk. But Ukraine, needing only a draw to qualify struggled to make the most of their advantage in a scrappy game.

Their best opportunity of the first half came in the 22nd minute when midfielder Tymoshchyuk burst into the penalty area but Tunisian goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel beat away his left-footed shot. Tunisia's best efforts came from set pieces but they were not enough to give them the lead. Hamed Namouchi struck a curling free kick in the 19th minute but Ukraine goalkeeper Oleksander Shovkovsky caught the ball cleanly.

Because of the way they play, Soccer Pundit is not convinced of Ukraine's chances in the second round where the opposition is going to be very much stronger. The front-line seemed disconnected from the midfield and the Tunisian defence was not really tested as a lot of Ukrainian passes did not find their target-man.

The service needs to improve and Shevchenko (solid credentials as a world class striker) has to really grab the one or two clear chances which comes along his way for them to advance. As for the Tunisians, they are out and must start preparations for the next campaign in 4 years time...

Spain 1-0 Saudi Arabia

Spain ensured they went through to the last 16 of the World Cup as winners of Group H when they won by a slim margin of 1-0 over Saudi Arabia on Friday.

With qualification assured, Spain tried out almost all their second-stringers. Centre back Juanito scored with a bullet header past keeper Mabrouk Zaid after Jose Antonio Reyes whipped in a free kick from the left. Spain is now unbeaten in 25 games and they have won all three group matches for the second World Cup in a row.

The Spain substitutes quickly settled into their usual fluent passing game and although they did little to trouble the Saudi defence in the first quarter of an hour, they warmed to the task as the half wore on. Winger Joaquin went close with a dipping shot and midfielder David Albelda had a fierce drive turned past the post by Zaid after a gleaming passing move involving Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas just before the half hour. Six minutes later Juanito put Spain into the lead with his header and Reyes went close to extending his side's lead with a sharp volley just before the break.

Coach Luis Aragones replaced captain Raul with David Villa at halftime and gave leading scorer Fernando Torres a run out for the final 20 minutes, but it was the Saudis which took charge in the last 20 minutes by launching waves of attacks on the Spainish defence. Spain found it hard to impose their game and lost their rhythm.

Defender Hussein Sulaimani twice forced Santiago Canizares to make sharp saves midway through the half and substitute Nawaf Al Temyat caused problems for the back four with some neat runs into the area. In the 90th minute, the best chance fell to Al Harthi after a good build-up from Mohammed Noor but he made a mess of it by blasting it over the bar from close range.

It was a disappointing end to the tournament for Saudi Arabia but it will be hard for Soccer Pundit to imagine them in the second round as their front-line and defence were simply not at the world class level yet. Against Tunisia, they surrended the lead to draw 2-2, then they cannot score against Ukraine and Spain with several clear chances. Their midfield performed credibly but as they say, you can't score then you can never win.

Spain were good once again in the group stages but how well they do in the knock-out phase will be anybody's guess. Will it be another sad end for the perennial underperformer or a fairytale ending? Soccer Pundit can only say it all depends on Spain, if they are to play out the last 20 minutes of this match (when they were totally outplayed) in subsequent matches, then they can make travel arrangements to go home but if they played out the heroics of the match against Ukraine, then they will advance...

Australia grab dramatic draw to go through

Australia reached the World Cup second round for the first time after holding Croatia to a 2-2 draw in their final Group F match on Thursday.

Three players -- Croatia's Dario Simic and Josip Simunic plus Australia's Brett Emerton -- were sent off in this match. There was an interesting snippet when Simunic appeared to be shown three yellow cards by the referee.

Srna opened the scoring for Croatia from a free-kick when when he curled the ball over the wall past Australian goalkeeper Kalac to score his country's first goal of the tournament. Australia regained their composure and were unlucky to have a penalty denied by referee Graham Poll when defender Simunic brought down Viduka.

In the 52nd minute, a penalty was finally awarded when Croatia defender Stjepan Tomas reached up and handled the ball in the goalmouth. Defender Craig Moore then coolly slotted the penalty past Stipe Pletikosa. Croatia, who needed a win to qualify seemed to have sealed victory when captain Niko Kovac fired a long range shot that bobbled past Kalac in the 56th minute. However, Kewell's instinctive reflexes from a goalmouth scramble in the 78th minute destroyed their hopes. With this result, Australia now face Italy in the last 16.

It was an end-to-end game for the Soccer Pundit. Both teams displayed the fighting spirit and determination to win but the Australians had a bit more luck to force a draw and scoring out of the blue. This is turning out to be a fairytale for the Aussies and who knows when it may end, they could just go all the way to the semi-finals but whatever it is, this team has already earned themselves a place in their country's soccer history for making it this far.

Brazil 4-1 Japan

Brazil romped to a 4-1 win over Japan in their last match of Group F and finally began to show a little samba in their play.

Japan scored first in the 34th minute when full-back Alex plays in striker Keiji Tamada, whose first-time left-foot shot flies past Dida at the near post. When it seemed like Japan will carry the shock lead into the second half, Ronaldo headed in his first goal of the World Cup 2006 in the 46th minute, converting from close range after Cicinho heads a Ronaldinho cross back across the face of goal.

In the 53rd minute, Juninho fires in a shot from around 30 metres which goes straight through Kawaguchi's hands. In the 59th minute, Ronaldinho produced a slide-rule pass for Gilberto to break down the left and place the third past Kawaguchi. The party was not over yet as in the 81st minute, Ronaldo swivels and curls in a shot from the edge of the box.

Ronaldo has now scored 14 goals in the World Cup, matching Gerd Mueller's record. His goal capped the Brazilian's crushing victory over the Japanese and a wonderful display of flowing football for the first time in this tournament. After suffering from all the stinging criticisms, Ronaldo has finally put on his scoring boots, something which will leave their opponents greatly troubled. He is still not in the best of physical shape but Soccer Pundit is willing to venture that this performance is no flash in the pan. Ronaldo will be the man to watch in subsequent matches.

Ronaldinho, another outstanding player, who looked subduded in the previous two games, was more lively and finally showed why he is the best footballer in the world with the fine touches and moves he displayed effortlessly for his club Barcelona. He still has a lot more to answer to critics (a responsiblity that comes from being the best player) that he cannot perform for the country and is mediocre at international level but this is a match which will put some criticisms to rest.

Soccer Pundit feels it won't be smooth sailing for the Brazilians as they now face Ghana in the last 16. Physically and technically, Ghana will pose a very strong challenge and Brazil will have to be at its best. However, they seem to be peaking at the right time so the next match will be an interesting one...

Ghana wins 2-1 against USA

This was an important match for both teams as a win could mean qualification into the second round so they have everything to play for.

Ghana had first taken the lead in the 22nd minute when midfielder Haminu Dramani dispossessed Claudio Reyna and strode into the penalty area to curl the ball past a diving Kasey Keller. In the 43rd minute, midfielder Clint Dempsey fired the U.S. back into the game with a goal. However, just before the end of the first half, the advantage was returned back to the Ghanians when referee Merk ruled that U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu had pushed over Ghana's Razak Pimpong inside the penalty box. Stephen Appiah stepped up and duly converted the penalty.

This was a hard-fought, tactical encounter. Ghana was again a joy to watch as they attacked the USA and players Stephen Appiah and Michael Essien were outstanding. What was even better for the Ghanians was their tight and disciplined defence, deflecting the USA attacks which looked significantly sharper in this match.

Soccer Pundit feels that it is unfortunate for the USA to concede the dubious penalty but there is no question of Ghania deserving this victory. They should do well in the second round but the loss of Appiah and Essien who collected the second yellow cards will be a significant loss to them.

Italy 2-0 Czech Republic

Italy scored a 2-0 win over Czech Republic and sent them out of the tournament.

Defender Marco Materazzi came on for Alessandro Nesta after only 17 minutes due to a groin injury and he wasted little time in making his mark by rising to head home Francesco Totti's corner in the 26th minute.

The goal came at a crucial time for Italy as the Czech were determined to score first and were piling up the pressure on the Italian defence right from the start. In the 87th minute, Inzaghi who came on in the second half, rounded goalkeeper Petr Cech in a one-to-one situation to slot home the second goal.

Soccer Pundit did not see anything extraordinary from the Italians. The Czechs however have a hero in Pavel Nedved who ran himself into the ground, defending when the opponent has the ball, and leading the attack when his team has possession. They were unlucky to lose but circumstances had really forced their campaign to become meaningless.

Upfront, they missed the experience of striker Jan Koller and the rushing of Milan Baros into this match showed the Czech's desperation. Baros was missing in fitness and sharpness and it was impossible to expect him to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. The Czech also did not make the best of the situation by missing their set-pieces. Jan Polak's sending off was also a turning point and an irresponsible action towards his team-mates.

These factors were simply too much for their one and only savior, Pavel Nedved to overcome, thus leaving an ignominious defeat the only outcome. The Italians played tactically (as usual), kept their focus and did not make serious mistakes while scoring when they needed to. Soccer Pundit sees this as the trademark of a winner and even though not really impressed, have to say that the Italians will make it past the quarter-finals...

Iran 1-1 Angola

Iran ended Angola's slim hopes of qualifying from Group D, as they held the African side to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, 21 June 2006. Angola scored their first-ever goal in the World Cup when Flavio headed home Ze Kalanga's cross on the hour mark. However, their hopes of catching Mexico on goal difference were ended when Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh rose unmarked to convert Mehdi Mahdavikia's corner 15 minutes from time.

Iran's goal appeared to dent Angola's sense of belief and the Africans risked conceding a second as Rasoul Khatibi's shot on the turn was palmed over by Joao Ricardo. The odds were always stacked against Angola reaching the Round of 16 going into this match, but when they took the lead through Flavio their hopes were suddenly raised. However, Bakhtiarizadeh’s equaliser effectively ended their dreams.

Iran did not live up to its promise of advancing into the second round nor its billing as the best Iranian side ever. Both sides put in a spirited performance, Iran to salvage their lost pride while Angola fighting for qualification; in the end, a draw is a fair result, although Angola had the better chances to score.

To be frank, the Iranians had not reached the top level yet and they were second best when they faced Mexico and Portugal. As for Angola, they were about equally matched but Angola is not exactly a top-flight opponent. In fact, Angola do edge them out when it comes to attacking flair. So there is still a lot of room for improvement for the Iranians before they can advance into the last 16...

Portugal lead Mexico 2-1

Portugal lead Mexico 2-1 in the second half of their World Cup Group D match on Wednesday.

In the 6th minute, Portugal lead after their first attack as Simao Sabrosa escapes down the left and squares for Maniche to steer the ball home from 12 metres. Simao Sabrosa scores for Portugal through a penalty in the 24th minute to put Portugal 2-0 ahead. Mexico replied in the 29th minute through Fonesca who heads in a left-wing corner from Pavel Pardo.

Coach Scolari rested a few key players for this match (Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pauletta). However the striker who came on for Pauletta, Helder Postiga, was very quiet in this match and his eventual replacement Nuno Gomez, although slightly better, was also not sharp enough to take the few chances which came along the way. The rest of the team gave a credible performance by controlling the game well and showed some promising moves. The ever reliable Luis Figo was the heart of the team and Simao Sabrosa was also outstanding down the flanks.

If Soccer Pundit is right, Simao will be handed a greater role in future matches. There is however a worrying situation with their front line as they have not really got into their stride yet. In the knockout phases, chances will be few and far in between, and if the strikers don't score, it will be tough going for Portugal...

Côte d'Ivoire 3-2 Serbia and Montenegro

Côte d'Ivoire produced a stirring finale in their debut World Cup journey, coming from two goals down to clinch a stunning 3-2 win over Serbia and Montenegro.

This was a terrific match, arguably one of Germany 2006's best to date, and the Ivorians thoroughly deserved the victory secured by goals from Aruna Dindane (2) and Bonaventure Kalou, after earlier strikes from Nikola Zigic and Sasa Ilic had put the Serbo-Montenegrins 2-0 in front.

As if that drama was not enough, there were also a couple of red cards in this match, with Albert Nadj's 46th-minute dismissal a key factor in tipping the balance in favour of a Côte d'Ivoire side who lost captain Cyrille Domoraud in added time.

This was an absolutely fascinating match with beautiful football played by both teams. It also came as a surprise as both teams are already out of the tournament and one would expect a lacklustre performance rather than an entertaining one.

Serbia and Montenegro took the advantage in the first half when they launched dangerous counter-attacks while keeping their defence tight. Côte d’Ivoire also attacked and looked lively going forward but left gaps at the back, allowing Serbia and Montenegro to score two goals.

The Ivorians gradually gained in strength and dominated the second half, particularly after the dismissal of Albert Nadj, and finally turned the game around. It was only a matter of time until the equaliser came. Côte d’Ivoire forced Serbia and Montenegro to keep everybody behind the ball, launching intelligent attacks down the flanks and were ultimately rewarded for their relentless efforts.

Soccer Pundit says Côte d'Ivoire totally deserved their first victory in this tournament. It was a fair result and a fantastic finale to an otherwise meaningless group game. A word of caution though, amid all the accolades, will be that the Ivorians need too many chances to score and they are more interested in delighting the crowds than to win the game. Defensively, they need a change of mindset and to iron out the problems which had been exposed by the three teams.

However, if they can keep this team together and continue to improve on the weaknesses, they will be striking fear into their opponents by the next World Cup...

Argentina 0-0 Netherlands

Argentina were the better side in this encounter which ended up in a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Both had already qualified so the stalemate simply meant the Argentinians finished first with a better goal difference. They will now meet Mexico while the Dutch will play Portugal.

Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez of Argentina were a constant threat to Holland in the opening exchanges. In the 27th minute, Juan Riquelme almost opening the scoring with a vicious inswinging corner but Edwin van der Sar repositioned himself quickly to tip it over the bar. Riquelme and Rodriguez had good chances in the first half to put Argentina ahead but the Dutch defence survived the onslaught.

In the second half, Argentina kept up the pressure on Netherlands. Tevez was a livewire down the flanks as he created openings for Riquelme, Messi and Rodriguez (which they did not convert) and he himself had several good shots on goal.

Until the 69th minute when Phillip Cocu shot narrowly wide from 20 yards out, the Dutch were simply going through the paces and happy to defend, with hardly any forays into the Argentinian defence. When Messi was substituted, Tevez continued to be a threat and he had several more chances to snatch the winner but it was just not his day.

The Dutch looked somewhat sharper in the closing stages of the match and started to attack more but the Argentinian goalkeeper was not sleeping (even though he might be excused for doing so).

Soccer Pundit can see the game plan of the Dutch was to rest their key players, especially Arjen Robben, and to try out the B team, hopefully to uncover new talents. Well, Soccer Pundit saw nobody rising to the occassion and they are simply not ready for the big matches yet, maybe they will be ripe for the next World Cup but not now.

Argentina was also experimenting by leaving out strikers Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola but their B team performed considerably better. The Dutch backline did ok but their attack seemed clueless and nobody knew how to unlock the Argentinian defence. Had Argentina been more clinical in front of goal, this would have been an embarrassing day for coach Marco van Basten...

Paraguay 2-0 Trinidad and Tobago

Paraguay's 2-0 victory ended Trinidad & Tobago's hopes of reaching the last 16 on Tuesday.

It was disappointing for Trinidad, who had a mathematical chance of securing second spot in Group B with a win. They looked more threatening especially from set pieces but it was just not their day. To think that Dwight Yorke even called Beckam, Rooney and Gary Neville in the hope that England will defeat Sweden so that his team can qualify. Not to mention that England fail to do that, but more importantly, Trinidad let themselves down by not winning this game.

Nevertheless, for World Cup debutants, Trinidad and Tobago will have gained a lot of experience and exposure from this tournament. The fact that they are still in it until the last match shows that it has not been a total failure for them. Better luck next time but they will have to find a successor for Dwight Yorke soon if they want to make it back in four years time.

England draw 2-2 with Sweden

England and Sweden were held to a 2-2 scoreline with a late flurry of goals but both teams were guaranteed a place in the second round of the World Cup.

Joe Cole put England 1-0 up in the 34th minute with a spectacular goal when he chested the ball down from over 30 metres out and volleying perfectly into the top right corner. However, Sweden fought back after the break to equalise through Marcus Allback's header off a Tobias Linderoth delivery in the 51st minute. It was also the 2000th goal scored in the World Cup.

Gerrard came on for Rooney in the 69th minute and he made important contributions immediately by clearing a powerful shot from Kim Kallstorm off the goalline. He then put England ahead again in the 86th minute with a header but Henrik Larsson tied the game in the last minute by touching in the ball from a long throw in.

Despite being an England fan, Soccer Pundit will not kid himself by saying that England is a top contender, in fact, they have not shown anything yet to suggest that they deserve to be in the Finals. No doubt, it was an improvement over the last 2 matches and the players showed some fine moves and touches but the defence was a shambles.

They looked too vulnerable at times and if it cracks under the Swedish attacks, then it would not withstand the onslaught from the Argentinian, Brazilian or German attacks. They also lacked the killer touch. For the record, Sweden has not lost to England in 12 matches stretching back 38 years. The strongest England line-up in 40 years but still the record stands and once again a performance which did not live up to its billing...

Poland 2-1 Costa Rica

Poland finally got a win to restore much of their tarnished respect after two defeats. However, it seemed to be a bad day for them when Ronald Gomez put Costa Rica ahead. Fortunately, in the 33rd minute, defender Bartosz Bosacki equalized for the Poles and after another 33 minutes he scored the winner with a header.

Yawn, an average game that doesn't interest Soccer Pundit so not much comments, looking forward to the match between England and Sweden...

Germany rampage to a 3-0 win over Ecuador

Germany crushed Ecuador 3-0 in the last match of Group A. Miroslav Klose scored twice today to maintain an incredible FIFA World Cup sequence while Lukas Podolski (aka Prinz Poldi) finally scored his first goal of the tournament to the wild cheers of the nation.

Soccer Pundit feels the Germans fully deserved their victory. Even though they qualified for the second round already, they still gave their all; the first team was almost unchanged and coach Jeurgen Klinnsman gambled on his skipper Michael Ballack who has already collected a yellow card, something which most coaches would hesitate to do.

Ecuador on the other hand did not field five of their first team players and they played nowhere near their peak level in the previous two mathces. To say the least, they were totally outplayed and created few clear-cut chances, save for some long range shots. One gets the feeling that even if they had fielded the first XI, the result will not be much different, as the German juggernaut in full flow would have demolished any team in its path.

What impressed Soccer Pundit most was the Germans' determination to win and the players knew exactly what to do whenever they had possession. They played a high tempo and physical game in a hot weather, knowing fully well that this game has little bearing on their progress into the last 16. The attacks never stopped and it came to the point where stoppage time was meaningless and the final whistle was a mercy to the Ecuadorians who were chasing shadows all day long.

As Soccer Pundit has mentioned previously, the old German teams would be happy to sit back and defend, leaving the opponents and fans to be bored to death. Not this team and kudos to them. Soccer Pundit is an absolute fan and advocate of attacking football, it is positive and the only way to play this beautiful game. So Germany, keep up the good work and hopefully they will be there for the Finals...

Spain recovers with a 3-1 victory over Tunisia

Spain was down to an early Tunisia goal but late strikes from Raul and a Fernando Torres double saw Spain come from behind to claim a dramatic 3-1 win that guaranteed their place in the last 16.

Tunisian midfielder Joahar Mnari steered home at the second attempt after striker Ziad Jaziri had teased his way past three Spain defenders in the eighth minute. With this goal and the defence holding back the Spain's attack stubbornly, Tunisia looks set for a shock victory but unfortunately Raul and Torres had other ideas.

Raul pounced on the rebound after Fabregas's low shot from the edge of the area was parried by keeper Ali Bomunijel to equalize in the 71st minute. Five minutes later, Fabregas fed a great through ball to the feet of Fernando Torres who rounded Boumnijel and steered the ball into the empty net. Torres then grabbed his second goal from the penalty spot in stoppage, and became top scorer at the tournament with three goals.

Soccer Pundit was actually less than impressed with the Tunisians before this match but changed his mind after watching their actions on the field. They were effective in shackling the great Spanish attack which yielded four goals against Ukraine but two things reversed their fortune.

The vital substitutions of Cesc Fabregas and Raul at half time and the eventual loss of concentration by the Tunisian players resulted in their loss. The win leaves Spain at the top of the table and Ukraine second with three points.

This match could well be a turning point for the Spaniards as they overcome the deficit to reach the knock-out games, something which they have not done in recent years. Always full of promise but disappointing in the end, could they now write a new chapter in their World Cup exploits? Soccer Pundit says watch on, they may just throw up a few surprises...

Ukraine crush Saudi Arabia 4-0

Ukraine's hopes of reaching the second round came alive with a crushing 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Group H on Monday.

Goals from Andriy Rusol and Serhiy Rebrov had given a fired-up Ukrainian side a deserved 2-0 lead before Andriy Shevchenko headed home from an inswinging free kick just a minute after halftime. Shevchenko set up midfielder Maksim Kalinichenko for the fourth in the 84th minute.

Ukraine dominated throughout, helped by a change in Oleg Blokhin's formation of 3-5-2 after losing 4-0 to Spain in the first match. It gives them plenty of width to generate a series of crosses which troubled a nervous Saudi defence. The Saudis looked promising in some of their moves but they did not really threaten the Ukrainian goalkeeper.

The Ukrainians were determined to recover some of their pride after being outclassed by Spain, and they played an energetic and tactical game on a slippery pitch. The reunion of Rebrov and Shevchenko has once again bore fruit for Ukraine.

Soccer Pundit hopes to see this old partnership in action (unless the coach has better ideas), as the previous match has shown that Shevchenko playing as a lone striker is ineffective and the passes to him are easily repelled; having Rebrov on provides Ukraine with more firepower upfront and draws the defenders away to give Shev more time on the ball.

Togo 0-2 Switzerland

Switzerland coasted to a 2-0 win over Togo. Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta scored for Switzerland.

This was a match which was marked with controversy before it started. Togo players intended to boycott the match over wage disagreement with their football association. FIFA had to step in at the last minute to prevent this debacle from happening.

Thus, the writing was on the wall on who will emerge as the victor but credit to Togo for putting up some decent play. They were very strong going forward and made lots of hard tackles. Soccer Pundit forsees a tough match ahead for France if Togo really plays to their true potential.

Having said that, the team spirit in the Swiss camp is very strong and that is what keeps them in the tournament so far. They do not have any superstars; only a compact team and solid defence. It may be luck or fate but whatever it is, they did not play fantastically but still managed a win.

As it stands now, they should progress from this group if they win or draw against South Korea. Soccer Pundit feels that Switzerland they will have to perform much better if they were to progress into the second round...

France draws with South Korea 1-1

France finally broke their duck and scored in this match only for the South Koreans to equalise in a 1-1 draw.

The match began promisingly for France when Thierry Henry scored their first FIFA World Cup goal since the 1998 Final in the ninth minute. However, Korea Republic drew level when Park bundled the ball over the line in the 81st minute. To compound France's disappointment, Eric Abidal and Zinedine Zidane both collected bookings which rule them out of their final group game against Togo.

Soccer Pundit believes that the French will be cursing their bad luck in this tournament as their victory was snatched out of their hands. No doubt that they played better than in their previous encounter against the Swiss. They had more possession and were better organised but still they did not do the vital thing, which is to score another goal and finish off the match.

The Koreans have a traditional history of scoring late goals and also a reputation as a giant-killer since World Cup 2002 when they eliminated Spain, Italy and Portugal on their way to the semi-finals. Credit to them for not giving up and putting pressure on the French right till the end.

The goal scored by Park was a fluke but nevertheless, a fair result for both teams. Soccer Pundit feels that the French should reflect on their overall performance so far and improve on the weaknesses. They could do well to sprice up their attack, maybe by starting David Trezeguet or Frank Ribery (why is he still being placed on the bench??) and tighten their defence in the last match against Togo. Fabien Barthez also needs to show the critcs that he is not the weakest link.

If the French were to disappoint again, they have nobody to blame and it is a collective failure which the entire team has to be responsibe for...

Brazil beat Australia 2-0

Brazil labored to a 2-0 victory over the Australians to register their second win of the tournament and progress into the last 16. It wasn't a pretty sight, in fact there was hardly any semblance of the Brazilian samba which the world had come to expect.

Australia, playing in only their second finals, held their own against the five-times world champions who had to rely on a piece of clinical finishing by striker Adriano and a late goal from Fred to win their second game in Group F. Adriano scored with a left-foot drive from the edge of the box in the 49th minute and Fred, just on as a substitute, added the second two minutes from time with a tap-in.

Soccer Pundit feels that the Australians looked more threatening in the first half with more shots on goal. They controlled the game well while the Brazilians gave a muted performance. Kaka and Ronaldinho were not able to impose their style on the game while Ronaldo was seriously lacking in match fitness and sharpness. He did help out in the game by providing some passes but other than that, he was not much of a threat.

Brazil can go through the group stages but something is not quite right with this team. They seem vulnerable and there is no longer an air of supremacy. After looking at the two games, opponents may feel more confident about taking on Brazil and even defeat them.

For three World Cups since Ronaldo emerged on the world stage, Brazil's fate has been closely intertwined with his form; if he doesn't score, Brazil had to struggle to win but if he scores, Brazil will terrorise the opponents. The Brazilians will need Ronaldo to be at his very best soon, otherwise an elimination for Brazil is a very real possibility. Meanwhile Austrailia looks set to join them in the last 16 with Japan and Croatia having only one point from two games.

Japan 0-0 Croatia

It was a story of frustration for Japan and Croatia as they played out a goalless draw in their second match of Group F.

The pivotal moment of the match came in the 22nd minute when Japan's goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi saved Darijo Srna's penalty, although Croatia also counted their lucky stars when Atsushi Yanagisawa missed a good chance to score early in the second half.

The result left Japan at the bottom of Group F with one point and Croatia ahead only on goal difference in third place.

After watching the first half, Soccer Pundit already has a feeling that this match is one of those which seems headed for a goalless outcome, especially after Croatia missed the penalty and the absence of quality strikers in both teams. The second half continued exactly where the first half left off with the actions constrained only to the midfield while there was hardly any meaningful attacks launched by both teams.

Right now, both teams are staring at elimination, even though mathematically, it is still possible to qualify. However, with both their key players (Japan's captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and Croatia's Robert Kovac collecting their second yellow cards of the tournament) out for the last match, that doesn't seem very likely and their coaches will have an immense job ahead of them to perform the miracle.

Italy 1-1 USA

Italy and the USA drew 1-1 in this explosive match which got into the records for the wrong reason with three players sent off, two of them Americans.

Italy took a 22nd minute lead through Alberto Gilardino but the advantage lasted just five minutes before Italian defender Cristian Zaccardo scored an own goal.

A minute later his fellow-defender Daniele De Rossi was sent off for elbowing American striker Brian McBride in the face. But U.S. midfielder Pablo Mastroeni was shown a red card for a sliding tackle just before halftime and forward Eddie Pope followed him back to the dressing room two minutes after the interval with a second yellow card.

It is only the fourth time in World Cup finals history that three players had been sent off in the same game. As it stands now, Italy leads Group E with four points, one ahead of Czech Republic and Ghana while the USA stayed at the bottom with one point.

It was a close fight and both teams played tactically. The USA performed much better than in their previous match with the Czech Republic. In fact, they dominated the first half but were unable to convert their direct play into goals. The Italians started off nervously, but against the run of play, they showed their experience and scored first.

In the second half, the Italians gained control of the match but the USA defended well, especially their goalkeeper, Kasey Keller, who kept the Americans in the game with several good saves.

Soccer Pundit feels that the Italians were a bit 'dirty' in this match and the referee had given several dubious decisions. By reducing the USA team to nine men, it effectively killed off their chances of winning the game and to not lose it was already a commendable act in itself. Credit to the Americans for showing that they were no pushovers and taking the fight to the Italians. Sad but better luck next time, though...

Czech lost 2-0 to Ghana

What an upset!!

Ghana was in devastating form as they destroyed the Czech Republic 2-0 to record the first win by an African team at the 2006 World Cup finals.

Ghana stunned the Czechs with a second-minute goal in their Group E match, Asamoah Gyan netting from a Stephen Appiah cross that Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi failed to intercept. The Africans attacked persistently and missed a hatful of chances, including a Gyan penalty in the 66th minute after Ujfalusi was sent off, but sealed their win eight minutes from time through Sulley Muntari.

Soccer Pundit saw the Czech Republic being made to look ordinary or even amateurish in this match. They were under pressure from an energetic Ghana team throughout the game and it was a different side to the one that demolished USA 3-0 in the previous game. They were unable to penetrate the Ghana defence and they also ceded the midfield supremacy to the Ghanians.

When Ghana attacked, it was a joy to watch as the players poured forward and it was exactly what the Czechs had done previously, simple through passes which split the defence apart. The Czechs did not find their rhythm and were on the back-foot most of the time. This match also propelled Michael Essien onto the world stage after his exceptional performance. Soccer Pundit wonders why he was not given a greater role in Chelsea with his vision and skills (maybe things will change after this match..)

To say the least, a 2-0 score-line was flattering; had the Ghanians being more clinical in front of goal, Czech Republic would have lost by a bigger margin. Maybe the effect of missing first-choice forwards Jan Koller and Milan Baros is beginning to show. And now that their top defender Vratislav Lokvenc is suspended for the final group game against Italy, their chance of progressing into the second round looks dim.

Soccer Pundit feels that the last match will require the Czechs to go all out and they really need their midfield general, Pavel Nedved, to inspire them, probably for the last time in his decorated career.

Portugal 2-0 Iran

Portugal secured a 2-0 win over Iran after second-half goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are now assured of a place in the last 16 with 6 points in Group D.

A superb Deco strike into the top corner left the Iranian goalkeeper stranded and a penalty won by Luis Figo when he was brought down in the penalty area and subsequently converted by Cristiano Ronaldo gave coach Luiz Felipe Scolari his ninth successive victory in FIFA World Cups.

Soccer Pundit feels that the Iranians had put up a good fight but they were second best in this encounter. Portugal has more individual talents in the team to turn their fortune around and all of them put in a convincing performance in this match. In fact, several of them like Luis Figo, Deco and Ronaldo deserved special mention from the Soccer Pundit.

Figo was the charismatic leader on the field, his tireless running, midfield dominance and involvement in most of the attacks launched by the team; Deco with his crisp passing, set pieces and the vital goal, and Ronaldo who was a real handful for the Iranian team who found his speed and trickery too much to handle.

Soccer Pundit has a few frank comments on Cristiano Ronaldo. The best is yet to come from this young player and he should go far provided he curbs his flamboyant style and works more towards the interest of the team rather than individual glory. He has the speed, balance, passing and dribbling skills to challenge the best defenders in the world.

It is mesmerizing to watch his stepovers and flicks but they can be detrimental at times when a simple direct pass is more effective. He has also got to stand on his feet more often rather than drop at the touch of a feather. If he improves on these aspects, there is no reason why he should not be a world class player.

Portugal will face formidable opponents in the next round in the form of either Argentina or the Netherlands, depending on the result of that Group C encounter between the two soccer powers on Wednesday.

Soccer Pundit feels that coach Scolari may rest several key players for them to recuperate and players with yellow cards for the last match against Mexico as they cannot afford to take any risks against either Argentina or Holland.