in Asia:
Iran 2-0 North Korea
Japan 1-0 Bahrain
South Korea 2-1 Uzbekistan
Kuwait 0-0 SA
Iran 2-0 North Korea
Japan 1-0 Bahrain
South Korea 2-1 Uzbekistan
Kuwait 0-0 SA
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Road to WC2006 (11 Viewers)
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Got this from Eurosport.com
English journalists got predictably carried away after the national team's 4-0 drubbing of mighty Northern Ireland. Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney won the plaudits for their creative contributions, and Azerbaijan are expected to provide more cannon fodder, but is the hype justified?
After Poland took advantage of some ridiculously charitable defending to rack up an 8-0 win over Azerbaijan last Saturday, English tabloids have been chock full of speculation over how many Mssrs Rooney, Owen and co. will bag on Wednesday night.
Alan Shearer has been magnanimous in pre-emptively conceding his goalscoring record to Michael Owen, who will become the highest England scorer in competitive matches should he chalk up a brace this evening.
Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole have been labelled the best things since sliced bread, with Cole hailed as the answer to England's 'left-sided problem'. If he were left-footed, that comment might actually hold some weight.
But the prize for the most ridiculously overblown hyperbole in recent times must go to Richard Williams of the Guardian, who claims (in big bold letters on the front of the sports supplement) that England, spearheaded by these two natural wonders, 'may finally have become an environment in which the highest degree of football talent can flourish'.
Owen, Rooney, Cole and co. should certainly rack up a few goals this evening, no doubt prompting another wave of hysteria amongst the Fleet Street hacks, but let us not forget that England's creative geniuses have been tearing apart the less than mighty likes of Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.
In the two major championships since Eriksson took over as manager of England, the Three Lions have been comprehensively outplayed and outpassed when it matttered.. first by Brazil, and then by Portugal.
Until England can manage to overwhelm a well-drilled defensive unit such as Italy, or a technically superior outfit such as Brazil, the media hype will remain just that.
English journalists got predictably carried away after the national team's 4-0 drubbing of mighty Northern Ireland. Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney won the plaudits for their creative contributions, and Azerbaijan are expected to provide more cannon fodder, but is the hype justified?
After Poland took advantage of some ridiculously charitable defending to rack up an 8-0 win over Azerbaijan last Saturday, English tabloids have been chock full of speculation over how many Mssrs Rooney, Owen and co. will bag on Wednesday night.
Alan Shearer has been magnanimous in pre-emptively conceding his goalscoring record to Michael Owen, who will become the highest England scorer in competitive matches should he chalk up a brace this evening.
Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole have been labelled the best things since sliced bread, with Cole hailed as the answer to England's 'left-sided problem'. If he were left-footed, that comment might actually hold some weight.
But the prize for the most ridiculously overblown hyperbole in recent times must go to Richard Williams of the Guardian, who claims (in big bold letters on the front of the sports supplement) that England, spearheaded by these two natural wonders, 'may finally have become an environment in which the highest degree of football talent can flourish'.
Owen, Rooney, Cole and co. should certainly rack up a few goals this evening, no doubt prompting another wave of hysteria amongst the Fleet Street hacks, but let us not forget that England's creative geniuses have been tearing apart the less than mighty likes of Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.
In the two major championships since Eriksson took over as manager of England, the Three Lions have been comprehensively outplayed and outpassed when it matttered.. first by Brazil, and then by Portugal.
Until England can manage to overwhelm a well-drilled defensive unit such as Italy, or a technically superior outfit such as Brazil, the media hype will remain just that.
Uruguay 1-0 Brazil
48 - Forlan
68 - Emerson
Our boys did us proud. Montero never letting the Brazillians out of their sights and was solid in defence. Olivera fired a shot which Dida failed to catch it with his hands, for Forlan to shoot it in. Emerson scored from a rebound and Zalayeta uses his strength to wrestle past 2 Brazilians, but I see Zala as a defender most of the time becos he didn't get enough service from the midfielders. And Ronaldo was almost invisible today. The only time I see him with the ball is the time when he is offside
48 - Forlan
68 - Emerson
Our boys did us proud. Montero never letting the Brazillians out of their sights and was solid in defence. Olivera fired a shot which Dida failed to catch it with his hands, for Forlan to shoot it in. Emerson scored from a rebound and Zalayeta uses his strength to wrestle past 2 Brazilians, but I see Zala as a defender most of the time becos he didn't get enough service from the midfielders. And Ronaldo was almost invisible today. The only time I see him with the ball is the time when he is offside
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