Old rivals kept apart, Allback makes history

THE DAY REPLAYED: The world already knows the rampaging goal machine that is Miroslav Klose when the FIFA World Cup comes around. He is proven quality at the highest level whereas his sidekick in Germany”s attack, the exciting Lukas Podolski, still has questions to answer. While Klose scored twice today to maintain an incredible FIFA World Cup sequence, the home country reserved its loudest cheer for “Prinz Poldi” as he finally got off the mark in the 3-0 defeat of Ecuador.

That assured the host nation of first place in Group A and would have brought them a match-up with the old enemy, England, in the Round of 16 on Saturday had Sweden won in Cologne. The Swedes did just that and in a dramatic tussle Henrik Larsson grabbed a 90th-minute equaliser to earn a 2-2 draw but England remained top of Group B.

So Germany face Sweden and England will take on Ecuador in Stuttgart on Sunday, while Trinidad and Tobago join Poland and Costa Rica in booking tickets for the flight home. So do Paraguay but at least they had the satisfaction of winning their final game. As did Poland, 2-1 victors over the Costa Ricans.

Podolski began his international career with a bang and lots of goals. A disappointing season in the Bundesliga dampened expectations that were running wild 12 months ago surely the “Prinz” would be “King of the world” for these four weeks, they speculated. With no goals in his first two games, however, the 21-year-old was decidedly in Klose”s shadow amid suggestions that the pressure was getting to him.

That shadow then lengthened as Klose pocketed two first-half goals to put Ecuador”s achievement in winning their first two fixtures in sharp relief and take his own tally of FIFA World Cup goals to nine in ten appearances.

Moment of the day

Lukas Podolski scores and a nation celebrates

Then at the start of the second half Podolski removed the monkey from his back by stretching to turn in Bernd Schneider”s cross. Relief was all around in the magnificent Berlin theatre where before and after the game, white shirts mingled with yellow in a colourful show of football friendship and shared ambitions. 

Many English observers felt Sven-Goran Eriksson was gambling too heavily in putting only four strikers on the plane to central Europe. One of them was not certain to kick a single ball because of a serious injury, another was feeling his way gingerly back after injury and a third was a 17-year-old who had still to make his first appearance for his club – never mind the national team. Oh, and the fourth was a beanpole striker with a funny dance routine for his goals celebration and still plenty to prove in this company.

What England could not afford was for any of their senior trio to pick up an injury, but this was the sad fate of Michael Owen inside the first minute in Cologne. The little man, who scored in memorable fashion as an 18-year-old for England against Argentina at France 98, appeared to buckle near the left touchline in the first attack and was carried away on a stretcher clearly in severe pain.

So Crouch, on the bench to protect him following his yellow card in the previous game, had to come on. But at least England had Wayne Rooney, starting a game in the FIFA World Cup for the first time and as bright-eyed and energetic as a four-year-old on Christmas morning. One sublime moment from him almost put England ahead. He is the star of his team but Joe Cole is making a big reputation for himself as well.

Goal of the Day 

Joe Cole: 1-0 England

Cole struck before half-time from close on 30 metres with a superb dipping volley. But Sweden came back as they always do against these opponents after all they had not lost to England since 1968. Marcus Allback headed the equaliser from a corner the FIFA World Cup”s 2,000th goal and though Steven Gerrard restored England”s advantage late on, Larsson had the last word.

Player of the Day 

Bartosz Bosacki a defender with two goals for Poland

Poland had plenty of lost pride to restore after two defeats and it looked black for them when Ronald Gomez put the Central Americans ahead. The 33rd minute saw Bosacki drive his side level, however, and after another 33 minutes he grabeb the winner with his head.

Before the start of play Trinidad and Tobago still harboured outside hopes of progress: if Sweden lost, victory over Paraguay with the right amount of goals could take the newcomers further into a tournament that they have enhanced with their spirit and bravery. An own goal and a late effort from Nelson Cuevas put paid to those dreams, but the Caribbean side were great for the tournament while they lasted.

(fifaworldcup.com)