 Brazil combined good fortune with
two moments of individual class as
they set up an enticing World Cup
quarter-final against England by edging
past the determined challenge of Belgium.
Rivaldo's control and finishing prowess
put them ahead after 66 minutes in
a tight game in Kobe, although he
was aided by a deflection. Ronaldo rounded off the victory with
just three minutes left as he took
his tally in the competition to five
goals, making him the joint top scorer
so far along with Germany's Miroslav
Klose.
Belgium certainly brought the best
out of Brazilian keeper Marcos as
they created a host of chances and
showed up the defensive weaknesses
which England will look to exploit
in Shizuoka on Friday. The Belgians' inspirational captain
Marc Wilmots had what seemed a perfectly
good `goal' disallowed in the first-half
for a supposed push.
However, Brazil survived, albeit
only just at times, and in a World
Cup full of shocks, that is an achievement
in itself right now. With England having rather more comfortably
secured their quarter-final place
two days earlier against Denmark,
Sven-Goran Eriksson, his backroom
staff and players were out in force
to watch their next opponents. But what really caused a storm among
the crowd before kick-off was the
arrival of David Beckham, which led
to thousands of supporters turning
around to take photos of him rather
than watching the teams warm up on
the pitch.
When the action finally began, there
were just 36 seconds gone when Brazil
keeper Marcos had to pedal back at
a furious rate to tip over Mbo Mpenza's
audacious chip. From then on, however, Brazil were
unsurprisingly in control of the game,
sending raking passes from one side
of the pitch to the other as Cafu
and Roberto Carlos took turns in pouring
forward. Juninho was a lively presence in
midfield, clipping one drive just
off target, while Roberto Carlos'
curling free-kick flashed narrowly
over the top and Ronaldo curled an
effort only a few inches wide.
However, with Wilmots matching Rivaldo's
flying scissor-kick, albeit well off
target, Belgium proved they were not
prepared to wilt in the face of the
considerable Brazilian pressure. Indeed, with 35 minutes gone, Wilmots
should have ripped up the supposed
script and put them ahead. That he did not was solely down to
the intervention of Jamaican referee
Peter Prendergast, who penalised the
Belgian captain for a push on defender
Roque Junior as the pair jumped for
the ball.
Brazil's response was immediate,
although not conclusive, relying mainly
on individual flashes of brilliance
rather than a sustained assault. Ronaldo threatened twice, while Ronaldinho's
effort was blocked after a burst in
the penalty area and Roberto Carlos
flashed a cross-shot across the face
of goal.
Still it remained goalless at the
break but again Belgium threatened
first after the restart, with the
inspirational Wilmots, now 33, only
denied by the diving figure of Marcos. The Brazilian keeper needed to be
smartly off his line to save at the
feet of Mpenza shortly afterwards
and he was yet again called upon to
palm away Wilmots' next effort at
full stretch.
Former Middlesbrough midfielder Juninho
was replaced on 56 minutes by Denilson,
leading to Rivaldo dropping slightly
deeper. Not for long, however, as just 10
minutes later, the Barcelona midfielder
had put his side ahead. Having controlled Ronaldinho's cross
on his chest with his back to goal,
he showed a deft touch to bring the
ball around with his left foot before
volleying it past Geert de Vlieger
courtesy of a crucial deflection.
Back came Belgium. Bart Goor just
failed to connect with a header as
the goal beckoned invitingly, while
substitute Wesley Sonck also tried
his luck from distance. At times during a predictably frantic
final 10 minutes, Brazil were desperately
holding to their slim advantage but
Belgium had over-committed themselves
forward in search of an equaliser.
They were duly punished when Ronaldo
was put through on the exposed figure
of de Vlieger and converted his shot
just under the Belgian keeper's body. Goor again came close to pulling
a goal back, but Belgium never quite
matched Brazil's finishing class.
The South American side were duly
through and England now await.
Brazil
Marcos, Cafu, Lucio, Roque Junior, Edmilson, Carlos, Gilberto, Juninho Paulista (Denilson 57), Rivaldo (Ricardinho 90), Ronaldinho (Kleberson 81), Ronaldo.
Goals: Rivaldo 67, Ronaldo 88.
Belgium
De Vlieger, Van Kerckhoven, Van Buyten, Peeters (Sonck 73), Simons, Wilmots, Goor, Verheyen, Vanderhaeghe, Walem, Mpenza.
Att: 40,440 |
Soccer Media
