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Home , Dennis Lawrence, Frank Lampard, Justo Villar, Leo Beenhakker, Michael Owen, Roque Santa Cruz

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H4 SPECIALSPT 06-07-06 EZ EE H4 CMYK

H4 Wednesday, June 7, 2006 R x World Cup 2006

GROUP FIRST-ROUND FRIDAY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 THURSDAY, JUNE 15 TUESDAY, JUNE 20 SCHEDULE Costa Rica vs. Germany, Noon (ESPN2) in Poland vs. Germany, 3 p.m. Ecuador vs. Costa Rica, Ecuador vs. Germany, 10 a.m. (ESPN) in Berlin KEY A All times Eastern Poland vs. Ecuador, 3 p.m. (ESPN2) in (ESPN2) in Dortmund 9 a.m. (ESPN2) in Hamburg Costa Rica vs. Poland, 10 a.m. (ESPN2) in Hanover MATCHES By Camille Powell COSTA RICA OUTLOOK The Ticos resemble the stylish, attacking side that delighted fans and narrowly missed out on a second round berth in 2002, but a TEAMS rocky qualifying campaign and a 4-0 loss to Ukraine in late May AT-A-GLANCE don’t bode well. Forward , a 6-foot-4 former bas- ketball player, is Costa Rica’s all-time leading goal scorer and plans on retiring from international soccer after the World Cup. » Best-Case Scenario: Surprise Germany in the opener and sneak into the round of 16. » Worst-Case Scenario: A suspect defense leads to a first-round exit. COSTA RICA Coach: Alexandre Guimaraes. Appearances: Third. ECUADOR OUTLOOK How Qualified: Finished Ecuador’s impressive run through qualifying comes with an asterisk: third in CONCACAF. its eight victories (including wins over and ) came at altitude. La Tri doesn’t have much experience playing in Europe; they have played only a handful of matches there (most recently a 2-1 loss to Macedonia), and only two of their players currently play there professionally. Ecuador still relies on the two men who scored their goals in Japan/Korea: F Agustin Delgado, who is strong in the air, and MF Edison Mendez, who has a powerful shot. » Best-Case Scenario: Reaching the second round. » Worst-Case Scenario: No altitude, no wins. ECUADOR Coach: Luis Fernando Suarez. Appearance: Second. GERMANY OUTLOOK How Qualified: Finished Eleven of the previous 18 host nations have reached the final four, third in South America. and Germany will benefit from supportive crowds and a soft draw. But to get to their 11th semifinal, the Germans might have to face England, Argentina or the Netherlands — and they have not defeated a major soccer nation since 2000. Coach Juergen Klinsmann overhauled the team that lost in the 2002 final, surrounding captain with young talent like (22 years old) and forward BY BEN RADFORD — GETTY IMAGES (21) and inserting Arsenal’s in goal GERMANY Midfielder Michael Ballack, left, is Germany’s one true world-class player. He scored several key goals in the 2002 World Cup. instead of 2002 hero . Coach: » Best-Case Scenario: Riding the home crowd to the semifinals. » Worst-Case Scenario: A loss in the round of 16. Juergen Klinsmann. STAR PLAYER » MICHAEL BALLACK | MF | GERMANY Appearance: 16th. GROUP A How Qualified: Host. Note It’s Hard to Miss Germany’s Ballack POLAND OUTLOOK For Novices Only three European teams scored more goals in qualifying than Poland, though the man who scored seven of Poland F Maciej ichael Ballack is everywhere in Germa- years. He was greeted with a mixture of boos and them — forward — 1954 1974 1990 Zurawski earned the ny; his picture is plastered on banks, on cheers during his final league game — a game in was shockingly left off the final nickname “Magic” hotels, on advertisements, all in prep- which he scored. roster (as was goal- Zurawski from fans aration for the World Cup. He is the All that will change, however, if he leads Germa- logicalM choice to be the face of the tournament: He ny back to the championship game. In 2002, Bal- keeper and national hero Jerzy of his club team, Dudek). Miroslaw Szymkowiak, Celtic FC, after he is Germany’s captain, its one true world-class play- lack scored the decisive goals in knockout wins a free kick specialist, is the scored 20 goals in er and one of the stars of the 2002 finals. against the United States and , but he midfield engine behind 30 appearances in But Ballack — a versatile, attacking midfielder was forced to miss the final (a 2-0 loss to Brazil) af- forwards Maciej Zurawski leading the team to who is good in the air — also is preparing to leave ter picking up his second yellow card of the tour- (seven goals in qualifying) and the Scottish League Germany. After starring for three nament against South Korea. POLAND , whose father, title this year. Celtic sides, Ballack recently signed a three-year contract “When our backs are against the wall, my re- Coach: Pawel Janas. with Chelsea in England. action is to score decisive goals,” Ballack said in Wlodzimierz, was a striker on Appearance: Seventh. teammate likely will be He has been portrayed in the German media as an interview with Der Spiegel. “My father told me, the 1982 side that finished third. How Qualified: cool and unapproachable, as well as arrogant and when you are on edge, step up a gear, get yourself » Best-Case Scenario: Earning a quarterfinal Finished second in Europe’s Poland’s starting goalkeeper. greedy. He was never fully embraced by Bayern warmed up, then you will calm down. I want to get berth. Group 6, best point total Munich fans, even though he led them to three myself prepared as well as I possibly can so that I » Worst-Case Scenario: Loss to Ecuador in the among runners-up. Bundesliga and three German Cup titles in his four won’t have to look back later and blame myself.” opener leads to a first-round exit.

GROUP FIRST-ROUND SATURDAY THURSDAY, JUNE 15 TUESDAY, JUNE 20 SCHEDULE England vs. Paraguay, 9 a.m. (ABC) in Frankfurt England vs. Trin. and Tobago, Noon (ESPN2) in Sweden vs. England, 3 p.m. (ESPN) in KEY B All times Eastern vs. Sweden, Noon (ABC) in Dortmund Sweden vs. Paraguay, 3 p.m. (ESPN) in Berlin Paraguay vs. Trin. & Tob., 3 p.m. (ESPN2) in Kaiserslautern MATCHES By Camille Powell ENGLAND OUTLOOK Four syllables that make an England fan shudder: metatarsal. Forwards and have each been side- TEAMS lined with fractured metatarsal bones, and Rooney’s injury threatens AT-A-GLANCE to keep the 20-year old star out of the tournament. With Rooney, England is one of the favorites. Without him,it still has a world-class STAR PLAYER » midfield — , , and Joe STEVEN GERRARD | MF | ENGLAND Cole — but lack his game-changing offensive ability. » Best-Case Scenario: With Rooney back in the knockout stages, England makes the final. ENGLAND A Leading Man » Worst-Case Scenario: Finishing second in the group, losing to Coach: (gasp) Germany in the round of 16. Sven-Goran Eriksson. Appearance: 12th. Studies New Role How Qualified: PARAGUAY OUTLOOK Won Europe’s Group 6. hen England’s players took the field for a warmup match against Hungary on May 30, Paraguay is one of only six teams in this year’s field that the number 9 shirt was with them. But it was has advanced to Steven Gerrard who was wearing Wayne the round WRooney’s No. 9 and it was Gerrard who was filling of 16 in 1966 Rooney’s role as a deep-lying striker behind Michael the past Owen. two tournaments, and With Rooney recovering from a broken foot, the others are soccer royalty: , Brazil, England, Germany and Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has had to find Steven Gerrard will be Mexico. Flamboyant goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, the face of the past ways to compensate for the loss of such a driven, wearing his familiar two teams, is gone, replaced by unassuming . Paraguay game-changing offensive player. His solution ap- No. 4 after wearing relies on three German-based players: MF (Bayern pears to be taking Gerrard, one of the world’s No. 9 against Hungary. Munich) and Fs (Bayern Munich), who is recovering best , and giving him the freedom to from a knee injury, and Nelson Haedo Valdez (Werder Bremen). BY ALEX LIVESEY — GETTY IMAGES Best-Case Scenario: PARAGUAY push further into the attack. » Stealing a win against England or Sweden Coach: Anibal Ruiz. “I thought Gerrard was excellent, but why to return to the round of 16. Appearance: Seventh. should I be surprised?” Eriksson told reporters fol- » Worst-Case Scenario: Losses to England and Sweden render How Qualified: lowing Gerrard’s one-goal performance in England’s the finale against Trinidad and Tobago meaningless. Finished fourth in 3-1 win. “Wherever I play him he is always excellent. South America. He is the complete .” GROUP B Gerrard, 26, missed the 2002 World Cup with a groin SWEDEN OUTLOOK injury but will figure heavily in this one. He is a hard Note tackler and a good passer, and he has a hard shot from The Swedes are known as a well-organized, defensive-minded side — 30 yards. He has always done everything as captain For Nuts they gave up only four goals in 10 qualifying matches — so a 3-0 of his club team, Liverpool, but has been crit- Possible changes for loss to Ireland in early March was cause for concern. Sweden has a icized for not offering similar performances with England without dynamic trio of attackers, starting with temperamental 6-foot-3 F the national team. That will have to change Wayne Rooney: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus). F is still reliable at age SWEDEN this month if England is to advance. Coach Sven-Goran 34 (consider his impact on the Champions League final for ) Coach: Lars Lagerback. “There was a lot of pressure on me be- Eriksson and MF Fredrik Ljungberg is fast and clever. Also of note: the Swedes Appearance: 11th. cause it meant I was playing the role experimented with have six wins and four draws in their last 10 meetings with England. How Qualified: where Wayne Rooney usually plays,” a 4-1-4-1 when » Best-Case Scenario: Continued mastery over England allows Finished second in said Gerrard, who will be back in his attacking, with Sweden to win group and advance to quarterfinals. Europe’s Group 8. usual No. 4 jersey in Germany. “I am Steven Gerrard » Worst-Case Scenario: Surprised by Paraguay and out in the never going to be as good as playing behind F first round. Wayne in that position, but I Michael Owen. On enjoyed it. I have played a defense, Gerrard more holding role in the drops into midfield TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO OUTLOOK past, but the shackles for a 4-5-1. England were off tonight and I Just getting to this point was an accomplishment for Trinidad and used a 4-4-2 with Tobago, the smallest country in the tournament (population: 1.1 was allowed to Rooney. break free.” million) and the last to qualify. , a 6-foot-7 defender, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO scored the goal against Bahrain that put the Soca Warriors into the Coach: . finals and set off a national celebration. Fifteen players are currently in Appearance: First. leagues in Britain, including all-time goal leader , an MLS How Qualified: veteran now with Coventry. Finished fourth in » Best-Case Scenario: Not losing three lopsided games in a tough

CONCACAF; beat group.

Bahrain in a playoff. » Worst-Case Scenario: Soca Warriors leave without a goal or a win.

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