The Guardian | Wednesday June 21 2006 7 Today Day 13 1500 Portugal v Mexico ITV1, Radio Five, Talksport Jim Rosenthal spends an afternoon in Gelsenkirchen with Robbie Earle, Ally McCoist and Andy Townsend. Luis Figo has been fouled 16 times in two games, a total set to rise if Barcelona’s Rafael Márquez continues the Catalan feud with the Real Madrid defector. 1500 Iran v Angola ITV2, R5 Sports Extra, TSd Angola need to win and win big, then hope that Portugal batter Mexico if the Africans are to nab second place. Iran played in front of 110,000 fans in a qualifying match against Japan in Tehran last year but have to settle for 38,000 in Leipzig, the smallest venue. 2000 Holland v Argentina ITV1, Radio Five, Talksport Little riding on the most anticipated match of the tournament so far other than the chance to avoid Brazil until the final. Holland need to win in front of Steve Rider to make it happen. 2000 Ivory Coast v Serbia & Mont ITV4, R5 Sports Extra, TSd Battle between pointless teams. Will Jim Beglin or Jon Champion be the first to say “There’s only pride to play for”? 2250 World Cup Match of the Day BBC1 Adrian Chiles quizzes Leonardo, the world’s most sophisticated man, on the day’s events. Player to watch Kew Jaliens Holland Age 27 Position full-back Why Fine attacking right-back who has thrived under Louis van Gaal at AZ Alkmaar but can be a liability defensively which might be a problem against Argentina. What he’ll do Fly up the pitch, pause as if he’s remembered he’s left the gas on, then run backwards sharpish. O∞cial of the day Luis Medina Cantalejo Spain Age 42 Job Sports assessor Match Holland v Argentina Took charge of Germany’s victory against Poland when he sent off Radoslaw Sobolewski or, as the web translator rather more vividly puts it, “thrust the preventive scarlet cardboard in his direction”. Commentators’ kit Serbia & Montenegro play their 34th and final international before “They were stronger and faster than we into the bottom corner. It was the first goal Costa Rica 1 (1) Group A Paraguay 2 (1) Group B dropping Montenegro and, indeed, were. That's why they dominated, not that Ecuador had conceded in Germany Gómez 24 Sancho 25og, Cuevas 86 their ampersand ... Holland’s Phillip only on the scoreboard,” Ecuador’s coach but although the Germans took another Cocu had Anglophile parents who Luis Suárez said. “In the past two matches 40 minutes to get a second, just before Poland 2 (1) Trinidad & Tobago 0 (0) named him Phillip John William ... we scored first. half-time, it was not because of a lack of Bosacki 33 66 Simao Sabrosa of Portugal has had Today it was the other way round and it opportunities. Referee Shamsul Maidin (Sin) Referee R Rosetti (It) his Benfica captain’s armband made life complicated. It affected the With Bernd Schneider prompting from Niedersachsenstadion 43,000 Fritz-Walter-Stadion 46,000 redesigned to incorporate a picture team mentally." the right of midfield, albeit given the time Porras Possession Bobadilla Possession of his daughter Mariana ... After another rousing reception from and space to do so, Klose was provided Gamarra Caceres Drummond Marín Umaña increasingly believing fans, the Germans with chances in the 24th and 33rd Núñez Caniza Mode Mondiale forced a fourth-minute corner which was minutes. Schneider, too, had a promising Solís Bolaños % Acuña Paredes % not cleared efficiently. When the ball came situation and Michael Ballack tried to González Centeno Badilla Barreto Dos Santos back in Per Mertesacker swung a leg at it, score from 40 yards with Cristian Mora off 49% 51% 57% 43% Bastian Schweinsteiger recovered it his line. Costa Rica Poland Paraguay T&T Gómez Wanchope Santa Cruz Valdez before it bounced out and his dragback Ballack lasted the 90 minutes despite Zurawski Jelen 4 Shots on target 6 8 Shots on target 2 pass ran to Klose. being on a yellow card and showed Glen S John Whitley Ecuador’s Edwin Tenorio failed to get the odd glimpse of what he can do. It was Smolarek Krzynowek 5 Shots off target 5 6 Shots off target 10 close enough to Klose and the volley flew not necessary for the captain to rampage 80% Passing 82% Theobald Birchall 79% Passing 73% Szymkowiak Radomski A John Edwards but his chipped pass for Klose to round Zewlakow Baszczynski 12 Fouls 20 Yorke 17 Fouls 21 Mora to nab the second was a splash of Lawrence Sancho Ballack creativity. Bosacki Bak 2 Corners 8 8 Corners 1 With the contest over, the second half Boruc 4 Offside 1 Jack 4 Offside 3 was played at jogging pace with the occa- Costa Rica substitutes Paraguay substitutes The German Wags don vests and IWallace 70. NSaborío 78. MHernández 82. ICuevas 66. NManzur 78. MDa Silva 88. sional sprint. One such brought Germany Poland substitutes Trinidad & Tobago substitutes scarves — all climates covered their third goal. IBrozek h-t. NLewandowski 64. MRaziak 85. IJones 31. NWise 41. MLatapy 66. A rare Ecuador probe was ended Two goals by Poland’s centre-back Trinidad & Tobago’s lingering hope of On the web emphatically by the decisive challenge of Bartosz Bosacki, his first in international reaching the knockout phase was ended Mertesacker and from him the ball was football, brought victory over Costa Rica by Paraguay, who won thanks to a ferried swiftly to the lively Schweinsteiger and sent their fans home with some Brent Sancho own-goal and a late strike Despite much hectic keyboard edging over the halfway line. consolation for an early exit. A Ronald from the substitute Nelson Cuevas. action, our minute-by-minute His pass found Schneider running Gómez free-kick put Costa Rica in front T&T’s coach Leo Beenhakker said commentators haven't worn their down the right-hand side and the Bayer against the run of play before Bosacki afterwards: “They did their stinking fingers down to the knuckles quite Leverkusen schemer sized up the situa- met corners from Maciej Zurawski and best. They played to the best of their yet. Watch the action as they tap out tion instantly. Podolski was pelting Jacek Krzynowek on either side of half- abilities and the atmosphere was four games with their stumpy digits through the middle to get beyond the time. Poland’s coach Pawel Janas said: perfect — it’s a shame. I have no idea — then listen to AC Jimbo's podcast backtracking Ecuador defence and Schnei- “We scored through the set-pieces. We what I’m going to do now. I am and banter on the world's finest blog. der supplied the perfect pass. Podolski had been criticised because we couldn't absolutely not going back to Trinidad — Jürgen Klinsmann embraces Lukas met it on the run and steered it skilfully score through set-pieces. I'm glad the I’ve had enough of it because of the guardian.co.uk/worldcup Podolski after the striker’s goal in by the far post. team responded to my tactics." Reuters travelling.” Alex Bellos.