Special report: 2006 FIFA World Cup
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| England's forward Wayne Rooney (R) vies
with Trinidad and Tobago’s midfielder Christopher Birchal (C) during the
World Cup 2006 Group B Round 2 match at the Frankenstadion in Nuremberg,
Germany, June 15, 2006. England won the match 2-0. (Xinhua
photo) |
BERLIN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador and England qualified for the knockout
stage of the 2006 World Cup after beating their rivals Costa Rica and Trinidad
and Tobago 3-0 and 2-0 respectively on Thursday while Paraguay had to pack home
as they lost to Sweden 1-0.
In Hamburg, Ecuador's striker Carlos Tenorio scored
the opener only 8 minutes into the game as he knocked the ball into the net off
a cross from midfielder Luis Valencia.
The Ecuadorans continued their attacks after the
break and Agustin Delgado scored the second in 54th, leaving the Costa Ricans
dumbfounded. Ivan
Kaviedes kicked the ball into the net after midfielder Edison Mendez found him
in the penalty box in the injury time.
Ecuador collected six points in the two matches
without conceding a goal, topping the group A, followed by hosts Germany, also
with two wins.
In Nuremburg, Crouch, a Liverpool striker who stands
1.98 meters, broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute, jumping high above Trinidad
and Tobago defender Brent Sancho to head home David Beckham's cross from the
right in the 83rd minute.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard made it 2-0 in the
final minute when Frank Lampard won a free-kick and took it quickly to put
England on the attack.
Gerrard unleashed an unstoppable left-foot shot from
outside the area on the right that left Shaka Hislop with no chance.
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| Swedish players celebrate the victory over
Paraguay as Paraguayan Edgar Barreto walks by at the end of the World Cup
2006 Group B Round 2 match at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, Germany, June 15,
2006. Sweden won 1-0. (Xinhua photo) | With a
group game to spare against Sweden, and following Ecuador's win over Costa Rica
earlier in the day in Group A, England will face either hosts Germany or the
Ecuadorians in the knockout stage.
In Berlin, a header from Sweden's Freddie Ljungberg
in the 89th minute sent Paraguay home as they lost twice without a goal.
Ljungberg, who plays for English Premier side
Arsenal, popped up at the far post to head home after teammate Marcus Allback
put a center back across goal.
Ljungberg, who was named Man of the Match by FIFA
Technical Study Group, said after the match that he could not wait for Tuesday's
crunch game against England, after his goal kept alive Sweden's hopes of winning
Group B.
"It's going to be difficult but it will be a massive
game as both teams want to win the group," said the Arsenal man.
Paraguay coach Anibal Ruiz described his team's World
Cup exitas "deeply painful".
Ruiz said, "Sweden had more chances to score, they
had more possession. It hurts but we have to congratulate the other team. Let me
say that it is really deeply painful." Enditem
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