Terry Maddaford: Quarter-final pairings a fascinating mix

nzherald.co.nz exclusive

The breathtaking upsets have thrown up some fascinating quarter-final pairings at World Cup 2002 and underlined Fifa's claims that soccer really is the global game.

Consider this.

Of the last eight teams only two, Brazil (ranked second on the last Fifa list) and Spain (8) are rated among the top eight countries in the world. The other six survivors went into the tournament ranked between 11 and 42 with Germany (11) followed by England (12), USA (13), Turkey (22), South Korea (40) and Senegal (42).

Europe, with Spain, England, Germany and Turkey provide four of the last eight teams. The remaining teams are from Africa (Senegal), Asia (South Korea), South America (Brazil) and Concacaf -- North/Central America (United States). The Australia-New Zealand-dominated Oceania Football Confederation the only confederation not represented in the quarter-finals.

A far cry from the last tournament in France when six of the quarter-finalists were from Europe with France, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark joined in the last eight by South America's Brazil and Argentina.

Italy's failure to go through, tipped out 2-1 by South Korea in the dying minutes of the last round of 16 matches, continues a wretched run by the Italians.

Beaten this time by a "golden goal" they bowed out of the last three World Cups in penalty shootouts after extra time.

In 1998 they went out in the quarters to eventual winners France, in 1994 they lost the final to Brazil in a shootout while in the 1990 tournament they hosted, Italy was beaten by Argentina in the semifinals -- again in a spot kick decider.

But, back to the present and the excitement of the South Korea/Japan-hosted bonanza.

Brazil fourth favourite with the TAB at $7 before kick-off are now raging favourites to win. Spain started as fifth favourite, England seventh and Germany eighth. The rest seemingly nowhere with Turkey next-best as $80 long shots.

Preparing to meet England in a tantalising quarter-final on Friday, Brazil have the record to back that favouritism.

The golden boot race for the tournament's top scorer is headed by Ronaldo (who was the TAB's first pick) and German Miroslav with five each. Ronaldo's team-mate Rivaldo is on the second line with four. The other contenders to follow Coatia's fallen star Davor Suker (the 1998 Golden Boot) as the leading scorer include Senegal's Papa Bouba Diop, and Spanish goal-grabbers Raul Gonzalez and Fernando Morientes with three each.

As a team, Brazil lead the way with an average of 3.25 goals per game -- just ahead of Germany with 3 (boosted by their 8-0 win over Saudi Arabia) and Spain (2.5). Senegal, with 1.75 goals per game in their four outings round out the top four. England have the worst attacking record of the survivors with 1.25.

Defensively England come into their own with goalkeeper David Seaman having to pick the ball out of his goal just once. A record shared by Germany's Oliver Kahn. South Korean 'keeper Woon Jae Lee has let in just two goals -- one each against the United States and Italy.

Picking the semifinalists promises to be every bit as difficult as selecting the winners of the 56 games played thus far.

England, still seeking to repeat their 1966 winning effort, will get no favours from a Brazilian team chasing an unprecedented fifth Cup. England have the attacking ability to disrupt Brazil's sometimes hesitant defence but their challenge will be in shutting down Ronaldo and his mates in what promises to be another all-out attacking effort.

Second up in the late game on Friday night three-time winners Germany (although it was as West Germany they won in 1954, 1974 and 1990) meet the US whose only claim to World Cup fame came when after winning just two matches they won through to the semifinals in the inaugural 1930 World Cup.

Despite their obvious favouritism, the Germans have not been overly impressive and might struggle against the fired-up Americans who have been one of the crowd pleasers in their matches in South Korea.

In Saturday's quarters, the Koreans will be looking for more of the same against Spain who scored three goals in each of their three group games but then needed a penalty shootout to see off the plucky Irish. Playing in the futuristic Gwangju Stadium, the Koreans can expect a full house of 42,880 as they seek to continue their first-ever post-section run in six World Cup appearances.

The last of the quarter-finals between Senegal and Turkey in Saturday's late game will find surely the most unlikely semifinalist who will play the winner of the England-Brazil clash.

The semifinals will be played next Tuesday and Wednesday.

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