score football magazine
World Cup 2006
Germany

world cup 2006
Friday 30 June
Germans spot on

Argentina finally met their match and were knocked out by the hosts on penalties. Ballack met a well delivered ball with a firm header in the 16th minute, but couldn't find the target. Four minutes into the second half Ayala was first to a corner kick and headed Argentina into the lead. Ballack had his downward volley blocked in the 64th minute, and Maxi Rodriguez hit the side netting for Argentina 9 minutes later. Germany were 10 minutes away from elimination when Ballack's cross was flicked onto the head of Klose who found the corner of the net. Extra time could not separate the 2 teams and the match went to penalty shoot-outs, in which Lehmann make 2 saves to send the hosts through. (Germany 1 Argentina 1, Germany win on penalties)

Friday 30 June

Italian job well done

Italy eased through to a semi final clash with Germany after what turned out to be a routine win over Ukraine. The match was only 6 minutes old when Zambrotta riffled a low shot into the corner of the net from outside the box. Buffon touched a close-range header by Gusin onto the bar in the 49th minutes suffering a short term injury in the process. Buffon was back in action when he blocked a point-blank Gusev shot , the rebound fell to Gusin whose effert was cleared off the line by Zambrotta. A minute later Italy punished Ukraine for their inability to finish when Toni stooped to get his head to a Totti cross and increased the lead. In the 62nd minute Gusin saw his looping header come off the crossbar, and 7 minutes later Zambrotta slid the ball across the face of the goal for Toni to put the match beyond Ukraine with a tap-in. A powerful Shevchenko free-kick from 30 yards was punched away by Buffon in the 80th minute, while 2 minutes later Totti failed to lob Shovkovskyi. A header from Belik didn't trouble Buffon in the 86th minute. (Italy 3 Ukraine 0)

Saturday 1 July

Familiar exit for England

Having had a player sent off, England took the match to penalties but lost. Ronaldo and Lampard had low shots from outside the area foiled by their opposite keepers in the 10th and 45th minute of the first half. In the 53rd minute Lampard's miss-hit volley bounced high over the bar and 5 minutes later Lennon's exciting run ended with a high shot from Joe Cole. A moment of madness saw Rooney dismissed in the 62nd minute and with Beckham already off with an injury England found themselves with a difficult task ahead. Robinson had to dive to push away a chip from Figo in the 78th minute. Robinson got behind a shot from Viana in the 81st minute and 2 minutes later Ricardo parried a fierce free-kick from Lampard, but Lennon didn't trouble the keeper from the rebound. In Extra time a shot from Ronaldo flew over the bar and the England keeper covered a strike from Maniche. Ricardo made 3 penalty saves out of 4 to end England's participation in the World Cup. (Portugal 0 England 0. Portugal win on penalties)

Saturday 1 July

French end Brazilian reign

The reigning world champions lost their crown with a 1-0 defeat to France. Henry latched onto an in floating free-kick from Zidane to bury the ball into the roof of the net in the 57th minute. Four minutes later after some trickery from Ribery, his low cross was deflected dangerously close to the goal line and in the 70th minute Dida came swiftly out to block the path of Ribery who was attempting to get on the end of a pass from Henry. With a minute remaining Ronaldinho's free-kick was just over the bar and in time added on, both Saha for France and Ronaldo for Brazil had their efforts saved. (France 1 Brazil 0)

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