World Cup: Brazil, France need wakeup calls
(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-20 08:54 If Argentina or European rivals Germany, Netherlands, England, Italy, Spain
or Portugal were watching, they would know that this Brazilian team — which
boasted strength throughout the lineup — has major weaknesses at the back. Samba
soccer needs solid support.
Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has to get these problems fixed before Brazil
reaches the knockout round with contenders Italy or the Czech Republic likely
opponents. Even Ghana, should it sneak through, might take advantage.
Parreira skirted the team's problems by saying the most important thing was
to reach the second round. Maybe he knows better performances are just around
the corner, but even the superconfident Brazilian fans appear worried.
Over in Leipzig, Thierry Henry scored the French team's first World Cup goal
since a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 final. But Les Bleus contrived to
give South Korea a 1-1 draw to follow their inept 0-0 tie with Switzerland.
France doesn't even look certain to beat Togo in its final group game.
Remember the opening match against Senegal four years ago, when the defending
champion French lost to the African upstart and went on to lose in the first
round without scoring a goal?
There are similar signs now, and Raymond Domenech's players have no one to
blame but themselves. Although Patrick Vieira's header appeared to cross the
line before being cleared — the referee said no — the French too often tried to
usher the ball into the net instead of being direct and decisive.
Henry missed three chances against the Swiss and squandered two more against
the Koreans simply because he didn't go for goal sooner or with more power. The
Korean equalizer nine minutes from the end by Manchester United's Park Ji-sung
seemed like a punishment the French deserved.
When Zinedine Zidane walked off the field to be substituted, the French star
threw down his captain's armband and barely acknowledged the coach as he went
past him. Zidane knew he would miss the final group game against Togo because of
suspension and, if France doesn't qualify for the second round for the second
World Cup in a row, that's the sad end of a famous career.
If his French teammates want to give him another game, they'd better realize
this is a World Cup, not a goal of the month contest.
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