DORTMUND, Germany - The spotlight was back on Ronaldo
and this time he shined.(More stories, features and gossips
)
Brazil's Ronaldo
celebrates his goal as Japan's goalie Yoshikatsu Kawagushi lays in the net
during the World Cup Group F soccer match at the World Cup stadium in
Dortmund, Germany, Thursday June 22, 2006. The other teams in Group F are
Australia, and Croatia.[AP] |
After a
lackluster World Cup start, Ronaldo scored two goals Thursday night to lead
Brazil to a 4-1 victory over Japan to clinch first place in Group F.
"I have complete knowledge of my possibilities, of my condition," Ronaldo
said. "I knew I arrived at a level below my teammates, and that I would have to
work really hard to reach them."
Ronaldo admittedly arrived for the World Cup overweight and was heavily
criticized after the sluggish performances in the early games.
The goals moved Ronaldo into a tie with Gerd Mueller of West Germany for the
most goals in World Cup history with 14. Ronaldo said he never had a doubt he
would regain his scoring touch.
On Thursday, Ronaldo finally appeared close to top form. He tied the game at
1 with a header a minute into first-half injury time, moving past Pele as
Brazil's all-time leading World Cup scorer. He was set up by Real Madrid
teammate Cicinho, who sent him the ball with a header across the area.
Ronaldo scored his second goal in the 81st, with a right-footer from 20 yards
after a set up by defender Juan.
"Ronaldo is back," Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. "We believe
he's special. We must have confidence in our football and today we played more
like Brazilians, we kept the ball for longer periods."
With its second-round berth already secured, Brazil fielded five reserve
players and got goals from two of them, Juninho and Gilberto. But it was Ronaldo
who was the star in Brazil's record 10th straight World Cup win.
"I'm very happy with my performance, with the two goals and with Brazil's
victory," he said. "Now it's time to rest and think about the round of 16."
Brazil will play Ghana in the second round on Tuesday back in Dortmund.
"We had a great game and now we're all motivated for the round of 16," Brazil
midfielder Kaka said. "We played well."
Japan is headed back home after finishing last in the group with one point,
failing to repeat its second-round appearance from when it co-hosted the 2002
tournament. The Japanese, coached by former Brazilian all-star Zico, needed to
defeat the five-time champions to have any chance to advance.
"I'd love to have a player like Ronaldo on my team," Zico said. "He's the
type of player who can smell a goal and he's so dangerous when he gets in front
of the goal."
Zico changed both his starting strikers to try to boost the attack, and it
seemed to work when the Japanese surprisingly took the lead despite being
outplayed by Brazil.
