Search
| Euro 2004 Portugal
| Soccer Shop | Football
News | Betting
| Euro
2008 | Blog
| Forum
| Friends
| Books on Football
World Cup 2006 | World
Cup 2002 Archive | Links
| Flights
| Match Tickets
| Contact |
Home
A.League | Coaches | Confederations
Cup | Croatia | England | FIFA
Rankings | Football
DVDs | Interviews | J.League | K.League | Liverpool |
Man
Utd | MLS | Players | Spain | SPL | World
Cup 2010 | Club
World Championship
Home|Germany 2006|Travel|Guide|Groups|Group A
In Partnership With |
 |
In Partnership With |
| |
Germany World Cup 2006 Group A
GROUP A
*GermanyUseful, that Confederations Cup after all - to some more than others. For a new German generation - hitherto untested, given the lack of qualifying games - has had its thirst for glory primed once more by a coach who was third, fourth or was that fifth in line for the job! Rookie Jurgen Klinsmann gives the impression of having taken the pressure in his elegant stride and his clear commitment to a fast, aggressive brand of attacking football has, first and foremost, bought the players with him. The double-edged sword of home advantage holds no fears for the Californian commuter, either, having expertly moderated expectations throughout the warm-up tournament last summer that saw Germany claim third place. His players won't peak in 2006 but the confidence accompanying the team's rebirth is remarkable less than two years on from their surrender at Euro 2004. The openness that has gone with it - inclusive of Kevin Kuranyi, Gerald Asamoah and Lukas Podolski if not, yet, of Leverkusen's Gonzalo Castro or Schalke's Cassio Lincoln - only underlines Klinsmann's intelligent approach. All the talk of FC Ballack is over and the side's heartbeat has potent, clever lieutenants in Deisler, Schweinsteiger and even veteran Frings to complement a less experienced defence. Just how far goalkeeper Oliver Khan is past his best could be key to the hosts' hopes, but the three-time winners are certainties for the quarters at least. Though Klinnsmann needs to decide on a settled side and soon. Fixtures
Germany v Costa Rica 9 June; KO 18:00; Munich CoachJurgen Klinnsmann Record1938 First Round; 1974 Second Round; 1962, 1994, 1998 Quarter finals; 1958 Fourth place; 1934, 1970 Third place; 1982, 1986, 2002 Runners up; 1954, 1974, 1990 champions FIFA RankingMen to watchPredictions & Latest OddsShould make it out of the group with either Poland or Costa Rica
but the quarterfinals is as far as they will go. How they qualifiedGermany qualified automatically as hosts. On the sidelines Jurgen Klinnsmann has been criticised for his laid-back approach
and decision to commute from his California home and not move back
to Germany. AnalysisThe SquadGoalkeepers Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, England), Oliver Kahn
(Bayern Munich) Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart). 
PolandJust pipped by seeds England to Group 6 qualification with a scoring record to rival that of any in Europe at least, Poland's class of 2006 are nonetheless limited compared to finalists past. Playing contemporaries of coach Pawel Janas such as Wladislaw Zmuda, Zbigniew Boniek, the celebrated keeper Jan Tomaszewski, Grzegorz Lato, Andrzej Szarmach and the late Kazi Deyna ensured the Poles carved a niche in World Cup history - and last time (West) Germany were hosts their neighbours came third. But this will be a less confident bunch entirely, despite Maciej Zurawski and Tomasz Frankowski having scored seven each in qualifying and Portsmouth gambit Emmanuel Olisadebe providing competition for their places besides Grzegorz Rasiak. They may not fear Group A's Ecuador - having coincidentally dispatched them in a Barcelona friendly prior to the draw - but then Klinsmann's men and even Costa Rica won't yield points as easily and memories persist of Japan/Korea when Jerzy Engels saw his side's high hopes collapse around an ignominious 4-0 defeat to Portugal. Since then, despite the presence of quality pros such as Jacek Krzynowek and Tomasz Klos, the Poles failed even to qualify for Portugal in 2004. The man now in possession of Tomaszewski's old role, Liverpool's Jerzy Dudek, having made such crucial shoot-out saves in May's Champions League final, must regain regular match action of some description if he is not to risk abetting a repeat of the ignominy. Fixtures
Poland v Ecuador 9 June; KO 21:00; Gelsenkirchen CoachPawal Janas Record1938, 2002 First Round; 1978, 1986 Second Round; 1974, 1982 Third place FIFA RankingMen to watchMaciej Zurawski, Tomasz Hajto Predictions & Latest OddsIt's not far from Germany to Poland and the Poles will be making
that short trip after three games. How they qualifiedSecond to England in European Group 6 they qualified as one of the two best runners-up. On the sidelines Poland scored 27 goals in qualifying but only one when it mattered
against England. AnalysisThe SquadGoalkeepers Artur Boruc (Celtic, Scotland), Tomasz Kuszczak
(West Bromwich Albion, England), Lukasz Fabianski (Legia Warsaw) 
Costa RicaFew sides may fear Costa Rica, a team that is seen as good to watch and not bad to play against. The fact is however that the Central Americans have a decent World Cup record. Two times Costa Rica have appeared at the World Cup, and they have made it to the second stage once and just missed out once on goal difference - not too bad when one considers the fact that Brazil were group members in both competitions. The fact remains that the nation of 4 million doesn't have the pedigree of regional stablemates the USA and Mexico, a fact that was borne out in qualifying as Alexandre Guimaraes led the side into third place. The former player took the reins in April as the club was floundering near the bottom of the group but four wins in six games under Guimaraes was enough to beat Trinidad and Tobago into fourth. Paulo Wanchope is the best-known of the Tico players and the ex-Derby, Manchester City and West Ham star is still around but now holds the country's all-time goal record and plies his trade in Qatar in the Middle East, four years on it is debatable if he has what it takes to lead the team into the second round. Fixtures
Costa Rica v Germany 9 June; KO 18:00; Munich CoachAlexander Guimaraes Record1990 Second Round; 2002 First Round FIFA RankingMen to watchPaulo Wanchope Predictions & Latest OddsWe think they'll pip Poland for second spot in the group. How they qualifiedThird in the CONCACAF qualifying group behind Mexico and USA. On the sidelines Former Southampton striker Agustin Delgado now plays his club
football for Barcelona in Ecuador. AnalysisCosta Rica In-Depth Team Profile The SquadGoalkeepers Jose Francisco Porras (Saprissa), Alvaro Mesen
(Herediano), Wardy Alfaro (Alajuelense). 
EcuadorThe boys from Quito will arrive in Germany looking to improve on their performance on the global stage after their debut in the Far East four years earlier. Two defeats in the country's first two World Cup games at the hands of Italy and Mexico were no disgrace but it meant that Ecuador's time in Japan was over almost before it begun. Qualification was achieved comfortably behind Brazil and Argentina but the nation is traditionally strong in its high-altitude capital and looks much more fragile when it ventures down from 1,850 metres altitude. Veteran striker Agustin Delgado is still around and wily enough to cause a few problems as the team's Colombian coach Luis Fernando Suarez is hoping. Edison Mendez is also a danger from midfield and youngsters such as Cristian Lara and Franklin Salas will be hoping to make their mark on the world stage. Fixtures
Ecuador v Poland 9 June; KO 21:00; Gelsenkirchen CoachLuis Fernando Suarez Record2002 First Round FIFA RankingMen to watchCristian Lara Predictions & Latest OddsFirst round casualties. How they qualifiedThird in the South American qualifying group behind Brazil and Argentina. On the sidelines Former Southampton striker Agustin Delgado now plays his club
football for Barcelona in Ecuador. The SquadGoalkeepers Edwin Villafuerte (Deportivo Quito), Cristian
Mora (LDU), Damian Lanza (Aucas) For highlights of the qualifying rounds, read Soccerphile's Ozren Podnar's "Best of the World Cup Qualifiers." |
German Accommodation
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| Terms of Use. | "The Onside In-Site" Copyright © From 2000. All rights reserved. Soccerphile Ltd. |
Top of Page. | ||||||||||||||||||
