P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
South Korea	3	2	1	0	4	1	7
United States	3	1	1	1	5	6	4
Portugal		3	1	0	2	6	4	3
Poland		3	1	0	2	3	7	3

Qualify For The Second Round


14 JUNE 2002

PORTUGAL			0-1		SOUTH KOREA
						Park 70

Joao Pinto was sent off for a horrendous two footed murder attempt on
Park. A rare moment of quality for the invisible man Figo gave Pauleta a
great chance on goal but he shot high over the bar. Seol missed an even
better chance early in the second half. Lee, who has yet to be seriously tested
in this tournament, made a spectacular save from Pauleta's diving header.
Y P Lee got Beto a second yellow with a dive and roll Klinsmann would have
been proud of. Park scored another contender for goal of the tournament. He
bounced Y P Lee's deep cross on his chest, flicked the ball past Conceicao
with his right foot then drilled a left foot volley under Baia's legs. I'm tempted
to say Baia should have done better. The utterly pathetic Nuno Gomes
managed to kick the ball against his own feet after Couto headed down a
long ball into the box. Conceicao volleyed against a post.

As I had been saying weeks before the start of this tournament Portugal
peaked at Euro 2000. It was foolish of the so called experts to expect a
team with so many players coming off the back of dreadful domestic
seasons to mount a serious challenge in this tournament.

"We didn't achieve our goal, which was to go to the knock-out phase but after
tonight, I have to compliment Korea and wish them good luck. I also
compliment my players for the great job they did. We have to remember we
played with nine players and we had some bad luck at the end of the match,
two to three chances to score. We are disappointed at the end of these three
matches but I have to once again compliment my players. They did everything
possible to score and to advance to the next round." - Antonio Oliveira

"We played strong teams until now, and we played a good game to get to the
last 16.  I think the players as a whole have gained a lot of confidence from
our training sessions until now." - Park Ji Sung

Assist : Y P Lee
Red Cards : Joao Pinto 26 (Portugal), Beto 65 (Portugal)


POLAND				3-1		USA
Olisadebe 3					Donavan 83
Kryszalowicz 5
Zewlakow 66

Krzynowek whipped a corner into the box, the ball bounced off Olisadebe's
chest the US defence stood still, Friedel charged off his line, in slow motion,
Olisadebe leapt in the air and lashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Excellent finish. Donavan had a goal disallowed for nothing in particular.
Kryszalowicz started and finished a nice move which gave the Poles their
second goal. He back heeled to Zurawski, Zurawski then passed to
Krzynowek who bent his run to stay onside and his first time centre was swept
past Friedel. Zurawski should have made it 3-0 but shot against the post after
Friedel had saved from Kryszalowicz. Zewlakow headed in a short corner.
Kryszalowicz dived to win a penalty but Friedel saved Zurawski's spot kick.
Mathis volleyed against the post. Donavan grabbed a late consolation goal.

"We played for our country and I'm very proud. It was very difficult, now, in
the third game. They showed that they belong in the World Cup. We won and
leave with good memories." - Jerzy Engel

"We are elated to qualify for the second round, however, I am disappointed
with tonight's results. I must give credit to Poland, they played very well.
If you play a team of that much quality and you get behind by two goals in
the first five minutes, you will have a very difficult battle ahead of you and
we certainly faced that." - Bruce Arena

Assists : Krzynowek (x2), Kozminski, Mathis


10 JUNE 2002

SOUTH KOREA			1-1		USA
Ahn 78						Mathis 24

The home side could have taken the lead as early as the fifth minute - Seol
volleyed over Hwang's cross. Seol and Donavan wasted good chances for their
respective teams before the US took the lead. Mathis superbly pulled down
O'Brien's pass with his right foot then drilled a left foot shot past Lee. Good
goal, shit haircut. The ref gave Korea a penalty for absolutely nothing. Hwang
was about to take the spot kick until Lee talked him out of it. Big mistake.
Freidel saved and Pope made a superb tackle to deny Kim on the rebound.
Freidel continued to frsutrate Korea with two superb saves from Seol and
Choi. Substitute Ahn finally beat him when he deaded in from E Y Lee's free
kick. Y S Choi shot over with the goal at his mercy following a magnificent run
by E Y Lee.

The US should have no problem getting the point they need against Poland.
Korea must avoid defeat against Portugal to make ensure a place in the
second round. Fortunatly for them Baia isn't anywhere near the level of
Freidel.

"I think a draw tastes a little bit less for us because I think we deserved to
win. We created beautiful chances. We were unlucky not to have made 100
percent chances. After all, a draw is not enough but it's a tournament, so
we have to stick with that. I am happy with the way the players performed,
the attitudes and their performance always going into attack."  - Guus Hiddink

"It was a difficult game but I am happy with the point. Korea's fitness is
outstanding. Most people, a month ago, would not have believed the United
States would get four points in our first two matches. One hundred percent of
the people would have said no. It was a very difficult opener with Portugal and
a draw with Korea. It's a good feeling to get 4 points." - Burce Arena

Assists : O'Brien, E Y Lee (free kick)


PORTUGAL			4-0		POLAND
Pauleta 14, 65, 76
Rui Costa 87

Pauleta bounced Jaoa Pinto's excellent cross off his knee, cut inside Hajto and
drilled the ball inside the post. Hajto should have been sent off for cowardly
stamping on Jaoa Pinto after knocking him to the ground. No blame to either
the referee or linesman. A rapid counter attack ended with Pauleta turning in
Figo's centre. Pauleta tried to return the favour on another counter attack but
Figo's shot cannoned back off a post. Pauleta completed his hat-trick following
a, yes you guessed it, counter attack. He received a pass from Rui Costa, ran
into the box and turned Waldoch inside out before hammered a left foot shot
past Dudek. Pauleta should have had a fourth but did the World Cup special -
rounding the 'keeper and shooting into the side netting. Rui Costa poked in
Capucho's centre and should have bagged a second after rounding Dudek but
his weak shot was cleared off the line.

Portugal must beat Korea to ensure a place in the last 16.

"We are very pleased that we had a different strategy for today's match,
trying to have a new attitude. The idea of the team is to go on. It's not a
question of not winning the first match but the question of going to the
second phase. This was the match to win. In the first match not everything
was good but in this match, all the players knew what to do."
Antonio Oliveira

"It was a very difficult match. We had prepared hard because it could have
been our last match. We wanted to win. At 2-0 (there were) some
advantages but unfortunately we didn't have any attackers to score. If we
could have scored one but as time went on our morale went down. After
the second goal, our morale was so low." - Jerzy Engel

Assists : Jaoa Pinto, Figo, Rui Costa, Capucho


5 JUNE 2002

USA				3-2		PORTUGAL
O'Brien 4					Beto 39
Jorge Costa 30 (og)				Agoos 71 (og)
McBride 37

McBride got his head on the edge of a superbly flighted Stewart free kick,
Baia made a great reaction save but O'Brien whacked home the rebound.
The US should have doubled their league form another Stewart set piece.
Baia punched his free kick straight against Donavan, the ball rolled wide
Pope slammed it into the side netting. Donovan's cross took a wicked
deflection off Jorge Costa, catching Baia out at his near post. Mastroeni
intercepted a pass and knocked the ball into Donavan, Donavan pulled the
ball down with his left and hit a great ball towards the rampaging Sanneh
his right. Sanneh flew down the left wing and his perfect, deep cross was
met by McBride's brilliant diving header. Beto pulled a goal back from close
after O'Brien's poor clearance from a corner fell at his feet.

Joao Pinto helped on a Figo corner and Jorge Costa attempted an overhead
kick but shot wide. Agoos set up a tense finish by slashing Pauleta's cross
pass Friedel but the US held on for a deserved three points.

The result flatters the Portuguese, their defence was shocking. Portugal are
in real trouble.

Assist : Sanneh

"We beat a great team but they fought well. They can get credit for it. They
put pressure on us. I am proud of our team and it's going to be interesting for
the rest of the group matches. We beat many great teams before including
Germany, Argentina, Italy, and Ireland. It wasn't our first time to beat a big.
We came here to win, not just to participate." - Bruce Arena

"USA was a difficult team to play, but I never imagined we would lose. USA
have been preparing for this game for six months and Korea did the same.
Nothing is lost. As all matches are difficult, we will prepare as much as
possible for the two remaining matches." - Antonio Oliveira


4 JUNE 2002

SOUTH KOREA			2-0		POLAND
Hwang 26
Yoo 54

The first chance fell to Poland. Olisadebe intercepted a hospital pass and took
the entire Korea defence with him then sprayed the ball wide to Krzynowek
but he choked and shot wide. Seol headed into the ground from a corner. Yoo
went close with a shot from distance. Hwang gave the Koreans the lead mid
way through the first half. E Y Lee played a one-two from a throw in then
chipped a fantastic low ball into the box, Hwang turned and vollyed inside
the corner. Marvellous goal. Yoo rode a tackle and whacked the ball past
Dudek from 25yds though Dudek should have saved. Maybe it's the ball. 
The Koreans then sat back and hit Poland on the break. C S Lee ran onto a
long ball out of defence after the Koreans had bullied Poland out of possesion
and waited for support before squaring to Seol but he shot weakly at Dudek.
Seol took the ball from E Y Lee's throw in, teased Klos before sprinting down
the left flank and passed to Ahn, Ahn had his back to goal and took out
Waldoch with a great but shot wide. Korea then attacked down the opposite
flank, Song finding Ahn once again but this time he was denied by Dudek.
dragged a shot wide following good work by Ahn.

I know this is 'only' South Korea but they gave a tactical masterclass. The
football was quick, crisp and inventive, just like the Dutch but with high octane
pressing, just like Milan, and in the 2nd half a solid, deep defence with quick
counter attacks - just like Italy! Total football, 4-4-2 pressing and Catenaccio
in one game! AWESOME! If the Dutch players weren't such a bunch of lazy
twats they would play football like this. Farmer Gus isn't a farmer after all!
Watch this match. The Korean fans were MAGNIFICENT from the first minute
to the last.

Assist : E Y Lee

"I am very, very happy. To be honest, I'm exhausted, but I'm very happy.
I said many weeks ago that this team is going to the limit of our energies.
We had a little bit of luck but the way we played a big European team,
I'm very proud of my boys but we had big support from our fans."
Guus Hiddink

"This team is very good organised, is very strong and, I believe, here at
home they will be very, very difficult to beat. It was a very difficult game
for us. They were better than us and unfortunately we had to lose."
Jerzy Engel