BRA vs AUS

~PLAYERS QUOTES

RONALDO (BRA)
I played better today and I created the opening goal. I’m getting my fitness back and I’m very pleased with my performance. Australia defended very well but Brazil were always going to win.

ROBERTO CARLOS (BRA)
The team is performing a lot better, despite the very high temperatures, and we’re full of confidence. It was a difficult game, they marked us very tightly. We’re going to keep playing like we did today, and as a top side we’re well capable of winning our next games. It’s not about winning one game, it’s about winning the competition. We’re on the road to our sixth title – the team is on the right track.

CAFU (BRA)
This was my 18th World Cup game for the Seleção. I’m really pleased to have broken the record. I now need to make sure that my performances match the way the team is playing.

ADRIANO (BRA)
It was our most difficult game so far, but we played better than in our previous match. It was an incredible feeling to score my first World Cup goal, and I’m dedicating that goal to my son.

RONALDINHO (BRA)
We’re going to improve with every game. The World Cup is a marathon, not a sprint. Brazil are capable of playing nice football and the team is getting stronger with every game.

KAKA (BRA)
The Australians marked us very tightly in the first half, but after the break the heat took its toll and we were able to find enough space to score our goals. Brazil’s quality is there for all to see. We had to play a patient game. The team is evolving and we’re growing together in every way.

Mark VIDUKA(AUS)
It was a tough match, but a fair one. It was difficult for us to score, as Brazil have got so many superstars in their team. Our aim is still to make it through to the next round. It was great to play in a match like this surrounded by so many Australian fans. Now we want to beat Croatia.

Harry KEWELL (AUS)
We played well, it was a good team performance. The atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic. Now we want to go and beat Croatia – we’re not looking for a draw.

Mark SCHWARZER (AUS)
We’re not yet talking about the Round of 16, we’re just concentrating on our last group match against Croatia.

John ALOISI (AUS)
Brazil were a very good team, they now have six points and they’re through to the next round. You can be pretty sure that they’ll go a long way in this tournament. We showed what we were made of today and played really well; it’s just a pity that we let those two goals in. 

BRASIL STEPPED UP TO THE NEXT STAGE

Brazil booked their place in the Round of 16 after overcoming a tough challenge from Australia with a 2-0 win in Munich on Sunday, 18 June 2006.

The FIFA World Cup™ holders took the lead four minutes into the second half through Adriano but they had to survive one or two nervy moments before substitute Fred sealed the victory with a tap-in in the 90th minute. Brazil’s second Group F win secured their advance to the second round with a game to spare, while Australia are well poised to join them, holding a two-point advantage of Japan and their next opponents Croatia.

LES BLEUS DREW AGAIN!

Korea Republic fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with France as Park Ji-Sung cancelled out Thierry Henry’s first-half opener in Leipzig on Sunday, 18 June 2006.

The point salvaged here put the Koreans top of Group G, at least until the end of Monday’s match between Togo and Switzerland in Dortmund. The evening began promisingly for Les Bleus when Thierry Henry scored their first FIFA World Cup™ goal since the 1998 Final with nine minutes on the clock.

However, Korea Republic drew level when Park bundled the ball over the line in the 81st minute. To compound France’s disappointment, Eric Abidal and Zinedine Zidane both collected bookings which rule them out of their final group game against Togo. 

|19th JUNE 2006 FIFA WC RESULTS: