Group C

[Regs]

Teams

Brazil
Turkey
China PR
Costa Rica

Games

Date Venue Time Teams 
03 Jun Ulsan 18:00 Brazil : Turkey  
04 Jun Gwangju 15:30 China PR : Costa Rica  
08 Jun Seogwipo 20:30 Brazil : China PR  
09 Jun Incheon 18:00 Costa Rica : Turkey  
13 Jun Suwon 15:30 Costa Rica : Brazil  
13 Jun Seoul 15:30 Turkey : China PR

Head-to-Heads in World Cup finals (since 1930)

16 Jun 90  Turin  Brazil vs. Costa Rica  1:0 (1:0) [World Cup Finals]

Head-to-Heads overall (since 1992)

13 Jun 97  Santa Cruz  Brazil vs. Costa Rica  5:0 (2:0) [Continental Finals]

TTP Prediction: Brazil

 

[sensei_hanson]

Izzet In!
Leicester star named to Turkish National Team

Turkey coach Senol Gunes has named a 28-man preliminary squad for the World Cup finals.

The party will train for a week at the Mediterranean resort of Antalya before Gunes announces the final 23.

The surprise inclusions are uncapped trio Serhat Akin, Ismail Gulduren and Cihan Haspolatli.

Squad: R Recber (Fenerbahce), O Catkic (Gaziantepspor), Z Ozgultekin (Ankaragucu), M Aktas (Trabzonspor), B Korkmaz (Galatasaray), E Asik (Galatasaray), F Akyel (Fenerbahce), U Ozat (Fenebahce), I Gulduren (Genclerbirligi), A Ozalan (Aston Villa), E Penbe (Galatasaray), A Ercan (Fenerbahce), T Havutcu (Besiktas), C Haspolat (Kocaelispor), T Kerimoglu (Blackburn Rovers), H Unsal (Blackburn Rovers), E Belozoglu (Inter Milan), O Buruk (Inter Milan), U Davala, T Korkut (Real Sociedad), Y Basturk (Bayer Leverkusen), M Izzet (Leicester City), H Sukur (Parma), A Erdem (Galatasaray), H Sas (Galatasaray), S Akin (Fenerbahce), I Mansiz (Besiktas), N Kahveci (Real Sociedad).

 

[sensei_hanson]

Can Rivaldo Carry The Load?
Barcelona's team doc isn't so sure...

Barcelona club doctor Ricard Pruna seriously doubts Rivaldo's ability to stand up to the rigours of the World Cup finals.

The Brazilian striker has been struggling with a knee injury which sidelined him for the latter stages of the Spanish season, keeping him out of Barcelona's Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

"It's true he is improving day by day and there is a chance he can help the team in Zaragoza next Saturday, but we have to be aware the risk involved and if there is the slightest risk, he won't travel," said Pruna on www.fcbarcelona.com.

"After the league is over, Rivaldo will join the Brazil squad because it is his duty, but he will take with him a medical report explaining the club's position taking into account he hasn't played in our recent games."

However, the doctor has one major doubt.

"The thing we don't know is whether or not he can withstand an entire World Cup," he added.

"I suppose he will continue working to strengthen his leg and if we give him the OK conditioned by a report, he will go to Brazil and the doctors there will make their own evaluations.

"We shouldn't forget that when he is with the national team, he is under the orders of the Brazilian confederation."

 

[CDK]

Brazil will win this group and take all the points from their games. Turkey is the most likely to finnish second but China and Costa Rica may have a say in that. I'm going to take Costa Rica in my Pool to shock the Turks with a suprise finnish.

It's all about suprises...

Win Big. Enter the TTP/Coveside WC 2002 Pool: http://www.takethepiss.com/community/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=134

 

[Keeper]

Top Notch Journalism

Brazil hit back at porn mags slur
John Brewin

(Allsport)Embarassment and denial are the order of the day in the Brazil camp after press reports accused them of receiving a consignment of pornographic magazines for the World Cup finals.

A red-faced Rivaldo (red due to anger and in no way due to any solo exertions in his hotel room) said: 'This will not affect the players or the team staff because there's no truth in it.'

"These things must not be allowed to affect the national team players. It makes me a little sad because we try to show that we have been well brought up, that we are responsible," added the Barcelona player.

'People should write things they know about, not things they don't know about.'

The Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper claimed an arrangement had been made to deliver the magazines to the players when they arrive in South Korea.

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, nicknamed 'The Professor', was reported to be livid when he heard the story and insulted the journalist responsible after cornering him in the team hotel.

Captain Emerson Ferreira commented: 'We shouldn't talk about it, we don't want these negative things to enter the group.'

Full-back Roberto Carlos, in no way trying to hide his disappointment, said: 'Personally, I laughed because it's a funny story but also it's a lie, neither the coach, nor anyone else, bought this kit at any moment.'

No details of what variety of 'gentleman's entertainment' the magazines were supposed to be have yet been revealed. Or indeed if any of them were of a 'specialist' nature.

 

[knvb]

Brazil

Brazil fullback Roberto Carlos has effectively dismissed his team's opening World Cup opponents Turkey, saying the four-times world champions only need to play at 40 percent of their capabilities to beat them.

The Real Madrid player said he agreed with coach Luiz Felipe Scolari who has already claimed that Brazil can progress from group C -- which also includes Costa Rica and China -- even if they are not at their best.


"I don't want to put down our opponents, but I think if we can play to 40 percent of our capabilities, then we have an excellent chance of winning the first match," said the fullback, who has become almost as well known for his brash predictions as for his booming left-foot shot.

Now that's confidence.

 

[knvb]

Costa Rica's press reacted with horror Wednesday after their World Cup-bound football team's 2-0 defeat to Japanese club side Nagoya in a warm-up match.

"God help us," blared the headline in daily Al Dia, before claiming in an editorial: "We played like turtles."

Daily La Nacion said Costa Rica had under-performed in every department.

"We gave it away in defence, the midfield was erratic and the attack was dangerously slow," claimed the newspaper.

Costa Rica coach Alexander Guimaraes insists his side are ready to step up a gear when the World Cup gets underway.

"The team will take a great leap forward this week," Brazilian-born Guimaraes said after the shock defeat.

Guimaraes' side have several injury doubts and lost their capatin and central defender Reynaldo Parks to a knee injury last week.

The Central American side, who will play Brazil, Turkey and China in World Cup Group C, arrived in Japan two weeks ago and will play a final warm up game at the southern city of Kumamoto against Belgium on May 26 before heading off to Korea.

Still on the hunt for a #2 in this group.

 

[knvb]

BEIJING (Reuters) - After defeats in their past two friendlies, nervous China have told fans not to expect too much from their debut in the World Cup finals, prompting a barrage of criticism from the country's goal-hungry media.

But Chinese soccer fans, some 25,000 of whom are expected to descend on South Korea to watch China's first round games, praised the national team for their pragmatic approach.

The national team posted a letter to China's 80 million-odd soccer fans on the official Web site of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) (www.fa.org.cn).

"We hope to perform well at the World Cup to repay you for your concern and support," the letter said.

Some of China's demanding sports media, though, accused the team of cowardice.

"Most fans think you should be clear about your own ability but you can't look for excuses for losing before the competition to give yourselves a way out," said the Daily News, based in the eastern city of Tianjin.

"This really shows a lack of spirit."

China has already given up by the sounds of things. The only team that doesn't sound like a bunch of pussies is Turkey.

 

[TheRob]

Re: Brazil

Now that's confidence.

Sorry to quote like an FVSLer, but hey, I am one.

Brazil better bite their tongues. It was less then a year ago that the could only manage a tie against Canada.

 

[Keeper]

If FIFA truely wants to crack down on diving and playacting, they need give that fcuker, Rivaldo, a post-game red. He looked like an Italian out there. Also, I couldn't believe the ref's assistant didn't converse with the ref on that call -- he was standing right there.

 

[Guinness]

Funny

Keeper are you sure that picture isn't from yesterday's PCSL clash between Surrey and Victoria??? Except for the lack of a shoelace holding down a gay Blonde mullet, it looks a dead ringer for that twat #4 who also happens to be the same idiot from Gorge FC!!! No offence to the Victoria lads, but that poser is a dirty bastard that will also scream and dive after a fair tackle!!!

 

[Slav]

RIVALDO = CHEATER

 

[Keeper]

Damn Straight.

Rivaldo could face ban

Brazil playmaker Rivaldo could face a fine and suspension for "simulation" after Fifa confirmed it will study video evidence of his clash with Turkey's Hakan Unsal.

Rivaldo has admitted to fooling the referee by clutching his face after Unsal kicked the ball at his leg in the closing moments of Brazil's 2-1 victory on Monday.

Korean referee Yung Joo Kim showed Unsal a red card, leading to boos from the crowd as the incident was replayed on the stadium's giant screens.

"We have gone into the World Cup making it clear there will be a clampdown on simulation, which is Fifa-speak for cheating," said Fifa spokesman Keith Cooper.

"If the disciplinary commission think there is sufficient cause they will take a second or third look at any incident and rule accordingly."

 

[TheRob]

A dark day for soccer.

I was embarrassed by what Rivaldo did. It just fuels people who think soccer is a wuss sport. We all know it isn't, but if I didn't play, and saw him do what he did, I'd be iclined to think the same thing.

 

[Regs]

When I first saw the incident unfold, the first thing that came to mind was a coin or battery thrown. I think we can all agree that Rivaldo's actions were disgusting and he should receive a suspension [it pains me so to say that since it could greatly affect my pool - Cside17, I may want my money back ]

I do think however, that the Turkish lad deserved the red. From what I remember of the rule book, deliberlately striking the ball at an opponent is a bookable offense. He already had a yellow and I think that he greatly let his team/country down with that foolish action. The game was pretty much over at that point but now he's out for the next game at least [is there an automatic number of games a player must miss in the WC?].

~TB.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Yung Joo Kim, Not So Good

The Ref in the game was influenced by the Brazilian players through-out the match. One point a Brazilian player was taken down during a Brazil break-out, the Turkish player was not the last man back, but is was a trip from behind.

Jung Joo Kim, gave the free kick, and then a yellow after most of the Brazil team surrounded the Ref and talked him into giving the Yellow. I guess a team like Brazil gets a little too much respect from the Refs.

Rivaldo's incedent will not help them, I hope he gets the suspension that the Turkish player would have got, and the Turkish player is allowed to play, that would be fair.

HOSthinksBrazildidplaynicesoccerhowever

 

[Regs]

and the Turkish player is allowed to play

I disagree. The Turkish player deserved a card. It is immaterial where the ball struck Rivaldo. It's not like hockey where a stick to the head is an extra 2 minutes

Rivaldo's antics were deplorable, but don't lose sight of the fact that the Turkish player initiated the whole sequence of events.

~TB.

 

[Hands of Stone]

No Card if Rivaldo does'nt Play Dead

Originally posted by Regs

Rivaldo's antics were deplorable, but don't lose sight of the fact that the Turkish player initiated the whole sequence of events.

~TB.

Yes the ball was kicked at Rivaldo, but if he does'nt flop around on the ground and just gets up, there is no card in this situation, or at least there should not be a card. But like I said earlier, the Ref was very intimidated by Brazil, so the cards where flying.

I think the Turkish card will be over turned, FIFI has said that they will do this in this World Cup upon review of situations.

HOS

 

[Regs]

Why would there be no card?

As I said earlier, the ball was deliberately kicked at an opponent. What you are suggesting is that a card should only be given based on the severity of an injury.

That is wrong.

~TB.

 

[Hands of Stone]

That situation is very common, How often are cards given out for Kicking the Ball

Originally posted by Regs
Why would there be no card?
As I said earlier, the ball was deliberately kicked at an opponent. What you are suggesting is that a card should only be given based on the severity of an injury

I have seen situations like that very often, and yes Refs give out cards based on injuries all the time, if a player jumps up after a tackle he will not draw a card like he would if he stayed down and played Rivaldo.
Look at many cards that are given, the player that was kicked is often on the ground rolling around, trying to draw a card for the foul. This is not right but it happens.

Refs give out cards based on severity of fouls, and a foul that causes an injury may be more worthy of a card compared to one that doesn't cause an injury.

HOS