|
WHO WILL RULE THE WORLD????
GROUP C PREVIEW THANKS TO J-MO FOR THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND STAR MAN |
|
MATCH SCHEDULE 10 JUNE 2006
MATCH 5: ARG vs SCG, Stadion Hamburg, Hamburg, 9:00PM 11 JUNE 2006
MATCH 6: SCG vs NED, Zentralstadion, Leipzig, 3:00PM
16 JUNE 2006
MATCH 21: ARG vs SCG, Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, 3:00PM
MATCH22: NED vs CIV, Gottleib-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart, 6:00PM
21 JUNE 2006
MATCH 37: NED vs ARG, Walstadion, Frankfurt, 9:00PM
MATCH 38: CIV vs SCG, Allianz Arena, Munich, 9:00PM NOTE: All times local German Tiime, Matches correspond to FIFA World Cup Match Schedule
|
ARGENTINA
FIFA WORLD RANKING: 9 (As at April 2006) QUALIFICATION: 2nd in COMNEBOL Qualifying BEST RESULT: WINNERS 1978, 1986 JAPAN/KOREA 2002: Group Stages COACH: Jose PEKERMAN (Argentine) SQUAD:
KEEPERS: (1) Roberto ABBONDANZIERI (Boca Juniors, Argentina), (12) Leonardo FRANCO (Athletico Madrid, Spain), (23) Oscar USTARI (Independiente, Argentina)
DEFENDERS: (2) Roberto AYALA (Valencia, Spain), (3) Juan SORIN (Villareal, Spain), (4) Fabricio COLOCCINI (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), (6) Gabriel HEINZE (Manchester United), (13) Lionel SCALONI (West Ham), (15) Gabriel MILITO (Real Zaragoza, Spain), (17) Leandro CUFRE (Roma, Italy), (21) Nicolas BURDISSO (Inter Milan, Italy) MIDFIELDERS: (5) Esteban CAMBIASSO (Inter Milan, Italy), (8) Javier MASCHERANO (Corinthians, Brazil), (10) Juan RIQUELME (Villareal, Spain), (16) Pablo AIMAR (Valencia, Spain), (18) Maxi RODRIGUEZ (Athletico Madrid, Spain), (22) Luis GONZALEZ (Porto, Portugal) FORWARDS: (7) Javier SAVIOLA (Sevilla, Spain on loan from Barcelona, Spain), (9) Hernan CRESPO (Chelsea), (11) Carlos TEVEZ (Corinthians, Brazil), (14) Rodrigo PALACIO (Boca Juniors, Argentina), (19) Lionel MESSI (Barcelona, Spain), (20) Julio CRUZ (Inter Milan, Italy) PRESENT STAR MAN: Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, with his subtle, cunning passing has the ability to dictate the pace of a game. There are very high hopes, too, of Barcelona's teenage sensation Lionel Messi.
STRENGTHS: No other side in the world can match their midfield
inter-passing. They also have impressive strength in depth in most
positions.
WEAKNESSES: An over-dependence on Riquelme, who can blow hot and cold. Pekerman has yet to find his ideal line-up or define his system, and he must be concerned by the lack of a top-class keeper.
ODDS TO WIN (All prices courtesy of TAB Sportsbet Australia, current as of 9/5/2006):
TOURNAMENT: $9.50
GROUP: $2.10 |
|
|
|
|
NETHERLANDS
FIFA WORLD RANKING: 3 (As at April 2006) QUALIFICATION: Won UEFA Group 1 BEST RESULT: Runner Up 1974, 1978 JAPAN/KOREA 2002: Failed to Qualify for Finals COACH: Marco VAN BASTEN (Dutch) SQUAD:
KEEPERS: (1) Edwin VAN DER SAR (Manchester United), (22) Henk TIMMER (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), (23) Maarten STEKELENBERG (Ajax, Netherlands)
DEFENDERS: (2) Kew JALIENS (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), (3) Khalid BOULAHROUZ (Hamburg, Germany), (4) Joris MATHIJSEN (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), (5) Giovanni VAN BRONKHORST (Barcelona, Spain), (12) Jan KRONKAMP (Liverpool), (13) Andre OOIJER (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), (14) John HETINGER (Ajax, Netherlands), (15) Tim DE CLER (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands) MIDFIELDERS: (6) Denny LANDZAAT (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), (8) Phillip COCU (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), (10) Rafael VAN DER VAART (Hamburg, Germany), (16) Hedwiges MADURO (Ajax, Netherlands), (18) Mark VAN BOMMEL (Barcelona, Spain), (20) Wesley SNEIJDER (Ajax, Netherlands) FORWARDS: (7) Dirk KUYT (Feyenoord, Nethelands), (9) Ruud VAN NISTELROOY (Manchester United), (11) Arjen ROBBEN (Chelsea), (17) Robin VAN PERSIE (Arsenal), (19) Jan VENNEGOOR OF HESSELINK (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), (21) Ryan BABEL (Ajax, Netherlands) MIDFIELDERS: (6) Denny LANDZAAT (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), (8) Phillip COCU (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), (10) Rafael VAN DER VAART (Hamburg, Germany), (16) Hedwiges MADURO (Ajax, Netherlands), (18) Mark VAN BOMMEL (Barcelona, Spain), (20) Wesley SNEIJDER (Ajax, Netherlands) FORWARDS: (7) Dirk KUYT (Feyenoord, Nethelands), (9) Ruud VAN NISTELROOY (Manchester United), (11) Arjen ROBBEN (Chelsea), (17) Robin VAN PERSIE (Arsenal), (19) Jan VENNEGOOR OF HESSELINK (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), (21) Ryan BABEL (Ajax, Netherlands) PRESENT STAR MAN: Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutch rely on the Manchester United striker for goals and will struggle if he is not on form.
STRENGTHS: Ensuring the whole squad is on the same page has been a problem in the past. The current team, though, has an excellent spirit and togetherness.
WEAKNESSES: Khalid Boulahrouz, Barry Opdam and Dirk Kuyt have all flourished since being given their chance, but the team does have a slightly inexperienced look about it.
ODDS TO WIN (All prices courtesy of TAB Sportsbet Australia, current as of 22/5/2006):
TOURNAMENT: $13
GROUP: $2.40 |
|
|
|
|
IVORY COAST
FIFA WORLD RANKING: 32 (As at April 2006)
QUALIFICATION: Won Africa Group 3 BEST RESULT: 1st appearance at the Finals in 2006 JAPAN/KOREA 2002: Failed to Qualify COACH: Henri MICHEL (Fench) SQUAD: PRESENT STAR MAN: Kolo Toure. The experience gained as a regular in Arsenal's backline is proving invaluable at the heart of the Ivorians'
defence.
STRENGTHS: They have great balance in the team, with strength in attack and defence and a strong midfield axis in Yaya Toure and Didier Zokora.
WEAKNESSES: Lack of concentration. This showed when they failed to prevent Cameroon grabbing the winner in the penultimate game in the group stages - a result that could have cost them their place in the finals.
ODDS TO WIN (All prices courtesy of TAB Sportsbet Australia, current as of 22/5/2006):
TOURNAMENT: $81
GROUP: $8 |
|
|
|
|
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
FIFA WORLD RANKING: 44 (As at April 2006) QUALIFICATION: Won UEFA Group 7 BEST RESULT: Semi-Finals 1930 (As Yugoslavia) JAPAN/KOREA 2002: Did Not Qualify for Finals COACH: Ilija PETKOVIC (Serbian) SQUAD:
KEEPERS: (1) Dragoslav JEVRIC (Ankaraspor, Turkey), (12) Oliver KOVACEVIC (Zeleznik, Serbia and Montenegro), (23) Vladimir STOJKOVIC (Nantes, France)
DEFENDERS: (3) Ivica DRAGUTINOVIC (Sevilla, Spain), (5) Nemanja VIDIC (Manchester Utd), (6) Goran GAVRANCIC (Dinamo Kiev, Ukraine), (13) Dusan BASTA (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (14) Nenad DJORDJEVIC (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (15) Milan DUDIC (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (20) Mladen KRSTAJIC (Schalke, Germany)
MIDFIELDERS: (2) Ivan ERGIC (FC Basel, Switzerland), (4) Igor DULJAJ (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), (7) Ognjen KOROMAN (Portsmouth), (10) Dejan STANKOVIC (Inter Milan, Italy), (11) Predrag DJORDJEVIC (Olympiakos, Greece), (17) Albert NADJ (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (18) Zvonimir VUKIC (Partizan Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (22) Sasa ILIC (Galatasaray, Turkey)
FORWARDS: (9) Savo MILOSEVIC (Osasuna, Spain), (8) Mateja KEZMAN (Atletico Madrid, Spain), (16) Mirko VUCINIC (Lecce, Italy), (19) Nikola ZIGIC (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), (21) Danijel LJUBOJA (Stuttgart, Germany)
PRESENT STAR MAN: Red Star Belgrade striker Nikola Zigic, 6'8" and dubbed the "world's tallest player", has been tracked by Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham this season and a good showing could result in a big-money move overseas.
STRENGTHS: Defensively very solid and well organised. Incredibly,
conceded only one goal in qualification, against Spain, and prior to that draw the team enjoyed seven qualifying clean sheets in a row - a new world record.
WEAKNESSES: May suffer from inexperience and a lack of midfield
creativity to feed their strikers.
ODDS TO WIN (All prices courtesy of TAB Sportsbet Australia, current as of 2/5/2006):
TOURNAMENT: $51
GROUP: $3.25 |
|
|
|
OTHER GROUP PREVIEWS
GROUP A
GROUP B |
SPECIAL THANKS goes to the team at The World Flag Database (http://www.flags.net) for the national flags that help make the images. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
