All the World Cup 2006 News

Germany, England, Argentina and Portugal all through

The only team that might surprise you out of that bunch is Portugal but on the night they deserved to go through and they now meet England on the 30th.

England are the one team, on performances, who do not deserve to be there but it doesn't really matter if you're English.

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England and Sweden both qualify

With Germany beating Ecuador in the earlier game England needed to at least draw with Sweden to confirm a match against the South Americans in the second round. The stage was set for a boring no score draw but we got a little more.

Michael Owen went off very early with what looks like a new injury that will send him home, Joe Cole was man of the match and capped his display with one of the goals of the tournament and David Beckham was so uninvolved he started to come over to the left to take throw-ins.

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Argentina destroy Serbia and Montenegro

Argentina made Serbia and Montenegro look like a reserve team today. Six nil is the biggest result so far of the World Cup and to be honest I didn't expect it.

Serbia and Montenegro had Kezman was sent off with 25 minutes to go but the game was already over by then; it simply acted as a vehicle for Argentina to go on and score another three.

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England and Sweden both leave it late

England confirmed a place in the last 16 with goals from Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard against a Trinidad and Tobago side that did themselves proud.

The game woke up for England when Lennon came on for Carragher in the 58th minute. The Spurs player changed the game and brought a new dimension to the right; something we've lacked for a few years with Beckham. The goals came from Crouch in the 83rd and Gerrard in the 90th.

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Ecuador stroll to victory against Costa Rica

Ecuador top group A on goal difference after the first two matches and another victory today over Costa Rica 3-0. Could they be a surprise package?

I think not but if they can draw or beat Germany they'll go through to the second stage as winners and play whoever comes in second in group B, which is still a long way from decided.

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Late Oliver Neuville strike gives Germany victory

If they didn't get the result it would have made it more interesting but they did and now Germany are on the brink of qualification for the second round. If Costa Rica beat Ecuador tomorrow it will go down to the lasts game of the group stages, otherwise Germany are through.

Poland battled and battled and could have grabbed a goal or two but for every chance they had Germany had double. Some resolute defending and sheer hard work kept Poland in the game but as it stands now they need Costa Rica to beat Ecuador to stand any chance.

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Bizarre headline number one: Tunisia steal a point from Saudi Arabia

I had this game down as a banker for Tunisia but it turns out that Saudi Arabia will go away gutted that they only got a point; Tunisia equalised in the 91st minute.

Tunisia went into the in the 20th minute when Ziad Jaziri fired in with a spectacular volley. Yasser Al Khatani scores in the 56th to level things before substitute Sami Al Jaber makes an immediate impact and puts the Saudis in front with only 6 minutes to go.

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Ukraine given a footballing lesson by the Spanish

Not just because they scored 4 goals and won comfortably but if you had to pick two or three teams after the first match who you thought could go on to win the tournament you'd be in the minority if you didn't pick Spain.

They played the game today the way it is supposed to be played. The passed well, created space, used the channels well and most importantly didn't give the ball away easily.

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Brazil crusie to victory against hard working Croatia

Nobody expected anything else but a Brazil victory tonight and they didn't disappoint but I can't help feeling that they didn't get out of third gear and have plenty more to show us during this tournament.

Croatia defended well and some might even think they deserved a point with their second half display but those same people will know Brazil could have done more but it's not easy playing against eight men behind the ball for 90 minutes.

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French look ordinary as Switzerland get a draw

In one of the most boring games of the World Cup so far France and Switzerland drew 0-0. France lacked ideas in the final third and what they did come up with Switzerland dealt with knowledgeably.

France now stand a real chance of not qualifying and on that display they'll be no loss in the second round. Late on Switzerland could have taken all three points and if they're not kicking themselves they should; that's three times in the last 18 months France have failed to beat them and on this display that was probably the best chance Switzerland had.

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