0
Germany 1 Ireland 1
IBARAKI (Japan), June 5: Robbie Keane scored an equalizer deep into injury time to keep Ireland’s World Cup hopes still alive in a 1-1 draw with Germany Wednesday.
The Irish looked to have lost, sending Germany through to the second round, after striker Miroslav Klose scored his fourth goal of the tournament to give the Germans a 1-0 lead at the end of normal time in group E.
But with seconds of injury time left, a nod-on by giant substitute Niall Quinn left Keane clear and he rapped jubilantly home for a memorable equaliser.
Earlier, Klose, who fired a hat trick in Germany’s record-breaking 8-0 win over Saudi Arabia, had confirmed he could become one of the revelations of the tournament by scoring from a Michael Ballack cross in the 19th minute.
After overcoming the departure of captain Roy Keane for a 1-1 draw with Cameroon in their first game, Ireland lived up to their fiery reputation.
But they looked short of ideas and were hampered by defensive mistakes, most notably when Ian Harte failed to challenge Klose as he beat goalkeeper Shay Given for his fourth goal in the finals, the highest tally so far.
Germany recovered from a nervous start to control the game from midfield despite Ireland’s best efforts to take the game to their opponents.
Striker Keane missed a bicycle kick just before the break, blowing what would have been a spectacular equalizer.
The combative Irishmen kept trying after the interval and were denied in the 57th minute by a brilliant save by Germany goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn from an close-range effort from striker Damien Duff.
Germany, who relied on a faultless performance from defence marshal Carsten Ramelow to shrug off Ireland’s spirited but often clumsy challenge, came close to doubling their advantage when Jancker lobbed Given in the 58th minute, but the ball landed wide.
KOBE: Russia made a solid start to their campaign when they cruised to a 2-0 victory over Tunisia on Wednesday.
Second-half goals from Yegor Titov and Valery Karpin, from the penalty spot, secured Russia the victory their dominance warranted, though they impressed only intermittently.
In fact, it was not until Tunisia goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel’s 59th minute mistake — pounced upon by Titov for the breakthrough — that Russia settled.
After failing to qualify for the finals in 1998, and exiting in the first round four years previously, many believe this could be the year Russia will taste success once more.
For Oleg Romantsev, it is an obligation rather than a choice, as the coach has suggested he will quit if Russia fail to make at least the second round.
Yet the absence of playmaker Alexander Mostovoi through injury was always going to restrict their potency in Kobe.
Even though his replacement, 19-year-old Marat Izmailov, tested Boumnijel with two long range shots during the first half, Romantsev’s side soon ran out of ideas.
Vladimir Beschastnykh made some intelligent runs on occasions, but too often the talented Karpin and Titov, who also dragged a right foot shot wide in the final moments of the first half, pondered in possession.
In fact, it was Tunisia who nearly took the lead after 21 minutes when Hassen Gabsi burst through on the counter-attack and defenders Yuri Nikiforov and Yuri Kovtun combined to bundle the ball agonisingly wide of the post.
They then began the second half brightly, with Slim Ben Achour firing inches wide from 20 metres and Karpin rescuing Russia with a brilliant defensive header when Adel Sellimi was poised to head home.
But shortly after that flurry, their hopes of only a second ever World Cup finals victory — 24 years after the first — disappeared.
Boumnijel’s throw out of defence gifted possession to Russia and, after the ball fell kindly to him just inside the area, Titov clipped a right foot shot low past the embarrassed keeper.
Four minutes later, substitute Dmitry Sychev — on for Beschastnykh — was tripped in the area by Radhi Jaidi and, after referee Peter Prendergast pointed to the spot, Karpin coolly stepped up to send Boumnijel the wrong way.—Reuters
