By Myles Palmer
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South Korea 1 Portugal’s nine men 0
Poland 3 USA 1
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Football games often come down to one moment and here it was a NUNO GOMES moment in the 85th minute.
The match before that moment was pretty interesting.
Rui Costa started in the bench and I began to wonder if the dreadful Jao Pinto could prove me wrong by becoming the new Bebeto, an indefatigable runner who makes chances for PAULETA, as the Brazilian hummingbird did for ROMARIO in USA 94.
The Koreans were playing typhoon football, swamping Portugal with energetic running and pressing, as everyone had expected.
After 26, an idiotic tackle by Jao Pinto, straight red card.
What a muppet! What an idiot!The tackle that buried the golden generation, the moment of stupidity that guaranteed that the gifted under-achievers would under-achieve yet again.
FIGO has been bang average in this World Cup but now, after 35, he produced one pass which split the Korean centrebacks-but PAULETA fired over the bar, not even close.
He lacked the pace,the confidence to take the ball closer, into the box. What a chance in a game like this!
Half time comes, so I open a jiffy bag from Parlophone, a promo CD of Dirty Vegas,to be released August 4th.
It’s got a lovely drum sound, housey, good vocals, some groovy synth burbles under the beat, so I let it play through the second half as I watch without commentary, sipping a mug of Earl Grey t lessen the pain of the inevitable.
You know what they say about the inevitable : it always happens.
Poland are beating USA 2-0, so a draw will do for Portugal.
It’s attack v defence and the Koreans seem a bit baffled. They don’t push up as the Portuguese pass it around in their own half.
After 62, Pauleta has a clever header tipped over.
After 65, BETO is sent off afor two yellows.
He’s unlucky, tries to pull his leg back, the Korean goes flying through the air and Portugal now have nine men.
But it is still 0-0.
After 70, PARK JI SUNG scores.
A cross from the left side to the far post, he chests it, beats CONCEICAO, no defender backing him up, PARK blasts it through BAIA for 1-0.
A great finish. If Totti had scored this goal they would show it for the next ten years.
Jorge Abdrade has come on for Pauleta, Xavier for Rui Jorge.
And it’s NOT OVER!A good move earns a softish free-kick in the D.
FIGO now has one kick to save the golden generation.He swerves it a lot,yards and yards, but it just beats the far post.
After 77, NUNO GOMES comes on for PETIT.
You wonder : beating South Korea with eleven men is a stretch.
Drawing with ten men is another stretch.
Can Portugal possibly draw this with nine men?
COUTO is now up in attack, the big stopper. He heads on for NUNO GOMES,who is suddenly inside the six yard box…..and he scuffs it.
The striker who scored an absolutely scorching, sensational goal against Engerland in Euro 2000 has miskicked a sitter.
When XAVIER takes a long throw we can see the anxiety in his eyes and CONCEICAO’S hook-shot hits a defender’s face and then rebounds off the inside of the post.
On breakaways at the other end, VITOR BAIA makes five or six saves on the edge of his box.
Final whistle !
It’s a magnificent win for South Korea, a magical success for the excellent and likeable GUUS HIDDINK.
For Portugal, a heroic failure in the Scottish tradition. At the death they showed more bottle and more ideas than France or Argentina.
USA have lost 3-1 to Poland but will now play MEXICO.
SOUTH KOREA will play ITALY.
Think I will give Simona a call.
A friend’s elegant wife, saw her at the gym this morning, we had a chat while she was on the elliptical edge machine(you pedal but don’t pump handles)and she said,”I was screaming for them to bring Del Piero on after TEN MINUTES!”
A big Juve fan, Simona adores Del Piero. Her dad was President of the Italian Football League for years but her sister went to games with him.
Mum said Simona was too young…
14th June 2002.