HANOVER - Italy, Czech Republic and Australia all made
winning starts at the World Cup on Monday while Togo's coaching saga took
another twist.
Italy's Vincenzo Iaquinta celebrates after
scoring his team's second goal against Ghana during their Group E World
Cup 2006 soccer match in Hanover June 12, 2006.
[Reuters] |
Keen to shrug off a corruption scandal afflicting league soccer back home,
the Italians defeated debutants Ghana 2-0 at the tournament in Germany.
The Czechs, regarded by some as dark horses for the title, beat the United
States 3-0 in Gelsenkirchen. Midfielder Tomas Rosicky was outstanding with two
stunning goals.
Monday's results put Czech Republic and Italy at the top of Group E, with
three points each.
Australia stormed to a dramatic late win over Japan in Kaiserslautern,
overturning a first-half deficit to triumph 3-1 in their Group F match.
Brazil begin the defense of their World Cup title on Tuesday when they play
Croatia in Berlin, also in Group F.
Togo staged an amazing turnaround off the pitch, when trainer Otto Pfister
announced he would return to coach the team he walked out on only last week.
Pfister returned to the camp less than 24 hours before the West African team's
first match.
KOLLER SCARE
Andrea Pirlo struck a 25-meter drive through a crowded penalty box to give
Italy the lead in the 40th minute of their match in Hanover. Vincenzo Iaquinta
added a second for the three-times World Cup winners late on.
A header from towering striker Jan Koller put the Czechs ahead in the 5th
minute of their game against the United States.
Koller was taken off on a stretcher later in the first half with a suspected
thigh muscle injury but initial fears that his World Cup may be over seemed
unfounded.
"We thought at first it was a serious injury. We don't think that any more,"
a team spokesman said.
Rosicky made the game safe with a swerving long-range effort in the first
half and a sweet finish at the end of a pacey run in the second period.
In Australia's match against Japan, substitute Tim Cahill struck twice in the
last six minutes and John Aloisi added a spectacular third in injury time.
Japan had taken the lead with a disputed goal from Shunsuke Nakamura in the
26th minute of their Group F match.
Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer seemed to have been impeded by Atsushi
Yanagisawa as he came to punch away Nakamura's cross, which then floated into
the net.
"In the end justice was done in this game," Australia
coach Guus Hiddink said.
