`아주리 군단' 이탈리아가 아프리카의 검은별 가나를 제압하고 16강 진출을 향한 순조로운 항해를 시작했다. 

이탈리아는 13일(이하 한국시간) 독일 하노버 월드컵경기장에서 열린 2006 월드컵 E조 첫 경기에서 전반 40분 안드레아 피를로의 선제골과 후반 38분 빈첸초  이아퀸타의 쐐기골로 가나를 2-0으로 꺾었다. 

이로써 C조와 함께 죽음의 조로 불리는 E조에서 승점 3을 챙긴 이탈리아는 앞서 열린 경기에서 미국을 3-0으로 완파한 체코와 공동 선두로 나섰다. 

통산 4번째 우승컵을 노리는 우승 후보 이탈리아는 18일 카이저스라우테른에서 미국과 2차전을 치른다. 

이번에도 아프리카 돌풍은 일어나지 않았다. 

전반 8분 파비오 칸나바로의 헤딩슛으로 가나의 골문을 위협했던 이탈리아는  4분 뒤 역습으로 연결된 찬스에서 알베르토 질라르디노의 문전 슈팅이 왼쪽 골포스트를 맞고 나오는 불운을 맞았다. 

수차례의 코너킥을 득점으로 연결하지 못하던 이탈리아는 전반 27분 루카  토니의 오른발 슈팅이 가나의 크로스바를 맞고 나왔고 33분 프란체스코 토티의 대포알  같은 20m짜리 슈팅도 골키퍼 리처드 킹스턴의 펀칭에 막혔다. 

가나의 플레이메이커 마이클 에시엔에서 시작되는 역습에 수차례 실점 위기를  맞기도 했던 이탈리아는 전반 40분 피를로의 선제골로 앞서나가기  시작했다. 

토티가 왼쪽 코너에 밀어준 볼을 피를로가 골지역 왼쪽 앞에서 뒤로 물러나는  수비수들을 보고 오른발로 때린 볼이 가나의 골문으로 빨려 들어 간 것. 

가나는 후반들어 공세를 펼쳤지만 이탈리아의 빗장수비는 쉽게 열리지 않았다. 

후반 27분 아사모아 기안이 골문 바로 앞에서 득점 기회를 잡았으나 이탈리아의다니엘레 데로시에게 밀려 넘어졌다. 하지만 심판의 휘슬은 울리지 않았다. 

7분 뒤에도 기안은 골문으로 치고 들어가다 이탈리아 수비수의 발에 걸려  넘어졌지만 페널티킥이 선언되지 않아 땅을 쳤다. 

오히려 가나는 후반 38분 수비수 새무얼 쿠포어가 골키퍼에게 백패스하다  이탈리아 이아퀸타에게 가로채기를 당했고 이아퀸타는 골키퍼를 제치고 골문으로  볼을 차넣어 승부를 완전히 갈랐다. 

한편 이탈리아는 주축 선수 토티가 후반 11분께 가나의 수비수에게 발을 밟힌  뒤 마우로 카모라네시와 교체돼 일말의 불안감을 남겼다. (연합뉴스) 
 
Italy 2 : 0 Ghana  

[ITA] 21. PIRLO Andrea (40') 15. IAQUINTA Vincenzo (83') 

HANOVER, Germany (AP) - Italy's "danger man" came through for the Azzurri. 

Andrea Pirlo, a player identified by Ghana as someone it needed to stop, scored in the 40th minute Monday night, and Vincenzo Iaquinta added a goal in the 83rd as Italy beat Ghana 2-0 in Group E at the World Cup. 

Pirlo's shot from 22 yards sneaked through a maze of bodies and into the corner of the net, one of many opportunities for both teams in an entertaining match. Ghana fell just short on a number of scoring chances and showed itself worthy of playing in its first World Cup. 

The win may have been costly for Italy. Key playmaker Francesco Totti exited the game after apparently reinjuring his surgically repaired left leg in the second half. His status for Saturday's game with the United States is uncertain. 

"I took a hit below the knee," he said. "I'm happy with how I played tonight. The more I play, the better my condition gets." 

The Azzurri also picked up three yellow cards. 

Ghana captain Stephen Appiah said before the game that Pirlo was Italy's "danger man," and he was right. But the win also showed the Azzurri have not lost their focus amid the most widespread scandal in Italian soccer history. Prosecutors in four Italian cities are investigating allegations of match-fixing, referee arrangements and illegal betting. 

Still, Italy stretched its unbeaten streak to 19 games and moved into a tie with the Czech Republic atop the group standings. The Czechs beat the United States 3-0 earlier Monday. 

With both teams threatening often but failing to capitalize, Italy changed tactics slightly on its 10th corner kick. 

Instead of directing the ball in front of the goal, Totti slipped a short pass back to Pirlo beyond the corner of the area and the midfielder sent a low, angled shot that found its way into the net through the logjam of players. It was Pirlo's fifth goal in his 23rd appearance for Italy. 

Totti exited in the 55th after hurting his left leg on a tackle on John Painstil. After writhing in pain and grasping his leg, Totti was eventually helped up by team physician Enrico Castellacci. Italy coach Marcello Lippi immediately replaced him with Mauro Camoranesi. 

Iaquinta came on in the 64th. His goal was the product of a defensive error by Samuel Kuffour, after which Iaquinta broke free, faked goalkeeper Richard Kingston out of position and scored. 

"To score in your first World Cup match is such an emotional event," Iaquinta said. "I couldn't believe the opportunity that Kuffour presented me with." 

Ghana next plays the Czechs, also on Saturday. 

"I think they deserved to win the match. They scored two goals and we missed some chances," Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic said. "We lost one match and now we'll try to win the next." 
 
 

동유럽의 축구 제왕 체코가 미국을 제물로 '죽음의 조'에서 첫 승을 거뒀다. 

체코는 13일(이하 한국시간) 오전 1시 겔젠키르헨 월드컵경기장에서 열린  독일월드컵 E조 조별리그 1차전에서 얀 콜레르의 선제골과 토마시 로시츠키(이상 도르트문트)의 연속 두 골로 '난적' 미국을 3-0으로 꺾었다. 

국제축구연맹(FIFA) 랭킹 2위 체코는 이로써 8년만에 월드컵 본선에 출전해 C조와 함께 '죽음의 조'로 불리는 E조에서 가장 먼저 승리를 거두며 승점 3점을 올려 16강 진출에 한 걸음 다가섰다. 

체코는 18일 오전 1시 퀼른에서 '아프리카의 복병' 가나와 두 번째 경기를 치른 뒤 22일 오후 11시 함부르크에서 강력한 우승 후보 이탈리아와 마지막 대결을  펼친다. 

이에 반해 FIFA 랭킹 5위로 2002년 한일월드컵에서 8강까지 올랐던  미국은  이날 완패로 체면을 완전히 구겼다. 

한일월드컵 본선 탈락의 아픔을 맛본 체코는 2004년  유럽선수권대회(유로2004)에서 4강에 오르는 등 급상승한 전력을 경기 초반부터 과시했다. 

체코의 막강한 공격진이 화력에 불을 뿜어 내기 시작한 때는 전반 5분. 

체코의 즈데네크 그리게라가 오른쪽 측면에서 올린 크로스를 콜레르가 문전에서 솟구쳐 올라 헤딩 슛으로 연결, 미국의 골문을 처음으로 갈랐다. 

당황한 미국은 반격에 나서 전반 28분 클라우디오 레이나가 페널티 지역 바깥에서 중거리슛을 날렸지만 왼쪽 골포스트를 맞고 퉁겨져 나오는 등 골운이 따르지  않았다. 

이후 일진일퇴가 거듭하던 상황에서 체코는 전반 36분 승리를 예감하는  추가골을 다시 폭발시켰다. 

아크 정면에서 로시츠키가 기습적으로 날린 대포알 같은 중거리슛이 상대  골키퍼가 전혀 손을 쓸 수 없는 골문 우측 상단에 빨랫줄처럼 빨려 들어간 것. 

체코는 전반 44분 첫 골 주인공 콜레르가 미국 수비수와 뒤엉키면서 크게 다쳐 들것에 실려나갔지만 후반에도 공세를 멈추지 않았다. 

후반 16분, 18분 로시츠키와 카렐 포보르스키가 잇따라 슛을 하며 공격의  고삐를 늦추지 않은 체코는 후반 23분 로시츠키가 아크 정면에서 다시 강슛을 날렸지만 아쉽게 크로스바를 때려 추가 득점을 올리지는 못했다. 

기세가 한껏 오른 체코는 결국 후반 31분 중앙선 부근에서 파벨 네드베드에게서 패스를 받은 로시츠키가 페널티지역 안쪽까지 몰고 들어가 골키퍼까지 제치는  감각적인 오른발 슛까지 성공, 승리에  쐐기를 박았다. 

미국은 후반 중반부터 에디 존슨이 여러 차례 골문을 위협했지만 슛이  골대를 벗어나거나 타이밍이 한 박자 늦으면서 결정적인 기회를 잡지 못하고 무릎을 꿇었다. (연합뉴스) 
 
Czechs blow out lethargic U.S. 

[CZE] 9. KOLLER Jan (5')10. ROSICKY Tomas (36')10. ROSICKY Tomas (76')

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) - Four years ago, the U.S. team woke up Americans to soccer with a stunning start and surprising run in the World Cup. This time, it opened with a thud. 

Routed 3-0 by the Czech Republic on Monday night, the United States might have a very short tournament stay this year. 

Jan Koller scored just five minutes in, Tomas Rosicky added two goals and the Czechs coasted to an easy win. 

"They punished us for every mistake we made," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. 

Eager to prove they are among soccer's elite after their quarterfinal finish in South Korea four years ago, the Americans brought their most-talented team ever to Germany. They even got a pregame pep talk from President Bush, who called from Camp David before the game and wished them well. 

But they undoubtedly disappointed millions of fans back home and certainly the 5,000 or so who made the trek overseas, falling to 0-8 in Europe in World Cup play. 

" We had a lot of guys who were in their first games and were a little bit nervous," captain Claudio Reyna said. "Now there's no more excuses, we have to play better than that." 

With the loss, the Americans put themselves in quite a hole - in the last two World Cups, the only team to advance from the first round after losing its opener was Turkey, in 2002. 

Next up for the United States is traditional power Italy on Saturday, followed by rising Ghana on June 22. 

"You can't be hesitant," Reyna added. "You have to be aggressive from the first minute." 

Reyna came closest to scoring, hitting a post midway through the first half. But Rosicky scored on a soaring 25-yard shot in the 36th minute, and the Americans never got back into the game against the Czechs, semifinalists in the European Championship two years ago. 

Rosicky hit the crossbar in the 68th and added a goal in the 76th minute, getting past the U.S. defense off a through pass from Pavel Nedved, Europe's 2003 player of the year, and beating Kasey Keller on a breakaway. 

"The Rosicky goal was a great goal," Arena said. "To me the big play in the game was giving up the early goal." 

Eddie Johnson, who entered at halftime, provided some energy, missing just wide in the 70th minute and high in the 76th. 

When the Americans returned to the World Cup in 1990 after a 40-year absence, they were embarrassed 5-1 by Czechoslovakia in their opener. Ever since December's draw, they said this game was an opportunity to show how much they've improved. 

They're ranked fifth in the world by FIFA's much-criticized computer formula - the Czechs are second behind only Brazil - but the Americans created few dangerous scoring chances. 

"With all due respect, that's probably the best team in the group," Reyna said. "Italy's another tough team and it'll be another tough game, but we have to bounce back and put this game behind us and learn from it real quick." 

Four years ago, the United States broke on top in its opener against Portugal in the fourth minute. This time, it was the Americans who fell behind quickly. David Rozehnal played the ball to the right flank for Zdenek Grygera, who had plenty of space and time, and crossed the ball before an onrushing Pablo Mastroeni could get there. 

The 6-foot-7 1/2-inch Koller, who returned only last month from knee surgery, already had been fouled by Oguchi Onyewu and Eddie Pope in the first two minutes. He stayed behind Onyewu, a 24-year-old who has been with the national team for less than two years, and was inside of the more experienced Pope. He easily bent his bald head to meet the cross and put the ball past Keller for his 43rd goal in 69 international appearances, a Czech record. 

Reyna, who hasn't scored for the national team since 2000, nearly tied the score in the 29th, curling a 25-yard shot that got by a diving Petr Cech in goal. Reyna had a hopeful look on his face, but his expression quickly changed to disgust when the ball clanked off the far post. 

Just as the United States was starting to establish some offensive rhythm, the Czechs went up 2-0. Nedved crossed and Onyewu headed the ball out. But it went to Rosicky, who settled it and sent a spectacular right-footed shot into the top corner to Keller's left, above the goalkeeper's raised right hand. 

Koller injured his right leg battling Onyewu for a ball on the flank in the 43d minute, and was taken off on a stretcher, one hand behind his head, the other covering his face. He was taken to a hospital to be examined. 

His coach, Karel Bruckner said the injury was "quite serious."