'삼바군단' 브라질이 거스  히딩크의 마법을 깨고 16강에 합류했다. 

FIFA 랭킹 세계최강 브라질은 19일 새벽(한국시간) 뮌헨에서 열린 2006독일월드컵축구대회 조별리그 F조 2차전 호주와 경기에서 후반 4분 아드리아누,  후반  44분 프레드의 연속골로 2-0으로 완승했다. 

이로써 브라질은 2002년 한일월드컵 7전 전승에 이어 이번 대회에서 2연승을 보태 본선 9연승의 '미개척지'를 계속 걸어가게 됐다. 

결승골은 후반 초반에 나왔다. 

상대 골문 왼쪽에서 호나우두가 왼발로 반대편에 있던  아드리아누에게  패스를 연결했고 이를 이어받은 아드리아누가 왼발 강슛, 그물을 갈랐다. 

선제골을 넣은 뒤 수비 위주로 걸어잠그다가 간간이 역습에 나선 브라질의 반격은 역시 무서웠다. 후반 37분 호나우지뉴의 코너킥을 받은 카카의 헤딩슛이  골대를 맞고 나온 데 이어 후반 44분에는 기어이 프레드가 추가골을 넣었다. 

페널티 박스 정면에서 오른쪽에 있던 호비뉴에게 공을 연결해 준 프레드는   호비뉴의 슛이 다시 골대를 맞고 나오는 것을 쇄도해 들어가며 가볍게 밀어넣어  쐐기를 박았다. 

뉘른베르크에서 열린 일본-크로아티아에서는 이미 1패를 안아 갈  길이  바빴던 일본이 득점없이 비겨 16강 전망이 어두워졌다. 

크로아티아는 전반 22분 다도 프르쇼가 상대 반칙을 유도,  페널티킥을  얻어내 결정적인 찬스를 잡았으나 키커로 나선 스르나가 오른쪽 골문 구석을 노리고 찬  볼을 가와구치 골키퍼가 몸을 날리며 잘 막아 땅을 쳐야 했다. 

일본으로서는 낭떠러지에서 가까스로 살아난 순간이었다. 

F조는 브라질이 2승으로 16강에 안착했고 남은 티켓 한 장을 놓고 호주(1승1패), 크로아티아, 일본(이상 1무1패)이 각축을 벌이게 됐다. 

일본은 최강 브라질과 경기를 남겨놓고 있어 가장 불리하고  호주-크로아티아전승자가 16강행 티켓을 품에 안을 가능성이 크다. 

세 팀 가운데 크로아티아와 일본은 마지막 3차전을 이기지 못하면 무조건  탈락한다. 

호주는 크로아티아를 이기면 16강에 진출하게 되지만 비기면 일본의 결과를  지켜봐야 한다. 

F조 3차전인 일본-브라질, 호주-크로아티아 전은 23일 오전 4시에 펼쳐진다. (연합뉴스) 

Brazil 2 : 0 Australia 

[BRA] 7. ADRIANO (49')21. FRED (90') 

MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Brazil again couldn't stage the show everyone has been expecting. And still the defending champions advanced to the second round of the World Cup with a shaky 2-0 win over Australia. 

Tied at halftime and laboring throughout Sunday's match, Brazil went ahead in the 49th minute when Adriano whipped a low shot past Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Then they hung on. 
After adding a late score, the Brazilians ended with one goal more than in their opening match victory over Croatia - but were even less impressive this time. With few flourishes, their field full of stars didn't play the beautiful game their fans demand. 

Still, Brazil secured its record ninth consecutive World Cup victory. 

With Japan and Croatia struggling to a 0-0 tie earlier in the day, Brazil was assured of advancing. The five-time champion hasn't been eliminated in the first stage since the 1966 tournament. 

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira was satisfied. 

"The team improved compared to the other match," he said. "Brazil had the patience necessary to wait for the moment to decide the match." 

After an unremarkable first half, Adriano unloaded a left-footed shot from the top of the penalty area after clearing a defender. The ball in the net, he was joined by his teammates in a "rocking the baby" celebration - his son, Adriano Junior, was born in Brazil on Friday. 

Ronaldo, who improved slightly from his dismal performance in the opener, set up Adriano. But Ronaldo again was replaced in the second half by Robinho. 

Reserve Fred came on for Adriano in the 88th - and got the clinching goal a minute later on a rebound into an empty net from a shot by Robinho. 

"This is an incredible debut in the World Cup. I couldn't have expected something like this," Fred said. "I am going to give this ball as a present to my father." 

The Brazilians were hoping to redeem themselves against Australia and prove they are still worthy of the hype surrounding their star-studded squad. But Brazil saw its "magic quartet" kept in check for the second straight game. 

"The difficulties we have faced are caused not only by our kind of play, but also by the high quality of our rivals," Fred added. "They close very well in defense when we attack." 

Back home, fans weren't overwhelmed. 

"This just wasn't a convincing win," said Fabian Yaksic, who nonetheless cheered and danced in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city. 

The Australians, playing in their first World Cup since 1974, gave Brazil fits for much of the second half, wasting several chances to tie it. 

Captain Mark Viduka, who orchestrated the attack, nearly equalized in the 86th minute, but his chip over Brazil goalkeeper Dida just missed high. 

Dida also had a great diving save in the 79th on a side volley by substitute midfielder Marco Bresciano. Harry Kewell missed the open net in the 57th after Dida failed to hold onto a high ball inside the area. 

After an opening win against Japan, the Socceroos' performance Sunday gave them the look of a team that belongs in the second round. A win against Croatia on Thursday would get them there. 

Coach Guus Hiddink spoke proudly of his players, saying they had forced the world champions to play on the counterattack. 

"The morale is very high," he said. 

It was Brazil's fourth win in six matches against the Australians. The Socceroos defeated Brazil 1-0 the last time they met, in the 2001 Confederations Cup in South Korea when Brazil fielded second-stringers. Australia had also played Brazil to a 0-0 draw in 1997. 

Brazil controlled possession but failed to create many dangerous scoring opportunities. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano had another sub-par performance, failing to spark Brazil's attack. 

"We tried to impose our style of play from the beginning, with a lot of speed," Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto said. "We found the opponent playing very well defensively; maybe the weather, the heat, got in our way a little bit." 

Two-time FIFA player of the year Ronaldinho was heavily marked from the beginning and couldn't get any of his moves to work. 

Ronaldo was more active than in his first match, participating in more plays and creating scoring chances. His powerful right-footer from about 20 yards in the 41st minute just missed the net. 

But he still was far from the Ronaldo who led Brazil to its fifth title in 2002 with eight goals in seven matches. He misplayed easy balls and was late getting to some passes. 

Just before the start, Brazil's fans showed their support for the striker, loudly yelling "Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo." The chants continued throughout the match whenever the striker made a play. 

Brazil captain Cafu played in his 18th World Cup match, tying a national record held by Dunga and Taffarel. With 14 victories, Cafu has already won more World Cup matches than any other Brazilian, and has played a record 148 games for his country. He has lost only 19 of those matches. 
 
 

승리 외에는 해답이 없었던 경기에서 두 팀은 비겼다. 

`하얀 펠레' 지쿠 감독이 이끄는 일본은 18일 밤(이하 한국시간) 뉘른베르크 프랑켄슈타디온에서 열린 2006독일월드컵축구 조별리그 F조 2차전에서 수문장  가와구치 요시카쓰의 페널티킥 선방에 힘입어 크로아티아에 0-0 득점없이 경기를 마쳤다. 

일본은 이로써 크로아티아와 나란히 승점 1을 확보해 16강진출 '불씨'를 살렸지만 세계최강 브라질을 마지막 상대로 남겨놓았다. 

또 같은 조 다른 팀들의 경기 결과에 따라 '경우의 수'를 따져야하는 불안한 처지에 놓였다. 

1998년 프랑스대회 3위팀 크로아티아도 어이없는 페널티킥 실축으로 호주와  조별리그 최종전 부담이 커졌다. 

1차전에서 호주에 소나기골을 내줘 1-3으로 패한 일본은 이날 사활을  걸다시피 했지만 크로아티아의 견고한 수비벽을 뚫지 못하고 중거리 슈팅만 남발했으며  되레 힘과 신장에서 앞선 크로아티아가 공세를 이어나갔다. 

크로아티아는 전반 5분 니코 크란차르가 페널티 지역 오른쪽  바깥에서  중거리 슈팅으로 골문을 두드렸지만 골키퍼 선방에 막혔고 전반 19분에는 다리요  스르나가 미드필드 오른쪽에서 올린 크로스를 이반 클라스니치가 쇄도하며 왼발을 내밀었지만 걸리지 않았다. 

크로아티아는 전반 22분 상대 페널티지역 오른쪽을 돌파하던 다도 프르쇼가  상대 반칙을 유도, 페널티킥을 얻어내 결정적인 찬스를 잡았다. 

하지만 키커로 나선 스르나가 오른쪽 골문 구석을 노리고 찬 볼을 가와구치  골키퍼가 몸을 날리며 잘 막아 땅을 쳐야 했다. 

후반들어 양팀은 상대 골키퍼와 1대1 찬스를 잡기도 했지만 골 결정력 부족으로 상대 골문을 열지 못했다. 

일본은 후반 7분 가지 아키라가 오른쪽 측면을 돌파한 뒤 올린  크로스를  골문 왼쪽에서 야나기사와 아쓰시가 오른발을 갖다 댔지만 빗맞는 바람에 골대  오른쪽으로 빗나갔다. 

곧이어 후반 9분 크로아티아도 이반 클라스니티가 왼쪽을 돌파해 올린 크로스를 크란차르가 달려들며 오른발 슈팅을 날렸지만 역시 빗맞으며 골대 오른쪽으로  비켜 나갔다. 

일본과 크로아티아는 23일 오전 4시 브라질, 호주와 각각 조별리그 최종전을 치른다. (연합뉴스) 
 
Japan 0 : 0 Croatia 

NUREMBERG, Germany (AP) - Offensive ineptitude might lead Japan and Croatia to the same place - home from the World Cup. 

Neither could find the net Sunday in a 0-0 draw. Croatia is scoreless in two games and Japan had one goal in a loss to Australia. 
It's not nearly enough. 

"If we weren't getting our opportunities, I'd be worried, but that's not the case," Japan coach Zico said. "We we're almost there at the goalmouth, but didn't get it in." 

Nor did Croatia. 

"We had many chances to win the match," Croatia defender Josip Simunic said. "But we couldn't score a goal." 

Not even on a penalty kick. 

Diving to his left, Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi stopped Darijo Srna's low drive in the 22nd minute following a takedown in the area of Dado Prso by Japan captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto. 

Both teams had numerous opportunities to win the Group F match, but solid goalkeeping left each with just one point with one match remaining. 

Japan faces defending champion Brazil in its final match. To have any chance of advancing to the round of 16, Japan must beat the defending champions - something it has never done. 

Croatia plays Australia, 2-0 losers to Brazil later Sunday. 

Croatia again came close in the 54th minute with Niko Kranjcar lunging for a pass from Ivan Klasnic and missing wide of the post. 

Trying to boost his offensive chances, Japan coach Zico sent in Junichi Inamoto to start the second half in place of Takashi Fukunishi. Keiji Tamada came on in the 61st minute, replacing Atsushi Yanagisawa. 

And Japan came close early in the second half. 

Akira Kaji sent a cross to Yanagisawa, who redirected the pass wide of the post in the 52nd minute. 

"We played well in the second half," Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura said. "But it's a tough result for us and now we have to win against Brazil, which is a tough thing to do." 

Croatia had the better chances in the first half and would have taken the lead if not for several good saves from Kawaguchi. 

Kranjcar hit the crossbar with a blast from the top of the area in the 28th. 

As expected, Croatia tried to exploit its height advantage with high balls, but Kawaguchi did a superb job of clearing the attempts. 

Japan's best chance in the opening half came when Hidetoshi Nakata rifled a long-range blast in the 37th minute that goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa got a hand on after diving to his left. 

Nakata, who took a more aggressive, attacking role than he did against Australia, was the player of the game. 

In the 89th minute, Japan substitute Masashi Oguro had a chance to win it, but couldn't control a pass from Noahiro Takahara. 

"It's not over for us yet," Takahara said. "If we had lost we would basically be out, but we still have the Brazil match and that's something." 

Croatia coach Zlatko Krancjar sent in substitutes Ivan Bosnjak, Ivica Olic and Luka Modric late in the match, but the changes failed to provide results. 

In the second minute of injury time, Olic started a three-on-two break but failed to connect with Prso. 

Both teams are making their third straight World Cup appearance. The last time the teams met, Croatia defeated Japan 1-0 at the 1998 World Cup in France. 

Japan lost its opening match to Australia 3-1. Croatia lost to Brazil 1-0.