World Cup 2002: Group G (Ita, Cro, Mex, Ecu)

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1

This is group, the not so famous group in this tournament.

Here are the teams

Italy
Croatia
Mexcio
Ecuador

Scheduale



Match Date Time Teams Venue 
9 03 Jun 15:30 Croatia :  Mexico Niigata 
11 03 Jun 20:30 Italy :  Ecuador Sapporo 
25 08 Jun 18:00 Italy :  Croatia Ibaraki 
27 09 Jun 15:30 Mexico :  Ecuador Miyagi 
43 13 Jun 20:30 Mexico :  Italy Oita 
44 13 Jun 20:30 Ecuador :  Croatia Yokohama

Italy

The squad as follows

1 BUFFON Gianluigi (GK)
2 PANUCCI Christian
3 MALDINI Paolo
4 COCO Francesco
5 CANNAVARO Fabio
6 ZANETTI Cristiano
7 DEL PIERO Alessandro
8 GATTUSO Gennaro
9 INZAGHI Filippo
10 TOTTI Francesco
11 DONI Cristiano
12 ABBIATI Christian (GK)
13 NESTA Alessandro
14 DI BIAGIO Luigi
15 IULIANO Mark
16 DI LIVIO Angelo
17 TOMMASI Damiano
18 DELVECCHIO Marco
19 ZAMBROTTA Gianluca
20 MONTELLA Vincenzo
21 VIERI Christian
22 TOLDO Francesco (GK)
23 MATERAZZI Marco

Italy, one of the top 5 contenders to win the cup, has had a great year so far. Probably the favirotes to win all 3 matches in their respected group will surely like to go all the way.
After a dissappoing run in the last WC in France when loosing to the under dogs but favirotes France at that time. Before that France lost the dull WC final against Brazil in 94 in US, where in PK, Baggio missing the last kick to give the Brazillians the title.
Italy also lost the Euro Cup final to the defending WC champion France at the very last minute of the game, when Wiltord scoring the goal in 89th minute of the game to take the game to golden goal where France scored to win the final.

Croatia

The squad

1 PLETIKOSA Stipe (GK)
2 SERIC Anthony
3 SIMUNIC Josip
4 TOMAS Stjepan
5 RAPAIC Milan
6 ZIVKOVIC Boris
7 VUGRINEC Davor
8 PROSINECKI Robert
9 SUKER Davor
10 KOVAC Niko
11 BOKSIC Alen
12 BUTINA Tomislav (GK)
13 STANIC Mario
14 SOLDO Zvonimir
15 SARIC Daniel
16 VRANJES Jurica
17 JARNI Robert
18 OLIC Ivica
19 VLAOVIC Goran
20 SIMIC Dario
21 KOVAC Robert
22 BALABAN Bosko
23 VASILJ Vladimir (GK)

I have to admit, I have no clue about the lineup of Croatia but so far I have been impressed by winning in key matches.
The very first time I saw Croatia play was in the 98 WC in France. They surprised everyone by making into semis but then loosing to the home team France and overall placing 4th place out of 32 teams, to me that is a preety impressing WC start.
Don’t be surprise if they pull of couple of upsets by beating Italy in the preliminaries and other giant teams later on.

Mexico

squad

1 PEREZ Oscar (GK)
2 GABRIEL DE ANDA Francisco
3 GARCIA Rafael
4 MARQUEZ Rafael
5 VIDRIO Manuel
6 TORRADO Gerardo
7 MORALES Ramon
8 GARCIA ASPE Alberto
9 BORGETTI Jared
10 BLANCO Cuauhtemoc
11 LUNA Braulio
12 SANCHEZ Oswaldo
13 MERCADO Sigifredo
14 VILLA German
15 HERNANDEZ Luis
16 CARMONA Salvador
17 PALENCIA Francisco
18 RODRIGUEZ Joahan
19 CABALLERO Gabriel
20 BROWN Melvin
21 ARELLANO Jesus
22 RODRIGUEZ Alberto
23 CAMPOS Jorge (GK)

Mexico, the ever so inconsistent but talented side. The have always dominated in the CONCACAF against poor teams like US and Central american teams but they will be put tp test when they collide with Croatia and Italy.

Ecuador

squad

1 CEVALLOS Jose (GK)
2 POROZO Augusto
3 HURTADO Ivan
4 DE LA CRUZ Ulises
5 OBREGON Alfonso
6 GUERRON Raul
7 ASENCIO Nicolas
8 GOMEZ Luis
9 KAVIEDES Ivan
10 AGUINAGA Alex
11 DELGADO Agustin
12 IBARRA Oswaldo (GK)
13 FERNANDEZ Angel
14 BURBANO Juan Carlos
15 AYOVI Marlon
16 CHALA Cleber
17 ESPINOZA Geovanny
18 TENORIO Carlos
19 MENDEZ Edison
20 TENORIO Edwin
21 SANCHEZ Wellington
22 VITERI Daniel (GK)
23 AYOVI Walter

I absolutely have no knowledge about this team so I won’t say anything.

My predictions will be

Croatia vs Mexico 2-0
Italy vs Ecuador 4-0
Italy vs Croatia 1-1
Mexico vs Ecuador 2-1
Mexico vs Italy 0-1
Ecuador vs Croatia 0-2

Teams in winning order
1.) Italy
2.) Croatia
3.) Mexico
4.) Ecuador

2

My pick will be Italy from this group.

3

definately italy. but with croatia having a gr8 run in the last world cup. croatia V italy will be a gr8 match.

*Pyaar bhi zindagi ki tarah hota hay.
Hur mor asan nahin hota, hur mor pay khushi nahin milti;
Pur jub hum zindagi ka saath nahin chortay to pyaar ka saath kyon chorayn
*

4

Well Italy has good defensive, but lacks of offensive play at times.
I will keep my fingers crossed for Croatia.
Allen Boksic used to be my favourite player, when he used to play for Juventus.

“WatCh youR tHoughtS; they become words.
WatCh youR wOrdS; they become actions.
WatCh youR aCtiOns; they become habits.
WatCh youR hAbiTs; they become character.
WatCh youR chaRactEr; it becomes your dEsTinY."

5

Italy should win this one. And I’m hoping for the Croatians, because they kicked out the Germans last time.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

Umer, the Pakistani Brain of Austria

6

My bet Italy and Croatia.

7

My pick will be Croatia

ALLAH Hafiz-o-Nigheban

8

1) Italy
2) Mexico
3) Crotia
4) Ecuador

9

Of course Italia will be first.
Maldini all the way baby. Then you got Totti, Del Piero, Inzagi, and tons and tons of others.
Second would probably be Crotia, as Mexico had a tough time getting out of Concaf.

10

Totti set to partner Vieri in attack
http://threelions.sports.com/football/news/2002/05/29/sLON01MTAyMjY2MjE5MTI.html

11

Mexico as expected has won the match against croatia 1-0
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/020603/2/pu2.html

CROATIA 0 : 1 MEXICO
by FIFAworldcup.com

Defender Boris Zivkovic’s hard foul on Cuauhtemoc Blanco proved too costly for Croatia in their Group G opener against Mexico at the Niigata Stadium Big Swan in Japan. It resulted in the tournament’s first expulsion and a converted penalty kick that the Europeans could never overcome.
As Blanco received a nice heel pass into space from Jared Borgetti, Zivkovic stepped in from behind and chopped the Mexican striker to the turf in the 60th minute. The veteran of France 98 was back up for the penalty, though, and buried his shot past goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa. With the group advantage, Mexico now prepare for debutantes Ecuador, while Croatia face a crucial match against Italy, one of the tournament’s favourites.

Croatia had their best chance of the first half early on when Robert Jarni’s free kick from the left found an on-rushing Davor Suker in the Mexican box. France 98’s Golden Shoe winner got good pace on his header, but Mexican goalkeeper Oscar Perez was up to the task and poked it away (5’)

In the first half-hour Croatia’s long-balls and heading ability were causing Mexico problems. Their next good chance came when they lofted a ball from midfield to the streaking Niko Kovac. However, Perez again came up large, sliding in to snag the ball on the edge of his area (25’)

Following that, Mexico’s impressive possession game started to work better. They almost opened the scoring when Cuauhtemoc Blanco headed the ball down well from a corner. But, it was too close to Stipe Pletikosa, and the Croatian goalkeeper scooped it up without much trouble (31’).

The best chance of the half was Mexican poacher Jared Borgetti’s. The Santos Laguna player managed to sneak into the box unmarked, but he could not direct a deflected shot into the Croatian net despite being alone with the goalkeeper headed in the wrong direction (33’).

Just as they started off the first half, Croatia won a free-kick on the left wing. And, just as they did in the first period, they put a strong header on goal, this time from Zvonimir Soldo, only for Perez to punch the ball away. (47’)

Croatian substitute Milan Rapaic then hit a rasping free kick from 30 yards out to keep a bit of pressure on the CONCACAF team. (55’)

The slow pace of the match was shattered on the hour mark when Borgetti sprung Blanco into the Croatian box. The referee not only pointed to the penalty spot, but he also pulled a red card from his pocket for the Bayer Leverkusen defender, Boris Zivkovic.

The Valladolid player stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to the upper left of the goal (0:1, 60’)

After the goal, the 10-men Croatians tried to push forward in search of an equalizer. Soldo’s long shot bounced in front of Perez, who bobbled the ball past his own post. The resulting corner came to nothing (66’).

From there out, the Mexicans largely controlled the ball, showing their trademark tactical skill, occasionally springing forward on the counter to look for more goals. In the end though, they were happy to settle for the single goal victory.

12

Well another dissapointment for me in this tournament. Croatia lost to Mexico and this is very bad way. A penality for Blanco accompnied by the sending off of Zivkovic gave Mexico all 3 points.

Sad but true.

Mexico 1 - 0 Croatia.

“WatCh youR tHoughtS; they become words.
WatCh youR wOrdS; they become actions.
WatCh youR aCtiOns; they become habits.
WatCh youR hAbiTs; they become character.
WatCh youR chaRactEr; it becomes your dEsTinY."

13

Italy 2 Ecuador 0

as expected.

14

Big upset for Croatia, they should have won the match against Mexico, as I predicted them to win this group.

15

Italy was the better team and won easily against Ecuador.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/ok.gif

“WatCh youR tHoughtS; they become words.
WatCh youR wOrdS; they become actions.
WatCh youR aCtiOns; they become habits.
WatCh youR hAbiTs; they become character.
WatCh youR chaRactEr; it becomes your dEsTinY."

16

yah they play really well .. i think better than Brazil.

if brazil didnt get the penalty .. the match should be draw. and they miss lot of goals.

I’m Gonna Be The Champ
The Way I Wanna Be

Rude Boyz Rulez

17

[quote]
Originally posted by speed master:
** yah they play really well .. i think better than Brazil.

if brazil didnt get the penalty .. the match should be draw. and they miss lot of goals.

**
[/quote]

yes So far Italy and Argentia looked very impressive.Italy was too good for Ecuador.
I loved first gaol of Veiri.

[This message has been edited by andha_qanoon (edited June 03, 2002).]

18

So far this how the group looks like.



Team    PTS  Played  Won  Lost Draw For    Against  

Italy    3      1     1    0    0    2    0
Mexico   3      1     1    0    0    1    0
Croatia  0      1     0    1    0    0    1
Ecuador  0      1     0    1    0    0    2
19

Thanx to world cup. We will not hear some country’s name (EQUADOR)if there happens no world cup tournaments

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

There is a strong feeling in my inside that says Equador will win the cup. I do not know why it says like this…

20

Croatia 2 - 1 Italy

Although I think Italy should have scored the equalizer.
Another match that was messed up by the 3-4 very poor decisions by the lines men and the referee. It's just sad to see that such incompetent referee have been in play in this WC. I think FIFA Officials should do something about this.
The Referee stopped play (after 93.55 mins +4 mins injury time was shown) when Croatia was heading for a clear cut chance.
Stupid!!

“WatCh youR tHoughtS; they become words.
WatCh youR wOrdS; they become actions.
WatCh youR aCtiOns; they become habits.
WatCh youR hAbiTs; they become character.
WatCh youR chaRactEr; it becomes your dEsTinY."