Top three

Germany, Ecuador and England are already in the knockout stages

4. Costa Rica

The first three participants in the playoffs were determined at the World Championships. Ecuador, Germany and England have secured progress from their groups and the favorites will now focus on avoiding each other in the round of 16.

The German team, having won 1:0 over the Polish team, not only secured one of the first two places in Group A , but also sent the Poles home from the championship. Two defeats at the start reduced the chances of Pavel Janas' team to zero, and brought him closer to retirement. It is unlikely that the head coach will be forgiven for the absence of Dudek and Frankowski from the national team, whom he did not take to Germany.

Poland fought literally until the last minute. Throughout the match, Janas' team, albeit with difficulty, still held back the attacks of the hosts. And the German team organized an offensive on all fronts. The most zealous were Lukasz Podolski and Miroslav Klose - who were born in Poland, but ended up in Germany as children and chose the German national team as the one whose colors they would defend. Both of them had excellent opportunities to upset the representatives of their historical homeland both in the first half and after the break. But the Polish national team's defense, led by goalkeeper Boruc, steadfastly held the line, while suffering losses - Sobolewski was sent off in the 75th minute. After Klose and Ballack, who had recovered from injury and was playing his first match at the championship, alternately hit the crossbar within a few seconds, it seemed that the Poles would be able to maintain a draw, and with it a timid hope of continuing the fight in the group. But it didn't work out. The last attack of the German team ended with Odonkor's cross from the flank, which was clearly closed by Neuville.

“Of course, we are not as strong as the Germans, but after the game we won’t have to blush,” Janas could only thank his players. “We fought as fiercely as we could, and even when we were down to ten men, we didn’t give up and continued to attack.” Unfortunately, the goal we missed at the very end completely ruined our hopes.”

Two victories did not guarantee the German team exit from the group. In the event of Costa Rica's victory over Ecuador, there was a theoretical possibility that three teams would score six points each and everything would be decided by the difference in goals scored and goals conceded. But Ecuador did not disappoint. The team from South America defeated the Costa Ricans - 3:0 and for the first time in its history reached the 1/8 finals of the world championships. In a match that was rich in scoring chances, the Ecuadorians looked much more powerful than their opponents and scored their first goal already in the eighth minute. And when Delgado scored the second goal at the beginning of the second half, the fate of the Costa Ricans, Poles, Germans and the Ecuadorians themselves was decided.

In the last match of this group, the national teams of Ecuador and Germany will distribute first and second places among themselves. So far, Ecuador has the advantage in goal difference and will be happy with a draw. But the Germans are not going to give up victory. “The last match with Ecuador will be no less important for us than the first two. We want to win every game and will give our best. Otherwise, by the playoffs we risk losing our game tone,” said Jurgen Klinsmann.

Moreover, there is something to fight for. The team that finishes the group stage in second place will most likely qualify for the England squad. The British beat the Trinidad and Tobago team with great difficulty - 1:0, but still scored three points and led Group B. True, this is unlikely to save Sven Goran Eriksson and the players of the English team from criticism.

For a full 83 minutes, the Trinidadians, repelling the attacks of their eminent opponent and looking no worse than the championship favorites, hoped to create their second sensation at the tournament. And if in the first match with the Swedes, which ended with a score of 0:0, the goalkeeper of the Trinidad and Tobago national team Hislop shone, then in the match with the British he did not have too much work - Eriksson’s team ruined all their chances themselves. And only the header of the tall Crouch in the last minutes saved England from shame, and Gerrard’s second goal made it possible to pretend that there was no special failure in the favorite’s game.

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Match results: Group “A”. Germany - Poland - 1:0 (Noyville 90) , Ecuador - Costa Rica - 3:0 (C. Tenorio 8, Delgado 54, Caviedes 90) . Group "B". England - Trinidad and Tobago - 2:0 (Crouch 83, Gerrard 90) .

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Group "A" I V N P M O

Andrey VDOVIN