Brazil 2 Australia 0

[Grabbi Graeme]

Half Time and it's 0-0 and the Aussies making a game of it , best chance for Brazil fell to Ronaldo who looks a bit better in this game.

A chance of a shock , I think so

[Grabbi Graeme]

1-0 FOR Brazil Adriano with the goal

2-0 for Brazil, feel sorry for Australia they deserved something from this game , worked very hard and missed chances is the reason it's 2-0 and not 2-2

Edited June 18, 2006 by Grabbi Graeme

[Flopsy]

the ref is a tad pro brazil in my opinion - however Brazil are not scary at all

[Eddie]

Unlucky Aussies, you didn't deserve it. Could have been quite another story had Kewell not fluffed that chance. Agree that the officials were horrible, you weren't allowed to touch the Brazilians, ridiculous. Poor showing again my Brazil, but the Aussies will have won their place in a lot of people's hearts today.

Must add that I like that Emerton, he seems to be a decent player.

[pksrover]

Emerton was shocking!!! didn't kno he could work that hard, he was deffo one of australias best players tonight!! and with all the close ups the producer gave him on the telly I'm starting to hope for a multi million offer from a stupid club this summer

I think Neill played a good match as well, he bossed the aussie defense well all game

[frosty]

The commentator on Five Live said "The two Blackburn players, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton, have been outstanding"

[jim mk2]

Big blow for the men in arrowed shirts.

C'mon Croatia ! Send them back to their island exile !

[Eddie]

Brazil have looked quite ordinary, how anyone can class them in the same league as the likes of England is beyond me.

[HertsRover]

Emerton was shocking!!! didn't kno he could work that hard, he was deffo one of australias best players tonight!! and with all the close ups the producer gave him on the telly I'm starting to hope for a multi million offer from a stupid club this summer

I think Neill played a good match as well, he bossed the aussie defense well all game

IMHO i believe Neill was MOM. The tackle on Ronaldinho in the first half was exceptional as was the challenge in the second half(Adriano, Robinho, i forget which), then to see him shimmy past Cafu and with his left foot send in a classy cross was just great to see. I only hope no other club managers were watching, unless they offer 10-12mil for him

Edited June 18, 2006 by HertsRover

[herbergeehh]

I hate Brazil. And that's not because they beat Australia, I don't really care how the Aussies do tbh. I just hate Cafu's fake smile, not to mention his companion on the other side, who has time and time again showed his not-so-smily side with cynical hacks and bitching to the referee. People still love them for their humour and good tone on the field. Call me a cynic, but I hope they crash out as soon as possible. They defend like idiots, and today they didn't even take their chances up front. Overrated.com, you'll find all of them there - perhaps except Ze Roberto and Kaka.

Our two Aussies did well, too bad that Brazil has come through two matches like this with six points, undeservedly in my opinion.

[Shaddy]

I'm not going to blame the ref for that one, because it would be ignoring the clear evidence. That being, whilst hard work puts you in a position to capatilise on an opponents poor performance, when you posess the talent that the Brazillians have, hard work cannot substitute.

However, the ref did give Brazil more than the one helping hand. He ping Australia for 23 fouls against Brazil's 9. IMO, Brazil's abilities force teams into conceding many fouls, but that's still at least 10 fouls more against Australia than was warranted. It's hard enough to beat Brazil without that many dead ball opportunities.

I was a little disappointed with the Japan v. Croatia draw, because I had hoped Japan would win that one, giving Australia a bit of insurance against a loss to the Croats... but on this performance, as long as the team don't get stage fright, I see no reason why we can't avoid a loss. And a draw should be more than enough, because Japan would have to beat Brazil by 3. So, I'm a little more optomistic now.

One thing we will have to do against Croatia is to start with our best team on the pitch, at the expense of providing impact of the bench. Chipperfield is a trier, but Kewell is obviously going to be a better outlet for us on the left. Aloisi is the best choice we have to partner Viduka, and we should play 2 up front. Perhaps though Guus will still hold back Cahill, given his injury concerns.

The only problem I see with what I've said is that Kewell probably will be ineligible for the match, because he's been foolish and had it out with the referee at the end of the match. What was it all about exactly? The obvious thing would be the same frustrations I had with the 23 fouls he gave against us. He should leave that to Guus I reckon.

Edited June 18, 2006 by Shaddy

[AndyC]

can't believe people are defending australia who are one of the dirtiest teams in this world cup.

[Scotty]

Question for the convicts:

Why did that Bresciano (sp?) fella start on the bench when he's one of your best players? Especially as that Chipperfield bloke who did start looks like he's never seen a footy in his life and has just been recruited from behind a London bar.

Thought Neill was outstanding and Emerton was good defensively. Bit worried that a few scouts may have noticed Neill's performances so far.

The Aussies were a tad unlucky today - shame Kewell's a bit @#/? overwise there was a point there for the taking.

[colin]

I think we are all a little bit overawed by Brazil and this is no doubt re-enforced by the commentary we hear on telly.

Motson was cringingly fawning for their previous game and John Champion was similarly crawling for their game against the Aussies.

It was a bit like listening to Clive Tylseley commentating on a Red Scum game.

If Brazil are so blooming good why have they only beaten Croatia 1-0 & The Aussies 2-0?

Hardly word class opposition, just wait until they meet someone decent like Argentina.

[James No. 7]

can't believe people are defending australia who are one of the dirtiest teams in this world cup.

Yeah, they should be hounded to the ground like that dirty Blackburn Rovers team. Who the hell gave this small time team the right to be competitive against the big boys? It's downright scandalous!

Edited June 18, 2006 by James No. 7

[neekoy]

Australia very unlucky not to get anything. It got ridiculous to the point where there were four penalties given in a row to Brazil which piggy backed them up the field. They couldn't even touch them without

them going to ground.

Brazil showed why it is so hard for the smaller countries to be successful, Adriano off, Robinho on, Ronaldo off, Fred on, Emerson off, Silva on. It is never bloody ending.

Have got a good feeling about the Croatia game, I think if we can play like that again AND TAKE THE CHANCES KEWELL!! then I think we can get to the second round.

Emerton was fantastic today. Best game I have seen him play. Neill was MOM.

[FourLaneBlue]

Yeah, they should be hounded to the ground like that dirty Blackburn Rovers team. Who the hell gave this small time team the right to be competitive against the big boys? It's downright scandalous!

That's a good comeback James. Touche!

[philipl]

There were some horrible fluffs by the Aussies from promising positions and must be a huge sense of what might have been against a Brazil which hasn't clicked and is showing little sign of doing so.

I guess Ronaldo has to be left in a McDonald's a long way from any football ground if Brazil are to look like WC winners.

Well done Neill and Emerton- excellent performances!

[waggy]

i thought the aussies played well,every decision went brazils way,but the kangaroos will beat croatia in stuttgart,and i will be there

[Presty On Tour]

neill was again immense, was that another player wearing emerton's shirt? looks as though his good performance has attracted interest from everton.

the aussies will make the 2nd stage imo, will be a hell of a match against croatia, emerton to score the winner from 45 yards!!!

[Shevchenko]

Brazil won't start playing to their potential until they drop Ronaldo.

And Adriano.

As soon as Robinho came on they started to look a threat coming forward. They have never been great in defence. Lucio is a good defender but apart from him the best defender for me was Ze Roberto...who plays in midfield. Kaka has been one of the more impressive players in the side during the two games, Ronaldinho not at his best at the moment.

[greggyk]

I thought Emerton was typical Emerton tbh. He did nothing effective when attacking.

But he looked very good as a defender. Maybe we've found a new right back!

We could play a back four of :

Emerton, Neill, Nelsen, Gray

[cn174]

Watched the game in a pub in Munich with Sydney Rovers and some of his buddies. Though that Australia played ok without being brilliant. Whether or not Brazil are playing up to thier best, they're still better than most other teams.

I think Aussies will easily beat Croatia and qualify.

[dave birch]

SR didn't get thrown out, did he Clare?

He's good at that

[cn174]

SR didn't get thrown out, did he Clare?

He's good at that

He didn't get thrown out, but he was plastered!! :D

Picture to come soon......