The Hindu : Keane's injury-time goal hurts the Germans

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 06, 2002

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Sport - Football

Keane's injury-time goal hurts the Germans

IBARAKI (Japan) JUNE 5. Robbie Keane scored a last-minute goal to give Ireland a 1-1 draw with Germany on Wednesday in a Group E game.

Keane's right-footed blast came just seconds before the final whistle.

Germany had looked set to become the first team to advance to the round of 16, following its 8-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in its opening match. A 19th minute goal by striker Miroslav Klose, his fourth World Cup goal in two matches, had given the Germans the lead.

For many minutes after the match, the Irish team celebrated in front of the team's enthralled supporters filling the section on the side where Keane scored the equaliser. And nearly half-an-hour after the final whistle, a couple of dozen diehard Irish supporters were still singing in the stadium as Japanese ushers politely tried to move them out.

Ireland had threatened the Germans' goal all night, and the last-minute goal was well deserved.

In the 24th minute, Irish midfielder Matt Holland's low strike went just wide of Germany's goal. In the 56th, forward Damien Duff looked like he had the equaliser, but German 'keeper Oliver Kahn made a brilliant deflection. And in the 82nd, Kahn broke up another chance, after Keane came in ahead of the defence.

Keane's last touch of the match, however, was the one that counted most.

``Centre forwards score goals, that's their job, to score goals, and he's scored a very vital one,'' Ireland coach Mick McCarthy said.

``We threw men forward and it paid off. I think we were the better side. The stats will back it up. We were the better team.''

Klose had given the three-time champions the lead on a play set up by a long cross from midfielder Michael Ballack. The Kaiserslautern standout met the pass with a header in the centre of the area that went in just to the right of Shay Given, Ireland's goalkeeper.

Against Saudi Arabia, the 23-year-old Klose produced the tournament's only hat-trick thus far.

Wednesday's match was much more well balanced.

Germany nearly made it 2-0 in the 68th when Carsten Jancker's delicate attempt over the charging Given missed the mark.

``I'm extremely angry and disappointed,'' Germany's coach Rudi Voeller said. ``When you're 1-0 up with one minute to go and concede a goal, it hurts.

``But we're still top of the table and all we need is a point against Cameroon.''

The match was played before a crowd of 35,854 at Kashima stadium, in a coastal area northeast of Tokyo. Irish supporters outnumbered a rather small group of German fans and cheered their squad throughout the game.

The Germans now have four points in the standings. Ireland is next with two, and Cameroon has one point. Cameroon plays Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

The next round of matches in the group has Germany against Cameroon and Ireland vs Saudi Arabia next Tuesday.

The teams:

Germany: Oliver Kahn (capt.), Thomas Linke, Carsten Ramelow, Christoph Metzelder, Torsten Frings, Bernd Schneider (Jens Jeremies, 90th minute), Michael Ballack, Dietmar Hamann, Christian Ziege, Miroslav Klose (Marco Bode 85th), Carsten Jancker (Oliver Bierhoff, 75th).

Ireland: Shay Given, Stephen Staunton (capt.) (Kenny Cunningham, 88th), Gary Kelly (Niall Quinn, 73rd), Ian Harte (Steven Reid, 73rd), Gary Breen, Matt Holland, Mark Kinsella, Kevin Kilbane, Steve Finnan, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane.

Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen, Denmark.

— AP

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