SEOUL, 27 June — Ireland’s Robbie Keane must be hailed as one of the greatest strikers in the 2002 World Cup — for the Irishman has done what no one else in the tournament has managed — put a goal past German captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. Keane leapt onto a head on from Niall Quinn and from close range hit a shot that even Kahn could not stop.
As the Irish celebrated, Kahn was telling his defense exactly what he thought of them. Failure, in any form is not a word the 33-year-old accepts.
And as Germany marched relentlessly toward the World Cup final in quest of their fourth title the praises began to be heaped on the Bayern Munich ’keeper.
American coach Bruce Arena paid tribute to the brilliance of Kahn when he single-handedly keep the United States at bay and send them packing off home when they met in the quarterfinals.
“Oliver Kahn made the difference here,” Arena said after the United States lost 1-0 in their quarterfinal here.
“He made a string of saves and kept them in the game,” said Arena, stunned at Germany’s ability to survive intense pressure for nearly all the game.
“If we had got a goal we could have put them under a lot of pressure but they came through and that is the strength of their team. “The match was about chances. We had a lot but could not score. The Germans had two and converted one and that was the difference.”
But perhaps the greatest compliment to Kahn in the Korea-Japan World Cup came from fellow goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert. Not a man known for his modesty, Chilavert surprised everyone when he allowed Kahn to be put alongside him on his pedestal.
“The two best goalkeepers in the world: Kahn and Chilavert,” said the South American before watching Paraguay going down to Germany. Playing in probably his last World Cup, it has been a hard road for the no-nonsense Kahn. If he can keep a clean sheet in Sunday’s final he will be in line for the award of best player of the 2002 World Cup.
