MUNICH, 19 June 2006 — Advancing beyond Australia with flair proved too much for Brazil last night but while the world still waits for Carlos Alberto Parreira’s blessed squad to ignite this tournament in the manner currently reserved for Argentina, the men of gold will take immense consolation in just advancing at all.
“They are not superheroes,” pronounced Mark Viduka on the eve of a game in which his prophecy almost came true as he narrowly missed two excellent late chances to give Guus Hiddink’s side a deserved result, yet Parreira’s men are displaying the characteristics of his World Cup winners from 1994 - patience, pragmatism and ruthlessness. Their defense is far from formidable, their much-vaunted attack is yet to deliver and, as Australia showed, their inspirational inventors in midfield can be negated. But still they win.
Croatia had already illustrated the merits of outstanding organization and fierce work ethic when confronted by a procession of creative talent and there were many echoes from the champions’ opening game here in the magnificent setting of the Allianz Arena.
Parreira resisted calls to drop Ronaldo following his lethargic performance in Berlin and the customary criticism about his weight, fielding the same side that started against the Croats. The coach may face similar demands today, though it is form and not fitness that is the greatest concern about the Real Madrid forward.
Ronaldo could not be faulted for his teamwork, combining well with his colleagues, yet his frustrations continue to mount. Booked for shooting into an empty net seconds after the pedantic German referee Markus Merk had stopped play, the joint top goalscorer in Brazilian World Cup history missed the ball completely when Ronaldinho and Kaka engineered a rare opportunity. He then squandered a glorious chance to release Roberto Carlos on the overlap with a dreadful pass straight to Mark Schwarzer in the opposition goal.
He was not helped, however, by Brazil’s struggle to find a solution to Australia’s resilience. Ronaldinho’s first half was encapsulated by the step-over that ended with him standing on the ball and falling over, while two long passes out of play produced rebukes from Parreira. The finest player in the world made just one encouraging run in from the left before the interval, and that was halted by an outstanding tackle on the edge of the area by Lucas Neill.
Hiddink showed he is not averse to difficult decisions by relegating Harry Kewell to the bench at the expense of the hero of the win over Japan, Tim Cahill. The ploy was effective. With the Everton midfielder playing off a lone striker, Mark Viduka, at the front of a five-man midfield Australia swamped Ronaldinho and Kaka, while Cahill’s close watch on Emerson restricted the flow from the back. Australia tested Dida several times from distance and wasted a number of set pieces and one encouraging move, when Mile Sterjovski allowed the ball to run out of play, believing he had been blown offside. The whistle, however, came from the Brazilian support.
Hiddink tore a strip off a terrified Fifa official.
Brazil’s strongest virtue at this World Cup has been patience, and they were rewarded for it four minutes after the restart when Ronaldinho and Ronaldo proved they need only one moment to make their class tell. Taking the former’s threaded pass in his stride the No. 9 squared the ball across the area to Adriano, who beat Schwarzer inside his left-hand post.
Australia’s substitute Marco Bresciano should have capitalized on poor Brazilian defending five minutes later, when he was allowed the freedom of the left, but once in the area he dithered and allowed Ze Roberto a crucial challenge. Then Kewell, two minutes after replacing Cahill, shot over an open goal after Dida had spilled his cross back into his path under pressure from Viduka.
A dipping, 25-yard volley almost made amends in the 68th minute and Bresciano forced a flying save out of the Brazilian keeper with a scissor-kick, but Brazil made the game safe in the dying minutes when Fred converted from close range after his fellow substitute Robinho struck the post.
