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Korea-Japan 2002: Group Stage

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Korea-Japan 2002: Groups - Matches - Road to the Final - Stadiums - Teams + Bookings + Injuries + Leading Goalscorers.
Home: World Cup 2002: Korea-Japan Finals: 1st Round: Match Report

The World United Through Football Saturday June 1st, 2002

Travel to Ireland Republic of Ireland vs Travel to Cameroon Cameroon in Niigata (1:1)

Keen To Get On With It

With all the media coverage of the Roy Keane affair circulating around the world, it was time for Ireland to let their their football do the talking.

Cameroon kicked-off the first World Cup finals game in Japan and even though the game took a while to get into its stride the Irish fans were clearly enjoying themselves; even breaking out into a chorus of "Are You Watching Roy Keane?"

Cameroon showed they weren't in Group E to make the numbers up and took the game to the Irish, hustling and pushing, switching flanks and testing Shay Given with long shots.

As confidence grew in the Cameroon team Mboma, with his back to the goal, flicked the ball into the area. Sadly it all happened too fast for his teammates to read.

For the Irish, Mark Kinsella and Damien Duff tried to get something going and might have succeeded, if Cameroon hadn't been so organised and disciplined behind the ball.

Raymond Kalla kept close to Robbie Keane and regularly prevented him from causing a problem in the area.

At the other end Shay Given had to keep a sharp eye out for the approach work of Geremi and  Samuel Eto'o.

Leading Goalscorers 0:1
With all the pressure Cameroon were applying it wasn't surprising that one of their moves succeeded. Geremi, on the right, passed forward to Eto'o - who managed to get behind the Irish defense then pull the ball back from the goal-line, for Patrick Mboma to have a relatively easy tap in - 39 mins.

Ian Harte couldn't do anything with his corners although a free-kick, just before half-time, nearly went in off Rigobert Song.

Cameroon calmed themselves down by trying a little possession football in their own half - Italian style - before returning to the dressing room with a well-deserved lead.

Half-time: Ireland 0 - Cameroon 1

Ireland started the second half looking for an equaliser and soon found the lucky break they needed.

Leading Goalscorers 1:1
A poor clearance allowed Matt Holland to bring Ireland level with a first time strike, through the middle of the area - 52 mins.

While the Irish fans increased the volume to show appreciation at the score, Cameroon's heads didn't drop and Marc-Vivien Foe proved again that the Africans were not to be underestimated.

Ten minutes after the equaliser it looked like Ireland would take the lead in some bizarre goalmouth action. Robbie Keane was already celebrating, or trying to claim a handball from Rigobert Song, but Boukar Alioum saved on the line and the Japanese referee waved play on.

Just when it looked as though Ireland and Cameroon were set for a stalemate, Robbie Keane struck the post, after good work from Damien Duff, with 7 minutes left on the clock.

The Africans started to get frustrated but managed to hold onto the draw, that they more than earned for their performance in the first-half.

Final Score:
Travel to Ireland Ireland 1 - Travel to Cameroon Cameroon 1

Man of the Match:
Samuel Eto'o - Always a threat to the Irish, it was his excellent trickery that led to Mboma's first-half goal.

Red and Yellow Cards in the 2002 World Cup Yellow Cards:
Jason McAteer (30 mins)
Ian Harte (50 mins)
Stephen Reid (82 mins)
Raymond Kalla  (89 mins)

The Teams

Rep. of Ireland:
1 Shay Given; 18 Gary Kelly, 14 Gary Breen, 5 Steve Staunton, 3 Ian Harte (21 Stephen Reid - 77 mins); 7 Jason McAteer (2 Steve Finnan - 46 mins), 8 Matt Holland, 12 Mark Kinsella, 11 Kevin Kilbane; 9 Damien Duff, 10 Robbie Keane.

Cameroon:
1 Boukar Alioum, 2 Bill Tchato, 5 Raymond Kalla, 4 Rigobert Song; 8 Geremi, 12 Lauren, 17 Marc-Vivien Foe, 20 Salomon Olembe, 3 Pierre Wome; 9 Samuel Eto'o, 10 Patrick Mboma (18 Patrick Suffo - 67mins).

Referee: Toru Kamikawa Travel to Japan

Teams by Group

2002 FIFA World Cup matches in Korea
In Korea

Group A
Travel to Denmark Denmark, Travel to France France, Travel to Senegal Senegal, Travel to Uruguay Uruguay.

Group B
Travel to Paraguay Paraguay, Travel to Slovenia Slovenia, Travel to Spain Spain, Travel to South Africa South Africa.

Group C
Travel to Brazil Brazil, Travel to China China, Travel to Costa Rica Costa Rica, Travel to Turkey Turkey.

Group D
Travel to Poland Poland, Travel to Portugal Portugal, Travel to South Korea South Korea, Travel to USA United States.

Korea First Round Matches.

2002 FIFA World Cup matches in Japan
In Japan

Group E
Travel to Cameroon Cameroon, Travel to Germany Germany, Travel to Ireland Republic of Ireland, Travel to Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia.

Group F
Travel to Argentina Argentina, Travel to England England, Travel to Nigeria Nigeria, Travel to Sweden Sweden.

Group G
Travel to Croatia Croatia, Travel to Ecuador Ecuador, Travel to Italy Italy, Travel to Mexico Mexico.

Group H
Travel to Belgium Belgium, Travel to Japan Japan, Travel to Russia Russia, Travel to Tunisia Tunisia.

Japan First Round Matches.

The Road to the Final

2002 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.

Group Tables - Leading Goalscorers.

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Group Matches

Friday, May 31
France vs Senegal

Saturday, June 1
Ireland vs Cameroon
Uruguay vs Denmark
Germany vs S. Arabia

Sunda, June 2
Argentina vs Nigeria
Paraguay vs S. Africa
England vs Sweden
Spain vs Slovenia

Monday, June 3
Croatia vs Mexico
Brazil vs Turkey
Italy vs Ecuador

Tuesday, June 4
China vs Costa Rica
Japan vs Belgium
S. Korea vs Poland

Wednesday, June 5
Russia vs Tunisia
USA vs Portugal
Germany vs Ireland

Thursday, June 6
Denmark vs Senegal
Cameroon vs S. Arabia
France vs Uruguay

Friday, June 7
Sweden vs Nigeria
Spain vs Paraguay
Argentina vs England

Saturday, June 8
S. Africa vs Slovenia
Italy vs Croatia
Brazil vs China

Sunday, June 9
Mexico vs Ecuador
Costa Rica vs Turkey
Japan vs Russia

Monday, June 10
South Korea vs USA
Tunisia vs Belgium
Portugal vs Poland

Tuesday, June 11
Denmark vs France
Senegal vs Uruguay
Cameroon vs Germany
S. Arabia vs Ireland

Wednesday, June 12
Sweden vs Argentina
Nigeria vs England
South Africa vs Spain
Slovenia vs Paraguay

Thursday, June 13
Costa Rica vs Brazil
Turkey vs China
Mexico vs Italy
Ecuador vs Croatia

Friday, June 14
Tunisia vs Japan
Belgium vs Russia
Portugal vs S. Korea
Poland vs USA

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World Cup Finals

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Appearances:
How many appearances each country has made in the World Cup Finals.

Second Round

The last 16 continued on the Road to Yokohama, with four games in South Korea and four games in Japan.

Group A winner and runner-up went to Japan.

Group B winner and runner-up stayed in Korea.

Group C winner and runner-up went to Japan.

Group D winner and runner-up stayed in Korea.

Group E winner and runner-up went to Korea.

Group F winner and runner-up stayed in Japan.

Group G winner and runner-up went to Korea.

Group H winner and runner-up stayed in Japan.

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