Thursday June 13th, 2002
 Mexico vs  Italy in Oita (1:1)
The game attracted two bookings in the first five minutes as both
teams started off in earnest.
Christian Panucci was also added to the book, for diving in search of
penalty, with less than ten minutes played.
The thirteenth minute proved unlucky for Italy as they had yet another
goal ruled out for offside... no doubt the Italians will be looking closely at the video
again.
Totti should have done better in the 19th minute when he received a
great chance to put Italy in front, from Filippo Inzaghi.
1:0
Mexico took the lead in the 34th minute when Jared Borgetti back-headed Cuauth�moc
Blanco's long ball around Paolo Maldini; leaving Gianluigi Buffon looking like a buffoon.
Salvador Carmona could have made it 2-0, just before half-time, and
bring Italy perilously close to being the third favourites not to make the knockout stage.
Half-time: Mexico 1 - Italy 0
Ecuador scored an early second-half goal, against Croatia, to send
Italy a lifeline.....
Oscar P�rez thwarted Filippo Inzaghi by diving at his feet and
palming the ball away.... shortly before the ineffective Italian was substituted.
Mexico continued to put Buffon under pressure.... Jes�s Arellano
running through the Italian defence and having his shot cleared of the line; after playing
a quick one-two with Blanco.
Vincenzo Montella came on for Filippo Inzaghi in the 56th minute and
went into the referee's book before he even settled down.
A minute later, Ram�n Morales coasted down the left and fired just
over the bar.
Twenty minutes from time, Totti released Vieri for what looked like a
certain goal.... until Oscar P�rez pushed the ball from his feet.
1:1
Alessandro Del Piero, on for Totti, went wild and leapt over the advertising boards; after
bringing relief to the miserable-looking Italian fans. Vincenzo Montella, the other
substitute, crossed in from the right and Del Pierro powered forward to head the ball on
the bounce.
With this draw, Italy could qualify under their own steam.... unless
Croatia scored two against Ecuador in the final minutes.
Mexico ended the game by playing the ball around the back and hold
onto their place at the top of Group G. Italy were also
through and didn't even bother to chase the ball.
Final Score:
Mexico 1 - Italy
1
Other Group G Match:
Ecuador vs Croatia
Man of the Match:
Cuauth�moc Blanco - Orchestrated most of Mexico's best moves.
 Yellow Cards:
Jes�s Arellano (2 mins)
Fabio Cannavaro (5 mins)
Christian Panucci (9 mins)
Francesco Totti (43 mins)
Gianluca Zambrotta (55 mins)
Vincenzo Montella (56 mins)
Oscar P�rez (84 mins)
The Teams
Mexico:
1 Oscar Perez; 16 Salvador Carmona, 7 Ramon Morales (3 Rafael Garcia - 76 mins1), 5
Manuel Vidrio, 11 Braulio Luna; 4 Rafael Marquez, 18 Johan Rodriguez (9 Gabriel
Caballero - 76 mins), 6 Gerardo Torrado; 21 Jesus Arellano, 10 Cuauthémoc Blanco, 9
Jared Borgetti (17 Francisco Palencia - 80 mins).
Italy:
1 Gianluigi Buffon; 5 Fabio Cannavaro, 3 Paolo Maldini, 13 Alessandro Nesta, 2 Christian
Panucci (4 Francesco Coco - 63 mins); 17 Damiano Tommasi, 19 Gianluca Zambrotta, 6
Cristiano Zanetti; 9 Filippo Inzaghi (20 Vincenzo Montella - 56 mins), 10 Francesco Totti
(7 Alessandro Del Piero - 78 mins), 21 Christian Vieri.
Referee: Carlos Simon 
In Korea
Group A
 Denmark,  France,  Senegal,  Uruguay.
Group B
 Paraguay,  Slovenia,  Spain, 
South Africa.
Group C
Brazil,  China,  Costa Rica,  Turkey.
Group D
 Poland,  Portugal, 
South Korea,  United States.
Korea First Round Matches.
In Japan
Group E
 Cameroon,  Germany,  Republic of Ireland, 
Saudi Arabia.
Group F
 Argentina,  England,  Nigeria,  Sweden.
Group G
 Croatia,  Ecuador, Italy, Mexico.
Group H
 Belgium,  Japan,  Russia,  Tunisia.
Japan First Round Matches.
2002 World Cup Finals - Knockout Stage.
Group Tables - Leading Goalscorers.
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