Group A

14/06/2006—Germany 1 : Poland 0 (Germany -1)

The Polish gave a courageous effort but were burned in injury time when Oliver Neuville scored in the 91st minute. Poland’s Radaslow Sobolewski was booted out of the game for receiving his second yellow card and as a result Poland was shorthanded for the final 15. Bettors didn’t profit as the game ended as a push.

15/06/2006—England 2 : Trinidad & Tobago 0 ( England -2)

English supporters had reason to both cheer and jeer in their team’s second game. On the positive side, not only did the U.K. up their record to 2 wins and 0 losses, but they saw the triumphant return of Wayne Rooney in the 58th minute as well. On the down side, England pushed as they only netted two goals from Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard.

16/06/2006—Argentina 6 : Serbia & Montenegro 0 (Pick’em)

Sportsbooks had trouble deciding who to peg as favorite for this match, listing the game as a pick’em and setting the total at 2. Argentina punished them for their transgressions as they smashed Serbia & Montenegro and the total by scoring three goals in the first half and three in the second. Youngster Lionel Messi was given an ovation as he entered the game in the 75th minute and scored a goal in the 88th.

Yankee and Azzuri supporters went to Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern to watch a soccer match and a hockey game broke out. Red was the operative color as a total of three red cards were handed out—including one to Italy’s Daniele De Rossi, who used his elbow to give Brian McBride a bloody gash. Italy scored two goals, one into each net. Alberto Gilardino out one past the States’ Kasey Keller in the 22nd minute and Cristian Zaccardo beat his own goalkeeper on an own goal in the 27th.

Bettors who wagered on Ghana before this match were probably either natives of Ghana, drunk on moonshine, or both. But a possibly drunken bet, yielded fruit, as Ghana shut out the Czech’s 2-0 to get their first World Cup victory. Asamoah Gyan scored 70 seconds in and the Ghanans never looked back.

France finally scored a World Cup goal for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1998, when Thierry Henry beat Woon Jae Lee. Unfortunately the Korea Republic struck back, snatching the victory away from Les Blues, when Ji Sung Park scored in the 81st minute. It was a costly draw for France as Zinedine Zidane earned his second yellow card and will miss his team’s next match against Togo. The French legend may end his World Cup career with a whimper, if his team fails to make the Round of 16.

Togo's World Cup journey essentially ended with a loss to Switzerland. Swiss forward Alexander Frei scored in the 16th minute and midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta scored in the 88th as the Helvetians pole vaulted to the top of the Group G standings based on goal differential. Togo still has a match against France, but has no chance at the Round of 16.

Group H

19/06/2006—Saudi Arabia 0 : Ukraine 4 (Ukraine -1)

After getting massacred by the Spanish in their opener, the Ukraine had the proverbial shoe on the other foot as they beat Saudi Arabia by the same 4-0 score. Andriy Rusol helped open the floodgates in the fourth minute with the Ukraine’s first goal.