MATCH REPORT
Germany 1 - 1 Romania
Scholl 28 Moldovan 5
And the next one please...! The real business got under way in Liege as the defending champions took the field against the aging Romanian team...and conceded a goal within five minutes...a terrible mistake by Linke let in Ilie to cross for Moldovan...and not even he could miss from there, even though he seemed to try his hardest...(!) The Germans found their feet soon enough though, and Mehmet Scholl scored the goal of the tournament (for a while, at least!) after 28 minutes, bending a left-foot shot past a slightly unsighted Stelea...and that was almost that really, apart from Bierhoff hitting the stick with a header, and the Romanians having a good shout for a pen turned down (but then, the defender only kicked the attacker on the foot, he didn't shoulder charge him or tug his shirt!) and Moldovan blazing wide with the goal at his mercy....tut tut tut....
MATCH REPORT
Portugal 3 - 2 England
Figo 22 Scholes 3
J. Pinto 37 McManaman 18
Gomes 59
Well, where to begin?? England kick-off, win a throw-in, and one settles back to watch a nice, non-nerve-wracking first game of the tournament...but some people didn't quite read the script....within three minutes, England go ahead after Beckham's pinpoint cross is headed home off the underside of the bar by Paul Scholes, and extend their lead after 18 minutes as Owen collects Gary Neville's long throw, holds it up, feeds Beckham, who delivers the ball to the incredulous Steve McManaman's feet, from where it is despatched into the net at full force...Now then, what happened afterwards is something of a joke, but here goes....four minutes after Macca's goal, Luis Figo hits shot straight at Tony Adams, which cruelly cannons off the inside of the Arsenal man's right foot and flies into the top corner, leaving Seaman with no chance...and NO-ONE NOTICES!! (in Germany anyway....surprise...) Then, with England surrendering too much ground in midfield, Rui Costa crosses onto the head of Joao Pinto, who steers the goal of the tournament so far off Seaman's right hand post and into the opposite corner....With the scores level at 2-2 at half-time in the game of the tournament so far, I go for a walk to try and sooth my nerves...some hope...I return to find Owen has been replaced by Emile Heskey, who runs around (and yes, falls over) for the cause, but to no avail....Suddenly though, another Rui Costa through ball, Tony Adams a good yard off the pace of Nuno Gomes, who controls and scores his first international goal past a distraught David Seaman...and the comeback is complete....England battle on, but despite much possession, and a couple more chances for Scholes, the swaying balance of world football is emphasised by the final scoreline.....this group will now be slightly interesting....but only slightly!!