WORLD CUP NEWS

World Cup Results - Round of 16: Spain 1-1 (3-2 pks) Ireland, Irish penalty kick nightmare, Irish drop golden chance to advance; Senegal 2-1 Sweden, Camara brace leads Lions of Teranga into quarterfinals, the fairytale continues, and more…
June 17, 2002 - STM Staff

Spain 1-1 (3-2 pks) Ireland
Suwon, South Korea

Spain has officially rid themselves of the curse that has plagued them over the years in the World Cup. The Spaniards beat Ireland 3-2 on penalty kicks to advance to the quarterfinals, albeit in dramatic fashion.

Ireland gave Spain all they could handle, but gifted the mach to them in the penalty kick rounds, when the Irish came up woefully short of the mark on a number of occasion. -- The two teams played to a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes and played out the two 15 minute golden goal sessions to set up the penalty kick shoot-out.

Spain scored the first goal of the match in the 8th minute when defender Puyol sent a cross from the right to Real Madrid forward Fernando Morientes, who headed the ball into the far post past goalkeeper Shay Given (Newcastle United).

Leeds defender Ian Harte was given a golden chance to draw the Irish level from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute, but sent his shot straight at goalkeeper Iker Casillas who made the easy save. Kevin Kilbane had a chance to knock home the rebound from seven yards out, but flubbed his shot wide of the left post.

The Irish were given another break in 90th minute, when Spanish team captain Fernando Hierro was judged to have pulled down second half substitute Niall Quinn in the box after the two tussled on a set piece. Robby Keane made no mistake from the spot, slamming home the equalizer to send the match into extratime.

With all their substitutions made, Spain played with nine players for the majority of the extratime sessions due to injuries. Then came the dramatic, heart-wrenching play that is the penalty kick shout-out. The shootout was a farce, with both teams doing horribly from the spot. Spain's Juanfran and Juan Carlos Valeron missed wide, and Ireland's Matt Holland hit the cross bar. Casillas saved on David Connolly and Kevin Kilbane's penalty shots, leaving Gaizka Mendieta to score the game-winner.

Spain will now play the winner of the South Korea - Italy match to see whom they will face in the Round of 8. The mighty footballing nation has never reached the finals of a World Cup, but made has made it to the quarters in Mexico 1986 and USA 1994.

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Sengeal 2-1 Sweden
Oita, Japan

Sengeal's Henri Camara scored two goals to lead the Lions of Teranga to a 2-1 victory over Sweden in a Round of 16 match-up played in Oita, Japan.

Sweden took the lead when Henrik Larson converted a header of a cross from the left side in the 11th minute to give the Nordics a 1-0 lead. The goal was his third of the tournament.

The Swedes took their foot off the gas after the early goal and allowed Senegal to get forward and be dangerous on a number of occasions.

Camara scored the equalizer for Sengeal in the 37th minute on a brilliant solo run that saw him beat three Swedish defenders and the goalkeeper. He sent his shot spinning into the far post side netting, leaving no chance for goalkeeper Mangnus Hedman to make the save.

Sweden's Anders Svensson could have ended the affair in extratime, but he sent his shot from inside the box clanging off the outside of the right post.

Henri Camara scored the game-winner in stoppage time, sending the Senegalese fans into dancing delirium, and the Swedish fans into sheer disbelief. Papa Thiaw set-up the game-winner in the 104th minute with a lovely backheel into space just on the right edge of the penalty box. Camara ran onto the ball, swept past defender Johan Mjallby, and sent a left-footed shot pinging off the inside of the left post, past Hedman for the golden goal.

Senegal will pay the winner of the Japan - Turkey match-up in the quarterfinals. The tiny Senegalese nation is making its first World Cup appearance and has put the footballing world on notice.

The Senegalese have a very good chance of advancing to the semifinals and from there…well…it is anyone's ball game. If the shoe fits wear it, and Senegal is certainly the Cinderella story of the Cup.