WORLD NEWS

World Cup Match Wrap: Ireland 1-1 Cameroon; Holland special gives Irish share of points; Denmark 2-1 Uruguay; Tomasson brace leads Danes to win; Germany 8-0 S. Arabia; Duestchers too much for very poor Middle Eastern side, and more…
June 02, 2002 - STM Staff

Germany 8-0 S. Arabia, 06.01.02
Sapporo, Japan: Attendance: 32,218 Scoring Summary: N/A

The German Blitzkrieg is back in full force after an embarrassing 8-0 pounding of S. Arabia in Sapporo. Rudi Voller's team simply outclassed a scared and uninspired Saudi Arabian side whom like boys playing against men.

German superstar forward Klose scored a hat trick in the route, and now has scored 11 goals in 13 matches played with the national team. The Yugoslav born forward had his way in the air with the Arabian back four, scoring all his goals with headers off crosses form the flanks.

The goal margin was the second largest in world cup history, behind Hungary's 10-1 beating of El Salvador in 1982 in Spain. The goal margin was also the largest in German National Team history, a very long and storied history at that.

The entire German airforce got in on the act, with Michael Ballack scoring in the 40th minute, and Janker pitched in a goal to make it 4-0 before the end of the first half.

Linke in the 73rd to make it 6-0. Much maligned former captain Oliver Bierhoff in the 84th made it 7-0 with a fabulous quick strike from 30 plus yards out. Second-half substitute Bern Schneider closed out the scoring with a spectacular free kick in stoppage time.

Matt Holland led the Irish National team to a 1-1 comeback draw against a spirited Cameroon side on the second day of group play. Cameroon's forward Mboma put the Africans ahead in the 39th minute of the first half, after some spectacular play down the flanks by E'Too. Holland answered with a wonder strike from 30 yards out in the 52nd minute, beating Cameroon goalkeeper Boukar Alioum at the left post.

The Irish look to have shaken the early dram that saw captain and influential midfield Roy Keane return to England in disgrace after being sent home due to a n altercation with the coaching staff and fellow players.

Tomasson' first came at the end f the second half, when he finished an 8yard pass from Jesper Gronkjaer. The goal was a clinic in passing by the Danes, who had six players one-touch the ball in the offensive third before it was put way by Tomasson. His game-winner came on a header with under ten minutes to go in the second half.

Uruguay's lone strike came from left back Rodriguez who had a moment of inspiration, slamming home a first-time volley from 25 yards out into the top left corner of the goal. No chance for the Danish keeper who made a valiant effort to get across to make the save at the near post.

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