World Cup today
A look at Day 20 of the 2006 World Cup on Wednesday:
Results
Wednesday was the first day of rest since the tournament began June 9.
The quarterfinals begin Friday with Germany playing Argentina at Berlin, and Italy playing Ukraine at Hamburg.
Headlines
FIFA president Sepp Blatter continued his criticism of the referees in the tournament.
On a day when two senior refs, Graham Poll of England and Valentin Ivanov of Russia, were not given any more assignments, Blatter said: “I’ve noted that instructions aren’t being followed consistently from one match to another. When a coach complains to me that shirt-pulling earned his player a yellow card one night and nothing for his team’s group rivals the next, how am I supposed to respond?”
Claims of racist abuse targeting players at the World Cup emerged hours after FIFA and local organizers promoted the “Say No to Racism” campaign.
France coach Raymond Domenech said black players were taunted as they entered the stadium before their second-round match against Spain at Hanover on Tuesday night.
“When the bus arrives at the stadium, when you hear some fans making monkey chants … I just turned my head away,” Domenech said in Hameln. “I don’t even give them the satisfaction of a look.”
He declined to say more.
History
The first quarterfinal, in Berlin on Friday, seems like a final. With Argentina playing Germany, maybe it should be.
In 1986, Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 to win the World Cup title in Mexico City. In 1990, the Germans turned it around with a 1-0 victory. Argentina has two World Cups, Germany three.
The last quarterfinal also is a rematch of a previous World Cup championship game. In 1998, France beat Brazil 3-0. They play Saturday night in Frankfurt.
Associated Press