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| Sunday, 30 June 2002 |
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Records and redemption beckon Brazil ahead of World Cup final YOKOHAMA, Japan, June 29 - Redemption and a record fifth title are beckoning Brazil as they prepare to take on Germany in the World Cup final here Sunday, the first meeting of the two footballing superpowers in the tournament's 72-year history. Four years after suffering one of the most traumatic defeats in their history, Brazil are now tantalisingly close to laying the shattering loss against France in the 1998 final to rest once and for all. Fittingly it is the goals of star centre-forward Ronaldo - six in six matches so far - that have carried the South Americans into their third final in succession and their seventh overall. The Inter Milan player is back as Brazil's cutting edge after battling through years of heartache that began with his ill-fated appearance in the final four years ago, when he played just hours after suffering a mysterious fit in his Paris hotel room. "I don't want to remember 1998," Ronaldo said after scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 semi-final victory over Turkey on Wednesday. "I'm totally not thinking about it. This time we want to make a different final with a different end. We are going to play our football, go to the final and hopefully win." But though Ronaldo insists he wants to forget all about being lost in France, it is clear that the wounds from Paris are still raw among survivors of the mauling. Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos are both determined that there will be no repeat. "The 1998 mistake should not happen again," said Rivaldo, who is only one goal behind Ronaldo in the race for the golden boot. "We have got to the final with much more confidence than in 1998. "Brazil have won six games and have now regained our old confidence. We now know what to do with the ball. A few months ago, many people doubted we had this ability." Roberto Carlos echoed Rivaldo's words. "Everyone knows about 1998. It hurt us deeply, and knowing what that felt like we don't want it to happen again," the Real Madrid wingback said. No country on earth demands as much of its national team as Brazil, and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is well aware that failure on Sunday will be viewed as a national disaster. Accordingly, he has been anxiously trying to shield his players from the mounting expectation back in Brazil. "I want them to play without pressure," Scolari said. "I want them to be aware of their responsibility without being suffocated by it. I want the players to go on to the pitch and enjoy themselves," Scolari said. Brazil have reached the final with a 100 percent record, winning all of their six matches decisively and without recourse to a penalty shoot-out at any stage. It is a good omen - the last team to match that record was the legendary 1970 Brazil side. Brazil's form means they will take to the field at the Yokohama Stadium as heavy favourites against a German side that have confounded all expectations by battling through to the final. Germany transformed Humiliated 5-1 by England in Munich during qualifiers last year, Germany have since enjoyed a remarkable transformation in fortunes after being written off by everyone in the days leading up to the World Cup. Germany's manager Rudi Voller, seeking to emulate Franz Beckenbauer and Mario Zagallo as the only men to have won the World Cup as a player and a coach, is happy to cast his team as underdogs. "Brazil are the clear favourites," said Voller, a member of Germany's 1990 World Cup winning team. "But it's not necessarily the best team which wins. If it were then Brazil would have won the World Cup 14 times or more. All kinds of factors can come into play." Germany, who started out with the modest target of reaching the quarter-finals, have in many respects resembled their fabled predecessors of yesteryear, grinding out results to advance stealthily into the final. Successive 1-0 victories over Paraguay, the United States and South Korea in the knockout phase have given Voller's men a belief that they can shock Brazil with one last push. But it is also true to say that they have managed to get to the final without facing any top class opponents, and there must be a doubt over their ability to contain the free-flowing Brazilian attack. A makeshift defence missing the injured Jens Nowotny and Christian Worns has so far emerged as the best in the tournament, thanks in no small part to the brilliance of captain Oliver Kahn between the posts. But the German rearguard is likely to face an extremely demanding examination from Brazil's formidable attacking partnership of Ronaldo and Rivaldo. Behind the front two, Brazil will welcome back the exciting Paris Saint Germain midfielder Ronaldinho, returning from suspension after being sent off during the 2-1 quarter-final win over England. Flanked by Kleberson and Gilberto Silva in midfield, Brazil will line up with Roberto Carlos and captain Cafu as wingbacks. A back three of Edmilson, Lucio and Roque Junior completes a well-balanced line-up, with the dependable Marcos in goal. Germany meanwhile will somehow have to overcome the loss through suspension of midfield creative force Michael Ballack, who scored the winner after picking up a second yellow card in the 1-0 semi-final win against South Korea. "It's almost impossible to replace Ballack completely," acknowledged Voller, who nevertheless retains faith in a German rearguard that has conceded only one goal in six matches so far. "We have had to field a makeshift defence. But what was designed as a stop-gap solution has turned into a revelation." Probable teams: Brazil: Marcos, Cafu (capt), Lucio, Roque Junior, Edmilson, Roberto Carlos, Kleberson, Gilberto Silva, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Ronaldo Germany: Oliver Kahn (capt), Thomas Linke, Christoph Metzelder, Torsten Frings, Carsten Ramelow, Dietmar Hamann, Jens Jeremies, Bernd Schneider, Miroslav Klose, Oliver Neuville, Marco Bode. Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Ita). |
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