Forwards 8212; striking it rich

PARIS, July 7: Imagine it. Dennis Bergkamp brilliantly controls a high, dropping pass from deep on his right foot, deftly slips the ball to ...

PARIS, July 7: Imagine it. Dennis Bergkamp brilliantly controls a high, dropping pass from deep on his right foot, deftly slips the ball to the fast-moving Michael Owen who uses his pace to get past two defenders before crossing to Raul who volleys it powerfully home first time.

It8217;s impossible because they all play for different teams. But all three have produced this kind of standout play to score some of the best goals of the World Cup.

Bergkamp8217;s last minute strike against Argentina put the Dutch into the semi-final for the first time since 1978.

Owen8217;s strike against Argentina at Saint-Etienne also was a goal that was self-made.

The 18-year-old Liverpool forward, the youngest player this century to play for England and the youngest ever to score, took a short pass in mid-field 40 metres from goal.

Owen, who has been timed at 10.9 for the 100 metres, used his phenomenal speed to race diagonally past two defenders and, even though he could have passed to an unmarked colleague by his side, wasconfident enough to carry on alone and shoot home from level with the penalty spot.

The 16th World Cup has produced more stunning strikes to remember.

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Sunday Oliseh hit a 30-metre shot that glanced in off the post for Nigeria8217;s third against Spain. It gave his team a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory despite Raul8217;s amazing goal for the Spaniards.

Another Nigerian, Victor Ikpeba, finished off a great three-man move for the only goal of the game against Bulgaria at the Parc des Princes to put his team into the second round.

Left back Celestine Babayaro brought the ball up the left flank and slid it to Jay-Jay Okocha, who found Daniel Amokachi at the top right corner of the penalty area. Amokachi side-footed the ball to Ikpeba in the middle of the box.

The as Monaco striker, Africa8217;s 1997 player of the year, danced around sweeper Trifon Ivanov and rolled the ball just under the 8216;keeper8217;s arm. England8217;s David Beckham, scored with a 30-metre free-kick that swerved round the wall and curled insidethe left post. It helped England to a 2-0 victory over Colombia at Lens.

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Morocco went out in the first round but scored one of the best goals in a 2-2 tie with Norway at Montpellier.

And how about Ebbe Sand8217;s goal in Denmark8217;s 4-1 win over Nigeria only 22 seconds after he had entered, the fastest World Cup goal scored by a substitute ?