Total recall / Day 14

Bookings: Belgium: Borkelmans 65th; South Korea: Tae-Young Kim 48th, Lim-Saeng Lee 67th, Min-Sung Lee 84th, Byung-Ji Kim 84th

90 minutes in 30 words: Belgium go out of the World Cup after producing their best performance in a pre-tournament friendly against England. South Korea go home too but they salvage some pride after the sacking of their coach with a valuable point. And just in case you were wondering, that’s one more than Japan have got.

Boy done good: Yoo Sang-Chul. Korea’s captain, he scored their equaliser and covered every inch of the field to defend the draw. Usually a defender, Yoo played in midfield today and was still by far Korea’s best player.

Two left feet: Unfortunately for Korea there was only one Yoo on the pitch, the rest bearing a close resemblance to the hapless number 10, Choi Yong-Soo. Choi conspired to miss three chances in the last ten minutes and, all in all, failed to lead the lineconvincingly.

Magic moment: Luc Nilis had an uninspired tournament. But when a header from a Luis Oliveira corner came back off the post and out to the edge of the area, Nilis took aim and immediately slammed the ball back into the net.

Mr Sitter: Choi had two, almost identical, crosses placed onto his head from the left wing, but on both occasions the number 10’s connection was dreadful.

Turning point: Korea’s decision to abandon the wing-back system.With a standard back four, the Koreans looked a lot more sound. Are you watching Glenn Hoddle?

Ref-er-ee!: No penalties, no sendings off. Those facts in themselves recommend Mr de Freitas’ performance.

Terrace talk: Belgium: "We came here with the aim of boring the World. And we succeeded"

South Korea: "Are you watching Tokyo?"

Group E: Mexico 2 Netherlands 2O

Goals: The Netherlands: Philip Cocu 5; Ronald de Boer 20; Mexico: Ricardo Palaez 65; Luis Hernandez 94

Bookings: Holland: Stam, Numan; Mexico: Villa, Hernandez, Carmona, Pelaez. Redard: Ramirez.

90 minutes in 30 words: Dutch played as easy as street soccer in the first half and were pedestrian in the second. With only 15 minutes to go the picture was grim: Mexico were two down, Belgium one up (in Paris) and at that point Mexico were out. South Korea helped, of course, but so did Holland, whose transformation from imperious professors to gibbering idiots was as vivid as the switch from sadness to gladness among the Mexicans, the equaliser coming in four minutes and five seconds into injury time.

Boy done good: After the gamble of putting in Luis Hernandez seemed to fail in first half, the clincher came when the final whistle was almost blown. The man with the haircut from hell, Hernandez, got the equaliser four minutes and five second into the injury time.

Magic moment: Hernandez’s toe-poke under Edwin van der Sar, after a lapse by Jaap Stam and which made the score 2-2 and provoked Mexican ecstasy. A point was all they needed, unless Belgium beat South Korea by three cleargoals.

Mr. Sitter: Shared by Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars who should have doubled the lead in first half.

Terrace Talk: Mexico: The Mexican wave was for hello, and not Goodbye.

Netherlands: We love playing one half in each match.

Group F: Germany 2 Iran 0O

Goals: Oliver Bierhoff 50, Juergen Klinsmann 57

Bookings: Germany: Klinsmann, Hassler. Iran: Ali Daei.

90 minutes in 30 words: The efficient Germans once again got the result they were looking for despite a disappointing show. The Iranians did well early, but then Teutonic power in a span of five minutes produced two goals after the break. That included a trademark header by the captain Jurgen Klinsmann, brought them victory and a meeting with Mexico, instead of Holland, as it would have been if they had drawn with Iran.

Boy done good: Karim Bagheri of Iran, who plays in German league. He had three quality long range shots before the break. The first thumped into Andreas Kopke’s arms; the second from a 25-yard free-kick was droppedby the goalkeeper and grabbed at the second attempt and his third from similar range forced Kopke to save low down.

Two left feet: Two left hands actually. Andreas Kopke under the German bar, who had a busy and torrid first half against the inspired Iranians.

Magic moment: The Klinsmann classic. A long ball from the back was met by Heinrich and headed into the path of Bierhoff. His lashed shot cannoned against the post and bounced back at the perfect height for Klinsmann to produce one of his signature diving headers. The Iranians looked stunned, the Germans looked impregnable.

Terrace talk: Germany: Winning means more than pleasing football.; Iran: Our job was to beat US and we did that. Rest does not matter.

Group F: Yugoslavia 1 USA 0

Goals: Slobodan Komljenovic (4)

Bookings: Yugoslavia: Dejan Stankovic 42, Perica Ognjenovic 61; USA: Claudio Reyna 13

90 minutes in 30 words: The States lost another political battle in the fair name of football. Fighting in Kosovo could not move theleaden-footed Americans to put up a show that would do their Senate proud; still, Steve Sampson insists that the image of the game back home looks bright, very bright. Claudio Ranya could well forget France’98, that is if he is able to, while Sampson could now at least begin having nightmares for having left John Harkes back home. The Yugoslavs played in `go-slow’ mode and would have still won even if they didn’t.

Boy done good: Slobodan Komljenovic who wrapped up the issue so early so as to enable the Slavs some invaluable match practice.

Two left feet: Steve Sampson sitting on the sidelines

Turning point: When Juergen Klinsmann did his trademark diving header bit against Iran at Montpellier

Magic moment: Brad Freidel playing his first World Cup game made a smart save off Dejan Stankovic’s angled shot

Mr Sitter: Frankie Hejduk’s floater that went off the post, with the game not even half a minute old, with the acrobatic Ivica Kralj out of his line.

Terrace talk: Yugoslavia: "We would not havegone to war, if If we had not lost that shoot out to Argentina at Italia 90."

USA: "Let’s find a political issue in a country we can beat at football."

Group D: Paraguay 3 Nigeria 1

Goals: Paraguay: Celso Ayala 51 seconds, Miguel Benitez 59 min, Jose Cardozo 85; Nigeria: Wilson Aruma 10

Bookings: Nigeria: Eguavoen 26, Iroha 39

90 minutes in 30 words: Paraguay showed they also can score. And how! Nigeria may have helped by resting their big names but the Latins came out guns blazing.

Boy done good: Celso Ayala, the Praguayan defender who scored the opener 51 seconds into time and saved a couple Nigerian attempts off the line.

Two left feet: Peter Rufai who thought nothing of having an indifferent day-off in goal. Ask Zubizaretta and his Spaniards working off over-time in Lens

Magic moment: Miguel Benitez skimming across the Nigerian penalty area after a pass from Carlos Paredes to slam in Paraguay’s second

Mr Sitter: Hugo Brizuela shooting wide off an empty net in the 74thminute.

Turning point: Acre’s lob to Ayala who headed in and set the tone for the evening.

Terrace talk: Paraguay: "Even others than Chilavert can score" Nigeria: "Sorry Spain, but the cards were upon us…"