OK all you whacky soccer fans, I'm back now and should remain here
for the rest of the world youth championships, giving you all the reports
from here on in. As for the second round of group matches, well I am currently
unaware of the coverage others have given it so I'll make do with little 
summaries of each game.

Australia vs Russia :

	Well from the first match it was a let down. The crowd was more than
10000 people smaller and the Australians though playing well, didn't seem as
convincing as they were against Colombia. To be fair Russia are a more 
technically refined side and it was always going to be a grafting match rather
than a brilliant one. Australia was rewarded for early pressure when they
forced Magomedov into error after they hit the post. In a rush to clear from
the attackers Magomedov put the ball into his own net in the 13th minute. It
was only 5 minutes after when Sergei Chudin slotted the ball across the
keeper into the far post from a good build up. What ensued was close to an hour
of hard slog where both sides had few chances at goal and it looked more like
both sides were securing the draw. Then, just after the Russian keeper suffered
a painful injury, Ante Milicic put Australia ahead by outjumping the keeper
for the ball. I was famous again in the ensuing crowd shots of celebration.
Playing more confidently the Aussies put the issue beyond doubt when Paul
Agostino also headed in after 81 minutes.

	Australia 3 (M Magomedov og 13) - Russia 1 (S Chudin 18)
		    (A Milicic 69)
		    (P Agostino 81)

Cameroon vs Colombia :

	I saw the majority of this match on the big screen at the Sydney
Football Stadium and it was a pretty entertaining affair with Cameroon
and Colombia both intent on victory after first round losses. A miniscule
crowd of only 3749 saw early nerves by Colombia give Marc Foe the ball in the
penalty area which he duly dispatched into the Colombian goal after 15 minutes.
The action came only minutes from halftime when Henry Zambrano got a deflection
from a desperate sliding tackle which bounced the ball over the keepers head.
Only seconds later Pius Ndiefi restored Cameroons lead, only to have it pulled
back before the whistle by a Colombian I cannot recall the name of. The second
half was a tense affair and it was Henry Zambrano who proved to be the
difference when he split the defence with an outstanding run and shot home
in the 85th minute. Cameroon only have pride to play for when they face
Australia tonight. Roger Milla, travelling with the team, said his side was 
in good spirits and had no complaints.

	Colombia 3 (H Zambrano 44, 85) - Cameroon 2 (M Foe 15, P Ndiefi 44)
		   (? ??? 45)

England vs USA:

	The established soccer nation met the young American side in this
encounter which must go to England on points. After the US's amazing first round
match the English had decided to opt for containment, also the loss of Imad
Baba through injury caused the Americans to lack some imagination in attack.
Undoubtedly the player who was playing best on the pitch was Cassar the US
gaolkeeper. His saves numbered close to two digits and each one brilliant,
reflex saves. He was also helped by some woeful English finishing. I thought
Tony Meola was very competent at Italia '90 but I hear his more recent form
suggests he needs replacing, the future of Cassar is looking good and it would
not surprise me to see him take over from Meola, not discounting Kellar.
England having had many more chances and the bulk of posession failed to make
it count in the first half and it took until the 69th minute before Chris
Bart-Williams scored from a throw to the near post which he put past a 
defender and the keeper. England threatened to extend their lead and must have
had heart palpitations to see Chris Faklaris streak away. Watson managed to put
enough contact on the ball to turn it beyond the far post keeping his sheet
clean and England in the lead. After the match US coach Howe said "Our destiny
is in our hands [very Zen :-)]...It may sound funny but I almost felt our
boys were relieved when they went a goal down". He continued to speak of the
lack of experience in big occasion matches his team suffered and the 
unacceptably large number of free kicks this gave the English who applied
the pressure well.

	England 1 (C Bart-Williams 69) - USA 0

Ghana vs Germany:

	Germany needed to improve from their first up performance and on form
the Ghanaians were slight favourites to win. After some very entertaining
play from both sides it was Ossei Kuffour who scored after sustained pressure
at the German penalty box. There were 22 players in the German half when some
good attack and failed clearances presented Kuffour with an easy shot past
the hapless Wache. Schwiederowski had the misfortune of not only missing the
ball entirely with his last ditch attempt but also to take out another 
defender who may have been able to force Ossei into error. However Ghana only
lasted 3 minutes in the lead when a 15 metre one-two between Werner Protzel
and Dieter Hamann saw Protzel cross the ball perfectly onto Breitenreiter's
head and put it high above and beyond Ben Owu's outstretched hand. Having the
score at 1-1 seemed to cause no alarm in either side who played well but
without real urgency or venom. All that changed in the 72nd minute when 
Emmanuel Duah made a brilliant run, performed a short one-two with his
teammate, taking out 4 German defenders in the process, and slotted the ball
past the exposed German keeper. A brilliant play eventhough it was against 
Germany (sigh!). Germany, however, didn't come to Ghana's party and gave them
only another 8 minutes in the lead when a cross from Eberl was flicked on by
Hamann to give Jancker his second goal. It was a perfectly executed overhead
bicycle kick from beyond the far post into goal. Who'd have thought the Germans
would be the only team to have scored in this manner after two rounds. Jancker
was understandably pleased and if you were to ask him I'm sure he'd claim that
he knew exactly what he was doing. He had to option but to try it and it came
off. Unfortunately Jancker will miss the game against Uruguay as he received
a yellow card in this match to keep his earlier card against Portugal company.
Both sides were tired now and all efforts for the winner by Ghana, and to a
lesser extent Germany, were fruitless.

	Germany 2 (A Breitenreiter 42) - Ghana 2 (O Kuffour 39)
		  (C Jancker 80)		 (E Duah 72)

Saudi Arabia vs Norway:

	This match was interesting enough with the Saudis proving more than a 
handful against the Brazilians, and Norway showing promise against Mexico.
The match was more noteable for the expulsion of Fahad Al Gesheyan late in the
second half for a tackle on Odd Skonhoft and other yellow cards than for
goals, of which there were none. The Norwegians were unlucky not to get
a penalty in the first half but the Referee opted to whistle for the initial
offside instead. The Saudis were a little hungrier for goals and Abdullah 
Al Takrouni and Fahad Al Gesheyan combined well up front and made several
oppertunities which thier teammates failed to put into the net of Thomas
Myhre. Thomas Ostvold was the most potent of the Norwegians who was only
centimetres from scoring a goal, hitting the corner of the crossbar and post
from 15 metres out. Norway did better in the first half and the Saudis used
their speed and skill in the second, in the end neither could score.

	Saudi Arabia 0 - Norway 0

Turkey vs Korea :

	Turkey, looking to bounce back after the shellacking by the US,
promised a lot early in the match. They scored in the first few minutes but 
Mustafa was rightly ruled offside. Korea with their speed acquitted themselves
well in this period and did well to prevent the Turks from scoring. After
a while the Turks settled into the game rather than attempt revenge for their
defeat against the US at every oppertunity. Cho Jin-Ho again shone for the
Koreans, the captain leading by example. In the first half he was pushed in the
back just outside the penalty area, virtually headbutted in the process by 
the Turkish defence. The Referee opted to give an indirect free kick. This
was significant as the Koreans, through Yung-Soo Choi, kicked the ball
perfectly around the wall and inside the post for a clean goal. The koreans
were visibly heartbroken to have had this goal denied. The football was open
and attacking, the way it should be and was very watchable. It was only in the
second half that the goals came, deservedly the first went to Korea. Cho Jin-Ho
again the dangerman the took a pot shot after what looked like a foul. The 
Turks, still wondering if the Ref was going to call it, were caught unaware
by Cho's speculator from outside the area which was deflected and touched by
the keeper before eventually crossing the line at the near post. As was the
case in the match with England Korea looked for the second but in the end it
was Turkey who got the equaliser. Again from a cross. The cross found it's 
way to Serkan Recber on the edge of the area and he blasted home after 85
minutes. Buoyed by this the Turks looked for the late winner Emre Asik and
Terkan almost the saviours, however it was all too late and in truth Korea
were unlucky not to win.

	Turkey 1 (S Recber 85) - Korea 1 (C Jin-Ho)

Portugal vs Uruguay :

	Well the hapless Portuguese did it again. After the truly sub-standard
display against Germany, they lifted visibly for the Uruguayans. Porfirio,
obviously taking a hands on approach to sheep shearing, looked and played
dangerous for the Portuguese. He was easily their best and made most of the
play and was probably near death at the end of the match. Exhaustion and
defeat hung heavily upon him. It took only 9 minutes for Uruguay to upset
the Portuguese with a goal, though it was somewhat dubious. Gives a free
kick outside the area Uruguay took the kick quickly, lobbing it over the wall
without much effect. The Referee showed the card to the taker of the kick,
Lemos, and ordered it retaken. Fabian O'Neil blasted it home much to the
chagrin of the Portuguese. The equaliser came just before half time after
the Portuguese, playing for survival, pressured the Uruguay team. The cross
came in and the player marking Luis 'Bambo' Cassama for some reason decided
to leave him alone in front of goal and join the two defenders on the line.
Bambo, who was now untroubled, chested down and kicked in the equaliser. The
defender in question ought to be shot for this lapse. The remaining play was
entertaining, both sides with oppertunities to go ahead but often Bambo strayed
offside in promising situations killing many hopes. Porfirio was almost at his
wits end when this occured and when the final minutes against Germany played
themselves out again for Portugal it became too much. Again only a minute
remained and though a draw was not very good it would have left Portugal with
a chance. However Fabian O'Neil stole the ball from the tiring Portuguese
defender dribbled to ball to the right of goal and scored textbook style into
the far corner to put Portugal out of the Tournament.

	Uruguay 2 (F O'Neil 9, 89) - Portugal 1 (Luis Cassama 41)

Mexico vs Brazil:

	This was a spiteful match and the Mexicans and Brazilians showed that
they were really not fond of one another. The match more or less was decided 
by the areas in which the fouls were committed. Mexico twice felled Brazilians
in their own area giving the Brazilians a winning margin. That aside the 
Brazilians displayed fine footballing skills and were probably the more
deserving of the sides, although it was only an offside decision which stopped
the match ending in a draw with Nieto ruled to be the culprit. Nieto gave his
side hope in the 79th minute from a well taken free kick which eluded the 
Brazilian keeper, Dida, lobbing over his head. Can't really offer much more on
this one.

	Brazil 2 (Adriano pk 22) - Mexico 1 (Nieto 79)
		 (Gian pk 56)