The No. 1 Unofficial World Cup Website
GROUP A REVIEW
SENEGAL 3-3 URUGUAY
SENEGAL had all-but-booked their place in the second round by half-time, but they were then forced into the fight of their lives as Uruguay desperately fought back in a classic game of two halves in Suwon.
Assisted by some dubious refereeing decisions in the first half, the Africans roared into a 3-0 lead at the interval. Needing four goals after the break to snatch a berth in the second round - Uruguay manager Victor Pua threw caution to the wind - playing FIVE strikers.
His cavalier approach was nearly rewarded.
Half-time sub Richard Morales pulled a goal back two minutes after coming on, tucking home the rebound after Tony Sylva spilt Dario Silva's shot; before a stunning long-range effort from Manchester United forward Diego Forlan made it 3-2 with 20 minutes remaining.
Alvaro Recoba's late penalty levelled up the scores on the day, before Morales then missed an open goal with a header, as Senegal picked up seven bookings protecting Tony Sylva's net from the goal that would ruin their World Cup dream.
Earlier, Khalilou Fadiga - the player involved in the necklace scandal just before the tournament - had opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 19 minutes. Uruguay 'keeper Fabian Carini was harshly adjudged to have brought down El Hadj Diouf, after Paolo Montero miscued a backpass.
The Juventus 'keeper was booked for the foul - although TV replays suggested that the Liverpool-bound striker dived over the Uruguayan's challenge, and that no contact was made.
But just seven minutes later, Senegal's advantage was doubled when Pape Bouba Diop swept the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area from Henri Camara's square pass - with Carini grasping fresh air.
The Lions of Teranga added a controversial third when Bouba Diop volleyed home in off the crossbar, despite being in an offside position. Again it's a superb finish, but the assistant referee should have ruled it out.
The draw means that Denmark - 2-0 winners over France - top the group and will play the runners-up from England's group, while Senegal awaits the victors from Group F.
FRANCE 0-2 DENMARK
FRANCE'S status as reigning World and European Champions counted for nothing as Denmark completed a 2-0 victory to top Group A and send the pre-tournament favourites crashing out fo the competition at the first hurdle.
France never looked capable of pulling off the required two-goal victory, and despite the midfield promptings of a 70%-fit Zinedine Zidane, produced a panicky performance just when they needed to be calm, cool and calculated.
Denmark's counter-attacking pace always threatened the reigning European and World Champions, and Dennis Rommedahl's 22nd-minute volley was the least that they deserved.
David Trezeguet had already selfishly shot at goal when he should have squared for Sylvain Wiltord - after a slip by Niclas Jensen - and Zidane curled a chip narrowly wide, but considering the urgency of the situation, Roger Lemerre's side came up short for the third time this tournament.
France finally mustered some concerted pressure at the start of the second half - Marcel Desailly hitting the crossbar with a header from a corner - before Jon Dahl Tomasson fired home a cross from Jesper Gronkjaer to double Denmark's lead midway through the second half.
FRANCE 0-0 URUGUAY
FRANCE have kept their World Cup dreams alive by a thread - after fighting out a dramatic 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Busan.
With either side knowing that a defeat would eliminate them from the tournament, both coaches made sure their players weren't about to give anything away cheaply - and the 20th game of this year's World Cup produced the first 0-0 draw.
France faced an uphill battle from the moment that Zinedine Zidane decided not to risk his thigh injury, although deputy Johan Micoud produced a fine display from the heart of their midfield.
Firstly, David Trezeguet had a goal disallowed for offside on eight minutes - having expertly lofted his shoulder-high volley over Juventus colleague Fabian Carini in the Uruguayan goal.
Then Lemerre reshuffled his defence, substituting Frank Leboeuf after only 17 minutes - moving Lilian Thuram to centre-back, and bringing on Vincent Candela.
But French aspirations really nose-dived when Thierry Henry was red-carded for a mistimed two-footed lunge on Marcelo Romero after 27 minutes. He'll now miss their must-win game with Denmark next Tuesday.
Emmanuel Petit then hit the near post with a free-kick - which Carini might have saved anyway, before the pony-tailed midfielder earned a booking for initiating a shoving match with Sebastian Abreu.
Patrick Vieira was injured by a hideous stud-first tackle Dario Silva on the stroke of half-time, but got up to continue.
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first - Uruguay inviting France onto them, playing deep, and attempting to hit in the break.
Poor finishing - especially from Marcel Desailly, David Trezeguet, Djibril Cisse and Sylvain Wiltord - cost France dear.
But Alvaro Recoba squandered possibly the best opportunity of the second period when he missed an open, unguarded goal, shooting wastefully off-target from the left hand side of the area.
However, all is not quite lost just yet. No matter what the score is between Senegal and Uruguay, next Tuesday, if France beat Denmark by two clear goals, they'll sneak through to the second phase.
FRANCE 0-0 URUGUAY
HONOURS WERE SHARED in this bruising group A encounter in Daegu that puts both sides on four points from two games, and means the loser of Uruguay v France will become the first team eliminated from this year's World Cup.
Both sides seemed much more intent on avoiding defeat - rather than winning outright - and it made for a niggly, hard-fought, defensive and cynical match where both teams fell short of the standards they reached in their opening fixtures.
Denmark took the lead on 15 minutes when Senegal midfielder Salif Diao - joining Liverpool this summer for £5m from Sedan - hacked down Jon Dahl Tomasson from behind on the right hand side of the area. The former Newcastle striker picked himself up and coolly despatched low to Tony Sylva's right.
Senegal offered precious little in return, with El Hadj Diouf isolated up front on his own, and Denmark probably just about deserved to lead at the interval.
But a half-time double-substitution from Senegal coach Bruno Metsu turned things around. Off went defensive midfielder Pape Sarr and winger Moussa Ndiaye - replaced by frontmen Henri and Souleymane Camara.
It meant the Lions of Teranga had much more cohesion when they broke forward, and left Denmark chasing the game for most of the second half.
When it came, Senegal's equaliser was a beautifully crafted team goal. A clearance by Omar Daf was played first-time by Diao out to Khalilou Fadiga, who dribbled over the half-way line.
Fadiga kept possession, and then played it between to defenders for Diao - who after running 90 yards from oone penalty area to the other - showed astonishing nonchalence by flicking it first-time past Thomas Sorensen, low into the corner of the net.
But Diao will miss Senegal's final Group A game against Uruguay - earning himself a straight red card for a sinister knee-high lunge on defender Rene Henriksen.
The draw puts pressure on France and Uruguay - who play at lunchtime today - because the loser of that match will bbe eliminated from the tournament.
FRANCE 0-1 SENEGAL
World Cup debutants Senegal stunned the defending champions in a dramatic first match of the 2002 finals in Seoul.
Papa Bouba Diop netted the vital strike on 30 minutes when he slid home a cross from the outstanding El Hadji Diouf.
France, who had earlier struck the post through David Trezeguet, saw Thierry Henry hit the bar in the second half.
But the African minnows defended resolutly and saw Khalilou Fadiga hit the bar before securing a famous win.
URUGUAY 1-2 DENMARK
Jon Dahl Tommasson headed his second late on to hand Denmark victory in an open match which saw Uruguay's Dario Rodriguez score with a stunning volley.
Tomasson the former Newcastle striker, opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when he side-footed home Jesper Gronkjaer's telling cross
Rodriguez levelled with a stunning 30-yard left-foot strike into the corner. Tomasson had the final say with a header seven minutes from time.