WELL, the Itais sneaked through the back passage into the second round in a way that only 11 Italian gentlemen clad in lycra can, while, at the other end of the evolutionary scale, the Turks booked their place in the last 16, thanks primarily to Brazil handing their South American friends Costa Rica a bit of a drubbing.

Best day of the competition so far, no doubt, did you see that overhead kick. An added bonus is that our suspicions are correct and Brazil are pish at the back, leaving the door wide open for England.

Turkey look like they have a clear route into the semi-finals now though in a tournament that is starting to resemble the Worthington, not World, Cup

With Argentina and France gone, Italy looked like they might join the party but Croatia, and Boksic especially, bottled it to let the Azzurri off the hook.

The groups are decided tomorrow and the Japs are practically through to the second round already, where they will meet Turkey. Belgium and Russia also meet to decides who finishes Group H runner-up, but, frankly who cares because they're only going to be knocked out by Brazil.

Unbelievably USA only have to beat Poland to qualify, and I don't even want to think about that but some normality should be resumed when Portugal crush South Korea and leave the wee men's dreams in tatters.

June 13, 2002 17:00