Ronaldinho Gaucho capped a fine performance with a goal in Brazil’s 4-2 win over USA in yesterday’s friendly match. Ronnie also played a part in Brazil’s first two goals. First he set up Kaka to shoot and the goalkeeper’s save rebounded off a defender for an own goal. Lucio then headed home a Ronaldinho corner to put Brazil 2-1 up early in the second half. Ronnie’s goal came in the 75th minute when he converted a free kick.
In the weekend’s other international games, Iniesta came on as sub to save a point for Spain with a late goal in the 1-1 draw in Iceland, Xavi and Gudjohnsen played the 90 minutes.
Zambrotta, Abidal, Thuram and Thierry Henry all played in the 0-0 draw between Italy and France. Henry picked up a booking and will now miss France’s game against Scotland through suspension. Deco played 90 minutes in Portugal’s disappointing 2-2 draw at home to Poland.
Touré Yaya helped Ivory Coast to qualify for the finals of the African Nations Cup with a 0-0 draw in Gabon.
Giovani dos Santos started his first game for Mexico against Panama, but the game was abandoned at half time due to heavy rain with the Mexicans winning 1-0.
Spain’s under-17s lost to Nigeria on penalties in the final of the under-17s World Cup. Bojan missed the game through suspension but Barça were represented by Iago Falque who hit the bar in extra time, and by Alex and David Gonzalez who both came on as second half substitutes.
Pep Guardiola got his first win in charge of Barça B with a 4-2 win over Balaguer. Barça’s goals came from Jeffren, Victor Vazquez, Pedrito and Emilio Guerra.
3 responses so far ↓
Nick Lloyd // Sep 11, 2007 at 16:46
Not Ronnie but another great Barça Brazilian, Rivaldo, is in today’s Guardian, with one of the best six hat tricks of all time.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/09/11/the_joy_of_six_great_hattricks.html
“Rivaldo, Barcelona 3-2 Valencia, La Liga, June 17 2001
Few footballers since Diego Maradona have had the fusion of bronca and brilliance that can make for a one-man team: Steven Gerrard occasionally, Cristiano Ronaldo maybe, Rivaldo certainly. At times around the turn of the century he was impossible to play against, and never more so than here. The quality of the goals was outstanding, but the context made his performance legendary. On the last day of a dire season Barcelona needed a win to qualify for the Champions League, against Valencia, who needed a draw. That it had come to this for a club like Barça was an almighty affront to Rivaldo’s pride, so he put things right with an almost vigilante single-mindedness.
His first goal was an unsaveable free-kick that swerved and dipped late before flying in off the post. Then, after Ruben Baraja had equalised, Rivaldo hit a low 25-yarder with such fury that it knocked him off his feet and brought the Nou Camp crowd to theirs. Baraja equalised again but then, with 90 seconds to go, came the crowning glory: a staggering overhead kick from the edge of the box. After just 18 months and 17 days, the book on the greatest hat-trick of the 21st century was already closed.”
Nic // Sep 11, 2007 at 20:27
Cheers Nick. I’ve put this up as a separate post and I’ve added a youtube video of the goals. http://fcbnews.com/rivaldos-hat-trick/
Rivaldo certainly was a barca giant leaving barca 4 acmilan was the biggest mistake of his carrer // Sep 14, 2007 at 6:03
Visca el barca
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