Soccer: World Cup

Prospect of penalty kick shootouts fills some nations with dread

12:56 AM CDT on Saturday, June 24, 2006

By MARK JOHNSON / The Dallas Morning News

From here on out at the World Cup, there are only winners and losers. That means 30 minutes of overtime – and if necessary, a penalty kick shootout.

Those three words are filled with worry for the Netherlands. The Dutch missed five penalties in one match and were eliminated by Italy in the semifinals of the 2000 European Championship, a tournament they co-hosted, no less.

Throw in shootout losses in the 1992 and '96 European Championships and the 1998 World Cup semifinals against Brazil, and you have national shootout trauma.

In the Netherlands, books have been written about it. Web sites are devoted to it. Universities make serious studies about it.

But the Dutch aren't alone. Italy can't forget the sight of the great Roberto Baggio skying his shot over the bar, giving Brazil the 1994 World Cup on PKs. England lost shootouts at the 1990 and 1998 World Cups, as well as two recent European Championships.

"We know it's probably going to come to penalties in one of the four knockout games, if we're going to go far in this tournament," England defender Gary Neville said. "And we've got to deal with it."

Italian, U.S. players suspended: Italy's Daniele De Rossi was suspended for four matches and U.S. defender Pablo Mastroeni received a three-match ban Friday after FIFA's disciplinary committee reviewed their red cards.

De Rossi elbowed Brian McBride in the face during the 1-1 draw last Saturday. Mastroeni was sent off after a late two-footed tackle on Andrea Pirlo.

U.S. manager Bruce Arena called Mastroeni's punishment "excessive."

De Rossi, who would become available for the title game if Italy gets there, was also fined $8,000. Mastroeni was fined $6,000.

Unlikely assist for Ukraine: It was 11-on-10 for half of Ukraine's 1-0 victory Friday. Tunisia midfielder Mehdi Nafti said it was more like 12-on-10, thanks to referee Carlos Amarilla of Paraguay.

A man down after Zied Jaziri was expelled, Tunisia was awarded a free kick in the 66th minute. Anis Ayari's kick struck the raised arm of a Ukraine defender – inside the penalty area. No call.

Minutes later, Ukraine star Andriy Shevchenko got loose in the Tunisian penalty area. As two Tunisians gave chase, Shevchenko appeared to trip over his own feet.

Penalty, Amarilla ruled. Shevchenko scored from the spot, the only goal in a game Tunisia had to win to stay alive.

"I've never in my life spoken badly about a referee," Nafti said, "but we just saw the [TV] images in the locker room and it was a disgrace."

• Held to one goal over its previous five World Cup games, France exploded for two Friday in a shutout over Togo. With captain Zinedine Zidane suspended on his 34th birthday, Patrick Vieira scored on the day he turned 30.

• Working France's game was Jorge Larrionda of Uruguay, the referee who dished out three red cards in the U.S.-Italy 1-1 tie. Friday's tally: four yellow, no red.

• Switzerland, which advanced by beating South Korea, 2-0, is the only team that hasn't been scored on. No Asian team is left four years after co-hosts South Korea and Japan made the round of 16, with the Koreans placing fourth.

• Its second-round place secure, Spain fielded a whole new starting 11 and still managed to win, 1-0 over Saudi Arabia.

• All eight seeded teams qualified for the second round.

• At the 2002 World Cup, the first round produced 208 yellow cards and 12 red cards. This year it was 258 yellow and 18 red.

The Associated Press and Bloomberg News contributed to this report .