1:30 a.m. Friday, ESPN, Ch. 23
"We've got to play the game of our lives." – England center back Sol
Campbell
England
How they got here: Tied Sweden 1-1, beat Argentina 1-0, and tied
Nigeria 0-0 to finish second in Group F. Beat Denmark, 3-0, in second
round.
Difference makers: Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, who also pair up
in Manchester United's midfield, turn back plenty of attacks before they
reach England's defense. Michael Owen is suffering from middling service
but looks dangerous every time he touches the ball. David Seaman looks
as trustworthy as ever in goal.
Top gun: David Beckham isn't delivering his usual supply of
pinpoint crosses from the right wing, but he's still capable of changing
the game with one pass. And his service off of restarts is ever
dangerous.
Brazil
How they got here: Beat Turkey 2-1, beat China 4-0, and beat Costa
Rica 5-2, to win Group C. Beat Belgium, 2-0, in the second round.
Difference makers: Where to start with Brazil? Explosive
Ronaldinho is amplifying his stature with spirited play. Roberto Carlos
on the left and playmaker Juninho are ever busy. Rivaldo is scoring
great goals when he isn't faking facial trauma. And goalkeeper Marcos
has done the near impossible in Brazil: a goalkeeper who can sometimes
upstage his teammates.
Top gun: Ronaldo is having a wonderful tournament with five goals
despite vast attention from defenders. He's doing a lot to erase the
legacy of his mysteriously invisible jog through the France '98 final.
1:30 a.m. Saturday, ESPN 2, Ch. 23
"The best could still be to come. This is a real opportunity we have now
in this World Cup."
– Spain defender Fernando Hierro
Spain
How they got here: Beat Slovenia 3-1, beat Paraguay 3-1, and beat
South Africa 3-2 to win Group B. Beat Ireland on penalty kicks, after a
1-1 tie, in the second round.
Difference makers: Ivan Helguera will soon take the sheriff's
badge from Fernando Hierro on Spain's back line. Francisco De Pedro
delivers quality, timely services from the left. Fernando Morientes
scores goals, but doesn't seem comfortable when forced to play wide on
the left. Luis Enrique, Ruben Baraja and Morientes all are expected to
recover from minor injuries in time.
Top gun: The world still awaits the best from Raul, who has three
goals so far. He has a slight groin injury, but team officials are
cautiously optimistic he'll be fit by Saturday.
South Korea
How they got here: Beat Poland 2-0, tied the United States 1-1, and
beat Portugal 1-0 to win Group D. Beat Italy 2-1 in overtime, in the
second round.
Difference makers: Coach Guus Hiddink is the national hero for
preparing a team that looks fit and tactically adept. He must devise a
plan that gets the most of a team that is suddenly beat up, and has two
fewer days of rest than Spain.
Top gun: Ahn Jung-hwan seems to keep scoring the important goals,
like the 78th minute header that tied the United States and the vital
header that gave Italy the boot. Criticized by Hiddink for flagging
fitness before the World Cup, Ahn worked hard to gain stamina – and
scored in his 117th minute against Italy.
6:30 a.m. Saturday, ESPN, Ch. 23
"We have always been outsiders and that's how we want to remain.
We don't consider ourselves favorites." – Senegal goalkeeper Tony Sylva
Senegal
How they got here: Beat France 1-0, tied Denmark 1-1, and tied
Uruguay 3-3 to finish second in Group A. Beat Sweden, 2-1, in the second
round.
Difference makers: Senegal is showing what happens when good
players gain European seasoning: 22 of 23 make their living in France.
Plenty of them are about to accept more lucrative deals. Striker El
Hadji Diouf and midfielder Salif Diao are headed for Liverpool in
England. Henri Camara, who scored both goals against Sweden, is another
target of higher-paying clubs.
Top gun: Few players have poured more into a game at Korea-Japan
than the relentless Diouf in the Lions' second-round win.
Turkey
How they got here: Lost to Brazil 2-1, tied Costa Rica 1-1, and
beat China 3-0 to finish second in Group C. Beat Japan, 1-0, in the second
round.
Difference makers: Turkey's tight performances are an example of
what familiarity can accomplish. Eight of its 11 starters against Japan
do now or once played for Turkish club giant Galatasaray. Much of the
world may not know much about attackers Hasan Sas and Umit Davala, but
they're learning fast. Better-known Hakan Sukur and Yildiray Basturk are
contributing as well.
Top gun: Goalkeeper Rustu Recber has the physical tools to
complement his composure and bravery.