World Cup qual - Worldwide team of midweek

Eurosport - Thu, 02 Apr 18:10:00 2009

The midweek World Cup qualifiers produced some extraordinary results and some brilliant individual performances. Here are the best.

2009 France-Lithuania Franck Ribery - 0

GK: Craig Gordon (Scotland) - Stepping in for bad-boy Allan McGregor, the Sunderland back-up showed no ill-effects from his recent lack of first-team football, keeping Iceland at bay with some fine saves.

RB: Daniel Alves (Brazil) - After a disappointing draw against Ecuador, a 3-0 win against Peru was just what Brazil needed to get back on track, and Alves was his usual effervescent self down the right.

CB: John Terry (England) - It takes something special to get singled out for praise by Fabio Capello, but Terry's late winner against Ukraine prompted the Italian to laud his captain's telling contribution.

CB: Giorgio Chiellini (Italy) - Giampaolo Pazzini's fourth-minute red card left the Italians under pressure for much of their game against Ireland. Chiellini defended stoutly, despite Robbie Keane's late goal.

LB: Joan Capdevila (Spain) - The European champions made it six wins out of six with a gritty win in Turkey, and Capdevila contributed at both ends of the pitch in a hard-fought encounter.

RM: Dirk Kuyt (Netherlands) - You know you are going to get plenty of hard graft from Kuyt, but two goals against Macedonia were a real bonus as the Dutch maintained their 100 per cent record.

CM: Michael Ballack (Germany) - Why doesn't he play like this for Chelsea? The midfield general delivered a commanding performance at the Millennium Stadium as Wales were brushed aside - and thumped a stunning drive into the top corner.

LM: Franck Ribery (France) - Where would France be without Ribery? Not in South Africa next summer, that's for certain. The Bayern winger scored the only goal in the win against Lithuania.

FW: Ebi Smolarek (Poland) - Having lost to Northern Ireland on Saturday, the Poles took their anger out with a 10-0 obliteration of San Marino, with Bolton man Smolarek weighing in with four.

FW: Joaquin Botero (Bolivia) - The architect of Bolivia's extraordinary 6-1 win against Argentina, Botero netted a fine hat-trick as Diego Maradona's charges were run ragged in La Paz.

FW: Erik Jendrisek (Slovakia) - His late winner sealed a famous win away to neighbours Czech Republic, and was just reward for a superb all-round performance.

Eurosport

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  1. Where is Jocky Wilson on this !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 3:06PM

  2. The keeper should be Julio Cesar... the back 4 can­ stay, the midfield is fine with Pirlo in place of­ Petrov...
    As for the front t3, Messi somehow always­ makes it without doing anything much???
    I guess Rooney­ should have a place... even though it was only­ Slovakia.

    Huntelaar should replace Litmanen, as he had­ a much more allround game.

    From i am a teacup, on Mon 30 Mar 3:02PM

  3. how on EARTH does stiliyan petrov get in as CM over­ andrea pirlo???
    i agree with the back 4....
    but the­ keeper??? no fking way... liechenstein had 1 shot on­ target in 90 minutes!!!

    From i am a teacup, on Mon 30 Mar 2:46PM

  4. I will send the Lazio Irriducibili round and rip your­ nuts off !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 2:30PM

  5. I do keep saying bobby charlton

    From Thomas, on Mon 30 Mar 2:29PM

  6. War a retarded set up....
    Whoever came up with this­ must be on cheap but gotten for free drugz....

    From Mujib, on Mon 30 Mar 2:16PM

  7. Hey dicano... Hold back your this kind of incarnation,­ cuz you'll find your face kicked in...

    From Dave, on Mon 30 Mar 2:08PM

  8. Very right Irish-pool(30). Good thing far more sensible­ and intelligent people than Hugo(16) decide where­ competitions should take place. The allegation that­ Africa is the "rape and murder capital of the­ world" is unfounded and very far from the truth.

    From mepaulward, on Mon 30 Mar 2:07PM

  9. Who wants their face kicked in ?

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 2:04PM

  10. Frendlies & qualifiers winners - England!!!! Thats­ all they can handle.
    A trophy for winners in Frendlies­ & qualifiers should be intoduced if england should­ win a trophy. They already have the media­ trophy(winning soccer accolades in the press)

    From adrole, on Mon 30 Mar 1:48PM

  11. Argies are all cheats !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 1:41PM

  12. Where is John Moncur on this ? It is an outrage !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 1:34PM

  13. A keeper was chosen,whose opposition was Lichenstein!!!­ Did he even have a save to make?

    From max1booth, on Mon 30 Mar 1:25PM

  14. lol...I think Lisa was referencing the need for­ Italians to turn around a few decent pizzas or pastas­ for the World XI - carbo loading and all that :)

    From Irish_Pool_Maniac, on Mon 30 Mar 1:11PM

  15. Dov'e io !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 1:10PM

  16. Pirlo??

    From Gio, on Mon 30 Mar 1:04PM

  17. Lisa sei Italiana ? Di dove sei ? Forza Lazio !

    From Chris, on Mon 30 Mar 1:01PM

  18. Hugo, you insensitive and deranged a$$hole, you can­ only be from the land of the ignorant with a comment­ like that! Name me one country that doesn't have­ it's fair share of problems, crime or otherwise.­ Let me remind you that, since global re-admittance,­ South Africa have hosted a multitude of major sporting­ events successfully, namely: 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003­ Cricket World Cup and, in 2009, the ICC Trophy and the­ relocated IPL. How many years have the likes of Europe­ and South America dominated the hosting of the FIFA­ World Cup? About time it became a truly global event­ and was shared world-wide. South Africa, supported by­ the African continent, will deliver a superb world­ class event - make no mistake! The news of yesterday­ was tragic, hence the reason WHY it was in THE­ NEWS!!..as if this kind of incident has NEVER happened­ in S.America or Europe..which it has!! Imbecile!!

    From Irish_Pool_Maniac, on Mon 30 Mar 12:58PM

  19. Need some Italians in this team x

    From Lisa, on Mon 30 Mar 12:19PM

  20. it isnt fair enough...

    From bahram, on Mon 30 Mar 12:19PM
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