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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Parke Brewer1
Nuremberg
22 June 2006
Ghana has defeated the U.S. soccer team, 2-1, to advance to the second round of the World Cup in Germany. VOA Sports Editor Parke Brewer reports the game in Nuremberg was not without controversy2.
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The stakes were high for the final Group E matches in the World Cup's first round. All four teams, Italy, the Czech Republic, Ghana and the United States were still alive to qualify for the two berths3 in the second round.
The US team needed the Italians to beat the Czechs, and they did, 2-0, and the Americans needed to beat Ghana. But it was Ghana that came away with a 2-1 victory and a spot in the round of 16 in its first ever World Cup appearance.
Ghana's Haminu Draman (l) with US team's Landon Donovan
Ghana broke on top in the 22nd minute after Haminu Draman stole the ball from U.S. team captain Claudio Reyna as their left knees collided, and Reyna went down to the ground near the left sideline. Draman dribbled4 in alone and slammed the ball inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.
The USA got an equalizing goal in the 43rd minute from Clint Dempsey and seemingly was headed into half-time with good momentum5. But two minutes into injury, or stoppage, time - that is added at the discretion6 of the referee7 - American defender8 Oguchi Onyewu was whistled for a questionable9 foul10 in the box as he went up to head a ball alongside Razak Pimpong, and the Ghanaian fell to the ground. Stephen Appiah converted the penalty kick, giving Ghana a 2-1 lead that it would never relinquish11.
Bruce Arena12
U.S. coach Bruce Arena told reporters afterward13 the penalty was a game-changing call that he felt was not justified14.
"I think we'd all agree it wasn't a good call," said Bruce Arena. "To have that call in the 47th minute after our team works hard to get back in the game is difficult. I feel sorry for our team. We played a very good game. Certainly we're at fault in the second half for not doing better with some of our attacking play to get that second goal. But having said that, to be positioned to have to chase the game [being down a goal] on that call, was kind of remarkable15 in a game of this level. So that's disappointing."
Coach Arena added that he believes too many yellow cards for fouls16 have been handed out at this World Cup and that FIFA, football's world governing body, should reconsider how freely the referees17 are showing them. He cited Ghana's star player, Michael Essien, who received his second yellow card of the first round and will miss Ghana's second round match. Arena says the fans want to see the star players play, not sit on the bench with suspensions.
"I think all coaches and players would say this in the tournament," he said. "The insistence18 on yellow cards is crazy. It's taking good players out of this tournament. Essien out of the next game is unfair. His tackle was actually good. This mandate19 to have to show yellow cards has gone overboard. And I feel bad for Essien. They need him in the next game. He's a great player. But, you know, that was certainly a mandate, and I think it's wrong."
Ratomir Dujkovic
As for Ghana's Serbian coach, Ratomir Dujkovic, he refused to comment on the controversial foul call resulting in the successful penalty kick that gave his team its margin20 of victory. He just wanted to celebrate the achievement of his team.
"This is a historic moment for all Ghanaians, for this group of players, for myself, because we are for the first time in the World Cup and we became in the [top] 16 in the world," said Ratomir Dujkovic.
Dukovic did feel a sense of relief at having beaten the United States to reach the single elimination21, or knockout, phase of this World Cup.
"We didn't' control the match," he said. "They are very strong. They are very good, very skillful. Unfortunately they have to go home, but they also deserve to be in the [round of] 16."
Italy finished first in Group E with seven points on two wins a draw, and Ghana goes through as the second place team with six points from two wins. The 2006 World Cup has ended for the Czech Republic, which had three points, and the United States, which had one point
1 brewer | |
n. 啤酒制造者 | |
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2 controversy | |
n.争论,辩论,争吵 | |
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3 berths | |
n.(船、列车等的)卧铺( berth的名词复数 );(船舶的)停泊位或锚位;差事;船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 );占铺位 | |
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4 dribbled | |
v.流口水( dribble的过去式和过去分词 );(使液体)滴下或作细流;运球,带球 | |
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5 momentum | |
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
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6 discretion | |
n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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7 referee | |
n.裁判员.仲裁人,代表人,鉴定人 | |
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8 defender | |
n.保卫者,拥护者,辩护人 | |
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9 questionable | |
adj.可疑的,有问题的 | |
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10 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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11 relinquish | |
v.放弃,撤回,让与,放手 | |
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12 arena | |
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台 | |
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13 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
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14 justified | |
a.正当的,有理的 | |
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15 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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16 fouls | |
n.煤层尖灭;恶劣的( foul的名词复数 );邪恶的;难闻的;下流的v.使污秽( foul的第三人称单数 );弄脏;击球出界;(通常用废物)弄脏 | |
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17 referees | |
n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 );证明人;公断人;(专业性强的文章的)审阅人 | |
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18 insistence | |
n.坚持;强调;坚决主张 | |
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19 mandate | |
n.托管地;命令,指示 | |
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20 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
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21 elimination | |
n.排除,消除,消灭 | |
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