Newcomers not just along for the ride
7 December 2005
by FIFAworldcup.com
Enlarge Photo
Photo Gallery
Every FIFA World Cup™ has its share of first-time finalists, some of whom invariably make a mockery of pre-tournament forecasts and send shockwaves around the world. Cameroon, Costa Rica, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Senegal, to name a few, have all defied the odds at one time or another and covered themselves in glory.
The teams set to debut at Germany 2006 are a diverse group, each with their own story to tell. Some were territories of former countries that had long and rich footballing heritages, such as Serbia and Montenegro, who previously played as Yugoslavia, and the Czech Republic, whose history was as half of a Czechoslovakia side that reached two FIFA World Cup finals.
Then there are those sides who, in spite of making their debut at the finals, have players of international standing who are gracing the world's top leagues. Among this group are Ukraine, with Andriy Schevchenko as their standard bearer, Côte d'Ivoire, who boast star striker Didier Drogba, and Ghana, who have the highly rated Michael Essien bossing their midfield.
Finally, there are the lesser known sides whose players come mainly from the respective countries' domestic leagues or from the lower divisions in Europe. Trinidad and Tobago, Togo and Angola all fall into this category. Nevertheless, their opponents in Germany would be unwise to underestimate them, as several big-name sides found out to their cost during the qualifiers. Having already defied the odds in making it to finals, they remain confident they can do so again in Germany.
Trinidad and Tobago, a mix of guile and guidance
Only nine months ago, a forlorn-looking Trinidad and Tobago were languishing at the bottom of CONCACAF's 'Hexagonal' qualifying group and seemingly out of the running for Germany. All that changed with the arrival of veteran Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker, who immediately brought to bear the experience of a long career in places like the Netherlands, Spain and Mexico, turning the team's fortunes around in a few short months.
By the end of the campaign the Soca Warriors had achieved the impossible and booked their place at a FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history. Their success was down partly to the organisation and confidence Beenhakker brought to the side, and partly to the talent of his players, many of who are already legends in this small nation of just over one million people.
Enlarge Photo
Photo Gallery
Dwight Yorke, a UEFA Champions League winner from his time at Manchester United, was the main driving force in the squad, though by no means the only one. Their powerful striker Stern John, who plays his football in England, got the all-important goals in the 2-1 win over Mexico that took them into the play-offs, while the gifted Russell Latapy played a key role in restoring balance to the midfield. With these able individuals forming the nucleus of a solid and disciplined side, T&T will be hoping to emulate the exploits of their Caribbean neighbours Jamaica, who recorded a glorious win over Japan (2-1), in their first FIFA World Cup adventure at France 98.
Togo, flying high
At 1.91m, Emmanuel Adebayor is not only one of the most effective strikers in the game today, he is also one of the tallest. His 11 goals on the way to Germany 2006 made him the top scorer in the African qualifiers. His physical presence and sheer quality have made him Togo's star man, although there is a lot more to Stephen Keshi's side than just Adebayor.
The reliability of French-based goalkeeper Kossi Agassa, the stoic defending of Jean-Paul Abalo and the incisive attacking of Abdel Coubaja, scorer of two goals in qualifying, are just some of the reasons why Togo feel they can cause an upset in Germany. As they prepare for their first FIFA World Cup, the Togolese know only too well that there will be a steep learning curve at the finals. However, if Senegal were able to work wonders at Korea/Japan 2002, and Togo able to deny the Senegalese a place at Germany 2006, who is to say the Hawks have no right to dream of glory?
Angola, the value of hard work
Of the 32 qualifiers, perhaps Angola are the side the world knows least about, with the possible exception of the powerful Mantorras, who has made a name for himself at Benfica. The bulk of their players line up for African or Portuguese outfits and we have seen on numerous occasions that sneaking in under the radar can be a big plus when teams know how to take advantage of it.
No one knows this better than Luis Oliveira Goncalves's men. When destiny threw the Palancas Negras together with continental superpower Nigeria in Group 4 of the African Zone, very few gave them any chance of going through. Yet when the curtain came down on the marathon campaign in October, it was the cohesive and disciplined Angolans who came out on top, ironically by virtue of their superior head-to-head record against the Super Eagles.
So Angola should not be discounted either, especially if Akwa, their most influential figure in the qualifiers, can carry his form through to June 2006, and goalkeeper Joao Pereira continues to show why he had the second lowest goals-against record on the continent.
source
www.fifaworldcup.com