Brazil open defence with new record

France can’t roll Swiss over

First away day for South Korea

—– Brazil open their defence of the World Cup with a 1-0 win against Croatia in Berlin.
Kaka’s brilliant strike just before the interval clinches the reigning champions’ eighth finals win in a row, so surpassing Italy’s record of seven consecutive wins in 1934 and 1938.
They generally struggle to trouble a well-marshalled Croatia team with the ineffective performance by Ronaldo causing most concern.
The star striker is two goals short of equalling Gerd Muller’s aggregate World Cup finals goals total but his participation in the rest of the tournament is brought into question.

—– 1998 winners France begin their bid for glory with a drab goalless draw with Switzerland in Stuttgart.
The French and Swiss met in the Europe qualifying groups and, as both those games ended in draws, a close encounter was expected.
As the hot weather continues, both teams found it difficult to raise the tempo though.
The consolation for Switzerland is that they have, at last, kept a clean sheet in a World Cup finals game. It was their 23rd attempt which, not surprisingly, is a World Cup record.
France are on the verge of an unwanted competition though. They have failed to score in four games since the 1998 Final. If they fail to find the South Korea net in their next game, a team containing the likes of Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane will equal Bolivia’s record of five goalless games in a row in 1930 and 1934.

—– At their 15th attempt, South Korea win their first World Cup finals game on foreign soil.
Having contributed so much to the competition when they co-hosted the finals four years ago, the Koreans are pushed all the way by debutants Togo who take the lead through Mohamed Kader.
The Hawks’ hopes are hit early in the second half though when captain Jean-Paul Yaovi Abalo is sent-off by Premiership referee Graham Poll for a second bookable offence.
South Korea take full advantage with goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan as Togo tire in the heat.
Having resigned four days earlier, coach Otto Pfister takes charge of the Togo team but his future remains in doubt.

—– Meanwhile back in England, only days after pledging his future to Hull City, manager Peter Taylor is named the new boss of their Championship rivals Crystal Palace.
The Tigers chief had led the Yorkshire club from 18th in the old Third Division to 18th in the Championship in less than four years in charge.
The England Under-21 coach rejected a move to the Premiership with Charlton Athletic last month stating he still had ‘unfinished business’ at the KC Stadium.
One of Palace’s most popular former players, he fills the vacancy left at Selhurst Park due to the departure of Iain Dowie to…. Charlton Athletic.

—– Hartlepool United also have a new boss as Danny Wilson replaces Paul Stephenson at Victoria Park.
The former Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday boss was sacked by Milton Keynes Dons last month.
Both the Dons and Hartlepool were relegated from League One at the end of the season.