A look at team-by-team performance at the World Cup
June 30, 2002
GROUP F
ARGENTINA - eliminated 1st rd
ENGLAND - eliminated quarter-finals
NIGERIA - eliminated 1st rd
SWEDEN - eliminated 2nd rd
Dailysoccer
1st rd:
Argentina 1 Nigeria 0
Argentina 0 England 1
Argentina 1 Sweden 1
Along with France the Argentines were the real flops of the event. They arrived having raced through the Latin American qualifiers and were seen as joint favourites with the French.
Gabriel Batistuta's header duly beat Nigeria - but David Beckham's penalty gave England a win in the most eagerly-awaited match of the first round. A draw with Sweden was scarcely merited - and by then the Swedes had done enough to join England in the last 16. Batistuta's generation have had their day
Midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron believed bad luck was to blame as they had worked hard to prepare. But their game lacked fluency and it wasn't 'just like watching Brazil' as the two neighbouring countries swapped roles, compared to what had gone in the qualifiers.
1st rd:
England 1 Sweden 1
England 1 Argentina 0
England 0 Nigeria 0
2nd rd:
England 3 Denmark 0
Quarter-final:
England 1 Brazil 2
England looked as if they might have blown their chances with two dropped points against the Swedes in the 'Group of Death'. Instead, they saw off Argentina, who eventually crashed out, then took the point they needed from Nigeria. Against the Danes three first-half goals, Michael Owen getting off the mark, made for a stroll.
But Brazil proved too strong for them in the quarter-finals despite Owen's opener. The two former champions had not met since Brazil's famous 1-0 win in the 1970 group phase. Owen took advantage of Lucio's error to fire England ahead but Ronaldinho's brilliant run set up a fantastic finish from Rivaldo and Ronaldinho then swept in a mesmerising freekick over keeper David Seaman to win the match - even if the Brazilian would be sent off six minutes later. In the second half and with Ronaldinho having been dismissed England just couldn't find a way through.
1st rd:
Nigeria 0 Argentina 1
Nigeria 1 Sweden 2
Nigeria 0 England 0
Arrived with potential - but didn't fulfil it. The Nigerians could have snatched a point off Argentina but thanks to Batistuta's forehead they didn't quite pull it off. As morale sagged Sweden tipped the low-flying Super Eagles over the edge. A point against England in the heat did not nothing to lift the gloom.
Julius Aghahowa did get on the scoresheet against the Swedes to go through his back flips routine. But the football was by no means as spectacular.
1st rd:
Sweden 1 England 1
Sweden 2 Nigeria 1
Sweden 1 Argentina 1
Sweden had England on the ropes in their 'Group of Death' opener and might easily have claimed all three points.
Henrik Larsson scored a double against Nigeria and although a late Hernan Crespo goal saved Argentine blushes in a 1-1 draw Anders Svensson had scored earlier to get the point that the Scandinavians needed.
When it came to Senegal, however, Larsson - although he scored - and company were less effective as Henri Camara's double, the second a golden goal, sent the Swedes out.