2006年VOA标准英语-World Cup Quarterfinals Set to Begin

By Parke Brewer¹
Berlin
29 June 2006

After 19 straight days of matches in the first and second rounds at the World Cup in Germany there were two days off Wednesday and Thursday. VOA Sports Editor Parke Brewer is in Berlin and takes a look at what's in store for the quarterfinals Friday and Saturday.

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Berlin Olympic Stadium  
  
Of the eight teams that remain, six are from Europe and two from South America, and all are ranked in the top 20 in the world except Ukraine, which is 45th.

First up is the game here in Berlin Friday between host Germany and Argentina.

 
Franz Beckenbauer 
  
Head of the German organizing committee Franz Beckenbauer, the only man to have won the World Cup as a player (1974) and a coach (l990), offered his thoughts on the game.

"It's going to be an interesting match, because both teams are at the same level, and perhaps the home advantage can make a difference, because there is enthusiasm carrying the German team," said Franz Beckenbauer. "But I'm quite confident the German team will make it to the semifinals."

In Friday's second match, Italy plays Ukraine in Hamburg.

Ukraine, in its first-ever World Cup, reached the final eight by getting past Switzerland in a penalty² kick shootout (3-0) following a scoreless draw.

Ukrainian coach Oleg Blokin, said he knows his team faces a difficult challenge against Italy.

"We have proceeded so far in this tournament that it's almost like a dream," said Oleg Blokin. "I think all the teams really play very good football that have proceeded so far, and the Italian lineup is a very good, a very solid lineup. They're very dangerous too and it's hard to create chances against Italy."

The first World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday features England versus³ Portugal in Gelsenkirchen, then reigning⁴ champion Brazil goes against 1998 champion France in Frankfurt.

Portugal advanced with a foul-plagued 1-0 win over the Netherlands in which a World Cup record was tied for the number of yellow cards issued with 16, and a record four players were sent off. Two were Portuguese⁵ starters, Costinha and Deco (one name for each), who will have to sit out the England match. 

Luiz Felipe Scolari   
  
But Portugal's Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, said he expects his team to rise to the challenge.

"Obviously we're going to have to change one or two things given that we can't use two players," said Luiz Felipe Scolari. "We have players sufficient on the bench. I'm not concerned in that sense. I had 23 players. I have 21 now, with a will that I've never seen in a Portuguese team, and sometimes the will overcomes the quality that England has."

Brazil heads into its quarterfinal against France having allowed only one goal in four World Cup games while scoring ten. But the Brazilians have received criticism from some that their style of play has not been up to expectations.
 
 
Brazil's Ronaldo (l) and  Ronaldinho relax after a training session
  
Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, said that is the least of his worries.

"Why do we have to play beautiful football and the others don't? If we can, we will," said Carlos Alberto Parreira. "Obviously we would like to play beautiful football. We like the beautiful game. But more than that, we want to be champions. The historical records register champions, not beautiful games. We have five world championships under our belly⁶ and we want to fight for the sixth."

Brazil's opponent France is looking for its second World Cup after winning as host eight years ago

1 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

2 penalty   

n.处罚，刑罚，罚款

参考例句：

• If you knock the ball with your hand in football,you will suffer a penalty.如果在踢足球时你用手碰到球，你将受到处罚。
• One of those arrested could face the death penalty.被捕的那些人中有一人可能被判死刑。

3 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

4 reigning   

adj.统治的，起支配作用的

参考例句：

• The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
• Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。

5 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

6 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。