2006 FIFA World Cup Group F explained

Play in Group F of the 2006 FIFA World Cup began on 12 June and completed on 22 June 2006. Brazil won the group and advanced to the round of 16, along with runners-up Australia. Croatia and Japan failed to advance. Australia's win against Japan was the first (and so far only) by a team from the Oceania Football Confederation, having switched to the Asian Football Confederation after the tournament. It is also the only time that a team from the OFC has advanced to the second round of the tournament, as in 1974 Australia went out in the first round.

Standings

• Brazil advanced to play Ghana (runners-up of Group E) in the round of 16.
• Australia advanced to play Italy (winner of Group E) in the round of 16.

Matches

All times local (CEST/UTC+2)

Australia vs Japan

See also: Australia–Japan football rivalry.

GK 1 Mark Schwarzer CB 3 CB 2 Lucas Neill CB 14 Scott Chipperfield RM 20 CM 7 Brett Emerton CM 13 CM 23 LM 5 Jason Culina CF 10 Harry Kewell CF 9 Mark Viduka (c) Substitutions: MF 4 FW 19 FW 15 Manager: Guus Hiddink

GK 23 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi CB 19 CB 5 Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (c) CB 22 Yuji Nakazawa RM 3 Yūichi Komano CM 7 Hidetoshi Nakata CM 15 Takashi Fukunishi LM 14 Alex AM 10 Shunsuke Nakamura CF 9 CF 13 Substitutions: DF 2 MF 18 FW 16 Manager: Zico

Man of the Match: Tim Cahill (Australia) Assistant referees: Dramane Danté (Mali) Mamadou N'Doye (Senegal) Fourth official: Éric Poulat (France) Fifth official: Vincent Texier (France)

Brazil vs Croatia

GK 1 Dida RB 2 Cafu (c) CB 3 Lúcio CB 4 Juan LB 6 Roberto Carlos CM 5 CM 11 Zé Roberto AM 8 Kaká AM 10 Ronaldinho CF 7 Adriano CF 9 Substitutions: FW 23 Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira

GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa CB 7 Dario Šimić CB 4 CB 3 Josip Šimunić RM 2 Darijo Srna CM 5 CM 10 Niko Kovač (c) LM 8 Marko Babić AM 19 Niko Kranjčar CF 17 CF 9 Dado Pršo Substitutions: MF 16 FW 18 Manager: Zlatko Kranjčar

Man of the Match: Kaká (Brazil) Assistant referees: José Ramírez (Mexico) Héctor Vergara (Canada) Fourth official: Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco) Fifth official: Brahim Djezzar (Algeria)

Japan vs Croatia

GK 23 RB 21 Akira Kaji CB 5 Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (c) CB 22 Yuji Nakazawa LB 14 RM 7 Hidetoshi Nakata CM 15 LM 8 Mitsuo Ogasawara AM 10 Shunsuke Nakamura CF 9 CF 13 Substitutions: MF 17 FW 20 MF 16 Manager: Zico

GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa CB 7 Dario Šimić CB 4 CB 3 Josip Šimunić RM 2 CM 5 CM 10 Niko Kovač (c) LM 8 Marko Babić AM 19 CF 17 Ivan Klasnić CF 9 Dado Pršo Substitutions: FW 18 MF 14 FW 22 Manager: Zlatko Kranjčar

Man of the Match: Hidetoshi Nakata (Japan) Assistant referees: Peter Hermans (Belgium) Walter Vromans (Belgium) Fourth official: Kevin Stott (United States) Fifth official: Gregory Barkey (United States)

Brazil vs Australia

GK 1 Dida RB 2 Cafu (c) CB 3 Lúcio CB 4 Juan LB 6 Roberto Carlos CM 5 CM 11 Zé Roberto AM 8 Kaká AM 10 Ronaldinho CF 7 CF 9 Substitutions: MF 17 FW 23 FW 21 Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira

GK 1 Mark Schwarzer CB 3 CB 2 Lucas Neill CB 6 RM 7 CM 13 Vince Grella LM 14 Scott Chipperfield RW 5 AM 4 LW 21 Mile Sterjovski CF 9 Mark Viduka (c) Substitutions: MF 23 FW 10 FW 15 Manager: Guus Hiddink

Man of the Match: Zé Roberto (Brazil) Assistant referees: Christian Schräer (Germany) Jan-Hendrik Salver (Germany) Fourth official: Marco Rodríguez (Mexico) Fifth official: Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)

Japan vs Brazil

GK 23 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi RB 21 CB 19 Keisuke Tsuboi CB 22 Yuji Nakazawa (c) LB 14 Alex RM 8 CM 7 Hidetoshi Nakata CM 17 Junichi Inamoto LM 10 Shunsuke Nakamura CF 11 CF 20 Keiji Tamada Substitutions: DF 6 FW 9 FW 16 Manager: Zico

GK 1 Dida (c) RB 13 Cicinho CB 3 Lúcio CB 4 Juan LB 16 RM 8 CM 19 Juninho CM 17 Gilberto Silva LM 10 CF 23 Robinho CF 9 Ronaldo Substitutions: MF 11 MF 20 GK 12 Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Man of the Match: Ronaldo (Brazil) Assistant referees: Lionel Dagorne (France) Vincent Texier (France) Fourth official: Jerome Damon (South Africa) Fifth official: Enock Molefe (South Africa)

Croatia vs Australia

GK 1 CB 7 CB 13 CB 3 [1] RM 2 Darijo Srna CM 5 CM 10 Niko Kovač (c) LM 8 Marko Babić AM 19 CF 18 CF 9 Dado Pršo Substitutions: MF 16 MF 14 FW 17 Manager: Zlatko Kranjčar

GK 18 Zeljko Kalac CB 3 Craig Moore CB 2 Lucas Neill CB 14 RM 21 CM 13 CM 7 LM 5 Jason Culina AM 4 Tim Cahill AM 10 Harry Kewell CF 9 Mark Viduka (c) Substitutions: FW 15 MF 23 FW 19 Manager: Guus Hiddink

Man of the Match: Harry Kewell (Australia) Assistant referees: Philip Sharp (England) Glen Turner (England) Fourth official: Kevin Stott (United States) Fifth official: Gregory Barkey (United States)

See also

• Australia at the FIFA World Cup
• Brazil at the FIFA World Cup
• Croatia at the FIFA World Cup
• Japan at the FIFA World Cup

Notes and References

1. Šimunić was given three yellow cards in the match: the referee (Graham Poll) failed to send him off the pitch after the second yellow, and was only red carded after the third yellow. The original FIFA match report listed all three yellow cards, however was revised shortly after, with the second yellow card (90') not being recorded; it is unknown whether this was for consistency in the reports, or whether the card was retrospectively overturned.