| All 32 teams have played one match each as the | | | | Pre-tournament favourites Brazil looked less than |
| World Cup has begun in explosive fashion, but are | | | | convincing as they beat Croatia 1-0. Kaka scored a |
| things going according to plan for the favourites or are | | | | spectacular goal a minute before the break but |
| the underdogs having a say in proceedings? This is a | | | | Croatia were guilty of squandering several chances as |
| short round-up of Groups E to H, of the results as they | | | | Carlos Alberto Parreira's side ensured a 2/5 winning |
| stand after one match. | | | | bet. |
| Group E | | | | Group G |
| 1. Czech Republic 3pts, 2. Italy 3pts, 3. Ghana 0pts, 4. | | | | 1. South Korea 3pts, 2. France 1pt, 3. Switzerland 1pt, 4. |
| USA 0pts | | | | Togo 0pts |
| The Czech Republic showed they have real dark | | | | South Korea, semi finalists of four years ago, could |
| horse credentials after sweeping aside the USA. | | | | have been the victims of an opening match upset as |
| Available at 33/1 to win the tournament outright before | | | | unfancied Togo took the lead through Mohamed after |
| kick-off and even money to win their first match, the | | | | 31 minutes. Lee Chun Soo equalised nine minutes into |
| Czechs look to be a team worth following. They took | | | | the second half and Ahn Jung Hwan, who famously |
| just five minutes to break the deadlock through Jan | | | | dumped Italy out of the 2002 World Cup and was |
| Koller, who later went off injured, while new Arsenal | | | | then sacked by club employers Perugia, struck the |
| signing Tomas Rosicky struck on 36 and 76 to seal an | | | | winner on 72 for the 11/10 Koreans. |
| emphatic victory. | | | | France continued where they left off four years ago |
| Notorious slow starters Italy wasted no time | | | | by not scoring any goals as they drew 0-0 with |
| themselves as they beat Ghana 2-0. After waves of | | | | Switzerland. Both sides drew with eachother during |
| Italian pressure, Andrea Pirlo finally netted five minutes | | | | qualifying so another stalemate at 9/4 was not a |
| before half-time for the 1/2 Azzurri. Substitute | | | | shock result. |
| Vincenzo Iaquinta added a second seven minutes | | | | Group H |
| from time. | | | | 1. Spain 3pts, 2. Saudi Arabia 1pt, 3. Tunisa 1pt, 4. |
| Group F | | | | Ukraine 0pts |
| 1. Australia 3pts, 2. Brazil 3pts, 3. Croatia 0pts, 4. Japan | | | | Spain laughed off their "underachiever" tag by crushing |
| 0pts | | | | dark horse choice Ukraine 4-0 to send them top of the |
| Japan looked set to beat Australia until a spectacular | | | | group after one match. Xabi Alonso opened the |
| collapse six minutes from time. Shunsuke Nakamura | | | | scoring after 13 minutes, David Villa netted his first on |
| gave Japan the lead after 26 minutes but two goals | | | | 17 and converted a penalty three minutes into the |
| from Everton's Tim Cahill after 84 and 89 minutes and | | | | second half. Manchester United target Fernando |
| a stoppage time goal from John Aloisi gifted the 13/10 | | | | Torres completed the rout nine minutes before the |
| Socceroos an unlikely victory. | | | | final whistle for the 4/5 Spaniards. |