TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
On this day 27 June 2006 (Exactly 13 years ago) Ronaldo became the highest scorer in FIFA World Cup finals history as Brazil beat Ghana to book a quarter-final place against France.
The then 29-year-old took just five minutes to go past Gerd Muller’s tally of 14, latching on to Kaka’s through ball and rounding Richard Kingson to slot home.
Adriano tapped in Cafu’s cross and Ze Roberto ran through to wrap it up while Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan was sent off.
John Mensah had the Africans’ best chance, but Dida saved his header.
The scoreline was perhaps a touch harsh on Ghana, who recovered from a horror start to match their more illustrious opponents.
It was a start made more remarkable by the African side’s defensive naivety than Brazil’s attacking prowess, as twice in five minutes they got caught out at the back.
The first time they were saved by a flag incorrectly ruling Ronaldo offside, the second time they pushed up and allowed Kaka to feed in Ronaldo, who shimmied past Kingson and slotted in.
Still Ghana failed to learn. Ze Roberto found Adriano in acres of space only for the striker to fluff his lines, trying to round Kingson but falling to the floor and being booked for a dive.
Brazil began strolling – if they needed a reminder they were in a game Matthew Amoah’s 20-yard drive that flew just wide should have done the trick.
But it did not seem to, as Amoah shot straight at Dida and then Gyan turned Lucio superbly before rifling over on the stretch from 12 yards.
Two minutes before half-time, they had a golden chance to level. Mensah rose unchallenged from a corner, but to Ghana’s dismay his bullet header struck Dida’s leg and bounced away from danger.
Just before the break they were punished when Brazil launched a quick counter-attack and Cafu crossed for a seemingly offside Adriano to bundle home
Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic was so incensed that he was sent to the stands for the second half after remonstrating with the referee.
The second goal was hard on Ghana after a spirited response to their early errors and to their credit they continued to plough forward after the break.
John Pantsil flashed a header wide from another set-piece and Gyan and Haminu Draman both wildly lashed over from good positions.
As Brazil sat back Stephen Appiah fed in Gyan, but the hero of the win over Czech Republic was foiled again by an impressive diving stop from Dida.
Until Gyan was sent off – his second yellow card was for diving – Brazil did not look like adding to their tally, a Pantsil header at his own goal a rare venture into the Ghana penalty area.
But with 11 against 10 they stepped up the pace and Ghana’s misery was compounded when substitute Ricardinho floated a ball over the top and Ze Roberto flicked it past Kingson, ran round him and rolled into an empty net.
Brazil: Dida, Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Carlos, Emerson (Silva 45), Ze Roberto, Kaka (Ricardinho 83), Ronaldinho, Adriano (Juninho 61), Ronaldo.
Subs Not Used: Cicinho, Cris, Fred, Gilberto, Julio Cesar, Luisao, Mineiro, Rogerio, Robinho.
Booked: Adriano, Juan.
Goals: Ronaldo( 5)
Adriano (45)
Ze Roberto (84)
Ghana: Kingson, Pantsil, Shilla, Mensah, Pappoe, Draman, Eric Addo (Boateng 60), Appiah, Muntari, Amoah (Tachie-Mensah 69), Gyan.
Subs Not Used: Otto Addo, Adjei, Ahmed, Kuffour, Mohamed, Owu, Pimpong, Quaye, Sarpei.
Sent Off: Gyan (81).
Booked: Appiah, Muntari, Pantsil, Eric Addo, Gyan.
Attendance : 65,000.
Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).
Fifa man-of-the-match: Ze Roberto
NB: Germany’s Miroslav Klose is now the top goalscorer of the FIFA World Cup with 16 goals.
On this day 27 June 1984 (Exactly 35 years ago) Michel Platini scored his ninth goal of the European Championship finals and Bruno Ballone added the gloss in the final minute as the hosts beat Spain 2-0 and won their first ever major trophy.
With so much at stake and against such wholehearted opponents, France were never going to have things all their own way in the 1984 UEFA European Championship showpiece.
Indeed, Spain got into their stride more quickly, Santiago Urquiaga causing problems with his crosses. Yet Michel Platini had captivated the continent as he had opposition defences all tournament, and the moment he notched up goal No9 at the Parc des Princes (no other side struck as many at the finals, let alone player) there was little doubt about the winner. Bruno Bellone made sure late on.
Spain were on the back foot almost from the off, with Ricardo Gallego and Francisco Carrasco booked in quick succession as they attempted to stem the tide. Yet for all their intent the hosts failed to create a single clear-cut chance in the first half; at the other end Santillana, fantastic in the air for a man who was no giant, had a header cleared off the line by Patrick Battiston then shot just wide.
There was little improvement at the start of the second period when Salva was penalised for fouling Bernard Lacombe just outside the penalty area. Platini’s free-kick was not one of his best, sweeping low round the wall but almost into Luis Arconada’s hands.
The goalkeeper had been saving better shots all fortnight, redeeming himself after a nervous FIFA World Cup effort at home in 1982. But as he dropped to collect the shot and pulled it in to his body, he somehow let it creep out and over the line as he tried to claw it back. One captain’s gift to the other, it sapped the spirit which had sustained Spain throughout the tournament.
Despite Santillana’s continued aerial defiance, there was no way back, Yvon Le Roux’s sending off five minutes from time coming too late. Instead Jean Tigana, the player of the tournament despite Platini’s goals, sent Bellone through to chip Arconada for the only one of France’s 14 goals to have been scored by a striker, a statistic the new champions could live with.
France were fortunate to have been playing at home, but it was good to see that generation of players win something in between their two FIFA World Cup semi-finals. No one seriously disputed their right to be called the best in Europe: they played 12 matches in that calendar year, winning them all
On this day 27 June 1890 ( Exactly 129 years ago) George Dixon became the first black world boxing champion in any weight class, while also being the 1st ever Canadian-born boxing champion, when he knocked out out Nunc Wallace of England in 18 rounds, gaining the World Bantamweight Championship.
George Dixon was a Black-Canadian professional boxer. Dixon was born in Africville, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Known as “Little Chocolate,” he stood 5 ft 3 1/2 inches tall and weighed only 87 pounds when he began his professional boxing career. Dixon claimed the World Bantamweight Championship in 1888 and was officially considered the champion on June 27, 1890
The following year, on May 31, 1891, Dixon beat Cal McCarthy in 22 rounds to win the Featherweight title. He lost his title in a 15-round decision to Abe Attell on October 28, 1901. Dixon is interred in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts. There is a recreation centre named after him in downtown Halifax.
On this day 27 June 1914 (Exactly 105 years ago) Jack Johnson, the first Negro heavyweight champion of the world, beat
Frank Moran by points in round 20 of 20 for heavyweight boxing title in Paris, France
Referee: Georges Carpentier
World Heavyweight Title (8th defense by Johnson)
On this day 27 June 1988 (Exactly 31 years ago) Mike Tyson KO Michael Spink in 91 seconds at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Retained WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles;
Won The Ring and lineal heavyweight titles
On this day 27 June 1992 (Exactly 27 years ago) 193rd ranked tennis player Andrei Olhovskiy of Russia defeated number one seed Jim Courier 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the 3rd round at Wimbledon.
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH
