CERRITOS / CARSON, CA (smt) -- In a somewhat lackluster 3rd place match, 1A-Germany (5-1-1) routed 1D-Portugal (4-2-1), 3-1. A scoreless first half highlighted one of the lowest scoring WCs but both GER and POR came out firing in the 2nd half. POR ended its 2nd best WC by snapping their scoreless streak at 365 minutes (their 88th minute goal, possibly Luis FIGO's last WC assist).

POR took the game seriously enough to dive several times, but each time, the ref saw the acting. It's unfortunate, though, that the ref didn't give yellow cards for diving. GER ended with the tourney with the most goals (13) and shots (113) providing lots of entertainment for the home town fans.

The game was just for fun in the pool except that for those who are tied, the tiebreaker currently stands at 4 goals with one game remaining. Again, if FRA wins the current top 4 stay the same but if ITA wins, NICO takes 2nd place and pushes HOFBRAU FUTBAL out of the money.

WC STATS: 63 matches (14 ties)... 145 goals (2.30 per game)... 27 Red Cards (4-TRI, 14-TOG, 15-UKR, 17-POL, 21-SCG, 22-ANG, 25-ITA, 25-USA(2), 26-CZE, 39-MEX, 38-SCG, 38-CIV, 41-CZE, 44-CRO(2), 44-AUS, 48-TUN, 49-SWE, 52-POR(2), 52-NED(2), 53-ITA, 55-GHA, 58-ARG, 59-ENG); team with advantage (14 goals for, 1 against (53-ITA))... 16 PKs (12/16) (15-ESP (G), 24-POR (G), 26-GHA (LP), 28-CRO (S), 31-ESP (G), 39-POR (G), 39-MEX(H), 38-CIV(G), 38-CIV(G), 42-GHA(G), 44-AUS(G), 48-UKR(G), 49-SWE(H), 53-ITA(G), 56-ESP(G), 62-FRA(G))... Scoring first: 41-8-7 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 34-CRC, 38-SCG, 43-JPN, 50-MEX, 56-ESP)... Shutouts: 45 (6 0:0 ties)... Leading at the half: 28-4-3 (12-JPN, 14-TOG, 31-TUN, 38-SCG)... Both teams scoring in the first half: 12 (1-GER-CRC 2:1, 7-MEX-IRN 1:1, 25-ITA-USA 1:1, 22-NED-CIV 2:1, 34-CRC-POL 1:1, 39-POR-MEX 2:1, 38-CIV-SCG 1:2, 42-GHA-USA 2:1, 43-JPN-BRA 1:1, 44-CRO-AUS 1:1, 50-ARG-MEX 1:1, 56-ESP-FRA 1:1)... Own goals: 4 (3-PAR, 25-ITA, 36-TRI, 63-POR)... ET/OT: 5 (50-ARG-MEX 1:0, 54-SUI-UKR 0:0, 59-GER-ARG 0:0, 60-ENG-POR 0:0, 61-GER-ITA 0:1)... PSO: 3 (54-SUI-UKR 0:3 [3+], 57-GER-ARG 4:2 [4], 59-ENG-POR 1:3 [4+])