2002 FIFA World Cup Group F

The Group F of the 2002 FIFA World Cup lasted from 2 to 12 June 2002. Sweden won the group, and advanced to the second round, along with England. The two sides were level on points, but Sweden won the tie-break on goals scored, and so won the group with England in second place. Argentina and Nigeria failed to advance. Group F was considered by several commentators to be a 'group of death' due to the high rankings, and World Cup records of the teams in the group.^[1]

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sweden	3	1	2	0	4	3	+1	5	Advance to knockout stage
2	England	3	1	2	0	2	1	+1	5
3	Argentina	3	1	1	1	2	2	0	4
4	Nigeria	3	0	1	2	1	3	−2	1

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria

• Sweden advanced to play Senegal (runner-up of Group A) in the round of 16.
• England advanced to play Denmark (winner of Group A) in the round of 16.

Matches

All times local (UTC+9)

Argentina vs Nigeria

2 June 2002

14:30

Argentina	1–0	Nigeria
Batistuta 63'	Report

Kashima Soccer Stadium, Ibaraki

Attendance: 34,050

Referee: Gilles Veissière (France)

Argentina

Nigeria

GK 12 Pablo Cavallero CB 4 Mauricio Pochettino CB 6 Walter Samuel  51' CB 13 Diego Placente RWB 8 Javier Zanetti LWB 3 Juan Pablo Sorín CM 14 Diego Simeone  90' CM 11 Juan Sebastián Verón (c)  78' RF 10 Ariel Ortega CF 9 Gabriel Batistuta  81' LF 7 Claudio López  46' Substitutions: MF 18 Kily González  46' MF 16 Pablo Aimar  78' FW 19 Hernán Crespo  81' Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

GK 1 Ike Shorunmu RB 2 Joseph Yobo CB 6 Taribo West CB 5 Isaac Okoronkwo LB 3 Celestine Babayaro DM 16 Efe Sodje  73'  73' RM 10 Jay-Jay Okocha (c) LM 11 Garba Lawal SS 4 Nwankwo Kanu  48' CF 17 Julius Aghahowa CF 9 Bartholomew Ogbeche Substitutions: MF 7 Pius Ikedia  48' MF 15 Justice Christopher  73' Manager: Festus Onigbinde

Man of the Match: Juan Sebastián Verón (Argentina) Assistant referees: Frédéric Arnault (France) Heiner Müller (Germany) Fourth official: Markus Merk (Germany)

England vs Sweden

2 June 2002

18:30

England	1–1	Sweden
Campbell 24'	Report	Alexandersson 59'

Saitama Stadium, Saitama

Attendance: 52,721

Referee: Carlos Simon (Brazil)

England

Sweden

GK 1 David Seaman RB 2 Danny Mills CB 5 Rio Ferdinand CB 6 Sol Campbell  12' LB 3 Ashley Cole RM 7 David Beckham (c)  63' CM 18 Owen Hargreaves CM 8 Paul Scholes LM 20 Darius Vassell  74' CF 11 Emile Heskey CF 10 Michael Owen Substitutions: MF 23 Kieron Dyer  63' MF 19 Joe Cole  74' Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

GK 1 Magnus Hedman RB 2 Olof Mellberg CB 15 Andreas Jakobsson  73' CB 4 Johan Mjällby (c) LB 16 Teddy Lučić RM 7 Niclas Alexandersson CM 6 Tobias Linderoth CM 17 Magnus Svensson  56' LM 9 Freddie Ljungberg CF 10 Marcus Allbäck  45+2'  80' CF 11 Henrik Larsson Substitutions: MF 8 Anders Svensson  56' FW 22 Andreas Andersson  80' Managers: Lars Lagerbäck Tommy Söderberg

Man of the Match: Sol Campbell (England) Assistant referees: Jorge Oliveira (Brazil) Yury Dupanov (Belarus) Fourth official: Mark Shield (Australia)

Sweden vs Nigeria

7 June 2002

15:30

Sweden	2–1	Nigeria
Larsson 35', 63' (pen.)	Report	Aghahowa 27'

Wing Stadium, Kobe

Attendance: 36,194

Referee: René Ortubé (Bolivia)

Sweden

Nigeria

GK 1 Magnus Hedman RB 2 Olof Mellberg CB 15 Andreas Jakobsson CB 4 Johan Mjällby (c)  31' LB 16 Teddy Lučić RM 7 Niclas Alexandersson  69' CM 6 Tobias Linderoth CM 8 Anders Svensson  83' LM 9 Freddie Ljungberg CF 10 Marcus Allbäck  64' CF 11 Henrik Larsson Substitutions: FW 22 Andreas Andersson  64' MF 17 Magnus Svensson  83' Managers: Lars Lagerbäck Tommy Söderberg

GK 1 Ike Shorunmu RB 2 Joseph Yobo CB 6 Taribo West  80' CB 5 Isaac Okoronkwo LB 14 Ifeanyi Udeze RM 10 Jay-Jay Okocha (c) CM 15 Justice Christopher LM 3 Celestine Babayaro  65' AM 21 John Utaka CF 17 Julius Aghahowa CF 9 Bartholomew Ogbeche  70' Substitutions: FW 4 Nwankwo Kanu  65' MF 7 Pius Ikedia  70' Manager: Festus Onigbinde

Man of the Match: Henrik Larsson (Sweden) Assistant referees: Miguel Giacomuzzi (Paraguay) Mat Lazim Awang Hamat (Malaysia) Fourth official: Toru Kamikawa (Japan)

Argentina vs England

See also: Argentina–England football rivalry

7 June 2002

20:30

Argentina	0–1	England
	Report	Beckham 44' (pen.)

Sapporo Dome, Sapporo

Attendance: 35,927

Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

Argentina

England

GK 12 Pablo Cavallero CB 4 Mauricio Pochettino CB 6 Walter Samuel CB 13 Diego Placente RWB 8 Javier Zanetti LWB 3 Juan Pablo Sorín CM 14 Diego Simeone CM 11 Juan Sebastián Verón (c)  46' RF 10 Ariel Ortega CF 9 Gabriel Batistuta  13'  60' LF 18 Kily González  64' Substitutions: MF 16 Pablo Aimar  46' FW 19 Hernán Crespo  60' FW 7 Claudio López  64' Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

GK 1 David Seaman RB 2 Danny Mills CB 5 Rio Ferdinand CB 6 Sol Campbell LB 3 Ashley Cole  29' RM 7 David Beckham (c) CM 18 Owen Hargreaves  19' CM 21 Nicky Butt LM 8 Paul Scholes CF 10 Michael Owen  80' CF 11 Emile Heskey  50'  54' Substitutions: MF 4 Trevor Sinclair  19' FW 17 Teddy Sheringham  54' DF 14 Wayne Bridge  80' Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

Man of the Match: Paul Scholes (England) Assistant referees: Héctor Vergara (Canada) Mohamed Saeed (Maldives) Fourth official: Brian Hall (United States)

Sweden vs Argentina

12 June 2002

15:30

Sweden	1–1	Argentina
A. Svensson 59'	Report	Crespo 88'

Miyagi Stadium, Miyagi

Attendance: 45,777

Referee: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

Sweden

Argentina

GK 1 Magnus Hedman RB 2 Olof Mellberg CB 15 Andreas Jakobsson CB 4 Johan Mjällby (c) LB 16 Teddy Lučić RM 7 Niclas Alexandersson CM 8 Anders Svensson  68' CM 6 Tobias Linderoth LM 17 Magnus Svensson  65' CF 11 Henrik Larsson  78'  88' CF 10 Marcus Allbäck  46' Substitutions: FW 22 Andreas Andersson  46' MF 18 Mattias Jonson  68' FW 21 Zlatan Ibrahimović  88' Managers: Lars Lagerbäck Tommy Söderberg

GK 12 Pablo Cavallero CB 22 José Chamot  55' CB 6 Walter Samuel CB 4 Mauricio Pochettino RWB 8 Javier Zanetti LWB 3 Juan Pablo Sorín  63' DM 5 Matías Almeyda  58'  63' AM 16 Pablo Aimar RF 10 Ariel Ortega CF 9 Gabriel Batistuta (c)  58' LF 7 Claudio López Substitutions: FW 19 Hernán Crespo  58' MF 11 Juan Sebastián Verón  63' MF 18 Kily González  75'  63' FW 21 Claudio Caniggia  45+2' Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

Man of the Match: Johan Mjällby (Sweden) Assistant referees: Heiner Müller (Germany) Michael Raggonath (Trinidad and Tobago) Fourth official: Peter Prendergast (Jamaica)

Nigeria vs England

12 June 2002

15:30

Nigeria	0–0	England
	Report

Nagai Stadium, Osaka

Attendance: 44,864

Referee: Brian Hall (United States)

Nigeria

England

GK 22 Vincent Enyeama RB 16 Efe Sodje CB 2 Joseph Yobo CB 5 Isaac Okoronkwo LB 14 Ifeanyi Udeze DM 15 Justice Christopher RM 10 Jay-Jay Okocha (c) LM 23 Femi Opabunmi  86' AM 20 James Obiorah CF 17 Julius Aghahowa CF 18 Benedict Akwuegbu Substitutions: MF 7 Pius Ikedia  86' Manager: Festus Onigbinde

GK 1 David Seaman RB 2 Danny Mills CB 5 Rio Ferdinand CB 6 Sol Campbell LB 3 Ashley Cole  85' RM 7 David Beckham (c) CM 21 Nicky Butt CM 8 Paul Scholes LM 4 Trevor Sinclair CF 11 Emile Heskey  69' CF 10 Michael Owen  77' Substitutions: FW 17 Teddy Sheringham  69' FW 20 Darius Vassell  77' DF 14 Wayne Bridge  85' Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson

Man of the Match: Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria) Assistant referees: Héctor Vergara (Canada) Evzen Amler (Czech Republic) Fourth official: Toru Kamikawa (Japan)

See also

• Argentina at the FIFA World Cup
• England at the FIFA World Cup
• Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup
• Sweden at the FIFA World Cup