成千上萬的球迷涌入了柏林，來觀看世界盃小組賽A組頭名之爭--德國隊對陣厄瓜多爾隊。

　　據粗略估計，大約70萬名球迷將涌向柏林街頭。而柏林奧林匹克體育場的72000張球票也早已銷售一空。

　　在離比賽開球還有幾個小時的時候，眾多球迷便已經涌向了勃蘭登堡門。在那裏，他們可以通過大屏幕觀看比賽實況。政府部門預計將會有50萬名球迷在比賽開始的時候聚集在那裏。

　　德國隊必須獲勝才能取得小組第一的位置。倘若只得到小組第二，那麼八分之一決賽將很可能遭遇英格蘭隊。德國隊主教練于爾根.克林斯曼希望球隊取得連續第三場比賽的勝利：“贏得比賽並不僅僅是獲得有利位置這麼簡單，更重要的是這將極大增強我們的自信。”

　　鏈結：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=afp-fblwc2006&prov=afp&type=lgns

　　原文：Fans pack Berlin for Germany World Cup game

　　by Guy Jackson

　　June 20, 2006

　　BERLIN (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of fans were packing the German capital as hosts Germany played Ecuador in a World Cup game which will decide if they face England in the next round.

　　The World Cup was shifting up a gear, with four matches taking place during the afternoon and evening to decide the final positions in Germany's Group A and the Group B of England.

　　An estimated 700,000 people were expected to take to the streets of the German capital, while the 72,000 Olympic Stadium, situated on the western outskirts of the city, was a sellout.

　　Hours before the 1400 GMT kickoff, thousands of fans wearing the white shirt of Germany were making their way to special areas around the city's best-known momument, the Brandenburg Gate, where giant TV screens have been erected.

　　City authorities said they expected half a million people to have congregated there by the time the match started.

　　Germany must win the match to finish top of the group. Anything less would leave them second and could see them meeting England in the next round - a possibility both footballing giants want to avoid.

　　England, need only a draw against Sweden in Cologne at 1900 GMT to be sure of winning Group B and earning a next-round, last 16 match against the runners-up in Group A.

　　Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann said a third consecutive victory was essential for his team.

　　"It is not just about winning the group to get the ideal stadia or play against certain opposition, it is to give us more self confidence," he said.

　　"We want to go into the last 16 on a high."

　　England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson had the same aim.

　　"All I want to do is win the group," Eriksson said. "Of course we will try to win but winning the group is the best because it may not be easier but you have more rest days between the matches which is very important."

　　England's players will be told the result of Germany's match but will not watch the game, Eriksson said.

　　"We will not watch it. We'll hear the result before we kick off but that's it."

　　If Sweden lose heavily to England, Trinidad and Tobago may be able to secure a remarkable qualification for the last 16 if they can win by several clear goals against Paraguay in the day's other Group B match, in Kaiserslautern at 1900 GMT.

　　Poland and Costa Rica meanwhile are playing purely for pride in Group A in Hanover with both teams heading directly home immediately after the game.

　　While the atmosphere has been overwhelmingly peaceful at the World Cup so far, authorities were hoping for no repeat of the sporadic outbreaks of fighting ahead of Germany's last match, against Poland in Dortmund on June 14.

　　作者-寧江亮--北京外國語大學英語

責編：佟杉杉