World Football Championship 2006, Let the mania commence ! Options

[stargelman]

Boy, what a game. The first half started a little bit slower and it was apparent pretty soon the Polish team got their act back together: much more concentrated and engaged than in their first game.

However, especially in the second half, the German team created an amount of pressure that just had to end in a goal sooner or later. There were many extremely good chances for the German team, none of which resulted in a goal. I think especially Miro Klose really had a lot of bad luck today - it wasn't from lack of trying. And then that great goal by Ollie Neuville, skillfully prepared by David Odonkor.

Officially and also in my book the best man on the field today was Phillip Lahm who performed incredible stunts and worked some serious magic today. I also didn't see any of the problems the defensive had in the last game. Everyone played well, although for some players, there's still a lot of untapped potential (Ballack and Podolski for instance).

That red card...well that was just stupid. I really can't understand why the guy risked that. So unnecessary.

Oh well, a really great game that was exciting right until the end

[Foster]

I'm just wondering how much the referee was paid.

Ho hum. England tomorrow. Hopefully we can thump T&T, though the fearsome power of Port Vale star Paul Burchill... stranger things have happened.

[Burnt Sierra]

Message from a stranger:

Well done to the Germans. Feels very strange saying that given the rivalry between the two national sides. I have to admit though, I was glad they won. The Polish goalie was taking the mick with his time wasting. Really irritates me that. Ballack looked good, some great passes out right to Schneider, though your left winger had a shocker. Could have been one on one with an empty net and he'd have tripped over the ball the game he had.

As for the Spain vs Ukraine match... uurgh. The ref ( and especially the linesman in the first half) had a nightmare. Never a sending off, never a penalty. Spain looked good though. Strange how the big sides have had mixed openings. England, Brazil and France all looked really sluggish, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Czech Republic and (hate to say it ) Germany have all looked really sharp.

Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow. Dawn and I will be firmly encamped in the pub cheering England on, with maybe just a couple (ahem) of drinks to wet our throats. Wish us luck

p.s. before the comp I put a bet on Italy to win and Luca Toni to win the Golden Boot. So, there's my tips

[Red]

In case you're talking to me (Stragel???), who knows! Anything is possible!
They can't have won just because they played Iraq.
They didn't play Iraq at all.
They played Iran

Er, umm, it was on Pay Per View. Yes thats right. Pay Per View. Erm, I never said Iraq, just check my post. *Is immorally righteous*

Ugh, I agree, the Saudi Arabia game was a bore. I would much rather see a 90 minute slideshow of Janitorial work that a game like that.

Also, go Germany (for the time being until they face one of my favourite teams)!

[Tellie]

Well today, England is on....ad that is a game that I'll definately watch, so I just hope that England manages to win this match....all hands up to the british

*crowd aplaudes in aproval *

[Fuzzy Knight]

It's so typical of Germany to win at the end of the match - it's a real trademark for Germany.

Today I'll be looking forward to the Sweden match and the England match

[Foster]

England need to seriously buck their ideas up. They're flimsy in the centre of the park and today the strikers - Owen and Crouch - were terrible. There is just not enough bite to the team. Only when Rooney and Lennon came on did we have any passion, and even then... well, 2-0 was a tad flattering.

Sad when our best player is John Terry.

[Fuzzy Knight]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Sweden scored, hell yeah! Woohoooo...

[Olav]

Heia Sverige! (transl. go Sweden!)

[minque]

Ohoh.....both Germany and Sweden won their games......ah well

What I do fear is if Germany and Sweden will meet eventually...

Which one would be my favourite????????????????? I honestly don´t know...

[HyPN0]

No comments on Argentina - Serbia & Montenegro?
You guys are just being courteous to me and milanius

Well, what can I say? We completly sucked. I have no idea why: In qualifications we played pretty good, even Spain didn't manage do defeat us. Myself, I was laughing when I was watching the game. Not the same could be said about my brother: He was screaming: Take of those shorts! Stop embarassing our country you bunch of [censored] [censored]! ! ! You're unworthy to be called human beings! (I will save your sanity from the words he was saying later. They sound much better in Serbian anyway )

He is right to some extent. Indeed, they played like a bunch of clowns. It's not a shame to lose against Argentina. But to be owned with 6:0 it's completly unacceptable.

As for other news, Portugal was strugling with Iran. Deco scored a nice goal. And Christiano Ronaldo scored the second one from the penalty spot. That lad is a good player, but he really sucks when he gets pissed of. Just like Totti

[Olav]

Well I must say that today has been a very entertaining WC day so far. The match between Tsjekkia and Ghana was extremely entertaining, and the current match between Italy and USA is equally entertaining and packed with action. I'm very impressed with USA. They've been leading the match up until now (33 mins played), and it was only fair that Rossi put the ball in Italy's own goal...

[HyPN0]

Right now, I would REALLY, REALLY like to hear Americans comment the todays game

My opinion: What a darn shame. USA played better than Italy IMO. Even with two red cards

I think the refree did right in the game though. Although, Beasley's goal should stand if you ask me. Did McBride touch the ball?

[stargelman]

Czechia vs Ghana:

Wow. That I didn't expect. I feel for the czech, especially for the injured Koller. Great game by Ghana though! I hope they pull through.

Italy - USA:
That was just embarrassing if you ask me. The less said the better. The referee did everything right and was the best man on the field.

[HyPN0]

Italy - USA:
That was just embarrassing if you ask me. The less said the better. The referee did everything right and was the best man on the field.

Haha, I concur!

Both sides didn't play well, but Americans were doing their best and fighting to the last minute. A plus for determination. But two red cards.... wow, I didn't see that for a long time now

[Dantrag]

I don't really follow soccer, but can someone tell me if the US won today?

I'm assuming they lost, just because we've always been terrible at soccer, but you never know.

[Olav]

It was a draw/tie, and the result was 1-1. This is a very good achievement by USA against one of the real veterans. This means that both teams got 1 WC point, and everything is still quite open, so the US could very well go further to the final rounds.

I thought the US played very well, but then again I'm no expert so I'll leave any professional analysis to others. Italy didn't play very well though, even though they beat the incredibly good Ghana 4-0 (I think) only days ago.

Sidenote: Two US players got expelled from the match, and one Italian. That is only the 4th time that has happened in the history of the WC (3 players expelled).

I remember I spent a holiday in Italy at the time when they won the WC (long time ago, 1980 or something). The entire country was in celebration for days, not doing anything productive, only running/driving around screaming with waving flags. They sat on the roofs and hoods of cars, banging stuff into them, totally destroying them. It was quite cool...

[stargelman]

I thought the US played very well, but then again I'm no expert so I'll leave any professional analysis to others. Italy didn't play very well though, even though they beat the incredibly good Ghana 4-0 (I think) only days ago.

Hahaha..it was only 2-0, and I don't think the Italians could pull that off again. Ghana has rearranged their previously weak side by replacing players, and they finally found a way to the other side's goal. They played fantastically strong against the Czech yesterday. I am convinced they will beat the US team and enter the round of eight.

I remember I spent a holiday in Italy at the time when they won the WC (long time ago, 1980 or something). The entire country was in celebration for days, not doing anything productive, only running/driving around screaming with waving flags. They sat on the roofs and hoods of cars, banging stuff into them, totally destroying them. It was quite cool... 

That was in the 1982 WC in Spain

[Foster]

Nobody in that group has been impressive. Really the only team that I can see winning at the moment is the superlative Argentinians. They are just a class above everyone else in the world cup.

It was Serbia and Montenegro, but it could have been anyone, from Togo to Brazil. Argentina were just phenomenal. It was exhibition stuff; simply great football.

Of course I hope they lose, if only so that fat drug-addled cheating foul vile purulent little [censored] Maradona crys like a baby. But so far they've been outstanding.


Stargelman: please watch your language.

[stargelman]

Draw
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing!
Say it again
Draw
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing!


This is not going to help either team. I think both played below their abilities and I have to wonder what is going on with them. It wasn't that hot, and they both had good chances -the Croatians more so than the Japanese- but neither made anything of them.