Roll-up, roll-up!! The biggest sporting event on the planet.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

It's 2006 World Cup time !!!! Wooo hoooooooo !

So which teams will you be following ?

[The Sym]

The United States obviously, but I will be following Brazil and Argentina.

[neglet]

Of course, the USA, but I will also pull for England. I remember the day we moved out of our house in London there was a World Cup match on, so of course the movers came to our house after watching most of the first half at the pub. (Being broadcast from Korea, live game time was at breakfast--EARLY breakfast.) We took pity on them, kept the TV on and made that the last thing they moved out of the house.

At least with the games in Germany this year, they won't be played when we should be sleeping!

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

It would be hard for any of the World Cup games to match the FA Cup final with West Ham and Liverpool. I got into that because I watched a soccer channel documentary on the two teams and their fans. My heart went out to all of them as they were so earnest and sincere with their love of their teams. That got me interested in the game and I watched it. Just thrilling. Great fans.

As for the "Copa Mundial" as they say around here, I think the U.S. team might want to consider just losing and getting out as fast as they can. I can't imagine the horror if they made it into the later rounds. Brazil has got to be the favorite, and Ronaldinho has got to be the best player in the world today. I always root for England, so I'm going to hope for them. Germany? They have to be considered a serious contender.

I just hope the whole tournament plays itself through without any incidents.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

England for me too !!!! Although no doubt we will have a dodgy first round, play really well in the 2nd round then go out in the quarter or semi-final on penalties after a dodgy refereeing decision. Like usual !

Incidents ?

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

England for me too !!!! Although no doubt we will have a dodgy first round, play really well in the 2nd round then go out in the quarter or semi-final on penalties after a dodgy refereeing decision. Like usual !

Incidents ?

You know, bombs/hostages/death/terror. Incidents!

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Oh yeah, reminds me of an article I read about a lucky escape the French had when they hosted the tournament back in 1998.

Here it is :

“PERHAPS we could snatch him off the street, kidnap him, take him to Paris and deal with him properly there.”

The remark stopped the conversation across the lunch table just as if a waiter had dropped a glass, smashed a plate or thrown water in a customer’s face. Reda Hassaine peered through the fug of his own cigarette smoke at his French paymaster, trying to gauge how serious the suggestion had been. The silence remained unbroken, the word “kidnap” hanging in the air between them.

Hassaine did not know what to say. His job was to move quietly, unobtrusively inside the mosque, to write reports, to feed information back to Jérôme, the man with whom he was now lunching. No one had said anything about snatching Abu Hamza off the streets of London.

Jérôme, the immaculate “diplomat” from the French embassy, smiled at his companion’s discomfort. “Something has to be done. Chevènement says he cannot sleep on Thursday nights wondering what threat is going to emerge from the London Algerians the next morning or what Abu Hamza is going to say in his Friday sermon. Paris is very anxious that they will threaten France again.”

Jean Pierre Chevènement, France’s Minister of the Interior, had one worry in particular. It was March 1998. In a few months the football World Cup was to be held in France, and it was a huge security headache. Algerian terrorists of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) had bombed the Paris Métro in 1995, and the architects of that atrocity — regarded in France as a deadly enemy — were still on the loose, living untroubled lives in London. The World Cup offered them an opportunity, and there were whispers in the intelligence world that something was being planned. It might take only a word from their spiritual guide Abu Hamza, an article in his newsletter, or a line in a communiqué pinned to the Finsbury Park mosque noticeboard to set the wheels in motion.

Friday was consequently the busiest day of the week for Hassaine, a former journalist and fledgling spy. On Fridays it was imperative that he heard Abu Hamza preach, made a mental note of any proclamations on the board and picked up a copy of the newsletter.

There had been panic in 1997 when a newsletter carried a GIA logo in which the letters were arranged in the shape of a triangle.

Was it a signal that terrorists were going to target the Eiffel Tower? In 1994 four GIA men had hijacked an Air France jet in Algiers and threatened to fly it to Paris and smash into the tower. The plane was stormed by French commandos at Marseilles and the terrorists killed.

France was on edge. Such was her anxiety about the World Cup that she demanded co-operation from her European neighbours. Where she deemed that collaboration was lacking, or less than enthusiastic, she was sending teams of agents abroad to gather intelligence on Islamist militants. Hassaine was part of the team in London, recruited by France’s DGSE intelligence service, to be a spy inside Finsbury Park’s Algerian community and its mosque.

Hassaine had fled Algeria after the GIA killed some of his closest friends and threatened his life. He was motivated by anger and a burning need to see justice done. Although he was married with a young son, and the entire enterprise made him feel nervous and unsafe, some sense of righteous purpose carried him on, recklessly risking his safety.

He had been working for the man he knew as Jérôme for several months when the idea of kidnapping Abu Hamza was lobbed like a grenade into a long lunch at the Bangkok Brasserie, a basement Thai restaurant that was one of their regular haunts.

This was, the Frenchman said, “the ideal place” for their meetings. Located in London’s clubland, the traditional haunt of spies, it was below street level, hidden from view on the corner of St James’s Street and Piccadilly. No one could see in from the street. Jérôme insisted that he and Hassaine always arrived for lunch at 12.30 pm to ensure that they got the table in the far corner, from where he could see everyone who came and left.

Hassaine finally ended the silence. He leaned across the table, and spoke nervously. “How would we do it?” he asked, fervently hoping that there would be no “we”, that this was something he would not have to be involved in.

Jérôme sketched out some ideas; clearly the plan was not at an advanced stage. Essentially it required taking Abu Hamza off the street. Sending a squad into the mosque, where he was surrounded by followers and bodyguards, was not feasible. He would have to be surprised. It might be best to take him as he left his house in west London; Aldbourne Road in Shepherd’s Bush was a quiet street of family homes. Abu Hamza might have his sons to protect him, but there would be the element of surprise. And the hit squad would be armed. They would need a van, or a large vehicle with darkened windows. Then there would be a drive, a high-speed dash to Dover and a ferry across the Channel.

“It would have to be a French ferry,” said Jérôme. “Once we got one of his feet on board that would be it. No coming back.” Hassaine might be asked to give a signal, act as a lookout, or create some sort of distraction at the mosque, but the kidnapping would be left to the professionals.

Unknown to Hassaine, there were a number of undercover French agents operating in London, and a team of assassins from Draco, a DGSE unit, had been placed on standby to take out individuals regarded as senior terrorists.
Another DGSE surveillance team was watching the mosque. Again, the agents had been told that the purpose of their mission was to prevent any attack on the World Cup.

The problem hampering all the plans – assassinations or kidnappings – was the attitude of the British authorities. Over lunch, Jérôme made it clear to Hassaine that while his contacts in the undercover worlds of MI5 and MI6 might be prepared to turn a blind eye to such an operation, there was unlikely to be any such help from the regular police. “We might get some help from the British,” he said, “but we will not get any help from the British law.”

In short, if anything went wrong, all hell would break loose. If there were a gunshot, if Abu Hamza were injured, if a traffic policeman stopped the kidnap vehicle – if just one thing tripped up, there would be a huge diplomatic incident. What the French were proposing was to kidnap a British citizen in London and take him to face justice in France. The scandal could be bigger than the blowing up of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand in 1985. But such was the level of French frustration – from the Minister of the Interior downwards – with the British that all options were being countenanced.

As far as the French were concerned, the British had entered into a Faustian pact with the extreme Islamist groups assembled in London. They were free to organise, propagandise and speak, as long as there was no threat and no trouble on British soil. Abu Hamza seemed to enjoy a friendly relationship with MI5 and Scotland Yard’s intelligence wing, the Special Branch. They called him regularly, invited him for meetings and were generally on cordial terms.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Continued in part II -

He had himself been witness to the tension between the British and the French over his activities when he attended Scotland Yard after one summons. The call from the Special Branch officer emphasised that this was not a British police matter. Abu Hamza said: “They called me and said, ‘Would you like to come to Scotland Yard, it’s not about us or anything we are doing’. They said the French police wanted to speak to me. They told me I was a British citizen and I didn’t have to answer if I didn’t want to.”

Abu Hamza, who was offering the pretence of co-operation with the authorities because it seemed to allow him complete freedom to carry on as he pleased, decided to attend.

At Scotland Yard he was taken to a room where two French detectives were waiting. A Scotland Yard detective sat in on the meeting, acting almost as Abu Hamza’s protector. The French officers were enquiring about Christophe Caze, a medical school dropout who converted to Islam and fought in Bosnia, where, it was suggested, he had met Abu Hamza. Caze had been killed in March 1996 near the town of Roubaix after a shootout with French police who had thwarted a plan to attack a G7 summit. A huge cache of arms and explosives was found.

The French wanted information and showed Abu Hamza pictures of members of the Roubaix gang. He said he knew nothing. “The main Frenchman was really upset and angry, he showed on his face he was angry,” he said. “But the Englishman was very easy about it all, he said I didn’t have to answer. At the end of the meeting he walked with me back to my car, he was smiling and chatting and everything.”

To French eyes, the British were protecting Abu Hamza and other dangerous men in the mosque. After a few glasses of wine during lunch, Jérôme would often express his anger, and refer to the British capital – as many in France did – as “Londonistan”.

Hassaine said: “Jérôme would complain that Scotland Yard was sympathetic to Abu Hamza. They would say, ‘They are doing nothing wrong, we cannot arrest them for anything’.

“But the French believed that this plot to attack the World Cup was real, that it was being drawn up in London and that Finsbury Park mosque was the capital of Londonistan. The names of many suspects were passed to the British – veteran terrorists arriving from around the world – but the British did nothing. They did not take it seriously, even when the French said that if anything were to happen they would declare publicly that they held the British responsible.”

In the event, France thwarted the threat to attack the tournament. The process of unravelling it began with the arrest of an Algerian terrorist in Belgium in March 1998. The man had been convicted in absentia by a French court in connection with the Paris Métro bombs in 1995, and was subsequently jailed by the Belgian courts for nine years for attempted murder, criminal association, sedition and forgery. In the three months before the World Cup began, more than a hundred North Africans were arrested in France, Switzerland, Italy, Britain, Belgium and Germany as suspected terrorists.

The extent of the World Cup plot has never been revealed. Some sources say that the key operation was to have been an attempt to assassinate the members of the USA team in their hotel as they watched the game between England and Tunisia on television. Others feared a bombing campaign.

As France’s team lifted the trophy and sparked nationwide celebrations, the World Cup plot was best forgotten rather than trumpeted as an anti-terrorist victory. It was a happy moment too for Hassaine, watching from his flat in north London as Zinedine Zidane, his fellow countryman who was playing for France, emerged as the star player of the tournament.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

And I know what you mean about that FA Cup Final. I am a Liverpool fan and I was on the edge of my seat. And did you see the Champions League Final, Liverpool vs. AC Milan last year ? That was an amazing match.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Continued in part II -

He had himself been witness to the tension between the British and the French over his activities when he attended Scotland Yard after one summons. The call from the Special Branch officer emphasised that this was not a British police matter. Abu Hamza said: “They called me and said, ‘Would you like to come to Scotland Yard, it’s not about us or anything we are doing’. They said the French police wanted to speak to me. They told me I was a British citizen and I didn’t have to answer if I didn’t want to.”

Abu Hamza, who was offering the pretence of co-operation with the authorities because it seemed to allow him complete freedom to carry on as he pleased, decided to attend.

At Scotland Yard he was taken to a room where two French detectives were waiting. A Scotland Yard detective sat in on the meeting, acting almost as Abu Hamza’s protector. The French officers were enquiring about Christophe Caze, a medical school dropout who converted to Islam and fought in Bosnia, where, it was suggested, he had met Abu Hamza. Caze had been killed in March 1996 near the town of Roubaix after a shootout with French police who had thwarted a plan to attack a G7 summit. A huge cache of arms and explosives was found.

The French wanted information and showed Abu Hamza pictures of members of the Roubaix gang. He said he knew nothing. “The main Frenchman was really upset and angry, he showed on his face he was angry,” he said. “But the Englishman was very easy about it all, he said I didn’t have to answer. At the end of the meeting he walked with me back to my car, he was smiling and chatting and everything.”

To French eyes, the British were protecting Abu Hamza and other dangerous men in the mosque. After a few glasses of wine during lunch, Jérôme would often express his anger, and refer to the British capital – as many in France did – as “Londonistan”.

Hassaine said: “Jérôme would complain that Scotland Yard was sympathetic to Abu Hamza. They would say, ‘They are doing nothing wrong, we cannot arrest them for anything’.

“But the French believed that this plot to attack the World Cup was real, that it was being drawn up in London and that Finsbury Park mosque was the capital of Londonistan. The names of many suspects were passed to the British – veteran terrorists arriving from around the world – but the British did nothing. They did not take it seriously, even when the French said that if anything were to happen they would declare publicly that they held the British responsible.”

In the event, France thwarted the threat to attack the tournament. The process of unravelling it began with the arrest of an Algerian terrorist in Belgium in March 1998. The man had been convicted in absentia by a French court in connection with the Paris Métro bombs in 1995, and was subsequently jailed by the Belgian courts for nine years for attempted murder, criminal association, sedition and forgery. In the three months before the World Cup began, more than a hundred North Africans were arrested in France, Switzerland, Italy, Britain, Belgium and Germany as suspected terrorists.

The extent of the World Cup plot has never been revealed. Some sources say that the key operation was to have been an attempt to assassinate the members of the USA team in their hotel as they watched the game between England and Tunisia on television. Others feared a bombing campaign.

As France’s team lifted the trophy and sparked nationwide celebrations, the World Cup plot was best forgotten rather than trumpeted as an anti-terrorist victory. It was a happy moment too for Hassaine, watching from his flat in north London as Zinedine Zidane, his fellow countryman who was playing for France, emerged as the star player of the tournament.

All of this makes me feel ever so much better . . . thank you . . . :D

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Here is the draw.

Group A- Poland, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador

Group B- England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden

Group C- Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia and Montenegro, Netherlands

Group D- Mexico, Iran, Angola, Portugal

Group E- Italy, Ghana, USA, Czech Republic

Group F- Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan

Group G- France, Switzerland, South Korea, Togo

Group H- Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia

THEN.... after playing each other in groups like mini-leagues the bottom two teams in each group are eliminated.

The 1st place in Group A then plays 2nd place in Group B, and vice-versa. 1st place in Group C plays 2nd place in Group D and vice versa...... and so on.

After that, its the quarter finals, semi-finals and finals. Seven games in one month are what stands between any team and winning the ultimate prize in world sport.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Here is the draw.

Group A- Poland, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador

Group B- England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden

Group C- Argentina, Ivory Coast, Serbia and Montenegro, Netherlands

Group D- Mexico, Iran, Angola, Portugal

Group E- Italy, Ghana, USA, Czech Republic

Group F- Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan

Group G- France, Switzerland, South Korea, Togo

Group H- Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia

THEN.... after playing each other in groups like mini-leagues the bottom two teams in each group are eliminated.

The 1st place in Group A then plays 2nd place in Group B, and vice-versa. 1st place in Group C plays 2nd place in Group D and vice versa...... and so on.

After that, its the quarter finals, semi-finals and finals. Seven games in one month are what stands between any team and winning the ultimate prize in world sport.

I don't know the teams well enough to make any real predictions, but based on the above I can only say for sure that the following teams should make it out of their groups:
A: Germany
B: England
C: Argentina
D: Mexico
E: Czech Republic
F: Brazil
G: France
H: Spain

After that its anyone's guess as best as I can tell. But, like I said, I don't really know the teams. I'm going by reps.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Starts tonight !!! Opening ceremony, then Germany vs. Costa Rica.

Wooo hoooooooooooo....

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

4 hours to go !!!!

Predictions for Germany vs Costa Rica ? Usually the opening game is a cagey affair and in the past both Argentina and France as reigning champions have been upset by seemingly lesser opposition in the opening match.

I reckon 1-0 to Germany.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Day One, Group A:

Germany - 4
Costa Rica - 2

Ecuador - 2
Poland - 0

Of the 4 teams (I watched both games), Ecuador seemed the most well coached. Very disciplined.

[neglet]

I watched the first half of England-Paraguay (replayed late Saturday night on Galavision, so I didn't stay up for the rest) and was very impressed with England's ball control skills. Even if part of that is due to Paraguay not being very good (I didn't see their ranking), I thought their passing very well done.

I'm still trying to figure out what the Spanish for "offsides" is, though. :D

[KingVoyeur]

Unfortunately I had to miss the England-Paraguay game, glad to hear England won.

Wow, can't believe that Japan-Australia match, Japan was set to win then Australia came back in the last 10 min. and completely reamed them!

US v. Czech today! Go US!

[neglet]

The USA looked really inert today, losing to the Czechs 3-0. I was disappointed--not so much at the loss, but that they didn't seem to play very well--no fire to them at all. I hope they make a better show against Italy.

[KingVoyeur]

The USA looked really inert today, losing to the Czechs 3-0. I was disappointed--not so much at the loss, but that they didn't seem to play very well--no fire to them at all. I hope they make a better show against Italy.

I agree. They didn't seem to be coordinating at all, just kicking the ball wildly. Let's hope they do better this Sat. against Italy.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

From the point of view of a football fan, ex-player and coach I can say that the USA were found out badly.

The FIFA world rankings are a bit of a joke to most of the world but based on the US fans on most soccer forums you wouldn't know it. They honestly believed the US were the 5th best team in the world according to the rankings. To say they are better than, for instance, England, Germany, Spain etc. etc. is a joke let alone many of the other teams below them. That, coupled with the achievement of getting to the quarter finals in Japan in 2002 (although that was due to a kind draw, a number of strange refereeing decisions and quite a bit of luck) made many USA fans think they were better than they really are.

However it wasn't just the fire or the effort. They were out thought and out played at every turn. Their positioning was woeful and they looked naive and lost. A number of their so called "Big Name" players that a lot of American's have been going on about didn't look good enough to get into lower league teams elsewhere in the world.

Unfortunately this is because they play against not very good teams in their confederation. It inflates their points on the world rankings but means they never get the practice of playing against anyone who is actually any good. Hence they look better than they are and struggle against a good team.

However this is a World Cup, and surprises do happen. Italy might be over confident after their game against Ghana and the US might now feel they have something to prove. If they can draw with Italy and beat Ghana then who knows. It depends on other games in the group.

[The Sym]

yaaaayyyyy, Brazil win! 1-knil. :jump2:

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

But didn't Brazil look quite weak ? Nothing like the all conquering team of superstars we were expecting. And the defended appalingly. A better set of strikers and a team that were better with dead balls would have carved them up.

This is Brazil though, maybe they are just starting slowly.

[neglet]

...a team that were better with dead balls...

Oh, is that the kind of team that can cope with this?

http://www.russellssite.com/ouch.jpg

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

:lol:

Or maybe that is just coping with sore balls !

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Christ, Germany left it late. Beat Poland 1-0. Spain thumped the Ukraine 4-0 and Tunisia drew with Saudi Arabia 2-2.

England vs Trinidad & Tobago tonight. Come on you Lions !!!!

[Cuchulainn]

England, Germany, and Ecuador have all made it to the second round already. Speaking of Ecuador, it's the first time they've made it into group play. If they either beat or tie Germany in their next match they'll be first in that group.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

And it looks like Ecuador or Germany will play England or Sweden in the next round. England made hard work of beating Trinidad & Tobago last night.

[The Sym]

Ghana baby! :hugs: 2-knil, ten minutes left!!!

[The Sym]

:p Czech

[Cuchulainn]

Way to go Ghana.

Now let's go U.S. Get a f'ing win.

[The Sym]

U.S. goal keeper STINKS! How can he sit back and wait for the header and not go out and catch the ball. ERROR on the GK. Be agressive GK, stop being so damn passive! :dunno: :romy: :angry

[The Sym]

GOAL!!!!!

Brazil 1-knil 30 min remains :jump2:

[The Sym]

GOAL!!!!

Brazil 2-knil 1 minute remain + :jump2: :jump2: stoppage

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Re : The US goalkeeper, itwas a 50/50 ball and if he came out he could have been caught off his line.

No shame in a 1-1 draw with the Italians for the US.

[Asonokirk V 2.0]

Since I've been home on sick leave, I've been able to watch most of the games. I haven't seen Argentina play, so can't comment on them.

What I have noticed are that as more games are being played, some of the referees are getting power mad and handing out yellow and red cards like they're candy, not realizing that they are effecting the outcomes of games, which a ref SHOULD NEVER DO! The only "redeeming" quality I can say I've observed, is that they aren't playing favorites, they're screwing everybody!

Brazil would appear to be on cruise control, waiting for more serious competition, England might be in trouble, and little Ecuador is a team that might just shock the world. They are the best coached team I've seen in the World Cup, although I haven't seen all of them yet.

[KingVoyeur]

Geez, Ukraine STOMPED Saudi Arabia, 4-0! They must've felt really bad about losing to Spain.

Speaking of whom....

Come on Spain!

[KingVoyeur]

Spain's down by 1, they're down by 1....

2 GOALS IN 5 MINUTES!!! SPAIN'S AHEAD 2-1!!

[KingVoyeur]

And penalty kick makes 3!

SPAIN WINS!!!

[The Sym]

Re : The US goalkeeper, itwas a 50/50 ball and if he came out he could have been caught off his line.

No shame in a 1-1 draw with the Italians for the US.

HA HA.... you obviously don't know anything about GoalKeeping.
Where are you getting this 50/50. He SIMPLY SHOULD HAVE aggressively went after that ball, like a good GK would do, like most GK have done. This guy is very hesitant and is not that bright about his position, case in point, Czech. Look how he gave up those goal, and really, Czech Rep should have had 5 points. Missed shots on goal, when Keller was completely out of position. This will cost the U.S. against Ghana, if he doesn't get act together. My advise to him....... LOOK AT FILM. :romy:

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

I used to play in goal..... then midfield, then finished up in central defence.

[The Sym]

:rolleyes: yeah.... and I song back-up to Fleetwood Mac.

[KingVoyeur]

Back on topic? England's playing Sweden. Shh!! :D

[KingVoyeur]

DAMNIT!!!!!! That was sloppy England, Sweden shouldn't have gotten that second goal. Well, at least it was only a draw.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Usual story from England. Play well, go into the lead, then sit back too deep and let the other team pressure them into mistakes. Sweden should have been put away in the first half.

[KingVoyeur]

Owen out
Knee injury KO's England striker for rest of World Cup
Posted: Wednesday June 21, 2006 7:56AM; Updated: Wednesday June 21, 2006 7:56AM

BADEN-BADEN, Germany (AP) -- Michael Owen will miss the rest of the World Cup because of a right knee injury.

The England striker, who was injured Tuesday in the second minute of his team's 2-2 draw with Sweden in Cologne, had a scan on his knee Wednesday and the results confirmed that he will no longer to able to play for the team in Germany, the English Football Association said.

Owen, who had the scan near England's team base in southern Germany, will return to England later Wednesday.


"Obviously it's a massive blow to suffer the injury -- and be out of the World Cup," Owen said in a statement. "As soon as it happened I knew I was in trouble. It was a major disappointment to pick up the injury so early in the game."

Owen's right knee buckled after he had played a pass. He rolled off the field and lay on the sideline clutching his leg while play continued. He was treated by doctors and then strapped to a stretcher and taken away.

The FA said Owen's recovery would be handled by his English Premier League club Newcastle.

"I'm clearly sorry to be leaving the lads in Germany, but I'm convinced they can go on and achieve success," Owen said. "I'll be following all the matches very closely and giving them my full support, hopefully all the way to Berlin.

Full Story at SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/soccer/specials/world_cup/2006/06/21/bc.eu.spt.soc.wcup.england.owen.ap/index.html)

That sucks! He barely even go to play, poor guy.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Yup, and it kinds f**ks us up too as Sven, in his infinite wisdon, decided to only take 4 strikers to begin with. And one of them is a 17 year old untried player. However, cometh the hour and all that. Get the lad on, it could be a time for heroes.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Ecuador dealt with. Portugal in the quarter finals for England. However Portugal knocked us out of Euro 2004 and are managed by Big Phil Scolari, who nearly got Sven's job.

[neglet]

And England didn't look so impressive against Ecuador as they did last time I saw them play; maybe it was the heat slowing them down. England-Portugal should be a good match, though.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

They have to come good sooner or later. They always raise their game against the better teams and there must be a big performance coming. Just hope it is on Saturday against Portugal. If they get past Portugal then it is Semi-Final time and anything can happen, all 4 teams are in with a shout. Just need to beat Portugal.

Portugal put us out of Euro 2004 at the quarters and are coached by Phil Scolari, who also coached Brazil in Japan / Korea 2002 and they knocked us out at that tournament in the quarter finals too.

Either it's an omen, or it's third time lucky !

And to Mr Sym up above, this is Europe matey, everyone plays football from a very early age, same as in South America and Africa and Asia. And I still play indoor six-a-side football which is a blast. You play in an enclosed net and can bounce it off the ceilings, walls etc. Very fast and great fun. Only 10 minutes each way.

[omicron]

Welp, since USA is out, I will go with the nation of my heritage and root for Italy. Go Italia!

Omi

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

The dirty dogs were damned lucky to get past Australia, who played beyond themselves for the entire tournament.

[omicron]

yeah, I haven't followed the WC much, but I have heard the Italians are known as floppers and whiners. Hey, whatever works. :)

Omi

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

They play football like they fight wars.

[The Sym]

:jump2: BRAZIL BABY!!! :jump2:

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Brazil seem to be stepping it up at the right time. Germany v Argentina tomorrow will sort out the men from the boys. Brazil v France and England v Portugal will also give some good pointers to the potential finalists.

Italy got a lucky break with Ukraine so I expect the Italians to progress.

[neglet]

Just curious, DCD: what's the feeling over in England as to who you'd rather see win the Germany v. Argentina match (and why), seeing as you hate them both?

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Nah, we don't really hate the Germans, mostly it's fairly good natured. The tabloid press in the UK might make you think that.

I would probably prefer to see Germany win though as I do think the diegos are a bunch of dirty cheating bastards.

[neglet]

Oh, I know you don't really hate the Germans ... you just like reminding them they lost the war, a la Basil Fawlty. :D

Still, wouldn't you like a chance to play Argentina and whup their candy asses? Or it doesn't matter to whom they lose, as long as they lose?

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

Argentina are a damned good side. The Germans are ruthlessly efficient. I really can't predict that one. I think home advantage might just swing it for Ze Germans ! Now DON'T MENTION THE WAR ! :D

Basically there are no bad sides left in the competition now. So I guess we play whoever is put in front of us. Gotta get Portugal out of the way on Saturday first..... and that will be a tough, tough game.

[KingVoyeur]

GERMANY WINS!!!!!

[neglet]

Ahh, the fun of a shootout. Germany's goalkeeper really made the difference. Whereas the Argentinian got fooled, the German keeper accurately predicted the direction of each shot, helping the Germans to a 4-2 shootout victory. Very nice.

[omicron]

Go Italia! Decisive win against Ukraine. It will be a hard game against Germany on Tuesday.

Omi

[The Sym]

:dunno: I'm afraid to inform everyone on these board, that it's a sad day in the sport of Soccer and The World Cup. BRAZIL has loss 1-Knil. Life must go on. Now, a moment of silence please............................................ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................... thank you.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

And England went out on penalties after Rooney was sent off. Damn ! :romy:

[neglet]

If the hot weather continues, I think it likely we will see a France-Italy final, just because they didn't have to play overtime matches before their semifinal games.

Bummer about England. You just knew when it came to penalties it would all go to hell, didn't you? If they could have played in the main part of the game like they did in the overtimes, maybe they would have scored and there wouldn't have been any shootout.

[KingVoyeur]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/BlackStarTiger/damnit.jpg

[The Sym]

If the hot weather continues, I think it likely we will see a France-Italy final, just because they didn't have to play overtime matches before their semifinal games.

Bummer about England. You just knew when it came to penalties it would all go to hell, didn't you? If they could have played in the main part of the game like they did in the overtimes, maybe they would have scored and there wouldn't have been any shootout.



That's a mighty big word. :lol:

[KingVoyeur]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/BlackStarTiger/damn.jpg

Oh well.

VIVE LA FRANCE!

[omicron]

Go Italia! In the finals. It was a heck of a game, the first half the Italians seemed to be in control, but in the second half the Germans were attacking more. Still, it seemed like the Italian defense was stopping the Germans better than the opposite.

http://warriorclothing.com/de/shop/images/Italy%20Metal%20Plate.jpg

Omi

[The Sym]

If the hot weather continues, I think it likely we will see a France-Italy final,

Good call neglet. :hugs:

[KingVoyeur]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/BlackStarTiger/ItalyorFrance.jpg

France has been trouble for Italy before. It's hard to say.

[KingVoyeur]

OMG what the FUCK WAS ZIDANE THINKING?!?!? He ends his career like that? AARRRGGGHHH!!!

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

God knows what that Italian said to him to make him do that in the World Cup final. Must have been really bad.

The Italian went down like he had been shot though, as usual !

[Sgt. Awesome]

Yeah, probably was just a love tap, even so... that was the last move of his footing career.

I liked how an Italian tripped over himself, went down, and a French player hauled him back on his feet.

[Sgt. Awesome]

http://i.eurosport.com/2006/07/09/294608-1260113-317-238.jpg

BAM!