World Cup 2006

[Stratobanger]

Well....it was an awesome game...Mexico played really cool...too bad they lost...but both teams deserved to win...really

and nah...with el culo en la mano means i was scared to death ^^

[stratohawk]

yeah folks, Germany vs. Argentinia, that will be THE CLASSIC par excellence!! Oh what I'm looking forward to friday...

[Painless_Cry]

no czech... argh...

ok.. ghana, argentina, netherlands... and well that's all ... my favs

[Stratofanius]

Netherlands lost But the game was REALLY weird...

[stratohawk]

this was a pure, brutal battle... unbelievable... Too bad for Portugal, that they lack some of their best players against England.

[Stealth]

Crap!! I was hoping Holland would win, because they would have been a better opposition to England. Their style of play would have been hard to contain for England, but I don't think that Portugal will be as strong as Holland. On top of that, Portugal will be missing two of its most important players: Cristiano Ronaldo (injured) and Deco (got a red card today).

[Equinox]

And France won! finally! But I want them out!!!

Is it because you don't like the team, or because you just can't stand French ppl? Just wondering...

I actually wanted the team to be out as well. Just a bench or arrogant and lazy players. Anyway, this is just a stupid game.

I think you yourself answered your own question with more than 2 affirmation.

@Stealth: That after-game-party must have been amazing eh? I'm gonna celebrate like that soon. At least I want to do that. And I pretty much agree with your review of the game, especially with what you said about Messi and Tevez and those stupid passes.

But Mexico's out. But I have to give them credit, they played really well. Too bad Jared put his head in the wrong place. And I too, think that Holland was a better team to face England. I think Portugal doesn't have a chance, just as Argentina can't hold Germany.

Just some predictions.

[IceBreaker]

but I don't think that Portugal will be as strong as Holland. On top of that, Portugal will be missing two of its most important players: Cristiano Ronaldo (injured) and Deco (got a red card today).

Yeah... Losing them is very bad for Portugal for the England-game. Have to hope Cristiano Ronaldo didn´t injuried too badly... Now it looks that their chances against England aren´t very good but there´s still a little glimmer of hope for Portugal that England didn´t play a good game yesterday. Both Gerrard and Lampard (one of the players I hate the most btw ) played poorly and furthermore, England has lost Owen totally.

But before that game have to hope that Ghana and their great goalkeeper Kingson can to their best to stop Brazil. Unfortunately they cannot have Essien now.

[Miguel_Ricardo]

Germany.... damn it....

[Stealth]

there´s still a little glimmer of hope for Portugal that England didn´t play a good game yesterday.

They haven't played a good game since the World Cup started.

[Stratofanius]

there´s still a little glimmer of hope for Portugal that England didn´t play a good game yesterday.

They haven't played a good game since the World Cup started.

I agree.

[Stealth]

@ NLC: Your sudden disappearance did not go unnoticed.

[NeonVomit]

Tough match between Australia and Italy. Last second penalty (was that really a penalty however?) that sends Italy through to the last 8.

Australia played well, and made an impression in this world cup. They are now surely on the footballing map. Always good to see the Azzuri through, we will have to see who their opponents are.

[NeonVomit]

there´s still a little glimmer of hope for Portugal that England didn´t play a good game yesterday.

They haven't played a good game since the World Cup started.

Oh come on why are you even discussing this? England will reach the quarter finals and then lose on penalties. I could set my watch by it.

[Stratofanius]

Italy won Australia

[stratohawk]

They don't deserve it! They played boring soccer, and not really good. Germany, Brasil and Argentinia are the only teams that played somehow convincing. England, Italy, France... boring and bad, sorry, ...

[NeonVomit]

They don't deserve it! They played boring soccer, and not really good. Germany, Brasil and Argentinia are the only teams that played somehow convincing. England, Italy, France... boring and bad, sorry, ...

Brazil havn't exactly been that great either. Watching them, only Ronaldhinio and Kaka and maybe Adriano seem to be the really motivated players. It's sad, a team like that should be the terror of all other teams but they're simply not convincing. The fact that they had an easy group and now an easy 2nd round match doesn't help.

Best teams in terms of show have been Argentina and Germany. Pity one of them is gonna get knocked out in the quarter finals, that would've been an amazing final.

[NeonVomit]

Let us not forget Spain however, the eternal underachievers of football. Maybe this is the year they'll finally live up to their potential.

[stratohawk]

Let us not forget Spain however, the eternal underachievers of football. Maybe this is the year they'll finally live up to their potential.

That's nicely said.

[Stealth]

Damn! Italy won and I don't think that the foul from the Australian defender was a penalty. This shows you that all of the so-called big teams really have nothing. Italy won with a non-existing penalty in the 95th minute; England won only because of one well executed free kick; Argentina won in extra time, etc.
And I'm pissed off because Argentina's side of the fixture is much harder than the other side. This means that we have to play against Germany and whoever wins will probably have to play against Italy, while on the other side, Brazil (if they defeat Ghana) will have to play against England or Portugal, and then against France or Spain, or something like that. For teams like Brazil and Argentina, Germany and Italy are tougher rivals than Portugal, England or Spain... Damn, we got the hard ones.

[NeonVomit]

Damn! Italy won and I don't think that the foul from the Australian defender was a penalty. This shows you that all of the so-called big teams really have nothing. Italy won with a non-existing penalty in the 95th minute; England won only because of one well executed free kick; Argentina won in extra time, etc.
And I'm pissed off because Argentina's side of the fixture is much harder than the other side. This means that we have to play against Germany and whoever wins will probably have to play against Italy, while on the other side, Brazil (if they defeat Ghana) will have to play against England or Portugal, and then against France or Spain, or something like that. For teams like Brazil and Argentina, Germany and Italy are tougher rivals than Portugal, England or Spain... Damn, we got the hard ones.

True, its unfair. Germany is looking formidable as hell and have the home advantage. Argentina have flair and have been in stunning form. That match really is touch-and-go.
Brazil have had easy matches so far, they WILL beat Ghana (I'd be ecstatic to see the Black Stars pull off a miracle but it won't happen) but then they face either France or Spain. I don't see the ageing French side managing to beat the Spanish (who have been in fine form recently) so perhaps Spain will be the first real test for Brazil.

England v.s. Portugal... yeah, Portugal have lost quite a few key players to injury and red cards, but I stand by my prediction of England being knocked out by penalties in the quarter finals, as tradition states.

It would actually be quite funny if Brazil and Germany faced off in the final again.

[stratohawk]

but I stand by my prediction of England being knocked out by penalties in the quarter finals, as tradition states.

Yeah, we Germans irritated them with kicking them off in penaltys a couple of times. Too bad we won't meet them in the quarter finals.

[Dave]

[IceBreaker]

Phew that SUI-UKR game was very boring to see. The referee was too weird as he let nearly everything go without giving cards. Plus the Ukrainians are good in acting, argh.

But the penalty kicks, the Ukrainian goalkeeper (was his name Shovkovskiy, too difficult name anyway) was the man. Except the one which hit the upper post. UKR did a cool choice to put the substitues to kick instead of tired players.

[nepi]

But the penalty kicks, the Ukrainian goalkeeper (was his name Shovkovskiy, too difficult name anyway) was the man. Except the one which hit the upper post. UKR did a cool choice to put the substitues to kick instead of tired players.

sorry, wrong answer the swiss players have shooten so fknbad that it was so easy for him....

So bad guys, too bad because SUI had a very good chance to get further with this young and enthusiastic team!

[Stealth]

@ IceBreaker: I have to disagree. The Ukrainian keeper only guessed the sides where the Swiss players were going to shoot, but his saves were far from spectacular. I don't think he was the man, it just happened that the Swiss players took very poor penalties. One hit the crossbar and the other two went almost to the middle of the net. In fact, Zuberbühler's save was better than the other two saves by the Ukrainian keeper.
And penalties are not about being tired or fresh... I mean, really, if you played for 120 minutes, even if you are tired, taking five steps and shooting the ball is not going to exhaust you. I don't think it's a matter of fitness but of confidence. For example, I could tell that Streller was going to miss his penalty because before shooting he was moving his tongue frenetically from side to side, a clear sign that he was VERY nervous and lacked confidence. The same happened with Cabanas; the TV commentator mentioned before his penalty that Cabanas didn't look very confident, and sure enough, he missed. If you have a good confident player who played for 120 minutes, you should always choose him instead of a fresh substitute who might get nervous easily.

[neonlightchild]

@ NLC: Your sudden disappearance did not go unnoticed.

didn't it ??

man, i am "almost" speechless, i mean.....what can ANYONE do with a goal like that??

Congratulations brother, you are a worthy enemy

[NeonVomit]

But the penalty kicks, the Ukrainian goalkeeper (was his name Shovkovskiy, too difficult name anyway) was the man. Except the one which hit the upper post. UKR did a cool choice to put the substitues to kick instead of tired players.

sorry, wrong answer the swiss players have shooten so fknbad that it was so easy for him....

So bad guys, too bad because SUI had a very good chance to get further with this young and enthusiastic team!

Shame, considering they'd face Italy in the next round who were far from inspired today. But that's the ugliness of the penalty shootout, the better team does not necessarily win.

[IceBreaker]

sorry, wrong answer the swiss players have shooten so fknbad that it was so easy for him....

So bad guys, too bad because SUI had a very good chance to get further with this young and enthusiastic team!

Young and enthustiatic team but bad luck and a difficult game, same as what happened to Holland.

Well, you´re right too, Swiss players seemed tired and unsure in my opinion.

It seems Stealth disagrees EVERYTHING I wrote about soccer. More than interesting. Just bad that my MSN doesn´t work with this connection, would be nice to discuss about that...

[Stealth]

It seems Stealth disagrees EVERYTHING I wrote about soccer. More than interesting. Just bad that my MSN doesn´t work with this connection, would be nice to discuss about that...

Haha! Nothing personal! Let's put it this way: Just like you probably are much more familiar with ice hockey than me, there's the possibility that I, coming from a football country, am more familiar with the way things work in football. But of course, all opinions are more than valid! Still, if you look at penalty takers, you'll see that their confidence and mental state has a much stronger influence than fitness.