The World Cup

[From_italy]

Forza azzurri

[Guest]

Ghana played superbly and deserved the win. I thought the Czechs looked at 6s and 7s on times. My feeling is they have been on the piss for a week and dangerously understimated Ghana.

 

All on Italy and Czech republic game. If the czechs were to win that a team could conceivably go out even with 6 points.

[Worker 11811]

Y'Know... I read the posts about people feeling ashamed after their team took a hard beating in a match against a certain country they "should have" won easily.

 

All I can say is, "Now you know what it's like to be a Boston Red Sox fan!" (Or a Chicago Cubs fan, et. al.)

 

I've been a Red Sox fan since, oh... 1987-88. Since I went to college in Boston. I've seen two World Series playoff games at Fenway Park but never got to see them win in person. (I didn't live in Boston when they won.) But I DID see it on a 12 foot high projection screen.

 

Yes, I know they are a bunch of losers, if you look at the scoreboard at the end of the game but they are WINNERS because they keep trying even though the odds are stacked against them. They kept at it long enough and played hard enough and, eventually, they took home the pennant.

 

That's what happened to the British... except in reverse. Their opponent fought against long odds to finally come up a winner.

 

Yeah, it's not fun losing a game... especially one that you "should have" won... but you should also take a lesson in the fact that they wanted it bad enough to go out on the field and work their hardest until they finally won.

 

Oh, yeah... the Red Sox probably wont win another championship for ANOTHER 100 years but I'll still be a fan!

[Guest]

Forza azzurri

 

WELL What have you gotta say now then

[White Fox]

Please keep discussions of US/Italy play in this thread along with other games until that thread is moved here later today.

Thanks

W

[Guest]

WHAT A SAVE THAT WAS!!!!!!! The Jap goalleeper saving that penalty!!!!

 

Stuff your Gordon Banks......

[Earendil]

Awesome save by Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi on that penalty.

 

Still nowhere near the legend Gordon Banks.

[Guest]

C'mon AUSSIE!!!!!

[Guest]

WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY AUSTRALIA!!!!!!

 

They so much deserved to score a get a point from it.

 

But again, a tremedously brave performance and a couple of bizarre refereeing decisions in Brazils favour.....several blatant Brazilian fouls were given in Brazils favour.

 

Well you can take heart from it and you are still very much in the competition. You just need a draw with Croatia and Brazil to beat or draw with japan.

 

I thought Australia's team were so much better than englands to date; yet you lost. Still you can claim a moral victory I think. Respect Piotr.

[Mr Barguzin]

Bugger and here was me going to be the first to post after the game.... Bloody Welshmen *grin*

 

It is hard to be critical of a ref... (like HADES IT IS... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR) but I also wonder what would have happened if Guus had sent on the giant forward (set up Aloisi's goal with chest down and neat pass) rather than Aloisi. But then again, what do I know *grin*

 

Hmmm so Brazil are through (+3).... we are on 3 with +o, Croatia are on 1 with -1 and Japan are on 1 with -2.

 

HMmm now excuse my cynicism, but if we go for a draw against Croatia, and Japan beat a 2nd tier Brazil (Hey.. the coach is resting his players after a hard couple of games), would Japan win 3-0???

 

Think about it folks whilst I toddle offta bed..... That's the pain about not being able to drink alchohol... can't drown one's sorrows properly.

[Guest]

Geeezzzz you two were sharp, mind I waz off counting me winnings

Thx for holding on until HT Aussie

 

Great game, true guts & spirit which I love about this great game, shame that it's starting to become non-contact sport & that the teams like Aussie who pressurise the oppo aren't being allowed to play there natural game, they had the 10 men of Brazil rattled in the first half & they were constantly moaning to the ref about their "brutal" play

 

Looking forward to the Croat game, a draw gets you through Mr B but I reckon Aussie will win through in probably the best game of the tournament to date, see a 4-3 or 3-2 WIN with Timmy Cahill being the man to nod home the winner - That's the KOD for you

[Guest]

It will be one of the games of the tournament as 7 of the Aussie squad are croatian, and 3 of the Croatian team born in Australia!!!

 

AND NOW LOOK WHATS HAPPENED!!!!!

 

HAH! Serves the French right for playing thinking they had control without any passion.

 

South korea desreved it for the sake of the game. Though outclassed they kept trying...it was only their baffling decision to play the long ball game that made it hard for them till then anyway. BUT if I remember right they did the same to Germany a few years ago...the last 15 minutes were frantic as they went back to their normal game and upped the tempo.

 

France played well the first half but didnt really come alive until the last ten minutes tonight.

 

So another giant silenced!!!

 

France will struggle to qualify now. Because the Swiss will play with passion for sure against Korea. And Togo are no mugs either.

 

However the French goal claim was justified.

[Guest]

Well the Ukraine are back in it today with a great display.

 

Spain struggled for too long against Tunisia....they didnt look like they were going to get bak in the game unto 20 minutes from time.

 

France are in it deep after Switzerlands win against Toga today. They will have to beat Toga by 3 goals to be sure of going through....just in case the Swiss and South Korea draw.

[Mr Barguzin]

Apparently the german ref didn't like Harry Kewl calling his parentage into question after the game (he is lucky he didn't have to face the fans in the carpark..... might have seen what a blitzkrieg is really like WEG) and has "yellow carded" him with an enquiry being held into Harry's actions before the next game.

 

Talk about a case of a Sour Kraut.

 

It is interesting to note when lookig at the penalties given to Brazil in their first game (against Croatia) and then against Aust, that in the first they received 18 and gave away 20...... Aust v Japan we gave away 20 and received 12... and yet against Brazil we conceeded 25 and received 7. And a couple of the free kicks still have me wondering if it is now illegal to blow on the opponent, let alone go shoulder to shoulder.

 

Then again, I follow the Sydney Swans, so am used to being out of favour with refs. In AFL most refs are from Victoria... and therefore find it hard to believe that a NSW teaqm could actually know how to play within the rules.

 

I suppose that this now verifies the fact that that poor excuse for an unbiased arbritator was a woos. Hm if players and officials had to sign up to the World Cup stating that they wouldn't bet against teams/players etc... wonder if that was backdated for referees to when the draw was made?

 

(Yeah I know... that might be going too far....) but given that cretinous performance by the ref on sunday only adds to the performance of MY team..... we actually held 12 opponents for 45 mins.

 

So bring on Croatia, and with a fair... FAIR ref, the true Australian team will stand before the world... again.

[Guest]

I agree. the ref was very biased toward Brazil. Australia hardly got a decision in their favour.

 

They are appearing to favour all the big teams. I think they expect that the minnows will use dirty tactics to level and they look for it. Meanwhile Brazil, Italy etc get away with murder.

[Guest]

Well theres me getting ready to chant "Three lions on our shirts, Jules rimet still gleaming" after joey Coles spectacular goal and what happens? we start out usual nonsense of playing like puffed up partridges.

 

And we let them back in.

 

So we score again...and then what happens? We play like puffed up partridge again....let them score again.

 

 

If we could play evey game with the passion and courage of the USA and Australia we'd be unbeatable.

 

They are overpaid and over confident.

 

 

problem is we keep doing enough to let Sven the chancer off the hook.

 

The only good decision he ever made was getting hold of nancy del ollio.

At least she wears a bit of fur....

[Mr Barguzin]

Said to myself "Will watch the first thirty minutes and then head offta bed."

 

And what happens?? The game is actually decent... and England score and look like they are going to play a blinder..... Could it have something to do with as a team, they are a great bunch of Individual players?? (Not unlike Brazil at the moment). It's as if they are waiting for someone else to pull the trigger, rather than building up to a major assault with ALL guns blazing.

 

BTW, When I saw Owen go down..... I just knew he'd done summat in his knee..... In Rugby League it is usually aided by another body falling on the leg... firat time I can recall seeing a bloke "knee" himself.

[Guest]

Waht a fabulously dramatic game of football!!!!I am not talking about the dire match between the mouth watering clash that it promised, argentina v holland. 0 - 0 and eey bit as boring as it sounds.

 

I am talking about two teams sadly on their way home.

 

The Ivory coast and Serbia.

 

Cote d'Ivoire came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in a fantastically entertaining and dramatic match. Thak goodness I switched cahnnels. Awesome!!!

 

Shame Savo Milosevic is retiring after such a miserable world cup for Serbia...thye played well tonight. But the Ivory Coast were thrilling. Such a shame they lost narrowly to Argentina and Holland.

 

Congrats to both teams for a thrilling match. See you both in 4 years.

[snowleopard]

Got to second that on the dutch v argentina game, very dull indeed. I also switched over to see the cracker of a game between Ivory Coast and the serbs.

 

Did you see the pass from Dindane in the last moments of the game with the outside of his wrong foot coming round his standing leg. All aboard the showboat.

 

Cant leave without mentioning Joe's stunner for our boys last night. Thats what a good academy education does for you.

 

3 down 4 to go, bring on Ecuador!!!

[Guest]

 

I bet you had a few tense moments there Piotr

 

Japan were one nil up AGAINST BRAZIL and AUSTRALIA 1_0 down to Croatia. That meant bye bye Australia

 

Now Brazil and the Ozzies have equalized. Now at the moment it good for Australia.

 

ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 45 MINUTES!!!!

 

Sadly the United States , played their hearts out again, went down fighting and were victim to some more poor refereeing....and I have to say an awesome Gahan team who may well upset Brazil in the next round.

 

BUT. That one point they will go home with wont ever be forgotten. Especially if Italy win the Cup.

 

The USA now has sound foundations to build on.

And its better to have a future on sound foundations being laid than teetering over due to age and faults in the foundations. A bit like PETA,

and France in football.

[PokerAce]

WOW this was a men game - the great gool of Kewell in the 79 minute after the referee didn't give them 2 penelty kick that they diserved WOW

Anyway there is a justice in football and Australia are in the next round.

Really happy for you Piotr the best team won

PokerAce

[snowleopard]

Well they will be dancing in the streets of the bungle bungle's or wherever it was that Helen Daniels always used to go on holiday to.

 

Well done Australia. Even with one hell of a bad ref (I hate Graham Poll) trying to stop you at every turn. I mean letting a bloke get booked 3 times before sending him off, thats a bit of an unfair advantage. Then there was your own suspiciously croatian sounding keeper trying to single handedly send you home. Please tell me that wasn't tactical to drop Schwarzer.

 

And would you believe it old peachy bum (according to his mrs) finally delivers in a major game and grabs the all important goal. Wonders never cease.

 

Now its the Italians who did not impress me against the one man czechs today. Cant believe they are persisting with Totti who looks frankly less useful than Peter Crouch. Maybe there mind was on the big corruption announcement but they still didnt look good. Finally it was nice to see Ghana go through, but that was an abismal penalty decision against the yanks, absolutely shocking!!!

[Guest]

Best game of the World Cup so far!!!!! Was like watching the Premeirship

 

Even had one player get THREEE Yellow Cards - Mr Poll - Wot A shocker along with the 2 missed PENS, j'sus first one was a full on Rugby tackle!!!

 

Great game fellah, enjoy it while it lasts after all you may stay longer than the English now........!

[Guest]

THAT WASNT FOOTBALL>>>IT WAS WAR!!!!

 

 

AWESOME!!!!

 

I echo Pokerace in my congrats Piotr!!!!!

 

 

WALTZING MATILDA WALTZING MATILDA WE'LL COME A WALTZING MATILDA WITH YOU

 

break out the fosters cobber!!!!!fAIR DINKUM SHEILA...BO DIDDLEY!!!!

 

 

Yes Australia desrved it...thye should have had two other penalties....blatant.

 

And way about a player on two yellow cards staying On!!???

 

And WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED AT THE End???? yOU CANT BLOW A WHISTLE AS TYE BALL GOES IN FOR A THIRD aUSSIE GOAL? oR DID HE BLOW FOR A PENALTY AND THERE WAS NO TIME TO TAKE IT?

 

iMAGINE IF THE aUSSIES HAD NEEDED THAT THIRD GOAL???!!!! AFTER PLAYING A TEN MAN TEAM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NINE FOR THE PREVIOUS TEN MINUTES?????

 

i HAVE NOT SEEN SUCH A BAD REFEREE SINCE ...i THINK IT WAS THE MEXICAN REF bULGARIA V sWEDEN IN 1982

 

umless you count the hills have eyes>>>cALLINA WHO ACTUALLY PLAYED FOR GERMANY AGAINST THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN SEVERAL MAJOR INTERNTIONAL TOUTNAMENTS .

 

tHAT gRAHAM pOLE SHOULD NEVER REF A MATCH AGAIN...THANK GOODNESS THE aUSSIES WERE THE MORAL VICTORS.

 

pIOTR? Piotr? PIOTR??

 

Are you okay? Are there Croatians rioting outside your home????

[Mr Barguzin]

Funny how the ref for the US V Ghana game was the same anal retentive twit that "refereed" our game against the Brazilians. Seems like he IS consistent............ly bad.... Nope, make that incompetent. Who's backside did he kiss?? And may he be excused from future matches... FUR EVER.

 

"I TOLD YOU SO"

 

The above was said by Johnny Warren... to most of you he is nobody, but to aussie fans, he was Australian Football... Captain Skippy from the 1974 WC Team.

 

Well, he certainly did tell us so... and now we believe Johnny.

 

PokerAce, Snowleopard, Furelli..

 

Yeppers that ref did get a few decisions wrong, and missed a bit.... but he was much fairer than the anal retentive one. So on that count, we (Australia) won't want his blood.

 

Yeppers the switch of Kalac for Schwater was a tactical ploy.... But Man 'O Man, wasn't Harry GREAT??? That run down the left flank, the quick snatched goal the keeper parried..... and THAT GOAL.... he is BRILLIANT. BTW, Guus is allowed to make one goof *grin*.. and he has made it. But then again, how often do you see a team with a five man forward line.... and still get the numbers back to defend?? (okay shakily at times... but... better shaky than holey).

 

And now it is the Azzuri............... hhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm arewn't they in the same league as Brazil?? WEG Ya never never know if ya never have a go.

 

Aussies Always have a go and just keep on going.

 

And now I gotta go to sleep???? SHEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

 

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE>>>> OI OI OI

 

HERE WE GO

HERE WE GO

HERE WE GO