World Cup Thread

[JamesSD]

This is a fucking crazy game.

I'll have to be honest, and I know I'll sound like a crazy American here:

I like 10-on-10 or 9-on-9 soccer better than 11-on-11.

Like 4-on-4 hockey, there just seems to be so much more room for the teams to work with. Crazy sprints up and down the field. That match was damn exciting.

The other thing you have to love about soccer is the lack of stoppage in plays.


So in group E, if Italy and the US win their next match, both advance. Obviously if the US loses they're done. A US win and Czech win would make the Czechs advance and then leave it up to goal differential between the US and Italy. Right now that's a huge gap to close.

And of course, a Czech-Italy tie probably would be the worst possible outcome for the US.

 

[Belegon]

I'm very happy with this result...

to end in the tie after playing that long with 9 men...Kasey Keller was awesome towards the end!

we are still alive...we have to beat Ghana and become major fans of the Italians now...

I still feel that the game was horribly referreed though...and I expect that BOTH coaches will agree...

Alexi Lalas just said on US television that players win games, Coaches lose them and Ref's ruin them...

anyone disagree at this point?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

maybe I'm showing my ignorance, but on both those cards, though the tackles were late, the player got ball...

when I played (at an admittedly low level) a tackle that got ball was like a blocked shot in basketball...

I could see fouls...but cards? and reds? I always have thought a red should be reserved for a play that endangers another player... (Pope got two yellows, not a single red...but even the second yellow seemed rather quick and ill advised to me...)

There is a large contingent of US fans that honestly believe the US faces an international bias...that the rest of the world WANTS us to fail at THEIR game...

That said, this referee sucks...he has blown calls against Italy too...especially offsides...

Like I said, I haven't seen the images yet, only read the commentary at FIFA.com. Late two-footed tackles are always punishable with a direct red card, ball or no ball. A two-footed tackle is not only vicious, but leaves you no way to stop yourself, and even if you get the ball before you predictably crash boots-first into your opponent's legs, it is always at the very least reckless endangerment of another player's physical integrity. Those are the rules, and the players know them, even if not all the fans do.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yep, this is going to be fun to watch.

4. (3-1) Italy
3. (3-2) Czech Republic
3. (2-3) Ghana
1. (1-4) USA

 

[JamesSD]

Like I said, I haven't seen the images yet, only read the commentary at FIFA.com. Late two-footed tackles are always punishable with a direct red card, ball or no ball. A two-footed tackle is not only vicious, but leaves you no way to stop yourself, and even if you get the ball before you predictably crash boots-first into your opponent's legs, it is always at the very least reckless endangerment of another player's physical integrity. Those are the rules, and the players know them, even if not all the fans do.

In the post match analysis here they were discussing how this ref was suspended in the past for inconsistent calls, and how he didn't officiate at all in the 2002 cup because of it.

He won't ref another match this tournament.

 

[Belegon]

Like I said, I haven't seen the images yet, only read the commentary at FIFA.com. Late two-footed tackles are always punishable with a direct red card, ball or no ball. A two-footed tackle is not only vicious, but leaves you no way to stop yourself, and even if you get the ball before you predictably crash boots-first into your opponent's legs, it is always at the very least reckless endangerment of another player's physical integrity. Those are the rules, and the players know them, even if not all the fans do.

US television had an italian that coaches in MLS on set...and he felt the first US red was unjustified, despite the fact that his whole job on the broadcast was to provide a counterpoint to Wynalda and Lalas, who were obviously going to be US-biased...everybody seems to feel the ref sucked, including my next door neighbor, who bleeds Mexico green and would have loved to see the US lose...

I'm proud of our boys right now...to not give up another score when playing that long with only nine men? Great effort...

I'll bet that many italian fans will be upset with this result though...

 

[Lauren Hynde]

US television had an italian that coaches in MLS on set...and he felt the first US red was unjustified, despite the fact that his whole job on the broadcast was to provide a counterpoint to Wynalda and Lalas, who were obviously going to be US-biased...everybody seems to feel the ref sucked, including my next door neighbor, who bleeds Mexico green and would have loved to see the US lose...

I'm proud of our boys right now...to not give up another score when playing that long with only nine men? Great effort...

I'll bet that many italian fans will be upset with this result though...

Yep, you did well. And as for Italy, who wants to go into the final match knowing they need to beat the Czech Republic?

 

[CharleyH]

Football superstars are known all over the world (with the exception of the US and Canada) and get all the money that comes with that status. You just have to go to where the money is.

That's only because football in our countries requires much armour to protect our men from the obvious homo-eroticism that North Americans seem to abhor in "REAL" football acoss the world. We slap asses and take the balls from the back end. You all just lay down on the field after a goal and jump on each other dick to dick. It's SO gay I LOVE IT!

Edit to add: A whore is a whore.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

That's only because football in our countries requires much armour to protect our men from the obvious homo-eroticism that North Americans seem to abhor in "REAL" football acoss the world. We slap asses and take the balls from the back end. You all just lay down on the field after a goal and jump on each other dick to dick. It's SO gay I LOVE IT!

You slap asses and put your nose up against the other guy's crotch constantly as part of the game itself, not only occasionally as a post-goal celebration. If that's not gay, I don't know what is.

 

[Belegon]

Yep, you did well. And as for Italy, who wants to go into the final match knowing they need to beat the Czech Republic?

Yes, the Czech's impressed me very much...as did Croatia. Eastern Europe is looking strong!

If we can beat Ghana...it would be the first US World Cup victory on european soil and would make many of the fans here feel this cup was a success, even if we don't transfer...

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Yes, the Czech's impressed me very much...as did Croatia. Eastern Europe is looking strong!

I was expecting a LOT more from Serbia and Ukraine, though.

 

[Belegon]

You slap asses and put your nose up against the other guy's crotch constantly as part of the game itself, not only occasionally as a post-goal celebration. If that's not gay, I don't know what is.

I can't say anything here...I don't know how I got this gesture into my repetoire, but I used to be one of those ballplayers that would slap a guy on the ass as he came into the dugout after a home run or having made a great play....

...am I suppressing something ya think?

 

[CharleyH]

You slap asses and put your nose up against the other guy's crotch constantly as part of the game itself, not only occasionally as a post-goal celebration. If that's not gay, I don't know what is.

Our guys HAVE PROTECTION for the gayness! Believe me - I watch the swing of the crotch in this Euro-football and I am sure some of your guys play sans-jock strap.

 

[CharleyH]

One thing I love about world cup football? No matter which country, there is a comraderie. I live in a multicultural area, and can always tell when someone wins from the mulitple screams of WHOOP and horn honkings. Does this happen anywhere else?

 

[Belegon]

One thing I love about world cup football? No matter which country, there is a comraderie. I live in a multicultural area, and can always tell when someone wins from the mulitple screams of WHOOP and horn honkings. Does this happen anywhere else?

A bit...I live in an area with a large latino population...and (with the exception of the next door neighbor) many of them are rooting fro the US to do well...and Brazil...even saw a Netherlands jersey being worn at the grocery store the other day...

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I just saw the images on TV, and come on. You guys have to be joking. That first tackle was clearly a red card and Pope's was at least a yellow card as well. I don't know how bad the referring was during the match, but those two calls were right on.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

One thing I love about world cup football? No matter which country, there is a comraderie. I live in a multicultural area, and can always tell when someone wins from the mulitple screams of WHOOP and horn honkings. Does this happen anywhere else?

Yes, it's wonderful. We have mostly people from Angola, Brazil and Ukraine around here, and the partying is always great to see and be a part of, no matter who wins. The Euro2004 here was a great experience in that aspect too, with people from all over Europe celebrating together.

 

[Liar]

Like 4-on-4 hockey, there just seems to be so much more room for the teams to work with.

You should watch European hockey then. Bigger rinks.

 

[CharleyH]

I just saw the images on TV, and come on. You guys have to be joking. That first tackle was clearly a red card and Pope's was at least a yellow card as well. I don't know how bad the referring was during the match, but those two calls were right on.

I definately await the responses to that. I did not see the games today so can only imagine that the Czecks are IDIOTS. I thought FOR SURE they would win today.

Edit to add: my neighbors are happy. All I heard was (scream) YAHOOO!!! LETS FLY THE FLAG! (SCREAM) YE HA!

 

[Liar]

Yes, it's wonderful. We have mostly people from Angola, Brazil and Ukraine around here, and the partying is always great to see and be a part of, no matter who wins. The Euro2004 here was a great experience in that aspect too, with people from all over Europe celebrating together.

The Italians across the street are still shouting at each other.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

The Italians across the street are still shouting at each other.

That could mean anything. Are you sure they're shouting about football?

 

[CharleyH]

That could mean anything. Are you sure they're shouting about football?

LOL

 

[Liar]

That could mean anything. Are you sure they're shouting about football?

QWell, it started at Beasley's non-goal and haven't stopped yet.

 

[gauchecritic]

I saw about 10 minutes of the second half (drinking and selling raffle tickes otherwise) but Italy should be as.hamed at how many chance they missed, especially when the linesman (assistant referee for some reason now) failed to flag for offside in almost every case.

Whoever said it is almost exactly right, countries like Ghana, T&T, US etc won't get anywhere in the world cup until they don't need to depend on second and third division players as main strengths.

However good a crosser Eddie Lewis is (being a prime example) he is still a second division player.

If the US could get over the idea that football is a non-contact sport they would do better. Although that is one thing I admire them for.

 

[CrazyyAngel]

Yes, the Czech's impressed me very much...

If you saw the game against Ghana, you wouldn't be that impressed anymore. And in the game against Italy they are without Koller, Baros and Uefalusi (the defender who got the red card in the Ghana game) ... and the Italians have to win this to make sure they advance, so they won't play sloppy. The Czech's are done in this tournament. I'd say, Ghana and Italy will advance ... also Ghana not that far, as Brazil is likely to wait in the round of 16.

That first tackle was clearly a red card and Pope's was at least a yellow card as well.

Pope's tackle was just a yellow card ... but because he had already received one in the game it was followed by a red card and an ejection.

The first one was a clear red card, as was the Italian one ... for those cards you can't blame the ref, he got everything right.

CA