OFFICIAL WORLD CUP 2006

[HarveyWallbangers]

Go Australia. With the result earlier today, it looks like all they need is a tie in one of their last two games to advance.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I admit I'm not a soccer fan so go ahead and yell at me. So, now the USA finally scores a goal, and it is a soft goal at best. Now the world should be singing our praises? Two games 1 goal. I'm glad you all enjoy it. I've tried, but still the only thing I can find that is more boring is watching paint dry.

Go USA!!!

To an uneducated eye the officiating looked atrocious.

It goes beyond this World Cup. We advanced to the Final 8 in Korea--beating solid soccer powers Portugal and Mexico along the way. We also tied host Korea--who advanced to the Semifinals. We also outplayed Germany in a close loss. We beat Mexico in qualification in the first time in our history--yet Mexico is seeded higher. We get thrown into one of the two Groups of Death, and have a chance at advancing. When we play well, I expect people to say we played well. When we stunk against the Czechs, we were called out harshly (which we should have been). However, the praise never comes. There's always an excuse. After tying Italy on European soil with a man down 1/2 the game, we should get praised.

[HarveyWallbangers]

JSO-like double post. I'm getting a bad connection here at home.

[red]

well said harv

and kudos on the triple post lol

well time to watch the soccer gods(brazil) play

[BallHawk]

Damnit, Australia lost. My Dad lived in Australia for a couple years, when he was a kid, so I root for them. I've got connections with about every country in the World Cup. My grandad was born in Poland, Grandma grew up in Switzerland, etc. My main teams are USA, Australia, and England, though.

In regard to the U.S., as much as I want them to make it, they won't. I think they will beat Ghana, but Italy won't beat the Czechs. The Ghana game was a fluke for them.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I thought Australia looked pretty good. Gave up a late one when they were trying to get the equalizer.

[HarveyWallbangers]

From Englishman Michael Davies on ESPN.com:

Apparently, the burghers of Munich drink more beer than any other population on earth ... but with the Australians in town, I have a feeling we're about to see some kind of beer world record. This stadium reeks of the amber nectar. And the Australian fans away to my right are totally in the mood, heaping piles of abuse on Ronaldo and the Brasilians, at one point even chanting "boooooring" -- sacrilege in the old-world football order.

But the Australians, like the Americans last night, represent the ruggedness of the new world. I'll spare you the frontier thesis. But something's up in the world of football, and I think it could be the thrill of the new...

I've read a bunch of the international press on the U.S. vs. Italy match, and not surprisingly, they see it a little differently than the press back home. No mention of the rousing performance of the U.S. fans (will never get over what I witnessed; for me, much more notable than the three red cards) and only grudging acceptance of how well the U.S. team played. The match was essentially seen as a violent encounter with an extraordinary number of fouls. The referee's overeagerness to pull out his whole palate of cards (I'm sure if he'd had other colors he would have used them) was seen in that context, and in the context of the specific instructions given to referees at this World Cup, namely, clamp down on flying elbows, two-footed cleats-up tackles and tackles from behind.

After having watched some replays on German television, I am convinced Pablo Mastroeni's red card was justified, or at least inevitable based on the briefing of the referees and the fact that he had already sent off an Italian. The U.S. will learn from that.

The disallowed Beasley goal was also a correct call.

I will, however, never believe that Eddie Pope's second yellow was justified. It was a foul, but not a yellow. A simple case of a ref trying to stamp his authority on a game early in the half and not realising he was killing the game...

It's great to see the coverage from the U.S. (watched some of the live studio show on ESPN.com) reflecting the passion of the players and fans. Eric, Alexi and Giorgio in the studio? That's a cocktail. But the scapegoating of the ref, the bringing up of his past suspension (when no one seems to have any idea what it was for) is a British import the U.S. can do without. It doesn't change anything. The U.S. got a great result because of their players. Bruce Arena, I thought, handled the postmatch press conference with real class.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I like this guy.


Reputations mean nothing
19 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

Mark Webber, Formula One driver

He is the first Australian to race in Formula One since David Brabham in 1994. Webber made an emotional debut in Formula One in 2002, scoring Minardi's first points in three years at his and Stoddart's home race.

Do you think Australia can go through?
There’s still a chance if they draw against Croatia. I think if they go through and if they play Italy or someone like they did against Brazil, it can go quite well. Even though football is not a very popular sport in Australia, we have a lot of talented Australian football players. They’re Australian and they want to do well. I think that football is going to get bigger and bigger in the next ten years, and you’ll see countries like America and Australia really do well against some of the European countries. They’re starting to be recognized in some of the other countries. Football is European and South American dominated but there is some other nations coming in that will spice up the World Cup in the future.

So you are going to support the English team?
I love living in England, I love the English people, I have an English girlfriend, I have English T.V comedy, it’s all good fun, and I have a lot of friends here but when it comes to sport I don’t support England at all. I’m not expecting them to do all that much, I think they will be one of the disappointing teams, and they won’t go too far in the championship.

[No Mo Moss]

Has anyone seen any of the Italian press after that game, I'd be really eager to see what they were saying.


It seems that if things play out and the US advances, their likely 1st rd foe would be Brazil. To me that could be a good thing. I mean does anyone really think that the US has a shot at winning it all? Of course not. If they make it out of the group of death I think it will already be a great victory for American soccer. From there you need to know what you're made of. To do that you have to play the best in the business. Brazil hasn't locked up the #1 seed yet but probably will. Of all the years though Brazil has looked beatable this year. It would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

[Tarlam!]

Harv, are you baiting me?

[Partial]

if they someone come out of their group, and thats a big if, I think that will put a HUGE spotlight on US soccer here for a bit.

If they were to beat Brazil, holy snap, soccer might actually be network broadcast on something other than espn 8 (the ocho) for a game or two!!

[red]

if they someone come out of their group, and thats a big if, I think that will put a HUGE spotlight on US soccer here for a bit.

If they were to beat Brazil, holy snap, soccer might actually be network broadcast on something other than espn 8 (the ocho) for a game or two!!

i don't know, we went to the round of 8 last time and nobody gave a flying shit, they just said it was a fluke, and i didn't really see a huge upswing in the popularity of soccer among americans.

and i think if they can find a way to beat brasil people will use the excuse that brasil isn't playing all that well this year (well compaired to how they usually play)

of course we need to beat ghana first, and to do that we have to score, which we haven't done yet in this cup, and win on european soil, which we also have still never done. then we need some help from italy who is going up against a damn good team

[No Mo Moss]

I think the performance in 2002 DID have a huge impact on soccer in this country. There was almost no coverage of the qualifying matches prior to the 2002 cup, now every time the USA laces em up, they are on TV. For the first time ever every game is being broadcast in this country. Since 2002 many huge European clubs such as Man U, Real Madrid, AC Milan and others have toured the US playing to sold out stadiums. Chelsea will play the MLS allstars in August, that would have never happened prior to the 2002 cup. The MLS got a ratings boost for a while and then went back to earth. If the MLS can get a couple big name players to defect, then they might have something. Beckham has been mentioned, Ryan Giggs. A strong showing would go a long way. The ratings are way up for the games this year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think the performance in 2002 DID have a huge impact on soccer in this country. There was almost no coverage of the qualifying matches prior to the 2002 cup, now every time the USA laces em up, they are on TV. For the first time ever every game is being broadcast in this country. Since 2002 many huge European clubs such as Man U, Real Madrid, AC Milan and others have toured the US playing to sold out stadiums. Chelsea will play the MLS allstars in August, that would have never happened prior to the 2002 cup. The MLS got a ratings boost for a while and then went back to earth. If the MLS can get a couple big name players to defect, then they might have something. Beckham has been mentioned, Ryan Giggs. A strong showing would go a long way. The ratings are way up for the games this year.

I agree. Not to mention that more Americans are getting a chance in European leagues, and some of them are valuable members of their teams (Bocanegra and McBride with Fulham, Convey with Reading, Keller in the Bundesliga, Howard with Man U., etc.) Look for Johnson and Dempsey to get shots soon.

[No Mo Moss]

Marcus Hannaman (sp) and Convey played big roles in getting Reading promoted. McBride was named Fulhams MVP. He showed why against Italy. Tim Howard actually has been loaned to Everton next year by Man U, so he will be starting again.
All its going to take is one big name player coming to the MLS and its on. A lot of people will cite failings of the past when Pele and others came here to play, but I'd say that America wasn't ready yet.