South Africa 2010

North Korea is actually quite decent. I watched a couple of their games against other quality Asian sides like Japan and South Korea and they took it to them and even managed to pull it wins against them.

Obviously they were in over their heads when they were seeded to play in this group and I think their biggest mistake was assuming that they could run with Brazil and Portugal.
 
.Warbsimog said:
North Korea is actually quite decent. I watched a couple of their games against other quality Asian sides like Japan and South Korea and they took it to them and even managed to pull it wins against them.

Obviously they were in over their heads when they were seeded to play in this group and I think their biggest mistake was assuming that they could run with Brazil and Portugal.
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I agree. I thought Brazil were matched physically against North Korea and on that performance I thought they would have it in them to make it out of the group. Obviously they couldn't have hoped to qualify from the group shaping up for every game as they did against Brazil, it's just a shame they imploded against Portugal. I expect them to finish strongly against an over ambitious Ivory Coast side. The African sides have sadly dissapointed so far whereas the South American sides look formidable.

I hope England get the result tomorrow and they should do, which will likely open the doors for the US to grab 2nd spot (or 1st who knows?). Algeria could still sneak it though, they beat a strong Egypt side to get to the World Cup finals...
 
Harlequin said:
I hope England get the result tomorrow and they should do, which will likely open the doors for the US to grab 2nd spot (or 1st who knows?). Algeria could still sneak it though, they beat a strong Egypt side to get to the World Cup finals...
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U.S. is in the better position to take first, assuming both win. And I think England has the tougher task, as Slovenia's defense is a touch stronger than Algeria's, in my opinion.
 
Yuna Ito said:
Haha France is losing 2-0 to South Africa. It makes me wonder why they are such a shit team without Zidane lol. Heh France will be eliminatedThey seem to play really bad lately. And Uruguay is winning against Mexico. 1-0
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You only wonder because you know nothing about soccerball milfynardo. Raymond Domenech is the reason. France probably have/had the second strongest squad after Spain.

I hope Slovenia and Algeria win.
 
South Korea made round 16! Fuck yeah! Now that's an excuse to go to a sports bar at 9AM on a Saturday.

I just hope their defense picks up else they won't really have a fighting chance. God, I still remember 2002. That was fucking awesome.
 
Wow.

USA got screwed AGAIN.

Of course they won 1-0 the first goal was 91 minutes in.

It should have been 2-0 though :hmmm:

I'm not really complaining I mean it's been like 80 years since they advanced pass the first round so, congrats to them :D


I think they were playing defense for too long though and that's why USA didn't score until well last minute.
 
CassinoChips said:
U.S. is in the better position to take first, assuming both win.
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Looks like you were right on that one. I'm happy for the USA, first is all they deserve after that turn around against Slovenia which should have been a win and beating Algeria. England showed very little desire and ambition against Algeria and IMO they've got what they deserve. I do hope England make it past the quarterfinals this World Cup though, even if it is exhausting supporting them :gonk:
 
The England game was so much better than the previous two combined. David James and Ashley Cole were definitely the outstanding players this afternoon. The ref was quite harsh today as well. We should've also gotten that second goal since it definitely looked onside. Anyway, glad we got into the final sixteen after everything.
 
DeadFantasy said:
I'm not really complaining I mean it's been like 80 years since they advanced pass the first round so, congrats to them :D.
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They got to the quarter-finals in 2002!

Well done to USA, and that goal of theirs means England could play Argentina in the quarter-finals if both win their next games. Group D is on a real knife edge at the moment, I think Germany might still go out.
 
ENGLAND V GERMANY :gasp:

should be good, if England can continue like today. Barry will have to be at his very best.

two tasty knock-out games already; England - Germany, Argentina - Mexico.
 
GROUP C
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
United States . . . . .1 . . 0 . . 2 . . . 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . +1
England . . . . . . . . .1 . . 0 . . 2 . . . 5 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . +1
Slovenia . . . . . . . . 1 . . 1 . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 3 . . . 0
Algeria . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 2 . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 0 . . . 2 . . . 0

GROUP D
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
Germany . . . . . . . . 2 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . . 1 . . .+4
Ghana . . . . . . . . . .1 . . 1 . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 2 . . . 2 . . . 0
Australia . . . . . . . . 1 . . 1 . . 1 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 6 . . .-3
Serbia . . . . . . . . . .1 . . 2 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .-1

Much to Hal's delight, both England and the U.S. are through, the U.S. in dramatic fashion, as has become their trademark throughout both the qualifiers and the Cup finals.

Germany survived without Klose, and Ghana was game. U.S.-Ghana is a nice little rematch from '06, and Germany-England is a heavyweight bout. Should be fun.
 
So England and the US are through! :gasp:

England played quite badly in the group stage and will need a huge surge in quality to see off Germany, who didn't look as dominant a team against Ghana and Serbia as they were against Australia. A solid performance by the US, perhaps deserving of top spot after the two bad decisions for the goals. I'm tipping them to make it to the quarter finals. Argentina should be good for the win against Mexico but I think the Mexicans still have a surprise or two up their sleeves.
 
One of USA/Ghana/Uruguay/South Korea will make the semi-finals, a chance for one of them to really go far in this World Cup it seems.

England v Germany, and then possibly England v Argentina, this could be explosive XD
 
Judging from group stage performances, I'd go with Uruguay to get to the semis of those four. I wouldn't rule out South Korea though...

England got the result they deserved today. We could have had one or two more; Rooney was very unlucky to hit the post. I didn't like seeing Milner and Joe Cole keeping the ball in the corner for the last five minutes or so. I never like watching players do that.
 
The Dоctor;760392 said:
I didn't like seeing Milner and Joe Cole keeping the ball in the corner for the last five minutes or so. I never like watching players do that.
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It's time wasting. Slovenia should have done that all game.

I hope Germany stuff England, another 4-nil would be nice. I'm dissapointed Serbia didn't get through either, all they had to do was beat Australia.

There's a good chance the Chile won't make it past the group stages.
 
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I hate seeing time wasting like that though. I never like seeing a team just trying to kill a game for the last five minutes. I really wish FIFA would look into doing something to stamp it out (basically if it's done, the ref gives a free kick the other way).

I've got full faith England can beat Germany. Germany have only really been the force they usually are in the Australia match, and England will be on a confidence high after yesterday's performance. My only worry is that we've never really done that well against bigger teams under Capello.
 
The Dоctor;760624 said:
I hate seeing time wasting like that though. I never like seeing a team just trying to kill a game for the last five minutes. I really wish FIFA would look into doing something to stamp it out (basically if it's done, the ref gives a free kick the other way).
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it's a perfectly fair form of defending. it's the same thing as Barcelona passing the ball in their own half for the last few minutes, same as making a sub in injury time, same as the goalkeeper waiting for the striker to close him down before picking up the ball etc etc.

I don't see anything wrong with it and it should be allowed to stay; the team that does it has every right to do it because they are ahead and have the result they need. Time wasting, parking the bus, it's all part of football.

Then again, I didn't like England doing it yesterday; a supposed 'World Class' team against a minnow like Slovenia. England really need to learn how to keep possession of the ball, they looked really tired in the last 15 minutes.
 
The Dоctor;760624 said:
My only worry is that we've never really done that well against bigger teams under Capello.
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England never do well against good teams under anybody. Italia 90 was the last time you made it past the group stages wasn't it? And 1970 before then?

England really need to learn how to keep possession of the ball, they looked really tired in the last 15 minutes.
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That's not really how England play though is it? And do they have the players to do it?
 
Bez said:
England never do well against good teams under anybody. Italia 90 was the last time you made it past the group stages wasn't it? And 1970 before then?
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England haven't got an amazing record but you can at least get your facts straight - their record since 1966 is as follows:

1970 - Quarter-finals
1974 - did not qualify
1978 - did not qualify
1982 - 2nd Round
1986 - Quarter-finals
1990 - Semi-finals
1994 - did not qualify
1998 - 2nd Round
2002 - Quarter-finals
2006 - Quarter-finals

So they do get past the group stage a fair few times! I think they might beat Germany, but they might then face Argentina, and that would be a very tough game.

That Italy game went crazy in the last 20 minutes or so - great game in the end, but Italy have been very disappointing in this tournament, they only seemed to come to life when it was too late.

And Japan 2-0 up! Two great free kicks from them.
 
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