FIFA World Cup

[consortium11]

I mean traditionally the first round has always een somewhat of a cautious affair as no teams need to win and it's often more important not to lose and thus guarentee a point... especially if you're the perceived second est team in a group, but this year's has been exceptional. Nothing sums this up more than Portugal/Ivory Coast which should have een a great match... and instead spluttered into nothing much really.

As I said I'm getting more and more convinced the ball is actually a problem. So many passes in the air have been completely overshot... and the same with shots and freekicks. It's the worst of both worlds... it's made keepers look stupid and hurt precision play

[Ridcully]

What the hell is South Africa playing there...?! No movement on the wings, no pressure, and they 1-0 down. I can't understand this.

Nice goal from Diego Forlan, btw.

[Kitsunetsuki]

Wow...South Africa is not doing well, eh? Go Uruguay!!

p.s. what part of "I'm watching the World Cup" translates to "please send me inane text messages every 2 minutes, because I really care about what you're doing right now" 

[Stan']

Goalkeeper has been sent off.

The South Africans are stunned.

Those damn horns stop.

Anyone else happy!

[Kitsunetsuki]

Poor South Africa...I kind of feel sorry for them. It's terribly unfortunate, the carding was rampant...but, they were their own worst enemies in this game.

I have to say that Uruguay played a good game. They did well! Congrats to Uruguay

[Phobetor]

Wow. That game kinda left a bad taste in my mouth.  I loved the beginning. I felt like Uruguay and S.Africa was keeping it pretty even. I mean, their ball possession was pretty even and they were fighting hard.

That Ref needs to have his cards shoved up his ass. He was making bogus calls. I feel horrible for the Goalie. I don't think he should have been sent off.

But overall? Uruguay played FANTASTIC. lol I was happy with THIS game. THIS is how the World Cup should be played! With all the action and me at the edge-of-my-seat!!!

[Stan']

The goalkeeper shouldn't have been sent off?  If he didn't take out the player, it was a goal.  The striker had side-stepped him, and was taken out.

[consortium11]

The reffing in this tournament has been of a pretty low level, ut seriously... that red card for the ref was clear. I was worried the ref wasn't going to give it... luckily he didn't ow to local pressure.

South Africa played to their level. Remember if it wasn't for the fact they were hosting the competition they wouldn't have qualified. Now, the African qualifying is harder than some, but it's still not a killer group so that says a lot. Having the fans on your side can do a lot... but not that much. South Africa are rated 83rd in the world... Uruguay 16th. That's the same difference as between Brazil and Cyprus...

[Dashenka]

The reffing in this tournament has been of a pretty low level, ut seriously... that red card for the ref was clear. I was worried the ref wasn't going to give it... luckily he didn't ow to local pressure.

Ehm.... what!? Which matches have you been watching to say reffing was low level!? Certainly not the matches I have seen. Most of them were good refs and good decisions.

The penalty on SA - Uruguay was a bit dubious. Yes it was a foul and he can give it but Suarez is a diver. I know him from the Dutch competition and he is at the same low as Cristiano Ronaldo. Both are great actors. Maybe this ref made some errors but overall, the referees done a greta job so saying it's been of a low level is something completely beyond me...

[consortium11]

Ehm.... what!? Which matches have you been watching to say reffing was low level!? Certainly not the matches I have seen. Most of them were good refs and good decisions.

The penalty on SA - Uruguay was a bit dubious. Yes it was a foul and he can give it but Suarez is a diver. I know him from the Dutch competition and he is at the same low as Cristiano Ronaldo. Both are great actors. Maybe this ref made some errors but overall, the referees done a greta job so saying it's been of a low level is something completely beyond me...

1) If it was a foul the penalty can't be dubious...

2) Nigerea vs Argentina (the goal came after a clear example of locking to the extent that the FIFA referee committee pulically spoke out aout how poor it was)

Australia vs Germany

Italy vs Paraguay

And Eddy Maillet in Chille vs Paraguay who was simply terrible all round.

That's just off the top of my head... and that's where I remember there being both glaring mistakes and general incompetence.

[Remiel]

What blows me away is how the linesmen are so good at keeping up with offsides penalties.  They have to be aware of where the players are on the field at the same time as where the ball is and if it is being kicked, which may be taking place some distance away.  How do they do that? 

[Stan']

Seems like nowadays, a referee can make the right decisions 98% of the game, but as soon as they make one bad mistake, everyone's shouting for their head.  Apart from Cahill's harsh red card, I thought the referee had a good game during Aus-Ger.  And Howard Webb was very good today.

[Scribbles]

Seems like nowadays, a referee can make the right decisions 98% of the game, but as soon as they make one bad mistake, everyone's shouting for their head.

Which is why I'm against vid-refs. The controversy stirred up by human error is just too much fun. ^_^

I'm sad South Africa lost but even if the reffing was excellent, it was clearly Uraguay's game.

[TheWriter]

Apart from Cahill's harsh red card, I thought the referee had a good game during Aus-Ger.

A couple of Australia's yellows that were for dissent were a bit soft.  One guy raises his arm and says something unsavoury, when compared to whole teams from Europe or South America doing the same, seems quite tame.

[Remiel]

After watching the recording of the Spain-Switzerland game, I'm not ready to discount Spain just yet.  It seemed like they took about a hundred shots on goal, compared to Switzerland's 2; they just happened to miss every single one.   After every time the ball bounced off the crossbar or missed by less than 1 meter, I found myself saying, "how unlucky can they be?"   There's a lot of talent on that team, particularly Villa and Torres; they just don't have the artistry of Brazil or the sheer efficiency of Germany.  I think that if they ever come up with a solid attack plan instead of "get it to one of our forwards and hope that he finds an opportunity," Spain could be quite deadly.

I'm still sticking with Brazil v. Germany in the final, though.

[Phobetor]

So, so far I'm pretty pleased with the two games that I've watched so far. (All while running back and forth from my desk to the break room lol)

Argentina vs Korea : That was a pretty fun game to watch. Argentina did good. A few times they kinda slacked off and didn't play their defense too well but they were going strong, trying to score and it seems to have paid off.

Greece vs. Nigeria : Holy crap that was an intense second half. I honestly thought that it was going to stay a tie and then all that happened. The Goalie for Nigeria is a BEAST! lol He's freakin awesome!!!

I'm hopeful for Mexico vs France. I want Mexico to win! I think they have a good chance...but in this game, you never really know! The second games are starting out hell'a better than the first ones and so far I haven't been too disappointed with any of the matches.

We'll see what happens!!! *happy dance*

[Ridcully]

Otto Rehagel did it again - first victory ever for Greece at a World Cup tournament. Woot...the old men and soccer.

Anyways, very strange for Nigeria to not go to the next round with this team. The red card was hard, but well...why did the guy from Nigeria do it? So senseless.

Argentinia - South Korea was a Messi game, even though he didn't score. His speed, his elegance, his technique. Awesomeness.

[Kitsunetsuki]

The Greece vs. Nigeria game was insane. Have to agree with GrapeTootsiePop about the Nigerian goalkeeper though...awesome saves, time & again. Congrats to Greece...they played a great game.
I'm sorry I missed the Argentina vs. S.Korea game, but I saw some highlights & from what I saw, it was spectacular.
Looking forward to France vs. Mexico later...not sure who to root for, but the francophile in me kinda wants France to win

[Remiel]

I'm going for Mexico.  North American solidarity! =P

[Nico]

Mexico really would deserve to win. Not sure, tho. But if France doesn't shape up, they won't make it.

[Ridcully]

Mexico will do it; France has got way too many problems in the team. One Ribery is not enough.

[Nico]

Mexico will do it; France has got way too many problems in the team. One Ribery is not enough.

+1
Completely agree there man.

[Stan']

Shame even the one Ribery didn't turn up!

[Remiel]

Way to go, Mexico! 

[Phobetor]

Holy shit talk about a fierce match. They were doing penalties left and right lol

But in the end, I'm happy with Mexico! Good job on their win! And the Mexico Goalie rocked! Cause France was trying hard lol it's just that the Mexico Goalie is hell'a better than the France one! lol

Can't wait for tomorrow!