Ghana just got the softest penalty I have ever seen!
Unlucky US....

I agree, very soft penalty. But, what's done is done. I'd like to see Eddie Johnson come in for the US - they could use a spark. They should be playing with much more urgency... especially with Italy up against the Czechs.

Here's your answer: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=188829&cid=15559199

If a player receives a yellow card in two consecutive games he is suspended from the next match. The slate is wiped clean after the group stage but it is still possible to be suspended for the second round match. That is if you receive a yellow card in the second and third group stage matches.

I may be wrong on some point here but that's my understanding of it.

Maybe now everyone will agree with me that the US sucks. Soft penalty or not, they still just can't convert chances. Their shots per game is pathetic.

They have 4 years to get some real talent.

As bad as I feel for the US (yes, a soft penalty by anyone's standards) I'm glad to see that at least ONE of the African teams have made it through to the round of 16.

How they'll make out against Brazil is another story altogether.

You never know - Brazil has not impressed so far, damn Aussies gave them a good match.

speaking of soft, I think a strong breeze could take down and injure many of Ghana's players... thus giving American haters of the sport more ammunition. the blatant takedown of McBride(?) just outside the box for the last yellow was a nice touch too... (probably not that he would have done anything with it)

oh well, I still have my Oranje.

All I can say is bring on Italy. Go the Aussies. Bit tired this evening - having to get up at 4am to go to the pub to watch our game against Croatia has taken it out of me.

Ha ha, now you know how I felt when it was in Japan/South Korea! :)

Not anymore. :(

Definitely one of the more memorable games of the tournament, albeit for all the wrong reasons. IMO, the ref let the game get away from him a bit - especially in the beginnings of the 2nd half.

Who am I going to support now?

I was really disapointed by the Netherlands/Portugal game. The ref was horrible and inconsistent and the lack of sportsmanship was appalling. I think the Netherland coach should be kicking his ass all the way home for not putting Ruud VN in the game. I mean really, he's one of the best target men in the game and you leave him on the bench?? M.O.R.O.N.

My only consolation is that Christiano is in the round of 8 now.

The England game started out really flat. If it weren't for the pure brilliance of Beckham, I think the English would have lost. They look good when they press the ball, but for some reason they act like they want to sit back too much, too early. :shrug:

On a side note, that winner for Argentina was a thing of pure beauty!!

I'm so sorry for australia. That penalty was joke. But Italy won't win another game I hope.

just a little humor:



It's just before the England v Brazil match. Ronaldinho goes into the Brazilian changing room to find all his teammates looking a bit glum.


What's up?" he asks.


"Well, we're having trouble getting motivated for this game. We know it's important but it's only England They're shite and we can't be bothered."


Ronaldinho looks at them and says, "Well, I reckon I can beat them by myself... you lads go down the pub." So Ronaldinho goes out to play England by himself and the rest of the Brazilian team go off for a few jars.After a few pints they wonder how the game is going, so they get the landlord to put the teletext on. A big cheer goes up as the screen read" Brazil 1 - England 0 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes)". He is beating England all by himself!


A few pints later and the game is forgotten until someone remembers, "It must be full time now, let's see how he got on."


They put the teletext on. "Result from the Stadium ' Brazil 1 (Ronaldinho 10 minutes) - England 1(Lampard 89 minutes)."


They can't believe it, he has single-handedly got a draw against England!! They rush back to the Stadium to congratulate


Ronaldinho. They find him in the dressing room, still in his gear, sitting with his head in his hands.He refuses to look at them. "I've let you down, I've let you down." "Don't be daft, you got a draw against England, all by yourself. And they only scored at the very, very end!" "No, no, I have, I've let you down...I got sent off after 12 minutes....!!

oh for sure! it was horrible.

who was the 2nd game today? ukraine vs swiss... what a borring game!
but it's funny that they lost but didnt consede a goal.(in normal time.)

Todays games should be a lot better, Ghana Vs. Brazil and then Spain Vs. France.
Goals-a-plenty I hope!

brazil got their game back ,asfor france beating spain that really sucked.

Yeah this is a pretty bad World Cup for results.. nl and us already out and looking like yet another germany/brazil final.

bah, i like the result this far. it would be pretty cool to see france beat brazil.
france and germany for the final? :>

Gimme England-Argentina in the final. Need to pay 'em back for "The Hand of God" and for trying to steal our islands a few years back!

;)

Well...Argentina vs. Germany tomorrow.

Pretty much an early final if you ask me.

I know I'll be at work wondering how the game is going, but I won't give in to the temptation. Must...wait...to...get...home.

Oh man oh man oh man

What a huge disappointment for Argentina. Leading the game 1-0 until Germany pulled the rug under them!!

I can't believe the substitutions the Argies made, they're 1-0 up and they make defensive subs! That an Italian tactic, not Argie!

It's all set up for an England V Germany final now! :)

Yeah, Like I said before, the game lasts 90min. You just can sit there and play it cool when you're only one goal ahead. Especially against Germany, we don't stop fighting till the end.

Great saves by Lehmann.
Jens Lehmann du bist ein Fussballgott :D

If there's anything I admire about the German team (asides from their amazing goalkeeper) it is their spirit. When they all stood arms around shoulders during the penalties, they looked like winners already.

Now, if anyone could tell me what the hell happened afterwards? :confused: I didn't know it was possible to give out red cards after the game is over...

i missed the end after the penalty kicks. what happened? i know something went wrong with the players and they got in a fight or something??

it was still a great game. i still think germany for the final. it would be great!!

..........yes,what happened????? :eek: :confused: :eek:

according to a german newsmagazin, Tim Borowski of the German team signaled the Argentinians to be quiet because they insulted the german players during the Penaltys. After Germany had won an argentinian player wanted to kick Borowski but he kicked Metzelder instead (probably mistaken him). For that the agentinian player recieved the Red Card (affter the Game!) and a fight started. I think there will be more Cards for the argentinians.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/inte...424554,00.html

Edit:

Borowski signals the argentian players to be quiet because they insulted the german players
http://img.aftonbladet.se/sport/0607/01/hanar438.jpg

Cufre kicks Metzelder:
http://img.aftonbladet.se/sport/0607/01/sparken210.jpg

Metzelders Leg:
http://img.aftonbladet.se/sport/0607...-Brak4-602.jpg

Ouch!

That was really uncalled for.

here is a video about it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DBDN9jh1sw4

I don't know what the guys are talking about, but I looks like too much machismo on the argentinian side.

Well the defender did lie down in front of the striker, he really shouldn't have done that. Sure the striker could have jumped over but he doesn't have to.

Germany will beat Italy though, (I hope).

Whats the point of giving Argentina a red card anyways since they're out of the tournament??

Oh my god, England are cursed! :mad::(:mad::(:mad::(
<----Doesn't look like it is coming home....

I was just gutted after that result. Even with ten men, they had chances to win and played even, at times better, than 11 man Portugal. But when it went to penalties, and no Beckham or Rooney to take one, and Lampard leading off, I had a bad feeling.

My opinion on penalties is it doesn't matter how good a scorer a guy is supposed to be, the guys you have take those kicks are the guys who are playing well, because they have the confidence. Lampard's confidence was zero and it went downhill from there.

I felt sorry for the English penalty kickers, they all looked like they were heading for their own funeral. But their offensive play was pathetic. Kicking long balls up to Crouch and hoping he will perform some solo magic against three or four defenders, that's not going to win a game. That's how we played in fifth grade maybe.

Asides from that, gooooo Europe! :D :thumbsup:

Yes, could someone more rules-of-the-game-savvy than me explain that? Please?

I think it's mostly just to send the message; however, FIFA does impose monetary fines for cards accrued in the cup. I don't think that they are significant, unless they can also add additional fines on top of the mandatory ones. Perhaps a card being awarded could be a factor in FIFA's determination of the extent of additional fines?

In terms of the World Cup it means nothing, but the player is now suspended for the next 3 international games and will get fined accordingly for his red card. Also, he may get a longer suspension and bigger fine, if FIFA think it was unnacceptable (which it was).
Thinking about it, I can remember my brother getting grounded for the same thing, but he was 6.....

can i just mention the pleasure i took in watching the majesterial demolition of brazil done by france on saturday? zidane seemed to me the sun ra of football that afternoon--from a slightly other dimension. i do not have the faintest idea where this france team was during the group stage--let's hope the version of the french team we saw play brazil is the one that shows up thursday to demolish portugal...allez les bleus....

I'm so disgusted with the British team. The few times they actually tried to attack they looked good. But once again they chose to sit back and get beat. After watching the Rooney play about 100 times, I don't think he should have be red carded. I think he stepped on the player accidentally. I didn't really see him doing it on purpose. I did find it funny when he pushed Christiano though. There is no Manchester love during the world cup I suppose. Anyway, wtf is up with Lampard?? He looked like a school boy out there among men....

I don't really know who to go for now. Even my Man Utd. loyalty can't help me decide.


Fucking underachieving English

www.ihateronaldo.com

Fucking cheating winking bastard. I hope Rooney decks him good and proper when they get back to the Man Utd training ground.

And that's all I have to say about that.



Honestly, it's Sven's fault (the manager). He simply cannot motivate players.

Good thing it was his last game. I just hope Sven hasn't had him in his back pocket like I think he has...

I'll be going to a German restaurant to watch the game tomorrow. Go Germany!