Archive for June, 2010

Another World Cup day chalk full with surprises. Australia and Ghana tied at one all.

The Aussies were blown out by Germany in their first match but the boys from down under sucked it up and fought back to get the draw.

Brett Holman got the Aussies on the board first in the 11^th minute.

Mate Mark Bresciano nailed a wicked free kick from long range.

Bingo. Off the keeper’s chest into the waiting feet of Brett Holman to give Australia a 1-0 lead.

Harvey Kewell was given the heave-hoe after he touched the ball with his arm in the 24^th minute.

Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan nailed the PK in the 25^th minute.

This baby ended up in a one all tie.

The Dutch took it to Japan in a 1-0 win.

The Netherlands was in complete control of this puppy from the outset.

Wesley Sneijder hit the winner in the 53^rd minute.

He rammed a long-range winner from just outside the box.

The shot powered right through the Japanese keeper Eiji Kawashima.

The Dutch squad had most of the possession time but the Japanese had several very good chances that missed the mark.

Ghana is in the pole position of Group D with four points. Germany is second with three.

Serbia is third with three. The Aussies have one pint.

Australia will be sent packing after the Group stage.

The Dutch are in the top spot in Group E with six points Japan is in second with three points.

Cameroon jumped out to an early 1-0 lead over the Danes however Demark came back with two goals to win 2-1.

The Lions are headed home.

Voce Vai Cameroon.

Your time is done.

Arsenal dude Nicklas Bendtner nailed the winner in the 33^rd minute off a great give and go.

Dennis Rommedahl’s strike in the 61^st minute ended this sucker and sent the Lion home packing.

Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o scored in the 10^th minute to give them the early 1-0 lead.

The Dutch are on to the next round from Group E. Japan and Demark are tied with three points.

The Danes and Japan will take on each other in a winner takes all match.

Alex Lalas needs to be shot.

This guys sucks. His comments make no sense.

Why does ESPN keep on hiring this clown?

I mean give me a break.

They go out and get the worst possible futebol analyst’s in history.

Where does ESPN did these guys up?

Let Pele do it. Sir Alex.

No wonder ESPN is a joke.

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The United States was screwed out of a win. The goal by Maurice Edu in the 86^th minute was a good goal.

The dumb ref disallowed this sucker.

The USA scored two second half goals after falling behind 2-nil in the first half.

The USA and Slovenia tied two all.

Tim Howard was hung out to dry on both goals.

Valter Birsa nailed a long-range sniper shot top shelf left to gave Slovenia a 1-0 lead.

The goal by Zlatan Ljubijankic was a classic spilt the seam in the “D” score that forced Tim Howard to come off his line.

This forced Ljubijankic to shoot. He did. Zlatan Ljubijankic ripped the twines in the 42^nd minute to give Slovenia a 2-0 lead.

These goals were not Tim Howard’s fault.

The USA should be given great kudos for not quitting.

The guys toughed it up and scored two second half goals to level this sucker.

Landon Donovan finally proved he just might be a good player. He roofed a close range screamer in the 48^th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Michael Bradley poked home a free ball in the 82^nd minute to level this baby up at two all.

This wasn’t futebol. It was the WWF on a pitch.

Slovenia was the king of the arm bar and sleeper hold.

Hulk Hogan and Johnny Valentine would be proud the way Slovenia performed their wrestling moves in the box.

What has happened to the mighty English?

Again, they played like clowns and tied with lowly Algeria nil-nil.

Where was Wayne Rooney?

How about Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard?

Fabio Capello needs to be shot.

His team sucks.

The English press will be calling for his head.

Heck, I am calling for his head.

I am not English.

This was disgraceful futebol.

Serbia beat the mighty German team 1-0.

So much for a 4-1 thrashing of Australia

The German Floppers finally got a taste of their own medicine when Miroslov Klose was given the heave-hoe in the 36^th minute.

This was not a red card but after years of Germany receiving the benefit of crap calls, they finally got one called against them.

Paybacks are a bitch.

Better yet Serbian keeper saved the match when he stone cold stopped Lukas Podolski PK shot in the 60^th minute.

Stick a dagger in the German’s heart. 

Serbia’s Milan Jovanovic ripped the twines in the 38^th minute.

All the USA has to do is win baby and we’re in like Flynn.

 Here was another day of upsets, crappy play, and horrible refereeing.

FIFA needs to straighten out the ref mess,

It looks like the fix is in.

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Argentina kicked ass and took names in the 4-1 demolishing of South Korea.

If this were a heavyweight fight, this sucker would have been stopped in the third round.

This was a TKO baby.

From the very outset, Argentinos took it straight to the undermanned South Korea side.

An own goal Park Chun-Young set the tone for the match. He knocked the ball into the back of his own off a wicked free kick from the left side of the pitch in the 16^th minute.

Messi didn’t score but his mate Gonzalo Higuain nailed the hat trick (33rd, 76^th, and 80^th minutes.)

Higuain become the first player to hit for the hat trick in a World Cup match since Portugal’s Pauleta did it 2002 against Poland.

The head case Carlos Tevez didn’t score a goal but he showed why he is one of the best in the world.

On the pitch Tevez is great but off the pitch he is nuts.

This dude drives the EPL managers nuts.

All you have to do is ask Sir Alex and Man City’s Mancini.

They will tell ya all about it.

Argentina sits a top Group B with six points.

Greece pulled the upset with a 2-1 win over Nigeria.

The big shocker was this baby.

Mexico shut out the cheaters from France 2-0.

France has stunk the joint out for two straight matches.

Cheaters never win.

France you cheated.

Paybacks are a bitch.

Javier Hernandez received a great loop pass over the entire French “D”.

Hernandez had an easy one on one with the keeper Hugo Lloris.

Juke left. Go right.

An easy walk in goal in the 64^th minute for a 1-0 Mexico lead.

Was this off side?

Maybe?

The French were frustrated so they tackled Pablo Barrera. Barrera took it straight to the rack. French defender Eric Abidal was forced to tackle him.

This was a dumb-dumb play but what the heck he had to or Barrera would have an easy walk in goal.

Blanco nailed the PK in the 77^th minute for a 2-nil Mexico lead.

Game, set, and match to Mexico.

France is one step away from not making it out of the Group stage.

We are not even a week into the World Cup and we have a ton surprises.

Spain and France stinking the joint out.

Argentina is playing lights out futebol under the wunderkind Maradona.

This is a shocker.

USA battles Slovenia Friday morning.

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Spain was one of the teams favored to win the World Cup. However, a funny on the way to being crowned champ Spain lost to Switzerland 1-0.

Gelson Fernandez ripped the winner in the 52^nd minute.

Spain keeper Iker Casillas was forced to leave his line. He blocked the initial shot but the ball squirted free. Then a scramble ball ensued. Gelson Fernandez knocked home the gimmie ball.

This was all she wrote baby.

A real good win for the Swiss.

A little side note, no team that has lost its opening World Cup match has won the World Cup title.

We will see.

Spain was missing Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas.

This was a real kick in the nuts.

I still think Spain will make it out of the group stage and challenge for the title.

Chile shut out Honduras 1-0.

Jean Beausejour scored on a nifty goal in the 34^th minute.

His mate Sanchez threaded the needle with a perfect pass that spilt the seam in the defense.

Uruguay blasted the home side South Africa 3-0.

The Africans had their lunch handle to them.

In plain and simple English South Africa stunk the joint out.

Diego Forlan hit for the daily double. He struck for pay dirt in the 24^th and 80^th minutes.

Alvaro ripped the twines in the 90^th minute for Uruguay’s other tally.

What a day full of surprises.

Let’s what tomorrow holds.

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This is the day I have been waiting for Brasil’s first World Cup match.

Sure, Brasileiros won 2-1 but the reality of the situation is this we played like crap.

Yes, the two goals were brilliant.

Maicon scored the first goal in the 55^th minute.

He fired a difficult angled shot from the right of the box.

Maicon squeezed the ball past the keeper just inside the left post.

Globo Esporte wrote this about his first appearance in the World Cup competition.

Maicon, um dos estreantes em Copas do Mundo na seleção, disse ter ficado satisfeito com a atuação de outros jogadores que atuaram pela primeira vez na história da competição. Por ter marcado um gol logo na estreia, o jogador ficou emocionado. Mas garante que não chorou.

Maicon said he was happy and about to cry after his first Wiorld Cup goal.

Passou (na minha cabeça) tudo o que eu passei para chegar a esse momento, de disputar a Copa. E logo na primeira partida fazer um gol… Não cheguei a chorar, mas fiquei feliz, beijei a minha aliança por tudo o que a minha esposa vem fazendo por mim. É um agradecimento a todos que sempre estiveram do meu lado.

Then Robinho feed mate Elano. Elano had a walk in goal to make 2-nil Brasil in the 72^nd minute.

North Korea made it close when Ji Yun-Nam shredded the Brasileiros “D”. He ripped the twines to cut the cap to 2-1 in the 89^th minute.

It wasn’t pretty but a win is a win.

Brasil had a 3-1 edge in possession but Kaka and the guys wound up firing blanks.

Kaka was nowhere to be found.

This is very disturbing. 

Globo Esporte said that Brasil has never lost an opening game of the World Cup.

Durante 55 minutos, o Brasil deu a impressão de que seria atingido pela seca de gols nesta Copa do Mundo. Teve uma atuação burocrática no primeiro tempo e adotou outra postura após o intervalo, afastando o assustador 0 a 0 e conseguindo dois belos gols. Um descuido defensivo no fim da partida, no entanto, determinou o placar de 2 a 1 sobre a Coreia do Norte, mantendo a  tradição de vitórias apertadas em estreias. Desde 1982, o Brasil tem 100% de aproveitamento em suas participações iniciais, mas quase sempre por um gol de diferença – a exceção foi em 1994.

Many blamed the frigid conditions. It was 34 degrees with a wind chill of minis 2.

A previsão de frio na noite de Joanesburgo se confirmou, com 2º no começo da partida (e sensação térmica de -3º), obrigando cinco dos dez jogadores de linha na escalação inicial a usar luvas: Juan, Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Kaká e Luis Fabiano. Na arquibancada, a torcida fez a sua parte, tentando esquentar o clima com seu grito preferido de “sou brasileiro, com muito orgulho, com muito amor” e dando a impressão de que a seleção estava em casa.

Dunga said Brasil started out slow and improved in the second the half.

Após a vitória por 2 a 1 sobre a Coreia do Norte nesta terça-feira, em Joanesburgo, o técnico Dunga disse que o Brasil sentiu a ansidedade do primeiro jogo na Copa do Mundo, mas melhorou no segundo tempo. O comandante da seleção  explicou as substituições feitas na partida (Elano, Kaká e Felipe Melo saíram para as entradas de Daniel Alves, Nilmar e Ramires) e falou sobre a dificuldade de enfrentar equipes que armam fortes retrancas. Confira os principais pontos da entrevista coletiva:

The press questioned Dunga about his line up and why he choose Nilmar over Julio Baptista.

Eu tenho 23 opções no elenco. Se fosse apenas substituir um pelo outro, eu optava pelo Julio Baptista. Mas eles (coreanos) estavam em linha. Por isso eu quis colocar um jogador para dar mais velocidade, e esse era o Nilmar.

Then the idiot press asked Dunga if Brasil will play better against a stronger opponet.

Quando se enfrenta uma seleção ofensiva, você tem espaço. Quando um time joga fechado, fica difícil. É preciso acelerar o passe, tem que ter persistência. Mas a nossa movimentação foi perfeita no segundo tempo, principalmente quando passava o Maicon. E criou bastantes oportunidades.

We will find out when Brasil faces the Ivory Coast on Saturday.

Portugal and the Ivory Coast tie nil-nil.

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Day three is underway at the World Cup.

Finally, we have victories instead of ties. Red Cards were the order of the day too.

Ghana was in complete control of the match. Sure, Serbia had their chances but in a matter a moments, the match was spun on its ear. A Red Card and handball spelled doom for Serbia.

Ghana defeated Serbia 1-0.

Asamoah Gyan nailed the PK in the 84^th minute to lift Ghana to a 1-0 win.

The idiot Serbian defender Zdravko Kuzmamovic punched the ball out the goal area.

This was dumb.

He should be shot for such stupidly.

Algeria lost to Slovenia 1-0.

Robert Koren nailed the match winner in the 79^th minute.

Algerian keeper Faouzi Chaouchi blew it. The ball bounced off his hands into the net.

This is Deja vue all over again.

Algerian Abdelkader Ghezzal was given the heave-hoe in the 73^rd minute.

So far, there has been lots of crappy play and many surprises.

The teams that I thought would have a great shot at winning the whole shooting match have played like crap.

England tied one all with the USA while Argentina squeaked by Nigeria 1-0.

Both of these sides should have won hands down.

The USA only has one world-class player Tim Howard.

Word has it that he is injured when he suffered a cleat to the chest.

If we loss him our goose is royally cooked.

Germany killed Australia 4-0.

The Aussies had a chance to score early but nada.

The German’s turned up the heat and scored lightening quick to put this baby away early.

Lukas Podolski ripped the twines in the 8^th minute.

Ozil’s great corner into the box set up this baby. Muller flicked a great pass to Podolski who has an easy shot into the back of net.

Klose’s header in the 26^th minute ended this puppy right here.

2-0 Germany.

The Aussie’s goose is cooked.

Germany added two more goals by Muller (67^th minute) and Cacau (70^th minute).

Day three is over and the German’s played the best futebol of the day.

Day four is coming up

The Netherlands escaped with a 2-0 win over Denmark.

An own goal by Denmark’s Daniel Agger in the 46^th minute spelled doom the Danish side.

Liverpool star Dirk Kuyt put the final nail in the Danish coffin in the 85^th minute.

Japan shut out Cameroon 1-0.

Defending World Cup Champs Italy tied with Paraguay 1-1.

Paraguayan striker Antolin Alcaraz nailed a perfect header into the back of the net in the 39^th minute for a 1-0 lead.

Alcaraz out leaped two Italian defenders for the winner.

This was set up by a great free kick into the depths of the box.

The Italians found the answer in the 63^rd minute.

Daniele D Rossi directed home a well-placed corner kick to the far right post. Rossi flicked the ball into the back of the net to even this sucker up at one all.

This is a huge tie for Paraguay.

Italy had most of the possessions.

On Tuesday Brasil takes on North Korea.

We need to come out smoking and kick some major butt.

Go Brasil.

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Double Bubble boil and trouble is the problem with Fabio Capello and his English chargers.

The Americans were out played for 75% of the match but Clint Dempsey’s gift of a goal in the late stages of the first half gave the Yanks a one all draw with the Three Lions.

America’s saving grace was keeper Tim Howard.

He is the only world-class player we have.

Thank our lucky stars Howard was on the top of his game. If not it could have been worse.

We will take it.

Landon Donovan played okay but for most of the match, he was a non-factor.

Steven Gerrard’s strike in the 4^th minute put England up 1-nil.

This was set up by a great give and go.

Howard never had a chance.

He was hung out to dry by the American’s crappy “D”.

Clint Dempsey found the back of the net in the 40^th minute. Keeper Robert Green should have stopped Dempsey’s shot. Instead, Green had a brain fart. He decided to do an imitation of Charlie Chaplin. The ball hits Green in the worse place the hands. Whamo, bamo the ball bounces off of his hands into the back of the net for a one all tie.

Green needs to be shot at dust for stupid play.

Argentina shut out Nigeria 1-0.

Maradona’s squad thoroughly out played Nigeria. The result should been at least 5-0.

This is not good for Argentinos.

If Argentina continues to play like this, they will not make it out of the group stage.

Gabriel Heinze diving header off a well place corner kick in the 6^th minute was the difference.

Nigeria had several opportunities off the counter attack but they could not convert.

Maradona played five guys up front. This left the back line exposed. If Nigeria could have convert their limited chances Argentinos might have lost instead Maradona has to thank Nigeria’s ineptness.

Nigeria played like a team that didn’t want to be there. They played without heart. Nigeria looked they wanted to be at home.

South Korea killed Greece 2-0.

The South Korean’s flat out played pedal to the medal futebol.

Day two was full of surprises just as day one was.

No one expected England to tie with the United States.

Argentina barely got by Nigeria.

The Greeks stunk the joint out.

We have learned one important lesson so far in the World Cup.

Expect the unexpected.

Watch out for the dogs.

Tim Howard is one of the keepers in the world.

ESPN still suckers at broadcasting futebol.

Lalas and his buds Chris Fowler need to give up the ship and let someone who knows futebol do the grunt work.

At least ESPN had the good sense to let English announcers broadcast the matches. ABC should do the same.

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Two matches kicked off the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Mexico and South Africa tied one all.

France and Uruguay kissed their sister nil-nil.

These two results were surprises.

The Mexican squad had most of the chances but South Africa drew first blood in the 55^th minute.

South Africa forced a turnover at midfield. Wham, bam, boom, South Africa heads down the pitch in a matter of seconds. Siphiwe Tshabalala rips a shot top shelf left. Mexican keeper Oscar Perez got his paw on the ball but that didn’t stop the ball from finding the back of the net. 

Mexico found the equalizer in the 79^th minute. Rafael Marquez ripped a deadly shot from just inside the right of the box. His laser was unstoppable.

Marquez flat out beat three South African defenders.

Mexico should have won but they had their first goal called back due to an offside call.

Still the South African squad has to be pleased with the tie.

Mexico out played them but wound up with a tie.

This could hurt Mexico.

France and Uruguay stunk the joint out in nil-nil adventure. France had the most of the touches in the box but the French couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn with a machine gun.

12 shots and three were on goal.

This sucks.

So, it goes for the cheaters from France.

This serves the French right.

Uruguay’s Nicholas Lodeiro was given the heave-hoe in the 81^st minute.

There are two huge matches on Saturday.

England and the USA will duke it out.

Argentina has a fight on their hands when they battle Nigeria.

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This is the day we have been waiting for.  

The World Cup begins today.

South Africa battles Mexico while Uruguay takes France.

Happy days are here again.

Brasil is one of the prohibitive favorites to win the whole shooting match.

Led by Kaka, Robinho, Maicon, Juan, Dani Alves, and the superman in goal Julio Cesar Brasileiros are a team to be reckoned with.

These cats are hungry to prove they can win without the super stars of the past-Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaucho and the rest of the fat fading stars.

Kaka and the guys have a chip on their shoulders.

Brasileiros are in a very hard group.

Check this group out.

Group D has Brasil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, and North Korea.

This is truly the Group of death.

Brasil will win hands down.

Dunga has put together a team that has size and speed.

Besides that, these cats can flat out rip the twines.

Don’t forget Dunga has taught them to play tough nosed “D”.

Globo Esporte wrote that Kaka and Robinho have led this squad to 28 wins and four draws.

These two guys make a deadly duo.

 Globo Esporte put it this way-Kaká é a principal estrela da seleção brasileira que vai disputar a Copa do Mundo a partir do dia 15, na África do Sul. Robinho é o símbolo da Era Dunga. Juntos, os dois se tornaram imbatíveis sob o comando do treinador. Em 32 jogos, a dupla obteve 28 vitórias e quatro empates. Derrotas? Nem em sonho. O aproveitamento é de 91,6%.

Atuando ao lado de Robinho, Kaká é o artilheiro da dupla. O apoiador do Real Madrid marcou 14 gols nas 32 partidas. O Rei das Pedaladas, por sua vez, deixou a sua marca em oito oportunidades. Sem contar os jogos da parceria, o jogador do Santos balançou a rede 19 vezes e é o goleador ao lado de Luis Fabiano.

God forbid if Brasil fails to win this baby.

Dunga will be shot at dusk.

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There are two days until the World Cup begins. I can’t wait. The idiots at ESPN will broadcast the entire tournament. I would rather watch paint dry then torture myself listening to the clowns at ESPN butcher futebol.

No, thank you I will watch the Spanish Stations instead.

Listening to Alexi Lalas spout his insane comments and idiotic ideas is bad enough on ESPN 2 during the EPL now I have put up with his dribble on greatest futebol stage-The World Cup.

I would rather eat cat shit and live.

It is my blog and I can say what I want.

You don’t like it tough do-do.

Give me a break.

Throw into the mix Tommie Smyth and the rest no wonder the world thinks America futebol is a joke.

The Americans are in the same group as England, Slovenia, and Algeria.

The USA should advance but anything is possible with this team.

Tim Howard needs to play lights out.

The “D” stinks.

Howard is the great eraser.

Landon Donovan finally needs to step up and show what he is made of.

He had a great short run at Everton.

Let’s see if this was a fluke or for real.

We will find out real quick.

England is hurting. The Rooney Man will hopefully be healed of all his nagging injuries.

Wayne Rooney is a world-class futebol player.

He is your typical power forward in the NBA.

You can’t stop him when he gets in the crease.

Frank Lampard, Shawn Wright Phillips, Jermain Defoe, and Jamie Carragher need to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park.

Super defender Rio Ferdinand is out due to injury.

This is not good.

He is the glue that holds the “D” together.

Just ask Sir Alex about that.

I still think the English squad has a better than fifty-fifty chance to win it all.

I am an American with a Brasilian heart.

I married a Brasilian.

I have always rooted for Brasil since I was knee high to a grasshopper.

Dunga and the guys are favorites but they have their work cut out for them.

We will talk about that on Friday.

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