2010 World Cup

[SenatorShriv]

I'm really glad that this didn't come down to another tie or loss because of bad officiating. I would like to have seen an easier victory, but they had a lot of good challenges on the goal throughout the whole game. They'll need to finish more of those opportunities if they hope to keep advancing but for right now I'll take the win and getting out of this round.

[homer]

That was an incredible game. USA! USA!

[Menotti80]

so what are the scenarios of the afternoon games today that determine who the Us will play?>

[TooLiveBrew]

WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

 

Can't muster much more eloquence than that right now. WHAT A WIN!!

[davego]

Wow. Not a soccer guy...but that was pretty cool.

[Fatter than Joey]

Why did that Algerian guy get a red card at the end?

[homer]

Why did that Algerian guy get a red card at the end?

It was his second yellow card of the game.

[Menotti80]

i heard it was for arguing, and it was his second yellow of the match?

[trwi7]

so what are the scenarios of the afternoon games today that determine who the Us will play?>

 

If Ghana beats Germany and Australia beats Serbia. Ghana and Australia would advance and the US would play Australia.

 

If Ghana and Germany tie and Australia beats Serbia, Ghana and Germany or Australia would advance. Most likely Germany because Australia would have to outscore them by 6 or more goals of if Australia wins by 7 goals but score at most 3 goals more than Germany. In that case we would likely play Germany but could also play Australia.

 

If Germany beats Ghana and Australia beats Serbia, Germany and either Ghana or Australia would advance. Ghana would advance if the combined margin of victory is 4 goals or less or if it's 5 goals and Ghana scores at least as many goals as Australia in which case it would basically be a toss up. Otherwise Australia would advance. In this scenario the US would face whoever advances between Ghana and Australia.

 

If Australia and Serbia tie and Ghana beats Germany. Ghana and Serbia would advance with the US playing Serbia.

 

If Australia and Serbia tie and Ghana and Germany tie. Ghana and Germany would advance with the US playing Germany.

 

If Australia and Serbia tie and Germany beats Ghana. Germany and either Serbia or Ghana would advance. In this case Ghana would only advance if they lose by 1 goal and Serbia score at least 1 more goal than Ghana. The US would play either Serbia or Ghana.

 

If Serbia beats Australia and Ghana beats Germany. Ghana and Serbia would advance with the US playing Serbia.

 

If Serbia beats Australia and Ghana and Germany tie. Serbia and Ghana would advance with the US playing Ghana.

 

If Serbia beats Australia and Germany beats Ghana. Germany would win the group if Serbia wins their game by at most 2 goals more than Germany or if Serbia score at most 2 goals more than Germany. Otherwise Serbia wins the group. So most likely Germany would win the group and the US would play Serbia.

 

Confused yet? Because I am.

[bigredrobbo]

Can we finally knock on the head the notion that soccer is all about goals, to be exciting? End to end stuff, disallowed goals, shots hitting the woodwork, great saves and the knowledge that ONE goal for either team would be enough to end someone's tournament? Hey, I enjoyed the 20 spot we put on the Pirates as much as anyone, but high scoring games are rarely great sports spectacles. I'm not putting up the "sport A is better than sport B" argument, just saying that the reasons to love real football are many, and not focused purely on the final score.

 

What a fantastic result for the US team, and I'm hoping for a result that pits the Germans against Bob's boys. The Krauts are beatable, and it would be great revenge for what happened in 2006.

[Baldkin]

 

Even though the camera's didn't catch it. What a throw by Howard.

[endaround]

so what are the scenarios of the afternoon games today that determine who the Us will play?>

All 4 teams are alive. Only Ghana is assured to advance with a tie. Basically if there is a winner of the Ghanna-Germany game that winner wins the group and faces England (assuming nothing weird like Serbia winning 6-0). If the games ends in a draw, Ghanna will advance but as a #1 or #2 isn't set. Serbia gets in with a win and would win the group if the other game ends in a tie other wise they'd be the #2 team. They can get in with a tie and a Ghanna victory as the #2 team. Australis needs to win and have Ghanna win or win big and have Germany win big and can't get above 2nd place.

If both games end in a tie, Ghanna and Germany advance as #1 and #2. If Ghanna and Germany tie and Austrlia wins by less than 7 goals, Ghanna and Germany go in as #1 and #2.

[sheethead]

but high scoring games are rarely great sports spectacles.

 

Blowouts aren't great sports spectacles (uhhh, 7-0 ring a bell?), but closely contested high scoring affairs are certainly better than the frustration of a nil-nil ending.

[thebruce44]

I don't want to look ahead too far, but I also like our quarterfinals matchup with Urugauy or S. Korea.

[TooLiveBrew]

Why did that Algerian guy get a red card at the end?

The thing is, the ref gave the card to the wrong player. He yellow-carded Algerian captain Anhar Yahia, and as was mentioned, it was his second yellow of the game. The problem with this, is that all Yahia did was to shoo three of his teammates from within an inch or two of De Bleeckere's face. I can't remember who precisely the three players were, but I believe it was Hassan Yebda that was quite literally screaming into De Bleeckere's ear from an inch or so away. Yahia came in, scattered his teammates out of the referee's face, and was thanked with an off-target yellow card for his troubles. Yahia didn't look to say one word to De Bleeckere, but took the brunt of his payback.

[TooLiveBrew]

Even though the camera's didn't catch it. What a throw by Howard.

It was, and it was his second wonderful long throw that directly generated a furious US attack. Not to mention the fact that, right before launching that beautiful toss, Howard stared at an essentially 3-on-1 matchup in favor of Algeria in front of him, saving the header directed right at him & the net. He made the save, and really hustled forward right away to launch the ball.

 

I'm still confused why the Algerian player (who was wide, wide open, just inside the box, with no US defender between him & Howard) didn't take a shot on goal. I know making an extra pass is usually a good idea, and it resulted in a decent header, but man. You just don't get more open than he was prior to making that short cross.

[Fatter than Joey]

The thing is, the ref gave the card to the wrong player.

 

That's what it appeared to me.... thanks TLB for the clarification.

[homer]

The thing is, the ref gave the card to the wrong player.

 

That's what it appeared to me.... thanks TLB for the clarification.

Actually I think he was carded for owning a Jethro Tull CD.

[M Skjellyfetti]

Yeah, I definitely have more of a problem with the 2nd yellow card than with the offside call. An offside that close--even when you're in perfect position, and especially in a loud stadium where I'd assume you wouldn't be able to hear the kicking of the ball--is a really tough call to get right. I can understand that call being blown, and that's just going to be a difficult part of the sport. But the 2nd yellow for the captain, that's pretty inexcusable, especially with how much the other two were in the referee's face. I don't know how you could choose the wrong player. That being said, it is possible that the captain said something while appearing to be innocently shepherding his players away from the referee. But I think that scenario is rather unlikely.

[homer]

Even though the camera's didn't catch it. What a throw by Howard.

Agreed, that was unbelievable. That's about as close to a "fast break" as you'll ever see in soccer.

[pitchleague]

I thought of this while watching it live and then again when watching the posted video: what's up with the FIFA volunteers (I'm guessing that they are volunteers?) getting into the dog pile to celebrate? And giving high fives after the match was over?

 

Aren't they, as volunteers of the tourney and representatives of FIFA, supposed to be unbiased observers that do their job on the field but can then celebrate off the pitch? Kind of like MLB press boxes where no cheering is allowed?

[bigredrobbo]

I thought of this while watching it live and then again when watching the posted video: what's up with the FIFA volunteers (I'm guessing that they are volunteers?) getting into the dog pile to celebrate? And giving high fives after the match was over?

 

Aren't they, as volunteers of the tourney and representatives of FIFA, supposed to be unbiased observers that do their job on the field but can then celebrate off the pitch? Kind of like MLB press boxes where no cheering is allowed?

They aren't volunteers, they are members of the US squad and backroom staff. The bibs have FIFA on them because that's who organized the tournament.

[Funketown]

USA vs. Ghana

Germany vs. England

[WV Brew]

Kudos to Australia. They played a magnificent game against Serbia. Guys red carded out in the first two games killed their chances but they never quit.

[TooLiveBrew]

USA vs. Ghana

Germany vs. England

Phew! Ghana's good and all, but how sweet it is to win the group. Germany have advanced through group play in every WC since 1954, and only missed the round of 8 once ('78). Wow. That's 14 WCs in a row, if you're keeping score at home.