Football World Cup 2006

[Guest Majsju]

Borowski started showing some unsporting behaviour towards Argentina's players immidiatly after the penalty shoot out was finished. That's an offense that can render suspension for several games, Gary Neville got three games for less in the EPL.

 

Between that and the outburst of fighting there's a gap in the footage.

 

Getting a keeper injured is of course a blow, it meant that Argentina lost a sub on a field player. Not sure if that would have helped, Pekerman made the wrong decision when he subbed Riquelme, he might have made another wrong decision if he had been able to sub another field player. Argentina's strength is the individual strength to keep the ball, and pas it around so you force the opponent to chase after it, which means you open up the pitch to go for another goal. Pekerman subbed against that, and instead went for a defensive tactic more suitable for counterattacks. A tactic that means you allow the opponent more possession. Incredible how a coach at this level can make such mistake.

[Anajon]

gosh what a day -

 

England and Brazil out - this is one unpredictable world cup!

 

With England I thought it was likely or at least 50/50 – even so I really felt for them, they played great and gave their best with 10 men!

The whole country is in mourning. At least London is.

 

But Brazil – I didn’t see the whole game – but I heard that Frances Zidan was amazing, is that what everyone thinks?

[Graendals favourite]

Yea, Zidane stole the show with his tricks. Great game, and France was actually deserving of the victory, by their play.

[Red States Rule!]

Once again, may I officially ask why this is in debates, and not in general discussion?

[Guest Majsju]

Zidane was absolutely magnificent last night, and the rest of the team followed his lead. I would also say that this game was the big breakthrough for Ribery, the guy named "the next Zizou". Too bad we'll see them together for at most two more games, then the last decade's greates player retires.

 

Brazil should go home and be ashamed of themselves. So much skill, so little interest in doing the hard work. You can't play football standing still.

 

England was so unlucky. Rooney's card should not have been a red, the ref should have booked a few portugese players for all the diving they did, disgraceful behaviour, especially from Maniche.

But you can't take away Ricardo's performance. Saving three penalties, and got his fingers on the one that went in, that's simply amazing.

 

But I hope France can give them a sound beating, and with Zizou on fire France has a great chance.

[harad]

i knew england would loose, but brazil, that was a shock and a half!

[Guest Winespring Brother]

Shock and a half? I don't think so. Brazil have been poor throughout the tournament, and I genuinely felt that a good performance from France would take them through.

 

Althogh i have never cheered for France, I sincerely hope they thrash Portugal, who have been an absolute disgrace with their complete lack of sportsmanship. Their performance in the last two games has been enough to cast a huge shadow over the tournament, and shows how wrong the saying is that cheats never prosper.

[Achilles]

France was brilliant...haven't seen this kind of attitude for a long time

[Anajon]

aus der Traum, the dream stops here!

 

Germany is out - a few weeks ago I would have laughed if anyone would have told me that we will get this far.

Now I'm sad - but I do admit that Italy was the better team. They had a Sunday walk against Ukraine - while the German boys had to give all against Argentina, we missed Frings but well if you want to be World Champion you have to be able to handle that.

 

They have come a loooong way - when I think back to that game against Italy in March. Well done!

They will win it in 4 years :-)

 

 

So a great game with a sad (German) out come.

[Guest Egwene]

My concerns were justified unfortunately and Germany lost. :( Never mind, it was great to seem them get this far against all expectations. It is always good for general atmosphere in any tournament, if the host nation doesn't go out in round one.

[Guest Majsju]

Phew, that was a nervous game, but now it's set for a lovely final. Last game ever for Zidane, I hope he gets to be the one leading France to glory.

 

But the player who impressed most in this game was Thuram. Perfect defending, completely dominated every situation.

[goldeneys]

Go Portugal

 

Brazil's not even here this time, the last 3 times they either won it, or were a runner up.

[Guest Majsju]

Go Portugal?

Oh my, did we perhaps miss the semifinal where Portugal got knocked out against Les Bleus? :D

[Guest Egwene]

Maybe it was one of those Freudian slips... ... or noooooo, Goldie is supporting Portugal against Germany??!! :shock:

[Guest Majsju]

Possible, though I can't see any reason to bother with the 3rd place game when there's a final coming. I'm not sure I'll watch it, not a big fan of neither Portugal nor Germany.

[goldeneys]

oh, errrrr I'm a lil behind, lol

[Graendals favourite]

Well, it was time from their last championship. A very tight match, but they inched ahead. Can't agree on exchanging Henry, but what was was. All hail Italy!

[Guest Majsju]

Only comfort is the hope that most of the italian players will find themselves in Serie B or C next week.

[CowardsLiveLonger]

How cool was Zidane's headbut!!!

I mean I dont go around making a habit of headbutting people but if I did I would want it to be like that one!!!!!The power he got into it was amazing!!! He knocked materazi off his feet!!!!

Italy desverved the win!!! Well done Italy!!!

[Kivam]

Folks, I'm sorry, deciding a champion by penalty kicks is absurd. Penalty kicks have nothing to do with soccer. They may as well have said "ok, I'm spent. You seem to be spent too. Rock paper scissors? One Two Three, shoot" (and somewhere, Roberto Baggio is agreeing with me)

 

Just one more reason why soccer will never become a major sport in the US (along with the pathetic diving . . . nothing funnier than seeing a man writhing around in pain just long enough to get a yellow card pulled out then jumping up and sprinting all out for the next 40 minutes).

 

What a terrible, terrible, anticlimactic ending

[Guest Majsju]

Well, annoying as penalties might be, it's the only way that has proved to work. Football is such a physically exhausting sport that you can not just add more time until someone manages to score a winner. As it is now, the 2x15 minutes additional time is more or less the most you can add, add more and it starts to look ridicilous when players are so exhausted that the play turns into a parody of football.

 

But right now I'm a bit annoyed of the penalties as well, since Italy didn't deserve to win.

 

But Kivam, since you mentioned rock, paper, scissors...A few years ago there was a hockey tournament in Russia, where a game was decided by the toss of a coin... :lol:

[TheDiceAgain...]

For a non-soccer fan, I have to say that I really did enjoy the WC overall. However, I have to agree with Kivam, with all the diving that went on in that tournement, the final should have been held in the old Olympic swimming complex rather than the stadium.

 

When somebody gets carried off on a stetcher in the NFL, you generally worry about whether they're ever going to walk or play again. In this World Cup, they bring the stretcher out, they guy is writhing in pain , they carry him off, spray the "magic spray" somewhere in the general vicinity of the guy's hip even if he got hit in the head and 15 seconds, he's back on the pitch. Frankly, it's ridiculous.

 

PK's may very well be the best way to settle a regular match if it's tied after OT, but come on! This is the World Cup final; make somebody score a damned goal! In this one area, the NHL has the right idea. When you get in the playoffs, especially in Game 7, no penalty shootouts, they play until somebody wins.

 

Don't give me the "such a physically demanding sport" or "becomes a parody of football" bull. Hockey's just as physically demanding and they play on and on. If someboby's tired and they make a mistake that leads to the winning goal, so what? Isn't that the point? The team that was able summon up that one last push up the field, that one last spectacular play wins the game.

 

I can appreciate the athleticism and the ball handling skill, but for God's sake, the goals's as wide as a rail car, can't anybody put a shot on goal?!?

 

One last thing; What in God's name did the Italian defender said to Zidane to get him to go postal like that? That was posibly one of the best headbuts I've ever seen this side of the WWE. Unfortunately, the steel cage was nowhere in site.

 

Just my $.02....

[Guest Majsju]

Well, the teams did score one goal each before the final whistle...

 

I once watched a hockey game that was undecided for...I think 7 periods. The longer they kept on, the worse it got, at the ned it didn't even look like hockey. I'd say it's way more fair to decide it on penalties while the players still are fit enough to perform. Actually, I'd rather have the game played again a few days later than just add hours of OT.

 

It's not known what the italian said to Zizou, but a rumour that's been circling for a while is that he called him "terrorist", which can be a bit sensitive with Zizou being a musklim and having his roots in Algeria. Considering how italians usually behave on the pitch, it was probably not the first thing he said during the game...And it's not the first time Zizou has let his temper get him in trouble.

 

And now there won't be any football for months, until EPL starts again :cry:

[TheDiceAgain...]

I just read something that mentioned Zidane's temper and that he's been red-carded like 14 times in his career. In the same article, the Italian (who's name I can't ever seem to remember) denied the "terrorist" comment, but what else is he going to do?

 

I'd wholeheartedly agree with your idea of picking it up the next day. The level of play wouldn't suffer, and you'd get a real winner.

 

Along the same lines, I actually just watched a replay of the longest game in professional baseball history. This year is the 25th anniversary. It was a 33 inning affair in 1981 between Pawtucket (RI) (Red Sox AAA team) and Rochester (NY)(Orioles AAA team). This article has some great stories about the game:

 

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/history/2006/060426.htm

 

The best thing about it was that these were two really good teams. Two Hall of Famers played in the game (Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr.) as well as a good portion of the core of the amazing team that broke my heart in the World Series five years later.

 

(Marty Barrett, Bruce Hurst, Rich Gedman ((the guy who caught Roger Clemens first 20 strikeout game)) and Bobby Ojeda, who the Sox traded away and went on to beat them in the '86 series.)

 

Whoa, sorry 'bout the tangent, I'll get back on topic now...

[Guest Majsju]

Well, baseball is hardly a good thing to compare with. Seems about as exhausting as playing a nice game of snooker.

 

As for what Materazzi actually said, according to Zizou's agent he will tell it when he feels up to the task of giving an interview in a couple of days.

 

At least he can get a small comfort for being named Player of the tournament.