World Cup

Hoozah Germany!!! I was lucky enough to watch the Germany Argentina game in a screaming crowd of 400,000 Germany fans in Berlin!!!

Lawlz @ england XD

USA has great team spirit, I wish they proceed even further.

OK, being an American who was trying to get into cheering for this team was like taking a girl out on three dates.

First date, dinner, movie, take home, and a peck on the cheek. G`night.

Second date, dinner, movie, take home, and a peck on the cheek. G`night.

Third date, dinner, movie, take home, and a peck on the cheek, but THEN, on her doorstep, a big wink, an invitation into the house, and out comes the disco ball, the exotic ointments, and a whole case of D-Cell batteries with alligator clips.

WHOOOOPPPIEEEEEEE!!!!!

NZ almost scored go ahead goal late in the match. I love the comment about a team sport, Flashy!

*cuts eyes at French team >.>

My opinion the Kiwi`s played a GREAT Match. And the score signifies that effort. Not used to playing top talent, a small country, no professional league to build on, and theyplayed their guts out.

There was nothing left on the field by the Kiwis. Italy`s game? Well...they didn`t win did they? They ran into a better team in NZ. NZ players are not as talented, not as quick, not as skilled or experienced .. but they are better team.

You saw the same with US vs. England. A team versus talented players. The US took out Rooney, and England couldn`t play as a team.

Everyone forgets...there`s a ton of talent in the WC...but not many good teams. And soccer is, above all, a team sport.

Btw Kaka did well, now he cleared his bookings and Brazil already qualified :P

Argentina will win it all

You mentioned that other countries also have populations of close to 4 million, but the biggest difference is that those countries are able to participate in the european league year round where as New Zealand has no professional league and the only semi-pro team they have plays in Australia.

When I say that NZL played a great game I mean that the players stepped it up and played near the best of the abilities both individually and as a team, to fend off a team with far more talent and experience.

PS, I agree their game was definitely not "great", they don`t have the players for it.

I missed the player punching people.

@Seventeen -- I can`t understand why Kaka was left on the field after a yellow card late in a game where they were leading 3-0 and 3-1. Now they miss him in the next game. Coaches fault.

The bold truth is that Marcelo Lippi made a mistake that he didn`t bring Cassano - the azzuri are obviously lacking flair, fantasy and good anticipation in front of the box... With Pirlo injured, they should get a bit lucky to advance...

I agree he didn`t touch him! But he had just been given a yellow 5 minutes previously and touching him for no reason was a not-smart thing to do because he risked another card, which he got. They were winning 3-1 he didn`t need to risk even 1 yellow card let alone 2. not-smart.

No I am not Australian neither Italian, I am just an observer. There was a guy in NZL that deserved to be sent off in the first 30 minutes for punching virtually every guy in the middle of the park but anyway I don`t say NZL didn`t play to their strenghts - they did, but classifying their game as "great" is a bit off the mark - everything in the game went their way and the goalkeeper was flawless(rare in this WC).

shots on target : 7 - 1
shots off target : 11 - 2
possession (%) : 57 - 43
corner kicks : 15 - 0
offsides : 1 - 2
fouls : 12 - 20
yellow cards : 0 - 3
red cards : 0 - 0

that`s the summary...

DrunkenMasters,

Good point on Kaka, that game became a joke, and the Cote d`Ivoire player simulated his injury. Pathetic.

However, I watched the NZ - Italy game, and must disagree with your behindysis.

First, that goal was not offsides. The ball came off the Italian defender, automatically negating any offsides call. The referee made the correct call.

Second, the NZ side were valiant, and played a well considered game plan that earned them the draw. While the Italians clearly had more skill and the better of the play, one could never characterize the NZ play as "terrible".

You must be Australian, eh?

Not-smart? The guy didn`t do anything more or less, he barely touched the Ivorian in the chest and the guy was holding his head after that, pure simulation.

NZL rocked? They were terrible, 2 shots on goal against 25 or something for Italy. If they didn`t have luck and good goalkeeper they would have never drew(not to mention their goal was offside). On a side note - Italians were probably drunk on this game. Anyway, it is fun to watch the big european sides fail terribly :P

Btw guys, Uruguay is also 4 million and look what they are doing. Denmark also doesn`t have much bigger poplulation.

Who just saw Kaka get sent off :/ ?
What an not-smart...