Wednesday 30 June 2010

World Cup Day 19

Two games, one goal and one penalty miss.

Spain 1 - 0 Portugal
Paraguay 0 - 0 Japan (Paraguay win 5 - 3 on penalties)

David Villa got his fourth of the tournament as Spain beat their Iberian neighbours to set up a quarter final with Paraguay. Portugal set up very defensively and showed very little threat to the European Champions. Paraguay made sure that there are four South American teams in the Quarter Finals when they defeated the last remaining Asian side in a penalty shootout.
Now for two days break from football.

Tuesday 29 June 2010

World Cup Day 18

The beautiful game.

Brazil 3 - 0 Chili
Netherlands 2 - 1 Slovakia

Brazil look better and better as the tournament go on. This game even had a goal from Robinho, who looks great as part of this set up (yet hapless when playing for City. Their opponents Chili looked as though they could have made the quarter finals if they had drawn one of the other teams.
The Netherlands continue to look functional and effective as they march on to the quarter final match with Brazil with only minimal effort.

Monday 28 June 2010

World Cup Day 17

Three lions, more like kittens

Germany 4 - 1 England
Argentina 3 - 1 Mexico

England went out of the World Cup, proving their status that they are the worst England team ever (proven by their worst ever World Cup defeat). Although the controversy of the over the line disallowed goal will rumble on and on, eventually being written into the history books as the reason for the defeat, there was no hiding the fact that England were pathetic. Worse still at the end of the game none of the players or staff even acknowledge the fans who had traveled to support the national team.
Argentina on the other hand looked fantastic and still Messi didn't score, it is almost as though teams don't mind the losing to them just as long as they can thwart the Barcelona gem. A brace from City's Tevez (one the goal of the tournament) ment that Maradona's merry men march on.

Sunday 27 June 2010

World Cup Day 16

An African team marches on

Ghana 1 - 0 USA
Uruguay 2 - 1 Korea Republic

Despite a lot of endeavor from the USA and support from Bill Clinton and Mick Jagger the USA head home thanks to goals from Boateng and then Gyan in extra time.
Uruguay are showing their form from the 1950s, beating one of the strongest Asian sides.

Saturday 26 June 2010

World Cup Day 15

The day of the final group games.

Group G
Brazil 0 - 0 Portugal
Ivory Coast 3 - 0 Korea DPR

No surprises Brazil and Portugal go through to the next round after a mind numbing draw. Drogba and his team mates go out despite this very convincing win over North Korea.

Group H
Switzerland 0 - 0 Honduras
Spain 2 - 1 Chili

Switzerland go home even though they beat tournament favourites and European Champions Spain in the first round. Spain and Davis Villa however find their form and set up the tie of the second round, an Iberian derby match against Portugal.

Friday 25 June 2010

World Cup Day 14

The day that had the biggest shock of this world cup.

Group E
Netherlands 2 - 1 Cameroon
Japan 3 - 1 Denmark

Van Persie scores to help the dutch achieve three wins out of three and a maximum nine points in the group stages. This lines up a game against Slovakia in the next round.
Japan reach the knockout stages of a World Cup on foreign soil for the first time with this victory over Denmark. In contrast this is the first time Denmark do not make the knockout stages of a major tournament having qualified.

Group F
Slovakia 3 - 2 Italy
Paraguay 0 - 0 New Zealand
Vladimir Weiss's Slovakia pull off the shock of the tournament. Going into these games any of the four sides could have qualified for the knockout stages. Italy's woeful performance means they finished bottom of the group below the All Whites from New Zealand.

Thursday 24 June 2010

World Cup Day 13

Group C
USA 1 - 0 Algeria
England 1 - 0 Slovenia

USA finish top after and injury time winner by Landon Donovan. They will meet Ghana in the next round.
England make hard work of beating Slovenia. A Jermain Defoe goal sealed victory and a tie against the Germans on Sunday. An improved performance but players like Rooney and Lampard look shadows of their Premiership form.

Group D
Germany 1 - 0 Ghana
Australia 2 - 1 Serbia

Germany go through after a single goal victory over runners up Ghana. They will face England on Sunday but the winner will be the team that actually can put some form together on the pitch.
Australia finish level on points with Ghana after their 2 goal victory over Serbia. However their goal difference after the 4 nil drubbing by Germany means they head home.

Wednesday 23 June 2010

World Cup Day 12

The round of group games starts, so at last every game means something.

Group A

Uruguay 1 - 0 Mexico
South Africa 2 - 1 France

Uruguay look as good as they did in the 1950s, beating Mexico means they top Group A.
Despite beating France, South Africa go out in the group stages (the first hosts ever to do so), even though they got four points. The surrender monkeys drop captain Evra and then the coach refuses to shake the South African coaches hand in defiant arrogance/ petulance following this pathetic performance.

Group B

Argentina 2 - 0 Greece
Korea republic 2 - 2 Nigeria

Argentina put spoilers Greece out of the competition with a determined win to set up a match against Mexico in the last 16. Good bye Greece they won't be missed.
Korea battle and come from behind to hold Nigeria, Korea go through for a last 16 tie against Uruguay. We are now rapidly running out of African nations.

Tuesday 22 June 2010

World Cup Day 11

A Very Big Win

Group G
Portugal 7 - 0 Kore DPR

So the stars of Portugal go goal crazy against the North Koreans. This sets up a very interesting final group match to see who will face Spain in the knockout stages.

Group H
Spain 2 - 0 Honduras
Chili 1 - 0 Switzerland

Two goals by David Villa and a missed penalty see Spain finally begin to make an impact on this World Cup.
Chili make it six points out of six and a final group game against Spain suddenly means an awful lot.

Monday 21 June 2010

World Cup Day 10

Group F

Paraguay 2 - 0 Slovakia
Italy 1 - 1 New Zealand

The all whites actually led this match against the current world champions. Despite two draws Italy are still favourites to go through from this group.
Paraguay could be a good bet for the latter stages after if they can get a point against Italy in the last group game.

Group G

Brazil 3 - 1 Ivory Coast

Despite the score this game will be remembered for the Luis Fabiano double handball second goal and the shocking play acting that saw kaka sent off for a second yellow card. Brazil are now through to the knockout stages with a game in hand.

Sunday 20 June 2010

World Cup Day 9

Group D

Ghana 1 - 1 Australia
Despite Harry kewell being sent off, Australia manage to cling on to a hope of progressing to the knockouts.

Group E

Netherlands 1 - 0 Japan
Denmark 2 - 1 Cameroon

Holland remain a good outside bet for the latter stages of the competition as they win a second game to guarantee passage to the knockout rounds.

The stars of Italia 90 Cameroon are out after only two matches and a dodgy referee decision.

Saturday 19 June 2010

World Cup Day 8

England show their true colours.

Group D
Serbia 1 - 0 Germany

I don't know if the result was the biggest shock or the fact that Germany missed their first penalty since a match against France at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Group C
USA 2 - 2 Slovenia
Algeria 0 - 0 England

USA come from two goals behind to maintain a hope of going through to the knockout stages.
England's performance can only be described as pathetic as they are outplayed by Algeria. Wayne Rooney's response on leaving the field 'It's good to see the fans booing, that's loyal support'.

Friday 18 June 2010

World Cup Day 7

At last some fantastic results.

Group A
France 0 - 2 Mexico

The cheese eating surrender monkeys are living up to their name as they face an early exit after this dismal performance against Mexico. A draw in Mexico's next match will mean France are out.

Group B
Greece 2 - 0 Nigeria
Argentina 4 - 1 Korea Republic

Greece scored their first ever World Cup goals and recorded their first ever points in their 2 goal victory over Nigeria.
Three goals for Higuain and a Park own goal (good to see Man United's positive contribution to the World Cup continues whilst their ex-players shine) gave Maradona's side a very rapid progression into the next round.

Wednesday 16 June 2010

World Cup Day 5

More of the same.

Group F
Slovakia 1 - 1 New Zealand

A very good draw for New Zealand who gained their first ever World Cup point. Just to show how far New Zealand have come, their number one goalkeeper in 1998 couldn'tget a place in t the Stalybridge Celtic first team.

Group G
Portugal 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
Brazil 2 - 1 Korea DPR

Despite all the talent on show and the world's most expensive footballer to date, both teams seemed too afraid to lose their first game, to go for a win.
Goals from Maicon and Elano ensure that Brazil get off to a winning start. North Korea however played well above expectation and actually managed to get a goal back towards the end.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

World Cup Day 4

A day of no real surprises.

Group E
Netherlands 2 - 0 Denmark
Japan 1 - 0 Cameroon

The dutch begin their campaign with the determined style you expect from them. What a surprise City's Nigel De Jong begins his World Cup with a yellow card.
The biggest shock of the day is Japans first win in the world cup finals on foreign soil.

Group F
Italy 1 - 1 Paraguay
The azure start the defence of their World Cup just as they started their winning campaign in Germany with a draw.

Monday 14 June 2010

World Cup Day 3

Group C
Algeria 0 - 1 Slovenia

Another goalkeeping error in England's group, this time from Algeria's Chaouchi means Slovenia are now top after the first round of matches.

Group D
Serbia 0 - 1 Ghana
Germany 4 - 0 Australia

Ghana win the first match for an African nation at World Cup 2010. Germany are ruthless in destroying Australia, who saw Tim Cahill sent off.

Sunday 13 June 2010

World Cup Day 2

Definitely a day of the best and worse in goalkeeping.

Group B
Korea Repblic 2 - 0 Greece
Argentina 1 - 0 Nigeria

How Greece ever won the European Championships in 2004 will always remain one of the greatest mysteries in football.

Argentina looked great and if it wasn't for Nigeria's goalkeeper Enyeama having a game that will attract a lot of interest from the Premier League, it would have been 10 - 0.

Group C
USA 1 - 1 England

After all the hype Gerrard got England's first goal of the World Cup with a well taken effort set up by Heskey. Then the mistake that will haunt Rob Green for the rest of his career gifted the USA an equalizer.

Saturday 12 June 2010

World Cup Day 1

A day of non-results really.

South Africa 1 - 1 Mexico
France 0 - 0 Uruguay

Bafana Bafana score the first goal of the 2010 world cup, only to end up drawing with Mexico.

At least the cheese eating surrender monkeys failed to make an impact, lets hope they Finish bottom of their group just like in 2002.