Man, what a nail biter! I was getting angry there towards the end, especially when it looked like the difference was going to be another bad call by the refs.

The early shot by Algeria that hit the crossbar served to wake up the US team. They got lucky there. And with all the missed opportunities in the second half, I was beginning to think I was watching a replay of Nigeria v. South Korea from yesterday. I was glad to see Edson Buddle finally get some playing time. I think he should have started with Gomez coming in as a substitute. No matter. It worked. The US won and even managed to take the group. The question now is who will the US face next - Germany, Ghana or Serbia (sorry but Australia's chances are slim). We'll see in a few hours.

While the US did win the group it was on goals scored, and while you did score more than us you also conceeded a lot more than us which going forward is, imo, a considerable worry.

That group should have been easy for both England and the USA and they made a meal out of it which is worrying going forward.

Quote: Original post by phantom
While the US did win the group it was on goals scored, and while you did score more than us you also conceeded a lot more than us which going forward is, imo, a considerable worry.

That group should have been easy for both England and the USA and they made a meal out of it which is worrying going forward.

Honestly, I'm always worried about the USA. They have the potential to do so well, but they fail to finish on great opportunities. And I'd be more worried if I was an England fan; the USA can at least blame 2 (potentially 3) very bad calls ;)

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool
Honestly, I'm always worried about the USA. They have the potential to do so well, but they fail to finish on great opportunities.

Aye... I just watched the US highlights and they say pretty much that.

pretty ridonk highlight reel though. Englands as well. Except the not scoring on a bunch of the highlights part.

Quote: Original post by Crazyfool
I agree that he was a foot away from being brilliant, but these guys should be the best refs the world has. It's really a shame when referees can decide the game so easily and people will just say "oh, its ok, it happens".

Even so they are only human, they will make mistakes, and while I dare say I'd be no less annoyed if it happened to me thats the nature of the game.

The bigger problem in the game right now is the diving and the players waving an imaginary card trying to get other players booked.

Quote: Original post by LessBread
Man, what a nail biter! I was getting angry there towards the end, especially when it looked like the difference was going to be another bad call by the refs.

The early shot by Algeria that hit the crossbar served to wake up the US team. They got lucky there. And with all the missed opportunities in the second half, I was beginning to think I was watching a replay of Nigeria v. South Korea from yesterday. I was glad to see Edson Buddle finally get some playing time. I think he should have started with Gomez coming in as a substitute. No matter. It worked. The US won and even managed to take the group. The question now is who will the US face next - Germany, Ghana or Serbia (sorry but Australia's chances are slim). We'll see in a few hours.

Well, despite all efforts, Australia have been eliminated. At least they won the last game... They were relying on Ghana beating Germany, which was unlikely... And if they didn't rely on that they still needed Germany to score 5 goals in their Game against Ghana. It was always a doomed venture.

I think that when those organising the World Cup bid for 2018 realised that after we got into this Group there was no way we were going to win, therefore pulled out of the bid to concentrate on 2022, hoping we'd have a better chance of fielding a winning team before there (and thereby getting more players through from grass-roots).

We need to get some moor kiddies playing before we can expect any depth to our side. Also, we are spread pretty thin with AFL, NRL, and Rugby Union as our other Winter Sports... that, and we are a very small country (population wise). I think we are starting to spread ourselves a little thin in the Sporting arena.

Australia played a great second half. For a while there it looked like they might have pulled it off too. Instead they illustrated the opposite situation of a draw standing as a win in that they won but lost.

Settle down folks! Violence Erupts in Paris Following Algeria’s World Cup Defeat

Quote:
A riot erupted in central Paris this evening following Algeria’s devastating loss to the United States in the World Cup, as 200 to 250 youths who had been watching the game on a giant screen at an inner-city stadium took to the streets. Shop windows were smashed and about 20 cars were incinerated or flipped over, among other incidents which spread to nearby neighborhoods. Police made several arrests around 8 p.m., and dispersed the crowds using tear gas.

Group stage has ended. Now it's on to the knock out stage. 16 teams, 15 matches, one champion. Here are the match ups for stage 2.

June 26 - Uruguay v. South Korea
June 26 - USA v. Ghana
June 27 - Germany v. England
June 27 - Argentina v. Mexico
June 28 - Netherlands v. Slovakia
June 28 - Brazil v. Chile
June 29 - Paraguay v. Japan
June 29 - Spain v. Portugal

Quote: Original post by LessBread
June 26 - Uruguay v. South Korea
June 26 - USA v. Ghana
June 27 - Germany v. England
June 27 - Argentina v. Mexico
June 28 - Netherlands v. Slovakia
June 28 - Brazil v. Chile
June 29 - Paraguay v. Japan
June 29 - Spain v. Portugal

Very interesting matches. Almost all the strong ones are there. It would have been nicer if Germany and England didn't play against each other though.