2006 World Cup in Germany - Soccer

Longhorns · Jun 26, 2006

Ukraine vs. Switzerland was some of the worst soccer this tournament has seen. Only redeeming quality from that match was the referee...first time since cup play started that the ref didn't call every little touch foul and hand out cards like candy.

Also, how the heck can the Swiss miss 3 straight penalty kicks? Interestingly, the starting striker from Switzerland was replaced with about ten minutes left in overtime. Why would the coach replace the best scorer right before penalty kicks?

Optionpro007 · Jun 26, 2006

This whole thing seems like a big conspiracy if you think about it....I am sure some of the referees have been bribed....
Specially in the USA-ITA game.

Tomorrow's games should be memorable..

I have always been a Brazil fan, but if Ghana (big IF) beats brazil I won't feel that bad for our commie SA buddy..

IV_Trader · Jun 26, 2006

Quote from optionpro007:

I have always been a Brazil fan, but if Ghana (big IF) beats brazil I won't feel that bad for our commie SA buddy..

Those commies sure know how to make friends , ah ? LOLl. You should see all the hate toward Argentina on ESPN message board everytime this cheating commie Maradona is on TV.
But I'm still hoping to see GER-BRA final ; at least up to now the best two teams in WC.

Optionpro007 · Jun 26, 2006

agree. GER-BRA should be in the final.

It's incredible SUI got eliminated even though the never had a goal scored against them...

Quote from IV_Trader:

Those commies sure know how to make friends , ah ? LOLl. You should see all the hate toward Argentina on ESPN message board everytime this cheating commie Maradona is on TV.
But I'm still hoping to see GER-BRA final ; at least up to now the best two teams in WC.

IV_Trader · Jun 26, 2006

Quote from optionpro007:

agree. GER-BRA should be in the final.

It's incredible SUI got eliminated even though the never had a goal scored against them...

from 1950 it was only ONE final (1978) without GER or BRA in it. amazingly , they met only once , in 02.

SouthAmerica · Jun 26, 2006

.

Optionpro007: Tomorrow's games should be memorable..

I have always been a Brazil fan, but if Ghana (big IF) beats brazil I won't feel that bad for our commie SA buddy..

*********

June 25, 2006

SouthAmerica: Reply to optionpro007

Tomorrow Brazil will give a show of soccer â they are going to show how the game is supposed to be played.

Ghana will play like the Japanese and will give Brazil a chance to score 3 or 4 goals.

Brazil moves on to the next round!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only 4 games to go.

Go Brazil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaalllll

***************

IV_Trader: from 1950 it was only ONE final (1978) without GER or BRA in it. amazingly , they met only once , in 02.

*************

SouthAmerica: They will meet once again in the 2006 final â Brazil is going to give Germany another crack on July 9.

I still believe Brazil will win the 2006 World Cup.

Brazil can lose only if something out of the extraordinary happens on this WC.

.

AAAintheBeltway · Jun 27, 2006

OK, I'm not a fan and barely know the basics of the rules. Can one of you experts explain to me the difference in a legal "tackle" and one that gets a penalty?

I happened to be watching the Italy match today, which of course was decided by a foul near the end. The commentators seemed to think it was dubious. Given the leisurely pace of these seemingly endless games, I don't see why they don't use instant replay, at least for crucial game-deciding penalty kicks.

jzlucas · Jun 27, 2006

Quote from Steelhead:

Eric Wynalda is a cock

Yeah, his commentary is lacking in every way. His harsh opinions make him look silly... especially since he hasn't been right yet. At least he admitted it today though. The network really needs to find someone else. Ex-players don't always make the best commentators... watch the NBA to see what I'm talking about.

AAAintheBeltway - After watching the games, sometimes I can't tell what's a penalty and what's legit either!!

Optionpro007 · Jun 27, 2006

when your favorite team is playing and they are losing, 90 minutes is nothing.

the issue is that during each of the two 45 min played there are no commercials.

so they can't just extend the game over and over, they would never finish.

still the game was a gift from the referee to Italy, even though some say it had been a foul before and the second one, if it was, was only called once the player had lost control of the ball.

One of the reasons I dislike watching sports in the Us is because of the amount of commercials the shove down into every second imaginable. WC Soccer is still virgin and I hope is stays like that.

I have nothing against basketball or football but the stopping and starting and time outs and this and that is crazy...

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

OK, I'm not a fan and barely know the basics of the rules. Can one of you experts explain to me the difference in a legal "tackle" and one that gets a penalty?

I happened to be watching the Italy match today, which of course was decided by a foul near the end. The commentators seemed to think it was dubious. Given the leisurely pace of these seemingly endless games, I don't see why they don't use instant replay, at least for crucial game-deciding penalty kicks.

dcraig · Jun 27, 2006

Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

OK, I'm not a fan and barely know the basics of the rules. Can one of you experts explain to me the difference in a legal "tackle" and one that gets a penalty?

From the FIFA site:

A penalty kick is awarded against a team that commits one of the ten offences for which a direct free kick is awarded, inside its own penalty area and while the ball is in play.

A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick.

Additional time is allowed for a penalty kick to be taken at the end of each half or at the end of periods of extra time.

and

A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

* kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
* trips or attempts to trip an opponent
* jumps at an opponent
* charges an opponent
* strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
* pushes an opponent

A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player
commits any of the following four offences:

* tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball
* holds an opponent
* spits at an opponent
* handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area).

A direct free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.

I can't see how any of these apply to the penalty decision against AUS as Lucas Neil was lying on the ground with his back to the Italian player. The decision was probably wrong but I'm Australian so perhaps biased.

Anyway, great effort from the Australian team coming from a country (the only country ?) that has four professional football codes and Soccer has traditionally come a distant fourth in just about every respect.