Video: Lucas Neill vs Fabio Grosso
This is hilarious!
Permalink Comments off
Archive for June, 2006
June 30: The Daily World Cup Wrap
ARG 1 - GER 1 (GER won 4-2 on pens)
ITA 3 - UKR 0
ITA 3 - UKR 0
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 Awards Last 16 Day Two
25 June 2006
Golazo of the Day
The only goal of the now infamous Netherlands-Portugal game was scored by Maniche, who also scored the decisive goal to knock the orange cloggers out of Euro2004.
The excellent Miguel takes a throw in to Deco from the right touchline, about 20 metres into the Dutch half. Deco is closely marked by Sneijder, but manages to clip the ball down the wing to Christiano Ronaldo before looping outside his team mate. Ronaldo holds off the hustling Van Bronckhorst but is tackled by the lurking Sneijder. Undaunted, the young Madeiran immediately wins back the ball, spins on a centavo, and hits a pass down the wing to the advancing Deco. Looking up Deco sees Pauleta move slighlty away from his markers near the penalty spot and hits a lateral pass across the face of the Dutch defence, bypassing Van Bronckhorst, Mathijsen and Ooijer. Pauleta controls the ball and stabs a short pass to the advancing Maniche on the edge of the box. Maniche controls it left footed past the falling Boulahrouz, sides steps Ooijer with a touch on the ball with the outside of his right foot and hammers a right-footed shot into the right corner of the net. Golazo and a rose is found among the Nürnberg thorns.
Hero of the Day
I was extremely tempted to give it to the Russian referee Valentin Ivanov for having to deal with two squads of cheating, diving, fouling, violent thugs for 96 minutes. However his loss of control early in the Portugal-Netherlands game contributed to the unfolding mess. Great entertainment though. The hero of the day is therefore Ashley Cole who kept England in the World Cup against Ecuador.
With the score at 0-0 on a sweltering day in Stuttgart, Geovanny Espinoza launches a long ball from just outside his penalty box into the England half. Agustin Delgado comes to meet it, leaving his marker Rio Ferdinand dozing in no man's land. Delgado flicks the pass with his head onwards over Ferdinand towards Carlos Tenorio. John Terry beats
Tenorio to the ball but misjudges his clearance and, as he falls over, sends his header looping high towards the penalty area. Tenorio sees his chance and chases after the ball, kills it as it drops with excellent control in the inside left position just inside the penalty area, and with Robinson rooted to the spot, curls a right-footed shot towards the right hand side of the net. Ecuador 1-0 England. But no. Ashley Cole arrives on an express train from nowhere with a 30 metre sprint, and slides full length to block the shot with his right knee. The deflected shot loops onto the bar and behind for a corner.
This was the pivotal moment in the game. Ecuador are built to protect an early lead, with their neat passing and outlets down either wing. If they had gone 1-0 ahead, they could have sat and passed all day forcing England to do all the running, and eventually the English team would have wilted in the German heat. It was a vital piece of committed
defensive work by Cole.
Villain of the Day
How can I choose just one member of the cast from the Netherlands-Portugal card fest? Van Bommel for his early cynical challenge which set the tone? Figo for his headbutt? Kuyt and Robben for their dives? Deco for his scything act of revenge? Boulahrouz for his thuggery? Costinha for his poor volleyball technique? No, I'm going to ingore the match.
The villain of the day is David Beckham. Yes, I know he scored a decent freekick which won the match for England, but given he takes every freekick England are awarded and it was his first set piece goal in three years, it had the feeling of a long overdue, monkey-penned Hamlet. The reason he enters the black book is he allowed his ego to override the best interests of the team. He felt unwell before kick off but didn't tell Eriksson or the back-up staff. He struggled through the first half, as he has much of the tournament, threw up on the pitch early in the second half and then again after scoring. When he was eventually substituted he was diagnosed as being dehydrated. The first his manager knew of his captain's pre-game problems was when told by a BBC reporter in a post-match interview. Total lunacy from the tattooed one.
"World Cup matchday, green about the gills,
The man with the foolish grin needs antiemetic pills.
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool.
And he never gives an answer ....."
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Golazo of the Day
The only goal of the now infamous Netherlands-Portugal game was scored by Maniche, who also scored the decisive goal to knock the orange cloggers out of Euro2004.
The excellent Miguel takes a throw in to Deco from the right touchline, about 20 metres into the Dutch half. Deco is closely marked by Sneijder, but manages to clip the ball down the wing to Christiano Ronaldo before looping outside his team mate. Ronaldo holds off the hustling Van Bronckhorst but is tackled by the lurking Sneijder. Undaunted, the young Madeiran immediately wins back the ball, spins on a centavo, and hits a pass down the wing to the advancing Deco. Looking up Deco sees Pauleta move slighlty away from his markers near the penalty spot and hits a lateral pass across the face of the Dutch defence, bypassing Van Bronckhorst, Mathijsen and Ooijer. Pauleta controls the ball and stabs a short pass to the advancing Maniche on the edge of the box. Maniche controls it left footed past the falling Boulahrouz, sides steps Ooijer with a touch on the ball with the outside of his right foot and hammers a right-footed shot into the right corner of the net. Golazo and a rose is found among the Nürnberg thorns.
Hero of the Day
I was extremely tempted to give it to the Russian referee Valentin Ivanov for having to deal with two squads of cheating, diving, fouling, violent thugs for 96 minutes. However his loss of control early in the Portugal-Netherlands game contributed to the unfolding mess. Great entertainment though. The hero of the day is therefore Ashley Cole who kept England in the World Cup against Ecuador.
With the score at 0-0 on a sweltering day in Stuttgart, Geovanny Espinoza launches a long ball from just outside his penalty box into the England half. Agustin Delgado comes to meet it, leaving his marker Rio Ferdinand dozing in no man's land. Delgado flicks the pass with his head onwards over Ferdinand towards Carlos Tenorio. John Terry beats
Tenorio to the ball but misjudges his clearance and, as he falls over, sends his header looping high towards the penalty area. Tenorio sees his chance and chases after the ball, kills it as it drops with excellent control in the inside left position just inside the penalty area, and with Robinson rooted to the spot, curls a right-footed shot towards the right hand side of the net. Ecuador 1-0 England. But no. Ashley Cole arrives on an express train from nowhere with a 30 metre sprint, and slides full length to block the shot with his right knee. The deflected shot loops onto the bar and behind for a corner.
This was the pivotal moment in the game. Ecuador are built to protect an early lead, with their neat passing and outlets down either wing. If they had gone 1-0 ahead, they could have sat and passed all day forcing England to do all the running, and eventually the English team would have wilted in the German heat. It was a vital piece of committed
defensive work by Cole.
Villain of the Day
How can I choose just one member of the cast from the Netherlands-Portugal card fest? Van Bommel for his early cynical challenge which set the tone? Figo for his headbutt? Kuyt and Robben for their dives? Deco for his scything act of revenge? Boulahrouz for his thuggery? Costinha for his poor volleyball technique? No, I'm going to ingore the match.
The villain of the day is David Beckham. Yes, I know he scored a decent freekick which won the match for England, but given he takes every freekick England are awarded and it was his first set piece goal in three years, it had the feeling of a long overdue, monkey-penned Hamlet. The reason he enters the black book is he allowed his ego to override the best interests of the team. He felt unwell before kick off but didn't tell Eriksson or the back-up staff. He struggled through the first half, as he has much of the tournament, threw up on the pitch early in the second half and then again after scoring. When he was eventually substituted he was diagnosed as being dehydrated. The first his manager knew of his captain's pre-game problems was when told by a BBC reporter in a post-match interview. Total lunacy from the tattooed one.
"World Cup matchday, green about the gills,
The man with the foolish grin needs antiemetic pills.
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool.
And he never gives an answer ....."
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 Awards Last 16 Day Three
26 June 2006
Golazo of the Day
Though tempted to nominate Ukraine's lively young forward Artem Milevskiy for his perfect Antonin Panenka impersonation, the safety net afforded by having a minimum of four other penalty taking teammates relegates his effort below that of today's winner.
Francesco Totti was dropped for Italy's clash with Australia, the playmaker clearly struggling in the group games to rediscover form and fitness after breaking his leg in February. With Italy down to ten men, and Del Piero tiring, Totti was thrown on for the last 15 minutes. With a mere 14 seconds left of added time Fabio Grosso receives the ball on the left wing deep in the Australian half. He cuts inside Marco Bresciano's over-eager challenge, heads into the box near the byline and stumbles into and over Lucas Neill, who after 92 minutes and 52 seconds of excellence has needlessly gone to ground. The referee Luis Medina Cantalejo immediately awards a soft penalty. The Roman gladiator steps up.
"My name is Francesco Pupone Totti, commander of the Armies of the Curva Sud, General of the Azzurri Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Giuseppe Giannini. Father to a new son, husband to a model wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
Totti places the ball on the penalty spot and backs away. With intense concentration he looks at the ball and then at the top left hand corner. His look returns to the ball before again averting his eyes to the top left hand corner. He looks at the ball once more and then turns his head to the ref, signalling it's time to unleash hell. The ref blows his whistle and Totti runs from the edge of the box and arrows a powerful right-footed shot high into the top left hand corner past the helpless Schwarzer. Golazo and memories of Daejeon are expunged for player and country.
Hero of the Day
After Marco Materazzi's harsh sending off, the Italians had to hold off Gus Hiddink's Australia for 40 minutes with ten men. There were many memorable performances with Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Cannavaro particularly outstanding at the back. In front of them patrolled Gennaro Gattuso, energetically peforming the work of two players. He tackled when he needed to tackle, intercepted when an interception was demanded, and propelled the team forward with his driving runs, allowing others to reorganise and reenergise. He'd have made an inspiring Spartan at the Battle of Thermopylae.
Villain of the Day
This is awardly jointly to Oleg Blokhin and Koebi Kuhn, the managers of Ukraine and Switzerland respectively. They inflicted upon the world 120 minutes of utter, utter tedium. Neither of their teams was prepared to take a risk to win the match with 8 or 9 men behind the ball for huge stretches of play. Some managers grasp the nettle to win a game; these two would fight shy of moss. If I ran FIFA I'd send both teams home and
reinvite the Ivory Coast to the party.
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Golazo of the Day
Though tempted to nominate Ukraine's lively young forward Artem Milevskiy for his perfect Antonin Panenka impersonation, the safety net afforded by having a minimum of four other penalty taking teammates relegates his effort below that of today's winner.
Francesco Totti was dropped for Italy's clash with Australia, the playmaker clearly struggling in the group games to rediscover form and fitness after breaking his leg in February. With Italy down to ten men, and Del Piero tiring, Totti was thrown on for the last 15 minutes. With a mere 14 seconds left of added time Fabio Grosso receives the ball on the left wing deep in the Australian half. He cuts inside Marco Bresciano's over-eager challenge, heads into the box near the byline and stumbles into and over Lucas Neill, who after 92 minutes and 52 seconds of excellence has needlessly gone to ground. The referee Luis Medina Cantalejo immediately awards a soft penalty. The Roman gladiator steps up.
"My name is Francesco Pupone Totti, commander of the Armies of the Curva Sud, General of the Azzurri Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Giuseppe Giannini. Father to a new son, husband to a model wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next."
Totti places the ball on the penalty spot and backs away. With intense concentration he looks at the ball and then at the top left hand corner. His look returns to the ball before again averting his eyes to the top left hand corner. He looks at the ball once more and then turns his head to the ref, signalling it's time to unleash hell. The ref blows his whistle and Totti runs from the edge of the box and arrows a powerful right-footed shot high into the top left hand corner past the helpless Schwarzer. Golazo and memories of Daejeon are expunged for player and country.
Hero of the Day
After Marco Materazzi's harsh sending off, the Italians had to hold off Gus Hiddink's Australia for 40 minutes with ten men. There were many memorable performances with Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Cannavaro particularly outstanding at the back. In front of them patrolled Gennaro Gattuso, energetically peforming the work of two players. He tackled when he needed to tackle, intercepted when an interception was demanded, and propelled the team forward with his driving runs, allowing others to reorganise and reenergise. He'd have made an inspiring Spartan at the Battle of Thermopylae.
Villain of the Day
This is awardly jointly to Oleg Blokhin and Koebi Kuhn, the managers of Ukraine and Switzerland respectively. They inflicted upon the world 120 minutes of utter, utter tedium. Neither of their teams was prepared to take a risk to win the match with 8 or 9 men behind the ball for huge stretches of play. Some managers grasp the nettle to win a game; these two would fight shy of moss. If I ran FIFA I'd send both teams home and
reinvite the Ivory Coast to the party.
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 Awards Last 16 Day Four
Golazo of the Day
It has to go to the fat controller really, doesn't it? Ronaldo scored a classic goal to make it 15 in total in three World Cups for him, taking the record from legendary poacher Gerd Müller.
Lucio, as the deepest outfield player in the Brazil team, collects a pass from Juan in front of his penalty area. As Amoah closes on him he passes it 15 metres forward to the unmarked Kaka, who spins and drives forward into the Ghana half. Looking up he sees Ronaldo primed to take off, so he opens up the angle of his body and slides a ball through the disorganised Ghana defence. Ronaldo is off and clear. He controls the ball, and as he advances on the penalty area the keeper Richard Kingson rushes to the egde to greet him. The bald-headed one peforms a step over with his right foot and then nips it past the keeper with his left foot to leave an open goal which he hungrily accepts by stabbing the ball into the empty net with his yellow and green clad right boot. The ball has travelled the full length of the pitch without leaving the narrow central channel. Golazo for the fifteenth time for Ronaldo Luíz Nazário de Lima, O Fenômeno.
Hero of the Day
He couldn't leave us without an encore, could he? With France struggling to find the jigsaw let alone the last piece in this World Cup, and with the eminently retiring Zinedine Zidane suspended from the last group game, there was a chance we'd seen the last of the great man on a football pitch. Thanks to a herculean performance by PatrickVieira, the Ginger Rogers to ZZ's Fred Astaire, we were permitted that one last chance to see La Castellane. He wouldn't disappoint.
Playing against the brio of Aragones's young Spanish team, Zidane displayed every facet of his multi-carratted talent. Poise and precision marked every receipt and release of the ball. He conducted his fellow midfielders in swamping the Spanish armada, closing down the ball carrier in hungry packs. And when some of his team mates started to feel the pressure he shouldered the responsibility and drove the team forward with his runs. He also scored the late third goal that sealed the French win.
Puyol plays the ball forward to Cesc Fabregas on the halfway line where the young midfielder of immense promise is harried by Zidane, Wiltord and Diarra. Zidane makes the tackle and the ball breaks to Govou on the left wing, just inside his own half. Govou drives into the Spanish half and infield, crossing with ZZ who drifts forward and out to the left wing. Just as Fabregas chasing back nears, Govou passes the ball forward to Wiltord who is marked by Puyol. With ZZ now level with Wiltord, the Lyon forward releases a first time pass into his path. The ball bounces once and Zidane, without breaking stride, controls it on his right thigh and continues his run in the inside left channel into the penalty area. The hawk looks up twice, assessing the angles, assessing the situation, assessing his prey. As Puyol desperately scrambles across Zidane takes a small touch inside with his right foot to steady himself and then cuts inside the Spanish central defender with another touch, gives Casillas the "eyes" and slots the ball into
the bottom left corner as the deceived goalkeeper dives in the opposite direction. 3-1 and the quarter final awaits.
Anyone prepared to bet against there being three further curtain calls for Zizou the Great?
Villain of the Day
Coming a close second is the Ghana coach, Ratomir Dujkovic, who encouraged his side to play a high line offside trap against Brazil. He failed though to instill any concept of the how to play the system into his team, and they were breached time after time with the fullbacks metres behind the central defenders.
Joining the chorus of disapproval, the award for chief villain today goes to Thierry Henry. In a pathetic attempt to get Carles Puyol sent off when the Spaniard slightly blocked his run, Henry collapsed to the pitch clutching his face between his hands as if he'd been elbowed. Henry had complained vociferously (and wrongly) about Barcelona diving
"like women" against his Arsenal team in the Champions League Final. The French striker legend may think he's gained a modicum of personal revenge for the perceived ills endured in Paris, but he has lost a tremendous amount of hard-earned respect with it.
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
It has to go to the fat controller really, doesn't it? Ronaldo scored a classic goal to make it 15 in total in three World Cups for him, taking the record from legendary poacher Gerd Müller.
Lucio, as the deepest outfield player in the Brazil team, collects a pass from Juan in front of his penalty area. As Amoah closes on him he passes it 15 metres forward to the unmarked Kaka, who spins and drives forward into the Ghana half. Looking up he sees Ronaldo primed to take off, so he opens up the angle of his body and slides a ball through the disorganised Ghana defence. Ronaldo is off and clear. He controls the ball, and as he advances on the penalty area the keeper Richard Kingson rushes to the egde to greet him. The bald-headed one peforms a step over with his right foot and then nips it past the keeper with his left foot to leave an open goal which he hungrily accepts by stabbing the ball into the empty net with his yellow and green clad right boot. The ball has travelled the full length of the pitch without leaving the narrow central channel. Golazo for the fifteenth time for Ronaldo Luíz Nazário de Lima, O Fenômeno.
Hero of the Day
He couldn't leave us without an encore, could he? With France struggling to find the jigsaw let alone the last piece in this World Cup, and with the eminently retiring Zinedine Zidane suspended from the last group game, there was a chance we'd seen the last of the great man on a football pitch. Thanks to a herculean performance by PatrickVieira, the Ginger Rogers to ZZ's Fred Astaire, we were permitted that one last chance to see La Castellane. He wouldn't disappoint.
Playing against the brio of Aragones's young Spanish team, Zidane displayed every facet of his multi-carratted talent. Poise and precision marked every receipt and release of the ball. He conducted his fellow midfielders in swamping the Spanish armada, closing down the ball carrier in hungry packs. And when some of his team mates started to feel the pressure he shouldered the responsibility and drove the team forward with his runs. He also scored the late third goal that sealed the French win.
Puyol plays the ball forward to Cesc Fabregas on the halfway line where the young midfielder of immense promise is harried by Zidane, Wiltord and Diarra. Zidane makes the tackle and the ball breaks to Govou on the left wing, just inside his own half. Govou drives into the Spanish half and infield, crossing with ZZ who drifts forward and out to the left wing. Just as Fabregas chasing back nears, Govou passes the ball forward to Wiltord who is marked by Puyol. With ZZ now level with Wiltord, the Lyon forward releases a first time pass into his path. The ball bounces once and Zidane, without breaking stride, controls it on his right thigh and continues his run in the inside left channel into the penalty area. The hawk looks up twice, assessing the angles, assessing the situation, assessing his prey. As Puyol desperately scrambles across Zidane takes a small touch inside with his right foot to steady himself and then cuts inside the Spanish central defender with another touch, gives Casillas the "eyes" and slots the ball into
the bottom left corner as the deceived goalkeeper dives in the opposite direction. 3-1 and the quarter final awaits.
Anyone prepared to bet against there being three further curtain calls for Zizou the Great?
Villain of the Day
Coming a close second is the Ghana coach, Ratomir Dujkovic, who encouraged his side to play a high line offside trap against Brazil. He failed though to instill any concept of the how to play the system into his team, and they were breached time after time with the fullbacks metres behind the central defenders.
Joining the chorus of disapproval, the award for chief villain today goes to Thierry Henry. In a pathetic attempt to get Carles Puyol sent off when the Spaniard slightly blocked his run, Henry collapsed to the pitch clutching his face between his hands as if he'd been elbowed. Henry had complained vociferously (and wrongly) about Barcelona diving
"like women" against his Arsenal team in the Champions League Final. The French striker legend may think he's gained a modicum of personal revenge for the perceived ills endured in Paris, but he has lost a tremendous amount of hard-earned respect with it.
Steve Davies
davies.stephen@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 Quarter-Finals Day One - Headlines
30 June 2006
Jose Pekerman's inexplicable substitutions cost favourites Argentina dearly as Germany come from behind and win on penalties.
Italy thrash Ukraine. Luca Toni, Europe's leading goalscorer, finally gets off the mark with two goals in a Zambrotta inspired victory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Jose Pekerman's inexplicable substitutions cost favourites Argentina dearly as Germany come from behind and win on penalties.
Italy thrash Ukraine. Luca Toni, Europe's leading goalscorer, finally gets off the mark with two goals in a Zambrotta inspired victory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 Quarter-Finals Day One - Match Reports
30 June 2006
Italy 3 (Zambrotta 6, Toni 58, 69)
Ukraine 0
Camoranesi had already gone close for Italy before Zambrotta hit the back of the net. He started the move with a ball into Totti, the Roma captain returned it with an extravagant back heel as Zambrotta cut in from the right flank, he ran unchallenged towards the centre of the box he let rip with a left foot drive from 25 yards which found the bottom corner via Shovkovsky's left hand, he probably should have done better.
Having failed to show up in the first half Ukraine came out fighting in the second. Buffon was almost KTFO when he collided with a post when saving Gusin's point blank header. Milevsky turned onto a miss-hit shot and played in Gusev with a superbly weighted pass, Gusev hit the ball with everything he had, Buffon parried and Tymoshchyuk's follow-up was chested off the line by the outstanding Zambrotta. Less than a minute later Toni broke his duck. Totti worked a short corner with Grosso before whipping a teasing cross to the back post and despite Gusin's concerted attempts to concede a penalty for shirt pulling, the giant striker headed low into the net. Italy had another escape when the unlucky Gusin headed a free kick against the crossbar. Zambrotta capped off a stunning performance by laying on the third goal. Grosso volleyed a pass inside Gusev, a sharp turn took Zambrotta away from Vashchyuk and he poked the ball forward to a delighted Toni.
Italy have a fantastic record against Germany and won't be too concerned at the prospect of playing underdogs. They seem to be peaking at the right time of course if it goes to penalties Italy are doomed.
Attendance : 50,000
Assists : Totti, Totti (ck), Zambrotta
Germany 1 (Klose 80)
Argentina 1 (Ayala 49)
I'm not sure of the intention of the teams in the first half. Maybe they were conserving energy for the second half because they did nothing with the ball, Argentina especially who had most of it. Ballack had the only chance following a superb counter attack but headed wide.
Ayala, who but for Cannavaro would be this tournaments outstanding defender, gave Argentina the lead with a spectacular header from a Riquelme corner. The game began to open up. Crespo intercepted Lahm's hospital pass, Tevez tried to dribble past the German defence but spotted Rodriguez in a better position free on the right of the box, the midfielder lashed wide. Germany won a throw in near goal. Borowski flicked on Ballack's cross and Klose got in front of Sorin to header into Franco's bottom corner (Abbondanzieri went off with a injury in the first half). Rodriguez was booked for diving in the box two minutes from time, with team-mates in the centre waiting for a cross, match point.
Extra time was... thirty minutes of my life I won't get back.
Penalty Shoot-Out
Neuville's kick is at a good height for Franco but hit with too much pace
Cruz smashes the ball into the top left corner
Ballack sends Franco the wrong way
Ayala hits an awful, power puff shot which Lehmann saves with ease
Podolski drills a low shot into the bottom right corner
Rodriguez is only a fingertip away from seeing his penalty saved
Borowski's penalty is almost a carbon copy of Podolski's
Cambiasso's strike the ball wide of centre and at mid-height, Lehmann takes a step off his line before saving
As the Germans were celebrating Cufre, who was an unused sub, kicked Metzelder square in the balls, sending him rolling to the ground in agony and a bench clearing scuffle ensued. Heinze had to be restrained from getting to Bierhoff and Maxi Rodriguez leapt over a posse of bodies to slap Schweinsteiger in the back, pussy.
Pekerman's decision to substitute Riquelme and replace him with DM Cambiasso on 72 minutes is one of the all time moronic and arrogant decisions in World Cup history, as was taking off Crespo on 78 minutes and replacing him not with Messi or even Saviola but Cruz. Pekerman resigned in disgrace minutes later, and so he should.
Germany win 4-2 on penalties
Attendance : 72,000
Red Card : Cufre 120 (Argentina)
Assists : Riquelme (ck), Borowski
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Italy 3 (Zambrotta 6, Toni 58, 69)
Ukraine 0
Camoranesi had already gone close for Italy before Zambrotta hit the back of the net. He started the move with a ball into Totti, the Roma captain returned it with an extravagant back heel as Zambrotta cut in from the right flank, he ran unchallenged towards the centre of the box he let rip with a left foot drive from 25 yards which found the bottom corner via Shovkovsky's left hand, he probably should have done better.
Having failed to show up in the first half Ukraine came out fighting in the second. Buffon was almost KTFO when he collided with a post when saving Gusin's point blank header. Milevsky turned onto a miss-hit shot and played in Gusev with a superbly weighted pass, Gusev hit the ball with everything he had, Buffon parried and Tymoshchyuk's follow-up was chested off the line by the outstanding Zambrotta. Less than a minute later Toni broke his duck. Totti worked a short corner with Grosso before whipping a teasing cross to the back post and despite Gusin's concerted attempts to concede a penalty for shirt pulling, the giant striker headed low into the net. Italy had another escape when the unlucky Gusin headed a free kick against the crossbar. Zambrotta capped off a stunning performance by laying on the third goal. Grosso volleyed a pass inside Gusev, a sharp turn took Zambrotta away from Vashchyuk and he poked the ball forward to a delighted Toni.
Italy have a fantastic record against Germany and won't be too concerned at the prospect of playing underdogs. They seem to be peaking at the right time of course if it goes to penalties Italy are doomed.
Attendance : 50,000
Assists : Totti, Totti (ck), Zambrotta
Germany 1 (Klose 80)
Argentina 1 (Ayala 49)
I'm not sure of the intention of the teams in the first half. Maybe they were conserving energy for the second half because they did nothing with the ball, Argentina especially who had most of it. Ballack had the only chance following a superb counter attack but headed wide.
Ayala, who but for Cannavaro would be this tournaments outstanding defender, gave Argentina the lead with a spectacular header from a Riquelme corner. The game began to open up. Crespo intercepted Lahm's hospital pass, Tevez tried to dribble past the German defence but spotted Rodriguez in a better position free on the right of the box, the midfielder lashed wide. Germany won a throw in near goal. Borowski flicked on Ballack's cross and Klose got in front of Sorin to header into Franco's bottom corner (Abbondanzieri went off with a injury in the first half). Rodriguez was booked for diving in the box two minutes from time, with team-mates in the centre waiting for a cross, match point.
Extra time was... thirty minutes of my life I won't get back.
Penalty Shoot-Out
Neuville's kick is at a good height for Franco but hit with too much pace
Cruz smashes the ball into the top left corner
Ballack sends Franco the wrong way
Ayala hits an awful, power puff shot which Lehmann saves with ease
Podolski drills a low shot into the bottom right corner
Rodriguez is only a fingertip away from seeing his penalty saved
Borowski's penalty is almost a carbon copy of Podolski's
Cambiasso's strike the ball wide of centre and at mid-height, Lehmann takes a step off his line before saving
As the Germans were celebrating Cufre, who was an unused sub, kicked Metzelder square in the balls, sending him rolling to the ground in agony and a bench clearing scuffle ensued. Heinze had to be restrained from getting to Bierhoff and Maxi Rodriguez leapt over a posse of bodies to slap Schweinsteiger in the back, pussy.
Pekerman's decision to substitute Riquelme and replace him with DM Cambiasso on 72 minutes is one of the all time moronic and arrogant decisions in World Cup history, as was taking off Crespo on 78 minutes and replacing him not with Messi or even Saviola but Cruz. Pekerman resigned in disgrace minutes later, and so he should.
Germany win 4-2 on penalties
Attendance : 72,000
Red Card : Cufre 120 (Argentina)
Assists : Riquelme (ck), Borowski
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
Brazil and France Set for Re-Match
France and Brazil have both got stronger as the 2006 FIFA World Cup
has progressed. There's every indication we’ll be in for a classic match
when the two sides kick off in the quarter-finals on Saturday. The Brazilians will be set on revenge for the 1998 World Cup final in France,
where the French claimed a 3-0 victory to capture their first ever World
Cup title.
More....
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
More....
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
England Hope To Seek Revenge on Scolari
England are hoping third time’s a charm when they meet Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal in their quarter-finals match on Saturday. Scolari's teams have knocked England out of the quarter-final stages of England's last two major tournaments. Big Phil did it with Brazil in the 2002 World Cup and then again with Portugal at Euro 2004.
More....
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
More....
Feed sponsored by http://www.worldcupadvice.com
The best in World Cup 2006 coverage: match-up reports, game previews, great free games with thousands in cash prizes, sportsbook special offers, expert bloggers and more. Visit us now at and get our odds & scoreboards at soccer-europe.com
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006: France hope for repeat of 1998 (Guardian Unlimited)
The resurgent French are hoping for a repeat of their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil today.
Permalink Comments off
LiveBlog: Italy vs Ukraine
We’re liveblogging the full 90 minutes of the Italy and Ukraince quarter-final match. Come in and join us with your comments and thoughts before, during and after the game.
Live: Italy 0-0 Ukraine
Kickoff: We’re underway in Hamburg. The winner goes on to face Germany in Dortmund. The loser heads for home. [...]
Permalink Comments off
Video: Germany vs Argentina (4-2 on penalty shootout)
Lehmann's hands of God stopping Ayala and Cambiasso!
Permalink Comments off
Video: Argentina 1 Germany 1
Klose equalizer, his first header this World Cup, and the most important one!
Permalink Comments off
Cougars to host World Cup viewing party (OurSports Central)
STOCKTON, Calif. (Thursday, June 29, 2006) - Calling all soccer fans. Feel like finally celebrating the 2006 FIFA World Cup the way it's been done for decades, complete with lively, energetic, and boisterous fans, as well as live music and festivities? Here's your chance.
Permalink Comments off
World Cup 2006 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Argentina coach Jose Pekerman resigned while his players bemoaned their bad luck after losing their World Cup quarter-final to Germany on penalties early this morning.
Permalink Comments off
Scolari looking for England hat-trick
English fans must be sick of the sight of Luiz Felipe Scolari as, for the third major tournament in a row, Felipão is set to lead a team out against England in a decisive quarter-final showdown...
Permalink Comments off
1 July: Past winners eye semi-final spots
Portugal join three former world champions namely England, Brazil and France under the spotlight today as the remaining semi-final places are decided in Frankfurt and Gelsenkirchen...
Permalink Comments off
Lehmann’s hands of God saved the day
Jens Lehmann- divine intervention
Unsere Hand Gottes hielt die Schüsse von Ayala und Cambiasso, brachte uns ins Halbfinale!
That's what the Bild says, in a pointed reminder to the Maradona hand of God goal in the 1986 World Cup. Today it was Lehmann's hands of God that stopped Roberto Ayala's and Esteban Cambiasso's PKs and sent Germany to the semifinals.
Klinsi made the right choice in Lehmann. He has fantastic reflexes. I am sure Riquelme seeing the PKs from the sidelines must have been painfully reminded of the day when Lehmann saved Riquelme's penalty kick in the European Cup in the Arsenal- Villareal semi-finals.
There was quite a bit of violence between German and Argentine fans that went on for a while after the match was over. But I am glad that Klinsi and Pekerman said the right things to calm the teams and their fans down.
Permalink Comments off
Lehmann saves German campaign
Germany 1-1 Argentina
(aet, Germany win 4-2 on penalties)
Two shoot-out saves from Jens Lehmann took the hosts into the last four.
(aet, Germany win 4-2 on penalties)
Two shoot-out saves from Jens Lehmann took the hosts into the last four.
Permalink Comments off