World Cup Soccer/football thread

[MichaelB]

The US had just 8 shots on goal but still scored twice. That has to be a record.

I was surprised by Jozy Altidore's hamstring injury. Very unusual at this level. Perhaps a trainer issue?

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB The US had just 8 shots on goal but still scored twice. That has to be a record. I was surprised by Jozy Altidore's hamstring injury. Very unusual at this level. Perhaps a trainer issue?

Clint Dempsey became the first USA player to score in 3 World Cup Finals, plus his goal was the fastest ever by a USA player and the USA winning goal was the first ever goal scored by a USA substitute in a World Cup Finals.

First player to ever score a hat trick in a World Cup finals? - Bert Patenaude of United States in the 1930 Finals.

8 shots on goal and scoring twice is not unusual in football. In fact in the England game Italy only had 5 shots on goal and scored twice.

Really tough luck with the hamstring injury. Very worrying for Altidore's club, which is my home club of Sunderland.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Klinsmann's policy of concentrating on German American players who grew up playing the game in Europe has passed a vital test in battle.

I can't help but note that the winning goal was accomplished through the combined work of two players sent it to substitute for starting players - the guy who kicked the ball so well, and the guy who headed it into the goal.

It's always nice to have some depth on the bench.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder On Klinsmann's "policy," it seems every country recruits from other countries, some more shamelessly than others. I'd like to see Qatar's final team roster in the next world cup. I bet a majority of their team will be made up of soccer "mercenaries" from South America, Africa, and Europe.

TIME magazine had an article on it last week otherwise I wouldn't even have noticed, although I had heard about the controversy of him not bringing one of their biggest stars, Landon Donovan, because he thought he was too much of a "Diva".

Being German himself Kilinsmann has concentrated on German born players because he knows the German teams, and where he can pick up players not quite good enough to make the German team (once a player plays for a country, he can't change). For example, the winning goal scorer, John Brooks, is only 21 with 5 international caps, was born and raised in Berlin and plays for a Berlin club, but is a US citizen through his father.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut I can't help but note that the winning goal was accomplished through the combined work of two players sent it to substitute for starting players - the guy who kicked the ball so well, and the guy who headed it into the goal. It's always nice to have some depth on the bench.

It's always fantastic when coaches make the right substitutions. I was watching the Spain Holland game with my son and after Spain went behind 2-1 their coach made 2 subs. Within a minute or 2 Holland scored again and I said to my son, "I guess the subs didn't work out quite as well as he hoped!".

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan It's always fantastic when coaches make the right substitutions. I was watching the Spain Holland game with my son and after Spain went behind 2-1 their coach made 2 subs. Within a minute or 2 Holland scored again and I said to my son, "I guess the subs didn't work out quite as well as he hoped!".

Then there is Ivory Coast's substitution of Drogba. Soon after his entry, they score two unanswered goals against Japan for a come from behind the win. ( Why Drogba didn't start is a mystery to me. )

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder Then there is Ivory Coast's substitution of Drogba. Soon after his entry, they score two unanswered goals against Japan for a come from behind the win. ( Why Drogba didn't start is a mystery to me. )

Yes indeed, another good game, and so far there have been 6 "come back" games already in the tournament including today's first game where the late winning goal was again scored by a sub off the bench.

Drogba is 36 years old and plays all his football in Europe (not used to the heat and humidity) so I think most expected him to be playing the role of "super sub" in this tournament, coming on as an impact player in the 2nd half of games, although I'm sure he would like to start the next game.

[Chuckanut]

I am neutral about most matches, but today I am rooting for the South Koreans to kick the Russians all over the field. Go Korea!

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut I am neutral about most matches, but today I am rooting for the South Koreans to kick the Russians all over the field. Go Korea!

+1

With few exceptions I support the little guys

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Being German himself Kilinsmann has concentrated on German born players because he knows the German teams, and where he can pick up players not quite good enough to make the German team (once a player plays for a country, he can't change). For example, the winning goal scorer, John Brooks, is only 21 with 5 international caps, was born and raised in Berlin and plays for a Berlin club, but is a US citizen through his father.

I can't believe that we don't have enough home grown players to compete in WC.

Mexico vs Brazil was one of the exciting 0:0 matches I've seen. Mexico's goalkeeper saved the day (although a few sure shots hit him rather than he did anything to save them).

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut I am neutral about most matches, but today I am rooting for the South Koreans to kick the Russians all over the field. Go Korea!

Yeah, Korea! The underdog ties Russia with a giveaway goal from the Russuan goalkeeper. If Russia does not make it to final 16, it's going to haunt him the rest of his life.

[Koogie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder Yeah, Korea! The underdog ties Russia with a giveaway goal from the Russuan goalkeeper. If Russia does not make it to final 16, it's going to haunt him the rest of his life.

Hopefully he does not end up dead like the Colombian player from the 90s who scored the own goal at the WC.

Going to watch the Orange Men play at lunchtime today. Here's hoping there are more heroics from RVP and Robben !

[MichaelB]

Here's a short video about cheating I saw posted at "The Big Picture", attributed to The New Yorker New Yorker: Cheating at the Beautiful Game | The Big Picture

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder I can't believe that we don't have enough home grown players to compete in WC. Mexico vs Brazil was one of the exciting 0:0 matches I've seen. Mexico's goalkeeper saved the day (although a few sure shots hit him rather than he did anything to save them).

Last week's Freakonomics podcast was all about US soccer and why it struggles to be accepted compared to the rest of the world. They pointed out that in the USA, soccer players follow the same route as other American sports where the athletes are funded through college, whereas overseas, including Europe, few players ever get a degree, and are recruited by clubs as young as age 12, with many turning pro at age age 16. Like a great many skills, the younger one starts the better.

I thought the Mexico Brazil game was very exciting, the whole game was played very fast and I was delighted that Mexico came away with a result. It would have been heart breaking for their keeper if they ending up losing

[Alan]

Cool video Michael, thanks.

Do you remember French superstar Zinedine Zidane in his last World Cup, during his last game before retiring?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zAjWi663kXc&feature=kp

[robnplunder]

Some coaches will instruct their players to target opposing players with volatile personality to draw yellow and red cards. Exaggerating falls, incessant whining, blatant dives make up the other parts of dubious soccer strategy. I wish FIFA work to reduce these in some way. Most contact sports have them but soccer is the only one being touted as the "beautiful game."

[Chuckanut]

Halftime score: Spain - 0, Chile - 2

Edited to add: Final score: Spain - 0, Chile - 2

Can we offer to play the world champs instead of Germany? Seems fair to me.

[Koogie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koogie Going to watch the Orange Men play at lunchtime today. Here's hoping there are more heroics from RVP and Robben !

Quoting myself.. narcissism at its worst. Anyway, it was a great game. RVP and Robben again of course. And that Cahill goal was fantastic.

I very much dislike the handball call against NL but realize it is by the rules. Still, sad when they have to call it and there was clearly no advantage to the handball for NL but it ended up giving OZ basically a free goal. That's one rule that also needs to be worked on.

Since we're well into the group stage, I will make my prediction...
NL in the final. Against whom ? Preferably DE but I'm not sure if that is per the brackets... They are the only two sides that have really impressed me so far.

[ERD50]

Can someone please explain to a person who is (obviously) not knowledgeable about sports, just what is going on with a tie between Mexico & Brazil? I thought all sports had some mechanism to break a tie. Don't they go into overtime, or have shots on goal, or flip a coin or arm-wrestle or something?

And what does that mean to the rest of the series? Who moves forward, Brasil or Mexico?

-ERD50

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 Can someone please explain to a person who is (obviously) not knowledgeable about sports, just what is going on with a tie between Mexico & Brazil? I thought all sports had some mechanism to break a tie. Don't they go into overtime, or have shots on goal, or flip a coin or arm-wrestle or something? And what does that mean to the rest of the series? Who moves forward, Brasil or Mexico? -ERD50

I'm too lazy too look it up, but my guess (just a guess) is that the tournament is probably not a one loss and you are out thing. So, similar to hockey during the winter Olympics a team could not win and still qualify further. As I said, just my guess..and nothing more.