Posted on 06/14/2006 5:46:34 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
The first cycle of group play in the FIFA World Cup comes to a close on Wednesday with all four Group H teams in action, Spain taking on Ukraine at 8:55 a.m. ET (ESPN2) and Saudi Arabia facing Tunisia three hours later (also on ESPN2). Then Cup hosts Germany start the second series of matches in the groups when they face neighbors Poland in Dortmund.
Spain finally get a chance to get the ball rolling in Leipzig, facing a Ukraine team looking for a result in its first-ever World Cup match. But just because the Eastern Europeans are new on the world stage doesn't mean they don't have the talent to make an impact. In fact, they were the first team apart from the hosts to secure passage to the World Cup, topping a difficult Group 2 that also included Denmark, European champions Greece and a Turkey team that finished third in the World Cup four years ago.
Ukraine also boasts one of the most deadly strikers in the world in Andrei Shevchenko, a new arrival to London's Chelsea FC after a stunning career at AC Milan. However, "Sheva," as he is known, has been battling a knee injury and it remains to be seen if he will be in the starting 11.
Shevchenko isn't the only lethal striker that will be on the field; Spain has several of their own, as well, including Real Madrid legend Raul. Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes is also a danger and could start, especially since Spain coach Luis Aragones often lines his side up in a 4-3-3 formation. Spain is looking to break their World Cup curse in Germany, having never advanced to the final in the competition.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
DAY 7 THREAD is up at:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1649772/posts
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What do you think of the job Klinsmann has done so far?
I've got a feeling that he just might be the guy that coaches the US in 2010.
I fondly remember those days at Lockhart Stadium watching my beloved Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Gerd Muller, Georgie Best (RIP), Teo Cubillas, Gordie Banks, Jan Van Beveren. The Strikers-Rowdies rivalry was the Yankees-Red Sox of the NASL. Rodney Marsh was Public Enemy number 1. The Strikers used to put a picture of him on their locker room urinals.
The tunisian looks like Teri Hatcher!
Klinsi has been heavily criticized for travelling between Germany and the US during preparation. He´s not following advices, but as long as we´re successful, he´ll keep his job. If we fail until we reach the quarter finals, he´ll be fired.
Out of the five yellow cards, three were given German players, and two Polish players. Have you seen the match?? Obviously not! The red-yellow card for the Pole was absolutely just, and I don´t think that the British Nazi-propaganda has a fair and balanced view.
I am not going to continue WW2 with you.
Yeah, you live in the past. I live in the present. So continue being frustrated over your 24 day loss in 1939 and your 91 minute loss yesterday. For me, both events are completely different and are not connected. For you, Germans - no matter whether they´re democrats or extremists - are the evil brownshirts. Have a good live with your nightmares, I really pray that you will get over your complex.
Long live the Pope!
Well alright go on, feel worthless, humiliated and betrayed.
But please no mob justice against your national team players, Borussia Dortmund depends on Ebi Smolarek.
Switching temporarily to basketball, Dirk needs to step up tonight, he's been a bit disappointing so far in this series. I think he will.
I´ll cross my fingers. Hoping that Dallas wins!
Blame the referee, but true is, that the referee was fair. Germany had 7 big chances, and in the 2nd half we had 11 shots on your goal - but Poland had NONE on our. We were the better team, your defense was good, but you didn´t look good in our half of the field.
These T-shirts, though I admit that my first thought was "funny idea", are tasteless and inappropriate. But we should not allow ourselves to go on with the escalation. It was sports, and I would have liked to see Poland coming out as the 2nd of our group. You lost against Ecuador, which has a pretty good team, and we´ve beaten you. Our victory is alright, ask all here who have seen the match or read the comments. You lost, you gotta go, sorry for you, better luck next time. Soccer is neither a war nor a propaganda battle. I have seen many Polish fans after the game partying with Germans - and why shouldn´t they? It´s all about sports.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1649111/posts?page=309#309
I interprete this post as an insult against me. Germany is not Naziland, but it´s hopeless to tell you. Yes, I have also seen such a shirt, yes, I first smiled - and I think I smiled because of the idiotic ideas people have to find a reason why a certain soccer team must win. It´s like the math calculation (we were WC winner 1954, 1974, 1990): 54 x 74 - 1990 = 2006.
Have you seen Chancellor Merkel and President Kaczynski sitting peacefully together? It´s good that he used the opportunity to visit the match and get together with my government. Sports should bring people together and not against each other.
Actually I meant that the beating our football team gave yours might make you feel worthless, humiliated and betrayed. After all you said it was something like a national challenge for you :)
>All I hate is injustice - but this was, this is and this will be as long as the world exists, so all I should do is to get used to it.
I give you that! The Odonkor goal was never offside! But well, as long as the ref counts one of them...
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