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.
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I'd say well ahead of Mexico. When was the last time they beat USA outside of Mexico City?
Grazie mille for the information on Luca Toni. At first glance, he doesn't appear to me to be too muscle-bound, and he's had a run of 3 yrs without missing any games, so I am sceptical about the possibility of his using roids. What's impressive is that his goal scoring rate really did not slow down when he moved to Serie A, first with his old team Palermo and then with his new team Fiorentina. It's rare for the Italian squad to have an attacking player so tall (Il grande Maldino was 1.90 m.?) Even "il divino Baggino" was hardly 1.80 m.
Yes but as one Australian writer pointed out, the pool of candidates for qualification that includes the US is pretty weak tea. He claims it's intentional and that US qualification means corporate sponsorship dollars keep flowing to FIFA and it's hard to argue at times. I don't know if CONMEBOL and CONCACAF will ever mingle but perhaps moving to a different mix of qualification opponents would a) provide a sterner test for the US and b) better prepare them for WC opposition.
IMHO Bruce Arena accomplished miracles taking our team to the quarterfinals and then outplaying Germany (at least according to Franz Beckenbauer) in 2002. We surprised teams then; nobody misunderestimates us now.
If anything the USA has overachieved in the World Cup. We don't have players good enough to play for teams challenging in the Champions League. McBride might be the MVP of Fulham, but it's still Fulham, not Chelsea or Arsenal or Man U or Liverpool.
I don't think that managing the USA is a very attractive position for a top-quality European coach. We couldn't afford to pay them anyway. Imagine Phil Jackson coaching the Spanish National team.
I don't believe anyone can assume that replacing Arena will result in a better hire.
Italy can absolutely lock it down defensively when they want to. It's part and parcel of the Serie A game and historically Italy plays (and wins) a lot of 1-0 matches....they don't even blink at the scoreline....a result is a result and 'negative' tactics are nothing to be ashamed of for the Azzurri.
I think Jurgen Klinsmann will be our next coach. He certainly won't want to continue commuting between California and Germany. If he leads the Germans to the Finals, his stock will be high enough that it would be a no-brainer for the US to offer him the job.
That may have been the single worst penalty call i've ever seen. The man tripped. No way that should have been a red and a penalty. 3-0 Spain.
The Czechs lost twice to Holland in qualification, then beat Norway 1-0 1-0 in the two-legged playoff to qualify. They are a good team, but no Brazil. There are several teams in Europe that are better IMHO.
Of course, if Brazil insists on playing an old, slow and fat Ronaldo then they might not score enough to beat the Czechs or other good teams.
Thank you Ukraine for supplanting the US as the worst performance in the tournament so far.
Kind of ironic for an Australian (Oceana region) to make that claim. Didn't the Aussies win a qualifying round of home-and-away by a combined 35-0 this time around...
This region isn't as weak as it looks. Mexico is a perennial top team, maybe not in their best form lately, but still atraditional powerhouse. Costa Rica gave the host Germans a good showing. I think there are 5 or 6 CONCACAF sides in the FIFA top 100, including 2 in the top 10 (though the US's ranking is somewhat dubious after recent poor showings).
Yup bad call, and if it was a foul (it wasn't) it was shoulder-to-shoulder and certainly not a red card. Oh well, I'm still happy.
3-0 SPAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yup, and I thought NFL referees called too many penalties.
The officiating in this tournament has been scandalous.
The Aussies had to defeat Uruguay in a home-and-home to qualify for Germany. Imagine if we had to beat one of the four best teams in South America to get in. Our odds would be 50-50 at best.
Drat I was switching TVU channels and missed the penalty/goal sequence.
They were worse than the NBA officials last night in Miami.
True but Spain is dominating without help from the Ref, don't think (up to that call) the ref was much of a factor.
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