Posted on 06/23/2006 6:51:15 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
Spain will open the games, playing against Saudi Arabia in Kaiserslautern at 9:55 a.m. ET on ESPN and Ukraine will face Tunisia at the same time in Berlin (ESPN2).
Ukraine goes into the game against Tunisia knowing that it determines its own destiny. A victory will guarantee passage, but a draw could set up the possibility of another tie-breaking situation on goal difference. Tunisia, meanwhile, which hasn't won a World Cup game since its debut in 1978, has to defeat Ukraine and hope that Saudi Arabia does not defeat Spain by a large margin.
France will play against Togo in Cologne (2:55 p.m. ET, ESPN) without Zinedine Zidane, who is suspended for yellow card accumulation. 'Les Bleus' need a victory; any other result will put an end to their World Cup adventure. The 1998 champions were eliminated four years ago in the group stage, as well.
Switzerland and Korea lead the group with four points each and will face each other in Hannover (2:55 p.m. ET, ESPN2) knowing that a victory for either side will secure a spot in the Round of 16. A victory or a tie by Togo will guarantee both Switzerland and Korea a spot in the knockout phase.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
Go Ukraine - The last hope for the Slavs to have a team in the Final 16.
Yesterday's thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1653512/posts
Prediction: Ukraine 3-0.
Go Togo. Send the frogs packing.
Go.....any team that isn't France!
Ukraine have won six of the seven matches they've played this year. Apart from the 4-0 beating by Spain, they have kept clean sheets in every other match in 2006.
I've got Matchcast on Ukraine/Tunisia, since only by unimaginable circumstances will the Spain/Saudi match matter at all. Ukraine needs only a draw, Tunisia must win to advance.
Tunisia is starting 8 men carrying yellow cards, so even if they do advance to play the winner of Group G, they may do so short-handed.
Ukraine: Shovkovskiy, Nesmachniy, Rusol, Sviderskiy, Tymoschuk, Shelayev, Gusev, Rebrov, Kalinichenko, Shevchenko, Voronin.
Subs: Yatsenko, Yezerskiy, Pyatov, Chigrynskiy, Gusin, Milevskiy, Vorobey, Vashchuk, Nazarenko, Byelik, Rotan, Shust.
Tunisia: Boumnijel, Haggui, Jaidi, Ayari, Trabelsi, Mnari, Bouazizi, Chedli, Namouchi, Nafti, Jaziri.
Subs: Essediri, Yahia, Gmamdia, Chikhaoui, Ghodhbane, Santos, Nefzi, Ben Saada, Jemmali, Saidi, Kasraoui, Melliti.
Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay)
Yeah, go Spain ...
We really didn't need to see that first picture.
Vivat Hispania!
Im watching the Spain-Saudi Arabia game. Since I have lived in Saudi, I have a vested interest in their LOSING!!
Switzerland advances with a draw or win over Korea -- and wins the group with a win or likely wins the group with a draw (unless France beats Togo by 3 goals).
Korea advances with a win, a French loss or draw, or a French win by 1 goal over Togo. Korea wins the group by beating Switzerland.
France must win to advance. If Switzerland/Korea does not end in a draw, any win is sufficient (and France will take second in the group), otherwise they must beat Togo by two goals to finish 2nd in the group, or 3 goals to win the group.
Togo cannot advance, and is only playing the role of spoiler today.
What a funny spoof! As the Guiness cartoon characters say, "Brilliant"!
Apparently for diving... one out of the 8 down.
And one of the four Ukranians carrying a yellow also finds himself ineligible for the round of 16, if Ukraine makes it through.
16 mins: Joaquin has Spain's first shot in anger with a right-foot drive from the edge of the box. Mabrouk Zaid tips it over - but in a decision which would do Graham Poll proud, a goal kick is given.
Looks like Poll has become a punchline in England!
Come on, Spain. Remember the Madrid train bombings, and send those Wahabis (or at least representatives of the Wahabis) packing right on back to Osamaland.
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