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 ...
France, pathetic though they have been in their last five matches in the WC, really shouldn't have any problem beating Togo by two goals. Togo is a complete mess.
If Togo does hold firm, though, everyone will be laughing at France, and deservedly so.
Now that's funny. Thanks for helping shake off yesterday.
Spain changed their entire lineup according to the BBC.
They still should crush the Saudis.
Since you were in the Kingdom that is crap, may piss be upon it, you know better than anyone what a screwed up society is first hand.
While we contemplate the crap they are on the pitch, these two WCs last, please tell us your favorite story illustrating how screwed up those people are.
(BTW, the Tunisians are just one yellow card short of setting a three game record. The game is chippy and I don't like it.)
Also, the ref from Paraguay gave a retarded yellow card to Ukraine's defender, where there wasn't even a foul. The stupidity continues.
I hope Togo beats the other African team today.
Well the USA is gone (huge surprise).
True story: I was flying from Chicago to Seattle yesterday. I was listening to my MP3 player when the guy next to me (who looked and sounded just like Mr. Bean) got my attention and asked " so, do you know the latest score of the USA/Ghana game?" I think he thought I was listening to radio. By that time, though, we had to put away our electronics, so I couldn't check.
Even though I had watched the 1st half, it didn't even occur to me to check on the score.
He and I agreed that anywhere else in the world, especially England, the pilot and/or flight crew would have been providing status reports evey few minutes.
Soccer will probably never catch on in the US. We watch the world cup (a little bit), but there is no way that any local teams will be that good.
"Never" is admittedly a long time, but afterwards you can check me if I am wrong.
Could you imagine seeing Israel drawing into the same pool as the Saudis?
Now that would have been a chance for real humiliation for the wretched "Kingdom" of Islamonazis.
Ukraine should take second place and then play with the winner of Group G. It can win regardless of who takes the first.
It's interesting that Spain that is 99% guaranteed to take the first place, then plays the second G team. It can be an interesting pairing with France and the winner then plays Brazil.
It appears that it is good for Ukraine that Spain takes the first place (assuming of course no Ukrainian meltdown today)
My favorite thing about the Saudis is how they apply money to a medieval society. Brand new cadilacs with decorative spare wheel wells on every surface of the car. Another thing I remember are the benevolent Saudis driving by slums in their fancy cars and clean clothes. Islam is all about alms, right? You ought to see some of the poverty in the Magic Kingdom. Once from our dining room window in our 3rd story apartment, we watched the father and two of his sons beat two women in the courtyard of their villa. Another time I saw the Blue police or Religious police scoop a woman up in front of a store. Freeper AX can provide more anecdotes from the litterbox of the east. Go Spain!
I'd rather see Israel drawn against Iran.
When did Israel become part of Europe?
And then blow them out 6-0..
Soccer-wise? Always.
2nd Tunisian caution puts a second man out for the round of 16 if Tunisia manages a win today...
Spain is up 1:0 right now, no info on who or when.
I suppose it makes sense for security reasons, no way Israel could play their matches with their neighbors.
I knew some kids from Mexico when I was younger. They would make soccer balls out of old socks bundled together. Then they would get rubber bands, from somewhere, the bigger the better. Then they would put Duck Tape, from their father's tool box, around this big soft creation that they had made. Then they would play soccer.
In the USA, football, baseball and basketball for a High Schooler can be very expensive. I mountain bike, my dream bike would be a $2500 Elsworth.
Allah is deeply saddened.
More hilarity from BBC Online:
36 mins: Gutierrez Juanito gives Spain a 1-0 lead against Saudi Arabia in the other match in Group H. His header from Jose Antonio Reyes' free-kick piles on the pressure for the Saudis, who need to win in addition to a Tunisia victory to have any hope of qualifying.
Piles on the pressure for the Saudis? There is actually a person on the planet who thinks they have a chance to advance?
So for international soccer, basketball, and pop-music contests...Israel is part of Europe.
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