2006 WORLD CUP - Quarterfinals - GERMANY-ARGENTINA/UKRAINE-ITALY

FIFAworldcup.com ^ | 6-30-06 | FIFAworldcup.com

[soccer_maniac]

The Elite Eight!! The quarterfinal round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany gets underway Friday with a pair of highly-anticipated matches. The hosts kick things off against Argentina in Berlin (10:55 a.m. ET; ESPN). Italy will face Ukraine in the day's second game (2:55 p.m.; ESPN2).

Two of the quarterfinals are rematches of championship games: Brazil-France (1998) and Germany-Argentina (1986 and 1990).

[soccer_maniac]

The 2006 soccer World Cup continues to set television ratings records, with cumulative viewing figures for the month-long tournament expected to exceed 30 billion or five times the total world population. According to figures released Wednesday by Swiss sports-rights group Infront and soccer-governing body FIFA, TV ratings are hitting high-water marks around the world, with the largest audiences recorded in host nation Germany. In Germany, 23.85 million tuned in to watch the home team's last-minute 1-0 win over Poland on June 14, a new World Cup record in the territory. Germany's 2-0 win against Sweden on Saturday pulled in "only" 22.38 million viewers but that represented an astounding 86.3% market share, a new German record.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/international/brief_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002764101

[Wyatt's Torch]

Thanks. I'm ignorant of the game so I am just enjoying learning about the game. These sort of "arguments" about subjective tastes are rather pointless. It's like trying to decide who is the better artist, Monet or Picasso. Depends on your taste.

BTW, for me "real" football is played on a gridiron where you are allowed to knock the hell out of the other player and get chees and high fives for it not a silly yellow card....;-)

Cheers

[Wyatt's Torch]

whoops "chees" = "cheers"....

[dfwgator]

BTW, for me "real" football is played on a gridiron where you are allowed to knock the hell out of the other player and get chees and high fives for it not a silly yellow card....;-)

But if you merely breathe on a wide receiver, you get a pass interference call.

[Eurotwit]

Here is an example of Argentinian courage. Maxi Rodriguez attacking Bastian Schweinsteiger from behind his back.

Argentinians attacking Klinsman.

Argentinians attempting to attack Bierhoff.

[dfwgator]

Next, Argentinians attacking The Falklands.

[stainlessbanner]

If they had so much energy, the ARG players should have hustled more on the field.

OffTube is saying to expect FIFA repercussions for that poor showing by Argentina.

[stainlessbanner]

GOL! Italy is up in first 5 minutes!

[Aquinasfan]

(West) Germany were slated as boring, mechanical, cynical, negative, etc. during the Beckenbauer/Muller years...now they are remembered fondly along with other Cup-winning sides.

I remember them as boring, mechanical, cynical, negative 8-). The word I use is "technocratic." Very German.

[jjbrouwer]

The Argies were right to attack the Kraut cheats.

[Theoden]

Argentinians sure have an inflated view of their fighting abilities. They think they can beat Germans in a fist fight, and thought they could take the Falkland Islands from the British. Both times they started what they could not finish. I am happy the Germans won the game, even if they were playing on the dirty side during the second half.

[jjbrouwer]

Sounds like the Krauts were throwing punches too. Hopefully, they will be disqualified.

[Eurotwit]

[Eurotwit]

What's the story?

[romanesq]

They said Bierhoff started something. Is that true?

[jjbrouwer]

It sounds like the sneaky Germans were baiting the Argies. The ringleaders seem to be obnoxious ex-striker Oliver Bierhoff who was leading the abuse from the sidelines and midfielder Tim Borowski

[romanesq]

Yes, anyone who is against the rules of Fair Play needs to be disciplined.

[romanesq]

Berating the Argyles after you manage a win in penalties is ridiculous.
So now FIFA will have to become involved.

[Eurotwit]

I have no idea.

One guy is claiming that it all started with Mertesacker being kicked from behind by "the foot of god"

[jjbrouwer]

They will probably just be fined. In an ideal world, Italy and Germany will be disqualified from the semis for cheating and England will just need to beat Brazil or France to lift the World Cup.