Posted on 06/29/2006 10:46:37 PM PDT by 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).
(Excerpt) Read more at fifaworldcup.yahoo.com ...
This one should be a cracker.
The main game for me is the England game tomorrow, but as a fan of football, the Argentina-Germany game is absolutely mouthwatering.
The only thing I am worried about is that expectations can not possible be met.
I would be happy with either team advancing, even though I really, really would have liked to see a England-Germany final :-)
I hope we get see Messi in action sometime during the game...
Off to the store to get some beer :-)
Cheers.
I'm glad FRA-BRA is on Saturday so it gets no interference from such mundane trivialities as working for a living. Sadly, I will be missing at least GER-ARG.
Ukraine was first European team to qualify, defeating Greece, Turkey and Denmark in their group. Greece is the defending European champion.
That's wtf they are doing in the quarterfinal. Let's see them go one more round of Cinderella at the big dance.
Here's my prediction. It's the anti "I'm going with the frontrunners and all the experts prediction."
It's Argentina in a monumental display of superior firepower and Ukraine in a massive shock to the scandal ridden Italians.
I also didn't think Spain was so unstoppable. I didn't buy into the hype. In their first match the ref was instrumental in helping them look better than they were.
And so the French proved it and I won a pile of cash.
I admired Spain's team but I knew the hype and could smell the frontrunner rubbish.
BRING IT ON!
Simply amazing clip of Maradona.
Euro baby, what time is it where you are? I'm scared of drinking beer having forsaken any alcohol in daylight hours. I usually don't consider the subject until it's around 6pm.
Expectations will not be a problem in this match. 1990 will go out the window in a hurry. Expect two or more goals in the first half alone.
Now this romanticism for an England-Germany final has just gone on too long.
Sorry to say it, but Argentina ends that fantasy and the hosts dream today. But i can see it going either way. In fact my logic says Germany could come on top 2-1 but I refuse to accept the logical part today.
Viva Argentina! Viva Ykrainia.
I see Messi as the secret weapon destorying the German dream. Messi from Requelme. Do it again Requelme.
I'm pulling for Germany because...
1. Jurgen Klinsmann
2. I HATE that commie Maradona.
Yes the NFL, home of "manly" players, like Michael Strahan.
The Final Four will be the 4 previous European World Cup winners: Germany, Italy, France and England.
No it wouldn't. Argentina are acknowledged to be one of the two best teams in the tournament and people have admired the way they have played so far.
A very, very long time ago, a large portion of my ancestors (roughly five eighths of my bloodline) left France for Québec. However, now that the USA is out, I find myself pulling for Les Blues.
Tall task to beat Brazil, though, even on European soil. We will see. Zidane played as well in the Spain game as he has ever played.
The wussies are the half-wits who troll these threads, when they could be occupying their valuable time eating at McDonald's or watching dull American sports on television.
Football, to give the sport its correct name, is the most popular sport in the world. That's a lot of wussies!
I see the lads are worked up today. Could you pick a finer day for it?
Oh the quarterfinals are upon us. Let the fever rage!
Germany have not beaten a top flight nation in competition since 2000 when they defeated England 1-0 in World Cup qualifying. In the return leg in Germany the following year, England beat them 5-1.
I'm eagerly anticipating England's match against Portugal, as I think we have a fantastic chance to make the semi-final for the first time since 1990. Today's matches look exciting too - The Germany - Argentina game could be a final and Ukraine - Italy is bound to be full of controversy, the way the Italians have been play-acting.
I hate to say it because I'm sure you already feel it, but you must get past an undermanned Portugal. If you don't everyone will know that England failed to live up to expectations. There's no way you can lose to Portugal with their players out. It would be a disaster if that happens.
You should have been in the semis in 98, but for terrible refs in the match.
My English friend sent me a chart showing all kinds of stats. Shockingly, Italy topped the charts on diving. I'm shocked I tell you, shocked.
I'll feel bad for Portugal but they put themselves in this situation. Deco is a retard for getting thrown out by running away with the ball. %%#W retard. Figo is a shadow of himself with no pace. He looks slower than Beckham.
Shoot, he looks slower than the ref. I do not expect to see him have a good game tomorrow. It seems his time has past. I do not expect to see him pull a Zidane shadow of a performance.
But I can't say I see a complete England triumph. It's time for your midfield to emerge and provide some opportunity for Rooney. If not, they all should get shot. But I think Joe Cole will once again show his quality.
And thus England will move on.
Ronaldo probably won't play, Deco is out, Figo (as you say) is past it. They still have some very good players but so do we.
The law of averages suggests Lampard must break his duck and score a goal tomorrow. Joe Cole will again cause a lot of problems with his dribbling skills and Rooney looks back to fitness and form.
Portugal can get quite undisciplined and give away freekicks so the disappointing Beckham may also have a few chances to do the business.
My prediction: a hard-fought 2-1 win for England.
It's a little past four 'o clock in the afternoon.
Just popped open a can of Rignes Piltzer.
I am ready.
The match can commence :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.