2006 WORLD CUP - Day 14 Thread - U.S. needs win in group E finale

MLSnet.com ^ | 6-22-06 | MLSnet.com

[soccer_maniac]

The U.S. national team goes into Thursday's Group E finale against Ghana (9:55 a.m. ET, ESPN) knowing that it must come up with a win to have any chance of moving to the Round of 16.

All four teams in Group E, including the USA, still have a chance to advance. The U.S. must beat a tough Ghana side to have any chance of moving to the knockout phase. Should Bruce Arena's team be able to secure three points against the Africans, whom they meet at 9:55 a.m. ET on ESPN, they will need Italy to beat the Czech Republic in a simultaneous match, which can be seen live on ESPN2. The U.S. is not mathematically eliminated with a Czech draw or win, but will need a big victory over Ghana to avoid being eliminated on goal difference.

[romanesq]

If you think England will walk over Ecuador, I think you will be having a heart attack soon enough.

Ecuador will not be the same team fielded against the krauts.

[jjbrouwer]

We will have Gerrard playing for the full 90 minutes this time. Ecuador are a brave third world team. England are one of the greatest teams on earth right now. If you think a combination of Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, Rooney and even Beckham cannot score against these third worlders, you may be viewing the World Cup on some kind of halucinagenic drug.

[romanesq]

As ESPN HD went to their crappy ticker, lines of black dots have no appeared all over the screen. Still there.

Have switched over to the Cro-aus vs. Croats. Clean HD image on ESPN2.

What the hell are you doing now ESPN?

[onja]

We should have beaten Italy and very possibly Ghana. You have to admit the ref was very bad. We also have the hardest or second hardest group. If we were in another group we very well may have gotten first or second. Could you please stop saying the U.S. is really bad. We're all friends here. We aren't the best. But we are fairly good. CERTAINLY better than 40th.

BTW-We played England 5 times and won twice. The times we won were in a world cup. The ones England won were only Friendlies.

[onja]

We should have beaten Italy and very possibly Ghana. You have to admit the ref was very bad. We also have the hardest or second hardest group. If we were in another group we very well may have gotten first or second. Could you please stop saying the U.S. is really bad. We're all friends here. We aren't the best. But we are fairly good. CERTAINLY better than 40th.

BTW-We played England 5 times and won twice. The times we won were in a world cup. The ones England won were only Friendlies.

[onja]

Dang. Again sorry for the double posting. I hate this laptop.

[romanesq]

Okay you are a true disciple. Who was taking drugs during the T&T match, you or me? Do you drink a lot or mix your drugs?

Yes, the combination of Gerrard, Lampard, Cole, etc. was mighty unimpressive.

I'm not down on England, but if you think Ecuador will lay down, that's wrong.
Again, beware the Tricolor.

[jjbrouwer]

Yes, they cannot be 40th with only 32 teams in the competition. My apologies. They have finished joint 25th. I don't agree they would have finished first in any of the other groups, however, though they may have scraped through in one or two of them as runners-up.

[jjbrouwer]

Gerrard has scored two goals in the last two games. Nothing unimpressive about that. Cole has been our best player in those two games.

[romanesq]

US could have finished first in the Swiss, French group.
Yes, they could have sent the frogs home and tied Swiss for top spot.
It's all speculation now.

[Eurotwit]

Australia should have another penalty.

Clear "hand of god" clearence in the box.

The Aussies are piling on the pressure, and deserves a result.

[jjbrouwer]

A blatant handball. The Croats have been very lucky.

[romanesq]

Cro-Aus not getting too many clear looks from the Croats who continue to stay organized in the back line.

[Eurotwit]

Yes Yes Yes


WALTZING MATHILDA!!!!!

[romanesq]

Kewell gets clear at point blank range.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLL!

[Eurotwit]

Now Croatio needs to score.

This is fun :-)

[dfwgator]

Oi!!!!!

[jjbrouwer]

Kewell has deserved a goal. He's the only Aussie who has looked like creating anything.

[dfwgator]

Hang on Aussies, your almost there.

[Eurotwit]

Plenty of Liverpool goals in this Cup so far :-)