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China not in World Cup, still crazy for it
cnn ^ | June 17, 2014 | Jaime A. FlorCruz

Posted on 06/17/2014 10:58:24 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

Thirty-two of the world's best football teams are now competing for the iconic golden World Cup trophy -- but the planet's most populous nation is not among them.

Team China failed to qualify for the "beautiful game's" showpiece event in Brazil. In fact China's World Cup dream turned into a nightmare as early as 2011, when it was eliminated in a regional qualifying round.

But for all the interest in football in this country of more than one billion people, it is a huge source of frustration that they can't field a competitive national team.

"China's weakness in football is a pain point and there is certainly an ambition to improve," said Scott Kronick, President of Ogilvy Public Relations Asia Pacific. Indeed, a multitude of Chinese -- from the state president, to a Peking University student, to a Beijing taxi driver -- share one Chinese dream: that Team China will one day win in the World Cup finals.

(Excerpt) Read more at ktuu.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: worldcup; worldcup2014
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Igor Akinfeev has a Rob Green moment as another Fabio Capello World Cup campaign begins with a goalkeeping howler
For Fabio Capello it must have seemed like deja vu as Igor Akinfeev spilled the ball into his own net during Russia's World Cup opener against South Korea.

What seemed like a fairly tepid 25-yard effort from Lee Keun-Ho turned into an absolute disaster as Akinfeev let it slip through his hands to see his side go 1-0 behind.

Memories for Capello must have immediately turned to one thing - Robert Green.

'Kid's mistake' - Is it time for Capello to axe Akinfeev?
The Russia No.1 has come under scrutiny in recent months due to patchy club form and his high-profile blunder against Korea in the World Cup means no easing of pressure.

...he walked into the throng of Russian reporters and faced the music - albeit with his eyes to the floor like a condemned man.

"It was a kid's mistake," he said. "I take full responsibility for it. The goalkeeper of the national team should not be making errors like that."

21 posted on 06/18/2014 12:56:27 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Ochoa hero, Akinfeev villain in World Cup draws
While Ochoa kept Brazil at bay, the hapless Akinfeev was left to bury his head in his hands after he allowed Lee Keun-ho's straightforward shot from 25 metres to slip through his grasp.

Photos

22 posted on 06/18/2014 1:06:06 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Pols have their own World Cup goals
23 posted on 06/18/2014 2:12:53 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: dfwgator

‘Ochoa’s Wikipedia page was hacked to hail him as “the Mexican Jesus after his performance against Brazil.”
More like “the Mexican Tomaszewski”.*

*Old school England fans will get it.’

Cloughie’s Clown!

I’m hopelessly biased, of course, but I agree with you on Banks’s save from Pele’s header. I always smile when the Freeper ‘safeasthebanks’ posts on here. There was an old saying when Gordon was in goal: Safe As The Banks of England.


24 posted on 06/18/2014 2:15:28 AM PDT by Tredegar
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Who are "we"?...

Capello: We Can Accept Akinfeev's Mistake

25 posted on 06/18/2014 2:24:02 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Tredegar
▶ Jan Tomaszewski vs England 1973 - YouTube
26 posted on 06/18/2014 2:27:28 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
World Cup 2014: Today at the tournament - day seven
Spain will be looking to make amends for their shocking start to the World Cup, on day seven in Brazil.

The holders face Chile in the Maracana and must get something from their second Group B outing following their stunning 5-1 defeat by the Netherlands.

Australia v Netherlands
Spain v Chile
Cameroon v Croatia

27 posted on 06/18/2014 2:39:00 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Thanks for all the updates/posts.


28 posted on 06/18/2014 2:41:42 AM PDT by EEGator
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To: EEGator

Very welcome EEGator!


29 posted on 06/18/2014 2:46:28 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Leckie: We can beat Netherlands
"We really want to get a result so we're going to try and find the areas where we can hurt the Dutch team," said Leckie, ahead of Wednesday's Group B game in Porto Alegre. "I think if we can play as well as we did that 70 minutes we'll definitely have an opportunity to get a win."

Former Australia coach Verbeek dismisses Socceroos
Former Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek said Australia were no hope of beating the Netherlands, wouldn't score a goal and had a defence that was vulnerable and inexperienced.

Dutchman Verbeek, who was axed as Australian coach after the 2010 World Cup in which the Socceroos failed to progress past the first round, saw nothing in the new generation of players wearing the green and gold that suggested an upset was on the cards.

30 posted on 06/18/2014 2:50:28 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
How Australia can beat the Netherlands
strange as it sounds – don't rule it out.
31 posted on 06/18/2014 2:55:02 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Holland have a lovely problem on their hands. How on earth do you follow a 5-1 victory over Spain? Australia are about to find out,
32 posted on 06/18/2014 2:59:39 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Russian President Vladimir Putin will jet to Brazil next month to take part in a handover... to the Kremlin strongman.
33 posted on 06/18/2014 3:10:41 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Dempsey should be able to play with broken nose
34 posted on 06/18/2014 3:13:21 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Frank Lampard's Wayne Rooney worry
"Unfortunately we do have a fixation with one player during every World Cup, ones that I've been involved in.

"It's a bit frustrating when you're in a team group and that happens because we're there trying to play together – people are not selfish in this squad – trying to get results and a fixation with one player can become, rather than a debate, a bit of an agenda.

35 posted on 06/18/2014 3:16:12 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
England's Oxlade-Chamberlain taunted by young fan
36 posted on 06/18/2014 3:26:44 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
'Mean' Messi 'Booed' for not Shaking Child Mascot's Hand
"That's what happens when people get TOO famous, rich, and popular. They end up not giving two s***s about anyone else (including their family) and being snobs.
37 posted on 06/18/2014 3:34:52 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
link only:
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/spain-v-chile-vicente-del-bosque-reveals-spain-are-trying-to-make-sure-the-players-are-not-sad-after-netherlands-humiliation-9541641.html

Spain Playing for World Cup Survival Vs Chile
The magnitude of Spain's opening 5-1 loss to Netherlands comes into sharper focus Wednesday when the defending champions must fend off World Cup elimination against Chile, less than a week into the tournament.

38 posted on 06/18/2014 3:40:31 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
37km per hour sprint was the fastest ever recorded by a footballer
39 posted on 06/18/2014 3:44:11 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Sampaoli expects Spain backlash
Chile can expect an angry backlash when they play wounded champions Spain in their FIFA World Cup™ showdown on Wednesday, coach Jorge Sampaoli warned his players in Tuesday's pre-game media conference.

Spain were crushed 5-1 by the Netherlands in their opening Group B game on Friday and will be eliminated if they lose to Chile on Wednesday and the Dutch avoid defeat against Australia. The same set of results would carry Chile into the Round of 16, but Sampaoli expects to encounter a very different Spain at Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã.

Spain Hopes to Reverse Maracana Luck Vs Chile
"The Maracana is mythical, but the only wish is for the result to be completely different from last year's Confederations Cup final and we can win," Spain midfielder Juan Mata said.

40 posted on 06/18/2014 3:56:06 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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