Posted on 06/18/2006 5:46:50 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
Sunday games in the 2006 FIFA World Cup will kick off at 9 a.m. ET (ABC) in Nuremburg with a meeting between the only two winless teams in Group F, Japan and Croatia. They will face each other knowing that a defeat will put an end to their World Cup adventures.
In their opening match against Australia, the Japanese could not maintain a 1-0 lead and they were scored on three times in the last 15 minutes. Croatia's debut was not any better, as Brazil's Kaka scored to give the South Americans a 1-0 win over the Europeans.
In Sunday's other Group F match in Munich (11:30 a.m. ET, ABC), Brazil will continue the defense of its title in facing Australia, which enters the game with high hopes after earning its first ever victory by defeating Japan 3-1. In that game, Tim Cahill became a 'Socceroo' hero when he scored two goals after coming off the bench.
Leipzig will be the stage of Sunday's only game in Group G, pitting 1998 champions France against the Republic of Korea (2:30 p.m., ABC), with the pressure of improving on their first game in which they could only muster a scoreless tie against Switzerland.
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On the replay it looked like Henry was darned close to being offsides.
Good afternoon. I see the thread is a little quieter today. Wonder why...
Now I can relax and watch a few matches on Univision and just enjoy the games.
Any FIFA fallout from yesterday's officiating?
I like Henry. He's a classy player, and by all accounts, a classy individual.
"Wonder why... "
The US and the US group are not playing? :)
Arena has made a couple of statements. He is very angry with De Rossi for the elbow, refuses to criticise the ref individually (even though it is the first time in his career that his team received two reds), and thinks that FIFA refs favor soccer superpowers.
Say, should that have been France's second goal, or does the ball have to hit the ground behind the goal-line?
Ball does not have to hit the ground. The spanish guys are adamant it was in.
I'm watching it on Univision, too. Can't beat it.
Oh...LOL
Good thing you said that because I was just about to ask what they were saying on ABC....
The ABC/ESPN booth announcers tend engage in a more stream-of-consciousness coffeehouse discussion rather than actually watch and call the game.
And the subdued tones, most of the time, remind me of a golf telecast.
Oh crap...the rain just knocked out the satellite feed. Anybody have a live audio link?
I don't but here's a random sampling of the ABC booth:
"Zinadine Zidane...they call him 'ZZ'...France wanted their second goal there..."
You get the jist.
Yeah, that was a goal. FIFA needs to put a chip in the ball already. No shots yet for S. Korea. They had better get a talking to at the half or they are going to get blown out.
Yeah...tell me about it. The producing is terrible as well. I don't know how many times they've had graphics up that cover half the screen in the middle of a good scoring chance.
Aussies looked good today despite the loss, but they will have their hands full with Croatia. That's going to be one tough game.
According to ESPN.com, S. Korea has more possession- 54%-46%. I don't really see it.
4-3-3 is really not working for the Koreans. They need to shore up that midfield if they want any sort of chance.
I don't know, I think that sounds about right. The French are doing what the Czechs did to the US - letting Korea knock it around in their own half and shutting them down in their own defensive third.
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