Brad

I had to go out so I taped the game and just watched and I have to say in 40 years of World Cup watching I have never ever ever seen anything like that. That wasn't football. That was men (if you can call them that) losing their cool and not playing sport but brawling on a grand stage. As has been said here and on the game, the ref lost it early on and we got what he sowed. England must be lapping this up with Deco gone. I suppose you have to be lucky sometimes and they are getting very lucky. Someone commented about the beautiful game being gone and that is true because the world's players now play in European football: no advantage asked, none given. That so called elbow to Figo. He was just trying to even the score. Some of these guys in today's match should get the academy award. Another one was when Figo allegedly head butted the Dutch player. Yes, he did butt him but then to fall down the way he did, it would have done De Niro proud. I thought the refereeing in 2002 was bad but overall this Cup is worse. What about that bogus goal Frei was allowed to keep against the Koreans? Shameful, in my view. I actually think FIFA likes this; it keeps the controversy going. You would think that you wouldn't need that kind of attention at a World Cup. As far as Van Basten looking calm, he had the look of a deer lost in headlights. Looked totally out of his element. By the way, with a player the quality of Ruud, sometimes 90 percent of him is better than 100 percent of most players. An atrocious decision. Let us hope for better matches tomorrow.

Sometimes with iTunes when you import a disc, it rearranges the song order.

I´m worried ´bout that too! That makes three of us. That's why you have to pick Brazil. They'll find a way to disappoint again.

the second one was certainly deserved. Germany had just started a real fast attack and Lucic killed that off with this "tactic" foul. Those kind suck the most, because they really kill the game. Sweden has developed a bit of a habit of playing like this with loads of little fouls in the midfield, slowing down the game and playing on their forte of the fast counter attack. Can't remember what the first yellow was for, but I had the impression the referee had shown the second before it dawned on him whom he was showing it. Still: yellow card offense = yellow card offense, whether it entails red or not. I agree that these cynical fouls are incredibly annoying, but I think the German went down very easily. Too bad for Lucic that Graham Poll wasn't refereeing this match

I see Brasil in the final but Spain will test them and who knows? However, I don't think Holland will beat England and I see Argentina in the final, beating Germany, with Argentina as the winner.

I have lived in Spain and Brasil, so who do you think I'm supporting? Ooh...dunno...that's hedging your bets. I'd take Brazil ! If I were a betting man, I'd take Brasil, but I'm rooting for Spain!

I have lived in Spain and Brasil, so who do you think I'm supporting?

I just can't see Spain losing to France. I am biased as I root for Spain but even though France won today, it wasn't the most scintillating competition and they couldn't put the ball in the net for such a long time. Ribary? Oh, my god, those chances he blew I couldn't believe it. While I am biased I am realistic and it will be very tough to beat Brazil. However, Spain will be the only real competition in that bracket for Brazil. One of them will be in the final. Jim, what are the soccer boards you refer to? Can you give us some links. I'd love to check 'em out.

I only got to see the last 15 minutes and I only saw long shot after long shot instead of trying to work it up. Also no ball possession, etc. That kick by Donovan on the set piece near the end of the game. Sheesh, not even close to the Ghana goal. I know this smacks of desperation. But on some of the set pieces, I might have sent Keller up. What do you have to lose? I believe Ghana has to pay Brasil so it will be a short stay. Looks like the Czechs really missed Koller.

You forgot that the coach gave a rest to 6 of the best players of Eucuador. Smart decision, their goal was to qualify and they did it. I bet the next match will be a totally different story. You would so but their manager said he was very unhappy with their performance.

Congratulations. Actually surprised you had time to post after your nuptials. Are you honeymooning right now?

But I thought he was thinking about a Select. This is just taking too long to get some sort of a release, even a RVG or a Conn.

I assume there's nothing to be done after the fact. In baseball you can play a game uner protest if you don't agree with a decision and the game continue with review made a few days after the game. I've never heard of one being upheld however.

I agree with you. It's a big disappointment. I'm assuming Switzerland and France will both beat Togo so that may leave it up to Korea Switzerland. Here's hoping Korea helps Les Bleues like they helped the US in 2002.

I'm watching the France match and the noise is just amazing. It must be awesome to be there. They showed the Staples Center in LA. They opened it up to Korean fans to watch the match and the place is full! People lined up at 3 am to get in. Awesome!

On US TV, they said he pulled a calf muscle.

Very good defense by Australia but helped some by Brasil's failure to cross accurately. Hopefully, Australia will go through. They deserve to do so. Ronaldo again invisible, just mostly standing around. Will the decision be to not start him? For those of you not in the US, you're lucky not to have to listen to the U.S. play by play of Dave O'Brien. God, is he awful.

McBride blocked the keeper. That's against the rules. It was a good call.

actually the US wasn't much different from the african teams: lots of soul and heart and spirit and want, but not enough quality up front to finish it off. It is telling that the only US goal was actually an Italian goal... Mind you: the Italians played like a pile of phone wires and they did not even deserve their goal, but at least they have that quality to take that one chance and make a goal out of it. Unfortunately, you're right about the soul and heart. I know somebody at the BBC (and I may have mentioned this already) said the only thing the US lacks is a first rate striker and I have to agree with that. Maybe by 2010, one will have been developed.

I don't agree with you with Mastroeni but it was certainly deserving of at least a yellow. In my view, the ref just balanced the books. Be that as it may, it gives the US a chance, not much of a chance to advance, but a chance. They will have to win and hope that Italy can beat Czech Republic as the US goal differential is a minus 3 and a Czech win would leave them out.

Based on today's performance, Mexico is lucky to be where it is. If it hadn't been for the Iranian defense making a colossal blunder, this group would probably be very tight. Although Argentina looked impressive (now that's an understatement), I'm not sure we can award them the WC or the bathroom quite yet. I'm curious to see what Brazil does in the next match. I'm also interested to see how Ecuador does against Germany to see if they're the real deal. After all, Costa Rica is just CONCAF and Poland knows how to disappoint.

I missed the hair pulling but it seemed to me that Crouch went over his back when scoring that I'm surprised this goal stood.

Are the French just a case of everybody (or the key players) just got old? That happens sometimes. It's a wonder they got through the qualifying rounds and their play hasn't improved. They just seem to have lost of it and even some of Henry's finishes weren't hit as well as they could be. Ronaldo seems like he's past his prime. He's been to 4 World Cups (counting this one) so maybe it's just a changing of the guard. It's just the natural order of things in sports as well as life.

I stand corrected I'm at work so I only have the BBC updates to go by but it seems like Spain is flying. Is that the impression?

the guy was turned the other way, his hand behind his back. The shot almost twisted it off. Definitely a right decision by the referee. It's still a handball or maybe you're justifying the decision by the ref in Germany US 2002?