Brad

Should be quite a second half. Looks like a generally clean first half. I'm shocked!

Spain 1-0!!!!

I like Spain a lot more for it than I would have done if you'd asked me before the Brazil game. True, the Brazilians 'did enough' - but, as with England, I'm beginning to wonder whether that's a bit of a convenient excuse, especially at this stage of the competition. If a betting man, I suppose I'd naturally go with Brazil still (bearing in mind Spain haven't really been tested yet), but given the right odds, I wouldn't pass up a fiver on the Spanish... When you say 'assuming' the Spanish get through, is that just that you'd like them to, or that you think they will? I just wonder whether the French mightn't have a shout... I think they will and they should but as a Spain supporter, I've learned never to expect too much and be over optimistic. They barely got by Ireland and should have beaten S Korea but thinking about it brings back bad memories.

I wasn't able to see the game for the most part (although I have taped it as I will be suffering from withdrawal tomorrow). I did catch the last few minutes and it seemed like Ghana had some chances but couldn't finish them off. On the other hand so did Brasil. So, assuming Spain gets through, what's the view on their possibilities?

In today's Telegraph: England Warned By Holland.

Maybe that's why he didn't start; he was practicing at local swimming pool.

The second round started on a high with Saturday's matches but has started to slowly sink since then, with the last match of today bringing it down even further. However, I expect tomorrow's matches to be very good and assuming Brasil and Spain win tomorrow, I think we could have some very good quarters, well three out of four ain't bad

Now, let's talk about something really exciting, Ukraine in the quarters Of all the quarter final matches, this looks like it will be the worst and unless you're a fan of one of those countries, one you won't necessarily mind missing. I guess you'd have to root for Italy, just because Ukraine really has not done much in this Cup, other than their whitewashing of a poor Saudi team.

Porcy, Your comments are disgusting and your comment to couw is totally out of order. Porcy, your comment defies belief. Nothing I ever expected to see here. I believe an apology is in order.

I think I saw Figo starring in this film. Had me rolling!

I think that's the problem. Giving him a penalty at that point is just absurd unless the penalty was crystal clear, which it wasn't as he just tripped over the player.

Just when you think the refereeing can't get any worse, you find that it can. On the Spanish station, they were referring to the award of the penalty as a complete theft. As I was watching this match, I was thinking how many quality teams have we seen in this Cup? Very few: Germany, Argentina, Brasil (in the last match) and probably Spain (not based on the Saudi match, however, although in fairness they were resting some players). Overall, a disappointing Cup so far.

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.