Brad

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?

I saw a little of the first half and followed the rest on BBC and France seemed rather awful. At least, they didn't lose. However, they clearly got cheated out of a pk on an effort by Henry as there was a clear handball. On the other hand, they haven't scored a goal in 4 WC games (I believe they didn't score in Korea). Last gasp for the Generation of '98.

The US performance wasn't disappointing in that the team didn't show up. There's one thing and go down fighting like the Ivory Coast. No shame there. I saw a comment on the BBC that we're one striker away from being a good team. That may be true. I also didn't like it that Arena publicly criticized the performances. That should go on behind closed doors. Why weren't they ready? I don't know but that's the job of the coach to have them ready. It's not a question of results, but performance.

Just a few hours to go

A very nice win by Ecuador today. They got the goal they needed and their defense did the rest. However, I have to say that the Poles helped them quite a bit, sleepwalking through the match with about 5 minutes before time. When they finally woke up, it was too late although they hit the woodwork a couple of times. However, it may be enough to give Ecuador a leg up to finish second.

The stupid Borders around here (Madison NJ) doesn't even have them in the system. Assholes!

I find that article a little disturbing and I don't like the idea of these faith days. However, as a Mets fan, I have learned to accept Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado and David Wright as my lords and -- god I hope so -- our saviours.

I didn't see where Eastern Sounds is mentioned in the Concord New Releases Page. Is there some other link? Also, there's mention of Monk and Coltrane Complete Sessions but I didn't see Monk and Rollins unless that's what Cayetano was referring to.