World Cup 2006

[Jug Ears]

Don't know if there are any football (soccer) fans in here but the World Cup will be starting in just under three weeks.

The USA in the last World Cup 2002, not only beat the the very talented Portugal 3-2 in their opening game, but also went on to reach the quarter final stage, only to be knocked out by Germany. England also reached the quarter finals but got beat by Brazil.

Anyway, you have a very good chance of doing well in this World Cup too. Two of your players that spring to mind are 'Brad Friedel' - goalkeeper who plays for Blackburn in England,plus - 'Landon Donovan' who played really well in 2002.

Here's your opening group

1 Czech Republic
2 Italy
3 Ghana
4 USA

Not an easy group though, with 1 & 2 being top class teams.

England group

1 England
2 Paraguay
3 Sweden
4 Trinidad & Tobago

We should really finish top of this group, but the big worry for us is that we have our star player 'Wayne Rooney' trying to recover from a broken foot :(

Anyway, roll on the World Cup :P

[Jug Ears]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/usa/4369168.stm

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

I used to catch a game or two on FOX Sports but I don't get it anymore...

[minki]

Because where I live is so close to Mexico, we get soccer here all the time: both local games and whatever Fox Soccer Channel shows, which is mostly Premier (is that right?) League from the UK.

Soccer's not bad at all. It's kind of soothing to watch the games--there's enough action to be interesting, but not too much that you have to give it your undivided attention in order to know what is going on.

The fans are rowdy though...I thought Yankees fans were a feisty bunch--they've got nothing on soccer fans :D

[Jug Ears]

The World Cup kicked off today with victorys for Germany & Equador.

England play their opening game tomorrow against Paraquay. I've got the beer chilling in the cooler :D

USA against the Czech Republic on monday.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

My boss took my foreman and I out for lunch yesterday and I was watching some of the Germany vs Costa Rica game.

[Mrs Featherstone]

The USA are in a tough group, and it will be difficult to overcome both the Czech Republic and Italy.

As we get ready for kick-off I predict that England will beat Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago and draw with Sweden, winning the group on goal difference from Sweden.

[Jug Ears]

Well, we won 1-0 but i can't say i'm pleased with the performance at all. We made very hard work of a very ordinary Paraguay team. We were steady enough in the first half but the second half was awful.

The manager worries me, i don't know how his brain works at times.

We have the important 3 points, but we will need to pull our socks up if we want to do well in this World Cup.

[Mrs Featherstone]

Good performances for me from Crouch and Ashley Cole. When Owen came off early in the Second Half though, Crouch was left stranded up front on his own as we changed to 4-4-1-1.

Sven worries me also. Why take Walcott if he's not going to play him, when we were so short up front. Why did he not take Jermain Defoe to the finals, he would have been a better replacement if Owen had to be substituted.

Still, happy with the 3 points.

[Jug Ears]

Sven worries me also. Why take Walcott if he's not going to play him, when we were so short up front. Why did he not take Jermain Defoe to the finals, he would have been a better replacement if Owen had to be substituted.



God only knows how he thinks, i don't understand him at all :?

I felt sorry for the Ivory Coast tonight, they had a good go at Argentina but lost 2-1. Would love to of seen them get something from the game.

[Mrs Featherstone]

I would have also liked to see the Ivory Coast get something out of the game against Argentina. This group is going to be tough for the underdogs now with the Dutch beating Serbia & Montenegro this afternoon.

I enjoyed Trinidad & Tobago's draw with Sweden, especially with them going down to 10 men just after half-time.

[Jug Ears]

USA 0 Czech Republic 3 :|

It was always going to be a very hard match, the Czech Republic are a difficult team to beat.

The USA must now win their next 2 games to stay in the tournement.

[Jug Ears]

USA 1 Italy 1

Three players were sent off :gww:

[Mrs Featherstone]

The performance of the referee in the Czech Republic versus USA game was very poor. The sending off of the Czech player was justified, but neither of the USA players should have been sent off. Good luck to the USA in their final game as they were the better team last night.