FIFA World Cup Thread

[Patrick Degan]

My God, or maybe I should say, Mein Gott, that was brutal. Argentina-- totally shell-shocked. That last German goal at 88 minutes had me asking, "why not just put out cigarettes in their flesh while you're at it?" I expected more of a fight from the Argentinians.

And Angela Merkel with that shit-eating grin on her face-- hee!

But still.... YAY DEUTSCHLAND!

Indeed. Just got finished watching that match on ESPN3.com. The Germans were in complete control of the game. They dictated the pace of play, they kept the Argies at bay, and the second half... well, Argentina didn't quite come apart at the seams but you could see the steam venting out of them after that third goal. That fourth goal was simply bayoneting the survivors at that point. The whole match was just lovely to watch.

[Crown]

Have a hit son!

That just flew into the top left corner, beautiful!

EDIT :: Forlaaaaaaaan!

[Thanas]

Besides the two excellent goals, the game is rather boring so far. The two teams are very defensively minded, not much action.

[Crown]

Besides the two excellent goals, the game is rather boring so far. The two teams are very defensively minded, not much action.

I agree. Going to watch the second half at the Gym on the treadmill, might as well get some exercise in!

[Thanas]

Olli Kahn is hilarious ribbing on the goalies. He is all but saying a decent goalie should have had both shots.

[Thanas]

Uruguay is slowly turning into the better team here.

[Thanas]

And that is it - Netherlands 3, Uruguay 1.

[Havok]

Which is why they are now losing 3-1?
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!

[Havok]

Oh shit 3-2 in stopage time.

[Thanas]

First: congrats to the Netherlands.

Second: Only the last ten minutes were really entertaining. If the Netherlands continue to play like this, they should not win.

Third: Man, did the Netherlands play nasty. The number of fouls alone...and von Bommel is quite the asshole.

Fourth: Let us hope for a rematch of 1974.

[wautd]

my TV got stolen so yay me

[Havok]

So what happened at the end there? I was listening on the radio and all I got was that the ref gave a end game signal, but they didn't actually end the game?

[J]

So what happened at the end there? I was listening on the radio and all I got was that the ref gave a end game signal, but they didn't actually end the game?

He stopped the game a bunch of times for free kicks, then someone got carded, then more free kicks, then finally, finally, the game ended after nearly 5 minutes of extra time.

[Soontir C'boath]

Anyone know why van Bommel was carded in the end? ESPN doesn't seem to know either.

[Thanas]

Anyone know why van Bommel was carded in the end? ESPN doesn't seem to know either.

Being van Bommel, he probably deserved it.

[salm]

Anyone know why van Bommel was carded in the end? ESPN doesn't seem to know either.

I think his hand went to the ball.

[J]

Anyone know why van Bommel was carded in the end? ESPN doesn't seem to know either.

He forgot his baksheesh.

[Lief]

Netherlands vs Spain final
Netherlands will win.

Place your bets

[Twigler]

Netherlands vs Spain final
Netherlands will win.

Place your bets

I already did place a bet on that pairing at the very start with a score of 2-1 for the Netherlands. But it's not going to happen.

Lock the borders, deploy the police, it's the dreaded Germany vs the Netherlands finale!

[Thanas]

We'll see.

[Hillary]

Well my sweepstake pick, Holland, is doing rather well. £s for me. Yay! Actually it would have been nice to see Uruguay get to another final from a nostalgic point of view.

I think the Spanish will win tonight. Unlike Argentina, they are patient enough to work the openings and will not keep losing the ball. I also think they are much better defensively. It's a shame, as a Germany Holland final would be a much better game of football.

I have been known to be wrong though so don't place any money on the basis of this

[Thanas]

Spain is IMO still the better team so I am not holding my breath for a Germany victory unless Löw manages to outplan his opponents once again.

[Twigler]

The Octopus seems to agree with that assessment, Thanas:
Oracle Octopus prediction worries Germany.

Football-loving Germans have been shocked by the latest prediction of their so-called “oracle octopus” after it picked out Spain to win their World Cup semi-final clash.

The tentacled tipster Paul has an unblemished record on picking the winner as he chooses which food to eat from his tank.

But a Spanish bar owner was surprisingly unimpressed.

“The octopus can eat whatever clam it wants. Spain will win against Germany,” he said.

One of his clients agreed: “You don’t need to be a clam. If you are a Real Madrid fan and if you know a little about football, then you realise that Spain will win.”

In Madrid’s tapas bars, Octopuses are more usually eaten rather than consulted over football fixtures.
But German tourists enjoying the delicacy hope Paul is fallible.

“Well, he was always right up until now but everyone can make a mistake and that is why I am hoping we will win nevertheless,” said one tourist.

Another was more confident.
“I also think that Germany is going to win. I am keeping my fingers crossed and I am already looking forward to the match,” she said.

Footballers are notoriously superstitious, so Germany’s young side might be unsettled, but, knowing the Octopus was born in England, perhaps Paul is just getting his own back.

[Gambler]

Spain has a better lineup, but they have underperformed so far in this tournament. Löw is better than del Bosque, just look how he learned from his players mistakes in the beginning of the tournament and managed to improve the way the German team plays. Now compare it to Spains poor performance (poor for their standards anyway) last game, it looked as if del Bosque made them take a Valium before sending them on the pitch.

[D.Turtle]

It all depends on one thing: If Spain can successfully interrupt/stop our guys from setting up their game (passing between each other, looking for holes in the Spanish defense, etc) then we are probably fucked. If they give our guys room, then they are probably fucked, especially if we can interrupt their game.

Pretty much what Paraguay did to Spain in the first half - the Spanish guys never got their act together in that half.

Whatever the outcome, this game WILL be very interesting to watch