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[Drygioni]

The place for any/all World Cup musings.

The Onion's Guide To Football

Key Players

Tactical Breakdown Of USA Team (Other Teams On Website)

General Information

Interactive Online Calendar

[Arachno-capitalist]

Soccer is what elementary school kids play for exercise, go play rugby.

[Carlos del Vaca]

A World Cup primer for confused Americans:  http://theunlikelyfan.blogspot.com/

I particularly like this post, which compares the 32 World Cup teams to American pro and college teams.
http://theunlikelyfan.blogspot.com/2010/05/disclaimer-im-new-to-this-site-and-im.html

(A-Cap slipped in ahead of this.  Whatever, dude.  Go read some Frank DeFord columns.)

[jay-ell]

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Friday, with the United States slated to play England this weekend. For the 10th time since 1950, citizens of the two countries will square off over a game they call by different names. Given that so much of the world favors football, why do Americans call the game soccer?

http://www.slate.com/id/2255959/

[CortJstr]

Carlos, are you going to Dupont Circle tomorrow to watch the game? I wanted to sign up to volunteer as the guy who turns the giant screens off during commercials but I'll be out in Leesburg instead going to Home Depot and other non-exciting things

[Carlos del Vaca]

I wish, but I will either be watching from home, or out doing something else altogether and missing the game.

[Drygioni]

11th June

TODAY'S MATCHES

South Africa vs. Mexico
Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg

The hosts kick-off in the fantastic Soccer City venue, eager to show that in addition to staging a great tournament they can hold their own on the playing field. Despite not having the international experience or raw talent of the big hitters, skilful players like Everton's Steven Pienaar coupled with home support will ensure a strong performance from Bafana Bafana. Mexico will be likely to prove a difficult first match, with their quick, short passing and talented attacking players leaving many teams chasing shadows; South Africa must exploit the relative defensive weaknesses of Aguirre's team in order to kick off their tournament with a win.

Judy's Prediction - 1-1

Players to watch: Stephen Pienaar, attacking midfielder (SA), Giovani Dos Santos, attacking midfielder (MEX), Carlos Vela, forward (MEX)


Uruguay vs. France
Venue: Cape Town Stadium

For all the brilliance of France's players, the theme of their World Cup is likely to be underachievement. A bonkers manager, player's spats in the dressing room and poor form leading into the World Cup all point to an early exit for Les Bleus, though football is an unpredictable game and France wouldn't be the first team to sort out their problems at just the right time and enjoy a decent tournament.

Uruguay will be looking to capitalise on this instability, and with two strikers in red hot form in Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez they certainly have the firepower to succeed. Their 3-5-2 system, currently out of vogue with the majority of international teams, could certainly ask questions of their more illustrious opponents and this should be an interesting game.

Judy's Prediction - 2-1

Players to watch: Yoann Gourcuff, attacking midfielder/playmaker (FRA), Hugo Lloris, goalkeeper (FRA), Diego Forlan, striker (URU), Luis Suarez, striker (URU)

[Arachno-capitalist]

The entire continent of Africa vs Mexico?

[Drygioni]

Soccer is the most popular, most watched and most played sport on the planet

Fix'd

The entire continent of Africa vs Mexico?

Eh?

Jeebus Crackers good...a place for it all to congregate which I then can ignore.

Never say I'm not considerate

[CortJstr]

How do they decide which team is "home" for matches like these match-ups? Of course I'm assuming that the World Cup even uses the "Visitor at Home" standard for scoring.

[greenkoolayd]

http://www.slate.com/id/2255959/

gold:

"At least one impassioned advocate asserted that if English players were not allowed to hack one another in the shins, they might as well surrender to the French."

[Drygioni]

How do they decide which team is "home" for matches like these match-ups? Of course I'm assuming that the World Cup even uses the "Visitor at Home" standard for scoring.

It makes no difference. Who's 'home' depends on the draw/the way the fixture computer drew it up.

South Africa have just scored a cracking goal despite Mexico having the upper hand most of the first half. Get in

[JorgeFabregas]

11th June

TODAY'S MATCHES

South Africa vs. Mexico


Judy's Prediction - 1-1

Are you posting from the future? Did these games happen while us American lumps were sleeping? I think you're pulling a fast one.

[Drygioni]

South Africa vs. Mexico Result


South Africa (Tshabalala) 1 - 1 Mexico (Marquez)

A good opening game that. Attacking, open game, if Mexico had a decent striker they could have put a few away, if South Africa were a bit luckier they'd have got a couple more.

Tshabalala opened the scoring with a lovely goal resulting from some brilliant South African passing against the run of play. Despite South Africa dominating, Mexico made their way back into it and were rewarded with a good control and finish from veteran Rafael Marquez following some poor South African defending.

South Africa were unlucky to hit the post through Mphele late on.

My earlier prediction: 1 - 1  

[littlefallsmets]

I know it's going to sound like I'm just firing for effect but...

How can you have an upper hand in a soccer game until you have a goal?

Until someone scores, all that has been concretely accomplished is a bunch of dudes in gym shorts passing a ball around at mid-field. This kills me about hockey too but at least in hockey there's a lot MORE shots on goal and at least a few fights. Without intermediate progressions toward scoring, such as yards or men on-base... it seems silly to say one team has momentum or control.

Is it just whichever team has been passing it amoungst their own guys more? Is it just whichever team has taken more... shots on goal, even if they weren't necessarily good shots?

These don't seem like actual good signifiers of "upper hand". It all seems painfully arbitrary.