The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup

[ONeill]

Wish I was German.

[paco]

Ozil got man of the match, he was good but I though Philip Lahm was unreal! Maybe it's because he's on my dream team but he got a great assist and never seemed to stop running.

[Aerlik]

I woke up in Perth this morning to rain.  The first in ages.  How Hardy-esque; the mood of the nation reflected in the conditions outside.  Hark, is that the weeping I hear, along with the gnashing and grinding of teeth?

The amount of bile being spewed on the commercial channels about the Aussies' chances is sickening.  Last night they had an interview with Neill (could have/should have played for Ireland) and Cahill (Irish parents/grandparents) and I nearly threw up when Cahill started going on about how he believed they could go really far.  His sending off is justified in my book.  In fact, he shouldn't have been playing following the tackle he put in on the NZ player prior to leaving for SA.  Alot of attention is now being placed on hosting the 2022 competition.  If they carry on playing like that it'll be the only time they'll be back in the tournament.

Serbia v. Ghana was average at best, but the Slovenia-Algeria game had me wishing it was back to the days of yore when 16 teams qualified.  And it didn't help that I was pissed off after watching Freo lose to St.Kilda.

[Capt Pat]

The sending off was harsh but he was asking for it. He went for the player not the ball.

The Australians seemed to think they would just walk in and take over world soccer just like they do in all those other country club sports, rugby union, cricket, tenis, golf, swimming, sailing, rowing etc. However it doesn't work like that, soccer is the peoples game, the beautiful game, and the Australians seemed to think they could walk in, take it over, throw a few digs if it doesn't go their way. They may go home and think again.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Re Heskey...wasn't there a famous stat about the Paraguayan goalkeeper having more international goals than Emile Heskey??  Germany looked good (though Aus were pretty shit).  Ozil looks like a player, Lahm was brilliant and Schweinsteiger seems to be playing the Ballack role.  As for Serbia, my dark horses, oh dear, I'd say mentally they're half way home!!

[Billys Boots]

Germany were impressive, though Schweinsteiger had a very good game (though the showboating was unnecessary and will get him a deserved kicking against a better team).  Will be interesting to see how good their back four is against a better side. 

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Looks like Ledley King is out of the tournament.  Eng won't be allowed to replace him.

[Aerlik]

Ha ha, "Shockeroos".  Banner headline on the "news" tonight.  Smug hoors got what was coming to them.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Though Eng fans have plenty of examples of teams who started poorly and went on to do well in the competition, who were the last World Cup winners who failed to win their opening game??  Italy 0 Poland 0 (1982)

[Canalman]

Impressed with Didi Hamann as pundit last night.

Like the Aussie soccer people............... imo a way nicer crowd than your usual Australian "sporting" supporter. They have been sneered at for a long time in Oz......... called "wogball" by many. The current team is just stagnant.

Always amazed that for such a sound people that Australians can be by and large obnoxious when it comes to sport.

[Milltown Row2]

any links to this game?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

try this

http://www.itv.com/Channels/ITV1/default.html

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Another poor game.

[Capt Pat]

The dutch side is fairly average by their standards. They need Robben.

[Catch the high ball]

Did you see that gobshite smiling after he put the ball in the net?