Calling All Soccer Fans!
 

Anybody following Worl Cup Soccer? I am such a fan! Of course I'm a US soccer fan, but my heart belongs to the Mexican team :)

My roommate and I have a huge Mexican flag hanging from our window that everybody stares at. Although I've heard people make some not so nice comments :( I just wish I was back home, it gets pretty wild whenever Mexico qualifies for the following round (No, I'm not in the riot area. Those people just don't know any better!).

Anyway, who are you rooting for?

Team Italia is going to take it home under the wing of Vieri. Your Mexicana team handled Croatia rather well, putting them down nicely. At heart, I would prefer to see either England or the Argentines take home the Cup, but I anticipate it will be the boys in blue. We'll see. There is a lot of good soccer to be played...that's what is my primary concern...


Cory

I was rooting for the French team Les Bleus but then they lost to Senegal over the weekend so they aren't looking too good anymore.

Hopefully Argentina, being in the toughest division is a good way to get the chemistry flowing before the single-elimination games.
It would also give their people something to cheer about.

Staying up late
 

Anybody staying up late to watch these games? Lucky for me, I don't have summer school and I don't go into work until noon, so I've stayed up until 4/5am watching soccer games! Anybody else staying up late to watch their favorite team or any team?

Of course, I'm pulling for the United States to have a good showing; but, I also have a soft spot for England. Now if we could just keep Beckham from kicking anybody this year.....



......Kelly :)

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
 

USA upsets Portugal (an anticipatedly possible favorite) !!

Thanks to a brilliant first-half that put the US at a 3-1 advantage...ending in the second half at 3-2. Figo and Pauletta dominated the game with touch after touch, out-performing the US, but that is no matter for this game (with 2 own goals - one per side) was won by the US.

The second half was incredibly poor for the US as they spent all 45 bleeding the clock rather than playing it seemed, giving Portugal countless opportunities, but the defense stood firm and with the exception of a poor decision by Agoos...a completely solid defensive half for the squad.

O'Brien played brilliantly..shining on the field....but McBride's diving header was training video style on what a perfect dive should be. Officiated very well, giving out the tournaments first card for 'diving' to a portugese player....

all in all, an interesting game and worth my having gotten up at 4:30 before work at 7(where I am now)

oh yeah, Portugal was the biggest favorite so far in the cup...thus the biggest upset

The French not looking good?
They lost one game and you count them out?

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com...1544257588.jpg

Is No one excited that all the US now has to do is beat S. Korea and they advance? We need more soccer players on this board!

I got lucky with my work schedule and was able to go to sleep early last night, get up watch the US game and then sleep a couple more hours before I had to be at work, and I'm so glad I did. The game was awesome!!! Youre absolutely right about O'Brien...absolutely fantastic game from him. Same with McBride's header...Beasley and Donovan both played well beyond their years and if they keep it up, I wouldn't be surprised if they were faced with multi-million dollar contracts to choose from abroad (particularly for Beasley...wonderful play up and down the flank).

I don't think that the US played that poorly in the second half. They still looked dangerous at times and was able to force Portugal to remain in the middle third of the field for the most part (far better than I expected). Have to compliment Arena for not going back into the bunker at all. Was definetly impressed with Portugal's speed in the attack, and while their play in the back was at best mediocre, they really didn't give the US any cheap opportunities (own goal excluded).

Overall, the US confidence has to be incredibly high. They played well: smart, creative, attacking, high pressure soccer: something that may well develop into the "American" style in the future...the continuous high defensive pressure seems to be one of the more distinctive attributes of this squad, particularly in the midfield. Whether this pressure is in response to the absence of Chris Armas; I'm not sure.

I don't really think that this should be such a big shock as many people are making it out to be...surprising yes, but biggest upset overall??? I don't know about that. Looking how the US played up to the WC was fairly indicative that success in Korea/Japan was going to come...particularly after that Holland game, which despite the loss was one of the most entertaining games I've ever see the US play.

Anyway I could go on in my analysis, but I'll shut up now. Let's just hope they keep it up...

One last question, in light of a very sound (and for me unexpected) performance by Mastroeni (sp?), if Reyna gets healthy does Arena automatically put him back in the lineup, or come up with some other plan???

The USA game was awesome! I love it when my teams are kicking butt! I think I woke up my neighbors though. Oh well, I can't help cheering, even if it's yelling at the TV :)

Macaroni is a filler. He just took up space, but played well enough to make no errors, but showed nothing either. He did play strong and straight up, but Arena will not alter the line-up for his middle-of-the-road performance. I felt Donovan played better of two 20 yr olds, but wish they'd give Cobi a nice check just to stay at home...I'm tired of seeing his mediocrity on the field.

I can't wait until Reyna recovers...I think he can really do something against this Korea team that plays such a fast paced game by slowing the tempo and forcing them to play his game

I will definately be watching the Monday game. ;)

Nigeria and USA.
I hear Reyna is going to play. Watching the French team right now, and they are playing a man down coz of a red card. Nod good for them, as they are playing Uruguay. Whichever team loses is as good as eliminated.
Thought the US was gonna get stomped, huh? They scared me for a second. When your by 3, you don't allow two goals. They should make it to the 2nd round.
Watch Nigeria's next game, and keep your eye on the captain, Austin "Ja-Jay" Okocha. You'll see soccer at its finest.

lionlove and france.....
 

Thanks to Senegal tying (though unfortunately not beating) the Danes, France still has a chance, provided they beat the danes, to make it to the second round because France now has 1 point after tying Uruguay, the danes have 4, as does Senegal. Had Senegal lost however the next match for France would have not been much more than a friendly.