There are a couple of interesting games this Sunday and the following Monday that I am intrigued with. Iraq and South Africa square off this Sunday and that's interesting to me because I want to see the racial makeup of South Africa post-apartheid and see if there are any white players and I am rooting for Iraq because I remember the stories of awful torture that one of Saddam Hussein's sons routinely inflicted on Iraqi soccer players who didn't perform to his expectations. The USA and soccer powerhouse Italy square off Monday afternoon. Edited by: Don Wassall
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Soccer Tournament-South Africa
- Thread starter guest301
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I wonder who will start at forward. Maybe they should have brought Cooper into the team in the last games instead of Altidore who hasn't been playing much. It seems Adu can't even play much in France. Maybe he should have stayed in the MLS to get playing time, but he might be making more money in France. Feilhaber played well the last game when he came on. I believe he is actually from Brazil.
Did you see all the Honduras fans in Chicago? They shouldn't even be here.
Did you see all the Honduras fans in Chicago? They shouldn't even be here.
Europe said:I wonder who will start at forward. Maybe they should have brought Cooper into the team in the last games instead of Altidore who hasn't been playing much. It seems Adu can't even play much in France. Maybe he should have stayed in the MLS to get playing time, but he might be making more money in France. Feilhaber played well the last game when he came on. I believe he is actually from Brazil.
Did you see all the Honduras fans in Chicago? They shouldn't even be here.
Feilhaber is white but he was born in Brazil and his parents moved him to the States when he was six. Yep, I saw that disgusting majority Honduras crowd at Soldier Feild in Chicago, glad we sent them home unhappy. Adu is washed up, he never was going to be the American Pele. I agree with you about Cooper, he should get a chance to beat out Ching as the Americans sort of holding striker that's great on set plays, holding the ball in traffic and headers.
Matra1
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Landon Donovan converts from the spot to give the US a 1-0 lead at half time. Watching online I wasn't as sure as the English commentator that it was a penalty. The black American player - whose name I didn't catch - looked like he took a dive. An American was also sent off in the first half.
Matra1
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The black guy was Altidore. Also I forgot to mention that Italy had a goal disallowed that should have stood.
Matra1
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New York-born Giuseppe Rossi came on as a substitute in the 2nd half and scored immediately...for Italy. (Italian father, American mother, he chose to represent Italy). Thirty minutes to go USA and Italy tied at 1-1.
Matra1
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The winning goal was scored by Daniele de Rossi from about 35 yards out. That's the same de Rossi who elbowed Brian McBride in the face at the last World Cup. Giuseppe Rossi then scored his second in the last minute thanks to an incredible play by Pirlo. Italy 3 USA 1.
Donovan played well and Tim Howard made a couple of good saves.
Donovan played well and Tim Howard made a couple of good saves.
Matra1
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guest301 said:I want to see the racial makeup of South Africa post-apartheid and see if there are any white players.
Watching South Africa play New Zealand I only saw one white player on the South African team: A defender - left back - called Booth.Edited by: Matra1
The lone white starter on South Africa seems to be pretty popular with the crowd chanting his name every time he touches the ball. The USA has a big game against Brazil tomorrow morning against Brazil on ESPN. Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Ching and Hejduk have been missed as they are out due to injury and I think in Bocanegra's case too many yellow card's suspension.Edited by: guest301
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
to keep it short ...in the past two matches (against Italy and today against Brazil) the USA has been shown just how far it has to come to belong among the world's best. and it is a big step up.
against Brazil today, the only American player who looked like he belonged on the field with Brazilwas Landon Donovan. he played his butt off!
Dempsey has the skill and the speed to belong, as well, but he was diving more than a scuba instructor.
young Bradley was likely the next best player for the USA, but he was a step below the level he needs to be playing at in such a game.
NONE of the black players playedworth a crap. in fact, they were an embarrassment. they were out of position, played lazily, and wanted no part of either the Italians or the Brazilians. the remaining white players looked like what they were ... MLS players.
against Brazil today, the only American player who looked like he belonged on the field with Brazilwas Landon Donovan. he played his butt off!
Dempsey has the skill and the speed to belong, as well, but he was diving more than a scuba instructor.
young Bradley was likely the next best player for the USA, but he was a step below the level he needs to be playing at in such a game.
NONE of the black players playedworth a crap. in fact, they were an embarrassment. they were out of position, played lazily, and wanted no part of either the Italians or the Brazilians. the remaining white players looked like what they were ... MLS players.
Tbe American players should be playing in the MLS and help build their league. I sound like a broken record, but I am tired of the Brazilians and Africans in Europe. England's U21's beat Spain easily today to advance to the Semi's of the U21 Tourney, but England had 5 black starters to most likely zero black players for Spain. I don't want European football dominated by black players. There are more and more foreign players in the MLS also. Congo,Cuba. How do you find a player from the Congo?
Matra1
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Marcus Beasley has apologised to his team for costing them a goal against Brazil.
Matra1 said:Marcus Beasley has apologised to his team for costing them a goal against Brazil.
Well that's a standup thing for Demarcus Beasley to do but the USA lost 3-0 to Brazil so not sure it makes a difference. It seems like the USA has regressed since the great run we had in the 2002 World Cup. I hope we find our way back into the top ten teams in the world.
Matra1
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'Demarcus' not 'Marcus'. How could I forget such a, uh, normal name?
BTW the World Cup in South Africa next year will be unbearable if FIFA don't ban the spectators from blowing those annoying horns. At the Guardian thread on the subject accusations of racism were actually being thrown at posters who find the horn sound annoying.
Edited by: Matra1
BTW the World Cup in South Africa next year will be unbearable if FIFA don't ban the spectators from blowing those annoying horns. At the Guardian thread on the subject accusations of racism were actually being thrown at posters who find the horn sound annoying.
Edited by: Matra1
I hate those horns also.. I seems they do it at all these International games. It was at the last World Cup also. They do it at
Wembley during the England games. Some jackass vendor must sell them outside the stadiums.They should also ban the drums. It drives me crazy also. The drums are some stupid Brazilian or Mexican tradition. I only here them rarely when I watch English or Spanish games, but it must be stopped. There is already enough of a take over of Eurpean soccer by Brazilians and Argentinians.
The Italy and Brazil game should be good.I hate the Brazilians. Everybody from announcers to fans kiss their rears to much. Let them play in their own country.
How often does ESPN show a soccer play in their top ten plays? They showed Bollatelli score a goal for ITaly u21's. Did they show it because he's black.
Wembley during the England games. Some jackass vendor must sell them outside the stadiums.They should also ban the drums. It drives me crazy also. The drums are some stupid Brazilian or Mexican tradition. I only here them rarely when I watch English or Spanish games, but it must be stopped. There is already enough of a take over of Eurpean soccer by Brazilians and Argentinians.
The Italy and Brazil game should be good.I hate the Brazilians. Everybody from announcers to fans kiss their rears to much. Let them play in their own country.
How often does ESPN show a soccer play in their top ten plays? They showed Bollatelli score a goal for ITaly u21's. Did they show it because he's black.
Matra1
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Europe said:The Italy and Brazil game should be good.I hate the Brazilians. Everybody from announcers to fans kiss their rears to much. Let them play in their own country.
I'm glad to hear someone say that. All my life I've heard 'it's just like watching Brazil' meaning, sublime aesthetically beautiful football. I'm just about old enough to remember Brazil in the late 70s and yet I have very few memories of Brazil playing the way commentators and pundits claim they play. At the 1982 and 1986 World Cups there were moments of brilliance from them but not many and they didn't win either tournament. They went out before we got to know them at Italia 1990. They finally won in 1994 playing mostly unattractive football. In fact many Brazilians were unhappy with the way they won it in 1994 as the team's style was European. Since then they've been more European than Brazilian. If any team 'plays like Brazil' - the short passing Brazil of the 50s and 60s - it is Portugal or Spain. (Futsal probably influences those two countries' style of play). Some of the African countries like Nigeria can be aesthetically pleasing to watch too. Brazil obviously can play but when I hear a Brazil sycophant I just assume he's an elderly man who can remember the team of the 50s.
For the record the team that played the most attractive football when I was growing up in the late 70s was the Dutch team with their 'total football'.Edited by: Matra1
Matra1
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Unbelievably, the US managed to go through to the next round after they beat Egypt 3-0 and Brazil defeated Italy by the same score. So despite losing 2 matches out of 3 they advance! But now they have to play Spain - the best team in the world.Edited by: Matra1
Italy looked poor. I don't think they are that good. They were able to play against the US for quite a while with a man advantage.They got lucky to win the World Cup in "06. They got a call against Australia and won 2 games on penalties ,if I am not mistaken. You need some breaks to win these cup competition. I think England has been one the more unlucky team. 2 out of the last 3 they had to play down a man and still took them to penalty kicks, but lost. And the red cards weren't even for a tackle in the box. They also lost 2-1 to Brazil in the quarters in 2002. The lost on penalties in '90 and the "hand of god" in 86.
What a amazing set of circumstances(Italy Collapse) and a nice game by the USA yesterday to advance to the semifinals of the Confederations Cup. They will have to bring their A game and then some to beat Spain later this week. Spain is the #1 ranked team, won 15 straight international matches and have not been scored on so far in this tournament. The USA is potentially their first real test though with the easy victories they had over South Africa, New Zealand and Iraq so far in what was a very easy pool for the Spainards. This is a huge chance for the USA to make a big splash on the world scene. I just wish we had our full complement of healthy players for Coach Bradley to choose from. Landon Donovan has once again proven himself to be the best American player we have and I think Michael Bradley is our second best if anybody cares to debate that.
Matra1
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The Egyptian team's hotel rooms were burglarized after their win against Italy. About $2400 was taken. Later reports indicated that the players lost their money not to burglars but to prostitutes they'd brought in. Crime is a highly sensitive issue in South Africa ahead of next year's WC. The Egyptians have accused the over sensitive South African press of spreading misinformation to cover up for South Africa's crime problem.
Solomon Kane
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Amazing that the USA advanced--Dempsey, Donovan are fairly well known outside america--hope they lead the way.
i agree--no drums or horns, and I don't like brazil--they are overrated, and their record indicates that they are not the kings of soccer--too many other good teams.
I like Spain and would not mind seeing them win the cup, but best of all would be a US victory with standout play by the white players. I fear that Italy's days as world champ are numbered--but you never know with the Azzuri!
i agree--no drums or horns, and I don't like brazil--they are overrated, and their record indicates that they are not the kings of soccer--too many other good teams.
I like Spain and would not mind seeing them win the cup, but best of all would be a US victory with standout play by the white players. I fear that Italy's days as world champ are numbered--but you never know with the Azzuri!
Matra1 said:The Egyptian team's hotel rooms were burglarized after their win against Italy. About $2400 was taken. Later reports indicated that the players lost their money not to burglars but to prostitutes they'd brought in. Crime is a highly sensitive issue in South Africa ahead of next year's WC. The Egyptians have accused the over sensitive South African press of spreading misinformation to cover up for South Africa's crime problem.
I think they should have the World Cup in Europe every time. They have the best fans and stadiums and that's the center of the sport. All the top players play in their leagues, but I am still for strict controls on foreign players. 1 non European player per team. They wouldn't have to have 1 country host it. They could do it like the NCAA tournament with regional play and then the semi's held in two different cities in the same country and the final near by. For example, you could have 1 semi in Cardiff( 75,000 seats), one at Old Trafford(76,000 seats) and the final at WEmbley(90,000) or mayber one semi at Wembley. You just don't want to tear the grass up too much.But you could play some games in spain or Italy, Germany etc. The next time another counry will host the semis and final.
The US doesn't deserve to host it.Not enough people follow it here. Soccer does fine without it being the biggest sport here and the NFL does fine without it being super popular in Europe. The MLS is a good league , but it's not going to be a super big sport here for a while. It doesn't matter if it isn't either. Only one sport can be the biggest.The MLS has a niche and it will grow some more.You can enjoy a sport without it having the best teams. I like college football better than the NFL, but the teams aren't as good.