Semi-Sweet Six-Teen

The final 16 are set, and lets take a quick review of the performances of the Continents.

CONCACAF performed poorly, as only Mexico go through to the Second stage. USA, Trinidad and Costa Rica can only muster 4 goals between their 9 matches. Yes the USA would have done much better in their group if they had drawn Togo instead of Ghana, but that would have helped everyone else as well. You can't win if you can't score. USA is now 0-8-1 in their last nine matches in World Cup play in Europe (Italia 90, France 98 and Germany 06)

ASIA also not deserving of the automatic 5th place they lobbied for as NONE go thru to the second stage. Only newcomer Aussies carry the flag for the area.

AFRICA sends just Ghana through out of the five in the 2006 World Cup. With 2010 looming in South Africa, and S.Africa receiving the automatic bid, will FIFA give them 6 total slots for 2010? Lets hope not. Ivory Coast and Ghana played well, but Togo and Angola could muster up only 1 goal between their six games.

EUROPE dominates as 10 of the 14 advance (only eastern bloc countries Czech, Poland, Serbia/Montenegro and Croatia fail to advance).

SOUTH AMERICA has 3 of their four thru to the next round (only Paraguay couldn't get there).

My predictions:

Bracket 1
Germany v Sweden
Argentina v Mexico

Looks like a rematch of 1986 and 1990 finals with Germany and Argentina sure to make it to the quarters. Mexico lacks the firepower needed to keep up with Argentina. Sweden can't score enough goals, and will need at least two to get my Germany. I don't see it happening. Argentina is my pick here to the semi finals

Bracket 2
Italia v Australia
Switzerland v Ukraine

The 'easiest' of the brackets. Italy as a relatively easy road on paper. Although Aussies have nothing at all to lose and have no pressure. Any team losing 4-0 gets no respect from me (Ukraine lost 4-0 to Espana) plus Swiss have yet to allow a goal. Italy v Swiss is an intriguing quarterfinal, and Swiss played in a weak group. Italy here in semifinal to go up against Argentina.

Bracket 3
England v Ecuador
Portugal v Holland

I would love to see Ecuador jump off the map and take down England, but I don't see that here as they qualified out of the easiest group and lost to Germany 3-0 in their final group match. England limited at striker will probably win 1-0 or in penalties. Holland and Portugal are two of my favorite three here, and that game looks like a cracker. VanNistelrooy has not played well and could start the game on the best. Look for a Portugal v England quarterfinal, with Portugal to go through to the semis, just like in Euro 2004.

Bracket 4
Brasil v Ghana
Spain v France

Brasil got a break that Essian will miss this match due to yellow cards. I expect at least 5 goals in this game, but don't see an upset. Spain is on a roll, and will send the French home. My upset I will stay with as Spain sends the defenders Brasil home in a classic quarterfinal match. Spain v Portugal in the semifinals.

semi finals
Argentina v Italy, my pick is Argentina here 2-0
Spain v Portugal, my pick is Spain 2-1 in extra time

3rd place
Italia v Portugal
Portugal takes third place 3-1 from a deflated Italia squad wracked by the scandal back home.

World Cup Final 2006
Spain v Argentina, Game ends 2-2 after extra time. Spain wins on penalties

it is ok to dream, right?

Aussie Guts & Grit

As soon as the USA were unceremoniously shown the door yesterday afternoon, the attention quickly was focused on the Australian squad that needed 'just' a draw against hard as nails Croatia. In addtion to the fact the seven players of Croatian descent play for the Aus team, the Croatians came out of nowhere to 3rd place in the 98 world cup, taking out Germany along the way.

Additionally, Mark Viduka's second house in Croatia was under police guard in fears that it may be torched after a potential Aussie advance. And what a match it was.. a set piece masterful goal before anyone had sat down by Croatia's Srna, a non penalty on Viduka being literally dragged down in the box, a penalty by Oz to level the match at halftime 1-1.

Then a red card to Croatia and a penalty NOT called against Croatia on another hand ball in the box. Reserve Aussie goalie Kalic flubbed a shot by Croatia to give them a 2-1 lead (where was Schwatzer?????) that lasted until Harry Kewell's blast to tie the score in the 79th minute (he was offside, but it was payback for the previous...=

Graham Poll, the Brit ref called a crap game throughout, even yellow carding Simic THREE times before finally sending him off...The Aussies scrapped and clawed eventually kept the score at 2-2, which is good enough for a date with Italia on Monday in the final 16!

So there were were in a pub in Prague with approx 100 screaming Aussies. I couldn´t even update the podcast as I didnt have enough on my phone to get a phone call off. What a game and what a wild night in probably one of the 5 most beautiful cities in the world.

My next post will be of the predictions of the final 16, and how I fared in my original final 16 before the start of the Cup.

Ta ta for now....

Czech-Mated

The US soccer squad went into this World Cup with very high expectations, however running into the buzzsaw called the Czech Republic in the first match was a disaster to say the least. >If my memory serves correctly, it is the worst loss for the US since the 1980 campaign when the Czechs (with the Slovaks) pumped the USA 5-1. Donovan was tentative, and the Czechs capitalized with three world class goals....

More later when we arrive in Berlin!

Next up is Sweden v Paraguay on Thursday night