Good game by France today. Old guys stepped up, and new guys came through too. Should be tough against Brazil, who were fortunate to have a clean sheet against Ghana, although they were the better side.
Sad about Australia going out yesterday, although they really should have scored at some point during the second half with the man advantage.
Oh, and congrats to the Swiss for not giving up a goal, and then failing to score during the penalty shoot, putting Ukraine through to face Italy.
Quarter finals should all be great game's, just like today's I hope.
June 27, 2006
June 17, 2006
What a match!
The Italy-USA football match today was amazing! The US carries the play, but gets down a goal after an Italian free kick. Then they get their own free kick, which an Italian defender fluffs his clearing attempt into his own net, and we are level!
In the next minute an Italian attempts to head the ball, and in the process flagrantly elbows McBride in the head. McBride goes down and comes up bloodied. The referee from Uruguay gives the Italian a red card. Italy's down to 10 men.
Play continues, and the US has most of it. However, just before halftime a Yank slides into an Italian player with both feet, studs up. The ref gives the Yank a red card, and they are down to 10 men.
This was a controversial call. The ABC - American - coverage thought it was wrong, unsurprisingly. The Canadian coverage was divided: Craig Forrest thought it should have been yellow only, while Dick Howard thought it was deserving of the straight red. The English play by play guy was non-committal - it seemed to me; he didn't say it was wrong or right, although I think he was perhaps surprised that it was a direct red.
My opinion is that it was a technically correct, although harsh decision. The American commentator thought it was a make-up call, which may have some validity in the sense that the ref might have gone directly red if he hadn't already given one out.
The interesting play came just after the half-time restart. American defender Pope made a late challenge on an Italian just outside the US box and got yellow carded. However, he had also been booked in the first half, so Pope was sent off and the US was down to 9 men.
What was interesting to me was that the ref didn't pull out the red card immediately. It was only after he went to write Pope's number down again that he realized Pope had already been booked and had to be sent off.
I wonder if he would have booked Pope for that second infraction if he knew that Pope was already in the book. The second tackle was a bookable one, but it wasn't so bad that it couldn't have been overlooked.
Of course, this had an influence on the game, or at least how the rest of the game was played. However, neither team scored, so the final was 1-1. If anything that result flattered the Italians.
In the next minute an Italian attempts to head the ball, and in the process flagrantly elbows McBride in the head. McBride goes down and comes up bloodied. The referee from Uruguay gives the Italian a red card. Italy's down to 10 men.
Play continues, and the US has most of it. However, just before halftime a Yank slides into an Italian player with both feet, studs up. The ref gives the Yank a red card, and they are down to 10 men.
This was a controversial call. The ABC - American - coverage thought it was wrong, unsurprisingly. The Canadian coverage was divided: Craig Forrest thought it should have been yellow only, while Dick Howard thought it was deserving of the straight red. The English play by play guy was non-committal - it seemed to me; he didn't say it was wrong or right, although I think he was perhaps surprised that it was a direct red.
My opinion is that it was a technically correct, although harsh decision. The American commentator thought it was a make-up call, which may have some validity in the sense that the ref might have gone directly red if he hadn't already given one out.
The interesting play came just after the half-time restart. American defender Pope made a late challenge on an Italian just outside the US box and got yellow carded. However, he had also been booked in the first half, so Pope was sent off and the US was down to 9 men.
What was interesting to me was that the ref didn't pull out the red card immediately. It was only after he went to write Pope's number down again that he realized Pope had already been booked and had to be sent off.
I wonder if he would have booked Pope for that second infraction if he knew that Pope was already in the book. The second tackle was a bookable one, but it wasn't so bad that it couldn't have been overlooked.
Of course, this had an influence on the game, or at least how the rest of the game was played. However, neither team scored, so the final was 1-1. If anything that result flattered the Italians.
June 10, 2006
No goals, but how exciting!
Watched the three World Cup games today, and I must say that the most exciting one was the nil-nil tie between Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden. T&T being such underdogs, holding the Swedes scoreless in the first half, then getting one of their players sent off. It was packed with drama.
The England-Paraguay game was a bit messy, and Argentina-Ivory Coast had action but the second half was mostly boring as Argentina was ahead by 2-0 and Ivory Coast couldn't pull one back until late in the game.
The T&T-Sweden game was telecast on ABC, which was a curious choice of teams for them to show, but it was the one that fit their schedule. Hopefully some Yanks watched and saw that a 0-0 game can still be fun to watch.
The England-Paraguay game was a bit messy, and Argentina-Ivory Coast had action but the second half was mostly boring as Argentina was ahead by 2-0 and Ivory Coast couldn't pull one back until late in the game.
The T&T-Sweden game was telecast on ABC, which was a curious choice of teams for them to show, but it was the one that fit their schedule. Hopefully some Yanks watched and saw that a 0-0 game can still be fun to watch.
June 2, 2006
More flowers
This is the first year this iris plant has bloomed. Boy, was it worth the wait!
This bleeding heart plant I got from a neighbor last year, and it's come in nicely this year.
And celendine poppys continue to spread around my yard.
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