The Windy Bright City

Chicago Day 1 – Observations and Musings

This is the first time I’ve been to Chicago, so I’m going to try and be objective as possible. First the people; Outside of Russia, Chicago probably has the highest concentration of hot girls I’ve seen. Also it has a strange amount of old people walking around, more than any other city I’ve been to (also except for St. Petersburg. . .). Also, people in Chicago, probably because of the amount of hot girls, don’t seem that intelligently/dress slutty. I cannot express how many people (all guys, of course /cry) who didn’t wear shirts. Seriously people, what is the deal, are shirts optional in Illinois? I know your state is bankrupt, but that doesn’t mean you have to look like it is.

There’s definitely a lot of pride in this town, as I see (mostly cubs and some bears) sports teams represented everywhere. Oh, a side note. On the plane here I sat between two elderly women, both from Springfield, IL. One said to me that after Paris and maybe Rome, Chicago has the most reckless drivers in the world. She’s right. Say what you want about NYC drivers, they are just aggressive. Say what you want about Cali drivers, they just go fast (or cruise. Depends).

Since we got here in the late afternoon, we didn’t have the opportunity to do much, so we walked over to Navy Pier. Now, I hate tourist-y stuff, which is why I try to avoid places like Fisherman’s Wharf, the Space Needle, and New York City in general, but Navy Pier was just awful. Nothing to do, nothing to see, luckily the blue angels were flying around (no show, just practicing), so I figured I’d snap some photos and give my 20D it’s first real test. GUESS WHO FORGOT THEIR MEMORY CARD. Fml, people, really. (Of course I was extremely rushed pre-flight and had no time to notice, but still, such a fail).

So after regrouping and choosing where we wanted to go to dinner (of course no one agreed and half my family won’t eat ethnic food), we ended up going to the Weber Grill, one of the most cliché restaurants in town. Surprise! 2 hours wait. Needless to say we went somewhere else. It just happens to be that finding somewhere to eat in Chicago on a Saturday night is impossible. After walking around for a while we settled on an Italian café called Coco Pazzo Café. Atmosphere was nice, not great, service was good, food was a little pricey for my tastes (but it’s a major metropolitan area, its expected), and the food was mediocre. Food was cooked and prepared well, but did not have much taste, was pretty disappointing. It was late (by family standards…….. it was actually 9:30) and we just camped for the night. Let’s hope tomorrow is better.

Chicago Day 2

Today I woke up the worst I’ve felt in a very long time, but I got to explore Chicago for what it is. I walked from Navy Pier(-ish) to Chinatown, about a 3.5 mile walk (~70 blocks), so I got to actually experience Chicago. There’s a lot of cliché parts downtown in the loop, but once you leave, there really isn’t much to do, a lot of residential areas. Chicago, I’m guessing since it’s the Midwest and I’m a jersey boy at heart, so everything is slowwwww. People walk slower here. I don’t know what it is. There really aren’t a lot of places I found that aren’t really many  good local hotspots for just chilling and taking in the environment downtown.

Chicago is also a really bright city. It’s not that hot, but the sun beats down like crazy. I don’t really know how it works, but the Chicago sun will blind you. I ended up

Not really wanting to walk back (especially because I was feeling awful) I called the hotel on how to get back, and they couldn’t believe I had walked all the way to Chinatown, and I ended up with my first experience on the Chicago transit authority, taking a bus back near the hotel. Of course the experience was not complete without a senile black women suffering from dementia yelling something incoherent at me.

Chicago Day 3

Today I got the chance to visit the vaunted “Art” Institute of Chicago. I might not appreciate paintings and such, but there are many in the museum that do not constitute as art. Plain white and black slabs are not art, and neither are child’s scribblings. Regardless, It was one of the better museums I’ve been to. As luck would have it, I got to go to another mediocre restaurant for lunch. It really seems like all this town cares about is meat, booze, and sports, but not in a manly way, so it kind of sucks.

For dinner we went to Ben Pao, a restaurant labeled as “Chinese,” but not one personin the vicinity was actually Chinese. In fact I didn’t see anyone of any Asian descent. The food was not asian, merely asian-“inspired,” since it was asian-american fusion. Not even. It was just white-ified asian food so it was made to look better, when of course, none of it was actually very good. The cool thing about Ben Pao was their tea selection. They offer 8 teas, most of which you’ll find anywhere, but a couple, including their “Organic Bangkok” tea, are worth a look. Organic Bangkok was exactly what it sounds like: Thai food in tea. It was lemongrass and coconut (not the peanut), and it was tasty, but did not compliment the meal.

Chicago Day 4

                I went on a lot of bus tours today. Not much to say about that.

Chicago Day 5

My final day here, I visited the Mexican Museum (I forget it’s official name). Despite its small size, it was a charming museum, definitely the best of the trip. You learn a lot, and the art was, you know, art. Not that abstract impressionistic crap with no detail. Best of all, it was free.

 

Chicago by the Numbers

1 Restaurant I would go to again (Tasty City in Chinatown)

5 Number of athlete’s autographs I got

0 Number of those players who play in Chicago

50% Estimated percentage of which my total caloric intake was Arnold Palmers

50% Estimated percentage of which everything I ate was ice cubes

Inception Movie Review - 1.5 Stars

Inception was a cheesy, cliche, unnecessarily 0ver-the-top movie that tries to be much "deeper" than it actually is. Inception toys with the concept of "a dream within a dream," preferring "A dream within a dream within a dream within a dream." The movie doesn't do a particularly good job of explaining much, and I can usually never respect a movie where I don't even know everyone's name (Watchmen is a notable exception).

Inception doesn't try to be a "deep" movie because it is. They delve "deeper" into dreams and add layers. The whole movie is wacky and even goes against what it says (when Cobb didnt wake up after the kick when he was "finding Saito")

Like I said, the plot was extremely cliche: Guy cant get home. Guy offered chance of lifetime. Guy gathers team for mission. Guy plans. Guy has inner demons. Something goes wrong in mission. Guy says to keep going. Guy takes risk. Risk looks like its failing, then succeeds. Plan goes terribly wrong. Guy confronts inner demons and wins. Mission Accomplished.

The cinematography was pretty awful too. The camera angles didnt really add to the situation. Some of the special effects were pretty bad too (mainly just the explosions). Maybe its just me, but there was absolutely no character development except for Cobb who had the same feeling the whole movie but just never let it go until the end. Also, the "humor" in the movie was very forced. No one is funny when they TRY to be funny.

Inception is just one of those over-hyped reasons why I barely watch movies.

Felicitaciones. . .Otra Vez

Alberto Contador won his third Tour de France today by the slim margin of 39 seconds, but of course there was that bit of contraversy. On the Col du Tourmalet, runner-up and Maillot Blanc winner Andy Schleck of Luxembourg had a mechanical problem, and Contador did not wait for Schleck, who was 31 seconds ahead at the time, and Contador ended up gaining 39 seconds on Schelck, catapulting him to a narrow 8 second lead. The two were neck and neck leading up the the final time trial. Before I continue, people have been criticizing AC for not waiting for Schleck, who was his main competition. While getting caught up in a crash earlier in the race, Schleck did not wait for Contador. Schleck, who is not known for his time trialing capabilities, rode the ride of his life, and Contador still gained 31+ seconds on him, at least to me proving beyond the shadow of reasonable doubt that Schleck was the rightful winner.

Also, Spain is dominating sports in general. . . Pau Gasol, Rafael Nadal, the World Cup winning squad, Real and Barca. . .

World Cup Wrap-Up and a Look Ahead

What a month it was. This was the first World Cup I was really consciously aware of everything going on, and it had it's ups and downs, but there were a lot of players and moments I'm going to remember. Here's what I'm leaving South Africa with:

Memorable Moments:

Siphiwe Tshabalala's Opening Goal - Surely a man called Zinedine Zidane II wouldn't disappoint, and South Africa's best player for the tournament scored the first goal of the World Cup on an absolute rocket to the far top corner with his dominant left foot on a breakaway. South Africa couldn't really keep that kind of performance up, but it was a fantastic opening to the tournament.

France's Implosion - France has a lot of top class talent, but without someone to gel their team like Zidane, it was unclear how Les Bleus would perform. Raymond Domenech entered South Africa the most hated man in France, and returned second to Nicolas Anelka, who was dismissed for his insubordinate actions. In response, the top French players , Ribery, Evra, etc., decided to organize the players and not practice before their final group stage game.

Lionel Messi vs. Vincent Enyeama (and pretty much every other goalkeeper) - Messi failed to find the scorecard in South Africa, but his best chances came against Nigeria, and it evolved into a personal battle for Enyeama to make save after save from Messi's shots that would find the back of the net against almost everyone else. Nigeria went home early, but Enyeama was one of the top shot stoppers of the tournament.

The Hand of Clod (Robert Green, ENG) - A soft Clint Dempsey shot up the middle seemed like an easy catch for the West Ham 'keeper, but he decided to not get in front of the ball and it bounced off of him and into the back of the net. Probably summarizes England's time in South Africa.

Italy Sent Home - Gli Azzuri were sent home early, with the reigning world champs failing to win a game, even finishing behind New Zealand.

Pretty Much Anything Having to do With North Korea - From Jong Tae-Se guaranteeing a goal a game, to outsourcing their fan base to China, to almost beating Brazil to then losing 7-0, to have the worst player in the tournament, to always wondering how Kim Jong-Il would kill them, they were fun to have around. Especially in the group of death.

New Zealand. What? - It was a great 3 games for kiwi soccer, who no one thought would have scored against the likes of Slovakia, Paraguay, and defending champs Italy.

The Final Two South American Teams Remaining Were the 'Guays - Wait. . .WHAT??

The Yanks - The best team we've ever fielded, and the world was out to get us. Coming back 2 goals down against Slovenia, Koman Coulibaly denied us a clear goal, and another goal was ruled offsides against Algeria. BUT LANDON DONAVAN IN STOPPAGE TIME AHHHHHHH

Dark Horses - The 'Guays, Small Slavic Countries, South Korea, Japan, Ghana sans Essien, Chile, Switzerland

Spain finally getting their act together - Spain won each knockout game by the score of 1-0, but never looked like they deserved their victories until they defeated an upstart German team that should be favorites in Brazil

Spain Winning, of Course - YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

RVP/VDV/Sneijder/Kuyt/Robben - Can you ASK for a better attacking 5??

The Best Moment of FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa -

Tied 1-1 going into added time of the second extra period, Ghana launched a full out assault against helpless Uruguay. after a barrage of just barely saved shots, Luis Suarez swatted the ball down, giving Ghana the penalty. Asamoah Gyan, Ghana's penalty taker, had already coolly put away two penalties in the group stage, so Ghana was ready to become the first African team to move onto the semifinals. Sure enough, Gyan missed the penalty, sending the game to a shootout, where Uruguay subsequently won, even taking a dump on Ghana by winning on a chipped penalty. Suarez, more known for his attacking prowess, will be remembered for one of the greatest red cards in history.

World Cup XI

----------------Casillas-----------------

Maicon--Lugano-Mertesacker-Coentrao

------------Schweinsteiger--------------

------Muller----Xavi------Sanchez------

-----------Forlan------Villa-------------

First Team:

Iker Casillas (ESP)

Maicon (BRA)

Fabio Coentrao (POR)

Diego Lugano (URU)

Per Mertesacker (GER)

Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER)

Thomas Muller (GER)

Xavi Hernandez (ESP)

Diego Forlan (URU)

David Villa (ESP)

Alexis Sanchez (CHI)

Reserves:

Manuel Neuer (GER)

Justo Villar (PAR)

Jorge Fucile (URU)

Phillip Lahm (GER)

Sergio Ramos (ESP)

Wesley Sniejder (NED)

Diego Perez (URU)

Arjen Robben (NED)

Andres Iniesta (ESP)

Clint Dempsey (USA)

Keisuke Honda (JPN)

Robert Vittek (SVK)

Records and Milestones Spain Broke:

- Fewest Goals Scored by World Cup Winner (8)

- Most Consecutive minutes Clean Sheet kept at a World Cup Final for Spain (Iker Casillas, 434)

- First team to lose opening game and win World Cup (ESP 0-1 SUI, NED 0-1 ESP)

- Best disciplinary record

- First World Cup in nations history

- First team to win European Championship then World Cup

- First European Team to win a World Cup not held in Europe

Awards Ceremony:

Best Player: Diego Forlan (URU)

Best Goal: Any David Villa Goal

Best Hair: Fabio Coentrao (POR)

Best Eyes: Jesus Navas (ESP)

Antonio Valencia Award for best young player from South America no one's ever heard of: Alexis Sanchez (CHI)

Best Young Player: Luis Suarez (URU)

And Now, a Look Ahead. . .

Brazil 2014. 4 long years away. So much can happen in that time. If I had to call it now, Germany will win. They average age of their team is just 24, and will be 28 if not younger in Brazil, so if their players keep maturing and progressing, Germany will be unstoppable. A team I think that will turn a lot of heads is Belgium. They've got a ton on great young players like Thomas Vermaelen, Marouane Fellaini, Axel Witsel, and Moussa Dembele to name a few. Keep your eyes open for the Belgians to make a shock run during the next world cup or two.

World Cup Final Round Wrap-Up

Netherlands 0-1 Spain AET

15' NED Van Persie (YC)

17' ESP Puyol (YC)

22' Van Bommel (YC)

23' ESP Ramos (YC)

28' NED de Jong (YC)

54' NED Van Bronckhorst (YC)

57' NED Heitinga (YC)

67' ESP Capdevila (YC)

84' NED Robben (YC)

109' NED Heitinga (RC)

111' NED Van der Wiel (YC)

116' ESP Iniesta (0-1)

117' NED Mathijsen (YC)

118' ESP Iniesta (YC)

120+1' ESP Xavi (YC)

By far the most yellow cards in a world cup final, this was not a pretty game. Entertaining at points, but too violent for my tastes. While there were some very physical challenges, Howard Webb didn't get them all right, including not showing straight red to Nigel de Jong who dug his cleat into Xabi Alonso's chest, and not booking Heitinga for a challenge on Iniesta until after the Spanish bench had complained. All in all, it was a goalkeeper's day. While real chances were few and far between, each time had multiple one-on-one breakaways, and each time Iker Casillas and Martin Stekelenburg rose to the occasion. La Roja dominated possession, but defending in numbers, the Dutch were comfortable relying on Robben's speed on the counterattack, which almost worked, since Carles Puyol was having an awful game, and was finally beginning to show his age. There was also a lot of diving, with Robben, Xavi, and Iniesta doing their best Ronaldo impressions.

NED Verdict: A strong showing offensively and defensively, but the Dutch reputation will be tarnished because of their violent physical performance. They came for blood and got it. They also got the loss. Sneijder, who had dictated so much play, was largely invisible for the match, but it was clear Oranje's plan of attack went through Robben.

ESP Verdict: It wasn't pretty, but the better team won tonight. With their one touch passing and ability to make the best of broken plays, La Furia won it late again.

Man of the Match: Iker Casillas (ESP)

Uruguay 2-3 Germany

5' GER Aogo (YC)

7' GER Cacau (YC)

19' GER Muller (0-1)

28' URU Cavani (1-1)

51' URU Forlan (2-1)

56' GER Jansen (2-2)

61' URU Perez (YC)

82' GER Khedira (2-3)

90+2' GER Friedrich (YC)

Though the defenses might have looked a little shaky at times, but both teams really showed what they are capable of offensively.

GER Verdict: Not the promising display we've seen from Germany's wunderkind, but they showed their resiliance and got a little bit of luck. Germany will most likely enter the 2014, if not 2018 as well, world cups as outright favorites.

URU Verdict: The best team Uruguay has fielded since winning their two world cups, we've most likely seen Diego Forlan's final world cup, and what a ride it has been for him. It was nice to see Uruguay not in a state of trying to defend for 90 minutes, and almost came close to forcing extra time on a Forlan free kick that rattled the post.

Man of the Match: Diego Forlan (URU)

Awards:

Golden Boot: Thomas Muller (GER)

Golden Ball: Diego Forlan (URU)

Silver Ball: Wesley Sneijder (NED)

Bronze Ball: David Villa (ESP)

Golden Glove: Iker Casillas (ESP)

Best Young Player: Thomas Muller (GER)

World Cup 2010 Semifinals Wrap-Up

Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands

18' NED Van Bronckhorst (0-1)

21' URU M. Pereira (YC)

29' NED Sneijder (YC)

29' URU Caceres (YC)

41' URU Forlan (1-1)

70' NED Sneijder (1-2)

73' NED Robben (1-3)

78' NED Boularouhz (YC)

90+2' URU M. Pereira (YC)

90+4' NED Van Bommel (YC)

This was the best game both sides have played, with the Dutch showcasing their free-flowing Total Football, and El Celeste showing their resiliant, never-say-die attitude. The match was highlighted by 5 brilliant goals (most notably skipper Van Bronckhorst's), a couple of which highlighted some farcical goalkeeping.

URU Verdict: Probably the best game they've played (outside of dominating South Africa and, holding the line against France, and showing Mexico what was up, and that handball!), Uruguay played another very solid game, and will very well deserve the 3rd or 4th place they will be getting.

NED Verdict: The best match the Dutch have played, they were able to run circles around the steady Uruguayan defense (who was without Lugano and Fucile). Stekelenburg did not look great in goal, but hopefully his mids and forwards can keep him out of trouble by maintaining possession.

Man of the Match: Giovani Van Bronckhorst (NED)

Germany 0-1 Spain

73' ESP Carlos Puyol

The marquee semifinal matchup proved to be just that. The 2008 European Championship ended up with the same result, thanks to a dazzling header from Carlos Puyol. Both sides played remarkably, but the Spanish, for the first time this tournament, decided to show up.

GER Verdict: When they had the ball, they nearly scored on many occasions, but were denied by some good last minute challenges and quality saves by Iker Casillas. The Germans would have indeed liked to play for the final, but their team is very young, and Die Mannschaft's time will come.

ESP Verdict: Well kids, this is what we were waiting for. after 5 lacklustre performances from the reigning European Champions, La Furia Roja finally showed up, and no better time to do so. Taking on a ferociously dominant German side, The Spanish played their brand of football, dictating possession and tempo. Xavi found his touch again, combining with the likes of Iniesta, Pedro, and many others to form precise formations around the Germans, eventually seeing Puyol's run on a corner kick and putting the ball at the perfect spot at the perfect time, almost at will.

Man of the Match: Xavi (ESP)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 22

Argentina 0-4 Germany

3' GER Muller (0-1)

11'ARG Otamendi (YC)

35' GER Muller (YC) (Misses Next Match)

68' GER Klose (0-2)

74' GER Friedrich (0-3)

80' ARG Mascherano (YC)

89' GER Klose (0-4)

Argentina managed to string a few passes together. . .occasonally, and Maradona's tactics and flimsy defense finally were Argentina's undoing. Probably the fastest match played in terms of speed, it was a fast paced game where the Argies were always one step behind the riveting German play.

ARG Verdict: Messi will leave the World Cup with 0 goals. 'Nuff said.

GER Verdict: Fast, efficient play and clinical finishing. Die Mannschaft employed blitzkrieg style football at its finest. If it wasn't clear that Germany was among the favorites before, it's hard not to put them as front runners now. Beating Australia 4-0 is one thing, beating Argentina 4-0 is something else entirely. Germany will advance to their 3rd straight semifinals.

Man of the Match: Bastian Schweinsteiger (GER)

(Note: It's really to award only one German player man of the match, since German play is so team based. Also very notable performers were Lukas Podolski (GER) and Carlos Tevez (ARG)

Paraguay 0-1 Spain

57' ESP Pique (YC)

59' PAR Cardozo (pen miss)

59' PAR Caceres (YC)

59' PAR Alcaraz (YC)

61' ESP Xabi Alonso (pen miss)

63' ESP Busquets (YC)

71' PAR Morel Rodriguez (YC)

83' ESP David Villa (0-1)

88' PAR Santana (YC)

Yet another game for La Roja where they failed to impress. You really have to wonder whether or not they truly are who they are supposed to be.

PAR Verdict: A very hard fought game from the Larissa Riqulme's, and the way Spain was playing the probably deserved to win the match.

ESP Verdict: Vicente Del Bosque refuses to adapt to his teams rises and dips in from, playing many players that shouldnt be on the pitch at all (ahem Fernando Torres).

Men of the Match: Iker Casillas (ESP), Justo Villar (PAR)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 21

Netherlands 2-1 Brazil

10' BRA Robinho (0-1)

14' NED Heitinga (YC)

37' BRA Michel Bastos (YC)

47' NED Van der Wiel (YC)

53' NED Felipe Melo (1-1) (og)

64' NED De Jong (YC)

68' NED Sneijder (2-1)

73' BRA Felipe Melo (RC)

76' NED Ooijer (YC)

Before the game even started, one of Holland's starting centre backs was ruled out for the game, and had to make a gametime substitution, starting Ooijer. It went from bad to worse and Brazil carved a pass through the entire Dutch team for an early goal. The Dutch began to build steam after that, but never really threatened again. The second half began with Oranje contiually breaking down the Brazilian defense that had been so stellar the first half. With the breakdown of their defense that had been so solid for them, the Selecao began to mentally deteriorate, looking more and more desperate to defend, and the Dutch almost out the game away for good late in the game.

NED Verdict: Finally, the Dutch attack looked what it's capable of doing, controlling the ebb and flow of the game through series' of passes and runs, baffling the Brazilians. Sneijder/Kuyt/Robben/RVP were magnificent as the the holding midfielders did their job and the defense got it's act together after an early miscue. Oranje advance to play Uruguay in the semifinal.

BRA Verdict: Another disappointing performance from the Selecao after it looked to be such a promising game for them. Felipe Melo almost single handedly lost them the game, but their star players really failed to shine when they were needed most. Luis Fabiano was especially invisible.

Man of the Match: Wesley Sneijder (NED)

Uruguay (4)1-1(2) Ghana AET

20' URU Fucile (YC) (Misses Next Match)

45+2' GHA Muntari (0-1)

48' URU Arevalo (YC)

54' GHA Pantsil (YC)

55' URU Forlan (1-1)

59' URU Perez (YC)

77' GHA Sarpei (YC)

93' GHA Mensah (YC)

120+1' URU Suarez (RC)

120+2' GHA Gyan (pen miss)

URU Penalties

O Forlan

O Victorino

O Scotti

X Pereira

O Abreu

GHA Penalties

O Gyan

O Abreu

X Mensah

X Adiyah

Aside from some gorgeous strikes from Forlan and Muntari, this game will be remembered for what happened in added time of the final extra time period. After 120', Ghana began a full on assault after a dubious free kick was awarded. The initial attempt was thrown into the air, and Uruguay 'keeper Musilera did not clear it properly, and the ball fell to a Ghanaian defender who's shot was blocked at the goal line. Another Ghana player picked up the rebound and fired it on goal, where Luis Suarez had no choice but the bat the ball away with his hand, earning a red card for an intentional handball, also giving Ghana a penalty. With the final kick of added time, Asamoah Gyan hit the crossbar, sending the game into penalties, where the Uruguayans promptly won the match thanks to some of the worst penalties ever taken from Ghana, and the ultimate cheeky finish with the chip from Abreu.

URU Verdict: Probably their worst performance of the tournament, El Celeste needed a little luck to move on. Shaky in defense and not really working as a unit, Uruguay was tested over and over by a persistant Ghanaian side.

GHA Verdict: The Black Stars were absolutely the better side today, outworking the Uruguayans on all fronts. A "Hand of Odd" from Luis Suarez and a lack of mental fortitude will keep the pride of Africa from moving forward, but they should exit holding their heads high, knowing they have played amongst the world's elite.

Man of the Match: Luis Suarez (URU)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 20

Paraguay (5)0-0(3) Japan AET

58' JPN Matsui (YC)

72' JPN Nagatomo (YC)

90+3' JPN Honda (YC)

113' JPN Endo (YC)

118' PAR Riveros (YC)

PAR Penalties

O Barreto

O Barrios

O Riveros

O Valdez

O Cardozo

JPN Penalties

O Endo

O Hasebe

X Komano

O Honda

A Long hard fought battle by both sides, who, after a while, seemed content to let a penalty shootout happen. Neither team looked than the other, and the game played out like it should have.

PAR Verdict: Not a fantastic game played by the Paraguayans, but it was a typical performance by them. Not flashy, but about enough to somehow get by. The only team to beat Argentina and Brazil (as well as the only ones to beat Brazil by a multiple goal margin) will play Spain.

JPN Verdict: I wasn't too impressed with the Japanese until their game against Denmark, where they were absolutely lethal with their free kicks. The Japanese played another solid game, and I hope to see football in Asia continue to be a rising force.

Man of the Match: Marcus Tulio Tanaka (JPN)

Spain 1-0 Portugal

63' ESP David Villa (1-0)

74' ESP Xabi Alonso (YC)

80' POR Tiago (YC)

89' POR Costa (RC)

A game mostly controlled by Spain, though Portugal did manage to create some good chances past the sometimes spotty Spanish defense. A moment of brillance from La Furia Roja proved to be the difference separating them from a determined Portuguese defense.

ESP Verdict: Spain is starting to look more and more like Spain every game. the determined Portuguese defense was not eager to allow any chances, but a string of passes from Iniesta to Xavi and his cheeky backheel to David Villa allowed Spain to score the only goal of the game. While they shouldnt be overly proud with their performance, they should be proud they are starting to find their rhythm despite essentially playing with 9 men (yes Torres and Busquets, I'm talking to you). Spain advances to play Paraguay.

POR Verdict: Strong defending and goalkeeping was not enough to save Portugal from defeat against the reigning European Champions, mostly in part due to dismal midfield play. The dazzling counterattack of Simao and Ronaldo never happened, and Portugal had a few good chances but could not find the breakthrough past Casillas.

Men of the Match: Xavi (ESP), David Villa (ESP), Eduardo (POR)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 19

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia

18' NED Robben (1-0)

31' NED Robben (YC)

40' SVK Kucka (YC)

72' SVK Kopunek (YC)

84' NED Van Persie (2-0)

84' SVK Skrtel (YC)

90+4' SVK Vittek (2-1) (pen)

A game very much so controlled by the Dutch, really controlling the game enough that the Slovaks did not have a shot on target for 65 minutes.

NED Verdict: Once again, they did what they had to do and played keepball for the remainder. We've yet to see the true dynamism that Oranje play with, however. They advance to play Brazil in the quarterfinals.

SVK Verdict: You can't blame them for not trying, and Slovakia's first World Cup was a success, beating Italy and playing Holland tight.

Man of the Match: Arjen Robben (NED)

Brazil 3-0 Chile

30' BRA Kaka (YC)

34' BRA Juan (1-0)

38' BRA Luis Fabiano (2-0)

47' CHI Vidal (YC)

59' BRA Robinho (3-0)

68' CHI Fuentes (YC)

71' BRA Ramires (YC)

80' CHI Millar (YC)

Brazil really dismantles the Chileans for trying, and the Selecao is starting to find their rhythm. Be afraid.

BRA Verdict: As Kaka's form has come back, so has Brazil's. Stellar creatively and defensively, they didnt play jogo bonito, but they played to win. They will play Netherlands in the quarters.

CHI Verdict: 3 goals losers, and no matter how hopeless it seemed (and it was pretty hopeless towards the end), the Chileans were relentless and still played a good game, though they were overwhelmed. They should be proud of themselves in spite of not being able to come up with a famous victory. Alexis Sanchez is probably also the best young talent of the World Cup.

Men of the Match: Kaka (BRA), Juan (BRA)

World War II All Over Again!

Germany - Winning Massively

France - Gave up

England - Firebombed

Spain - Doing it's own thing

Italy - Imploded

Japan - Beating people up

America - Nowhere to be found

Looks like we need Russ- oh. . .

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 18

Germany 4-1 England

20' GER Klose (1-0)

32' GER Podolski (2-0)

37' ENG Upson (2-1)

47' GER Friedrich (YC)

67' GER Muller (3-1)

70' GER Muller (4-1)

82' ENG Johnson (YC)

Germany dominated the entire game save for a period of about 10 minutes before the end of the first half, where England scored once and had a goal from Lampard that bounced off the bottom of the crossbar, into the net, then back out again which was disallowed. Even though the goal was disallowed, England was outplayed the other 80 minutes of the game, and the Germans took advantage of their continuous miscues.

GER Verdict: The Well-Oiled Machine run by Joachim Low has once again dominated the opposition. All of Germany's hyped young players are playing extremely well, and are looking like the favorites for the next couple of World Cups. Germany advances to play Argentina.

ENG Verdict: Another poor poor game from the English, who are heading home early. Really nothing else to say.

Man of the Match: Miroslav Klose (GER)

Argentina 3-1 Mexico

26' ARG Tevez (1-0)

28' MEX Marquez (YC)

33' ARG Higuain (2-0)

52' ARG Tevez (3-0)

71' MEX J. Hernandez (3-1)

Mexico looked the better side for the first 20 minutes, and once a controversial ruling where Carlos Tevez was awarded a goal from a blatantly offsides position, El Tri lost all of their momentum and began to play with less intensity and creativity. Argentina from that point controlled the majority of the game. Tevez made up for the miscued goal from the first half by firing an absolute laser that stunned the Mexicans for the next few minutes. One of the best goals of the tournament surely.

ARG Verdict: It's starting to look like Maradona has done a very good job preparing for the world cup, but when your toughest opponents are Mexico and South Korea, it's hard to prove anything. Their game against Germany should see if they are actually capable of matching up with the worlds best.

MEX Verdict: The "best ever Mexican side: sure didn't look that way against mighty Argentina. Their young players look very good, and the future of Mexican soccer is looking strong.

Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez (ARG)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 17

Uruguay 2-1 South Korea

8' URU Luis Suarez (1-0)

38' KOR Kim J.W. (YC)

68' KOR Lee C.Y. (1-1)

69' KOR Cha D.R. (YC)

80' URU Luis Suarez (2-1)

85' KOR Cho Y.H. (YC)

This was a game many thought the Koreans were far superior in, but thats not the case. The Reds looked rather listless and a tad unsure of themselves in the first half, and found themselves a goal down for much of it. As the second half progressed, Uruguay became more and more content to sit back and defend, and eventually the Koreans broke through on Uruguay's first defensive miscue, and coincidentally, their first goal conceded of the World Cup. While it looked like the tide was shifting South Korea's favor, Uruguay immediately found their stride and Luis Suarez struck an absolutely gorgeous ball in the the top corner (in the running for best of the tournament), and controlled the game for the remaining 10 minutes.

URU Verdict: I knew Uruguay would be a threatening team going in with the likes of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez spearheading the attack, which is as good a strike force among any in the world. However they have been stingy on defense (led by skipper Diego Lugano and Jorge Fucile) and the midfield has opened up the game for their attack, and has shown non-stop workhorsemanship, especially from Perez, Alcaraz, and Pereira. So essentially, all the makings of a dark horse team looking to make a shock run. Uruguay will play Ghana in the second knockout phase.

KOR Verdict: A well fought game from the Koreans, showing a lot of people that they deserved to advance, and an unlucky draw to play Uruguay meant that the Koreans were in a little over their heads. They were the better team a majority of the second half until they scored. The Reds showed they have a lot more talent, speed, and teamwork than they let on, so it will be interesting to see how South Korea performs in future world cups.

Men of the Match: Diego Perez (URU), Luis Suarez (URU)

United States 1-2 Ghana (AET)

5' GHA Boateng (0-1)

7' USA Clark (YC)

17' USA Cherundolo (YC)

61' GHA Mensah (YC)

62' USA Donovan (pen) (1-1)

68' USA Bocanegra (YC)

90+2' GHA Ayew (YC)

93' GHA Gyan (1-2)

A typical performance from the Americans where they gave up an early goal, were lucky to escape into halftime only down by one goal, and then fail to score more than one in the second half. A very good performance from Ghana, as they were very creative on the ball, unlike their previous games in group D.

USA Verdict: Another typical performance from the Yanks, down early, equalize, fail to get the true breakthrough though dominating the second half. The Americans were forced to make early substitutions, which hurt their chances as the game moved into extra time. Clint Dempsey showed he is a true threat to anyone, but I feel Tim Howard's reputation might be hurt a little after this game.

GHA Verdict: A much improved performance from the Black Stars, as they showed what they are capable of without Michael Essien. Very creative, very fast, Ghana played like each of the African sides has failed to do, and becomes the third African side to reach the second knockout round, and will play Uruguay.

Men of the Match: Benny Feilhaber (USA), Clint Dempsey (USA)

Group Stage Roundup

Best Team: Argentina. Boasting the best goal differential (other than Portugal's inflated one), El Albiceleste have been dominating their games and have the players to back up their run.

Honorable Mentions: Uruguay, South Korea, Japan, Chile, United States, Mexico

Worst Team: North Korea. I just hope the little guy doesn't shoot them all.

Best Player: David Villa, ESP. He has been truly remarkable, spearheading the Spanish attack, is tied for most goals scored, and has two of the best goals of the tournament to his credit.

Honorable Mentions: Alexis Sanchez (CHI), Anyone on Uruguay named Diego, Keisuke Honda (JPN)

Worst Player: Ri Myong-Guk, PRK. He was my worst player twice before, nothings changing now.

Dishonorable Mentions: Fabio Cannavaro ITA, Fernando Torres (ESP), Daniele de Rossi (ITA)

Best Goal: David Villa, ESP, 17' vs. Honduras. Beautiful display of touch, power, speed, finesse, finish, everything you could ever want in a striker. He recevied a great ball from midfield, darted between two defenders, cut back inside and neatly tucked the ball into the far top corner.

Honorable Mentions:

Siphiwe Tshabalala, RSA, 55' vs. Mexico (also best celebration of the tournament)

Fabio Quagliarella, ITA, 90+1' vs. Slovakia

Landon Donovan, USA, 90+1' vs. Algeria

Winston Reid, NZL, 90+4' vs. Slovakia

Best Goal That Wasn't Actually a Goal: Maurice Edu, USA, 89' vs. Slovenia. Thank you Kouman Coulibaly.

Aging (not so) Gracefully

Italy has been eliminated from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, to just about everyone's surprise. Looking closer though, it seems like an early exit was possible, just not to the likes of Paraguay, Slovakia, and New Zealand. Let's take a look at the two squads:

2006# pos name age (caps)

1 GK Buffon 28 (60)

2 DF Zaccardo 24 (12)

3 DF Criscito 23 (17)

4 MF De Rossi 22 (17)

5 DF Cannavaro 32 (93)

6 DF Barzaghlli 25 (8)

7 FW Del Piero 31 (74)

8 MF Gattuso 28 (43)

9 FW Toni 29 (18)

10 FW Totti 29 (51)

11 FW Gilardino 23 (15)

12 GK Marchetti 27 (5)

13 DF Nesta 30 (74)

14 GK Amelia 24 (1)

15 FW Iaquinta 26 (12)

16 MF Camoranesi 29 (21)

17 MF Barone 28 (13)

18 FW Inzaghi 32 (49)

19 DF Zambrotta 29 (52)

20 MF Perotta 28 (24)

21 MF Pirlo 27 (24)

22 DF Oddo 29 (20)

23 DF Materazzi 32 (28)

2010

1 GK Buffon 32 (101)

2 DF Maggio 28 (5)

3 DF Criscito 23 (7)

4 DF Chiellini 25 (29)

5 DF Cannavaro 36 (133)

6 MD De Rossi 26 (54)

7 MD Pepe 26 (15)

8 MD Gattuso 32 (72)

9 FW Iaquinta 30 (37)

10 FW Di Natale 32 (33)

11 FW Gilardino 27 (41)

12 GK Marchetti 27 (5)

13 DF Boccheti 23 (5)

14 GK De Sanctis 33 (3)

15 MD Marchisio 24 (4)

16 MD Camoranesi 33 (53)

17 MD Palombo 28 (17)

18 FW Quagliarella 27 (20)

19 DF Zambrotta 33 (94)

20 FW Pazzini 25 (8)

21 MD Pirlo 31 (66)

22 MD Montolivo 25 (13)

23 DF Bonucci 23 (2)

Now, the players on both squads are names in question here are Buffon, De Rossi, Cannavaro, Pirlo, Gattuso, Zambrotta, Camoranesi, Gilardino, Marchetti, and Iaquinta. Of these players, only De Rossi, Gilardino, and Marchetti were under 25 on the squad that won the World Cup, and almost all the people I listed were named as starters for this World Cup. Of the older players, Buffon I understand, as he one of the world's top keepers, Pirlo and Gattuso had good seasons, and Gilardino and Iaquinta are respected strikers, thought not as prolific as Italy would like them to be. I know the saying is that Italy's players are like fine wines (better aged), but that doesnt always hold true.

Though the case can be made for many of Italy's aging stars, I'm going to single out Cannvaro, who symbolizes a lot wrong with the team. Cannavaro, Captain of Gli Azzuri, is 36 years young, and though he might be recognized as the hero of the Italian World Championship team and idol to many doesnt mean he's still got it. His form has rapidly dwindled over the past few years, and though he won't publicly admit it, he knows it. Leaving Real Madrid two seasons ago to return to his boyhood club Juventus (who have been disappointing the past two years), and now too far removed from his prime, he will play in Dubai for the money and fame. Regular first team football is always a plus, but when your skill level has diminished that much, it's not right to pick that player over other more deserving ones. Spanish legends like Guti and especially Raul are cast aside when their time has come, and though they might not like it, the RFEF (Real Federacion Espanol de Futbol) does not choose players who do not deserve to be selected for the national first team at the time, the same can be said for the English and David Beckham.

One could make the observation that because of the need for an aging Cannavaro, Italian football is on the decline, many football pundits following club football have noted in the past few years, including the bianconeri scandal and the poor performance of predominantly Italian clubs in recent years in european competition (Inter Milan is exempt from Italian football. . . Their starting XI in the 2010 Champions League Final against Bayern Munchen included zero Italian players). Still, what went wrong for Gli Azzuri?

Their group included Paraguay, Slovakia, and New Zealand. Paraguay, the 3rd place team from CONMEBOL, was the only team to defeat both Argentina AND Brazil in qualifying and was the only team to defeat Brazil by a multiple goal margin. A tie seems like a reasonable, yet somewhat surprising result for the Italians in what could have just been a slow start. A second draw against New Zealand though, was inexcusable. the Kiwis were playing on raw passion, but passion can not make up for skill. The Italians once again looked slow, uninspired, and uncreative. A second draw meant that victory was inevitable against Slovakia, who's best player, Marek Hamsik, plays for a second-rate Italian club, Napoli. Now, one of the reason's I singled out Cannavaro is partly because he was awful at this world cup, and was one of the reasons Slovakia scored three goals, sending Italy packing after just the group stage.

Italian football is traditionally very defensive and counter-attacking based (and they dive a lot, and play rough. . .), but the Italians have always had flair about their play. The lack of speed, creativity, intensity, urgency, but most importantly PASSION was missing from the Italian squad.

One could make some parallels that sticking with veterans is a very Italian thing to do, showing the reluctance to change, adapt, and advance, as well as the Italian arrogance that leads them to believe they are better than everyone as they are. Another very Italian aspect, the Roman Catholic church has failed to update itself accordingly, and finds itself losing members in a rapidly changing environment. You could say, unlike other national teams, Gli Azzuri fit their country well, and sometimes things just don't work out (like Italian fascism). The Italian national team might reflect their country's values and attributes, but doesn't it all really just come down to football?

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 16

Brazil 0-0 Portugal

15' BRA Luis Fabiano (YC)

25' BRA Juan (YC)

25' POR Duda (YC)

40' POR Pepe (YC)

43' BRA Felipe Melo (YC)

45' POR Coentrao (YC)

A very boring match, both sides were content to sit on the ball, I would almost say playing politics to keep Ivory Coast from having any hope of going through.

BRA Verdict: Another unconvincing performance from Brazil, yet they have finished atop their group. They will play Chile in the Round of 16.

POR Verdict: They might have played better than Brazil and fundamentally is was their best game yet, but they failed to create many chances or give their star player something to do. Portugal advances to play European Champions and Group H winners Spain.

Man of the Match: Nilmar (BRA)

North Korea 0-3 Ivory Coast

14' CIV Y. Toure (0-1)

20' CIV Romaric (0-2)

82' Kalou (0-3)

Early on it looked like maybe Ivory Coast could to the impossible and make up a goal differential of 10. However, North Korea decided to play anti-soccer and literally never attack.

PRK Verdict: Another performance expected of the North Koreans. They will be going home as expected with zero points, but to the surprise of many, almost beat Brazil and even scored against them.

CIV Verdict: A game where Les Elephants didnt play particularly or particularly poor, they won, but it wouldn't have made any difference because of Portugal's draw. The "Pride of Africa" will be going home early.

Man of the Match: Aruna Dindane (CIV)

Group G Final Standings

Brazil 7 (3)

Portugal 5 (7)

Ivory Coast 4 (1)

North Korea 0 (-11)

Spain 2-1 Chile

15' CHI Medel (YC)

19 CHI Ponce (YC)

21' CHI Estrada (YC)

24' ESP David Villa (1-0)

37' ESP Iniesta (2-0)

37' CHI Estrada (RC)

47' CHI Millar (2-1)

A first half dominated by the Spanish, and the second featured a lot of aimless play from both teams, and a ball that took a wicked deflection off Gerard Pique to catch San Iker wrong footed for a soft goal. David Villa once again had a marvellous strike from 45 yards out when the Chile 'keeper Bravo came off his line to make a tackle on Fernando Torres, and David Villa coolly placed it in from afar.

ESP Verdict: Another good, but not great showing from the Spaniards. La Roja, the reigning European Champions, have massive expectations on them, and are playing like they know it. They need to shake them down and play their game, because they are capable of running each team out of town if they play well. The Group H Winners will play Portugal in the Round of 16.

CHI Verdict: A decent showing from the Chileans, even if they couldn't execute their ideal gameplan against a capable Spanish side. The Chileans advance nonetheless and will play Brazil.

Man of the Match: David Villa (ESP)

Switzerland 0-0 Honduras

4' HON Thomas (YC)

34' SUI Fernandes (YC)

58' HON D. Suazo (YC)

65' HON Chavez (YC)

89' HON Palacios (YC)

Another bore nil-nil draw we've seen far too often at this world cup.

SUI Verdict: Same Swiss style, same Swiss lack of goals on both sides. Typical Swiss draw.

HON Verdict: About what we've seen from the Hondurans, but they will go home with a point, which is a positive result for them.

Man of the Match: Noel Valladares (HON)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 15

Paraguay 0-0 New Zealand

20' PAR V. Caceres (YC)

41' PAR Santa Cruz (YC)

56' NZL Nelsen (YC)

A game New Zealand wanted to win, but a draw should be enough for Kiwi Soccer, and it showed, because they never threw men forward.

PAR Verdict: Some good chances, but they never found the breakthrough. The Group F winner will advance to play Japan.

NZL Verdict: Another decent performance, the All Whites should be very pleased witht heir result. Hopefully in the future they can improve on their 3 points, as they become the 4th team to be sent home early without losing a game.

Man of the Match: Oscar Cardozo (PAR)

Italy 2-3 Slovakia

16' Strba (YC)

25' Vittek (0-1)

31' Cannavaro (YC)

40' Vittek (YC)

50' Pekarik (YC)

67' Chiellini (YC)

73' Vittek (0-2)

76' Pepe (YC)

81' Di Natale (1-2)

82' Mucha (YC)

83' Quagliarella YC)

89' Kopunek (1-3)

90+2' Quagliarella (2-3)

Another one of the big shocks of the tournament, Italy was once again the victim of their own unisprired play.

ITA Verdict: Gli Azzuri played without passion and creativity jut like their first two game, just finally one team was able to punish them enough for it. However, Quagliarella may have scored the best goal of the tournament on a gorgeous chip from 25 yards out into the corner.

SVK Verdict: Good play by Robert Vittek to be in the right place at the right time and have the proper finishing touch carried Slovakia to victory, but they team played like they wanted to win, and they did. Slovakia advances to the round of 16 to play Netherlands.

Man of the Match: Fabian Quagliarella (ITA)

Group F Final Standings

Paraguay 5 (2)

Slovakia 4 (-1)

New Zealand 3 (0)

Italy 2 (-1)

Netherlands 2-1 Cameroon

17' NED Kuyt (YC)

25' CAM N'Koulou (YC)

36' NED Van Persie (1-0)

64' NED Van der Vaart (YC)

65' CAM Eto'o (1-1) (pen)

70' NED Van Bronckhorst (YC)

81' CAM M'Bia (YC)

83' NED Huntelaar (2-1)

Another game for Cameroon where they looked sluggish and uninspired and another match for Netherlands where it just feels like they're saving an extra gear for the later rounds.

NED Verdict: Doing just enough to win; that;s been the story for Oranje at the 2010 World Cup, who are usually a much more prolific side. Oranje won Group E and will face Slovakia.

CAM Verdict: Another disappointing show from the African side. The Indomitable Lions did not show off their famed speed and power, and looked like they were done with their miserable World Cup and they will go home with no points.

Man of the Match: Wesley Sneijder (NED)

Denmark 1-3 Japan

12' JPN Endo (YC)

17' JPN Honda (0-1)

26' JPN Nagatomo (YC)

29' DEN Kroldrup (YC)

30' JPN Endo (0-2)

48' DEN Poulsen (YC)

66' DEN Bendtner (YC)

80' DEN Tomasson (pen miss)

81' DEN Tomasson (1-2)

87' JPN Okazaki (1-3)

A fairly boring game despite all of the scoring. Neither Denmark or Japan are particularly exciting to watch since they are both fundamentally sound teams without a lot of dynamism.

DEN Verdict: Bendtner underperformed once again, and sloppy play allowed the Japanese to take advantage of the Danes. They will be going home early this year.

JPN Verdict: A positive showing from the Blue Samurai, showing some free kick expertise off of some sloppy Danish play. Not the best creative team, if the Japanese can continue this free kick expertise they may be able to make a shock run. Japan will play Group F winners Paraguay in the Round of 16.

Man of the Match: Honda Keisuke (JPN)

Group E Final Standings:

Netherlands 9 (4)

Japan 6 (2)

Denmark 3 (-3)

Cameroon 0 (-3)

Group Stage Round Two Review

Best Team Thus Far: Argentina. No one else dominated over the past two games like they did.

Other Impressive Teams: All of the South American teams, Switzerland

Worst Team Thus Far: Honduras. They have been completely dominated in both games, but give credit to their opposition (CHI and ESP)

Biggest Fluke of the First Round: North Korea. They went from almost beating Brazil to losing 7-0.

Biggest Redemption: Greece. They were so bad, just dreadful, then managed to beat a very

Best Player: Alexis Sanchez. He's this year's Antonio Valencia.

Worst Player: Ri Myong-Guk. The crappiest player on a crappy team.

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 13

United States 1-0 Algeria
12' ALG Yebda (YC)
62' USA Altidore (YC)
76' ALG Yahia (YC)
83' ALG Lacen (YC)

90+1' USA Donovan (1-0)

90+3' ALG Yahia (RC)
A game were the Yanks were being tested early and often, but luck was not on the Desert Foxes side. The Americans managed some very good chances, and even had a good goal disallowed on a borderline offsides call. Of course, the Americans have to make everything dramatic, and despite all their efforts and eventually becoming disheartened, they struck in stoppage time, ending the hopes of a positive result for Algeria.
USA Verdict: Shock winners of Group C, The Americans have displayed the passion (and even a bit of skill) that has been missing in years past, even though they have little to no good wing play. With the Americans getting much more support back home than usual, they might be able to shock parts of the world. The USA will meet Ghana in the knockout round, a rematch of the 2006 world cup group stage.
ALG Verdict: A decent showing, creating chances and holding steady at the back, but I would have liked to see the Desert Foxes playing with a little more urgency, since a win could have seen them through to the next round.
Man of the Match: Jay DeMerit (USA)

(I've never been more proud to be an American -Ed.)

England 1-0 Slovenia
23' ENG DeFoe (1-0)
40 SVN Jokic (YC)
48' ENG Johnson (YC)
79' SVN Birsa (YC)

81' SVN Dedic (YC)
A game controlled, but not dominated by the English. While they were finally able to win a game, they were not able to score enough to win the group, and will play Germany instead of Ghana.
ENG Verdict: A better performance from the Three Lions, but not really what they are capable of. Perhaps a big test against the Germans will inspire them to play better and get Rooney more involved.
SVN Verdict: Another good turnout from the Green Dragons, who have made waves at this tournament. They might not be going as far as they would have liked considering their good play, but it was a very good first World Cup for Slovenia.
Man of the Match: James Milner (ENG)

Group C Final Standings

United States 5 (1, four goals scored)

England 5 (1, two goals scored)

Slovenia 4 (0)

Algeria 1 (-2)

A Quick Commentary on Group C: This group features two teams (Algeria and Slovenia) who upset teams expected to be far better then they are (Egypt and Russia respectively) to earn their place in South Africa. Now consider the draw, imagine what this group would have been like if it was England, United States, RUSSIA, and EGYPT. Second group of death, anyone?

Germany 1-0 Ghana
40' Ayew (YC)
43' Muller (YC)
60' Ozil (1-0)
A routine game, where Germany had a plan, stuck to it, and Ghana was unable to stop it.
GER Verdict: A fairly standard approach from the Germans, where they did just enough to win. The Group D winners will play England in the Round of 16.
GHA Verdict: Another game from the Black Stars where they seemed to be relying on getting a penalty kick, which is. . not the most viable strategy. Despite their uncreative play, they will advance to play Group C winners United States.
Man of the Match: Mesut Ozil (GER)

Australia 2-1 Serbia
18' SER Lukovic (YC)
49' AUS Beauchamp (YC)
50' AUS Wilkshire (YC)
59' SER Ninkovic (YC)

67; AUS Emerton (YC)

69 AUS Cahill (1-0)

73' AUS Holman (2-0)

84' SER Pantelic (2-1)
Two teams going in two directions within a short time. Australia started off terrible, but then drew Ghana and then beat Serbia. Serbia enjoyed a brief high in shock win against European giants Germany but came crashing back down to earth.
AUS Verdict: A good way for the Aussies to exit, though because of their rapid improvement, one might suggest they advance due to Ghana's. . . lack of play.
SER Verdict: A disappointing show from the team that had just defeated Germany. They've got a few complaints for the ref, but it wouldn't have changed anything.
Man of the Match: Carl Valeri (AUS)

Group D Final Standings

Germany 6 (4)

Ghana 4 (0)

Australia 4 (-3)

Serbia 3 (-1)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 12

South Africa 2-1 France

20' RSA Khumalo (1-0)

25' FRA Gourcuff (RC)

37' RSA Mphela (2-0)

70' FRA Malouda (2-1)

71' FRA Diaby (YC)

Another disaster from the France, as they should have blown out, thanks to some botched chances from Bafana Bafana. France will go home in disgrace despite having some of the world's best players.

RSA Verdict: A good showing, very fluid aggressive play. It's hard to say anything though, with the way the French have been playing. Bafana Bafana become the first host nation to not advance from the group stage, despite going out with a bang.

FRA Verdict: Well ,the state of French Sports, especially football is in disarray. Let's just turn our attention to Le Tour de France. Les Blues, who turned more into Les Miserables, were sent packing after picking up only one point.

Man of the Match: Siphiwe Tshabalala (RSA)

Mexico 0-1 Uruguay

43' URU Luis Suarez (0-1)

68' URU Fucile (YC)

77' MEX Hernandez (YC)

86' MEX Castro (YC)

A game Uruguay were very content to draw, though Mexico was not keen on taking any gambles. Uruguay played another game rather defensively, as Mexico was keen on aggressive play. On one of Uruguay's planned attacks however, Diego Forlan's young strike partner Luis Suarez, who had an excellent season in the Eredivisie, netted a classy header from a very good cross.

MEX Verdict: A thoroughly solid game from El Tri, but they were unable to find a breakthrough, in part because of the solid Uruguayan defense. Mexico could make a shock run, since a lot of their players are finding some good form. Mexico will advance to the round of 16 to play Argentina.

URU Verdict: Another defensive showing from El Celeste, becoming the first team in a considerable time to not allow any goals in qualifying, but Uruguay once again showed they have a proficient attack in a strike partnership as good as any in the world, and they are also getting solid play all around. The Group A Winners advance to play South Korea.

Man of the Match: Diego Lugano (URU)

Group A Final Standings (team, pts, gd)

Uruguay 7 (4)

Mexico 4 (1)

South Africa 4 (-2)

France 1 (-3)

Argentina 2-0 Greece

30' Katsouranis (YC)

76' Bolatti (YC)

77' Demichelis (1-0)

86' Palermo (2-0)

A fairly disappointing show from Argentina, but only because it was Argentina. It was a pretty dull match, as are most most games involving the Greeks, who just defend, defend, defend. Once again, Lionel Messi (19 shots, 11 on target) was unable to find the net, but that doesn't mean he's not making some really good runs.

ARG Verdict: A sluggish performance from the South American giants, but Argentina got the job done, and 3 points is 3 points. El Albiceleste won the group and will play Mexico.

GRE Verdict: Another decent turnout from the Greeks, who really turned their play around after their opening match against South Korea. You really have to say that Nigeria's red card in the second match was a gigantic turning point for Greek football, but they will be sent home early after failing to advance from the group stage.

Man of the Match: Martin Demichelis (ARG)

Nigeria 2-2 South Korea

12' Uche (1-0)

37' Ogbuke (YC)

38' Lee J.S. (1-1)

42' Ayila (YC)

49' Park C.Y. (1-2)

68' Kim N.I. (YC)

69' Aiyegbeni (2-2) (pen)

Easily one of the more exciting matches played, both teams were constantly fighting for a place in the next round. Nigeria looked the better team, but couldn't find the back of the net despite countless opportunities.

NIG Verdict: A positive showing in this game, but a disappointing performance overall from the Super Eagles, who more accurately played like Super Turkeys. A lot of it can be attributed from their coach, who instituted a much more defensive style then how Nigeria normally plays.

KOR Verdict: A decent showing, not great, but it was enough to see them through to the next round.

Man of the Match: Kalu Uche (NIG)

Group B Final Standings

Argentina 9 (6)

South Korea 4 (-1)

Greece 3 (-3)

Nigeria 1 (-2)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 11

North Korea 0-7 Portugal

29' POR Meireles (0-1)

32' PRK Pak C.J. (YC)

38' POR Mendes (YC)

47' Hong Y.J. (YC)

53' POR Simao (0-2)

56' POR Almeida (0-2)

60' POR Tiago (0-4)

70' POR Almeida (YC)

81' POR Liedson (0-5)

87' POR C. Ronaldo (0-6)

89' POR Tiago (0-7)

Well, Portugal got out of it's slump, rather convincingly. And embarrased the North Korean team on one of their few appearances on North Korean State Television. And Fabio Coentrao has the best hair in the World Cup.

PRK Verdict: They lost 7-0. Their goalkeeper, Ri Myong-Guk, is still the worst player in the tournament.

POR Verdict: They beat a crappy team 7-0. It's what was expected of them. However, this should put them through to the next round on goal difference.

Man of the Match: Hugo Almeida (POR)

Switzerland 0-1 Chile

2' CHI Suazo (YC)

18' SUI N'Kufo (YC)

25' CHI Ponce (YC)

31' SUI Behrami (RC)

48' SUI Barnetta (YC)

59' SUI Inler (YC)

60' CHI Fernandez (YC, Misses Next Match)

61' CHI Medel (YC)

75' CHI Gonzalez (0-1)

90+2' CHI Valdivia (YC)

A very dramatic game, with the harsh red card to Valon Behrami putting the Swiss down a man for a majority of the game setting the tone of Chile attacking and the Swiss defending, throwing in the odd counterattack. Chile finally broke through with their 3-3-1-3 formation, and nearly gave it away, but the Swiss game away the best chance of the game in the 88th by hitting it wide.

SUI Verdict: Another well played hard fought game played by the Swiss, who not many thought would even be here. I've been very impressed with their play, executing their style to perfection.

CHI Verdict: The right result for the Chileans, but with they way they played, the game probably should have been 4-1. What really impressed me was their attacking play from Sanchez (one of the best players of the tournament so far, reminds me of Antonia Valencia from the last World Cup), Mark Gonzalez, Paredes, and everyone else.

Man of the Match: Alexis Sanchez (CHI)

Spain 2-0 Honduras

8' HON Turcios (YC)

17' ESP David Villa (1-0)

38' HON Izaguirre (YC)

51' ESP David Villa (2-0)

61' ESP David Villa (pen miss)

Spain got off it's rump and decided to make chances for itself, playing a much more aggressive 4-3-3. David Villa's first goal was absolutely brilliant, cutting through two defenders and shooting around a third to tuck it into the top corner. An opportunity for a hat trick was marred by on of David Villa's rare penalty misses, not even hitting the target. Better now then in the finals, right?

ESP Verdict: A better showing, but the reigning European Champions are capable of much more, Up next is Chile, whose dazzling attack has stymied their two previous opponents. And Jesus Navas has then best eyes in the World Cup.

HON Verdict: Not one of the better teams in the tourney, they held up well and created a few chances for themselves.

Man of the Match: Jesus Navas (ESP)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 10

Paraguay 2-0 Slovakia

27' PAR Vera (1-0)

42' SVK Durica (YC)

45' PAR Vera (YC)

47' SVK Sestak (YC)

84' SVK Weiss (YC)

86' PAR Riveros (2-0)

A game very thoroughly dominated by the South American side, once again showing that the South African world cup has turned into the South American World Cup (South American sides are unbeaten).

PAR Verdict: Another very positive showing from the side that shocked Italy a few days ago. Just one of the (possibly?) overachieving South American sides playing at a very high level against inferior opposition.

SVK Verdict: A fairly poor showing, but I suppose Marek Hamsik can't do it all.

Man of the Match: Roque Santa Cruz (PAR)

Italy 1-1 New Zealand

7' NZL Smeltz (0-1)

14' NZL Fallon (YC)

28' NZL Smith (YC)

29' Iaquinta (1-1) (pen)

87' Nelsen (YC)

A very good showing from the All Whites, and yet another lacklustre performance from the Azzuri. A fairly boring game until the end, when both teams tried desperately to get men forward and provide the breakthrough. Neither side did, however. The main focus of this match, which has been for far too many games, was the refereeing. De Rossi took a dive in the box, and was rewarded with a penalty for his theatrics. Such a shame.

ITA Verdict: "If you're Italian, you go down. It's the law!"

NZL Verdict: Another shock showing from Kiwi football. They won't be advancing, but it's a nice story for them to write home about.

Man of the Match: Winston Reid (NZL)

Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast

25' BRA Luis Fabiano (1-0)

31' CIV Tiene (YC)

50' BRA Luis Fabiano (2-0)

62' BRA Elano (3-0)

75' CIV K. Keita (YC)

79' CIV Drogba (3-1)

85' BRA Kaka (YC)

86' CIV Tiote (YC)

88' BRA Kaka (RC)

Another match marred by poor refereeing. Kaka clearly did not deserve his red card, as Kader Kaita clearly dove. Blumer Elano was also injured for the Selecao, putting yet another blemish on what was otherwise a fantastic day for el jogo bonito.

BRA Verdict: Very good showing, dominating on all fronts. Like the game against North Korea, as Maradona put it, "It wouldnt have matter if Julio Cesar showered or not after the game."

CIV Verdict: A tad disappointing, since they are the pride of Africa, and Les Elephants looked like such rather than display their impressive speed that they boast.

Man of the Match: Robinho (BRA)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 9

Netherlands 1-0 Japan

36' NED Van der Wiel (YC)

53' NED Snieijder (1-0)

A game dominated just enough by Oranje do see themselves past the stubborn Japanese. Holland also qualified for the next round while Japan must

NED Verdict: They've been "struggling" these past two games. I use this liberally since they are still getting the job done, but they haven't played particularly well, as they haven't seemed to fully mesh with each other yet. As the tournament progresses we'll see if the mature.

JPN Verdict: Another positive showing by Japan. Hopefully they carry over their positive momentum through to the next game and the next round.

Man of the Match: Robin Van Persie (NED)

Australia 1-1 Ghana

11' AUS Holman (1-0)

24' AUS Kewell (RC)

25' GHA Gyan (pen) (1-1)

40' GHA Addy (YC)

79' GHA Mensah (YC)

84' GHA Annan (YC)

86' AUS Moore (YC)

A game Ghana should have won, playing a man up for most of the game and Australia's best player was suspended for this contest regardless.

AUS Verdict: A positive showing from the team that lost 4-0 in their opening game. They won't be moving on, but it was nice to see them play with some heart.

GHA Verdict: Such a shame for the Black Stars. They should have easily won this, but a lack of playmaking ability has had Ghana rely on penalties.

Man of the Match: Asamoah Gyan (GHA)

Denmark 2-1 Cameroon

10' CAM Eto'o (0-1)

33' DEN Bendtner (1-1)

49' CAM Bassong (YC)

61' DEN Rommendahl (2-1)

75' CAM M'bia (YC)

86' DEN Sorenson (YC)

87' DEN Kjaer (YC, Misses Next Match)

Yet another match where an hyped Africa team fails to live up to it's seething potential. Even the dullish Danes were able to out pace the "Indomitable" Lions

DEN Verdict: A very solid outing from a team that has no real claim to fame, other than a lineup that never sticks out.

CAM Verdict: Another disappointing performance. Eto'o had one good look but they never really created anything after that Danish mistake.

Man of the Match: Nicklas Bendter (DEN)

World Cup Wrap-Up Matchday 8

Germany 0-1 Serbia

12' GER Klose (YC)

18' SER Ivanovic (YC)

19' SER Kholarov (YC)

22' GER Khedira (YC)

32' GER Lahm (YC)

36' GER Klose (RC)

38' SER Jovanovic (0-1)

57' SER Subotic (YC)

60' SER Vidic (YC)

61' GER Podolski (pen miss)

73' GER Schweinsteiger (YC)

A game almost exactly like the Spain/Switzerland match, where Germany did it all it could to stop what was happening, but as with the Spanish, it was just one of those days. They didn't receive any help from the Refs either, as their top striker Miroslav Klose was sent off when he absolutely did not deserve though. Lukas Podolski though, shot Germany in the foot, when he tried to be cute when he was awarded a penalty.

GER Verdict: A good showing, but it just wasn't enough. Though people knew it would be hard to replicate their thrashing of Australia, it was still expected of the team that looked the best after the first round of group stage play. Joachim Low should rally his troops well as they head to towards their final group stage clash with Ghana. Luckily they have a significant advantage in goal difference.

SER Verdict: A very strong showing from a team that did not perform up to expectations against Ghana. Serbia is another one of those small Eastern European nations that can never be counted out. A game against Australia should see them through to the next round.

Man of the Match: Vladimir Stojkovic (SER)

United States 2-2 Slovenia

13' SVN Birsa (0-1)

35' SVN Cesar (YC)

40' USA Findley (YC)

42' SVN Ljuibijankic (0-2)

48' USA Donovan (1-2)

69' SVN Suler (YC)

72' SVN Kirm (YC)

75' SVN Jokic (YC)

82' USA Bradley (2-2)

A tale of two halves: Slovenia dominated the first, while the "comeback kids" overran the Green Dragons during the second. Slovenia was set for a shock thrashing of the USA, but second half heroics brought the Yanks level. Another game marred by terrible refereeing, a goal from Maurice Edu off a cross from a free kick should have seen the Americans take the lead in the 88th en route to three points, but the goal was disallowed, and the USA should have at least been awarded a penalty after multiple players were wrapped-up by the Slovene defense.

USA Verdict: Once again, the Americans prove that they can only play well if they are losing. Conceding an early goal once again, the Americans fought back gallantly, creating some very good chances negated by last-ditch defending and should have seen them get 3 points.

SVN Verdict: Slovenia showed that they aren't just minnows anymore, almost completely dominating the first half. The defense was very shaky at times, but when they pressed forward, they were able to move the ball at ease at spread the ball across the entire field and set up players in the middle, where they are strongest. They got tired towards the end of the second half, and were you could tell they just wanted to get out of the game with a point.They'll need to play for 90 minutes against England if they want to see the knockout round.

Men of the Match: Zlatan Ljubijankic (SVN), Michael Bradley (USA)

England 0-0 Algeria

58' ENG Carragher (YC, Misses Next Match)

85' ALG Locen (YC)

Another boring draw so typical of this world cup. The only shocking thing was that this time it was "mighty" England, who have done nothing short of disappoint in South Africa.

ENG Verdict: Well, the normally dominant-in-group-stage England has seen themselves come away with 2 untimely draws, with their final group stage game against not-so-tiny-anymore Slovenia, who has certainly turned a few heads this tournament. The English need to get the ball to Wayne Rooney so he can do what he does best: Score. Which the English have been unable to do.

ALG Verdict: Very good showing from Algeria, who absolutely looked the better side in the second half. Should be an interesting matchup with the States.

Man of the Match: Karim Ziani (ALG)

A SIDE NOTE ON GROUP B

How they advance

United States

• Win vs. Algeria
• Tie with Algeria, and Slovenia-England tie IF England does not outscore U.S. by 2-or-more goals
• Tie and England loss

England

• Win vs. Slovenia
• Tie AND U.S.-Algeria tie AND outscore U.S. by 3 goals

Slovenia

• Win/tie vs. England
• Loss AND U.S. tie vs. Algeria
• Loss AND Algeria win as long as Algeria doesn't make up tiebreakers

Algeria

• Win vs. U.S. AND Slovenia win/tie vs. England
• Win vs. USA AND Slovenia loss vs England AND make up tiebreakers on Slovenia