Category — World Cup

From the ‘crime’ desk, Luis “Jaws” Suarez of Uruguay was given a four-month ‘vacation’ from international football by FIFA for ‘unauthorized snacking’ during a game.

The survivors from the Group stage are:

A – Brazil & Mexico
B – Netherlands & Chile
C – Colombia & Greece
D – Costa Rica & Uruguay
E – France & Switzerland
F – Argentina & Nigeria
G – Germany & US
H – Belgium & Algeria

Results are from the BBC.

The US snuck into the Knockout phase on “Goal Difference” because they had the same number of points [3 for a win and 1 for a tie] as Portugal. The Goal Difference is calculated by adding all of the goals that a team scored against their opponents and subtracting all of the goals scored by opponents. The US had a GD of 0 while Portugal had a -3.

In the Knockout phase there are no ties and the losing team is eliminated. Overtime periods and penalty shootouts are used to prevent ties.

Only Groups G and H are still in question after the games yesterday and today.

Finished Groups:

C – Colombia & Greece
D – Costa Rica & Uruguay
E – France & Switzerland
F – Argentina & Nigeria

Greece is in on a penalty kick goal, but the Ivory Coast didn’t think there should have been a penalty called. In the case of Uruguay, the question wasn’t about the scoring, but whether Luis Suarez of Uruguay bit Giorgio Chiellini of Italy on the shoulder. FIFA will review the incident.

Group F is a headache for FIFA because Germany and the US could ensure their promotion to the next round by having a tie in their game tomorrow. Depending on what happens in the games tomorrow, evey team in the group has a chance at promotion. If the Germany-US game ends in a tie, there will be questions.

In Group H Belgium is through, but Algeria and Russia are battling for the second spot.

The results are from the BBC.

From the tables at the BBC, Brazil and Mexico are advancing from Group A, While the Netherlands and Chile will represent Group B.

The Other Groups still have a matches to play, but tentatively, Colombia will represent Group C, Costa Rica from D, France from E, Argentina from F, Germany from G, and Belgium from H. These teams are in a position of being at least second if they lose their final matches.

To promote sales of merchandise, the teams are wearing new kit for this Cup, although you have to look closely to notice with some teams, like the Netherlands.

The US football side at the World Cup only seems to wake up in the second half, and has very little regard for defense.

In their match against Portugal today they almost secured promotion to the next round by going up by a goal when the regulation time ended. Then they failed to defend during injury time and Portugal managed to tie the game.

While they are certainly in a stronger position that Portugal, they must hope of only a close loss to Germany, at worst. If they draw, they will be through.

Portugal need a massive win over Ghana and a massive win by Germany over the US to make it through. Ghana hasn’t suffered a massive loss to either the US or Germany.

The US has people who can score, but they will need to spend some time on defense to be a credible side.

[Aside: plumbing and coding are taking up a lot of my time.]

Dick ‘Dick’ Cheney slithered out of his crypt to complain that Zero is wrong in handling Iraq.

This is someone who thinks that the ‘proper’ way of conducting foreign policy is to decide what you want to do and then ‘create’ the data and ‘intelligence’ that proves your decision is right. Then you attack anyone who casts doubt on your decision by gathering real intelligence and actual facts. You not only attack the individual, under the Cheney Method, but their family.

Cheney should be in a cell for war crimes, not writing opinion pieces.

The Iraqi government has formally asked for US air support. Zero doesn’t need to get permission from Congress to take military action, because the Congresscritters have refused to repeal the original Authorization for the Use of Military Force in Iraq. They could have reasserted their control over war, but they didn’t do it.

Something that isn’t coming back is the Spanish national football team at the World Cup. After losing to Chile, they will go no further.

Women’s World Cup Final

Japan 1-1 US

Full Time

Japan 2-2 US

Extra Time

Japan 3-1 US

Penalty Shots

Japan wins on a 3-1 advantage in the Penalty Shoot-Out.

It was a 1-1 draw after regulation, then the US pulled ahead with a Wambach goal in the first extra time. Sawa responded with a goal for Japan in the second extra time, and extra time ended with a 2-2 draw.

This is well matched play with the exception of shots, which the US dominated 27-14, but the Japanese shots were more accurate 6-5.

Women’s World Cup Consolation Game

Sweden 2-1 France

The Blågult [Blue-Gold] take a hard-fought game from Les Bleues [the Blues], to win third place. The Swedes were ahead by one goal at the end of the first half, but the French responded in the second. The decider came at 82 minutes in from Hammarstrom. The Swedes were down to ten after Oqvist was red-carded.

The French dominated possession and shots on goal, as they did in their semi-final against the US, but were again unable to convert their advantage into goals.

Women’s World Cup Semi-Final Game 2

Japan 3-1 Sweden

The Japanese dominated the match in every category. The final with the US should be great if the sides play like they did today.

Women’s World Cup Semi-Final Game 1

France 1-3 US

The French topped the US in possession [55%], shots on goal [25-11], corner kicks [10-5], but could only net one ball, while the US found the target 3 times.

From FIFA’s official site:

In Game One at the end of regulation it was Sweden 3-1 Australia. Sweden makes it through to play Japan in the Semi-Finals.

In Game Two at the end of regulation it was Brazil 1-1 US. At the end of the overtime it was Brazil 2-2 US. The match was decided by penalty shots: Brazil 3-5 US. US makes it through to play France in the Semi-Finals, but this definitely wasn’t the quality of play one expects from these teams. Own goals and players sent off is not great football.

ESPN has the replay on the ‘Net.

From FIFA’s official site:

In Game One at the end of regulation and an overtime it was England 1-1 France. The match was decided by penalty shots England 3-4 France. France makes it through to the Semi-Finals.

In Game Two at the end of regulation it was Germany 0-0 Japan. At the end of the overtime it was Germany 0-1 Japan. Japan makes it through to the Semi-Finals.

ESPN has the replay on the ‘Net.

From FIFA’s official site:

The Women’s World Cup finished the Group Stage by playing four games today. The best part is that it wasn’t necessary to explain the FIFA tie-breaking procedure.

In Group D it was Australia 2-1 Norway and Equatorial Guinea 0-3 Brazil. The final ranking for the Group is:

1. Brazil
2. Australia
3. Norway
4. Equatorial Guinea

In Group A it was Sweden 2-1 USA and Korea DPR 0-0 Colombia. The final ranking for the Group is:

1. Sweden
2. USA
3. Korea DPR
4. Colombia

The first two teams in each Group move on to the Quarter Finals which start on the 9^th.

ESPN has the replay on the ‘Net.

From FIFA’s official site:

After taking yesterday off, the Women’s World Cup is completing the Group Stage by play four games per day.

In Group B it was England 2-0 Japan and New Zealand 2-2 Mexico. The final ranking for the Group is:

1. England
2. Japan
3. Mexico
4. New Zealand

In Group A it was France 2-4 Germany and Canada 0-1 Nigeria. The final ranking for the Group is:

1. Germany
2. France
3. Nigeria
4. Canada

The first two teams in each Group move on to the Quarter Finals.

ESPN has the replay on the ‘Net.

From FIFA’s official site: it’s Brazil 3-0 Norway and Australia 3-2 Equatorial Guinea in the second round of play in Group D. It looks like Brazil is through to the next level, but Australia and Norway both have a chance for the second slot.

ESPN has the replay on the ‘Net.