I love when the underdog wins. It upsets the boring course of reality and makes the future so much more interesting. Surprise is an exciting feeling.
Ghana played a true team game and the Czechs never quite recovered from the surprise of the first goal. What can I say, I love soccer.
On the other hand, I almost had a heart attack watching the USA-Italy match. I could not decide who to root for and I got what I deserved: a tie. In addition to be too nervewracking (I freaked out every time the ball went too close to either net), it was a gruesome game that included a lot of physical contact, blood, and a referee from hell who ejected 3 players.
Even though the Italian team wore blue jerseys and I can’t resist that hue of blue, their performance was truly disappointing: they were not able to score in 10 against 9 and their game was just so-so. There is little doubt that the moral victory goes to the USA team.
What I know for sure, though, is that I am never going to watch a Italy-USA match again. I swear.
Technorati Tags: World Cup, Ghana, Czech Republic, soccer, Italy, USA
June 19, 2006
Hi!
I thought the Argentina v/s Serbia game was the best so far. The Argentines played like poets… it was refreshingly unlike 90% of the matches which have been quite boring. Brazil and England have been very disappointing. I’m rooting for Argentina to keep playing that way and I hope they can win! (hope they don’t have to play Italy along the way)
Reynold
June 22, 2006
Oh the pain. I love an underdog too but today’s match was just painful.
As I do in almost every World Cup I now switch from cheering on the US to rooting for the team of my heritage – the Azzuri.
Gone is the chant of “USA USA USA” to be replaced with “Italia Italia Italia”.
A bittersweet consolation on a dreadful day for US Soccer.
June 28, 2006
I do feel for you. I still bear the scars of witnessing our beloved Aussie “socceroos” wrongfully terminated from the World Cup by an overzealous and conveniently short-sighted “Spanish” referee who awarded the second round Australia/Italy encounter to Italy with his dreadful dying seconds “penalty” decision.
And — I will admit, the Italian player who was “red carded” in the 50th minute of the game, was yet another poor umpiring decision (although that one brought a touch of relief to those butterfliles crawling in my stomach throughout the entire game 🙂
With the birth of our truly “international” Socceroos I will miss this World Cup when it is all over.. It has been a precious gift for us “soccer mad” Aussies, who are usually overdosed with the national sport of “Aussie footie” which I have never completely relished!! — Well at least I will get some regular sleep soon (we have to wake up at 4 a.m. AEST to watch the World Cup games “down under”)
best
Roseanne
(Congratulations on the impeccable taste in Blog themes 😉