shannon2007

The Danish Test

First up, some rashers of Danish Bacon. First big test, first chance to really screw up. Then again, the Spanish do sometimes like to tease their fans into thinking they might just do something. So who knows how this game might turn out.

Playing a 4-1-3-2, we started badly and Mads Jorgensen sent the Danes ahead after 27 minutes. It looked like another tale of what might have been, but Roger equalized just before the hour and the Gerard got what turned out to be the winner on 67 minutes. We held on for a win.

With the way other matches are going though, it will take a helluvan effort to win this.

Or a few crashes.

retired_amyslack

Super Eagles Win Opener

Nigeria got off to an excellent start in their World Cup campaign with a comfortable 4-0 defeat of Indonesia in their opening game. Midfielder Bala Ahmed Garba struck early with a goal after just 3 minutes with striker Victor Agali doubling their advantage 8 minutes later. The underdogs rarely threatened and Juventus superstar Julius Agahowa made it 3-0 on the half hour as the Super Eagles impressed with their dynamic attacking play. Captain Sunday Oliseh of Ajax completed the scoring with a stunning free kick 10 minutes from time to complete an impressive opening game.

enjikari

The Scotland game went well, and was just the performance that Fowler will have been looking for. The first few minutes were evenly matched before Brazil took a stranglehold on the game. Rivaldo marked his 100th appearance for Brazil with a goal just before the half-hour mark and then Brazil were unfortunate not to have the chance to double their lead when they were denied a stonewall penalty. Just before half-time, Scotland ahve Kevin McNaughton dismissed and that signalled the end of the game as a contest. In the second half, Lúcio (man of the match) and Adriano added further goals to stamp a superb impression on Scotland, the group and the tournament as a whole.

Scotland 0-3 Brazil - Rivaldo, Lúcio, Adriano

With the way other results in the group had gone, Brazil went into their second game against Japan knowing a win would almost guarantee them progression to the knockout phase. Most believed that anything but a win was out of the question and whilst Fowler played down these notions, he did take the decision to drop Ronaldinho to the bench for the game. A game with a harsher contrast to the Scotland you would be hard-pressed to find. Japan took a shock lead after Marcos was dismissed and Nakata coverted the resultant penalty, but after that Brazil offered nothing and Japan's dominance came as no shock to the onlooking crowd. What was a shock was perhaps the ineptitude of the remaining Brazilians. Ono doubled the lead before half-time and another for Nakata and a fourth from Toda in the second half gave Japan a four goal victory.

Brazil 0-4 Japan - Marcos sent off

This left every team on three points with one game left. Brazil v USA and Japan v Scotland...

retired_sander

Italy

One more World Cup of underperforming or an immense victory parade around Rome??

With new Manager Keith Stuart in charge more likely the former but who knows.

With a squad full of established stars as well as a few unknowns or at least players who have never really made much of an impact at international level things could go great or horribly wrong.

In a group with Belgium, Russia and Saudia Arabia it should be easy enough to progress. In fact the Italian FA demanded a Quarter Final place minimum, stingy buggers.

Too find out what happened read on later as first up was te tie agianst Belgium.

Raptor

With the opening game out of the way, it was time to get three points on the board from the next one. Since the Saudis provided the opposition, it shouldn't have been that much of a problem, but having long since accepted defensive football is the only way to keep your job here, I had to work on that basis.

Once again, the defence put in a solid performance, and didn't give away a shot on target, but this came at the expense of offensive creativity. Thankfully (what the hell am I saying?!) Oliver Neuville proved himself a cool forward in front of goal as early as the 13th minute. It eased a lot of German nerves in the other Olympiastadion, this one in Berlin.

It's a strange lot, them Germans, because the following morning, the press seemed to love me and all tabloids spoke of their Nationalmannschaft's "Teamchef" as an honourary German.

I felt like killing myself, but had inflicted this mission upon myself, and there wasn't any way back now...

retired_hern1001

On the back of that victory, an unchanged Dutch team took the field against the butchers of Uruguay. But despite enjoying near total domination over their visitors, the Dutch were unable to force goals. Van Nistelrooij struck the bar and Van der Vaart saw his overhead kick stopped by the Uruguayan keeper who played the match of his life. It was inevitable that the goal would come at the other end and De Los Santos fired the Uruguayans in front. That was also the score at half time, Uruguay converting their only chance, while the Netherlands missed their eight. It was more of the same in the second half, but this time, we actually managed to score, through Roy Makaay, who had come on for Fredje Bouma. This weakened the Dutch at the back, but dominating the play the way they had it was a fair risk to take. But it worked out wrong. Uruguay scored twice in quick succession to grab a victory over the Dutch side, where the rumours of struggle were quickly growing. Although that was pretty much regulation with any Dutch side at a big tournament.

Raptor

It p*ssed me off so much... Here I was, trying to sabotage the one team I considered capable of stopping the Orange march to glory, only to see the new Netherlands manager f*ck up against Uruguay. Do these people not know how to utilise Arjen Robben?

Perhaps managing Germany was a mistake, and I should've tried to get the nod in Zeist. Too late now though...

retired_amyslack

Nigeria Through To Knockout Stages

An impressive 3-0 defeat of Yugoslavia means that the Super Eagles become the first team to qualify from the group stages of the competition in Germany. Agali and Agahowa gave the Nigerians a comfortable lead at the break with the Juventus man adding his second five minutes after the break. A disheartened Yugoslavia had full back Milan Obradovic sent off near the end but by then their tournament was over. A second win for Portugal ensured that they too progressed from the group and the two qualifiers will meet head to head to decide the group winner.

mrsevans7177

Match 1 – South Korea v Tunisia

I decided to try out a formation with 2 wingers and the holding role (filled by the ever reliable Park) and at first all was well with the world. Lone front man Seol came close early on and then had a perfectly good goal disallowed after 18 minutes. After that, things started to go downhill, with the resulting free kick being sent up the other end for Zitouni to score. That proved to be the Tunisians last shot on goal as we pressed and pressed at the oppositions goal, with Park, Lee and Pyo all having fantastic strikes saved.

Both sides came out fro the second half in a defensive frame of mind and it showed in the quality of the match. It took a breath taking run from Captain Fantastic to break through the Tunisian defense, only for him to be brought down illegally by keeper Baba, who was given his marching orders moments later. A calm young Lee-Chun Soo converted the spot kick on 68 minutes and we were back in it, but despite heavy pressure, we had to settle for a point. Not a bad result, but it does mean we need a win from one of our last two games. And I don’t think it’ll come from France…

South Korea 1 – 1 Tunisia

Goals – Lee Chun Soo (68)

retired_sander

Italy Vs Belgium

A tricky opener against a somewhat underrated European team saw a edgy start and a dubious tactics empoyed by the new manager Keith Stuart.

The first half was nervy and dull really. Heck it took Belgium scoring first through Emile Mpenza to get the team fired up.

Andrea Pirlo managed an equaliser from the spot after Erwin Lemmens had brought down Cassano and gotten sent off.

Stefano Fiore scored the winner late on in a game we never really deserved to win.

Next up Italy Vs the USSR sorry Russia