World Cup 2010 Blog: “LiveBlog: South Korea vs Greece” plus 9 more |  |
- LiveBlog: South Korea vs Greece
- Preview: Argentina v Nigeria
- South Africa World Cup Diary – June 11
- Soundoff: What’s Your England vs USA Prediction?
- The World Cup Awards: June 11th, 2010.
- Comedy Central’s USA vs England Preview
- Daily Dose: June 11th, 2010 – I Recognize That Site…
- Preview: South Korea v. Greece
- Match Review & Highlights: Uruguay 0 – France 0.
- LiveBlog: Uruguay v. France
| LiveBlog: South Korea vs Greece Posted: 12 Jun 2010 03:43 AM PDT Welcome to the WorldCupBlog liveblog of South Korea vs Greece in World Cup Group B. Make your comments before, during and after the match in the liveblog window. Below the main liveblog are videos of the goals so far, and then a feed of trusted Twitter accounts either broadcasting from the match or talking about it. Read up on the match with our South Korea v. Greece preview, and on the South Korea and Greece team blogs.
Goal videos (when we have them) – Don’t just take our word on the match. Check out match comments from Twitter accounts that we’ve carefully selected for our South Korea v. Greece list: FAN RESOURCES
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| Posted: 12 Jun 2010 01:57 AM PDT
BIG PICTURE There is a man. He’s no bigger than a fifth grader, with a haircut to match, and the only thing discerning him from the mascot children is the occasional stubble he rocks when feeling a bit frisky. He drinks mate, wears jeans and a t-shirt as formal wear and is hoping to carve out a quiet little life with his hometown sweetheart. He also happens to be the best athlete on the planet – and he’s playing. The Saturday hype resides in rivalries renewed and media attention in careers refreshed, but this tournament is defined by what the world’s best footballers can do with that little round ball – they don’t award trophies for media hype. Lionel Messi can do it better than all, and after a season which has seen his stunningly young career earn comparisons to Pele, Maradona and Cruijff, he will step on a World Cup pitch tomorrow, the greatest stage and the sports greatest player in synergy. For some the battle of the English language will reign supreme, but for many others, this is Messi’s day. WHAT’S AT STAKE For Argentina, though Messi may stand above for the fans, Diego Maradona’s spotlight will pale only slightly. The playing legend and coaching punchline, they are expected to win and if they don’t he will feel the brunt of the media’s blame. This is Argentina’s chance to prove their worth as a superpower either with, hopefully, or despite their coach. KEY MATCHUP The problem with Messi is that he requires such commitment it leaves others around him with a bit more freedom and thus opportunity – becoming the world’s most dangerous decoy at times. So while Lars & Nigeria’s defense know Lionel will be a headache, it’s just as easy to forget Diego Milito and Gonzalo Higuain are phenomenal world class strikers due immense respect. So the matchup is within Nigeria itself – containing Messi while not over-containing and leaving themselves vulnerable elsewhere. If they can defend solidly, they have a chance. OUR PREDICTION Though you want to favor the African teams, Argentina, despite Diego, is too strong and will likely cruise, though not quite S&M ‘06 cruise. A nice, solid 2-0 victory with Leo Messi oohing and aahing from time to time, but largely attracting swaths of defenders and opening up space for his friends. But he’ll still get a goal. Because he’s Messi. FAN RESOURCES
WATCH THE MATCH
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| South Africa World Cup Diary – June 11 Posted: 11 Jun 2010 10:50 PM PDT Since I arrived in Durban, I was a little surprised at the number of football fans I’d seen. Or rather, hadn’t seen. I remembered from Germany ‘06, large groups of fans walking the streets in their jerseys and making noise day and night, but I hadn’t seen much of that in Durban. Add that to the last minute construction and clean up that was being done in the Fan Fest area and I was beginning to think that beyond the (amazing) stadium, Durban wasn’t really that into the World Cup. Today, the first day of the 2010 World Cup started out quietly as well, but slowly built up as the day went on…
…and then this happened! For more video from the World Cup in South Africa, visit video.worldcupblog.org, and don’t forget the daily photos.
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| Soundoff: What’s Your England vs USA Prediction? Posted: 11 Jun 2010 09:00 PM PDT
“For the last six months all we’ve seen is U.S.-England,” Landon Donovan said Wednesday. “And so, if you were a casual sports fan at home, you might think that this was the World Cup final, U.S. vs. England.” Landon Donovan is right. USA vs England has been hyped. Over-hyped. Hyper-hyped. We’re guilty here on World Cup Blog. Sue us. We’re looking forward to the game. But now the hype is nearly over and the game is almost here. So I have just one question for you. What’s your prediction? I’m saying 2-1 to England with a scrappy performance that will give the US plenty of hope. Goals from Rooney and Lampard for England, and Clint Dempsey with the US goal. Share your USA vs England prediction in the comments.
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| The World Cup Awards: June 11th, 2010. Posted: 11 Jun 2010 08:13 PM PDT
They’re back, with no set standards and humble beginning before evolving into an indiscernible mangled wreckage of football fever by the time the trophy is hoisted. By Italy. Again. Probably not. Golden Ball of the Day (sponsored by David Beckham): We’ve come to expect a number of things from out referees, last of which is decent officiating. Sure they’re human, but they’re often some varying degree of rubbish, making us wish for video technology and spy cameras and our mommies. When Ravshan Irvmatov and his linesman made not only the right call, but the difficult right call without the benefit of replay, jaws dropped the world over in sheer disbelief. We’re used to cursing and epithets for our referees, but never praise. Should we ask if the whistle blows on the other end of the pitch? Probably not. Silver Ball of the Day: One: the talk of the woodwork heading in was the Jabulani and its impact on the sanity of World Cup goalkeeper. Two (or one again): the prevalent stereotype is that African keepers are by and large mediocre at best, which is polite speak for “you suck”. Therefore some rudimentary maths, those of the 1+1 variety, tell us South African keeper Itumeleng Khune was doomed. Math lies. Bronze Ball of the Day: Oscar Tabarez. It takes one bronze ball to announce your lineup two days in advance and another to stick with it; it takes a bronzed brain – I can’t imagine that to be a particularly good thing but we’ll run with it – to still tactically outwit your opponents, a finalist four years ago, for 90+ minutes. (Ignoring his counterpart for a second.) Honorable Mention: Giovani dos Santos. Looked a bit like a young Ronaldinho at times against South Africa. Looked a bit like the old Ronaldinho a couple years back. At least he’s evolving in the right direction. Fan of the Day: As ever, we're asking the eternal questions. Is it rude to take your rooster out at a football game? Comment below.
Last but not least…
The fine people who brought you Euro2008Girls.net are back at it again.
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| Comedy Central’s USA vs England Preview Posted: 11 Jun 2010 06:00 PM PDT
Both shows basically went with a stereotype, and amped it up to the max. Which I think still counts as satire. The Daily Show sent “correspondent” John Oliver to the USA’s pre World Cup training camp to play the faux-arrogant Englishman convinced that the USA is “the clown college of football”. Watch below: Following the The Daily Show, Stephen Colbert continued Comedy Central’s World Cup coverage on The Colbert Report, basically taking the role of the reactionary, soccer-hating American and amping it up to the max. Despite the (feigned?) ignorance, Colbert does come up with a workable plan for the USA to beat England. World Cup segment starts about 2 minutes and 45 seconds in:
Good stuff. On the surface it’s massively insulting to both the US national team and the sport of soccer as a whole, but think on it a little and it’s just two satirical caricatures of two aspects of the two different teams. Plus it’s funny. For some far less entertaining, but arguably more useful information about tomorrow’s England vs USA game, have a read of our USA vs England preview and listen to our USA vs England podcast. Find even more at USA World Cup Blog and England World Cup Blog.
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| Daily Dose: June 11th, 2010 – I Recognize That Site… Posted: 11 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT
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| Preview: South Korea v. Greece Posted: 11 Jun 2010 04:02 PM PDT
THE BIG PICTURE It’s not surprising that both these sides are rank outsiders in South Africa, with Greece being the only European team in World Cup history not to score one goal at tournament stage. Let’s not forget though, that South Korea were 100/1 to win the 2002 tournament and a lot of bookies would have been sweating with fear throughout their unfortunate semi final defeat to Germany. Greece are no strangers to surprise either, shocking the footballing world by winning the European Championships in 2004. South Korea captain Park Ji-Sung has recovered from a hamstring injury in time to play, but Greek defender Vangelis Moras has not been so lucky and will be sidelined for the tie. WHAT'S AT STAKE OUR PREDICTION Prediction – There will undoubtedly be a lot of nerves floating around both camps and the work ethic of the Koreans is sure to unsettle a Greek side who will be all too aware of their world cup history. I can see them getting their first ever tournament goal, but ultimately think South Korea will have just enough to pip the opening group game 2-1. FAN RESOURCES
WATCH THE MATCH
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| Match Review & Highlights: Uruguay 0 – France 0. Posted: 11 Jun 2010 02:48 PM PDT
Please don’t take “highlights” at face value – there were very few, if any, to be honest. It was a very boring, very frustrating ninety minutes of football blueprinted by Oscar Tabarez and his stifling crew of Uruguayan defenders and defensive-minded midfielders. France spent the game dominating the ball going forward, but looking for space which simply wasn't there. Simply a great defensive performance, something which seems to come along quite often during World Cup games – 'tis the tournament of conservative tactics, after all. Despite their numbers in the back, Uruguay had two fairly good chances, both coming off the boot of Diego Forlan, who was already thinking about taking his shirt off, thus putting the cart before the horse. And goal. The first chance was a lovely little 1-2 and simple cut inside, the type of thing which great players do ever so simply, and peppered it off the Jabulani-fearing hands of Hugo Lloris. His second came on the other side of the half – not much to report in between – when he found himself all alone with a silver platter ball 15 yards and dead center from net. That one, unfortunately, didn’t even make the goal frame. There were a number of other half chances, but it was well and truly a story of Uruguay’s defense and France’s inability to formulate any ideas which would create the space the South Americans were closing down so effectively. Like any good World Cup match, however, it wasn’t without drama. Nicolas Lodeiro, one of the brightest youngsters in the game and a star in Uruguay’s qualifying campaign, came on in the 63rd and saw his second yellow in the 81st for going into a tackle on Bakary Sagna with the accuracy of buckshot. A red ensued and the tears flowed as he walked off the pitch, due a letter from FIFA with a suspension attached. The last good chance was a handball that never even happened. The ball bounced up and hit Maurzio Victorino in the stomach yards from the goal mouth, and French players protested. First to raise his hand after shooting? A Mr. Thierry Henry – very much a stickler for the rules. (1min into the highlights.) [101gg] Man of the Match: Oscar Tabarez. The tactics worked, and it didn’t even matter that he announced his team days in advance. France and Raymond Domenech, a superior team, simply had no answers for ninety minutes.
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| Posted: 11 Jun 2010 10:00 AM PDT
Welcome to the WorldCupBlog liveblog of Uruguay v. France in World Cup Group A. Make your comments before, during and after the match in the liveblog window. We will add videos of the goals when they come in, and a feed of trusted Twitter accounts either broadcasting from the match or talking about it is available at the bottom of the page. Read up on the match with our Uruguay v. France preview.
Goal videos: (here when we have them) Don’t just take our word on the match. Check out match comments from Twitter accounts that we’ve carefully selected for our Uruguay v. France list:
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