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You are here: Home / Sports / Japan v Paraguay Open Thread

Reader Interactions

32Comments

  1. 1.

    valdivia

    Come on Paraguay. We need another latin country to the semis. Also. Too. If Paraguay wins and has to face Spain it will be like a total replay of the War of the Triple Alliance (well not really but kinda)

  3. 3.

    Face

    Can the Blue Samurai keep their amazing run going?

    Sounds like something you’d ask a Suzuki mechanic.

  4. 4.

    peach flavored shampoo

    @Punchy: If I’m a guay, and Uruguay, does that make a Paraguay?

    Sorry, couldn’t resist.

    Time for the Japanese to be crushed by the almighty boot of Ricky Vera.

  5. 5.

    cmorenc

    I’m among those for whom the playing of the national anthem before sporting events is merely a pleasant formality.

    However, surprisingly the dual playing of national anthems of the respective competitors in WC has been one of the more delightfully colorful parts of each WC game. It’s the moment when you can see the genuine pride of each player on each team for the honor of representing their country, the moment they bathe in the warmth of their fellow countryfolk in the stands and back home.

    It’s at moments like this that I wish that our own national anthem was “America the Beautiful”, which has a far more melodiously pleasing, resonantly beautiful sound and words than “Star Spangled Banner”, which sounds like something a third-rate songwriter might have come up with for a third-rate patriotic musical. Ever hear the late Ray Charles sing “O Beautiful, for Spacious Skies…”…it just brings tears to the eyes with pride and vision of what we’d like this country to represent.

  6. 6.

    Leeds man

    Now that Serbia, Slovakia and Switzerland are out, Paraguay is the only landlocked country left in the Cup. Go, you coastless bastards!

  8. 8.

    handsmile

    @ cmorenc

    Thanks for posting on the topic of the playing of national anthems before each match. It’s pleasing to know someone else is moved by that aspect of the tournament.

    While I determinedly strive to avoid the pre-match palaver, I turn my attention to the broadcasts about ten minutes before kickoff to hear the anthems played for the very reasons you so well described. One of the most indelible images of this World Cup for me was the tears streaming down the face of North Korean midfielder Tae-Se Jong before his first match. That moment punctured the lazy stereotypes that marred so much of the commentary of the North Korean matches.

  10. 10.

    peach flavored shampoo

    This match has all the excitement of my dog vomiting inside one of my shoes last week.

  11. 11.

    handsmile

    @ Randy Paul

    Well-played, sir!!

    (But christ, now I have to wipe the coffee from the screen.)

  13. 13.

    Punchy

    Somewhere, there’s a truckload of Danes thinking,”we gave these idiots THREE goals in our last game? WTF!”

  14. 14.

    Randy Paul

    I need someone’s help here. Either live or via DVR, I have watched all 54 games thus far in their entirety. Should this be the one that I delete without watching?

  16. 16.

    Peter J

    If Paraguay wins, then either Spain or Portugal should not have any kind of trouble defeating them.

    It looked like there actually might be a chance for the top four teams to all be South American, but while Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay absolutely looks like they are going to advance, Paraguay doesn’t.

    (Four times have the final four teams all been from Europe, five times have two of the final four teams been from South America, Asia and North America have both had a final four team once.)

  17. 17.

    The Gimp

    It really hasn’t been an ugly game. The defense has just been fairly solid and the goalkeeping has been great.

  19. 19.

    That's Master of Accountancy to You, Pal

    @You Don’t Say:

    I’m bored. Is that wrong?

    Yes, that is wrong. You are not bored. You may think that you’re bored, but that is merely a misperception on your part. You are, in fact, extremely excited at the idea of settling a baseball game by playing home run derby soccer game by just shooting the ball.

  22. 22.

    KG

    @You Don’t Say: it’s best of five, then sudden death on the shoot out. And Paraguay wins, 5-3.

    Edited to explain: best of five not the best way. Both sides get five kicks. You miss one, as Japan did, you’re pretty much screwed

  23. 23.

    You Don't Say

    I always feel too bad for the Bill Buckners to revel too much in wins like this.

  25. 25.

    danimal

    Are PKs the best gimmick we’ve come up with to determine a victor? I propose that teams play 5 on 5 if there is no victor after extra time. That way, skill and teamwork are still a factor in determining a victor, rather than lucky goaltending dives in the right direction. With so few players, the field would open up and goals will be scored.

  26. 26.

    Ailuridae

    Paraguay and Japan have played 5 hours of soccer against each other in the last 15 or so months. Combined score not including penalty kicks? Yep. 0-0.

  27. 27.

    Paula

    Oooooh, I DVR’d this — kind of looking forward, except that I already know what happens and PKs are a total let down. I like they way hockey ends ties.

    I kind of want them to end the practice of bringing children out. They look like they’re the last line of defense keeping the players from killing each other before they get on the field.

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