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Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Let’s finish the job.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Let there be snark.

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

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I really should read my own blog.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

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You are here: Home / Sports / Germany v Algeria Round of 16 Open Thread

Germany v Algeria Round of 16 Open Thread

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Time for a little payback for Algeria 32 years in the making?

I lived in Germany for three years and my favorite dish remains Sauerbraten:

2 cups water
1 cup red wine
1 cup cider vinegar
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
10 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed (optional)
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 (4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup diced celery
8 gingersnap cookies, crushed

Heat water, red wine, cider vinegar, lemon, 1/2 onion, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, white sugar, salt, juniper berries, and peppercorns in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Allow marinade to cool and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add beef roast, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 3 days, turning the roast twice a day.
Place onions, carrots, and celery in a slow cooker. Remove roast from marinade and place atop vegetables. Strain marinade and pour 2 1/2 cups over roast; reserve remaining marinade.
Cover and cook roast on Low for 8 hours. Turn slow cooker off. Transfer roast to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Strain cooking liquid into a large bowl and return vegetables to slow cooker to rest.
Heat about 3 cups cooking liquid and gingersnaps in a saucepan over medium-high heat, adding reserved marinade as needed, until gravy is thickened, about 10 minutes.
Slice roast and serve with vegetables and gravy.

I’m not surprised that Algerian food, like Moroccan food has couscous as a staple. This one sounds great:

Saffron and Raisin Couscous with Fresh Mint

Ingredients

2 cups water
½ teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups couscous
¼ cup raisins
3 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
Procedure

In a saucepan, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil and add the saffron.
Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.
Return the pan to the heat, return to a boil, and mix in the olive oil, salt, couscous, and raisins.
Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.
Top with the fresh mint.
Makes 8 servings.

Reader Interactions

123Comments

  1. 1.

    SRW1

    Much of how this game goes probably depends on whether Germany take Algeria seriously enough. If they do, they should have enough to beat them. If they don’t, this could get interesting.

    ETA: Schweinsteiger for Khedira to strengthen the singing of the national anthem.

  4. 4.

    Anoniminous

    If “the Ukraine” should be called Ukraine shouldn’t Algeria be called Geria?

  5. 5.

    raven

    I’m starting to worry that watching every frickin game may be a bad idea. Another couple like the last two days and I may be kaput.

  6. 6.

    Alex S.

    Algeria’s score against West Germany 2:0, Algeria’s score against East Germany 0:3 (and a draw)

  12. 12.

    Amir Khalid

    Interestingly, this only the third competitive match ever between Germany and Algeria. Algeria won both the previous ones, including the match before die Schande von Gijon.

  15. 15.

    Gin & Tonic

    In other news, current reports out of Ukraine are that the government has declared martial law and an end to the (unilateral) cease-fire in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

  19. 19.

    Amir Khalid

    Germany has two Muslim players in its starting XI: Mesut Özil and Shkodran Mustafi. Özil has said he is skipping the fast during the World Cup, as he can choose to do. Algeria manager Vahid Halilhodzic was asked at the pre-match news conference which of his players weren’t fasting, and he (very rightly) told the reporter to mind his own business.

  22. 22.

    Amir Khalid

    Germany are not dominating Algeria as the form book would lead you to expect. And that Algeria goal that was ruled offside wasn’t offside by much.

  25. 25.

    Punchy

    Just wait until SCOTUS declares that futbol clubs can have a religion, and it’s a mortal sin for Germany to lose. Seems like that would ensure an immediate Big Dub for the Krauts.

  26. 26.

    Violet

    @Amir Khalid:

    Algeria manager Vahid Halilhodzic was asked at the pre-match news conference which of his players weren’t fasting, and he (very rightly) told the reporter to mind his own business.

    What? You mean players’ religious obligations and observances are their personal business? What kind of soshulist outfit is that?

  27. 27.

    SRW1

    Lahm and maybe Mertesacker are the only German players looking their usual self. The rest is phlegma. Might get punished.

    ETA: Oh, and Neuer might make for a better defender than Boateng.

  29. 29.

    mali muso

    Wow, Algeria looking energetic and dangerous. And they are the only African side left, so I guess I will have to cheer for them. Would be fascinating to see them play France. Talk about a grudge match…

  31. 31.

    Morfydd

    Götze, get off the field, with your “I’m only twelve, how could I foul anyone?” act…

  32. 32.

    Amir Khalid

    It’s crazy to have your goalkeeper play as a last-ditch outfield defender. Was ist los mit euch, Deutschland?

  33. 33.

    raven

    @mali muso: Ever see “Days of Glory” about Algerian infantry in the French Army in WWII? Interesting flick. A number of the Algerians stayed in France and, when Algeria gained independence, the fucking cheese eaters revoked their pensions.

  34. 34.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @mali muso:

    A lot of the Algerian players either grew up in France or have played there professionally. I’m not sure if the war is as much a motivating factor as is the German-Austrian World Cup conspiracy of 1982 is in this game.

  35. 35.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @⚽️ Martin:

    Weren’t people saying that about the Dutch in the first half of yesterday’s game?

    I’m thinking rope-a-dope.

  38. 38.

    Amir Khalid

    Algeria have been coming on strong. But you really don’t want them to run out of gas in the second half and concede a silly goal.

  40. 40.

    SRW1

    I guess the M’Bolhi has now made up for the rebound he had dropped invitingly in front of Mueller.

  42. 42.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @raven:

    Sure, but there are still a lot of Algerian ties to France, just as there are American ties to Blighty, African-American ties to Dixie, etc..

  47. 47.

    mali muso

    @raven: Yes, it was a really good film. My husband (Malian) watched it with me and had some strong reactions as Malian soldiers were also part of the fighting for France and veterans treated quite similarly.

  48. 48.

    Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)

    @raven:

    And an addendum before I go to work: Arguably the greatest French international player of all time, Zinedine Zidane, is of Algerian heritage.

  52. 52.

    Violet

    It looks miserable in Berlin. Fans look like they’re having fun, though.

    I’m in love with Steve McManaman’s accent.

  53. 53.

    Violet

    Apparently Suarez has apologized for biting the Italian player and has promised never to do it again.

  57. 57.

    Trollhattan

    O/T uh-oh.

    Three Israeli teenagers who were abducted earlier this month in the West Bank have been found dead.

    An Israeli military spokesman said their bodies were found in a pit near the town of Halhul, north of Hebron. Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Shaar, both aged 16, and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach were last seen at a junction near Hebron as they hitchhiked home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas was responsible, a claim the Palestinian militant group has denied.

    At the start of a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet, Mr Netanyahu said the three were “kidnapped and murdered in cold blood by animals” and promised: “Hamas will pay”.

    But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the AFP news agency that any action to punish the movement would “open the gates of hell”.

    –BBC

    The next chapter won’t go well.

  63. 63.

    catclub

    By “never do it again” he means won’t bite that particular player again.

    In a World Cup Final group stage match. In Brazil.

  65. 65.

    Roger Moore

    @raven:
    But it could have been random criminals. If Hamas were responsible, I would have expected them to take the kids hostage and very publicly use them for political leverage, not kill them and dump the bodies.

  68. 68.

    japa21

    @Roger Moore: Bibi would tell you that Hamas is sneaky enough to do this because they would expect you to expect them to do what you said Therefore, since they didn’t do what you would expect them to do, they must be responsible.

  73. 73.

    Amir Khalid

    Algeria have done everything today except put the round thing inside the rectangular thing.

  75. 75.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    @Amir Khalid: I am hoping they will and soon. I am not really a huge fan of the Germans (I was living there when they won in 1990).

  76. 76.

    Amir Khalid

    It might come down to who has the good luck to finally put the round thing where it needs to go.

  78. 78.

    SRW1

    That prostration by Mueller in the execution of the free kick certainly was a novelty.

    ETA: Maybe he wanted to persuade the Algerians that it was prayer time?

  84. 84.

    Anoniminous

    @Anoniminous:

    Never mind:

    If a match is tied after 90 minutes, the two teams will play 30 minutes of extra time, separated into two 15-minute periods. In both periods, stoppage time will be calculated and added on, just like it is during the first and second halves. If the two teams are still tied after those 30 minutes, the tie will be settled by penalty kicks.

  86. 86.

    SRW1

    Of course, it had to be a misskicked ball that finally makes it past M’Bolhi. The normal stuff wouldn’t do.

  91. 91.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    @beltane: Well, if Algeria can’t win this game, I hope they run the Germans into the ground and leave them wiped out for Friday’s game against France.

  92. 92.

    Amir Khalid

    Even if Algeria lose today, nobody’s going to say they didn’t do themselves proud.

  94. 94.

    Mike E

    That was no miss-kick but an adroit “hockey” deflection. Nice presence of mind to get a heel on a ball that was behind him.

  95. 95.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    OT: Torrential downpours here; I think I’ll take out the garbage later.

  96. 96.

    pete

    @Amir Khalid: Algeria is clearly suffering from insufficient supplications to the almighty. Bribes might have been useful. Fasting, however, would be de trop under the circumstances.

  97. 97.

    burnspbesq

    Come on everybody
    Do the latest dance
    In Germany they call it
    the Survive and Advance

  99. 99.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    @Amir Khalid: Dude, if you are holding back from allowing Algeria to score a couple of goals to avoid allegations of favoritism on religious grounds, I will be most disappointed. If you are trying to raise the dramatic tension, well done.

  100. 100.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    I haven’t been able to watch this game but the stats make it look like Germany has dominated but just wasn’t able to score. Is that an accurate assessment?

  102. 102.

    Violet

    Aww…poor Algeria. They deserved much better than the result will indicate. Fought hard for sure.

  104. 104.

    burnspbesq

    Another match with a back-story from 1982 coming up. Where is Patrick Battiston?

  107. 107.

    Amir Khalid

    And one goal apiece, late in extra time. How’s that for raising dramatic tension?

  109. 109.

    Violet

    @Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): I’m not very knowledgeable but Algeria really fought hard and had a lot of opportunities but just didn’t get the goal. Germany didn’t play all that well at times, but did better toward the end.

  112. 112.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)

    @Amir Khalid: Well, I was really looking for some commentary on the parts I couldn’t tell just looking at the score.

  116. 116.

    Morfydd

    Goddammit, I hit pause on the live feed during the news break and it never caught up to you guys…

  118. 118.

    burnspbesq

    Anyone caught drinking a Stella Artois over the next 24 hours will be hanged. You’ve been warned.

  119. 119.

    Schlemizel

    @Anoniminous:
    The reason people are sensitive to “the Ukraine” is because Russia refused to recognize Ukraine as a country and instead refered to the as merely a province of Russia, the Ukraine. If the US took over Canada and pretended it was always just part of the nation and refered to it as “the Canada” they might be a bit particular about it also.

  122. 122.

    Ruth the Truth

    Sauerbraten, potato pancakes, sweet-kraut, and apple sause on the side with a pint of Löwenbräu to wash it all down. *belch*

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