Another day with some great games to look forward to, even if the results aren’t likely to shake up the rankings.
First at 10 (Eastern), it’s Australia v Peru. Neither team is going on, so I guess it’s for bragging rights.
Simultaneously, it’s France v Denmark. Both are going on, and I expect France to win.
Then in the afternoon at 2, we have Nigeria v Argentina. I’m rooting for the Super Eagles, but expect that Argentina will win or at least won’t relent without a hard battle. Should be an exciting match and if it’s a hot day, expect Nigeria to win!
And also at the same time we have Iceland v Croatia. Given their success so far, I expect Croatia to dominate, but I’m rooting for Iceland! They are both quite formidable teams and it should be great to watch.
Enjoy the matches today, everybody. I think AL is back tomorrow on the World Cup beat but if not, I’ll jump in gladly.
I must confess that tomorrow will the AWESOME – all four matches will be great, with Switzerland, Brazil and Serbia in the running. I’m pulling for the Swiss (of course), and I’m rooting for Brazil so that, hopefully, we get Switzerland v Mexico. What a match that would be, though I fear El Tri would push out my mighty Swiss.
Platonailedit
I too am rooting for Nigerians. Come on Musa.
raven
And, of course, I have meeting tomorrow.
Tony Jay
Australia v Peru. Not quite. If the Aussies beat Peru and France beats Denmark then it will come down to goal difference between Australia and the Danes. Currently Denmark is on +1 while Australia is on -1. A 1-0 win for Australia would be enough if France put the Danes away 2-0. That’s certainly not an impossible ask. France hasn’t really turned it on yet (true of most of the ‘big’ teams) but they’ve got class to burn and a lot of goals in them. The questions are can Denmark hold out and can Australia score? Saying all that Peru will probably play their best game and do to Australia what they did to Scotland back in 1978, which left the 5 1/2 year old Tony Jay broken hearted (I loved the Scottish kit and even then was a sucker for an underdog).
This evening’s games are super tasty. Argentina have been pants this tournament and deserve a swift exit, but you never can tell. Maybe they’ll switch their system and Messi will turn up, or they’ll kick the crap out of Nigeria’s young team and pinch a gruesome 1-0 with a dodgy penalty. Anything is possible, up to and including both of them going out if Iceland somehow put a couple of unanswered goals past the already qualified Croatia. Unlikely, but that’s not to say it couldn’t happen if Croatia rest a lot of their first team. OTOH, by this evening Croatia will know if something bizarre has happened in Group C and France have dropped to 2nd after being beaten by the Danes. Then they’ll definitely rest players in advance of meeting the French. Hell, they could deliberately ship a bucketful of goals against Iceland and hope Nigeria do Argentina so they drop to 2nd and face Denmark or Australia next. They won’t, but they could.
No prognostications, I’m just going to enjoy the football.
Schlemazel
When I read that some Serbian fans wore shirts with Ratko Mladić’s face on it & the Serbian coach claimed calls that did not go his way to be “war crimes” and needed to be brought before the Hague My only wish was for a meteor to hit whatever hotel their side is staying in. Meanwhile FIFA finde a couple of Swiss players who are refugees from the murderous Ratko for daring to use a hand sign supporting Kosovo
deadspin.com/fifa-will-investigate-two-switzerland-players-for-contr-1827080111
DanF
FYI – Site is still suxored for iPad viewing.
berliner2
Here’s a tentative list of the countries of origin of the parents of the current Swiss players: Bosnia, Cameroon, Capverde, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Macedonia, Nigeria, Kosovo, and Switzerland. World Cup indeed.
Marcelo Teson
El Tri. And if my home country Argentina can’t move on (and in fairness they don’t deserve to) I hope the Mexicans go all the way. Just for geopolitical meta-narratives.
Barbara
@Schlemazel: My grandfather was Serbian. Serbia (not Germany) was the genesis of the irredentist movement, which is to say, “everyone who speaks the same language I do should be part of the same country even if their religion and their way of life are different and they don’t want to be (sorry Croatia, I am sure you’ll like it once you get used to it).” It’s like an ulcer that does not heal, but flares up with greater and lesser provocations. The last 20 years have been humiliating, and even as most Serbians are trying to make peace with the new Europe that will not requite their nationalist passion, the resort to nationalist anger is so instinctive they can’t help it, even when it is patently ridiculous.
Alain the site fixer
Thanks for the correction, I fixed it. It was late when I wrote this last night, sorry for this and any other errors.
Alain the site fixer
@DanF: really? It’s fine for me on mine right now but I’m logged in. Let me finish something and then I’ll log out and test.
Platonailedit
@berliner2: You wanna take a shot at the parentage of american team players?
Sergio Lopez-Luna
I root for ones that speak Spanish. And Brazil, of course Brazil!
Tony Jay
And we’re off!
Platonailedit
Peru scores. Their first in this WC.
Alain the site fixer
It’s not as fun listening to the match on the the radio, but Allez Les Bleus!
SRW1
@Platonailedit:
Spoilsports!
Currants
Any live feeds that are free?
burnspbesq
Slightly OT: US Soccer announces a series of six fall friendlies: Brazil in East Rutherford and Mexico in Nashville in September, two more at home in October (officially TBA, but rumored to be Argentina and Colombia), and away to England and Italy in November.
Wonder if we’ll have a manager by then.
Alain the site fixer
@DanF: mobile site on iPad is indeed screwy. Now I see it, I’ll see what I can do.
Alain the site fixer
@Currants: your local Fox station
Alain the site fixer
Good job Peru, sorry France. They looke tired. Ok, two hours until excitiment!
Steeplejack
@Currants:
FoxSports.com streams the games. Dunno if it checks to see if you are a cable subscriber.
Onkel Fritze
Denmark – France. What a stinker.
Barbara
@Onkel Fritze: They were happy to tie.
Currants
@Alain the site fixer: thanks—there don’t appear to be any free ones around here.
HumboldtBlue
Goddamn Supreme Court and their goddamn shitty rulings! I missed it all. Poor Nigeria, so damn close.
Alain the site fixer
@HumboldtBlue: Yeah I thought they were onto something. It was an exciting match nonetheless.