<p>^ MOTM for sure. </p>
<p>I felt so sorry for the Russian goalie that I started rooting for the Russians.</p>
<p>Timmmmm! 
</p>
<p>Watching Holland-Australia. Aussies are playing very well. Just have to point out one of the worst plays I’ve ever seen: #6 de Jong with ball heading backwards toward his own goal, looks up and then hits the ball directly to the Aussie coming up the middle for a breakaway. And then of course de Jong fell down to act like he was fouled. Just horrible. On van Persie’s goal, the Aussie defender made a basic mistake: if he’d simply stepped up field away from the goal, it would have made Robbie offside and no goal. </p>
<p>As for the US, I don’t pay much attention to the individual US players because they aren’t stars. A few are accomplished players - like Altidore - but most are for US soccer fanatics not for international soccer fans. I count myself as an international fan. I watch the top Euro leagues - mostly the EPL, but I now get all these channels that show the Spanish, Italian and German leagues (and sometimes even games from Turkey and Russia!). I mostly watch the Champions League and individual matches between top teams, not the everyday game. (Though with the Red Sox owners also owning Liverpool, we get all those matches all the time.)</p>
<p>What US soccer needs is a superstar like Messi or Ronaldo to emerge. That would engage the masses. </p>
<p>coolweather: “This is the funniest game. I love seeing the Mexican player riding on the Brazilian player like riding on a camel. And many other funny situations. Everyone laughed.”</p>
<p>I have to find that photo online and copy it. His expression was priceless.</p>
<p>My son was in a similar situation when playing in a rugby tournament. The opponents was a US Army Rangers club and one Ranger was about 6" 3", 220 pounds. This big Ranger picked up a free ball and headed for the goal line with only my son left to beat. My son caught up to him from behind and, instead of tackling him by the legs, chose to jump up on the Ranger’s back. The two of them went about five feet before the Ranger collapsed and they fell to the turf. Later I asked my son if it was a legal play, and he said probably not.</p>
<p>Hard fought by Aussies and they came oh so close. 
</p>
<p>Spain not looking too good right now.</p>
<p>When the Ds used to play soccer, we used to get so frustrated with our defenders/keepers when they would kick the ball right to the middle, right in front of the goal, just serving it up perfectly for the opposing team to score. Just had a memory of that when the Spanish keeper punched a kick on goal right back into the center of play! As our D’s coach used to say in that scenario, “Merry Christmas!”</p>
<p>45 minutes to avoid a fate similar to France’s and Italy’s in previous WC. Everything is possible but not probable. What an open WC this is as you see Australia outplaying Holland for one hour, Mexico staying on the field with Brazil, Argentina playing poorly, and the US beat Ghana. </p>
<p>Spain, what’s happened? At least they are still good-looking.</p>
<p>It’s sad that the most entertaining thing about the Spain Chile game is the accents of the commentators. I could listen to these two the whole tourney.</p>
<p>In the last two WC, Spain scored eight goals. They might not have scored without an invented penalty. Slower legs, lack of ideas, and mostly lacking the extreme luck of the past years. </p>
<p>A fully fit Costa might have made the difference, but it remains that Spain has lacked a decent forward for years. Time for Spain to abandon this system and this generation. The good news is that their youth teams are very strong. </p>
<p>ADIOS SPANA!</p>
<p>With the way things go for Brazil, Spain and Portugal, I think all bets are off for the remaining matches.</p>
<p>I’m hoping Portugal gives up versus the US as Spain did against Chile. I only caught bits but Spain sucked. Portugal is down 4 goals in the tie-breaker so they are a longshot.</p>
<p>It really is incredible how three of the past four defending champs have failed to make it out of the group stage.</p>
<p>Heavy is the head that wears the crown.</p>
<p>In Italy’s defense, Pirlo played only about 30 minutes in 2010. Their offense moves through him.</p>
<p>Some of those Croation players look like the biggest jockeys I’ve ever seen.</p>
<p>How ironic that at midnight Spain lost his King Juan Carlos who abdicated in the midst of various scandals. Two reigns ending on the same day is a lot for a country reeling in an economic crisis. For many Spaniards the success of their football teams was the only lifting element in their life. Of course, the Champions League had two Madrid teams in the final in Lisbon. However, club football is mostly divisive and does not offer the unity of a national team. </p>
<p>Good for them that the summer is starting! </p>
<p>^ ^ ^ ^</p>
<p>Should be Croatian.</p>
<p>Wow, what an ugly red card. Wonder what brought that on…</p>
<p>Some of the media are calling it a red “for giving an elbow.”</p>
<p>I think not:</p>
<p><a href=“http://thebiglead.com/2014/06/18/2014-world-cup-alex-song-red-carded-for-punching-croatias-mario-mandzukic/”>http://thebiglead.com/2014/06/18/2014-world-cup-alex-song-red-carded-for-punching-croatias-mario-mandzukic/</a></p>
<p>Yeah… thuggish.</p>
<p>It’s the worst straight red card since Zidane’s headbutt in the 2006 final.</p>