<p>Agree with ilovedcollege. My son’s coach used to say “the most difficult position on the field was goalie’s MOM”.</p>
<p>We went to dinner and saw the replay THREE times. Poor guy, I hope he can do something awesome later in the tournament to redeem himself. Of course, I hope he does that when he is NOT playing the USA!</p>
<p>Agree on the horns…nasty sound… almost as annoying as the Mexican noise-makers.</p>
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<p>The only way they play again is in the final, so that would work out pretty well for all involved, lol.</p>
<p>My husband, daughter, and I watched the game at a bar with a large and enthusiastic crowd-lots of former and current soccer players and their families. My daughter’s summer boss (a longtime soccer dad) was throwing the party. I am not much of a sports fan. (While I have always attended my daughter’s games, she has gently teased me about how unvocal,if that’s a word,I am as a fan.) We had a great time, and it was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement. My daughter was feeling some envy as she looked at that packed stadium-she knows three soccer players from her college who are in South Africa for the tournament-two who it sounds like planned their junior semester abroad with the World Cup in mind and one whose family was taking their first vacation in the boy’s memory.
(And my husband concurs with an earlier poster-it may not have been pretty, but a goal’s a goal. He also said something about the English coach having issues with the usual starting goalkeeper and benching him this game-much to his chagrin now, I’m sure.)</p>
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<p>Seaman let in that goal in the 2002 World Cup on that disastrous Brazilian free kick. So he had his problems as well.</p>
<p>soozievt I was in Europe during the Euro 2008 tournament. Every city I went to had huge screens set up in various plazas, and the plazas were packed. It was a great atmosphere.</p>
<p>This is the paper The Sun ran after the group draw in December:
<a href=“http://cdn.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/the-sun-world-cup-2010.jpg[/url]”>http://cdn.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/the-sun-world-cup-2010.jpg</a></p>
<p>says that Algeria, Slovenia, and the Yanks are the best English group since the Beatles.</p>
<p>This is the paper they ran today, making fun of US soccer:
<a href=“http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Jun/Week2/15648040.jpg[/url]”>http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Jun/Week2/15648040.jpg</a></p>
<p>Also… just for kicks:
England coach gets 18x the salary of the US coach ($9M to $500k)</p>
<p>If we end up doing better than England I will forever call the WC the Soccerball World Series. And Clint Dempsey sure did shoot a totally awesome strike past goaltender Green.</p>
<p>As a valley girl, I resent The Sun for stealing my vernacular. Though I still hope for some totally awesome results for the USA in their next games.</p>
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<p>One mistake on a mis_hit, floating free kick does not make him a bad goalie.</p>
<p>And on to today-----gotta love a hand ball in the box with 3 minutes left in the game!!! Not the goalies fault this time…the kicker always has the upper hand (foot!) in a direct kick. Hooray for Ghana…they are in the home continent!!</p>
<p>I’m really happy for Ghana. First African win in African soil is awesome</p>
<p>The first game was boring, the second, really nice! Ghana plays really well, but I still wish Essien could have played.</p>
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<p>Redemption would be nice for the player. Unfortunately, IF the coach stays with him, the keeper has put that coach’s WHOLE career on the line. Because if he doesn’t come through, that coach is absolutely and forever toast in Great Britain. That’s a very tough situation for coach and player alike.</p>
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<p>I was also glad to see Ghana (or any African nation) do well in this tournament. These breakthrough games mean so much to a nation and give hope to millions of kids of developing programs. </p>
<p>That said, it was disappointing to see grown men in FIFA yellow vests celebrating with the Ghana players. The dancing and pats on the back are fine for the pubs but reflect poorly on FIFA organizers and the host nation. It will be interesting to see what the press makes of it. My guess is they get a pass. Yet if that had happened in a European host country it would not be overlooked.</p>
<p>^Yes, but it’s understandable in this instance why those FIFA organizers would do that. I don’t think it reflects poorly on the host nation at all. The magnitude of this event and the fact that it’s a first makes up for that IMO. </p>
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Is Europe hosting its first ever World Cup?</p>
<p>World Cup organizers considering banning vuvuzelas after scores of complaints from players, broadcasters and fans. Hallelujah!</p>
<p>[2010</a> FIFA World Cup: Vuvuzelas: Local Color or the Curse of the Cup? | Bleacher Report](<a href=“2010 FIFA World Cup: Vuvuzelas: Local Color or the Curse of the Cup? | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report”>2010 FIFA World Cup: Vuvuzelas: Local Color or the Curse of the Cup? | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report)</p>
<p>^If the vuvuzelas are hindering communication on the field, then they should be banned, but I don’t think they’ve been that distracting</p>
<p>2 real “Soccer made in Germany” goals today.</p>
<p>I hope Australia can come up with something in the second half.</p>
<p>I believe the ones in the FIFA vests were the Ghanian substitute players, not FIFA officials. When the teams march out before each game the starters go out first, then the others on the team wearing the vests.</p>
<p>Good to see officials giving yellow cards for dives, Cahill should not have gotten a red card though, that will be the tournament for him…</p>
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<p>No, he’s one of the most respected coaches in the world. The only thing that a poor result in the tournament might cost him is his current job. Almost any club in England would take him if they could, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would be more than thrilled if they could hire him.</p>
<p>And he wouldn’t even need to consider offers in Great Britain.</p>
<p>Germany really looked good.</p>
<p>Rachacha, you are correct. Those were bench players.</p>
<p>Capello has made it clear for a while that he is not coaching England after this WC.
Many fans in England don’t like him anyway.</p>
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