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Actually no I don't want to see cote'd ivorie there, ghana.. I think that rather than 32 teams The world championship finals that are played every 4 years ( and yes i do live for them) but i get pissed off when teams that are world class turn in a bad performance against an also ran.. yes it is exciting isn't it when a country like tunisia who qualified on the last day is up 1-0 for the better part of a game playing defensive soccer taking yellow card after yelllow card giving up what was it 30 free kicks.. oh yes exciting riveting.. I just thank God the Spain came back to win 3-1
Top 16 teams in the world they play all 7 of the opponents then advance into the medal round

16 ( 7 games played by each team) team start ot 2 divisions A and B

Group A lets Say:
Brasil
Portugal
Sweden
France
Netherlands
Czech Republic
Italy
Russia

Group B:
Germany
England
Argentina
Ecuador
Poland
Ukraine
Switzerland
Spain

Each team plays 1 game against everyone else in thier group... you are saying that wouldn't be great soccer give your head a shake hester. fuck.

the top 4 teams from both groups advance to the final 8 quarterfinals A1 plays B4,A2 plays B3, b2 Plays A3 B 1 plays A4 the winners go on to the semis and then the finals ( just like hockey.. on the other side of the draw the 8 teams play too see which to bottom teams get regulated.. at the same time somewhere else the the world the Top two teams that win the Soccer Div 2 title advance to Div 1 for the next world cup.. or advance to playdowns for the next world cup. yues I understand soccer pretty well played it for enough years as well. Center half and as a back up goaler for probably 20 years i guess still play indoor...
So not an idiot... just someone whose tired of watching the beautiful game turned into rubbish. thats all.

   

So there would be no qualifying process? Would they hold the tournament yearly? There are currently 205 countries registered with FIFA - all 205 countries have a shot of making the World Cup final. If they went with what you are suggesting you would eliminate 90% of the world from having any hope of every competing in the World Cup. Would you like to see Canada play in the World Cup again? It wouldn't happen in your lifetime.

After the first 32 games, there have still only been 3 bad games - the two England games and Japan/Australia.

Long live the beautiful game.

   

Sweden 2-2 England

Paraguay 2-0 Trindad & Tobago

Sweden play Germany in the Last 16 and England, group winners, play Ecuador.

Final Group B Standings.

..................P...W...D...L...F...A...Pts
England........3....2...1....0...5...2....7
Sweden........3....1...2....0...3...2....5
Paraguay.......3....1...0....2...2...2....3
T&T.............3....0...1....2...0...4....1

England haven't beaten Swede since 1968, and we STILL couldn't beat them even when we were winning 2-1 in the very last minute of the game. I don't know why England can't be Sweden, but even winning against them in the last minute still isn't good enough!

But, that doesn't matter. England finish top of the group and are still unbeaten.

Joe Cole's fabulous goal to put England 1-0 ahead was THE goal of the tournament so far. Fantastic goal. And Sweden's equalising goal that made it 1-1 was the 2000th goal in World Cup history. I wanted England to score it. Instead, we conceded it.
----------------------------------------------------
Last 16 fixtures.

Sweden VS Germany

England VS Ecuador.

The winners go through to the Quarter Finals.

The other games to see who plays who have yet to be played.

   

Awh, hell... we'll beat you next time!
I'm glad that's over with. Sorry Germany, but that's as far as you'll go!!!
Go Sweden!!!

   

Well.. Don't be to hard on the posterboy and the rest... I'm shure they would have been team Sweden if they could.
But if you want, we could swap opposition in the next round. Whada you say ol' chap, Germany instead of Equador?

   

That goal by Larsson in the 90th minute was one of the craziest goals I've ever seen. At first it looked like the throw in and bounced twice and gone in. I can't believe that many people missed the ball - it could've been a Kids in the Hall skit.

And that free kick by Beckham which turned out to be an attempt on goal.... gotta like that too.

Four games in one day is a lot - somethings gotta give. It's time to call in sick.

   

Fiirst off if we don't belong going to the world cup finals then we won't see Canada there period. we play in probably the weakest division in the Wold ConCaf.For Canada to advance we would have to get by Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Honduras Trinidad Tobago... I can't see Canada doing that in my life time anyways.
It wouldn't eliminate 90% of the world as the top teams slip down to 15th and 16th in the world then they would be relegated to 2nd world division. The top two teams in second division would then advance. It could work...Secondly your too hard on England sure they weren't great efforts but they won the games just as Brasil did.. Australia/ japan was a great match.. the soccerroos are playing well but we shall see if they can get past Croatia...

The real great matches have featured Spain, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Argentina and the Netherlands
But the fact that either the Czechs or Italy may get knocked out by Ghana or France may get knocked out is beyond me..... One bad game and you lose out... Czechs Italy and France should be in the round of 16..... Poland lost 2 games you lose 2 yes you should be out. France Czechs and Italy have not lost 2 games combined France has 2 ties italy has 1 win 1 tie ( off an fking own goal.. in what had to be the worst game of the world cup)
Cechs have a win and a tie .. if the czechs lose to Italy tomorrow and Ghana beats the US then fine,, (which they will) how in the FK was the Weak ass american team that highly ranked.. still makes no sense


I think ecuador really deserves to be there they had two awesome games and then fielded thier seconds against germany. Had they had thier starters in it would have been more of a game.

   

Do you like the NHL where half the teams show up for the playoffs? I think we should do what you say, then we won't have to suffer through watching #8 teams like Edmonton play #1 teams like Detroit. If we did what you said, and only the top 10% went to the tournament, it would be Detroit vs Ottawa and we would be finished with the playoffs in mid April.

If you didn't like today's game between #32 Cote d'Ivoire and #44 Serbia and Montenegro then you really aren't a sportsman or a sports fan.

   

actually cote vs. serbia was a good game yes but it could be played at a world div 2 event to try and obtain a spot in the World 16.. so you would still see those games that are played...

NHL wise.. there are 30 teams if you want the regular season to actually mean something then yes have less playoff games.. I think it's stupid that game 7 for a cup final is in JUNE. If you had the top 6 per division qualify it makes those 4 games vs. teams like st.Louis and columbus mean somethin right now too many teams take too many nights off. The season should only be 68 games anyways.....
1 home 1 way vs each team in the league 58 games total the other 10 games are played against the teams in thier division. Then the regular season means something....

   

USA are OUT of the World Cup, losing against Ghana and finishing bottom of the group. Czech Republic are also out after losing against Italy. Italy and Ghana qualify for the next round.

It's looking very much like Ghana will play Brazil in the Second Round and Italy may play Australia, but that's not definite.
--------------------------------------------------------

Ghana 2-1 USA

Ghana reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time today, with a 2-1 defeat of the United States sealing their place in the last 16.

Haminu Draman opened the scoring for the Black Stars following a blunder by Claudio Reyna in the 22nd minute, before Clint Dempsey levelled the scores for in the 43rd.

A controversial penalty from Stephen Appiah just before the break proved decisive, as the USA failed to find a way back into the match.

Both coaches made three changes from the last match. With Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope suspended, Bruce Arena brought Eddie Lewis and Jimmy Conrad into the starting line-up, while DaMarcus Beasley took the midfield place of Reading's Bobby Convey.

Bans forced Ghana boss Ratomir Dujkovic to replace Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, who were on target in the memorable 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien picked up his second yellow card of the tournament after just five minutes and three minutes later he fired wide.

After Dempsey challenged with a header in the 17th, the Africans opened the scoring after a mistake from Reyna let Draman in. The striker deprived Manchester City's former Sunderland and Rangers midfielder off the ball and gently chipped it past ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Kasey Keller from 10 yards out on the left. Reyna appeared to be in serious pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, but he returned until the 40th minute when Ben Olsen took his place.

It was never going to be Reyna´s day, however, as Essien took advantage of another ill-fated midfield ball to send Razak Pimpong into the clear - only for the striker to fire inches wide.

The USA seized control in the following, with Landon Donovan dragging a shot wide and Ghana keeper Richard Kingson fisting away a dangerous free-kick from Lewis.

Dempsey then pulled one back for his country in the 43rd after Beasley had intercepted a pass in the attacking third. He chipped the ball over to the surging Dempsey, who hammered it home from 12 yards out.

Ghana restored their lead in the second minute of injury-time courtesy of a controversial penalty.

Oguchi Onyewu was penalised for holding Pimpong, and Appiah sent the spot-kick past Keller to give his troops a 2-1 half-time lead. The second half was marred by numerous injury breaks, and the first chance did not come until the 54th minute when a 25-yarder from Matthew Amoah was tipped around by Keller.

With Ghana waiting for counter-attack chances, the US increased the pressure with 25 minutes left.

Fulham's Brian McBride rattled the left post with a close-range header following a pinpoint cross from Leeds' Lewis from the left, Fulham's Carlos Bocanegra shot over, while Onyewu headed just wide. The Black Stars were seeking to run down the clock - and they almost scored a third goal after Essien found Alex Tachie-Mensah on a fast break, but the ball was diverted into safety.

Ghana then survived five minutes of injury-time to make history for the country, with a likely clash against world champions Brazil their likely reward in Dortmund next Tuesday.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Italy 2-0 Czech Republic


Italy comfortably beat 10-man Czech Republic to progress to the knock-out stages of the World Cup as Group E winners.

Former Everton defender Marco Materazzi gave the Azzurri a 25th-minute lead having only come on as a substitute eight minutes earlier before another replacement, Filippo Inzaghi, killed the game off four minutes from time.

The Czechs were forced to play with 10 men for the entire second half after Nuremberg midfielder Jan Polak was sent off for a second bookable offence.

It proved a hammer blow for Karel Bruckner's side, who did have their share of chances but were denied by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who made sure his team clinched three points.

After beating United States 3-0 in their opening fixture, the Czechs seemed certain to qualify from their group but they surprisingly lost their subsequent fixture against Ghana.

Italy, who should face Australia or Croatia next, are still unbeaten in the tournament and have almost certainly avoided holders Brazil in the second round.

The Czechs started the game with Aston Villa's Milan Baros up front. Baros, top scorer at Euro 2004, returned to play having missed the two opening games with a foot problem but he was lacking match fitness.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi surprisingly left out Serie A's top scorer Luca Toni and opted to play with trio Francesco Totti, Mauro Camoranesi and Alberto Gilardino up front.

The game began at a frenetic pace, with both teams determined to impose themselves on the game.

The Czechs should have taken an early lead with Pavel Nedved's dangerous cross from the left setting up Baros at the far post but his right-footed effort was cleared by Buffon.

The Juventus stopper was then forced to dive to his left to save Nedved's 30-yard strike.

Again Nedved warmed the hands of Buffon with a stinging drive which he managed to clear but only as far as Marek Jankulovski, whose close-range effort was cleared by the keeper.

With 17 minutes played, Lippi was forced to make his first substitution, with Materazzi replacing an injured Alessandro Nesta. Midway though the first half, goalkeeper Petr Cech was forced to come off his line to punch away a dangerous ball following Radoslav Kovac's poor clearance from Fabio Grosso's cross.

The Azzurri finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with Materazzi latching onto Francesco Totti's corner to nod the ball past Chelsea star Cech.

The Czechs pressed forward in search of an equaliser but mustered little before the break, with Karel Poborsky's effort from the distance going off-target.

On the stroke of half-time, Jan Polak was shown his second yellow card of the game after an unnecessary challenge on Totti. Midfielder Jiri Stajner replaced Poborsky after the re-start but it was the Azzurri who continued to dominate possession.

An unmarked Totti should have doubled his team's advantage three minutes later, but his weak effort proved easy for Cech. The keeper was then forced to palm away Totti's 30-yard strike towards the far post.

At the other end, Buffon saved Nedved's close-range effort after the Czech captain had successfully broken the Azzurri's defensive wall.

Italy put together a good move in reply, with Totti's free-kick finding Andrea Pirlo, whose first touch served Fabio Cannavaro at the far post but the captain's volley went high over the crossbar.

On the hour mark, Filippo Inzaghi came on in place of Gilardino as the Azzurri looked to kill the game off.

But Baros should have levelled the score but his header from Jankulovski's cross went into the stands.

At the other end, Camoranesi's header fizzed wide of Cech's far post.

Bruckner replaced Baros in the 64th minute with midfielder David Jarolim, leaving Stajner as their only man up front.

Inzaghi wasted a golden chance to make it 2-0 after a defensive blunder by the Czechs but the AC Milan forward failed to beat Cech with his touch going towards the far post.

It could have prove costly had Buffon not made a spectacular save from Nedved's formidable volley.

Simone Barone entered the pitch in place of a tired Camoranesi as Lippi attempted to reinforce his midfield with the Czechs looking more dangerous.

With 10 minutes remaining, Totti should have put the game beyond their opposition's reach but he failed to surprise Cech with a weak shot.

Inzaghi's weak header from Pirlo's cross then went inches wide of the far post.

The striker made amends shortly afterwards, with Simone Perrotta's pass slicing the Czech defence wide open and allowing Inzaghi to take the ball around Cech before securing victory.

Link


Group E final standings

............P...W...D...L...F...A...Pts
Italy...... 3 ...2... 1.. 0...5... 1... 7
Ghana ...3 ...2 ...0 ..1 ..4 ...3 ...6
Czech R ..3 ..1 ....0.. 2.. 3 ...4... 3
USA...... 3... 0 ...1 ...2.. 2... 6.. 1

   

Here are the remaining 8 teams and their world rankings:

1 Brazil
7 Portugal
8 France
9 Argentina
10 England
13 Italy
19 Germany
45 Ukraine

   

FIFA Rankings mean squat

Here are the latest odds to win according to William Hill

Brazil 9:4
Argentina 7:2
Germany 9:2
England 11:2
Italy 13:2
France 11:1
Portugal 16:1
Ukraine 50.1

   

and odds mean more?

Bye Argentina!
Bye Ukraine!

   

This is the first time I have comented or even read anything at canadaka after Swedens loss against Germany. But It doesen't feel a bit better that Germany won against Argentina... I wanted them to feel what we felt. The despair, the inconprehensive pain and greef... But on the other hand, Germany beat Argentina, so mabye we weren't that bad after all...?

   

Bye Bye England... 3-1 Loss PK to Portugal.. Brasil now to play France to round out the semi's..

Germany plays Italy..... Portugal is waiting Brasil or France?????

   

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