World Cup Friends Pool 2010

Pool Standings: Round 5 - The Finals

2010-07-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

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The cup has been raised, and the champions celebrate their spoils!

Hearty congratulations go to Night Rider for an epic battle of wits and stamina that saw him ride a pool-high 26 correct picks to the century mark. The team stuck in second place made a powerful last-minute move to climb to the top of the tables and secure victory. Claret & Blue, the front-runner for so long, chose to live and die with his England pick. Tonight we honor and respect the "win or go home" play that, sadly, saw him go home.

In his stead Real Marin re-emerged as prize winners; a fervent support of La Furia Roja carried them into the winner's circle. And the no longer Clueless in Denver outsmarted an experienced stable of soccer buffs and swiped an England jersey for her wardrobe.

It was great fun, and we salute the Spaniards for their difficult double, capturing consecutive Euro and World Cup hardware. But the real winners were the young Haitian footballers who so greatly need a reason to play. We look forward to many great tournaments to come, and we'll hope jv is re-energized for another blogscapade during next season's Champions League. Let's all take a moment to recognize all of the hard work he and lizzie put in to making this such a special session of the Friends Pool. I'm blowing my vuvuzela right now. Hear it?

See you next time!

¡¡Campeones Del Mundo!!

2010-07-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Spain lifts its first ever World Cup.

Netherlands 0-1 Spain
In a hyper-tense and chippy final Spain produced the one decisive move in extra time that was needed to secure the World Cup. Andres Iniesta capped off a great tournament by controlling and burying a nifty pass from Cesc Fabregas on the right side of the box. The goal handed Spain its first ever World Cup title and, having already won Euro 2008, cemented its place in the history books. It was a tightly, and many would say brutally contested match, but aside from the most die-hard Dutch fans, it is widely agreed that the best side won.

As the most important single sporting event in the world, with over 700 million viewers, the match is being picked over with a fine-toothed comb. With a record 15 yellow cards there is universal agreement that the final was nothing close to beautiful and that Dutch holding midfielder (and noted hatchet man) Nigel De Jong should have been sent off in the first half for his outrageous kung-fu kick spikes-up into the chest of Xabi Alonso. Van Bommel also could have been sent off in the first half for a nasty tackle on Iniesta. It is suggested that referee Howard Webb didn't want to have undue influence on the result by sending someone off that early, and to be fair, the Dutch made it very difficult for him. The Spanish are also being cited for diving, which certainly happened but was a natural consequence of Holland's dirty tactics. One only need look at the Spain v. Germany semifinal to know that there's a different and much more noble way to play a WC match.

As for those who say Spain's tiki-taka possession game of short passes has become tiresome to watch, I say this is because, after two years of international dominance, every one of their opponents is shifting into a highly defensive mode. No one is even attempting to play with them lest they be sliced and diced in the back. The only team to take an offensive approach to Spain in the WC was Chile and they ended up losing 2-0... and it could've been more. Spain's prowess is no longer a surprise and the result is these suffocating matches. In my eyes this does nothing to take away from their offensive brilliance and defensively they didn't allow a goal in the seven matches following their 1-0 loss to the Swiss. To those who say Germany are more exciting to watch because of the goals, I say maybe, but I'd like to see how many goals they would score if teams played them as defensively as the opposition played Spain. Remember that Germany lost 1-0 to Serbia.

Regardless, big time congratulations to Spain and their long suffering fans! They absolutely deserve to be world champs for the next four years. With the emergence of Germany and the newly hardened Dutch, Euro 2012 promises to be another great tournament... but until then...

¡Viva Espana!

Germany takes Third

2010-07-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

Germany's Tomas Müller finishes his first World Cup brilliantly.

Uruguay 2-3 Germany
True to its history, the Consolation (or Third Place) Match was a refreshingly wide-open and high scoring affair. The match has arguably the least amount of pressure on it of all the WC matches and the result was a much more free-flowing football display. Young German phenom Thomas Müller showed just how much Germany missed him against Spain by opening the scoring. Uruguayan captain Diego Forlan finished his world class WC performance with another amazing strike. Forlan just missed an opportunity to equalize on the last action of the game when his free kick rattled off the crossbar. Congrats to Germany and Uruguay as they both provided some of the most memorable footballing moments of the tournament!

Holland v. Spain... All in the Family?

2010-07-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

Holland's most famous footballer, Johan Cruyff, at FC Barcelona

While the most important story line of today's final is that neither side have won a World Cup, a compelling side story is that, in terms of the football family tree, this year's edition of Spain is a direct descendant of the widely-admired attacking sides of 1970's Holland.

In the late 60's at the famous Amsterdamn club Ajax, coach Rinus Michels and budding superstar Johan Cruyff developed the 'Total Football' style of play they revealed to the world in the form of the much celebrated Holland side of 1974. Leaving Ajax, they both migrated this system to FC Barcelona as coach and player in the 70's and Cruyff further cemented it as the club style as coach of the Barca 'Dream Team' sides of 1988-96. Since then Barcelona have had two other Dutch coaches (Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard) and their current coach, Pep Guardiola was the captain of Cruyff's Dream Teams. In a very real way, Barcelona have carried on and evolved Dutch Total Football into the 21st century. Add to this that of the starting XI of today's Spain seven play club football at Barcelona and you will see why Spain are widely considered to play more Dutch style than the Dutch.

Regardless of who wins there will be irony. If Holland wins: the tactical style of Michels and Cruyff will for a third time falter at the final hurdle but this time against their motherland. If Spain wins: Holland will have lost to a country who beat them with the tactics that put Dutch football on the map.

And if you're still trying to figure out who plays more Dutch, Spain or Holland, you need not go further than Johann Cruyff himself. When asked who he tips to win today's final he explained that in Spain he "sees the most of me" and that the Spanish play the better brand of football. I guess football bloodlines can run deeper than actual bloodlines when it comes to one's legacy.

Searching for Something

2010-07-11T06:50:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else do a Google search this morning?

Haiti Hearts the World Cup

2010-07-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

Ever-resourceful Haitians find a way to follow their beloved Brazil during WC 2010

One of the best sideshows of WC 2010 has been the passion it stirs in fans. For utter exuberance, it's hard to rival Haitians -- a country whose team hasn't qualified for the tournament in 36 years. All of Haiti, it seems, roots for the Seleção, thanks to a long-standing friendship between the countries and Brazil's critical role in peace-keeping efforts. Check out this video from 2004, when the Brazilian national team played a "Game for Peace" organized by the Brazil-led UN mission in Port-au-Prince when the country was torn in pieces over the Aristide coup. Does soccer diplomacy get any better?

As the country struggles to rebuild after the devastating earthquake, foutbòl has taken on even greater meaning. The WC games have been broadcast live on every TV channel and the UN set up 17 large-screen TVs in tent camps and public areas. Not surprisingly, Brazil was the first country to donate to the relief effort.

Happily, half the pool's spoils are headed to L'Athletique D'Haiti, a sports and education program that works with 1,500 youth and their families in the Cité de Soleil slum of Port-au-Prince. In addition to soccer training, the students receive meals and a basic education. The program was founded by Boby Duval, a former soccer star, political prisoner and human rights activist. After the earthquake, more than 2,000 people took refuge in tents on LADH's fields.

Thanks, WC 2010 Poolers, for your contributions. Win or lose, we're all contributing in a small way to the rebuilding efforts and the joy of fellow soccer fans in Haiti.

Round 5: Consolation Match (Sat. 7/10/10, 11:30AM PT)

2010-07-07T22:43:00.002-07:00

Uruguay

v.

Germany

Round 5: Final (Sun. 7/11/10, 11:30AM PT)

2010-07-07T22:43:00.001-07:00

Netherlands

v.

Spain

Pool Standings: Round 4 - Semifinals

2010-07-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

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Only two picks this time around, but the Netherlands were a near unanimous winner; little changed in the first game. But the Spain/Germany tussle proved to be a real table-turner. Ten teams selected the Spaniards; ten teams favored the German boys (one team just couldn't decide). The four teams at the head of the standings went Spain...which meant a skyrocket ride to new heights, or a close little crew of about ten teams awaiting the final two games.

The young Germans were finally undone, though, and the Claret & Blue, Night Rider and Clueless in Denver still top the charts with 80-plus points each. Nine other teams are hanging around, looking up from the 70's and hoping for some poor picks from the leaders. We shall see.

The final will be worth a whopping eight points; the consolation carries five. Don't count out Cantona...Cosmos...or KC/DC...there's still much action ahead.

Good luck to all.

Firsts all around. For Africa, Netherlands or Spain. Well played all!

2010-07-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

Semifinals Results: Day 2

2010-07-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

Carles Puyol wills in the winner.

Germany 0-1 Spain
It was a match played as cleanly as you'll ever see. There were hardly any late or hard tackles, there was no diving, there were no elbows or slaps to the face, no shouting at the refs. Just two sides with immense talent and respect -- both for each other and the game.

Spain's precision possession game largely kept Germany at bay, but ultimately it was an act of shear will power -- a leaping header from Carles Puyol on a corner -- that decided it. As C&B has commented, this was really the WC Final. The Dutch may end up winning the tournament, but for those who've watched the bulk of the matches the high-scoring Germans and the one-touch maestro Spaniards have clearly been the best two sides in South Africa.

Semifinals Results: Day 1

2010-07-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

Dutch captain Giovanni Van Bronckhorst unleashes an absolute scorcher to open the scoring.

Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands
Lady Luck continues to show up in oranje as the Dutch benefit from a borderline offside goal and hang on to beat a resilient Uruguay. Despite missing their potent second striker Luis Suarez, captain Nicolas Lodeiro, and fullback Jorge Fucile, the Uruguayans gave Holland everything they could handle. Forlan turned in another brilliant performance. Again the Netherlands do just enough to win and advance to the WC Final for the first time since 1978. They are 6-0-0 in the tournament yet one gets a sense they will have to raise their game if they're to beat Spain or Germany to lift the cup.

Third Prize

2010-07-05T19:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a generous donation from Night Rider, third prize will be this sweet brand new 2007-09 England Home shirt, size L. The three lions will roar again!

Round 4: Semifinal (Tue. 7/06/10, 11:30 PT)

2010-07-04T09:34:00.001-07:00

Uruguay

v.

Netherlands

Round 4: Semifinal (Wed. 7/7/10, 11:30 PT)

2010-07-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

Germany

v.

Spain

Pool Standings: Round 3 - The Semifinals

2010-07-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

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This round belonged to the Claret & Blue, whose four correct picks drove him into sole possession of first place in the standings. NewYorkCosmos also had a solid 4-for-4 round and made a nice move up the table. They and Crown City FC were the only teams to have gained all 16 points. Most teams lost points on either Brazil or Argentina, and 10 teams selected both to advance.

Now only the Claret & Blue and Night Rider stand above the 70-point mark, but nine other teams are holding steady near the top with between 64 and 68 points. And with semifinal matches worth six points apiece, anything can happen.

Hang on to your hoeds...we're down to the final four!

Good luck to all.

Quarterfinals Results: Day 2

2010-07-03T14:12:00.001-07:00

Maravilla!

Paraguay 0-1 Spain
In a rollercoaster ride that saw two consecutive missed penalties, Spain break through the stingy Paraguay defense and hang on for a late game winner.

Germany look awfully good - will this be a fourth?

2010-07-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Quarterfinals Results: Day 2

2010-07-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Das Onslaught!

Argentina 0-4 Germany
So much for the much anticipated matchup of football giants. The Germans make it look easy again with their lightning quick counter attack. Argentina can't string anything together and are quite simply outclassed in every way by Die Mannschaft.Germany scores 4 goals for the third time in WC2010.

Grudge Match

2010-07-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Argentina attacks Germany after losing the penalty shootout in 2006.

There's a long and contentious history between these two soccer powers. They played each other for the title in 1986 and 1990 (which they split). And the infamous fight after penalties in the last WC is still fresh in the players' minds. The smack talk has been going back and forth leading up to this match. Should be a cracker.

Uruguay wins in 1930, 1950 - 2010?

2010-07-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

Quarterfinals Results: Day 1

2010-07-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

You couldn't script it worse for Ghana.

Uruguay 1-1 Ghana (4-2 penalties)
With a chance to win it on a penalty at the very end of extra time, Asamoah Gyan bangs it off the crossbar. The Black Stars proceed to miss two penalties in the shootout and Uruguay goes through. Heartbreak in Africa.

The Oranje!!!

2010-07-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Quarterfinals Results: Day 1

2010-07-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

SHOCKER: Julio Cesar's mishandling of a Wesley Sneidjer cross leads to an own goal that hands the momentum decisively to the Dutch.

Netherlands 2-1 Brazil

WC2010 Ear Worms

2010-06-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

Are you wavin' flag?

Just killing some time between matches and I gotta say I'm finding the music of the World Cup pretty dang catchy. The big two have gotta be Knaan's "Wavin' Flag" and of course, the official song of the WC, Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)".

Wavin' Flag by Somali-Canadian K'naan went from album single, to Canadian Haitian relief song, to Coca-Cola's World Cup jingle. If you believe the marketing it's topped the charts in 11 countries. It's got bilingual versions in 15 languages. Check out the Arab version here. K'naan, I can't get your tune out of my head. It's like the perfect afro-reggae-pop (insert-your-cause-here) anthem.

And what's not to like about Shakira? As of this writing the english version of Waka Waka has 56 million views on the YouTubes. The spanish video 's even better... love all the Barça player cameos. Apparently she texts with Messi.

How bout ESPN's WC theme music (4:20 in this clip... and no, I'm not talking about U2) Not sure if it's the shear repetition or because I associate it with watching matches but I'm diggin it. Apparently other people are too. Check out a little behind the scenes on it's creation here.

Yeah... how long til the Netherlands v. Brazil kickoff?

Round 3: Quarterfinals (Fri. 7/2/10, 7am PT)

2010-06-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

Netherlands

v.

Brazil

Round 3: Quarterfinals (Fri. 7/2/10, 11:30am PT)

2010-06-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

Uruguay

v.

Ghana

Round 3: Quarterfinals (Sat. 7/3/10, 7am PT)

2010-06-29T22:48:00.000-07:00

Argentina

v.

Germany

Round 3: Quarterfinals (Sat. 7/3/10, 11:30am PT)

2010-06-29T22:47:00.000-07:00

Paraguay

v.

Spain

Pool Standings: Round 2 - Round of 16

2010-06-29T18:37:00.001-07:00

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The Round of 16 is complete, and there has been some movement in the standings. Kudos to Canarinhos, the only pool participants to correctly pick all eight matches for a total of 16 points. Five teams picked up an additional 14 points; four teams found 12.

Night Rider has taken sole possession of the lead as Real Marin dropped off slightly. Clueless in Denver appears much less clueless, sneaking into third place on seven correct selections. Together they are the only three teams who have achieved the 60-point threshhold.

The Quarterfinals begin on Friday. It is important that you all get your picks in on time. Correct picks now increase to 4 points per match, so there is greater ground to be gained and more to lose. We've already seen two teams lose out on points as a result of tardy posting, and that's not fun for anyone.

Lastly, if any teams have not yet sent in the pool fees...please send your payment to jv as soon as possible. Let's get that cash to the Haitian kiddies as soon as possible. C'mon now!

Good luck to all!

Round of 16 Results: Day 4

2010-06-29T12:57:00.001-07:00

David Villa is lethal in front of the net for Spain.

Paraguay 0-0 Japan (5-3 penalties)
Both teams play tentatively, even fearfully, in a scoreless snoozer. Heartbreak for the Blue Samarai's Yuichi Komano as his penalty miss gifts Paraguay the win.

Spain 1-0 Portugal
A high energy match in which Spain unsurprisingly dominates possession with their master passing. The Portuguese defense is finally unlocked with a Xavi to Iniesta sequence beautifully finished by David Villa.

Round of 16 Results: Day 3

2010-06-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

It's all laughs for Robinho and Luis Fabiano as they celebrate Brazil's third goal against an over-matched Chile.

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia
Yet another solid but un-stylish win for the Dutch. Robben and Sneijder impress, but questions remain: how will the defense react when tested for real, does the offense have another gear we haven't seen yet? They're going to need all that and more if they're to get past the blazing Brazilians.

Brazil 3-0 Chile
Brazil show just how balanced they are with their defense-first mentality and deft counter attack. Brazil just absorb, absorb, absorb... and then *bang*... goal. Chile provided a lot of entertainment for the tournament and deserve credit for taking the game to the Samba boys. In the end though, they are simply out-classed.

Round of 16 Results: Day 2

2010-06-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

No goal? Thanks, FIFA!

Germany 4-1 England
While the scoreline may be a bit more flattering than they deserve, Germany plays a dynamic youthful counter-attacking match against the Three Lions of England. Yet another epic chapter is added to the storied WC rivalry of England v. Germany, this time with the Germans handing the English their worst-ever WC defeat.

However, the controversy that will be discussed for decades to come was the outrageous refereeing failure to allow the Lampard goal where the entire ball was a yard and a half beyond the line. The goal would have tied the game at 2-2 -- no doubt changing the complexion of the match. It seems everyone at the stadium besides the officials could see it was a good goal. When will Sepp Blatter and FIFA remove their heads from the sand and understand that the simple technology being used in sports leagues around the world could easily correct these egregious errors? Their lack of judgment is corrupting the integrity of the competition and exposing FIFA as stubborn ponderous dinosaurs desperately clinging to the olden ways of yesteryear. I call bullshit.

Argentina 3-1 Mexico
Once again poor refereeing affects the outcome of a WC match as they fail to call Carlos Tevez offside on the first goal of the match. Replays show he was clearly offside. Yet somehow, even after the referee conferred with his linesman, the goals stands. Terrible.

Still, the Argentines prove to have more firepower than El Tri can handle. Of particular note was Tevez's powerful strike from distance. Argentina move on to a tantalizing quarterfinal match against Germany.

Sadly, with England and Mexico's exit, Cantona and half of Eastern Influence's home countries are eliminated from the tournament. Of the pool teams only Canarinhos and Spanish Fingerboarder still have a national rooting interest. As for us, after the USA loss, Real Marin spent a couple of hours aimlessly wondering the streets of Fairfax trying to make sense of it all. Today we're in a much better mindset, watching again as enthusiastic neutrals.

Round of 16 Results: Day 1

2010-06-27T10:07:00.001-07:00

The USA's Landon Donovan is left to ponder what might have been.

Uruguay 2-1 South Korea
Uruguay scored their first goal on a lapse by the Korean keeper who, with more conviction, could have intercepted the ground-ball cross. The Koreans responded with an equalizer and controlled much of the run of play, but in the end, it was a spectacular individual goal by vaunted striker Luis Suarez that sees Uruguay through to the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years.

Condolences to the sizable number of South Koreans in the pool... especially Banana Island who is a native and has followed her national side closely through the two years of qualification. They really were one of the brightest sides of the tournament playing an honest, uptempo, attacking brand of football. They exit with their heads held high having represented the Asian Confederation well with their best ever performance in a WC not on home soil.

United States 1-2 Ghana
The magic for Team USA ran out in extra time against a fundamentally sound Ghana side. The US continued their unfortunate trend of conceding early, giving away the first goal to Kevin-Prince Boateng on a comedy of errors -- starting with Ricardo Clark's giveaway in the midfield and ending with Tim Howard's failure to protect the inside post. Another comeback seemed in the cards when Donovan secured the equalizer on a penalty from a foul on a Dempsey run. As the extra time began the Yanks once again conceded in the opening minutes with poor defensive play on a long ball that Black Star Asamoah Gyan superbly controlled and finished despite being almost shouldered out by Bocanegra. Ghana's advance means Africa continue to have a rooting interest in the next round.

This was a painful exit for an American side who proved to be surprisingly entertaining through the Group Stage. Ultimately they went to the comeback well one too many times. Perhaps the most telling statistic of their campaign is that in 390 minutes of play, they only held the lead for 3. In looking at what the States need to improve it's clear their back line missed a healthy Oguchi Onyewu, but they also need better play from their strikers -- the last American forward to score a World Cup goal was Brian McBride in 2002. While we always knew the US had little chance to win the tournament, it certainly felt like an appearance in the quarters was attainable. The US World Cup ends in disappointment with the team meeting, but not exceeding, expectations. However American fans have something for which to be thankful -- Landon Donovan's game winner against Algeria put an American mark on WC2010 and produced a galvanizing moment for soccer fans nationwide.

Pool Standings: Round 1 - Group Stage

2010-06-25T20:41:00.001-07:00

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We're at the end of the Group Stage and there's a tight race for the prize. Two teams top the table: Night Rider and Real Marin have each attained 50 points through the first 48 matches. But nine other teams have accumulated 40 or more points thus far and are well within striking distance.

After a review of the first round it is clear that certain selections were tantamount. Eleven teams picked South Korea; only three of those teams have fewer than 40 points. Ten teams selected Ghana; only two have fewer than 40 points. Seven teams had both South Korea and Ghana as winners; six of those teams have at least 44 points and top the leaderboard.

Now we enter the Knockout Round. We'll see if the frontrunners can keep their momentum, or if the laggards can make up ground. Good luck!

[Editor's Note: With subsequent rounds worth increasingly more points, there is plenty of chance for teams to close the gaps.]

Round 2: Last 16 (Saturday, 6.26.10, 7 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Uruguay

v.

South Korea

Round 2: Last 16 (Saturday, 6.26.10, 11:30 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

United States

v.

Ghana

Round 2: Last 16 (Sunday, 6.27.10, 7 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

Germany

v.

England

Round 2: Last 16 (Sunday, 6.27.10, 11:30 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

Argentina

v.

Mexico

Round 2: Last 16 (Monday, 6.28.10, 7 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

Netherlands

v.

Slovakia

Round 2: Last 16 (Monday, 6.28.10, 11:30 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Brazil

v.

Chile

Round 2: Last 16 (Tuesday, 6.29.10, 7 AM ET)

2010-06-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

Paraguay

v.

Japan

Round 2: Last 16 (Tuesday, 6.28.10, 11:30 AM PT)

2010-06-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Spain

v.

Portugal

The Shot Heard Round The World

2010-06-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

The celebration of Donovan's game winning goal in San Diego, CA.

Here's the goal.

If you want to see more reactions coast-to-coast check out this great NY Times blog. (Particularly good are Manhattan's East Village and Long Beach, CA).

Even better reaction shots here. The Seattle one is awesome.

And for sentiments from around the world, Liz found this incredible list of comments on the NY Times game summary. Amazing to see the spontaneous outpouring of emotion and congratulations coming in from so many countries, led by the Brazilians. Fuck Yeah!

Team America

2010-06-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

Stats Update

2010-06-22T08:13:00.001-07:00

As the party charged with keeping and tracking the pool selections, and with two of the first three first-round games behind us, I thought this might be the right time for an introductory post. Team selections have been set in stone since each team's first game, but there is still much to be decided in the group stage. Many thrilling dramas will unfold here in the final four days of the tournament's opening round.

Group A: France, Uruguay, Mexico, South Africa

Finishing today, Group A hinges on numerous factors, but starts with the Uruguay/Mexico match. Selections were scattered between France, Mexico and Uruguay, with only three brave teams picking the host nation. Seven of the tournament's eight top-seeded teams were near unanimous picks; apparently the disarray and strife that marked the French camp before the tourney were a harbinger to many in this pool. Rightly so, it seems. France will be lucky to advance. The 17 teams that chose Mexico will hope for a positive finish today to secure 6 points. The South Africans have a big hill to climb, but are not yet eliminated. Hopes of an advancing African side are dwindling, especially after Cameroon became the inaugural squad to leave the tournament (see Group E, below).

Group B: Argentina, Greece, Nigeria, South Korea

As mentioned above, most of the top-seeded teams were unanimous selections. Other than the French, Brasil (missing one vote, if you can believe it) and Germany (missing two votes) were the only other teams not to gain the support of all pool participants. All teams were confident that the Argentina nine would push through. And though La Albiceleste was unable to finish many chances in their opening match against Nigeria, the team showed why they are favorites in a 4-1 slogging of South Korea. The South Koreans are still in the fight, though, and that will make many in the pool quite happy. Eleven teams picked the team to advance, but much still hinges on today's matches. The South Koreans will need to play well against a hungry Nigerian team that has yet to play consistent soccer. The Greeks will need to find a new level of play to defeat the Argentinians. And Nigeria, looking to sneak in, will need a definitive win against the Koreans to keep hopes alive. It could happen, but they are a longshot.

Group C: England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria

This is a fairly straightforward group. Everybody selected England. All but one selected the US. If the US win their match against Algeria, they advance. If England defeats Slovenia, they're through to the next round. Only problem is, this group has been anything but straightforward on the pitch. Perhaps the one team that selected Slovenia will find an unpopular 6 points.

Group D: Germany, Serbia, Australia, Ghana

Along with South Korea, the Ghanaians were the other popular lowest seed to gain support, with 10 teams picking the Black Stars. As previously mentioned, Germany garnered near unanimous support; remaining votes were mostly in favor of Serbia, with only two teams picking the Aussies. Though the team currently stands in first place, Ghana still has an uphill battle to advance. They will need to manage at least a draw against an angry German bunch to collect a critical fifth point. Still, the simple calculation is: if Germany and Serbia win, they will advance. Australia has big problems with a -4 goal differential heading into their final group match.

Group E: Netherlands, Cameroon, Denmark, Japan

The critical match in this group will take place on Thursday, when Japan face Denmark to determine the second advancing Group E team. The Dutch looked good, not great, in their opening matches, but certainly played well enough to clinch a spot in the knockout round. A keen decision was made by the seven teams that selected the Danes, but Olsen's Eleven will advance only with a win against Japan. A draw will put through the Samurai Blue, but no pool teams chose Japan. The Japanese provided an unexpected first-game win against Cameroon, the Indomitable Lions looking very domitable, never really presenting themselves at this tournament.

Group F: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand

Again, all pool participants showed unanimous support for the reigning world champs, Italy. But Paraguay have looked the strongest side in this group to-date, with a convincing win over Slovakia. Pool selections were split between Paraguay and Slovakia, with only two teams picking New Zealand. The Kiwis have shown spirit so far, with ties against Slovakia and Italy in its first two matches. Still, they will need to dig deep to defeat Paraguay in their final game. Italy will be the favorite over Slovakia, but certainly this group is up-for-grabs with much to be determined on Thursday.

Group G: Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, North Korea

Brazil, one vote shy of unanimity, looked strong against the Ivory Coast, and put Les Elephants into a goal differential hole that will be difficult to surmount. Portugal, on the other hand, took a huge step towards the next stage with a 7-0 romping of the North Koreans. The pool votes were split between Portugal and the Ivory Coast: 14 votes went to the Portugese; 8 went to the Ivory Coast; one team picked both at the expense of Brazil. No team picked the North Koreans, with good reason it seems. It will take a miracle for the Ivory Coast, but clearly North Korea are ripe for picking. Who knows what continental courage la Cote will conjure?

Group H: Spain, Chile, Switzerland, Honduras

Some were quick to air concern about the broad, tall, defensive-minded Swiss, but only three were bold enough to select the squad for advancement. Those picks look smarter today, as the Swiss remain hopeful and very much alive. All teams selected the Spanish, and most picked Chile. Chile controls the standings today, but still have to match the Red Fury. If Spain and Switzerland both win, three teams will have 6 points and all will ride on goal differential. Much drama to come in this group.

Good luck to all!

Group Stage Results: Day 11

2010-06-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal score every which way against North Korea.

Portugal 7-0 North Korea
Ruh-roh. It pours down rain and goals as North Korea is exposed and trounced by a Portugal side that's obviously finding it's rhythm. Ronaldo emerges as playmaker and then -- finally -- goal scorer as Portugal puts on a display of deft one touch footy. North Korea's holds them to a single goal at half but makes a key mistake by opening up from the defensive stance that kept them in the Brazil game and thus become the second side eliminated from the tournament.

Chile 1-0 Switzerland
Chile continue their all-out attack and finally unlock the Swiss defense, but not before les Suisse set the record for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal at the World Cup, going back to 2006. Another poor refereeing performance sees way too many yellow cards and a red card for Swiss defender Valon Behrami on a nothing foul and embarrassing bit of play acting by la Roja's Arturo Vidal. Behrami becomes the first Swiss player ever sent off at a WC.

Spain 2-0 Honduras
Spain look much better in a solid win over Honduras. David Villa scores two but misses a penalty and gets away with slapping a Honduran in the face. Torres looks rusty in his comeback from injury and La Furia Roja may rue the many many chances they didn't finish if Group H comes down to goal differential.

Coulibaly's Folly

2010-06-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Man of the Hour: Referee Koman Coulibaly

By now everyone is well aware of the frustrating ghost call made by Malian referee Koman Coulibaly which disallowed the USA's game winning goal in Friday's WC match against Slovenia. As Americans roil at the injustice it is somewhat comforting to know the outrage extends beyond the US and is shared by the world's media in a collective search to understand what went wrong.

In the aftermath we've learned that this is not the first tournament-deciding head-scratcher of a call Coulibaly has made... in fact his past is quite checkered. We've also seen an utter lack of transparency in FIFA's governing rules and decision making. The notion that the referee does not have to state what the foul is or who it was called on seems bizarre to an American public used to accountability in their sports leagues. The recent emotional apology from MLB umpire Jim Joyce for his blown call that spoiled a perfect game for Tiger's pitcher Armando Galarraga puts Coulibaly and FIFA's silence in even starker contrast.

Of course instant replay is the easiest and most accurate way to keep these errors from deciding results, but FIFA's head Sepp Blatter is notoriously anti-technology. While FIFA had originally said that Coulibaly's performance could only be judged at the end of the WC, under pressure from worldwide scrutiny, there appears to be an expedited review under way. Let's hope for the sake of fair play that this was Koman Coulibaly's last match officiating in South Africa.

On a side note, most American proponent's of the sport were doubly frustrated by the result thinking that an early US exit would hurt the profile of soccer in this country. However, in an ironic twist of events, the gaffe seems to have galvanized American interest and support for the Yanks. Disapproval of the call expressed by tennis stars Andy Roddick and Serena Williams put a public face on American outrage. No doubt even more Americans will tune in for USA's final and decisive match against Algeria. Americans love a good underdog story and scrappy Team USA fits the role perfectly. Hopefully they'll take the fire they displayed after the Slovenian match onto the pitch on Wednesday and into the Round of 16.

Group Stage Results: Day 10

2010-06-20T09:24:00.003-07:00

The All White's Shane Smeltz kicks off the celebrations for Kiwis worldwide with his goal against Italy.

Slovakia 0-2 Paraguay
Quite simply, the better side wins as Paraguay, though not breath-taking, comprehensively defeats Slovakia. Slovakia's first and only shot on goal came in injury time... enough said. Paraguay now look to take first place in the group.

Italy 1-1 New Zealand
The All Whites serve up the best result in New Zealand footballing history with a 1-1 draw against the defending world champs. The Kiwis goal may have been a little offside, but Italy's goal was once again the result of a highly questionable penalty kick from an Italian dive in the box. Apparently the Azzuri are picking up where they left off in WC2006... theatrics in the penalty area will be a major part of their goal scoring strategy. Congrats to New Zealand for their hard fought historic win!

Brazil 3-1 Ivory Coast
While the Ivorians start well, they concede the first goal to Luis Fabiano and Brazil looks themselves as they cruise to a 3-0 lead. Didier Drogba scores a consolation goal, but the end of the match is marred by fighting and then a second yellow card for Kaka which will see him miss the final match against Portugal. Replays clearly show the Ivory Coast's Keita running into Kaka's elbow and then falling to the ground holding his face... a shameful dive broadcast worldwide. How players are comfortable presenting this negative view of themselves on the world stage I'll never know.

Group Stage Results: Day 9

2010-06-20T09:24:00.001-07:00

Cameroon's Vincent Aboubakar on right shows the despair of his nation as the Indomitable Lions are the first side eliminated in the WC.

Netherlands 1-0 Japan
Again the Dutch fail to put on a show, yet are efficient in their 1-0 defeat of Japan. Wesley Sneijder's forceful strike is one of the very few goals scored from distance in the tournament. The Dutch become the first side to advance to the Round of 16.

Ghana 1-1 Australia
After a bright start, Australia once again are forced to play the majority of the match a man down as Harry Kewell is sent off for a hand ball on the goal line. While there certainly was no intent on Kewell's part, the shot did hit him in the shoulder. Ghana fail to capitilize on the man advantage and have to settle for a draw which keeps all sides in the group alive.

Cameroon 1-2 Denmark
In a match that might be noted for it's relatively poor defensive play, the Danes knock Cameroon out of the tournament. Lots of chances for both sides mean an exciting match to watch, but Denmark will certainly need to play better if they're to advance. Disappointment again for Africa as one of the continent's stronger sides becomes the first casualty of the World Cup.

Group Stage Results: Day 8

2010-06-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

Maurice Edu's game winning goal is disallowed in one of the many terrible refereeing decisions on Day 8.

Germany 1-0 Serbia
The day of shocking officiating begins in the first half of the first game when Spanish ref Alberto Undiano Mallenco hands out a flurry of undeserved yellow cards. German striker Miroslav Klose is sent off with his second yellow on a minor foul, forcing Germany to play a man down for almost 60 minutes. The Serbians take advantage with a goal a minute later. The Germans show that they are still the better side throughout, but ultimately fail to get a result when Lukas Podolski misses the penalty resulting from a hand ball in the box.

Slovenia 2-2 USA
USA starts out terribly once again, allowing the opposing strikers way too much room to maneuver, and go down by two goals at the half. The Yanks come out firing in the second half with Landon Donovan's fantastic point blank strike into the goalie's face. Michael Bradley ties it with a beautiful finish off an Altidore header pass from a set piece. What follows is the most contoversial foul of the tournament. Maurice Edu scores a perfect goal on a Donovan set piece for the game winner... only it's disallowed. The Amercans try to get an explanation from Malian ref Koman Coulibaly but he ignores them. The US fight back and are in control over their own destiny -- a win over Algeria puts them through. Yet they can't help but feel robbed of two points they richly deserved.

England 0-0 Algeria
Algeria surprises and England disappoints as the North Africans battle England to a 0-0 draw. England looks hesitant and indecisive in their play, as if the pressure of the English media is affecting their mentality. No one wants to make a mistake, to become the next Rob Green, fodder for the tabloids front pages. The Three Lions are booed by their fans as they leave the field. Wayne Rooney responds with sarcastic and critical comments to the camera as he departs. The English camp is in turmoil as the country openly questions the heart of their players.

Group Stage Results: Day 7

2010-06-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

It was Gonzalo Higuain's day as he nets three against South Korea.

Argentina 4-1 South Korea
The Albicelestes continue to impress with a hat-trick from Higuain and more sparkling play from Lio Messi who had a role in every goal (even the own goal). SoKo needs a big win over Nigeria to advance.

Greece 2-1 Nigeria
Forced to play most of the match with 10 men due to a silly red card for violent conduct, the Super Eagles unfortunately show the lack of composure they're known to exhibit. Nigerian goalkeeper Enyeama continues his superhuman saves (big clubs take notice) but slips up when it counts and gives up the rebound for the Greek winner. Greeks save some face after their stinker against SoKo.

France 0-2 Mexico
El Tri puts on a brilliant show as they push the embattled French to the brink of elimination.

So much could be said about the disarray of the French camp -- the almost universal public disregard for head coach Raymond Domenech, the factions and infighting amongst the players, the legal woes of star Frank Ribery. Suffice it to say that the French entered and will most likely exit as the most dysfunctional side at the World Cup. It's a shame because that they have a proud history in the tournament. On the positive side, Mexico and Uruguay's match could be a real cracker, that is if both sides come out fighting for first place instead of in a gentleman's agreement for a draw which would put them both through.

Group Stage Results: Day 6

2010-06-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Pain in Spain as les Suisse score a stunner.

Honduras 0-1 Chile
Chile dazzle by opening their tournament with the flat-out attacking panache everyone had anticipated. Honduras is lucky to escape with only one goal conceded.

Spain 0-1 Switzerland
Upset of the tournament so far. Group H gets turned on its head with the ultra-organized Swiss defense shutting out the potent Spanish attack. Spain dominates possession (74-26) and shots (25-9) yet gives up the game winner in clumsy defense of a long ball clearance from the Swiss goal keeper. Kudos to the defense of les Suisse for maintaining their focus for all 90 minutes.

South Africa 0-3 Uruguay
Uruguay is much more positive in their play after their drudgery against France. Diego Forlan scores a brace and a controversial red card sends off the South African keeper with 14 minutes remaining. Sadness in South Africa as Bafana Bafana now look to become the first host country not to advance past the group stage.

The European Champs

2010-06-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

Spain come flying into the World Cup as the most heralded side in Europe having taken the European title in style in Euro 2008. If you don't believe the hype take a look at the numbers...

Since 2007 they are 44-1-3... a run which included a world record breaking 35 game unbeaten streak (which the US snapped in last year's Confederations Cup), and a perfect 10 wins in their World Cup qualifiers. They won their last WC warm-up match against Poland 6-0 with six different goal scorers.

Why are they so damn good? Of their 23 man roster, 5 play at Real Madrid and 8 play at FC Barcelona. This means they've played together... a lot. They have a team chemistry that no other national side can match. And this cohesiveness is evident in their style of play. They are the current mantle holders of the all-out-attacking, beautiful one-touch passing game widely regarded as the most attractive form of the sport.

All this said, La Furia Roja have never won a World Cup and up until recently were seen as perennial underachievers. If they could win it this year it would cap off what has been undoubtedly the most storied era of Spanish football and place their names in the debate of best national sides of all time.

Group Stage Results: Day 5

2010-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo add superstar power to this Group G showdown.

New Zealand 1-1 Slovakia

Slovaks get away with a slightly offside goal, but the All Whites pip a point with an equalizer at the death.

Ivory Coast 0-0 Portugal
Testy stalemate with Les Elephantes looking slightly more likely to score. Ronaldo flops and dives to no avail. Drogba, in a plastic arm cast, comes on late in the game to a rousing ovation.

Brazil 2-1 North Korea
The mystery boys from NoKo held the Selecao scoreless for a half. Maicon breaks through with a nifty goal from no angle. Debate rages as to whether or not it was intentional. I say yes. The Koreans make it interesting with a late goal and show they may not be the pushovers everyone was expecting.

Enter the Favorites

2010-06-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Much has been made of the fact that Dunga's Brazil is a more defensive edition than the entertaining sides we've seen in years past. With the tournament's predictably cautious start to the opening round of matches, it would be nice if the Samba Boys could introduce a dash of their famous flair... and goals. When Germany is the most attractive side in your tournament to date you know there's room for some artistic license. Vamos ao Brasil!

Group Stage Results: Day 4

2010-06-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Oops. Denmark opens the scoring when defender Poulsen's errant header bounces off teammate Agger's back.

Netherlands 2-0 Denmark
46' Daniel Agger (own goal)
85' Dirk Kuyt

With Arjen Robben out with an injury, it takes a fluke own goal from Denmark to get the vaunted Dutch attack on the score sheet. Denmark looks pedestrian. Super-sub Elijero Elia adds pace and width to the Oranje front line as they put it away with five minutes remaining.

Japan 1-0 Cameroon
39' Keisuke Honda

Japan pulls off the first real surprise of the tournament... not just for their victory but for their relatively dominant performance. Cameroon looks uncomfortable with their tactics and seems to lack desire through the first and most of the second half. A big disappointment for those hoping for African success.

Italy 1-1 Paraguay
------------------------- 39' Antolin Alcra
63' Daniele De Rossi

Paraguay impress with their competent football against the defending champs. The Azzuri go down a goal and must fight back in the second half to avoid the upset. Another tournament goal keeping error gives Italia the equalizer. All of Italy gripe about the lack of creative attack, but the Italians still look likely to advance.

Holland: The Greatest Side to Never Win it

2010-06-14T04:26:00.000-07:00

Cruyff reinvents football with the Dutch in 1974.

Johann Cruyff's 1970's Clockwork Orange gave the world Total Football - the mesmerizing, flowing possession game of precision passing where players interchange positions freely. The Dutch don't just want to win, they want to win in style. As Cruyff himself has said this 'kind of arrogance' has been their Achilles heel both on and off the field. Their insistence on finesse has meant they've lacked that final bit of grit necessary to bury more physical opposition. Equally they've typically had infighting as their world class talent fail to subsume their individual egos for the good of the national side as a whole. Despite these hurdles their game is easy on the eye and they have some of the best fans in the world. Could this be the historic year the Oranje put it all together and finally win the World Cup?

Missing: C.D. Azul Demon

2010-06-13T22:15:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the pool, mystery team C.D. Azul Demon... please email me with your real identity so I can put you on the mailing list.

Group Stage Results: Day 3

2010-06-13T21:20:00.001-07:00

Ghana celebrates the first-ever WC victory of Africans on African soil.

Algeria 0-1 Slovenia
(click on goals for vids)
------------------- 79' Robert Koren

Algeria and Slovenia showed a distinct lack of quality in what droned on as a haphazard goalless draw for almost 80 minutes. Algerian Adelkader Ghezzel was sent off for a ridiculously unnecessary hand ball, then Robert Koren scored when a weak shot was followed by an embarassing effort by keeper Fawzi Chaouchi.

Serbia 0-1 Ghana
------------------- 84' Asamoah Gyan (penalty)

Serbia and Ghana spent most of their match unable to string together enough passes to take legitimate shots on net. It took the day's second needless handball, this time in the penalty area, by Zdrako Kuzmanovic to serve up the penalty which broke the stalemate. Ghana thus became the first African side to win a World Cup match on African soil.

Germany 4-0 Australia
8' Lukas Podolski
26' Miroslav Klose
67' Thomas Muller
70' Cacau

Germany delivered the first world-class performance of the tournament with a 4-0 drubbing of the Socceroos. Fantastic ball movement and clinical finishing... the German sent out a warning shot to any who doubted their quality. It must be said that, to this observer's eyes, the Australians played the most cynical brand of football to date, and while the red card to Cahill may have been a bit harsh, on the whole it was fair for all the reckless challenges by the Aussies both on and off the ball. The Socceroos also spent a good deal of time complaining to the refs. You stay classy, Australia!

Group Stage Results: Day 2

2010-06-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

A different kind of football fumble.

South Korea 2-0 Greece
(click on goals for vids)
7' Lee Jung-Soo
52' Park Ji-Sung

South Korea were quick and incisive in a dominating performance over Greece. Sharp with the ball, well organized in their tactics, physically stronger than most anticipated, and tireless in their fitness -- the Reds ran circles around the Europeans. Greece were the opposite of all the Korean characteristics -- slow, pondering, lacking cohesion -- they seemed to be playing a listless game of makeshift strategy. Supporters of the Greeks will hope that the Pirate Ship can correct its course for its remaining matches against Argentina, and Nigeria.

Argentina 1-0 Nigeria
6' Gabriel Heinze

The Albicelestes created gobs of point-blank chances of which they finished only one. Messi looked potent as ever in his mazey runs into the box but lacked the final touch for which he's become so famous. Nigeria appeared the most physically imposing of all the sides who've played so far... very big, very strong. Their athletic keeper, Vincent Enyeama deserves much credit for keeping the scoreline so low. It will be particularly interesting to see how they matchup against the South Koreans.

England 1-1 USA
4' Steven Gerrard
---------------------------- 40' Clint Dempsey

English captain Steven Gerrard exposed a disorganized American back line in the fourth minute of play with an easy first goal. Then, in a gaffe that will unfortunately be remembered for decades to come, English keeper Robert Green mishandled a straightforward save on a Clint Dempsey shot which gifted the US the equalizer. The result however might be seen as a fair one as the two sides battled evenly in a nervy, goalless contest for the entire second half. US Keeper Tim Howard won accolades for his gutsy, rock-solid performance in net.

The Special Relationship

2010-06-12T06:42:00.001-07:00

The US upset victory over England in the 1950 World Cup still ranks as America's most famous victory.

The English are the godfather's of modern football. They codified the game and exported it to the distant shores encompassed by their vast 19th century empire. And yet they have only managed a lone World Cup victory in 1966. While 2006's unsuccessful campaign was marred by the tabloids and their obsession with the WAG's shopping sprees, Fabio Capello has this cup's edition disciplined and working together better than ever. The Three Lions have the talent to go all the way and will be looking to make a statement of intent in their opening match.

The Yanks represent the single country which has held out against global football fever. But would it surprise you to hear that Americans have purchased the greatest number of tickets to this year's WC? What about the fact that MLS has now moved past the NBA and NHL in average attendance? It seems the generation that grew up playing soccer in the 70's and 80's (thanks to Pele's stint with the New York Cosmos) have come of age. With ESPN's marketing muscle and team USA breaking Spain's unbeaten streak of 35 games in last year's Confederation Cup, hope and participation are at an all time high. Another historic victory over England could well put soccer over the top.

It's easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated matches of the opening round.

Group Stage Results: Day 1

2010-06-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

The opening goal of the WC2010 may go down as one of the best. Tshabalala scores a beauty for the hosts.

South Africa 1-1 Mexico
(click on links for vids of goals)
55' Tshabalala -------------------------
---------------------------------------- 79' Rafael Marquez

Bafana Bafana looked to carry the weight of the continent on their shoulders as lined up for the national anthems, and for the first half of the match their form matched their expressions: stiff and joyless. Mexico's nifty passing created a multitude of chances yet El Tri were unable to capitalize. In the second half, the hosts got their legs under them and opened the scoring with Tshabalala's (best name of tournament?) scorcher. Mexico did not maintain their first half poise, but managed the equalizer during a breakdown in the South African defense. All in all a fair result in what was a game of two halves.

Uruguay 0-0 France
No goals in what was a chippy and disjointed first match for the rest of Group A.

Africa Unite

2010-06-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

Lizzie sports the new Africa Unity kit to be worn in WC2010 by four African nations in a show of continental solidarity and support for the UN Environment Programme.

Today billions of eyes turn to the pitches of South Africa for the world's biggest sporting event. No African side has ever progressed past the quarterfinals of the World Cup, but this year the entire world is rooting for an African Cinderella story. With Essien and Drogba injured and South Africa in question to progress past the group stage, that story seems increasingly less likely. Historically, host countries have exceeded expectations. The question for World Cup 2010 is, will there be a continental bump for all African teams? Let's hope so. Regardless... if South Africa succeeds in hosting a vibrant and entertaining tournament, it's sure to make a powerful statement for the continent as a whole. Ngikufisela inhlanhla Afrika! Good luck Africa!

Seedings Explained

2010-06-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

Just a quick word of explanation on the seedings in this Group Stage. They are set up to reward people for picking upsets. The powerhouse team in each group is only worth 2 points, whereas the longshot is worth 8 points. Pick two teams to advance in each group, but mix in some underdogs to maximize your points.

Round 1: Group A

2010-06-04T00:21:00.001-07:00

France (2 pts)

Uruguay (4 pts)

Mexico (6 pts)

South Africa (8pts)

Round 1: Group B

2010-06-04T00:20:00.003-07:00

Argentina (2 pts)

Greece (4 pts)

Nigeria (6 pts)

South Korea (8 pts)

Round 1: Group C

2010-06-04T00:20:00.001-07:00

England (2 pts)

USA (4 pts)

Slovenia (6 pts)

Algeria (8 pts)

Round 1: Group D

2010-06-04T00:19:00.001-07:00

Germany (2 pts)

Serbia (4 pts)

Australia (6 pts)

Ghana (8 pts)

Round 1: Group E

2010-06-04T00:18:00.002-07:00

Netherlands (2 pts)

Cameroon (4 pts)

Denmark (6 pts)

Japan (8 pts)

Round 1: Group F

2010-06-04T00:18:00.001-07:00

Italy (2 pts)

Paraguay (4 pts)

Slovakia (6 pts)

New Zealand (8 pts)

Round 1: Group G

2010-06-04T00:17:00.001-07:00

Brazil (2 pts)

Portugal (4 pts)

Ivory Coast (6 pts)

North Korea (8 pts)

Round 1: Group H

2010-06-04T00:16:00.000-07:00

Spain (2 pts)

Chile (4 pts)

Switzerland (6 pts)

Honduras (8 pts)

Round 1: Bonus Pick... Who Will Win It All?

2010-06-04T00:15:00.000-07:00

Pool Party 2010

2010-05-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

Get out your vuvezelas... after 4 long years the World Cup Friends Pool returns as the beautiful game's premiere tournament heads to the African continent for the first time.

Through three Champions League Finals and Euro2008 we've kept the torch lit since the original World Cup 2006 Friends Pool. If you're a returning pooler, you know the drill. If you're new, a quick browse through this blog's archive will give you a sense of how it works. Half the proceeds will go to L'Athlétique d'Haiti, a youth soccer program in the Cité Soleil and Bel Air slums of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Click the image below (then click it again) to get a full-size view of the essential WC Pool info. We'll publish posts for Round 1 picks in a few weeks. The first matches are on Friday, June 11. Stay tuned...

World Cup Americanized

2010-05-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

Tip of the hat to this great blog post translating each of the 32 World Cup teams into a corresponding American sports team. Click here for the link.

Cellar Dwellar

2010-05-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

I thought you all might enjoy a quick recap of The Jerver's performance in these cup competitions since their inception four years ago. I have been known by many different team names over the years, starting as Perfect Pitch during the inaugural World Cup pool in 2006, moving on to SaMo in 2007 and 2008, then on to the current Crown City Football Club in 2009. Luckily for my competitors my performance has been more consistent than my nomenclature.

Take a look:

Champions League 2009: 8th Place (8 teams)
Euro 2008: Tied for 6th Place (8 teams)
Champions League 2008: 6th Place (11 teams)
Champions League 2007: 8th Place (8 teams)
World Cup 2006: Tied for 5th Place (9 teams)

In review, I started mediocre and got worse...fast.

Good luck to all who choose to enter this year's World Cup pool. It is evident that you will have to go through Pasadena to capture the cellar of the standings. Though despite remarkably poor performances in every single competition, Crown City continues to evade relegation to the second division pool and keeps alive a tradition of making cash contributions to friends and co-workers. The Continentalist is at least a bottle of Laphroiag heavier thanks to my reliably incorrect selections.

Ever confident of inevitable turnaround, checks can be made to Chris Jervey, Football Forecaster Extraordinaire.

On a brighter note...the World Cup is awesome. And right around the corner!

The African Dream - All The Same Family

2009-08-27T23:38:00.001-07:00

ok?

Final Standings 2009

2009-06-13T18:14:00.001-07:00

It was a tight race this year, but in the end the top three in the table were the teams which picked Barcelona to win the final from the very beginning. Congrats go out to the Continentalist who takes first place with a pretty remarkable 13-2 record. Through the years the Continentalist has been the most consistent of all the pool teams with a 1st place finish in the original 2006 World Cup Friends Pool, 2nd place finish in the 2007 CL Pool, and a final pick win away from taking it all in 2008 both in the CL and the Euros. As for us, we finished above mid to lower table for the first time -- guess it was inevitable with a Barcelona win. Props also to Claret & Blue for a third place finish in his pool debut. It's been a fun run, y'all. We've kept the torch lit since the 2006 World Cup to bridge the gap to South Africa 2010. We'll be passing it back to the Continentalist and hopefully be seeing you all next year when the stakes are much higher than best club in Europe. Cheers, RM.

¡¡¡ Barça, Barça, Barça !!!

2009-06-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

Captain Puyol and the rest of the blaugrana hoist the trophy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

FC Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United FC

Eto'o 10'

Messi 70'

FC Barcelona surprised a great many in the football world with a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Manchester United in Rome to take the Champions League title away from the current holders and complete the historic treble. Having won the Spanish League and the Copa Del Rey the week before, Barcelona became the first Spanish side to add the European championship to the domestic double. Leading up to the match there was consensus among football punditry and experts alike that United were the favorites -- if not heavy favorites -- to repeat as European champions. Indeed there was not much one could argue to the contrary as the Catalans had managed only one goal in their previous 12 halves against English sides – their nifty passing and technical ability seemingly no match for the strength and defensive prowess of the top Premiership clubs. On this night however Barça found the breakthrough which had eluded them for much of the last three campaigns.

The pre-match debate as to Sir Alex’s planned tactics -- would he come out and attack Barça’s makeshift defense, or would he park the bus and defend in the hopes of scoring on a counter or free kick -– was answered decisively in the first ten minutes as United dominated the proceedings by launching wave after wave of attack on Barcelona’s net. However, against the run of play, in the 10th minute a clever run by Iniesta was finished when Samuel Eto’o juked past Vidic and fired a shot past Edwin van der Sar for Barça’s first goal. The surprise of the ensuing 80 minutes was that United never seemed to recover from the letdown of this initial concession and were unable to regain the initiative that had so clearly been theirs at the start. The nervy match was put out of reach in the 70th minute in an unlikely manner when 5’7” Lionel Messi deftly headed a beautifully served cross from Xavi for the blaugrana’s second and final goal.

Though it is difficult for me to put an exact finger on how Barça was able to control the majority of the match against such a strong United side, I think it is safe to say the battle was won in the midfield. Having already won the Euro 2008 tournament for Spain, Xavi and Iniesta are proving to be one of the most effective midfield tandems in world football. To their credit United seemed unwilling to hack away at the mighty mites the way that Chelsea had, and this extra bit of fairplay allowed the duo the space to orchestrate the passing game that has won Barça so many accolades this season.

Regardless of whether a cynic can question Barcelona’s right to play in the final after a terrible performance by the referee in the 2nd leg of the semifinal with Chelsea, no one can question the quality of the season that the Catalans assembled. Having beat their arch-rivals Real Madrid by an aggregate 8-2 in La Liga, they marched decisively through some of Europe’s stiffest competition on route to the CL title. They beat the reigning French champs Lyon 6-3 on aggregate, reigning German champs Bayern Munich 5-1 on aggregate, then defeated last year’s runners-up Chelsea, only to beat back-to-back English champs Manchester United in the final.

FC Barcelona have themselves said this is the greatest single season in the club’s long and storied history. After two trophy-less years and a steady decline in the club’s performance, Pep Guardiola’s rookie season at the helm could not have gone any better. His main challenge will be where to go from here.

As Cantona once explained to me, the football pendulum tends to swing back and forth between eras of attacking grace and those of stout, stodgy defense. With Spain’s dazzling conquest of the Euros and Barcelona’s capturing of this year’s CL title, joga bonito appears to be in the ascendency. Next year’s Champions League, and, most importantly, World Cup tournament will go a long way in determining how the current era is viewed in perpetuity. Personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed that the goal-scorer’s get their way.

Real Marin celebrate Barça’s championship with a bottle (or two) of Spanish vino.

Final 2009: FC Barcelona v. Manchester United FC

2009-05-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Round of 4 Pool Standings

2009-05-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

It seems that each year the pool gets tighter and tighter, which may speak to the increasing football savviness of the participants. Coming off of two consecutive runner-up finishes, Cantona is poised to capture this year's pool if his beloved United can repeat as European champions. It also appears that the Bonus Pick (worth 3 pts.) could be a big factor in determining the prize-winners. With Cantona, Banana Island, and Team Auckland all having picked Manchester United to win it all, the Continentalist stands out in the second place pack as the only one to have picked Barça. What does this all mean? I'll leave it to you to ponder, but keep in mind that the final is worth 8 pts.

United v. Barça is a dream match up for most of the world's football fans. With a little luck we'll get a more open contest than the two matches they played against each other in last year's semifinals. Enjoy. And to the many United fans in the pool -- may the best side win ;)

Last 4 Results: Leg 2, Day 2

2009-05-06T23:41:00.000-07:00

¡¡ Iniesta!!

Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona {Agg: 1-1, Barcelona advance on away goals}

Essien 9'

------------------------------Iniesta 90+3'

Wow.

Tough to sum this match up in a short post. Chelsea looked much more dangerous thoughout this match than they ever did at Camp Nou. Despite once again having very little possession, the Blues had many more good chances on net than Barça did. While Chelsea looked strong, they did very little to build up play from the back or midfield and their lone goal came on a brilliant -- but one-in-a-hundred -- strike from Michael Essien off a flukey deflection near the top of the box. However, after being held scoreless for 183 minutes, Andres Iniesta (who has been Barça's best player over the last month or more) scored the tie-winner in breathtaking fashion with Barcelona's first shot on target the entire night in the 3rd minute of extra time to send the blaugrana through.

If the first leg ended with Barcelona feeling they'd been robbed by the referee, tonight's match ended the same, but even more heatedly, for the Londoners. To be fair, the referee had a terrible game and Chelsea supporters will surely feel they were cheated out of an appearance in Rome through several missed penalty calls -- the most obvious omission being a hand ball by Pique late in the second half. But the bad decisions affected both sides as Barça's left back Eric Abidal was sent off with a ridiculous red on what appeared to be almost no contact in a challenge against Nicolas Anelka, leaving Barcelona to fend with only 10 men for almost 30 minutes. After the final whistle the Blues completely lost their composure with Didier Drogba flying in the face of the referee and yelling "It's a fucking disgrace" into the TV cameras.

In the end, people can bitch all they want about referees, but it was Chelsea's refusal to push for an away goal in Barcelona which left them exposed. This match will be debated for a long time to come, but the CL Final in Rome is a dream matchup for the neutral. Barça will be missing both their right and left backs-- Abidal and Dani Alves, respectively -- due to suspension (have I mentioned how much I hate the fact that cards are carried over into the final?).

Barcelona will certainly be considered the underdog as they are facing the in-form defending champions and have shown over the last few years to have a very difficult time scoring against English sides. Still, the final will feature the potent strength and attacking power of Manchester United against the finesse of the highest goal-scoring side in Europe in Barcelona. Mouth-watering to say the least.

¡Visca Barça!

2009-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

This is Liz and my all-time favorite rendition of the Barça hymn. The ending doesn't work quite as well as it used to, but it is stirring nonetheless. C'mon now Blaugrana! Who doesn't want to see a United v. Barça final?

Last 4 Results: Leg 2, Day 1

2009-05-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Park Ji-Sung all but ends the tie in the 8th minute.

Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United {Agg: 1-4, Manchester United advance}
------------------------------Park 8'
------------------------------Ronaldo 11'
------------------------------Ronaldo 61'
Van Persie 76'

Manchester United proved to have too much power and class for Arsenal at the Emirates on Tuesday, putting the tie away with two goals inside the first 11 minutes. The rout started when Park Ji-Sung capitalized off young Gunner defender Kieron Gibbs' slip on a Ronaldo cross. Next the Emirates were stunned when Ronaldo nailed a scorcher of a free kick from well outside the area. Finally they sealed the tie early in the second half with a lightning counter attack that covered a ton of pitch in an instant: Ronaldo back flick-Park-Rooney-Ronaldo... match over. On a night which Arsene Wegner described as his worst in 25 years of managing, United dominated in every aspect and have surely shown they deserve to defend their title in Rome on May 27th. The only black mark for the Red Devils on an otherwise glorious night was the harsh red card given to Darren Fletcher for a tackle on Cesc Fabregas in the area which means the industrious Scottish midfielder will miss the final. Congrats to the United fans in the pool -- you have a lot to look forward to in your second consecutive CL Final appearance. Tomorrow we'll learn who will challenge you.

WB & Me

2009-05-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Wear it with pride.

On the eve of the second legs of the semifinals, just thought I'd give a shout out to my peeps from WB. This is the shirt Cantona gave me in 2006 when I left for an LA stint. It was worn by an indoor team the studio fielded in 2000 which was eventually disbanded due to excessive injuries and a shallow bench. Along with the World Cup 2006 Friends Pool, it's what tipped me into following club football. Many good times at lunch watching World Cup matches at the J&B, and CL matches on the screening room's HD projection TV with Cantona, Banana Island, and Claret & Blue. In that spirit, the Continentalist and I'll be watching the second half of Arsenal v. United at Bobby G's in Berkeley tomorrow in case anyone can swing by.

Peace out, WB and x-WB'ers.

Round of 4: Mid-Tie Power Rankings

2009-05-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

1. Team Jerusalem
2. Eastern Influence
3. Cantona
4. Banana Island
---Team Auckland
---The Continentalist
5. Real Marin
6. The Claret & Blue
7. Crown City FC

With everyone picking United over Arsenal, the only separation in this round's Power Rankings was Team Jerusalem and Eastern Influence picking Chelsea over Barcelona. The Gunners appear to be in too big of a hole to overcome United. While most give Chelsea the edge for keeping a clean sheet at Camp Nou, the lack of an away goal could come back to bite them. The Catalans are riding high off an historic 2-6 victory in Madrid on Saturday, and if Barca scores first the Blues won't be able to park the bus in front of the goal. Cheers to the semis.

Last 4 Results: Leg 1, Day 2

2009-05-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

John O'Shea is the unlikely hero as he scores the leg's lone goal for United.

Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal

O'Shea '17

Manchester United acheived the result Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he desired, a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford. While they will be happy to have kept a clean sheet, the Red Devils may regret that they didn't put the tie away with a second or third goal after dominating long stretches of the match. Keeper Manuel Almunia was the Gunner's saving grace as he came up with several fantastic stops to limit the damage and keep the Londoners in the tie with a glimmer of hope as the sides square off at the Emirates on Tuesday.

Last 4 Results: Leg 1, Day 1

2009-04-28T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ugly.

Barcelona 0-0 Chelsea

In a virtual replay of last year's semifinal against Manchester United at the Camp Nou, Barcelona's high flying attack were frustrated by a single-mindedly defensive Chelsea game plan. Guus Hiddink took a page out of Sir Alex's playbook and was content to sit back and clog all the space in the box and hope for a lucky goal on a counter or set piece. Despite the fact that Barca controlled 65% of the possession, and out shot them 20-3, the Blues were rarely worried as Barca were forced to take most of their shots well outside the area. The tie will now be decided at Stamford Bridge with the worst news for Barca being the loss of their veteran central defenders, Rafa Marquez to a season-ending knee injury, and team captain Carles Puyol to suspension for picking up his 3rd yellow card. Chelsea must now be considered favorites to reprise their appearance in the final as the momentum swings decidedly the way of the tenacious Londoners.

Round of 4: Barcelona v. Chelsea

2009-04-25T18:22:00.001-07:00

Round of 4: Manchester United v. Arsenal

2009-04-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Brackets: Semifinals

2009-04-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

(click to enlarge)

Round of 8 Pool Standings

2009-04-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Once again the Power Rankings have proved atypically prescient in predicting the pool teams' standings. With each pick in this round worth 4 points, Team Jerusalem retains his place at the top of the table with an impressive 11-1 record, but shares the spot with Cantona who's EPL expertise and "law of averages" theory on English head-to-head matches saw him correctly select Chelsea over Liverpool. As mentioned before, the rest of us all picked en masse, except for Eastern Influence who also rode lucky Guus Hiddink up a couple positions on the table, while Crown City FC's Bayern boys let him down both literally and figuratively.

The next round figures to separate the wheat from the chaff as each correct pick is worth 6 pts. The ties begin next Tuesday, April 28th so be looking to make your selections over the weekend.

Last 8 Results: Leg 2, Day 2

2009-04-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

C. Ronaldo is pumped about the tie-winner.

Porto 0-1 Manchester United {Agg: 2-3, United advance}
------------------------------Ronaldo '6

Cristiano Ronaldo's scorching 35m strike proved all that was necessary to eliminate Porto from the competition. United's defense looks to be back in form as they finally delivered a clean sheet for the first time in six matches.

Arsenal 3-0 Villarreal {Agg: 4-1, Arsenal advance}
Walcott '10
Adebayor '60
Van Persie '69 (pen)

Arsenal made good on their reputation for attacking football in a dominant performance against upstart Villarreal. Young English international Theo Walcott has emerged from injury in even better form as he contributed heavily to the Gunners' forays into the Yellow Submarine's defense. Arsenal will face Manchester United in the fourth all-English semifinal in five years. Incidentally, this is the third year in a row that three English sides are featured in the last four.

Last 8 Results: Leg 2, Day 1

2009-04-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

Drogba and Ballack celebrate Alex's scorching free kick goal in a wild one at the Bridge.

Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool {Agg: 7-5, Chelsea advance}
------------------------------Aurelio '19
------------------------------Alonso '29 (pen)
Drogba '51
Alex '57
Lampard '76
------------------------------Lucas '81
------------------------------Kuyt '83
Lampard '89

In a match which some are already calling perhaps the best CL match ever played, Chelsea stormed back to defeat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Twice Liverpool were one goal away from pulling off an astounding comeback to advance to the Last 4, but the Blues were up to the task each time. Lampard's goal in the 89th minute was the final nail in the Reds' CL coffin.

Bayern Munich 1-1 Barcelona {Agg: 1-5, Barcelona advances}
Ribery '47
------------------------------Keita '73

Bayern proved to be more energetic on home soil with a much more dangerous attack in the opening half of the second leg. As transfer rumors swirl, Ribery did well in what may have been a job interview for his future club by scoring the only German goal against them early in the second half of play. However, Malian Sedou Keita delivered the knock out blow with a lethal finish on a deft dish from Xavi after a beautifully built-up series of one touch passes.

Last 8: Mid-Tie Power Rankings

2009-04-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

1. Cantona
___Team Jerusalem
2. Banana Island
___Big Bend (Team Auckland)
___The Continentalist
3. Real Marin
___Easter Influence
4. Claret & Blue
5. Crown City FC

There was a definite herd mentality in this round's picks. Out of the 36 picks made there were only 3 deviations from the group: Cantona and Eastern Influence picking Chelsea, and Crown City FC picking his boys from Munich. Chelsea's surprise spanking of Liverpool at Anfield sees Cantona and EI rise up through the ranks, while Bayern's listless debacle at the Camp Nou has cast CCFC down to the very bottom. Of course nothing's decided yet, and with this being Easter, there's always hope that CCFC will rise again.

We'll know more when the second leg matches are played this Tuesday and Wednesday.

Last 8 Results: Leg 1, Day 2

2009-04-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

On a night of surprising results, Branislav Ivanovic scores the first of his two header goals in Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Anfield.

Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea
Torres '6
------------------------------Ivanovic '39
------------------------------Ivanovic '62
------------------------------Drogba '67

Barcelona 4-0 Bayern Munchen
Messi '9
Eto'o '12
Messi '38
Henry '43

Last 8 Results: Leg 1, Day 1

2009-04-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel Adebayor saves Arsenal in spectacular fashion with an all-important away goal to secure the 1-1 draw on Spanish soil.

Villarreal 1-1 Arsenal
Senna '10
---------------------- Adebayor '66

Manchester United 2-2 Porto
-----------------------Rodriguez '4
Rooney '15
Tevez '85
-----------------------Mariano '89

Round of 8: Villarreal v. Arsenal

2009-04-04T12:00:00.001-07:00

Round of 8: Manchester United v. Porto

2009-04-04T11:59:00.001-07:00