Thanks to the play of the Korean's who made it possible today for the United States to advance to play Mexico in the second round on MOnday morning. GO USA
This just in...Polish jokes are OFFICIALLY dead... I think we offended the soccer gods with those Polish jokes in DaDakota's thread.
Not only that. The biggest idiot on the Portuguese team was Nuno Gomes. This guy is a premier striker in the Italian league. Despite playing 9 on 11, the ball bounces to him literally 10 feet in front of the Korean goal with about 5 minutes left. Nobody is around him -- no defenders, no goalie. He has a full second, an eternity in soccer time, to collect this ball and put it away. It's harder to miss at this distance than to score. He swings his foot over the top of the ball and falls down. No kidding. He falls down, untouched. He flails at the ball but can't do anything with it because his butt's on the ground. The ball bounces forward and the goalie grabs it. End of opportunity. Unbelievable. A couple minutes later, another Portuguese player whacks a shot off the inside of the post. It bounces across the goal mouth and squirts away. From the angle of rebound, it's obvious that if that shot had been an inch to the right, Portugal would have gone through. So take comfort in this, US soccer fans: We were only the second worst choke artists in our division.
At that point in time, 2 minutes before the Portuguese had that shot go off the left post, I was making "totally offensive remarks" about them(which I won't post). A few seconds after my remarks, God reminded me that he can hear what I say at all times and almost gave me a heart attack, with just 1-3 minutes left in that game. Thanks GOD.
Will, That was an amazing pass to Nuno. Simply amazing bomb from what? 60 yards. Maybe I'm not remembering this right, but I didn't think it bounced to Nuno. Didn't it come over his head, and as I recall he had to catch it (or otherwise control it) like Willie Mays catching that famous home run over his head. You make it sound simpler, and say nothing about how the goalie could have caught that out of the air, had he not been surprised that a 50-60yder bomb got through. If I remember it right, had he collected that, that score is really freaking amazing when combined with the pass. That score would have been on the level of Bergkamp's in 1998 when he caught the 60-yd pass out of the air in the 90th minute. Also, you are discounting that S. Korea had 3 one-on-one's in the box. 2 of those is a score if the striker flips the ball over the committed, sliding goalie, and the third one was a very passive kick into the stomach of the goalie. Had Portugal scored before those, I guess maybe they don't happen, because Portugal would be playing defense. But if any of those goes in, as you put it, "Portugal would not have gone through."
Now here's a soccer fan! <i>A 39-year-old South Korean who said he wanted to help the team by becoming a ghost 12th player was in critical condition after setting himself on fire hours before the Portugal game. The man lit a candle and bowed several times toward the sea in the southeastern city of Busan before pouring paint thinner over his body and setting himself on fire, police said. He left a note declaring: ``I will become the 12th soccer player by becoming a spirit, and will run for the victory of the Korean team.''</i> http://wire.ap.org/APnews/?SITE=NYELG&FRONTID=HOME guess it worked!
Amazing. I am not sure what else to say. But I think the Rockets could make the playoffs by employing methods such as this. Add a few invisible players on the court to hang on Shaq's arms, and we've got it made.
I don't like saying this, but I hope that Agoos' injury will keep him out of the rest of the World Cup, he is just too slow to play at this level. He is constantly beat in the air and on the ground. He has been involved in 5 of the 6 goals the US has conceeded in this World Cup. Now, that off my chest, we got very lucky today, however, Donavan's equalizing goal should have been allowed to stand, both players were pushing for position in the Polish box, and as the US players were arguing, Poland went back and scored their 2nd goal. Believe me a 1-1 game is much different then a 2-0 deficit. I think the US deserved to go through, and maybe will have learned a valuable lesson today. Mexico is playing well, but the US can beat them. DaDakota
How often I forget the power of the jinx - Poland was a classic example- Fortunately a Portugal soccer fan out jinxed us and allowed for the stumble to Round 2. We probable should just throw in the towel- we'll NEVER beat Mexico they are just TOO good Flick on
I don''t know about that Jackie, Heading into the half Korea was really laid back. I think they got word the U.S. was down and they started to really slow it down. Who knows tho'. But that's what I saw.
Aaagh! I hate to see this, because I love these two teams about equal. But I'am from a Mexican origin and have been following the team through the '90's. I gotta say this is the best team yet, talent wise since the '94 cup. Mexico has alot of confidence right now and looked really good in the 2nd half (except for the last 15 min) against Italy, they were actually dominating the game in the second half. And I'am so glad to see the US move up with those young guns up front. It's gonna be a hell of a game!
Ultra secret rumor: Do to Agoos' injury the US will be starting former NASL star Kyle Rote jr. Summit Soccer 02 Flick on...
