Dumb giveaways. Also Giroud kicked a Swiss center back in the eye in the eight minute, so they have been playing with a backup there.

6/20/2014 4:47:10 PM

Thanks. Unrelated, but I was just made privvy to Columbia's Breaking Bad while watching Univision

6/20/2014 4:49:59 PM

Didn't help that Switzerland's keeper was absolutely terrible. All of the goals except for the 3rd were saveable and I'd wager that Howard would have blocked all but that one.

6/20/2014 4:56:54 PM

In the Men In Blazers preview, the basically said Switzer were seeded bc FIFA are in Switzerland. Obviously just talk, but implication is that Swiss were very overrated

6/20/2014 5:21:04 PM

Quote :

"Anyway, hopefully this World Cup forever shuts up the idiots who want to take a spot from CONCACAF whenever a half decent UEFA team bottles it in qualifying."

I hold out hope for a CONCACAF-CONMEBOL merger.

There's going to be a Copa America Centenario hosted by the U.S. in 2016 that will have all 10 CONMEBOL nations, the U.S., Mexico, the champions of the Caribbean and Central American championships later this year, and 2 other CONCACAF countries based on their finish in the Gold Cup next year. I hope that's the first step toward this. South American soccer talent, North American money, a unified Copa America, Copa Libertadores...that could potentially compete with Europe down the road if European political and economic developments continue like they're going. I think it's almost necessary for American soccer to progress because we're never going to become members of UEFA. (Mexico and probably most of the Central American countries would leave treadmarks going to CONMBEOL if the Caribbean mafia would let them leave.)

(On the political front as something no one is talking about for its effects on soccer, Catalonia is voting for independence late this year. Spain very much don't want this to happen but Catalonia are pressing forward. If it happened, there's about a half dozen Catalans you need to remove from the Spanish national team going forward, but more importantly that means Real Madrid and Barca are now in separate countries. That would have huge effects on the Spanish domestic game as far as certain teams losing a guaranteed payday, and Real and Barca would both be the worse for it.)

[Edited on June 20, 2014 at 5:54 PM. Reason : /]

6/20/2014 5:44:32 PM

This color guy has some fascination with the word "Azteca". I swear he brings that damn stadium up 10 times a match every single time.

6/20/2014 6:04:49 PM

i expected this game to bore me, and it's lived up to the expectations thus far.

6/20/2014 6:28:25 PM

Costa Rican fan on Reddit after their win vs. Italy:

Quote :

"OMG! I'M CRYING! MY DAD IS CRYING! THIS IS HAPPENING! TICO TAKA! HOLY CRAP!!!!!!! HOLD ON. I'M JUST GOING TO RUN AROUND MY HOUSE SCREAMING!!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! TICOTICOTICOTIME PURA VIDA! I NO LONGER KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING! WOOOO!!!! Edit: can confirm. Just did a somersault. omg 2edit: Getting booze. Party tonight! 2nd ever, first time winning at this magnitude. Costa Rica! GIANTKILLERS! GROUP OF DEATH NO MORE! WHO'S YOUR WHIPPING BOY NOW!? ALL I GOT! WOOO! FIRST NAME GREATEST! LAST NAME EVER! WORLDBEST~~~DALLLEEPRIII! 3edit: got my booze. I LOVE YOU ALL! PURA VIDA! "

6/20/2014 9:40:03 PM

That feeling right there is why we love sports.

6/21/2014 12:30:32 AM

Quote :

"That would have huge effects on the Spanish domestic game as far as certain teams losing a guaranteed payday, and Real and Barca would both be the worse for it."

Why couldn't Barca play in La Liga? Swansea aren't in England, but play in the EPL.

6/21/2014 3:50:50 AM

Monaco isn't in France either but plays in Ligue 1

6/21/2014 12:19:44 PM

A ghana win today would be problematic for the us

6/21/2014 12:44:03 PM

You got Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, and Higuain all on the field together, and Argentina is getting absolutely stymied in the final third. I can't believe they aren't any better than this.

6/21/2014 12:47:17 PM

I'm at the point in which I'm pulling for an Iranian goal

6/21/2014 1:22:32 PM

Thanks refs

6/21/2014 1:51:26 PM

Quote :

"I hold out hope for a CONCACAF-CONMEBOL merger. There's going to be a Copa America Centenario hosted by the U.S. in 2016 that will have all 10 CONMEBOL nations, the U.S., Mexico, the champions of the Caribbean and Central American championships later this year, and 2 other CONCACAF countries based on their finish in the Gold Cup next year. I hope that's the first step toward this. South American soccer talent, North American money, a unified Copa America, Copa Libertadores...that could potentially compete with Europe down the road if European political and economic developments continue like they're going. I think it's almost necessary for American soccer to progress because we're never going to become members of UEFA. (Mexico and probably most of the Central American countries would leave treadmarks going to CONMBEOL if the Caribbean mafia would let them leave.)"

That would kind of suck in a way. I like how the USA has a free pass to the World Cup. Even if we got 9 spots I think Columbia, Paraguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, etc could end up being that 9th place finisher that puts the USA in 10th and eliminates them. There would also be a lot more places like Mexico where the USA will be the team that has "never won a WCQ in country X."

6/21/2014 2:55:05 PM

Was that goal off his face?

And was that a streaker?

6/21/2014 4:11:58 PM

Damnit

6/21/2014 4:14:44 PM

glad to see that the voodoo doctor is still there

6/21/2014 4:16:20 PM

damn you Ghana

6/21/2014 4:20:58 PM

Come the fuck on Germany. Fucking us hard here. We can easily lie on 6 pts and now qualify.

6/21/2014 4:22:34 PM

I think US goes down to Portugal tomorrow anyway. So if Ghana wins then we at least still have a chance to make it to the knockout round if we can beat the Germans.

6/21/2014 4:26:20 PM

Lol first touch..

This is the best sporting event in history this year, no??

[Edited on June 21, 2014 at 4:32 PM. Reason : quietly, ozil has been amazing down the flank. every pass is inch perfect]

6/21/2014 4:29:12 PM

I hope that coach gets that booger soon. Every time they show him he is digging

6/21/2014 4:48:09 PM

They should probably just leave Muller on the bench next match after that nasty cut he received

6/21/2014 4:53:49 PM

Why on earth did Low take out Boateng? Their D pretty much collapsed when they did. I honestly don't even know who the guy they brought on is.

Judging by twitter and the commentators its fashionable to bash Ozil but he put a half dozen chances on a platter and Germany fucked up every one. Its like Giroud (non-France national team version) was up front.

6/21/2014 4:59:29 PM

First bad break for the USA

6/21/2014 5:00:36 PM

Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal

6/21/2014 5:01:23 PM

Ozil was so fucking predictable. He has to stop and cut it back to cross at some point because he's completely one footed, and Ghana did a pretty good job cutting those out.

6/21/2014 5:11:13 PM

I don't understand why they put Lahm in midfield, while putting two CBs at LB and RB.

6/21/2014 5:24:58 PM

Hang on, did we not want Ghana and Germany to draw today?

6/21/2014 8:33:07 PM

Germany winning outright would have been more optimal. Draw was okay though.

6/21/2014 8:46:53 PM

Germany is going to want that second win... which will have to against us.

You could make the argument that Ghana is still "in it" and would play harder v. Portugal with a Germany draw than an L against Germany

6/21/2014 8:47:55 PM

Quote :

"You could make the argument that Ghana is still "in it""

no shit you could, of course they are still in it

6/21/2014 9:34:52 PM

Quote :

"I don't understand why they put Lahm in midfield, while putting two CBs at LB and RB."

Hasn't Lahm been basically playing DM all year long for Bayern too?

And I have barely been talking about Arsenal in here but Ozil get unfairly shit on all the time by everyone.

[Edited on June 21, 2014 at 10:26 PM. Reason : Ghana draw means a loss tmw puts us in trouble if they win regardless of GD]

6/21/2014 10:24:00 PM

^^ not where i was going with that, but i could see how you'd be confused

i should have re-ordered that and said:

Ghana is still "in it' and you could make the argument that they would play harder v. Portugal with a Germany draw than an L against Germany.

6/21/2014 10:42:02 PM

Beat Portugal and we're into the knockout round, period.

Let's do this.

6/21/2014 11:13:19 PM

I BELIEVE

6/22/2014 8:57:06 AM

pls2beat the flying Ronaldo's

6/22/2014 10:07:00 AM

Quote :

" I have barely been talking about Arsenal in here but Ozil get unfairly shit on all the time by everyone."

I agree 100%. Seems like he has had his foot involved in every major play so far for this WM. An interesting side note is that he is the first German born Turk to make such an impact on the German team. Most third generation German-Turks like him are not even considered Germans, and there is a great deal of anti-turkish dogma flooding Germany these days.

6/22/2014 10:23:50 AM

He was pretty much shit the last 3 months of the league season and I don't remember any non-Arse fan going on about it in the EPL thread.

Maybe NyM is overly sensitive.

6/22/2014 10:55:35 AM

GAME DAY!

6/22/2014 11:04:51 AM

6/22/2014 11:18:57 AM

^haha

6/22/2014 11:28:45 AM

i know belgium was a trendy pick to do well in the tournament, but i just realized how stacked their team is

6/22/2014 12:16:30 PM

^I would prefer to not play this Belgium team.



I BELIEVE

6/22/2014 1:49:41 PM

Yeah we need to win tonight and hope to manage a draw against Germany and try to get the runner up of this group as I very much like our chances there. Belgium didn't look great today but they are pretty solid all around and would be a difficult game for us.

6/22/2014 1:53:06 PM

that ball on the first algeria goal was picture perfect

6/22/2014 3:30:16 PM

Ugh forgot how the games were setup for the rest of this week. I have managed to watch every match so far not knowing the score but that will now be impossible. Guess I'm left to pick which two games each day I care about more seeing as I'm gonna know the score of the other two while watching them

6/22/2014 3:34:37 PM

wow Algeria. it's way too easy

6/22/2014 4:22:24 PM