It looked like it was really buzzing in the stadium. America did get lucky to the extent that the og was straight out of the Hayden Mullins school of defending and just as hilarious. Is it true that was your only shot on goal? Anyway, there is a difference between prediction and sentiment- I was cheering for OOSA last night.

If Japan play this one the way they played Australia, they should win.

Just spotted that if the tables remain unchanged, England's route to the final will be: last 16 England v Germany QF plays the winner of Argentina v Mexico and waiting in the SF will be the winner of Italy v Brazil because they will presumably have beaten the winner of S Korea v Tunisia. Get your money on Spain to win the World Cup!

The red cards for the American players were debatable to harsh but the missed penalty and some of the other decisions against the Americans were truly bad. Have to say Italy were awful and could well fail to hold on for the point they need against the Czechs to qualify. Well done to the USA for getting at least a point (would have been three with an OK ref) but I think Ghana will win the last game in the Group.

At the moment Poland, Costa Rica and Paraguay are such dark horses that the lights have gone out.

What a fantastic game- really enjoyed it. The Czechs had no answer for the combination of physicality and ball playing prowess of Ghana. Give me the choice of ANY COUNTRY to be the coach of at this stage, I would pick Ghana. "All" they need is more discipline between 15 and 30 yards from goal and to stick the front-runners' heads in ice buckets and they could beat anyone in Germany.

Fabulous rearguard fight by the USA- well done chaps! Italy had bought that ref- no messing. McBride is crap though isn't he?

Or giving up trying to post after the site had collapsed.

This thread is excellent news. All the fans in Germany are behaving themselves.

"They" seem to be doing a pretty good job of making sure we cannot watch it on the PC. Nothing working for me today sorry.

Well that was a bit emphatic. Mind you Serbia and Montenegro are so poor, they don't exist anymore. Compared with England facing the might of T&T, the Argies were fooling around with S&M.

What is all this moaning about? I saw the last 15 minutes and England were OK. The Swedish game will be interesting- can England begin to pick their game up against a half-decent European side? If they can, there might be hope yet. Neither Germany nor Ecuador should be capable of troubling potential WC winners in terms of last 16 opposition.

Hang-on, they cannot have played yet; I am supposed to be writing the preview for this one!

Hmm, it seems pot luck whether a post goes onto this new fangled MB or not. Anyway, for what its worth, Italy will record a routine 3-0 win over oosa as the Italians call the USA. Back to this topic, I haven't found a proxy that convinces the Beeb that I am in the UK yet. So for anyone outside the UK, go to http://www.project2046.com Make a note of the channels showing the game then go to the TVU media player and click on the channel(s) listed by 2046 as showing the game. You get pretty dumb commentary if it is coming off ESPN and more tickers and crawlers than Bloomberg TV but at least you get to see the sunshine/shadow contrast in technicolo(u)r! Oh that's excellent, it told me my post had failed so I put it on again and I find I've sandwiched Jan.

Hmm, it seems pot luck whether a post goes onto this new fangled MB or not. Anyway, for what its worth, Italy will record a routine 3-0 win over oosa as the Italians call the USA. Back to this topic, I haven't found a proxy that convinces the Beeb that I am in the UK yet. So for anyone outside the UK, go to http://www.project2046.com Make a note of the channels showing the game then go to the TVU media player and click on the channel(s) listed by 2046 as showing the game. You get pretty dumb commentary if it is coming off ESPN and more tickers and crawlers than Bloomberg TV but at least you get to see the sunshine/shadow contrast in technicolo(u)r!

Germany will not impress but Poland will fall short and fail to embarass the hosts even though they face instant elimination in this one if, as seems likely, Ecuador beat Costa Rica.

Terrible refereeing decision for the penalty and sending off but Spain by some distance the best side we've seen in the WC so far. Ukraine are no slouches. Wonder if they can keep it up?

Woops! Anyone else having problems with an erratic log-in?

England are just plain bonkers not to have appointed Hiddinck. He's going to steer one of the poorer sides at the WC into the last 16 and quite possibly the last 8. Chipperfield is obviously used to being totally out of his depth having practised drowning in Basel's CL games whilst Wilkshire is new to being out-classed. Moore is hopeless- only Lucas saved the Aussies bacon at the back and that goes for flaky Schwartzer. Ref was right to apologise but you can be certain that Prso and pals will have sussed the Aussie keeper's weakness- just as well for the socceroos that Prso is 100% rubbish.

I am chuffed that Togo are winning after those arrogant tossers gave Rovers grief over what in retrospect was a very generous offer of a chance for Ahn to resurrect his non-career. go Togo! PS, anyone remember which matches I am supposed to be previewing?

Tris spot on again. Come on Mr Armchair, show us you can spot a duff pundit- you've had enough practise.

I did say, the USA are going home pointless. The Czechs are good but not that good.

As there was no website to post my preview, I will pre my postview. Japan were well organised and benefitted from the worst bit of reffing in the World Cup so far. Australia are weaker than I thought but unlike SGE, Hiddinck is a tactical genius and played his substitutes extremely well- Australia in the final 15 minutes were a way-stronger proposition than they were in the first 75 and Japan couldn't cope. I've always felt Schwarzer is a dodgy keeper and still do. Neill had a very solid game, Emo was anonymous so was good by his standards. Chipperfield and Wilkshire showed that lower division players cannot operate at this level. Craig Moore was predictably poo. Besciano was not Prem class on this showing. Viduka was leaden footed. Cahill and Aliosi transformed the socceroos, notwithstanding their goals. Hiddinck will have to do something different against Croatia but at least Japan and Croatia will have played each other before the likely second place decider. I expect the Aussies will get stuck into Brasil- a lot depends on the ref for that one. If there is a non-contact sport FIFA special, socceroos will do well to finish with 9 on the pitch. Japan could embarass Croatia if they keep their organisation going- the Croats are more of a rabble than the Aussies are.

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Duke Of Edinburgh was right for once.