The Round Ball Game

[johncorrigan]

Yep Jayne,super game.
Glen Hoddle made me chuckle,dismissing the need for drinks breaks "I played in hotter world cups than this"

Not in favour of the drinks break - it's against the spirit of the game - played into the hands of the Dutch, I thought - it would be easy for them to grab drinks as they went on - what next? 4 quarters, or even worse, 3 quarters!!!

[Pianorak]

Not in favour of the drinks break - it's against the spirit of the game - played into the hands of the Dutch, I thought - it would be easy for them to grab drinks as they went on - what next? 4 quarters, or even worse, 3 quarters!!!

I bet Elfin Safety just couldn't resist . . .

[teamsaint]

I was wondering if some upper age limit of around 30 has been imposed for spectators in this competition ?

FIFA could do it if anybody could.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not in favour of the drinks break - it's against the spirit of the game - played into the hands of the Dutch, I thought - it would be easy for them to grab drinks as they went on - what next? 4 quarters, or even worse, 3 quarters!!!

At the USA World Cup, the TV companies wanted drinks breaks to insert more adverts.

[jayne lee wilson]

I'm wondering whether the Brazilian TV broadcaat is in HD. Neither the BBC nor ITV HD channels appear to be any better than their standard counterparts. A pity, because the extra detail is a real asset to football broadcasts.

Sorry EA, but deffo HD here (if not as hi-res as some) via Sky or Freesat....(resolution always varies on HD from prog to prog, channel to channel though - it would flatter that last series of Mad Men to describe it as "soft-focus.."!)

Didn't watch all of Greece-Costa Rica, but got my chilli ready in time for - ANOTHER last minute equaliser?! What, is it something dark and deep in human endurance psychology, just giving up a fraction too early...? Relaxing in sight of the finishing line, is that it?

But both teams seemed really sussed about the pens, didn't they? Until the miss it was largely... wait for the keeper to make the first move.
Roy Hodgson & co., Greg "cutthroat" Dyke, hope you're watching...

[johncorrigan]

I posted somewhere earlier that a player having to score to keep his team in the shootout has only a 43% chance of successful completion...I felt for that last Chilean taker.

...whereas the chances of scoring rise to 93% when the player is taking the penalty to put his team through in a shoot-out. Vamos Los Ticos!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Vamos indeed!

scores chart

[Parry1912]

Couldn't help noticing that Brazil went through after scoring just 3 of their penalties. How many times have England scored 3, 4 or even 5 pens and still lost!

[EdgeleyRob]

Algeria have certainly kicked on since playing England in South Africa,incredible performance v Germany tonight.
I really hope they can win this before penalties.

bugger

[Nick Armstrong]

There are nil nils and there are nil nils.

Too true!

"Pulsating" I think is the ITV commentators' word of choice for encounters like this.

Like you, I'm with Algeria (ditto resident French )


Damn.... German goal just as I was about to press Post

[teamsaint]

Algeria just need one moment of composure up front.

Terrific match .

Yet again.

[johncorrigan]

Algeria just need one moment of composure up front.

Terrific match .

Yet again.

They had so many chances...gutted!!!!

[EdgeleyRob]

They had so many chances...gutted!!!!

and now they put one away !!!!

Unlucky Algeria.

Night night all.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, Les Fennecs were foxy indeed, wily and tough... but lacked the class finisher. Their goal looked good, but Germany had relaxed at 2-0 and 120+1... Now for the Classic at the Maracana! Oh, remember the mixed emotions after the 3-3 in Spain...

Nigeria-France cracked off at terrific pace, very evenly-matched, but The Eagles didn't create much, and visibly wilted after about 70 minutes as France sent in wave after wave...

What a difference it makes to play the Coupe Mondiale in a soccer-mad country though, scarcely a game without atmosphere, excitement and incident! And what a couple of games next Friday!
Just a point about corners - they've been largely predictable crosses (not many good near-post efforts), and usually well-defended, haven't they? I'm surprised there aren't more short ones being tried, pass-and-run-at, or pass-and-low-shot/into goalmouth, etc... (of course, our absent friend Mr. Suarez tried to score twice from corners in the same match.. but now .)

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

the French second goal?

excellent games, and performances from the losing sides ...