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Post by comet on Jun 29, 2014 10:53:47 GMT
Oh great, Wimbledon is on..
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Post by Jeff on Jun 29, 2014 13:55:29 GMT
Yes, and aren't the French doing well: Alize Cornet beat Serena Williams last night but to get back on topic I heard on Radio 5 news an English fan has had part of their ear bitten off. Looks like Uruguay fans are copying their "hero". This could start a trend. I'll have to wear ear muffs when I'm out at night. I just hope all these vampires get back in their coffins before sunrise !  Without their main man Uruguay were beaten by Colombia while Brazil beat Chile on penalties. Many experts believe Colombia will beat Brazil in Friday's quarter-final and with players like James Rodriguez that could well happen. Looks like Tim Cahill has a rival for "goal of the tournament." I just wish the crowd were a bit more enthusiastic ! Of course to actually win the World Cup, Colombia would have to beat Brazil then Germany then probably Argentina which is why they're 12/1 outsiders. Still, could be worth a quid perhaps ?! Don't say you weren't told !  This guy certainly sounds like he's a fan (and you thought English commentators were bad !) You wouldn't want to be sat next to him in the stadium ! |
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Post by Richard on Jun 29, 2014 14:11:01 GMT
The commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live said that without Luis Suárez, Uruguay are toothless up front! When they lost to Colombia, I thought - Suckers!  Richard  |
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Post by Jeff on Jun 30, 2014 9:24:02 GMT
In 30C heat and 70% humidity Mexico were robbed of a place in the last 8 by a Robben dive. The Mexicans had looked booked for a quarter final spot until Holland scored twice in the last 8 minutes including that "penalty". (6 minutes were added on due to a drinks break). Robben has a reputation for this. In fact he's performed the "dying swan" so often I'm surprised the RSPB hasn't got involved but then he's not alone as this video by an enterprising fan shows:
Elsewhere Costa Rica were more deserving winners when they beat Greece on penalties after playing with 10 men for nearly an hour.
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Dave
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HWI Admin
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Post by Dave on Jun 30, 2014 20:34:16 GMT
In 30C heat and 70% humidity Mexico were robbed of a place in the last 8 by a Robben dive. The Mexicans had looked booked for a quarter final spot until Holland scored twice in the last 8 minutes including that "penalty". (6 minutes were added on due to a drinks break). Robben has a reputation for this. In fact he's performed the "dying swan" so often I'm surprised the RSPB hasn't got involved but then he's not alone as this video by an enterprising fan shows: youtu.be/7QBPGXJE86IElsewhere Costa Rica were more deserving winners when they beat Greece on penalties after playing with 10 men for nearly an hour. To be fair Jeff, Holland did look the stronger towards the end of the match and once Sneijder scored that excellent equalizer in the 88th. minute, I had expected them to go on to win in extra time, the iffy penalty just ended it sooner than I expected. I don't think penalties or fouls should be given though unless the victim makes some effort to stay on his feet, which Robben did for the first two tackles but not the third. Was pleased to see Costa Rica go through. Cheers, Dave |
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Joe
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Supporting Hayley since 2003!
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Post by Joe on Jun 30, 2014 22:17:49 GMT
Hello Dave and Jeff! I have mixed feelings about the "drinks" break  Each match should have had them. They work to a coaches' advantage! If I remember, one is at the 30 min and 75 min marks. France continue to do well! Good that Costa Rica are through...just watched Germany score in the 92nd minute! I must say our sports channel ESPN has great coverage of the World Cup. They have fantastic commentary from legendary football stars like Steve McManaman and Ruud van Nistelrooy (despite the heavy Liverpudlian and Dutch accents, respectively:) I hope for a good result in the USA v. Belgium match tomorrow. Kickoff at 4 pm my time...just when I leave work. Hope to tune in before halftime! "I believe that we will win" is the war cry! |
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Post by Jeff on Jul 1, 2014 9:36:36 GMT
Both African teams did their continent proud last night. The champions of Africa Nigeria went down 2-0 to France while Algeria took the Germans to extra-time before the former world champions won 2-1.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 2, 2014 9:13:17 GMT
Hello Dave and Jeff! I have mixed feelings about the "drinks" break Each match should have had them. They work to a coaches' advantage! If I remember, one is at the 30 min and 75 min marks. France continue to do well! Good that Costa Rica are through...just watched Germany score in the 92nd minute! I must say our sports channel ESPN has great coverage of the World Cup. They have fantastic commentary from legendary football stars like Steve McManaman and Ruud van Nistelrooy (despite the heavy Liverpudlian and Dutch accents, respectively:) I hope for a good result in the USA v. Belgium match tomorrow. Kickoff at 4 pm my time...just when I leave work. Hope to tune in before halftime! "I believe that we will win" is the war cry! Well Joe your guys did the USA proud, especially Tim Howard's heroics in goal as he made 15 saves (a record for a World Cup match!) to keep the Belgians at bay until extra-time when they eventually ran out 2-1 winners but the last 15 minutes were the most exciting I've seen at the tournament and I really expected the US to equalise. This was in sharp contrast to the earlier match. If you missed it fast forward 118 minutes to Di Maria's goal for Argentina. Before that the Swiss kept things so tight and as soon as Messi got the ball they had 3 men onto him ! In fact I got so bored I switched over to Wimbledon (where things are getting very exciting if you're German or Australian !) So all the group winners have won through to the Quarter-Finals (which suggests that their earlier matches weren't "fixed" whatever may have happened with Cameroon): France v Germany, Brazil v Colombia, Argentina v Belgium, Holland v Costa Rica. That starts Friday so your HWI football correspondent has 2 days off ! Well, there's always tennis !  |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jul 2, 2014 11:35:44 GMT
One of the most exciting matches of the tournament so far, the US team demonstrated that it fully deserved its place in the last 16 and I really thought they were going to complete that two-goal comeback at the end! It was close!!!
Cheers, Dave
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Post by Jeff on Jul 4, 2014 9:25:03 GMT
The French are very upbeat ahead of their match this afternoon. It seems 7 of the German team have gone down with flu but we don't know which 7.  |
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Post by martindn on Jul 4, 2014 20:04:00 GMT
Well, whichever they were, it didn't help the French. They lost. Although it was close.
Martin D
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Post by Jeff on Jul 5, 2014 9:28:18 GMT
Yes, France 0 Germany 1 so the Germans go into the semis for the fourth consecutive time (a World Cup record although they haven't won it for 24 years). Brazil had their toughest challenge yet in beating Colombia 2-1 but they go into Tuesday's semi against Germany without their star player Neymar who fractured a vertebra.
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Post by Jeff on Jul 6, 2014 9:16:28 GMT
Belgium held out for all of 7 minutes before Argentina took the lead. It seemed we might be in for a goalfest but it stayed at 1-0 throughout. Holland v Costa Rica went to penalties with the Dutch winning 4-3 after they had changed their goalkeeper for a bigger man ! So we have an Argentina v Holland semi on Wednesday. We could have an all European final but it seems unlikely. The couple who run this internet cafe are Brazilians and they won't hear of defeat, even without Neymar ! We'll see.  |
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Post by martindn on Jul 6, 2014 21:49:18 GMT
Well, all things being equal I'd put my money on Germany. But at this level, everyone is so defensive that it only takes a moment of brilliance from one outstanding player to win it. The one outstanding player left is Messi, so you can't rule out Argentina.
Martin D
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Jul 6, 2014 22:27:11 GMT
Hello Jeff,
i was so glad that Costa Rica held on right until the end...I had thought the Netherlands would win by two or three goals.
I'm predicting Brazil and Argentina in the final...a South American derby!
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Each match should have had them. They work to a coaches' advantage! If I remember, one is at the 30 min and 75 min marks. 
