World Cup 2006

[GuyJean]

Soccer in 3rd world countries is crazy shit.
Almost as crazy as those religious Arab zealots and terrorist fanatics.

Yeah, Americans would never kill each other over something as trivial as sports or religion..

Just giving shit.. I was in Colombia for a month; they take their sports, cartels, music, and religion seriously.. If you don't, they'll kill you.

GJ

[canman]

Can't the provide the English sub-channel feed. I was watching the Sweden Trinidad game and for the life of him the announcer could not say Lumberg. I really have no idea what name he was saying, but it just didn't sound anything like the real thing. Also do the announcers have to tell the viewers why the fans in the stadium are booing. The Japanese announcers do!

[IkemenTommy]

[Taka-Okami]

"Japanese Football Association chief executive Saburo Kawabuchi has inflamed tensions between the two sides.

"Australia are guilty of a lot of dirty fouls," Kawabuchi told Japanese sports magazine Japanese Sport Daily Hochi. "They target ankles in particular. Japan must stand up to them.""

http://www.theworldgame.com.au/home/index.php?pid=st&cid=72080

Man, I hope the japanese lose.

[Greji]

"Japanese Football Association chief executive Saburo Kawabuchi has inflamed tensions between the two sides.

"Australia are guilty of a lot of dirty fouls," Kawabuchi told Japanese sports magazine Japanese Sport Daily Hochi. "They target ankles in particular.

I wonder if Kawabuchi has any background in football. Since he is the CEO, probably none.

I smell the old Japanese custom here of collecting suitable ammunition to explain a loss. "We got our butts kicked because ____________" (fill in most suitable prematch comment for an excuse). That supposedly will give them demonstratable expertise to comment on football for a later date.

[Mulboyne]

I wonder if Kawabuchi has any background in football. Since he is the CEO, probably none.

Pre match pep talk passes by Japan's Alex

A World Cup pep-talk given by Japan's soccer chief to the Japanese squad was completely lost on the team's Brazilian-born defender Alex. Japan Football Association (JFA) chief Saburo Kawabuchi dropped in on the squad during training on Saturday to rally the troops for Monday's World Cup opener against Australia. But it was lost on Alex. "I was wondering what he was talking about," smiled the 28-year-old, who speaks intermediate Japanese. "I had to ask (interpreter) Suzuki-san what he was going on about"..."Whatever he said we're only two days away from our first match."

[Buraku]

Aussie Socceroo's versus Japan

[Greji]

[Greji]

Mighty Nippon is up 1-0 at the half. A beautiful goal and only two players taking out the Ozzie goalie to make sure it went in. I think one was Charles, but I'm not sure.

[Greji]

Nippon neglected to score in the second half, but forgot to tell the Aussies that they shouldn't score either. Aussies buried three to win it 3-1. What will Zico Japan do now?

[Yorik]

How fvcking good was that game.. I was almost despondent at half time after that shocker of a goal in the first.. I am nominating Cahill for Prime Minister!!!

Where's Charles when you need to get someone to eat some humble pie??

[IkemenTommy]

[SIZE="6"]GAME OVER[/SIZE]
They fuckin blew it. Watch the networks cool down with the coverage now.
I loved how the stupid NHK announcer kept referring to one of the Aussie players as "Kennedee-194-senchi" (Kennedy 194cm)

[Yorik]

[SIZE="6"]GAME OVER[/SIZE]
They fuckin blew it. Watch the networks cool down with the coverage now.
I loved how the stupid NHK announcer kept referring to one of the Aussie players as "Kennedee-194-senchi" (Kennedy 194cm)

I wonder what the announcer would say about his new wife, who is actually taller than him!!!!

[Greji]

[SIZE="6"]GAME OVER[/SIZE]
They fuckin blew it.

Ain't no blow to it Tommy. The Nippon side got a lucky gold that should have had three or four red cards attached and took about three reasonable shots the entire game.

If Kawaguchi hadn't made several outstanding saves, they would have got beat 5 or even 6-1!
hehehe

[IkemenTommy]

Well, they had to lose sooner or later.
Who in here were seriously thinking that they were going to the finals?

It was an early call and probably less painful that they lost in Round1

[Yorik]

I personally thought that the Aussies would go down to Japan, the Japanese technical game is much better than the Australia. The Aussies push hard and I thought that this would be their undoing against such a technically proficient team.

[maninjapan]

Japan in the second half well what can we say

good yet pants

they held the ozzies for goknows how long, well kawaguchi made a great free kick save but seriously the J-defense at times looked like a bunch of headless chickens unless someone was tellign them what to do!

And the forwards - chrsit what a bunch of pussies - no killer instinct and no real desire to finish the game off!

Safe to say ANA or JAL will have reserved the economy seats for them on the way back. Well apart from that gimp who suffers from economy class syndrome or DVT (he got that nicely didnt he?)

[maninjapan]

Plus the Japanese are as soft as shit. Butch up guys. The aussies bundled you off the ball so many times it was a stupid amount!

[canman]

i just returned from a hotel hosting the Japan Australia game, what a let down. The first 70 minutes everybody was happy, but unfortunately Japan forgot they had to play defence. 3-1, I was wearing a Japanese shirt but at the end was chearing for Australia, but my friends asked me to keep quiet for my and their safety. What a great night!!!!
Ultra Sorry I'm plastered to the boards, but have been very careful not to make any mistakes. I know that drunkeness is not tolerated, but I really had to write tonight. Go anybody but Zico.

[Gilligan]

I've got to say that Japan got beat not just in the last 45 minutes, but in the whole game. It's one thing to lose because you weren't as good as the other team, but to lose because you were out-hustled is disgraceful. They played like they really believed they were supposed to win because they were higher in the FIFA rankings. As for Zico, on the one hand, when a superior team gets out-hustled and out-played, you have to blame the coach. On the other hand, when he's been the coach for 4 years and has been suspect the whole time, you have to blame the people who never replaced him.

[gomichild]

gosh that was exciting!

[GomiGirl]

Just got home - what an exciting game. The event at WOMB was fun too!! A good mix in the crowd that made it interesting. Then walked around Shibuya - it was nuts!! Riot police were out in force.

[emperor]

Yuki Madenokoji is named fan of the match?

I think I wouldve pegged Brazil & Croatia as fav's to qualify from Aus & Japans group... but after many of Croatias players caught a mysterous virus recently - it could leave 2nd place up for grabs.
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/hfc/fom_d.html?id=810028

[GuyJean]

gosh that was exciting!

Wholly Shit!.. WTF happened? Went to bed with 10 minutes left in the match.. Wake up to somber Japanese announcers on TV... With no hi-lites!..

I can't believe I missed it.. What happened? Australia was definitely in control of the ball most of the game, but I thought Japan could hold them off for 10 minutes..

"It was 10 minutes of probably the most exciting soccer that Australia has ever seen." - [url]http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news]

Fuck!.. Teaches me; drink more, sleep less..

This is pretty revealing:
Shots
AUS - 20
JPN - 6

GJ

[kamome]

The U.S. got hammered by the Czech Republic today. Was everybody predicting that to happen? I know they have a very good team, but I didn't think the US would get dominated either!

[dimwit]

Then walked around Shibuya - it was nuts!! Riot police were out in force.

Your a braver soul than me. I certainly wouldn't want the test the limits Japanese passivity on a night like that.

The downtown in Matsuyama was oshogatsu dead after the game, and this morning the city is about as noiseless as I have ever heard it.

[maninjapan]

i expect the czechs to win!

The us even though they are 5th in the world - havent played many teams in the top 10 rankings many times.

Plus that is the most difficult group they are in.

Guess it would serve them right if they didn't qualify for the next round!

[ichigo partygirl]

The most amusing thing about the Japanese getting beaten was watching the NHK reporters do the after-match wrap-up. Funny fricken Shit - they couldnt even look into the camera - they were all looking at the floor, possibly holding back tears.................classic.

[Greji]

Guess it would serve them right if they didn't qualify for the next round!

I figured on the Czechs winning too, but assuming you mean the US, why would it serve them right if they didn't advance? Have they done something I haven't heard about, or you don't like the US in general? Makes no difference to me, but just curious if something has been out in press that I haven't seen. Being bombarded by Nippon Daihyou Johou day and night, makes it difficult to find out things on other teams.

[AssKissinger]

yeah kamome that game surprised me, too. That second goal by Czech was fierce! Boy they shut America's ass down! That was ugly!

Say has anyone posted anything about that Aussie coach saying he wanted to beat Japan to avenge Korea or whatever?