UKRAINE-1 0-TUNISIA
No surprise here, not since the Ukes made a comeback after their initial pounding by Spain, now they look decent, and they won easily enough over Tunisia.
SAUDI ARABIA-0 1-SPAIN
Spain’s benchwarmers worked over the desertdwellers. No surprise here either.
I only got to watch the last half of these games after work. I went to an Irish bar and had a Guiness. Great technique on the TV of flashing netween the games at stoppages in play or when something exciting happened. So I caught some action, but neither winner really brought the fight, and neither loser was capable of doing so.
SWITZERLAND-2 0-S.KOREA
Flipped back and forth between this and the France Togo match. Best moment was Swiss defender Philip Senderos scoring his goal with his head and smashing his face on Korean defender in the process. The goal celebration consisted of him being mobbed by his teammates as he’s getting blood wiped off his face by the trainer. The Beautful Game; blood, sweat and tears, and all that.
FRANCE-2 0-TOGO
France won. Finally. They scored. Finally. After Trezeguet missed a shopping cart full of chances and Ribery launched two clear chances way over the bar, the French finally converted. Twice. Over Togo. they’re going to the second round. Barely. Expect their cars to get burned when they go home after their loss next round.
NEXT ROUND MATCH-UPS
SPAIN-FRANCE
Cool that these two countries so close to each other, will meet in the Round of 16. Spain, historical underachievers, and France world Cup winners not too long ago but recent underachievers. Spain looks potent up front with el Nino, and Villa, Captain Pauleta maybe coming in off the bench, strong in defence with Carles Puyol the Lion, and Sergio Ramos, among other solids, and they’re backstopped by one of the worlds best keepers in Iker Casillas. France looks weak and floppy up front (except for Henry’s nice two-touch goal last game), mediocre and tired in midfield, and have one of the worlds baldest keepers in Barthez. Expect France to get bombed out in this one. Zizou is sucking it up, and though he’ll be back for this match, after getting 2 yellow cards in the opening round, expect him to be impotent still.
3-1 Spain.
UKRAINE-SWITZERLAND
Shit, I don’t know about this one. The Swiss topped their group and seemed confident offensively and stingy defensively. Ukraine started terribly, but have since poured it on. I think Ukraine will come through on this one.
1-0 Ukraine.