![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
your final recap
Germany 3 - Portugal 1: Excellent game. Up and down activity throughout the game, both Schweinsteiger goals (first one was a well-hit knuckler with Ricardo screened, second one was an unstoppable curler from outside) and the Gomes goal (centered right at his head by Figo) were excellent (and the Petit own goal came off a good Schweinsteiger free kick).
Italy 1 - France 1 (5-3 PKs): The France goal was a penalty kick awarded on what looked like a very good dive; Zidane hit the crossbar but the ball bounced well behind the touch line before coming back out. The Italian goal came soon after that from a corner kick (France seemed to have trouble with Italy's corner kicks all game). Throughout the game, one team seemed to spend some time dominating, then falling back and letting the other team take the upper hand. The Italians had a goal (correctly) called off for offsides. Near the end, the French really seemed to have worn the Italians down, but then, soon after taking a marvelous header that Buffon barely poked out, Zidane (who dislocated his shoulder late in the game) lost his patience with Materazzi and headbutted him in the chest, which got him ejected. Kim thought maybe Materazzi tweaked his shoulder, but the replays don't really seem to show that; all that's clear is that Materazzi hugs him and grabs his jersey a bit. They exchange words as Zidane walks away, he turns around, bam. In PKs, Trezeguet's shot was almost a mirror of Zidane's penalty kick, except this time the ball hit the front side of the touch line, and that was the difference.
It's a shame to see Zidane go out like this, and it's a shame to have the Cup end this way, both because of the ugliness and the PKs. The Iron Man award goes to Philipp Lahm, Fabio Cannavaro, and Gianluigi Buffon for playing 690 minutes of soccer in this Cup. Buffon only allowed an own-goal and a penalty kick.
Let's do it again in four years.
no subject
no subject
wait what was 2 years ago then? when I was in England and the Greeks won?
no subject
no subject
Conversations here have centered around the Greek removal from Fifa due to corruption, and various items, all dealing with the games 2 years ago. Not to mention you're the ONLY person I know referring to this as a 4 year gap, not a 2 year gap.
Now, mind you, the portion where the 'world' actually plays, yes; but somehow I was getting the impression with all the FIFA activity and reorgs that the 'world' bit was changing to 2.
It should, really. If Europe can deal every 2, everyone else can too.
I guess it's just an outside Europe thing, talking about it as 4. Since you're one of one people I know who actually discusses this outside Europe... I should be less surprized.
no subject
p.s.
There are other regional tournaments, such as the Asian Cup, run by the Asian Football Confederation, also happening every 4 years. Nevertheless this would never be confused with the World Cup. Such events are scheduled to not conflict with the World Cup, and increasingly with other major regional events. The AFC has decided to change its calendar, moving the Asian Cup to 2007, instead of its original schedule of 2004, 2008, 2012, etc., so as not to conflict with the European Football Championship.
Re: p.s.
When you've basically had NO exposure to it because of living in the states, and you go to England, and end up in Helsinki where people are enjoying rooting for their favorite team, plus talking to people in other countries (such as Portugese friends, German friends, Italian friends, ... oddly my French friends didn't say anything about it (: ) it just all blurs into one big biennial tournament.
I think I did have questions as to why they didn't have any REAL competitors last time (2 years ago) and I did insist that they needed REAL teams like Brazil, Argentina, Columbia (Ok they've been crap since killing you know who) etc... basically the Spanish speaking American countries.
Re: p.s.
Because Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia would have been playing in Copa America and not Euro 2004? (BTW Brazilians would be bemused to find out they speak Spanish)
Re: p.s.
I'm dealing with lack of sleep here as my apartment is located in Arizona, despite being physically in Helsinki. Don't ask me how that happened, or why it happened NOW and not in January.
no subject
The Euro championship and the World Cup happen every four years, but there's two years between the Euro and the World Cup.
no subject
On the other hand, it could very well be that it's the Italians being investigated, and since the Greeks beat Portugal last time, and I'm talking to mainly Portugese fans...
probably just resentment (:
no subject
Last I heard on the Italian thing, it sounds like Juventus will be relegated 2 divisions, and penalised a few points at the start of next season, while a couple of other clubs (AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina) will be relegated by one division. A recent story about it is here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5154196.stm).
no subject
The Guardian's minute-by-minute reported Materazzi had grabbed Zidane's nipple and twisted. I didn't see it, even on replay. No idea what exactly precipitated it, but Zidane's headbutt is pretty clear. ESPN's commentators were arguing whether the official should have let it pass, even while Materazzi was on the ground.
That foul and the end of the game were a sad bring-down to what was otherwise a very good weekend of play.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
(credit - Soos, SOMETHING AWFUL DOT COM)
no subject
no subject
Materazzi held him back and got a fistful of his jersey. Zidane looked unhappy that the refs didn't call it, but seemed to shrug it off. Then it looked as though Materazzi said something that really pissed Zidane off, and then *wham* right in the chest, like a rhino.
Personally, I hope someone breaks one of Materazzi's legs in the parking lot. That sonovabitch embodies just about everything that's petty and low in professional soccer.
no subject
no subject
no subject
(Anonymous) 2006-07-10 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)no subject
no subject
It was nice to compare the comments of the Italian/Belgian and dutch commentators with a non-European (and non-professional) source.
Oh the game yesterday? As we had another Italian over to watch the game I had nice, live and lively commentary in-house. Not to mention a deafening victory yell :-)
no subject
here it is (http://youtube.com/watch?v=NBV52GPhNjw&feature=Recent&page=6&t=t&f=b)
no subject