Euro 2012 Recap

It has been a while since the last post and I'm not sure where you've been getting your footy news in the past year, but I am out of that coma (don't ever take Forget-Me-Nows from Gob Bluth) and here to break down the final four in Euro 2012. Spain takes on Portugal in the first semifinal, and Germany faces Italy in the second. Spain has been passing, possessing and penetrating their way to wins, while Portugal has jumped on the shoulders of Cristiano Ronaldo, only to slide off because of all his excess hair gel, roll around on the ground and demand the referee give someone, anyone, a yellow card on their way to the semis. Their defense has bent but not broken, but I think they'll leave too much open space for the Spanish ball-control wizards to exploit. Germany has been playing some sexy football, while Italy has just been looking sexy. The Germans have been imposing their will on all opponents, whereas Italy has relied on the elegant Andrea Pirlo and a combative, combustible forward line to pick up some key goals. The Italians have displayed a really strong sense of team unity - it looks like they have adopted an 'Us Against the World' mentality in the wake of the most recent match-fixing allegations coming out of their domestic league - and it was great to see their team chemistry and enthusiasm in their huddle right before the penalty kick shootout win over England in the quarterfinals. But I give the nod to Germany's sleek style over the plucky Italians. Let's hear your thoughts, analysis, and predictions. This is, after all, the people's game.

FA Cup Final

Stoke City takes on Manchester City in the FA Cup Final at 10:00 a.m. today at Wembley Stadium, and the match will televised on Fox Soccer Channel. This is an interesting match-up because, despite the fact that both teams are having solid seasons (Manchester City in 4th place, Stoke in 8th) it has been a long time since either won a trophy, particularly one as important as the FA Cup. Manchester City's last win in the FA Cup Final came in 1969, while Stoke's was 1972. So it's a safe bet to say both teams and their fans will be up for it today at Wembley. No predictions today, but enjoy the match and enjoy some pictures from a trip to Wembley back in April of 2009 (note: during the visit, Wembley was in the process of replacing the field, hence all the dirt; still, a very impressive stadium).

What to Watch?

Two English Premier League matches, two different channels, both on at the exact same time. Deciding which one to watch is a dilemma, though for soccer fans who grew up in the U.S. throughout the 1990s, when finding any games on television was difficult, it's a nice dilemma to have.

The matches are Fulham v. Sunderland on ESPN2 and Aston Villa v. West Bromwich Albion on Fox Soccer Channel. I had originally intended to watch Fulham because Clint Dempsey has been playing very well for them and I wanted to break out the Fulham scarf I picked up at a match at Craven Cottage a couple years ago; however, Dempsey wasn't in the starting line-up, and futher Internet research revealed that he wasn't even a substitute, so that made the game a little less interesting. ESPN's broadcasts are always better because they are in HD (note to FSC: putting the 'HD Live' graphic in the corner of the screen doesn't mean the game is actually in HD), but since Brad Friedel is starting in goal for Aston Villa and Michael Bradley is an eligible substitute, the switch has been made to Fox Soccer Channel. Unfortunately, budgetary concerns have so far kept the TalkFooty newsroom from adding multiple televisions, or an Internet connection that could reliably stream matches online. This is also being written by candlelight, but that is only to help set the mood. What are you watching today? Hit the comment button and let us know.

Spain Wins the World Cup

This just in to the TalkFooty newsroom: Spain wins the World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 1-0 in extra time. Andres Iniesta scored the winner for Spain, despite the best efforts of Dutch midfielders Mark Van Bommel and Nigel de Jong to break both his legs throughout the match. Congratulations to Spain on winning their first World Cup and for debunking the theory put forth by noted philosopher Ruud Gullit that, "if it ain't Dutch, it ain't much."

World Cup Final Prediction

Spain vs. The Netherlands
2:30pm - ABC, Univision
Soccer City Stadium - Johannesburg, South Africa
Winner: Spain

Can Mark Van Bommel and Nigel De Jong, the Dutch Destroyers, put the shackles on Xavi and Andres Iniesta, the Spanish Sorcerers, in the battle for midfield supremacy? Can Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie keep pressure on Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila and keep the Spanish defenders from pushing up into the attack? Will Wesley Sneijder or David Villa score the goal that makes them the top scorer, and possibly the top player, in the tournament? Those are all important questions, and the answers will go a long way towards determining the winner, but the fact remains that the Dutch can't do much with Spain controlling the ball for the majority of the match. Look for Spain to take advantage of that and frustrate the Dutch on their way to the win. Sorry Ruud Gullit, you've made the world a better place by introducing the phrase "If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much" during this World Cup, but tomorrow Spain will win and you won't be a happy chappy.

Germany-Spain, Continued

Anything can happen in penalty kicks, and the Germans are traditionally very strong in shootouts. I just think that Spain's goalie, Iker Casillas (Saint Iker to his friends in Madrid) would come up with one more save than his German counterpart, Manuel Neuer. Look for Germany to try to take advantage of the fact that Spain's outside back, Sergio Ramos, spends more time attacking in the opponent's half then defending in his own. That could leave extra space for Ozil and Podolski to exploit. Should be a good game.

World Cup Semifinal #2

Germany vs. Spain
2:30pm - ESPN, Univision
Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban, South Africa
Winner: Spain (in penalty kicks after 2-2 tie)

World Cup Semifinal #1

Netherlands vs. Uruguay
2:30pm - ESPN, Univision
Green Point Stadium - Cape Town, South Africa
Winner: Netherlands

Uruguay has played very well in this World Cup and used a combination of strong defending, sharp attacking play from Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez and a lot of luck (Ghana's Gyan missing a penalty in the last minute of overtime after Suarez used his hand to save a shot off the goal line) to advance this far. However, they haven't played a team as strong as the Netherlands and will be missing several key players, including Suarez and captain Diego Lugano. So the Netherlands are the favorite in this one, but that brings with it added expectations, and that has been something that they have struggled with in the past. It's hard to use the well-worn cliche and say that Uruguay will "be playing with nothing to lose," as the World Cup only happens once every four years and there is no guarantee that any of these players will ever make it to the World Cup semifinals, let alone the tournament itself, again. So both teams will be under some pressure, but give the edge to the Netherlands in what should be a tight game. It would be great if there is an early goal, as that would prevent a defensive battle in which both teams are content to play for penalty kicks. Plus, it would be great to keep Dutch legend Ruud Gullit around, as his analysis for ESPN has introduced some great phrases, such as, "If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much," and "he is a happy chappy." Classic.

Quarterfinals, Day 1

The final eight teams are set and the quarterfinals begin today, with a mix of classic soccer powers and some upstarts from South America and Africa.

Brazil vs. The Netherlands
10:00am - ESPN, Univision
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Winner: Brazil

Both teams are undefeated, with Brazil picking up three wins and a tie and the Netherlands winning all four of their games. But for two teams well known for their attacking styles, they have been somewhat...underwhelming. Perhaps we have such lofty expectations that we expect brilliant, swashbuckling performances while they are content to get results, show flashes of excellence and keep advancing. So they've both been pretty similar so far in this World Cup, but give the edge to Brazil because their ability to attack and defend is slightly better than the Netherlands' ability to do those same things. Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen was also injured during the pre-game warmup and has been replaced by Andre Ooijer. Mathijsen was a key component of the Dutch defense and had played every minute of both the World Cup qualifiers and World Cup finals.

Uruguay vs. Ghana
2:30pm - ESPN, Univision
Soccer City Stadium - Johannesburg, South Africa
Winner: Uruguay

Much has been said about Ghana being the last remaining team from Africa in this World Cup and how the entire continent will be pulling for them to advance, and with good reason since this is the first time the tournament has been held in Africa. However, it shouldn't be forgotten that Uruguay is representing all the countries in the world that begin with the letter U, and that is certainly a very proud and select group. As a citizen of the United States, a fellow U-nation, both my head and my heart are with Uruguay in this one, and that, along with the support of fans from Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, should be enough to push Uruguay to victory.

U.S. Open Cup Round 3

The Richmond Kickers travel north on Interstate 95 to take on D.C. United in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup tonight at George Mason University. The fact that D.C. United plays in Major League Soccer (MLS), while Richmond is in the second division of the United Soccer League (USL-2), makes this a mismatch on paper, but the Kickers have a legitimate shot to pull off an upset. Since 1999, the teams have met regularly, with Richmond getting its fair share of wins, including a 2-1 victory over D.C. in the third round of the 2004 Open Cup. (Interesting stat: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the Kickers hold a 4-3-2 lead in the series, while United's official website, DCunited.com, says D.C. has a 5-3 lead. D.C. or Richmond needs to clear up the reasons for the disparity before FIFA gets involved and manages to make it even more complicated).

The Kickers have experience knocking off other MLS teams in the Open Cup as well, as they defeated the L.A. Galaxy 1-0 in the third round of the competition in 2007. The Richmond squad should have a couple of other motivational factors going for them as well: if they advance further than any other USL-2 team in the tournament, the club gets a $10,000 bonus from the league (there are two other USL-2 teams left: Charleston and Harrisburg). So while a win tonight doesn't necessarily mean they get the cash, a loss probably means they'll miss out on the money. The players also know that this is a good opportunity to impress coaches from a MLS club and perhaps get a chance to step up to that level in the future, so they will certainly want to give their best effort. Several players have made the jump in the past, with midfielder Clyde Simms, a former Kicker, now a regular in the D.C. United starting line-up. D.C. United is struggling this year and is currently in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference, so they will be hungry to get a win and get some positive momentum as they head towards the middle of their season.

The match kicks off at 7:30pm at George Mason University's soccer complex in Fairfax, and tickets are $25 (cash only). The winner advances to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the Red Bull New York-Harrisburg match. Richmond-D.C. has the potential to be a good contest, which is just what soccer fans need as they try to cope with the absence of World Cup matches until the quarterfinals begin on Friday morning. Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments section or email them to the newsroom at TalkFooty@gmail.com.

Goals and Instant Replay

After undergoing two days of intense criticism for a refereeing error that ruled out a legitimate goal that had crossed the line for England in their second-round match against Germany, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said that he would consider using technology to help referees decide if shots have crossed the goal line and should be ruled goals. Though this is long overdue, it must be done to ensure that future World Cup games aren't marred by missed goals that change the course of the match (TalkFooty would be an advocate of simply putting an extra referee next to each goal, watching the line to ensure that any shot that crosses is ruled a goal).

So with this in mind, why not implement a system similar to hockey and have a flashing red light go off when the ball crosses the line? That would make it clear to the referee, his assistants, the fourth official and everyone in the stands that a ball has crossed the goal line. And, instead of the horn that is used in hockey arenas to accompany the light, someone could just blow a giant vuvuzela to signify the goal. You're welcome, Sepp.

Sunil Gulati, the head of the U.S. Soccer Federation, said that Major League Soccer would be open to testing any new goal line technology that FIFA wants to use, and this is a good idea for several reasons. American fans are accustomed to having instant replay as a part of most manor league sports, so they would be used to any stoppages that go along with a video review during a game. It would also bring more worldwide attention to MLS, and if the technology is eventually implemented by FIFA, articles around the world would mention that it was originally tested in MLS.

The Agony of the Missed Penalty Kick

Paraguay defeated Japan in their second round match in the first penalty kick shootout of the 2010 World Cup by a count of 5-3. Japan's Yuichi Komano was the only player to miss for either team, and Oscar Cardozo converted the winning shot for Paraguay. Watching the shootout, and Komano's miss, brought up an interesting question: If you were the unfortunate player who misses a penalty kick in a shootout, what is the best way to miss? Have your shot saved by the goalkeeper, smack a shot off the post or crossbar, or miss the goal completely? Komano's shot hit the crossbar, and in perhaps one of the best-remembered misses in recent history, Italy's Roberto Baggio skied his shot high over the goal and missed completely in the 1994 World Cup Final in the Rose Bowl, giving the title to Brazil. I would go with hitting the post or crossbar; having the shot saved implies that it just wasn't a very good effort, regardless of how great the save might be, while missing the goal completely is probably even worse. It's a 12-yard shot, after all, and a professional player should be able to at least put the ball on target, even if the goalkeeper picks the right spot and makes the save. Hitting the post or woodwork and missing would still be bad, but who can get mad at you for missing the mark by a matter of inches? Plus, it's a lot more exciting than the other two ways to miss, and goalkeepers can't really celebrate because they didn't make a save, they just got lucky. So what do you think? What's the best way to miss a penalty kick?

A). Off the post or crossbar
B). Shot saved by the goalkeeper
C). Miss the goal completely
D). Other (hit a bird in mid-air, rejected by a blast of air from thousands of vuvuzelas blown simultaneously, have a shot clearly cross the line only to be missed by the referee and his assistant despite being clear to everyone else watching all over the world)

Leave a comment or email the World's Game newsroom at talkfooty@gmail.com.

Knockout Round Day 4

We are still in the second round, but there have already been some exciting match-ups set for the quarterfinals. Brazil takes on the Netherlands on Friday, while Germany faces Argentina on Saturday. Germany knocked off Argentina in a penalty kick shootout in the quarterfinals in 2006, while Brazil eliminated the Netherlands in both 1994 and 1998. In the meantime, there are still two matches left in the second round.

Paraguay vs. Japan
10:00am - ESPN
Loftus Versfeld Stadium - Pretoria, South Africa
Winner: Japan

Japan scored three quality goals and ran circles around Denmark in their last match. Paraguay is a better team than Denmark, but japan is a very confident team right now and their playmaker, Keisuke Honda, is in excellent form. Japan's two free-kick goals against Denmark show that they may have figured out the tricky Jabulani game ball, which is bad news for Paraguay's goalkeeper. South American teams have done extremely well so far at this World Cup so expect Paraguay to put up a tough battle in what should be a fairly even match.

Spain vs. Portugal
2:30pm - ESPN
Green Point Stadium - Cape Town, South Africa
Winner: Spain

Spain entered the tournament as one of the favorites, and after a loss in their opening match against Switzerland they have looked fairly strong. One concern is the form of striker Fernando Torres, who doesn't look like he has fully recovered from a knee injury suffered playing for his club, Liverpool. Spain's defense has also looked vulnerable at times, but their midfield, led by Iniesta and Xavi, combines extremely well with forward David Villa and the trio is capable of scoring at any time. Portugal's defense hasn't given up a goal yet (but Ivory Coast was clearly happy with a 0-0 draw in the first match, North Korea barely showed up for the second, and by the time they played Brazil in the last group match they both knew a tie would be good enough to advance) and Ronaldo and Simao Sabrosa are always dangerous.

Second Round - Day 3

Netherlands vs. Slovakia
10:00am - ESPN
Moses Mabhida Stadium - Durban, South Africa
Winner: Netherlands
Slovakia is riding high after knocking off defending champion Italy to get to the knockout round. The Netherlands picked up wins in all three of their group stage matches but have yet to play their best, and can look forward to the return of winger Arjen Robben.

Brazil vs. Chile
2:30pm - ESPN
Ellis Park - Johannesburg, South Africa
Winner: Brazil
Earlier in the tournament, Brazil coach Dunga referred to Portugal as "Brazil's B team," due to similarities in playing style, culture, language and the fact that Portugal isn't as good as Brazil. However, Chile has showed more Brazil-ness than Portugal and could give Brazil more trouble than Portugal did. However, Brazil has enough good players to form a B, C, and perhaps even D team that could still make a run in the World Cup and that will help them get the win.

Knockout Rounds Begin

The second round of the 2010 World Cup begins today, with Uruguay taking on South Korea in the early game and the U.S. facing Ghana in the afternoon match.

Uruguay vs. South Korea
10:00am - ESPN
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Port Elizabeth
Winner: Uruguay
Both teams have been good offensively, but while South Korea has scored 5 goals, they have also given up six. Give the edge to Uruguay because they combine a dangerous attack with a strong defense.

U.S. vs. Ghana
2:30pm - ABC
Royal Bafokeng Stadium - Rustenburg
No prediction. Lots of fingernails chewed during this one. I guess that is a prediction.

Day 15 Predictions - Afternoon Games

Going to keep these brief. Should be two good games. Enjoy.

Spain vs. Chile
2:30pm - ESPN, ESPN3.com
Winner: Spain

Switzerland vs. Honduras
2:30pm - ESPN 2, ESPN3.com
Winner: Switzerland

Day 15 Predictions - Early Games

Brazil vs. Portugal
10:00am - ESPN
Winner: Brazil
Both of these teams have pretty much locked up a spot in the next round (barring a miracle that sees Portugal lose and the Ivory Coast make up a nine-goal differential) but there is still a bit of drama in this one. This group is matched up with Spain's group in the next round, so if Spain wins their group, second place from Brazil/Portugal faces Spain; if Spain comes in second in their group, first place from Brazil/Portugal faces Spain. Give the edge to Brazil, as they don't seem to be intimidated by anyone and they always play to win.

Ivory Coast vs. North Korea
10:00am - ESPN 2
Winner: Ivory Coast
As previously stated, the Ivory Coast needs a miracle, in the form of a huge, huge win over North Korea. Portugal put up seven goals against the North Koreans, so it can be done, but expect North Korea to defend with a little more intensity to avoid another embarrassment before heading home. Ivory Coast gets the win but not by the margin they need to advance.

Italy Eliminated in First Round

Italy, the winners of the 2006 World Cup, were eliminated following a 3-2 loss to Slovakia. To add insult to injury, the Italians ended up last in their group, behind New Zealand, one of the tournament's biggest underdogs. Can't imagine that will go over too well in Rome, Florence and Milan. While it is surprising that they were eliminated so early, to call it "stunning," as some headlines have, is a bit extreme. Heading into the tournament, the team selection of head coach Marcello Lippi was criticized for being too old and lacking offensive talent. The squad then opened up with a 1-1 tie against Paraguay, then followed that up with a shocking 1-1 tie against New Zealand in which they went behind 1-0 early and needed a charitable penalty call to get the draw. So after two lackluster results where the team offered little in the way of inspiration, nobody should be stunned that the Italians underperformed again and were eliminated. Going into the final group match with a chance to advance, most people (myself included) assumed Italy would draw on their vast experience at the international level and pick up a win against the Slovakians. But this World Cup has showed us over and over again that past results mean very little. It wouldn't have been surprising if Italy had gotten the result they needed today, but it also isn't surprising that they lost and are heading home early.

Day 14 Predictions, Cont.

Japan vs. Denmark
2:30pm - ESPN
Winner: Denmark
The winner of this match advances to the second round, while the loser goes home. Both teams beat Cameroon and lost to the Netherlands. Denmark's attack looked strong against Cameroon, particularly Dennis Rommedahl and Nicklas Bendtner. Japan is disciplined and organized and won't be easy to break down, but give the edge to Denmark due to the confidence of their offensive players.

Netherlands vs. Cameroon
2:30pm - ESPN 2
Winner: Cameroon
The Netherlands have already qualified for the second round, and Cameroon has already been eliminated. The Indomitable Lions are playing for pride now, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them pull off the win over the Orange.

Day 14 Predictions

Paraguay vs. New Zealand
10:00am - ESPN 2
Winner: New Zealand
New Zealand has been one of the best stories of this World Cup, and two ties in their opening matches leave them needing a win to advance to the second round, something very few people would have predicted before the tournament. While Paraguay is probably more talented and more experienced, this World Cup has shown that doesn't always lead to victory. New Zealand wins and keeps the dream alive.

Italy vs. Slovakia
10:00am - ESPN
Winner: Italy
LIke England, Italy has good players but has so far underperformed. but also like England, Italy will pull it together when it counts and get the win today to advance to the second round.