Official 2006 World Cup Thread.

blink · Post by **blink** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:00 pm

Seeing as the 2006 FIFA World Cup kicks off tonight, I will give my prediction for the winner.

I think it could come from one of Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic and Brazil.

So, I think Spain will take it. They have been perennial international under-achievers for so long that it is their time to win one. Also, they are in sparkling form.

Anyone else care to have a crack at who they think'll win?!?!

Maddogmike · Post by **Maddogmike** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:46 am

Dunno how the qtrs, semis draw will pan out but I fancy

England, Brazil, Spain, France - smokeys Sweden

Post by **Wedgie** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:55 am

Im in a tipping comp and went for the old favs to make the top 4 in Italy, Germany, Argentina and Brazil, I picked the Italian Loni?? to win the Golden Boots award.
I didn't pick Australia to win one match. :cry:

Post by **Wedgie** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 10:41 am

Also, I read on another forum that the balls they're using at the World Cup are going to be a goalkeepers nightmare as they turn heaps.
Expect more like last nigth with plenty of great goals.
2 of those German goals were rippers.

RoosterMarty · Post by **RoosterMarty** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:07 am

I think you mean Luca Toni Wedgie so you were close.

Cracking start to the tournament.. i only stayed up for the Germany match but some brilliant goals were scored, Germanys defence is suspect and they have no idea how to play the offside trap.

8 goals in 2 games already!

Sam_goUUUdogs · Post by **Sam_goUUUdogs** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:55 pm

England
Brazil
Czech
Portugal

my top 4

David Votoupal · Post by **David Votoupal** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:05 pm

Scores so far:

GROUP A:
Germany 4 Costa Rica 2
Ecuador 2 Poland 0

A good start for Germany but their defence has more holes than Swiss cheese. Ecuador learnt how to play on flat ground and beat a very poor Poland team.

GROUP B:
England 1 Paraguay 0
Sweden 0 Trinidad & Tobago 0

England grinded out a win over Paraguay, not the best of games TBH. T&T have Hislop to thank for pulling off one of THE shock results of the tournament- everyone thought T&T would get smashed in this one. And they were down to 10 men!!!

GROUP C:
Argentina 2 Ivory Coast 1

Argentina scrape past WC debutants who were very, very unlucky to lose.

Blue Boy · Post by **Blue Boy** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:31 pm

David Votoupal wrote:Scores so far:

GROUP A:
Germany 4 Costa Rica 2
Ecuador 2 Poland 0

A good start for Germany but their defence has more holes than Swiss cheese. Ecuador learnt how to play on flat ground and beat a very poor Poland team.

GROUP B:
England 1 Paraguay 0
Sweden 0 Trinidad & Tobago 0

England grinded out a win over Paraguay, not the best of games TBH. T&T have Hislop to thank for pulling off one of THE shock results of the tournament- everyone thought T&T would get smashed in this one. And they were down to 10 men!!!

GROUP C:
Argentina 2 Ivory Coast 1

Argentina scrape past WC debutants who were very, very unlucky to lose.

Keep the scores comin - when you get a chance !!!

MightyEagles · Post by **MightyEagles** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:02 am

Mexico 3 Iran 1
Holland 1 SCG 0

Sam_goUUUdogs · Post by **Sam_goUUUdogs** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:32 am

Portugal had a win also.

MightyEagles · Post by **MightyEagles** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:04 am

Aust 3 Japan 1 (Ref 1).
Ref made a mistake with the Japan goal and has said so.
USA lost 3 - 0
Italy won 2 - 0

blink · Post by **blink** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:35 pm

Great to see that the Yanks lost. US interest in the World Cup would probably be fairly low - they are only interested in sports where they know that they will spank the opposition.

Would love to see an Australia v USA game in this World Cup - only I don't think the US will get through to Rd 2!

Post by **heater31** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:21 pm

blink wrote:Great to see that the Yanks lost. US interest in the World Cup would probably be fairly low - they are only interested in sports where they know that they will spank the opposition.

Would love to see an Australia v USA game in this World Cup - only I don't think the US will get through to Rd 2!

spot on blink, most yanks didn't even know they were hosting it back in 94. Letterman did a world cup special the other night and had a 30 second graphic of the Germany 06 logo and nothing else.

Sam_goUUUdogs · Post by **Sam_goUUUdogs** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:06 pm

9 from 11 in the tips so far, not to bad.

Sam_goUUUdogs · Post by **Sam_goUUUdogs** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:55 am

ENGLAND 2-0 tonight/this morning, just got back from P.J.s what a great place to watch world cup football.

Il Duce · Post by **Il Duce** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:29 am

thats right the "seppos" aka yanks dont have a prayer, us wogs/italy will beat them (i would say spank them but we dont like to win more than 1-0) and wasn't it the U.S.A. coach who said Australia would be there to make up the numbers. to him i say :moon:

David Votoupal · Post by **David Votoupal** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:49 pm

Since all 32 teams have played at least one game, here's how things stand:

GROUP A
First group to be decided. Germany have shown some very good attacking play but their appalling defence will be exposed later on in the tournament.
Ecuador are potential darkhorses- they said they couldn't win away from Quito, but they've chalked up 2 wins without conceding a goal, and playing some nice football in the process.
Costa Rica and Poland will feel very disappointed- Costa Rica showed no little endeavour in attack but it simply hasn't been good enough. Poland have been very poor, but to lose in the last minute to Germany hurts real bad.

GROUP B
Most boring group in the whole tournament? England have qualified with two wins, despite two extremely insipid performances against Paraguay and Trinidad & Tobago. Sweden likewise have been very unimpressive.
Trinidad & Tobago are a pleasant surprise- everyone thought the Caribbean's premier team would get smashed in this tournament, but they've punched well above their weight with a draw with Sweden and only conceding two late goals to England. Technically they could still qualify.
Paraguay are undoubtedly talented, but have shown nothing of it in this World Cup.

GROUP C
The Group of Death. Argentina and the Netherlands are among everyone's favourites to win the tournament, Serbia and Montenegro are being set up for disappointment after an outstanding qualifying campaign based on solid defending. Ivory Coast are probably the most talented of the five African teams on show.

GROUP D
Considered the lightest group. Mexico and Portugal have started off well. Iran ran out of breath against Mexico whilst Angola paid the price for early jitters but otherwise held their own against Portugal.

GROUP E
The Czech Republic showed why they're the darkhorses of this World Cup. My word, they play some exquisite stuff, they actually play the game the way it's meant to be played.
Italy seem to be getting their act together. Of course, you'd say that for every tournament but this time under Lippi the signs are very good.
Ghana are unlucky to be in such a tough group, so much endeavour yet no reward against Italy. The USA would rank as among the worst sides in this tournament, having been easily swept aside by the Czechs.

GROUP F
A group of obvious interest to us, with Australia pulling off a great escape act against Japan and setting us up for a great match with the holders, Brazil. Who weren't at their best against Croatia which suggests it won't be plain sailing for any of the teams in this group.

GROUP G
South Korea finally won a World Cup win away from Asia. France were extremely lethargic, Switzerland aren't exactly easy to beat. Togo are considered the weakest of the African teams in this tournament, but still showed enough against the Koreans to suggest they won't be easybeats.

GROUP H
Spain have their best-ever chance of a breakthrough, if their utterly impressive dismantling of the Ukraine is anything to go by. The Ukraine are not a bad side but something went horribly wrong on the day, or were Spain just too good??? Tunisia and Saudi Arabia shared the points and both suggested they won't be taken lightly- the Saudis have either improved greatly from their 2002 horror show, or are treating that as an aberration.

Make no mistake. This could be the best World Cup seen in a long time.

RoosterMarty · Post by **RoosterMarty** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:50 am

Argentina look very very good. 6-0 win and Messi is back playing.. came off the bench and scored.

Ivory Coast are out unfortunately, they lose 2-1 to the Dutch... if the Africans were in any other group they might have qualified for the next round, they have been super impressive.

Angola and Mexico 0-0 with Angola down to 10 men, gutsy effort against a decent Mexican side

David Votoupal · Post by **David Votoupal** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 12:02 pm

Argentina are not just good. They're amazing. Should win this Cup bar a major choke.

Ivory Coast, and the African teams generally, have had plain bad luck.

mighty_tiger_79 · Post by **mighty_tiger_79** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:59 pm

ive got money on spain and the Czech Republic to play in the final and win it.

i admit my knowledge of world soccer isnt great but i was very surprised to see that the Czech Republic are ranked 2 in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think if Spain and Brazil win there groups they play each other in the next round it could be a very interesting match.

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