World Cup Day 8

SERBIA 1, GERMANY 0
My first reaction to this result was, "How could Germany lose to Siberia? Isn't it too cold to play soccer there?" After the shock wore off, I remembered that Ivan Drago was also Siberian, so they probably have some pretty good athletes there. You can add this match to the pantheon of matches in this tournament that turned on questionable officiating. Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose received an iffy second yellow card which left Germany a man down, a situation Serbia capitalized on with a goal almost immediately following. Since it is imperative that the refs decide every match in this tournament, they tried to have Germany salvage a point by giving them a PK later in the match, but the magically enchanted Lukas Podolski could not convert. Now all of a sudden the team that impressed the most in the first go round of matches, Germany, faces the very real possibility of not advancing, as they face a final match against Ghana, while Serbia gets to beat up on Australia.



USA 2, SLOVENIA 2
I have to admit, my patriotic fervor for the USA team was kind of weak heading into this tournament. Then this match happened, and from here on out I am going to be a flag waving freedom fry eating super jingo. There's 2 reasons for this, one, it would have been very easy for the US to lay down and die when they fell behind 2-0 after goals from Valter Birsa and Zlatan Ljubijankic. It looked like the Charlie Browns were going to leave a big zig zagged line treadmark all over our Star Spangled Banner. Then the Rocky training in Russia music started up, and the USA showed what it is made of, coming back on goals by Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley to improbably revive the hopes of our nation. Then, as you all know, came the second and most important reason I'm pulling hard for the Yanks from here on, Malian referee's Koman Coulibaly disallowing what would have been the winning goal off a late corner kick. The reason Coulibaly gave for disallowing the goal I believe was, "Because fuck you America, that's why". Oh, it's on now.




ENGLAND 0, ALGERIA 0
So go ahead and play the video posted above, the "nice to see your home fans boo ya" video. Uh, Wayne, the thing is, these aren't home fans. In fact that's the whole thing. These fans paid a shitload of money and came a really long way to watch you guys bumble to a lifeless 0-0 draw against France's B Team. So hey Wayne, bugger off! England's in a lot of danger of not advancing now too. They've got Slovenia in their last match, and the way they've been playing and the way Slovenia's been playing, even 1 point is not guaranteed, and they'll likely need 3 to advance.