Monday, June 14, 2010

Day 3


New format:

Game: Algeria – Slovenia

Final: Algeria 0 – 1 Slovenia
Referee: Carlos Batres (Guatemala)  
Attendance: 30,325

Goals:
 @79' [0 - 1] R. Koren

Game Stats:
 Shots on target: 3 - 3 
 Shots off target: 9 - 2
 Possession (%): 48 - 52         
 Corner kicks: 4 - 3     
 Offsides:  2 - 2          
 Fouls: 14 - 11
 Yellow cards: 2 - 2    
 Red cards: 1 – 0 (Algeria: Ghezzal)  

Algeria
Coach: Rabah Saadane

Fawzi Chaouchi
Anther Yahia
Madjid Bougherra
Rafik Halliche
Nadir Belhadj
Foued Kadir [Sub: Adlene Guédioura]
Mehdi Lacen
Karim Ziani
Hassan Yebda
Rafik Djebbour [Sub: Abdelkader Ghezzal] *Ghezzal sent off with a red card.
Karim Matmour [Sub: Rafik Saifi]




VERSUS


Slovenia
Coach: Matjaz Kek

Samir Handanovic
Miso Brecko
Marko Suler
Bostjan Cesar
Bojan Jokic
Andraz Kirm
Robert Koren
Aleksander Radosavljevic [Sub: Andrej Komac]
Valter Birsa [Sub: Nejc Pecnik]
Zlatko Dedic [Sub: Zlatan Ljubijankic]
Milivoje Novakovic





NB: This is Jason's favourite mural
due to the bear. 


Comments: I wasn’t awake for this game. I’m a bad fan, I know. Also, I had them set for a draw in all of my pools, so I’m annoyed at that. What gives?


Game: Serbia – Ghana

Final: Serbia 0 – 1 Ghana
Ref: Hector Baldassi (Argentina)
Attendance: 38,833

Goals:
@84'    [0 - 1]  A. Gyan (on a penalty)

Game Stats :
 Shots on target: 2 - 1 
 Shots off target: 8 - 12          
 Possession (%): 52 - 48         
 Corner kicks: 4 - 4     
 Offsides: 3 - 0           
 Fouls: 9 - 16  
 Yellow cards: 3 - 2    
 Red cards: 1 - 0         

Serbia
Coach: Radomir Antić

Vladimir Stojkovic
Branislav Ivanovic
Aleksandar Lukovic
Nemanja Vidic
Aleksandar Kolarov
Milos Krasic
Nenad Milijas [Sub: Zdravko Kuzmanovic]
Dejan Stankovic
Milan Jovanovic [Sub: Neven Subotic]
Marko Pantelic
Nikola Zigic [Sub: Danko Lazovic]





VERSUS


Ghana
Coach: Milovan Rajevac

Richard Kingson
John Pantsil
Isaac Vorsah
John Mensah
Hans Sarpei
Anthony Annan
Kevin-Prince Boateng [Sub: Lee Addy]
Prince Tagoe
Kwadwo Asamoah [Sub: Stephen Appiah]
André Ayew
Asamoah Gyan [Sub: Quincy Owusu-Abeyie]





Comments: This was probably the most exciting game thus far (DE hadn’t played yet). I was a bit worried about Essien being injured, but Ghana played excellent. So maybe not all of their shots were directed to the net, but still, that was a helluva performance by the Black Stars. Um, Serbia also played well, good on them. The goal by Gyan was pretty, and there really was no stopping it. All and all, I’m pleased because I chose Ghana to win in my family pool (which, Erik, I am clearly apart of!), however, for my FIMS pool, I picked a draw. Idiot.

Game: Germany – Australia

Final: Germany 4 – 0 Australia
Ref: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)
Attendance: 62,660

Goals:
 @8' L. Podolski [1 - 0]
 @27' M. Klose [2 - 0]
 @68' T. Müller [3 - 0]
 @70' Cacau    [4 - 0]
           
Game Stats:
 Shots on target: 10 - 3           
 Shots off target: 6 - 5
 Possession (%): 56 - 44         
 Corner kicks: 4 - 7     
 Offsides: 7 - 1           
 Fouls: 10 - 18
 Yellow cards: 2 - 3    
 Red cards: 0 - 1         

Germany
Coach: Joachim Löw

Manuel Neuer
Philipp Lahm
Arne Friedrich
Per Mertesacker
Holger Badstuber
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Sami Khedira
Thomas Müller
Mesut Özil [Sub: Mario Gomez]
Lukas Podolski [Sub: Marko Marin]
Miroslav Klose [Sub: Cacau]





VERSUS


Australia
Coach: Pim Verbeek

Mark Schwarzer
Luke Wilkshire
Craig Moore
Lucas Neill
Scott Chipperfield
Carl Valeri
Vincenzo Grella [Sub: Brett Holman]
Brett Emerton [Sub: Mile Jedinak]
Jason Culina
Richard Garcia [Sub: Nikita Rukavytsya]
Tim Cahill *Cahill sent off with a red card.





Comments: Like everyone else in the world, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Socceroos, but, after spending 4 years watching the Germans, I kinda (secretly) like them too. The Germans played a fantastic game; sure, the ref was clearly on their side (Cahill didn’t deserve a yellow, never mind a red) and the Aussies are, well, not quite in the same league as them, but you have to hand it to the Germans, they really are a superb team.  Despite  the hardships they have gone through recently, the absence of Ballack and the suicide of Robert Enke this past November, they really played well and I think the mix of old and young and Lahm as captain will helped them through the next couple of rounds. That being said, I don’t think the Germans will take the whole tournament, but they will still give their competition one helluva a run. And, yes, I chose them to win for all of my pools.

Until tomorrow, when we finally get a real game.

FORZA,
Scm.

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