Ahira's Hangar

Some big upsets so far. Looks like France will not get out of the first round. Heavily favored Spain has lost a game. Host country might not make it to the round of sixteen, either. Key game for USA tomorrow morning (who tied their opener with England).

The weather is cracking me up. Looks like great weather and warm as hell for winter. One game showed a coach wearing a winter parka and they talked about how cold it was - in the fifties. At night. That was our midday highs for a few days in the middle of summer here in Michigan last year!

Oh look! Here's a place I haven't been before - The Ice Dome eh?

... and Germany just lost to Serbia in another major upset. Av, I reckon SA will be ok against the French - they cheated their way into the World Cup, and don't look like the team everyone's expecting...

... and US are playing now, gotta go!

Does anyone know what the foul was that got the third goal called back for team USA? I saw plenty of fouls going the other way on that play, but not a USA foul?

I have no idea. It should have been a goal. There was plenty of pushing and shoving, but you couldn't possibly pick out one player. USA were robbed (and I'm speaking as a neutral )

Yeah, it's not just that though...mexico or uruguay have to win (by one goal), and we need a big goal difference against france to stand a chance.

Aus did good to stand off Ghana btw...thought they were even gonna win for a while there.

--A

You might make the big goal difference against France - that team is undergoing as huge an implosion/complete meltdown of any team in any sport I have ever heard of.

Karma, I call it. France, some say, cheated their way into the World Cup through a deliberate hand-ball by Thierry Henry to beat Ireland... now they're paying for their sins

I was proud of the Aussies against Ghana. We haven't had much luck, both Kewell and Cahill have been sent off, our best two players. We need some major luck to get though now. Firstly we need to thump Serbia 3-0 and hope Ghana beat Germany. Being and Aussie, I'm optimistic (perhaps unrealistic )

Just saw a 7-0 victory to Portugal over North Korea. They looked unbelievably good!

They had to make a comeback after drawing with the Ivory Coast.

And yeah, I'm hoping the French team do self-destruct. We need a lot of goals to have a chance of getting through...tomorrow is the moment of truth for us.

--A

yeah that 7-0 score was

Good luck to both your teams in their next game!

Well, we beat France 2-1, but the goal difference isn't enough to get us through to the next round. First host nation not to make it through. Bummer. Oh well, at least we beat France, and so managed not to come last in the group. Was a good Game.

(Uruguay beat Mexico 1-0 )

--A

SA did themselves proud - their sportsmanship on the field contrasted very well with France's lack of the same. And even with the meltdown, France fielded some very good world ranked players.

Way too close for the American team today. We're having problems with our satellite TV (the technician will not be here until Thursday) so we were trying to watch it on my son's laptop, which kept giving us dreaded blue screens of death.

Well done to USA! That was pure excitement! So USA have the slightly less daunting task of Ghana, as opposed to Germany in the round of 16. England plays Germany in what should be a good game.

My brave aussies battled their way to a 2-1 victory over Serbia. A fantastic effort! Unfortunately the goal difference was inferior to Ghana so we didn't get through. The German 4-0 rout in the first game was ultimately the death of us. Still, they will come home to a hero's welcome.

time to move on and cheer the big underdogs, New Zealand!

It's getting very interesting now!! I would be more excited if I wasn't so exhausted

Yeah, the Aussie keeper pulled off some great saves in the bit I watched.

US through to the next round.

And Italy out, 3-2 to Slovakia. Biggest upset yet? 5th ranked title defenders against 34th ranked Slovakia? Awesome.

--A

Just wish I could watch more of the games...the satellite dish has been destroyed in the last three rounds of strong storms (the latest last night spawning two tornadoes and 70+MPH winds in our town) so we have to switch over to cable. That will be installed on Sunday...

Well, US vs Ghana tonight in the 2nd knockout match. Y'all will excuse me for rooting for Ghana.

--A