The World Cup

After a panicky start, we have settled into watching the FIFA World Cup. Panic set in (for me) when I realised the TV in our hotel room didn't have any TV channels that showed the football, the TVs in the hotel lobby where either swiched off or showing some boring (non football) junk, and it took us ages to find a bar with a big screen TV where we could watch the games. We finally found a bar where we watched the French play really well and huff & puff but ultimately they have nothing to show for a game they completely dominated.

Today we found a German channel on our TV and watched the Argies play brilliantly but only score one goal. Messi just couldn't find the back of the net. They will be happy with the points and the way they played but not the scoreline. I thought they played really well and I am hoping my $10 investment in their success is safe. The German channel has been doing a lot of analysis on the Socceroos. We even saw John Travolta doing his thing with the Aussies. What is that all about? Hasn't anyone told him the US are in the World Cup too?

For the England v USA game we found this little restaurant with a big screen. Marianne & I both had beautiful meals - the starters were just heavenly, the mains were delightful, and the bottle of wine was perfect (to us, anyway). All that, with coffee3, and watching England play their hit & miss style of football for only E50. Great stuff.

Were England too Green? Why were the USA wearing those stupid Thunderbirds shirts, they deserved to lose just for bad taste. They really took the game to England, especially in the first halfr, and were pretty unlucky that the ball hit the goalkeeper's upper arm and deflected onto the post and out again. On the other hand England had a couple of 1-on-1s with the goalkeeper and didn't take their opportunities.


I can't say too much because the Socceroos haven't played their first game yet against the mighty Germans. I am fearing the worst but hoping for the best, we are not the team we were 4 years ago. In the 1974 World Cup in Germany we lost 20 to East Germany and 30 to West Germany. We lost 4-3 to the Germans in the 2005 Confederations Cup, also in Germany. But Aussies never say die. Our worst ever defeat was 80 in 1955 so hopefully that one is safe!


What are goalkeepers for? Don't ask this bloke....