Fair Play: More blues for Les blues
IRISH fans must be laughing at the misfortune of Les Blues.
Heavily-favored to top a relatively weak group, the former world champion—the real kind, not the American version of a world champion—languishes at third with one point in two matches.
France, who got in the World Cup thanks to Thierry Henry’s handball, faces host South Africa in the next match and even if it wins by five goals, its fate is out of its hands.
A draw between Mexico (4 points) and Uruguay (4) will see both teams through the knockout stage. And as it tends to happen in the final group matches, teams who face each other and only need a draw, often get that.
To get through, France needs to pile up on goals against South Africa and hope Uruguay vs. Mexico ends in a 2-0 score or higher. The best France can do is catch up on points, but at -2 on goal difference, it has to play catch- up to Mexico (+2) and Uruguay (+3).
And if things weren’t bad enough, France has to play its final group match sans Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka, who was thrown out of the squad. Reports said Anelka had an argument with the coach at halftime against Mexico and refused to apologize—that move got him sent packing.
I think Australia, which is last in Group D with one point, is in a better position than France, though like them, their fate is out of their hand.
Australia should have won against Ghana, and now needs to beat Serbia in its last game and hope Germany is angry enough after a shock loss that it will vent out its ire through a 3-0 win against Ghana in its final group match.
Australia can catch up with Ghana on points with a win but at -4, it hopes Ghana (+5) gets buried by a German avalanche. (Or Germany can just lose its match, putting Australia through).
Germany is still shocked by that 1-0 loss to Serbia and a 5-0 win may be unlikely but not impossible. (For France, a draw between Mexico and Uruguay is not only likely, it’s going to happen).
Australia only needs to look at the Confederations Cup last year for inspiration.
The US was dead last in its Group with no point going into the last game and to qualify, it needed to beat Egypt, 3-0, and hoped Brazil was motivated enough by a close 4-3 win in its second game to trash Italy, 3-0.
Guess what? It happened and the US and Brazil advanced to the semis and met again in the finals.
England may have played woefully in its first two matches, but it still has a realistic chance of topping Group C. England needs to beat Slovenia to finish with five points.
This time, the US, which should have gotten that win against Slovenia, no longer has to rely on others to advance.
A win against Algeria can earn them a spot in the knockout stage.
That is, if the referee won’t have any game-altering blunder.
KOBE’S THE MAN. I didn’t see the post-match interview during the NBA finals but I can understand my kumpare Jingo Quijano’s disappointment when Kobe said, “I got one more than Shaq and you can take it to the bank.”
But I know why Kobe said that and though he may be gloating, I think he really earned it. And he’s probably been waiting two years to say that.
After Kobe lost in Game 6 of the 2008 finals by an embarrassing 37 points, with Boston fans chanting “You’re not MJ!” Shaq, my favorite ex-Laker rubbed it in by including a line in his rap, “Last week, Kobe couldn’t win without me!”
Shaq’s words, and the non-reaction from Kobe, converted me from a Kobe-hater, to a fan.
And unless Kobe starts referring to himself in the third person, I’ll be a Kobe fan, for life.
Here’s to No. 7 and a four-peat! Let’s go get one more than MJ! (But no rapping this time.)
(mikelimpag@gmail.com)
Heavily-favored to top a relatively weak group, the former world champion—the real kind, not the American version of a world champion—languishes at third with one point in two matches.
France, who got in the World Cup thanks to Thierry Henry’s handball, faces host South Africa in the next match and even if it wins by five goals, its fate is out of its hands.
A draw between Mexico (4 points) and Uruguay (4) will see both teams through the knockout stage. And as it tends to happen in the final group matches, teams who face each other and only need a draw, often get that.
To get through, France needs to pile up on goals against South Africa and hope Uruguay vs. Mexico ends in a 2-0 score or higher. The best France can do is catch up on points, but at -2 on goal difference, it has to play catch- up to Mexico (+2) and Uruguay (+3).
And if things weren’t bad enough, France has to play its final group match sans Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka, who was thrown out of the squad. Reports said Anelka had an argument with the coach at halftime against Mexico and refused to apologize—that move got him sent packing.
I think Australia, which is last in Group D with one point, is in a better position than France, though like them, their fate is out of their hand.
Australia should have won against Ghana, and now needs to beat Serbia in its last game and hope Germany is angry enough after a shock loss that it will vent out its ire through a 3-0 win against Ghana in its final group match.
Australia can catch up with Ghana on points with a win but at -4, it hopes Ghana (+5) gets buried by a German avalanche. (Or Germany can just lose its match, putting Australia through).
Germany is still shocked by that 1-0 loss to Serbia and a 5-0 win may be unlikely but not impossible. (For France, a draw between Mexico and Uruguay is not only likely, it’s going to happen).
Australia only needs to look at the Confederations Cup last year for inspiration.
The US was dead last in its Group with no point going into the last game and to qualify, it needed to beat Egypt, 3-0, and hoped Brazil was motivated enough by a close 4-3 win in its second game to trash Italy, 3-0.
Guess what? It happened and the US and Brazil advanced to the semis and met again in the finals.
England may have played woefully in its first two matches, but it still has a realistic chance of topping Group C. England needs to beat Slovenia to finish with five points.
This time, the US, which should have gotten that win against Slovenia, no longer has to rely on others to advance.
A win against Algeria can earn them a spot in the knockout stage.
That is, if the referee won’t have any game-altering blunder.
KOBE’S THE MAN. I didn’t see the post-match interview during the NBA finals but I can understand my kumpare Jingo Quijano’s disappointment when Kobe said, “I got one more than Shaq and you can take it to the bank.”
But I know why Kobe said that and though he may be gloating, I think he really earned it. And he’s probably been waiting two years to say that.
After Kobe lost in Game 6 of the 2008 finals by an embarrassing 37 points, with Boston fans chanting “You’re not MJ!” Shaq, my favorite ex-Laker rubbed it in by including a line in his rap, “Last week, Kobe couldn’t win without me!”
Shaq’s words, and the non-reaction from Kobe, converted me from a Kobe-hater, to a fan.
And unless Kobe starts referring to himself in the third person, I’ll be a Kobe fan, for life.
Here’s to No. 7 and a four-peat! Let’s go get one more than MJ! (But no rapping this time.)
(mikelimpag@gmail.com)
Comments
Did you hear that french team unwilling to train after that Anelka bust up? What was that all about! These French guys are ruining the World cup! Add that french referee that officiated Brazil - Cote d'Ivore. My goodness what an asshole!
+1