June 10: The Daily World Cup Wrap
Today proves that the games we get all excited about aren’t always the games worth watching. Everyone was keen to see the star-studded England team, but their 1-0 win over Paraguay was the dullest game of the tournament so far, while Trinidad and Tobago’s relatively unheralded World Cup debut against Sweden was a thriller. The final game of the day lived up to it’s billing though, with a classy, efficient Argentina holding on to their lead to beat an impressive Ivory Coast.
England vs Paraguay | LiveBlog
England 1 (Carlos Gamarra o.g. 3)
Paraguay 0
This wasn’t very easy on the eyes. England underwhelmed, but took all 3 points after Gamarra headed a Beckham cross past his own keeper in the 3rd minute. Why were England so uninspiring? Sven-Goran Eriksson blamed the heat, but his decision to field two half-fit players (Owen and Gerrard) didn’t help. We all want to see the big name players, but it seems Sven wants it more than anyone, even if they’re not ready to play. Paraguay rarely threatened, and Roque Santa Cruz will be disappointed with his performance. This will have to go down as job done for England (no matter how badly) and a missed opportunity for Paraguay, who wasted their chance to upset one of the tournaments big names.
Also, spare a thought for Paraguayan keeper Justo Villar, whose World Cup lasted just eight minutes due to a nasty knee injury.
Go here for goals and highlights.
Video of the day: Compare and contrast these England fans reactions to today’s result. How does one small nation produce such very different people?
Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to the site.
Did we get it Right? Yes. Bob recovered from yesterdays case of World Cup Fever to predict “1-0 England, no robot dance.” Spot on.
Want to discuss todays action? Go to the England and Paraguay team pages.
Trinidad and Tobago vs Sweden | LiveBlog
Trinidad & Tobago 0 (Avery John sent off 46)
Sweden 0
In one of the best goalless draws you’ll ever see, Shaka Hislop produced a heroic goalkeeping performance to deny Sweden time and time again. TnT played most of the second half with ten men after Avery John was sent off (we all wanted to hack off Christian Wilhelmsson’s rat tail, but John hacked at his legs instead) in the 46th minute. It wasn’t all Hislop, as TnT’s defenders produced plenty of memorable saving tackles. Even Dwight Yorke was making tackles in his own area. Sweden won’t believe they failed to score as they produced some good attacking football, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking pretty dangerous. But 0-0 it was, and 0-0 it stayed.
Go here to see FIFA’s official match highlights
Photo of the day: Swedish fans, probably before their 0-0 draw with Trinidad and Tobago.
Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to the site.
Did we get it Right? No. Peter and Nick were way off with predictions of rampant Swedish victories, 6-2 and 4-0 respectively. After his clairvoyant feats for the England game, Bob’s fever was back with a vengeance. The main symptom was predicting a 9-3 Swedish win. Sean showed plenty faith in Dwight Yorke and co., but maybe too much by prophesying a 1-0 win. Chris was closest but no cigar with 1-1.
To discuss this game further head over to the Trinidad and Tobago or Sweden team pages.
Argentina vs Cote d’Ivoire | LiveBlog
Argentina 2 (Crespo 24, Saviola 38)
Cote d’Ivoire 1 (Drogba 81)
Ivory Coast put in an impressive display to prove they can live with the big boys in this entertaining, incident-packed game. Unfortunately Argentina’s extra bit of class made all the difference. They were clinical in front of goal, Crespo stabbing home the first without mercy, and displayed some inch perfect passing, not least of which was Riquelme’s ball to put Saviola clear for what proved to be the match-winner.
For all Ivory Coast’s attacking endeavour they relied too heavily on Didier Drogba, firing ball after ball in his general direction, and Argentina’s defenders never had to guess what was coming next. To Drogba’s credit he understood his importance to the team and played like a real captain. As a mark of his determination he refused to stay down when fouled (maybe?) in the box. Not many players at this World Cup would spurn a good opportunity to roll all over the floor in search of a penalty. Drogba got his reward with ten minutes to go, turning well to score with his left foot, but too late to rescue his team
Go here to see the highlights.
Photos of the day: Cote d’Ivoire and Argentina fans.
Follow the links for more World Cup Blog photos and video, or submit your own to the site.
Did we get it Right? Yes. Nick correctly predicted a 2-1 victory for Argentina.
To discuss this game further head over to the Argentina or Cote d’Ivoire team pages.
In Other News:
Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic is predicting his World Cup debutants will reach the semi-finals.
Our Dutch blogger Mike is so excited for the Nederlands S&M experience he’s threatening to urinate an adhesive substance.
Trinidadian blogger Stacy-Marie is so happy with today’s result, she’s offered Carlos Edwards her hand in marriage. No reply from Edwards as yet.
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Comments
By Stuart | June 11th, 2006 at 3:07 am 
So what did we learn?
1) It’s not how you play, it’s how you finish.
2) Group B is TOTALLY up for grabs.
3) England was uninspired.
4) Sweden can play, but can they score?
5) Trinidad & Tobago came to play (CONCACAF RESPECT!)
6) Argentina are efficient.
7) Ivory Coast are exciting but unrefined.
The World Cup is a truly WONDERFUL thing!
Posted from 
United States
By Lyle | June 11th, 2006 at 3:21 am Trinidad & Tobago provided Paraguay a new life. Great start to the World Cup.
By zé | June 11th, 2006 at 3:23 am Stuart, right on.
Posted from 
Brazil
By Nirmala | June 11th, 2006 at 3:29 am I totally agree Stuart
Posted from 
Trinidad And Tobago
By Anthony O'Donnell | June 11th, 2006 at 3:52 am A great performance by the Trinnies today, Nirmala. Congratulations.
I have to disagree with Stuart on the group being “totally up for grabs.” England has a serious leg up. Anyone counting on continued “uninspired” performances should be careful about betting. However underwhelming England may have been on attack, they were very impressive in defense.
If England had to play Argentina at this point, I’d be more concerned about their chances.
Posted from United States
By pf | June 11th, 2006 at 5:02 am One more item I learned….
Fortune favors the rich an famous!
Beckham had a bling bling ring the size of his fist yet the ref didn’t seem to care for this fifa violation….
As to the general comment - great, great Saturday! Sometimes it’s a shame that great teams don’t get to stay in the cup [perhaps the fate of CIV 
] but that’s why this event is called World Cup!
(Go TnT! What a show!!!)
Posted from United States
By Roland | June 11th, 2006 at 6:45 am Well said Stuart. I might only add two to that list.
9) Goalkeepers don’t like these new fangled balls (which must surely qualify for the “what else is new?” category as well) and…
10) Controversy will continue to dog the officiating.
Posted from United States
By Biplab | June 11th, 2006 at 8:57 am Couple of interesting notes of the day..
1. Argentina was simply lucky, Ivory coast would have been given pentalty in 70 minute
2. Trinidad is wonderful side, bravity can be judged by the fact even when they were down to 10 players, they fought villiantly..
3. England team is full of nonsense-they are playing soccer of 50’s..ball in the air..
Posted from United States
By Adrian Wagner | June 11th, 2006 at 9:26 am Biplab: Disagree with 1). I think Argentina showed yesterday that they are contender: dangerous, efficient and settled. Face it: the first half they played forward as well and therefore gave the Ivory Coast space as well (which they used). In the second half with 2-0 up they just controlled the game - and did so well. That’s what champions are made of.
And don’t start the if and what game. Then we could also say that IF the refree would have seen the ball over the line for Argentina.
What I do agree with is, that it’s a shame that either Argentina, Holland or the Ivory Coast are going out. Right now, I’d give England’s spot to Ivory Coast or Holland in a split second. What England provided yesterday was a shocker - actually not surprisingly, I find. They are way overrated. Just wait until the first substantial team comes around. Looking forward to it.
Go T&T! But I think man of the day yesterday was the one and only. Diego heating up the stadium was just excellent. Still love the guy! One one side you have the ‘good guys’ like Pele and the Kaiser, who sit seemingly bored during the game and then there’s the ‘bad guy’. It just shows how much passion for the sport he has. I’m sure, even with 70 (if he should live it, which is probably questionable) he’ll be cheering Boca and Argentina like a maniac. Got to love it.
Posted from 
Australia
By anghelyn | June 11th, 2006 at 10:16 am i missed the fifa world cup opening last june 9..
Posted from 
Philippines
By Keyser | June 11th, 2006 at 10:51 am nice blog Bob & Co!!! get some rest while you can so you can avoid the carpal tunnel syndrome.
ARG showed that their are efficient. When you face these sort of teams you have to be really focused during the 90′. This is what happens when you leave Crespo alone and allow him to get a floating ball 2 meters aways from the goal line.
And ENG did something similar. playing at half throttle was enough for them to beat Paraguay (from whom I expected way far more).
And regarding T&T… I don’t know if I’ll ever see another 0-0 this good. I guess this team will rapidly become the neutral’s favorite.
By littleguy | June 11th, 2006 at 1:36 pm Disappointments: Cote d’Ivorie, England, Poland
Out of sync: Paraguay, Germany
Surprises: Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago
Monday is the big day, Czech Republic is as overhyped as can be-wonder if that kind of pressure might have some variable in the US game (please Lord let it mess these guys up).
Posted from United States
By Dave Hamilton | June 11th, 2006 at 1:59 pm One of the most valuable lessons in human relations was learned yesterday by Sweden’s manager Lars Lagerback, who openly said before the Cup in a magazine interview that “there were THREE good teams” in his team’s group and dismissed Trinidad and Tobago arrogantly. The media – British, in particular – also ridiculed T&T after the islands were beaten 2-1 in a lead-up friendly by Wales, who didn’t qualify for the Cup, and given a tussle in a 2-1 victory over German lightweights St. Pauli, better known for their cathouses than their second-division football team. The British touts also had T&T at 1,000-to-1 odds to win the Cup, the worst in the 32-team field. What transpired yesterday was one of the best football matches I have ever seen (albeit on television after sweatily rushing from the boring England-Paraguay venue to a Frankfurt watering hole) in terms of valiant effort by a decided underdog.
The Swedes were not only heavily favored, but assaulted the enemy goal all day, especially in the second half when T&T was forced to play a man short because of a red card to hard-tackling Avery John, but in truth all of the Soca Warriors to a man – notably Shaka Hislop — who was diving, deflecting, heading, and stopping point blank shots by great strikers all afternoon –were fearless. Two Swedes were stretchered out, and besides being very physical and busting a gut trying to gain the unlikely draw, the OLD SILVER FOX Leo Beenhakker, who coached Holland’s national team before golden boy Guus Hiddink, before Dick Advocaat and before this current young pup at the helm. The Dutch “cradle of coaches” should not overlook Beenhakker, who had his side as ready psychologically and tactically as possible. Did anyone notice that besides some of the incredible saves made by Hislop, short-sided defenders were still in position to clear the ball off the line and guarding the far posts whenever the situation called for it? Discipline. Did anyone see 10 guys backed up and disrupting, heading out, deflecting, clearing or saving what seemed like countless shots by the well-organized and aggressive Swedes? Leaving it all on the field.
That may have been the first time I have ever called a win for a team, and wished that iI would lose before the game was over. The effort was that impressive. These kids were incredible and didn’t need a won yesterday. They needed to not lose to one of the “good” teams – and they didn’t.
And you could see the respect in Lagerbeck and his side’s eyes afterwards.
Posted from United States
By peter rosam | June 11th, 2006 at 2:09 pm Sweden vs. Trinidad - Trinidad is a team to be reckoned with. Down a player who was sent off, they only sent 3 players on their rare attacks against 6 Swedish defenders and needed a mistake by the Swedes to score.
Their keeper was unbelievably terrific! Look out England and Paraguay!
Posted from United States
By Mar | June 11th, 2006 at 10:58 pm Biplab, i disagree with the arg comment. Argentina played very good the st half and ok the second Dont even start with the whole “referee was unfair thing”. 1st half they didnt counted a good goal unvalid an didnt give argentina a penalty either..
Posted from United States
By abiy mulugeta | June 17th, 2006 at 2:56 pm rbrazil becomes a champion.ronaldinho will be a star player.
By antenhe | June 17th, 2006 at 3:05 pm 100% ARGENTINA will be champion.
By vahid | June 20th, 2006 at 4:16 pm hello.how are you?please send me pictures of world cup.thank you.bye
Posted from 
Islamic Republic Of Iran
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