Comments on: Liveblog: Brazil vs. Ghana

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:46:44 +0000

Hey Ricky – thanks for the nice dialoge – I guess my off color humor did not resonate with Joanne – I just found it odd that an american had such a) hatered for Brazil and b) love for Ghana – americans as whole – are pretty neutral if not down right negatively anti world cup and/or soccer. She was going off against Brazil.
Unfortunatley, once I got back to the states in the late 70’s, it was very hard to follow soccer. I remember the heart break Brazil had in 82, but I don’t know the specifics of that cup. The games were on in the states but it was on spanish tv. Same with 78, 86 and 90. Although things got better in the 90 cup and on with espn and all.
I am not sure about Adrianos goal but it looked like it went off the the foot of the defender first? this would elimenate offsides – to me he looked even when the ball was kicked. Plus, first offside on Ronaldo was not offside and the non-penalty on Adriano in the box should have been a penalty. The goalie left his leg out and the ball had passed – plus Adriano’s foot got caught. Ghana got a penalty on much less than that in the US game as did Italy vs. Australia
I agree that officiating is very problematic. I will raise another point though, since the cup expanded to 32 teams, no second level teams (17 to 32) have done much beyond the first stage of knock-out. The adding of teams to 32 has made more money for fifa, enlarged the cup and added more teams from other regions – all of which is up lifting to these countries, but all it seems to do really at tournament time, is force the big teams to play a few more matches in a survivalist approach. These big teams use these games to warm up. Does this make sense? It seems that if you are one of the big 8 or 12 teams, you have to pace yourself through opening rounds, hope to not have injury, use the least amount of energy, because you have to survive more than anything. This is very different than 1970 or 1974 – play 6 to win the whole thing. The extra game is huge – so much can happen – now its 3 knock games instead of 2, to get to the final. Plus those players in the 70’s played together in league play more than these players do. Germamy in the 70’s only allowed 2 non german players on its Bundesliga teams. So it takes a few games to come together within the pressure of the tournament.
There is no way Ghana, the US, Togo, Trinidad or Costa Rica and some others even belong at this level. They have nice players, but Ghana got through because the czechs got hurt and were old and then the US game they rolled around like the Italian teams of the 70’s used to do to kill time.
Brazil knew that Ghana were going to be running today and try to out pace them. But when you do that you run the risk of making mistakes. For sure they got pressure on the defense, and should have had a goal or 2, but it did not happen. The mistakes were turned into goals and Brazil survived – which was the plan all along.
Brazil need to play different to advance on – I think they will – they have so much in reserve. I really liked the way they played in the confederation cup last yaer – they took apart the Argentines and the Germans.
By the way, I read that South Africa has not even built more than 2 stadiums and the infrastructure to move people around is lacking. There is a possibilty that the cup might be moved – and the US is one of the options. Hope this makes sense do you – cheers!

By: Ricky David

Ricky David — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 11:39:08 +0000

Dan and Joanne D

Please let us not take things personally.

I’d love for Ghana to win. They played so beautifully.

But that is football. Not the Beautifull playing Team ends up winning.

Dan, I studied in West Germay too. I can speak very fluent German. Did you remember the cheating game played by Germany Austria against Algeria in 1982 World Cup?

Soon after the Ghana-USA game, I read a lot of angry and NASTY-RACIST comments on World Cup Blog against ALL Ghanaians!!

Now I am reading nasty things against all Brazillians. Africans should see Brazilians as brothers and sister. Even the white Brazillians have some African blood in them whether thery want to admit it or not!
Their food, Music, Dancing is African.

The REAL CRIMINALS in this World Cup Games are the officiating Refrees. After that 2nd DUBIOUS goal against Ghana by a BIASED Refree, there was no way Ghana was going to RECOVER against Brazil. It was a lost cause. The Ghana coach went to protest and said “RACIST/Nazist, it will be better for us if you were wearing the YELLOW Jersey of Brazil”
He was given the RED CARD.
Soon after the Games, the Refree-Linesman went there asking Ronaldo for his Jersey as a sourvenir( or trophy) for remembrance!! That certainly raises eyebrows

The next world Cup should probably have 2-3 Refrees on the Field. 1 Black, 1 White and probably 1 Chineese. That is the only way to stop BIASEED Refrees from officiating the matches

By: fing

fing — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 09:05:21 +0000

I haven’t seen brazil really pull out a lot of effort in this world cup. Brazil is no more the Brazil that the world saw in the last 3 world cups. The players are playing selfish. If they keep on like this they will not win this worldcup.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 07:34:09 +0000

For the record, I had moved to germany in 1970 and lived there for 6 years – Iearned German, learned and followed football – saw the world cups of 1970 and 74, the 70 world cup is where I became a fan of Brazil – esp. Pele, Jarzinho, Gerson, Felix etc., went to school with several African friends – one from Ghana – Stanley Lartey to be specific – he and I were best friends until he left germany in 1974. We played football together everyday – even messed around on the reperbahn a few times. Racist is the last thing I am -
Ghana played well, but as I had stated earlier, maybe the plan was for Brazil to let them run around and to play a little smarter, finish the chances they would get due to Ghana’s own errors – to play the game like a marathon and not a sprint. Everyone at this level has skill, but as one looks at the last 8, it is abovious that expereince has a lot to do with getting through – save for Ukraine – but they had more stars than the Swiss and it showed in the penalty kicks. Brazil did not play with the ‘life’ it showed against Japan, but it played smart. For sure Ghana should have scored at least once, but it did not – Brazil for certain should have had at least 3 more. Brazil will need to play with a little more possession and quickness against France – but France is a question mark too.
p.s. I don’t think I attacked you personally joanne d – I was confused as to why you had so much hatered towards Brazil and why, if you were an american, you were so passionate about Ghana? For the record, I am not a fan of the US team – and it does not bother me that they lost. My two teams are Brazil and HSV…

By: Welsh

Welsh — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 06:40:39 +0000

Well, I see still bitterness in some comments here. Brazil won the game and that’s that, but Ghana certainly gave them a run for their money. As the Brazilian and their coach admits they deserved at leat a goal in the first half. The point that most people miss is that African football though it lacks the xperience of the big stages is in many ways similar to the Brazilia and vice a versa, as both sets of players have learned the game in similar circumstances, that why Brazilians have hard time playing African teams, be it in youth level and senior level. Brazil is undoubtedly the masters of the world and they will show their game against a European team, but when playing African teams it’s been like that always because of the difficulty to maneuvre players that predict most of your moves. These facts are to be seen whenever they meet an Africn team, as a Brazilian coach once told me. Today’s game was the most critical game for Brazil and from now on we will see the true Brazilian game, even though France is a dificult opponent unlike many might think.
Expect Brazil vs Germany Final..

By: Scorp

Scorp — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 05:12:34 +0000

Ghana certainly played better than Brazil. But i think the younger Nation in the world cup got robbed in this game. I would like to see ghana advance to the quater finals in 2010.

By: Ipolite

Ipolite — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 04:51:37 +0000

Brazil game the line’s man was sleeping………

He really killed Ghana spirit.

I am sorry I dont know when this cheating will stop.

CAF and FIFA needs to do something about this cheating…they need to bring instant replay in the game.

Ghanians I am proud of you guys and I think you guys were better than the Brazilians today

By: Bobbio

Bobbio — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:12:35 +0000

Dissapointingly I doubt there are direct translations of the word “Nerd” used in different language. I’ve never heard a dutch version anyway.

By: G-race

G-race — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:50:41 +0000

I have a feeling “Joanne” is really Juanita and was born in Argentina…

Hey, Brazil won, ok? Ghanna played well, but did not win. End of story.

By: Angelo Abruzzese

Angelo Abruzzese — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 02:26:24 +0000

Well I am glad to see that the ridiculous post game is not restricted solely to the Italian blog.

I can’t wait to see the replay of this thing when I get home tonight.

Go Brazil, hopefully we can have a rematch of that loss with the PK’s.

But of course that is a long long long ways off yet.