Sunday, June 18, 2006

Sun Day. Apollonian Radiance touches the WC

After the darkness of this day, and the wounds of war much in need of healing, let the sun shine in, dudes. Well, Italy-USA was 1-1, but a very different sort of 1-1. The refereeing was the most bizarre and one sided I've seen since the Korea-Spain match of the last WC. It is just as well that Arena was so putrid in his decisions as to substitutions and in not going for victory at the end. We had one more sub, and rested and fleet players such as O'Brien and Johnson available, but instead he just had the team bunker down. So instead of having a hope of controlling our own fate, we are now, assuming victory against Ghana [a very big assumption] utterly dependent on the kindness of strangers [yes, now it is good that Italy beats the Czechs]. Fire the Bruce as soon as this WC is over!
Anyway, predictions:
France vs. South Korea. Again, on paper, France's is the much stronger squad. But the Koreans definitely have heart and strength, as Togo found out. Prediction: France 1-Korea 1
Japan vs. Croatia. Japan's collapse, mental collapse, at the end of the match against Australia was ugly. Croatia, against Brazil, was very good, and did not deserve defeat. Prediction: Croatia 3- Japan 1
Australia vs Brazil. The match of the day, or at least it will be if Brazil wakes up from the torpor induced by Ronaldo o Gordo. Prediction: Brazil 3- Australia 2.
For you Pagans out there, any plans for the Summer Solstice?

2 comments:

My Frontier Thesis said...

Accurate prediction between Korea and Charlamagne AA. I was pulling for our allies.

Try to remind me about the Ghana vs. USA game this Thorsdag. Is it an evening game? If so, I could probably catch it in a sports bar while out in the field.

Arelcao Akleos said...

It is not an evening game in North Dakota, MFT. It is, I think, at 8 AM Bismark time, for here in Nirvana it is slated for 7 am. I will be in New York that day, and for me will be a 10 am slot. So now we just have to defeat the best African side at this WC, and hope that Italy actually tries to defeat the Czechs. Otherwise, kaput.