Golly: that's what happened to Belgium: Marc Wilmots' goal should have stood as well.

And I couldn't agree more, Val!

Erm, if wilmots wanted his goal to stand, he shouldn't have lamped the other guy just before scoring it. I think if he'd done nothing wrong, he might just have kicked up a little more fuss....

Hey! The ref even admited after seeing the recording during the break he made a mistake. Wilmots didn't do anything wrong.

I just watched England hand the game to Brazil, or so it seemed to this novice spectator. If a team has a man advantage and does worse than when they were playing even, something is wrong. I suppose it can be blamed on inopportune takedowns, heat, and humidity; however, I think for all England's defensive skill in the first half, that Brazil was just better conditioned and wanted to win more. And besides, historically Brazil has had England's number, so they have had a psychological advantage.

Don't know if I can stay awake another four hours just to watch Germany trounce my team.

Sorry Squirrel. If it is any consolation, Brazil is a hard team to beat. No shame is being beaten in the quarter finals. I haven't seen the game yet, time zone thing. CBC will broadcast it later this afternoon.

Rednell

Well, hard luck Plastic! England played well in the first half, only to tire & run out of ideas in the second. But remember the awful position that you lot were in when Keegan resigned almost 2 years ago, and to reach a World Cup quarter-final is a great achievement indeed.

Credit also to your fans in Japan/Korea who have behaved extremely well. That, and the fact that you team is very, very young, must be the great points of England's WC. I suppose the win over the Argies is way up there somewhere too.

As for Germany - well done my luverlies! Agree with stormyPete, they were totally boring, totally lucky and totally German! A grim display as always, and without Kahn the Yanks would have won 6-1. Now try not to trip up in the semis.

Hah, Spain, now the shoe is on the other foot! No fun losing in a shoot-out, is it? Go Korea!

Hey StormyPete, don't get me wrong. I'm estatic over Germany's passage through to the semis! It's just that we (I mean you lot) have been known to play a rather boring brand of footy. And lucky. Not that I'm complaining...as you rightly said, it's the results that count.

I've supported Germany since I was a wee girlie. Actually fell seriously ill (due to crying my eyes out) after Italy beat West Germany in Espana '82.

As for Korea...well I'm totally disgusted. What cheats! Spain had 2 goals ruled out...but Korea won, as usual. I'm ashamed to be from the same continent as them.

[Edited on 22/6/2002 by Ungoliant]

Can't agree more. If all football would be as boring as that of the Germans, I don't think anyone would watch the WC anymore!

Go Korea!!! And Turkey beat Senegal.

[Edited on 24/6/2002 by TomBombadillo]

Hooray-yay-yippee-yay-yay-yay!!!!

I love you Germany!

There now! They weren't so boring, were they! Well, maybe just a bit - shades of the old ruthless & efficient German team there. Poor Ballack will miss the final though, but what a heroic sacrifice for the team. Well done!

Credit to Korea though, they ran their hearts out. Maybe I was too harsh on them earlier. Poor things looked so sad when they lost.

Of course I'll support Germany StormyPete. I do think it will be a more interesting game if Germany were to play Turkey though...it'll be more like a international level local derby then wouldn't it?

Final prediction - Germany A vs. Germany B (oops I meant Turkey).

After all that's said about Germany Plastic, you have to at least respect their achievements. They were totally written off before the finals, the team had very low expectations and key players were injured. The fact that they even made it past the group stages even surprised themselves. Teamwork, efficiency, dedication will always have a place in football - hats off to the team for recognising their limitations but still working their butts off to get to where they are today. Attacking, creative, South American or total football is sooo overrated.

Even Ballack has grown up to be a selfless team player. What heroes - him, Kahn (especially), Ramelow, Hamann (why can't Arsenal buy him from Liverpool?), Schneider & others! They're the true underdogs of this tournament, well done to them.

Great World Cup, this.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Ungoliant (except that part with Turkey, of course, but you're absolutely right with that local derby with a few millions living here).
Come on Plastic, be a bit more enthusiastic... being a finalist is not all made up beacuse of luck.

Aww come on Tommy. I thought you'd be on the side of the underdog...Yeah bloody Brazil won, and a pretty impressive display it was too. Turkey did well initially, but the Brazillians swarmed all over them like Mongolian hordes. Turks were lucky to get away with a 1-0 score. I am seriously worried now. :0:

Well I said Germany B because almost half of the Turkish team are German born. And the Turkish team said that they owe the rise of Turkish football to Germany. If you look at the way the Turkish team play now, they do remind you of the old '80s West German team with Breitner, Littbarski, Briegel etc. Too bad they didn't have a Rummenigge today.

Isn't this the first time Germany and Brazil have ever played each other in the World Cup?
Whatever, GO BRAZIL!!!!!

I hope not, but with two 1-0 teams in there it probably will be.

Off the top of my head, the previous recent finals:

France '98: Brazil 0 - 3 France
USA '94: Brazil (3)0 - 0(2) Italy (pens)
Italia '90: West Germany 1 - 0 Argentina
Mexico '86: West Germany 2 - 3 Argentina
Espana '82: West Germany 1 - 3 Italy
Argentina '78: Argentina (3)1 - 1(1) Holland (extra-time)
Munich '74: West Germany 2 - 1 Holland

You mean this one?

I got it in the mail yesterday from a German friend. Bloody Kaiser. T'was funny though.

Yeah, I was kinda hoping they would have done it. Shame really.

Oh well, it's Brazil for the cup now for me.
No I don't really care, as long as the final is exciting. Let's hope for a golden goal.

I hate the Golden Goal. It's ruining the game, refs tend to make more mistake i.e ruling out more goals by making dodgy offside decisions for fear of errors, and the losing team gets really traumatised by shock of conceding a Golden Goal.

Plus fans like me always get weepy & teary-eyed when watching the losing side afterwards. Remember Italy in Euro 2000? *sob* Or Italy & Sweden in this WC? Waaah!

Penalties are cool though. You only feel sorry for the bloke that misses instead of the entire side.

Me, too!

Can I just take this opportunity to laugh at the Germans, and say well done to the Brazilians?

LAUGH!!!!!!!

Well done, good on you!

Thanks.

I don't give a hoots (would have preferred a much stronger word) about the world cup anymore. Leeds have sacked David O'Leary and look like losing Lee Bowyer, Rio Ferdinand and God knows who else. My world is caving in. Will Leeds be sinking into the dark pit of oblivion once more (and any comments of, "hopefully so", from Plastic will not be appreciated.)

Hear hear! Long live Brazil!

I didn't hear that cry here yet.

All I can say is thank god Germany didn't win, oh if Germany had won, the pain

Lousy World Cup, glad it's over.

It had to be bloody Brazil, didn't it? The one team that I hate even more than ManYoo.

Looks like we're buying the entire Turkish team. According to the newspapers, we're eyeing Rustu (yum, pony-tailed replacement for Seaman perhaps?), Sas, Emre & Basturk. Well...as long as they get Rustu. Drool... come on the Arsenal!