KoreAmBear;842325748 said:

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So what would be your formation considering Jozy will not play and Deuce has a broken nose? Mine would be as Twellman and Alexi suggested by putting Deuce alone at top but then have 4-2-3-1:

Johnson--Cameron--Besler--Beasley (I guess - or maybe Chandler)

Jones--Beckerman

Zusi--Bradley--Bedoya

Deuce

No September call ups like in baseball?

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I like that lineup because we should be double teaming Ronaldo the way Costa Rica nullified Cavani.

Can Chile hold on? Best WC ever y'all.

SoCalBear323;842325784 said:

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I like that lineup because we should be double teaming Ronaldo the way Costa Rica nullified Cavani.

Can Chile hold on? Best WC ever y'all.

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2-0 Chile! La Roja are on the ropes and may be ousted.

Spain looks AWFUL. Shocking how bad they've been.

sycasey;842325787 said:

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Spain looks AWFUL. Shocking how bad they've been.

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I know. Look how mortal the Socceroos made the Dutch look today? I guess the Golden Generation is over for them. At least they got one in 2010.

Also, the Chilean fans singing the national anthem...that was amazing. If Cal fans did that at Memorial with our fight song, we'd scare the hell out of everyone.

Chilean fans breaking into the Maracena stadium, on the other hand....let's not do that.

510Bear;842325793 said:

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Also, the Chilean fans singing the national anthem...that was amazing. If Cal fans did that at Memorial with our fight song, we'd scare the hell out of everyone.

Chilean fans breaking into the Maracena stadium, on the other hand....let's not do that.

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I really wish we could sing Hail to California as one before all games. I would get chicken skin. But that would require everyone being at the stadium early. Can we please get this done?

KoreAmBear;842325791 said:

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I know. Look how mortal the Socceroos made the Dutch look today? I guess the Golden Generation is over for them. At least they got one in 2010.

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That was a game (NED-AUS) where both teams looked good. Spain just looks bad.

The King is dead!

sycasey;842325814 said:

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That was a game (NED-AUS) where both teams looked good. Spain just looks bad.

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Yah but it showed how bad Spain is. Aussies were not supposed be in the same class as Spain, but put up a great fight against the Dutch.

KoreAmBear;842325818 said:

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Yah but it showed how bad Spain is. Aussies were not supposed be in the same class as Spain, but put up a great fight against the Dutch.

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Yes, you'd have to expect Australia to beat Spain now.

KoreAmBear;842325818 said:

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Yah but it showed how bad Spain is. Aussies were not supposed be in the same class as Spain, but put up a great fight against the Dutch.

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It would be pretty epic for AUS to beat La Roja!

Stupid question for those that follow international soccer more than me (admittedly, very little). I glanced at spains roster for this game and couldn't help but notice a bunch of big names from last world cup who were on the bench. Xavi, Fabregas, Pique, David Villa, Torres... are they just too old and were supplanted by younger/better guys? It's odd to me that I feel like I recognize as "big" names more guys on the spanish bench than on the pitch. Thanks.

SoCalBear323;842325669 said:

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On paper CAF is the deepest conference but they simply don't perform in World Cups. Plus, their FIFA rankings are inflated because they beat up on the minnows in their own conference for the Africa Cup of Nations.

If CAF and AFC want to take that half spot then they have catching up to do.

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They aren't exactly distinguishing themselves so far in this tournament either. Only one win for a CAF team, and it came against an AFC team. No wins for the AFC clubs so far.

Meanwhile, three CONCACAF teams have picked up wins in their openers.

Vandalus;842325828 said:

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It would be pretty epic for AUS to beat La Roja!

Stupid question for those that follow international soccer more than me (admittedly, very little). I glanced at spains roster for this game and couldn't help but notice a bunch of big names from last world cup who were on the bench. Xavi, Fabregas, Pique, David Villa, Torres... are they just too old and were supplanted by younger/better guys? It's odd to me that I feel like I recognize as "big" names more guys on the spanish bench than on the pitch. Thanks.

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Xavi: 34 years old. Started vs. Holland, benched vs. Chile.
Fabregas: has always had trouble breaking into the starting lineup for Spain
Pique: started Game 1, benched for Game 2
David Villa: I think he's 31
Torres: has been in a funk for a few years now. Many were surprised he even made the trip to Brazil.

sycasey;842325889 said:

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They aren't exactly distinguishing themselves so far in this tournament either. Only one win for a CAF team, and it came against an AFC team. No wins for the AFC clubs so far.

Meanwhile, three CONCACAF teams have picked up wins in their openers.

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So true, Cameroon looked awful today. Panama would rip them apart.

KoreAmBear;842325794 said:

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I really wish we could sing Hail to California as one before all games. I would get chicken skin. But that would require everyone being at the stadium early. Can we please get this done?

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Ah, that's where breaking into the stadium comes into play.

BGGB2;842325901 said:

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Xavi: 34 years old. Started vs. Holland, benched vs. Chile.
Fabregas: has always had trouble breaking into the starting lineup for Spain
Pique: started Game 1, benched for Game 2
David Villa: I think he's 31
Torres: has been in a funk for a few years now. Many were surprised he even made the trip to Brazil.

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Everyone on Spain seems to play the Xavi/Fabregas role. I mean Mikel Arteta is a terrific player for Arsenal. He can't even get on the team.

StillNoStanfurdium;842325905 said:

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Ah, that's where breaking into the stadium comes into play.

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The video of this incident is crazy indeed.

Possible sanctions against Mexico for their "traditional' yelling by the fans of puto at the goalie while he kicks the ball away. I always thought it was stupid, sophomoric, but to have a point taken away or even expelled from the WC for this...

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/19/fifa-investigates-homophobic-racist-behavior-from-4-world-cup-nations-including-mexico/

zerkmxl;842326067 said:

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Possible sanctions against Mexico for their "traditional' yelling by the fans of puto at the goalie while he kicks the ball away. I always thought it was stupid, sophomoric, but to have a point taken away or even expelled from the WC for this...

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/19/fifa-investigates-homophobic-racist-behavior-from-4-world-cup-nations-including-mexico/

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Contrary to what this article reports, and my spanish slurs may be a little rusty, but I thought "puto" is "p-ssy" and "hoto/joto" is the derogatory slur for homosexuals. I guess puto could be seen a misogynistic, but homophobic? I guess you could argue it's homophobic by saying they mean that homosexuals are not men and therefore have female genitals? Kind of a stretch.

grandmastapoop;842326103 said:

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Contrary to what this article reports, and my spanish slurs may be a little rusty, but I thought "puto" is "p-ssy" and "hoto/joto" is the derogatory slur for homosexuals. I guess puto could be seen a misogynistic, but homophobic? I guess you could argue it's homophobic by saying they mean that homosexuals are not men and therefore have female genitals? Kind of a stretch.

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A more adequate translation of puto would be whore and when directed at a man, it is implied that he is gay male whore. In this context, though, I think puto would be equivalent to "p-ssy".

The weird part is that FIFA is upset about this but gives Russia the next world cup.

Everyone watching the game in the park in downtown San Jose kept yelling "puto" at the Brazilian goalie.

This is how dense I am: I kept thinking they were yelling "futbol".

zerkmxl;842326067 said:

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Possible sanctions against Mexico for their "traditional' yelling by the fans of puto at the goalie while he kicks the ball away. I always thought it was stupid, sophomoric, but to have a point taken away or even expelled from the WC for this...

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/19/fifa-investigates-homophobic-racist-behavior-from-4-world-cup-nations-including-mexico/

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Will any of the matches be in Sochi? Priceline has some good deals on condo/dorm rooms there right now.

510Bear;842326148 said:

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Everyone watching the game in the park in downtown San Jose kept yelling "puto" at the Brazilian goalie.

This is how dense I am: I kept thinking they were yelling "futbol".

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I laughed at this post... just thought you should know.

#6 from Uruguay was knocked out cold on the field and allowed to return over the doctor's objection. Really unacceptable in this day and age.

That was quite a game. Too bad for England it was decided by those 2 goals from Anne Hathaway.

Link for all those in the states trying to watch this David and Goliath matchup between Italy and Costa Rica:

http://deportesenvivo.univision.com/game/c-rica-at-italia-on-20140620

SoCalBear323;842326500 said:

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Link for all those in the states trying to watch this David and Goliath matchup between Italy and Costa Rica:

http://deportesenvivo.univision.com/game/c-rica-at-italia-on-20140620

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WOW!!! In el grupo de la muerte!

SoCalBear323;842325903 said:

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So true, Cameroon looked awful today. Panama would rip them apart.

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And Costa Rica also making a strong statement for the rise of CONCACAF as a confederation -- beating Italy and Uruguay and through to the knockout stage.

Knocking England out in the process making it THAT much sweeter.

Yikes! France has a 5-0 lead on Switzerland. Making them look like...

510Bear;842326628 said:

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Yikes! France has a 5-0 lead on Switzerland. Making them look like...

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Swiss won the last 10 minutes though.

KoreAmBear;842326651 said:

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Swiss won the last 10 minutes though.

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Chill, Tedford.

The Costa Rica win was one of the most technically well played games of the tournament.

Passes were crisp. Plays were well executed.
Nearly a textbook example of how to run out the clock late in the match.

Well played, Ticos.

Hats off to the Ticos, biggest surprise of the world cup so far after Spain's dramatic demise. This being said, Italy is definitely overrated, they aren't really contenders. Pirlo is the only outstanding player on their roster. I think Uruguay will beat them and advance.