Spain vs. Ukraine
This morning's tasty morsel is the Group H match-up between the two sides that I expect to dominate this group - Spain and Ukraine. Join me if you're watching.
posted by gatorbob @ 9:58 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Brazil vs. Croatia
- France vs. Switzerland
- Korea vs. Togo
- Baddiel and Skinner's Great WC Moments!
- Italy vs. Ghana
- USA vs. Czechs
- Australia vs. Japan
- Predictions Game Update
- Portugal vs. Angola
- Mexico vs. Iran
36 Comments:
Half-time: 2-0; Spain have come out as they have something to prove, scoring two early goals against a Ukraine team that I expected to top the group.
The first goal was crafted by the Liverpool connection, with a corner nodded in through a crowded penalty area by Xavi Alonso.
Spain's second was all about a catalog of errors by Ukraine's hapless center back, who first fouled Fernando Torres and then deflected David Villa's free kick into his own net.
As if the Spanish weren't flying high enough, the referee has just given Spain a penalty and sent off the Ukrainian center half for a seemingly innocuous challenge on Torres.
David Villa converts the penalty, just barely. Spain 3-0. It's all over as a competition.
The Ukrainians, although unlucky on that penalty award, have shown absolutely nothing. Sheva - played up top alone - hasn't had a sniff. Ukraine has been reduced to lofting long balls to him. That's meat and drink to the likes of Puyol. I lost count of how many times Sheva and Voronin have been caught offside. Very disappointing World Cup debut for a side who beat out Denmark, Greece and Turkey in qualifying.
Villa has just missed out on his hat-trick, alone in the box one on one with the keeper. The Spanish midfield, including Xavi, Senna and Xavi Alonso have been completely dominant in this match, spraying the balls around for fun, using the fullbacks out wide. Very impressive start to the competition for them.
I'm certainly no fan of the hateful Spanish coach Luis Aragones, but he has to be credited for some football savvy for dropping the Golden Boy Raul for this match. Can you imagine Sven having the bottle to drop Michael Owen or Parreira dropping Ronaldo for the next match?
Raul is now coming on for a quick run-out now that Spain has this one in the bag. A goal might improve his confidence. David Villa coming off to thunderous applause.
This result, if it stands, of course means that Ukraine will share the dubious honor of worst drubbing so far with Bruce Arena's U.S. team.
i was a bit worried about this wc for the ukes because it was pretty obvious that sheva was the main man. but the rest of them are simply not good.
that said, it's really wonderful to see spain put inferior opposition to the sword in the first and hottest game of the day. no moaning about 27c for them. they just get on with it.
i like that villa guy with torres. i'm really hoping that torres doesn't do overally too well because arsenal has been linked with him for just over a year now.
that hateful aragones has denied villa a hat-trick opportunity so that the woeful pin-up boy raul can get a run around.
Ukraine's Vashchuk becomes the third man sent off in this competition and the second straight red. He'll obviously miss the next match. In fact, Ukraine have picked up several yellows in this game as well. For them, obviously, it will be vital to pick themselves up for the next two matches. They still have every chance of going through in the second spot in a fairly easy group with Tunisia and the Saudis. Blokhin will have his work cut out for him. He must play two up front in the next match - the 4-5-1 just doesn't work.
The former Spurs man Sergei Rebrov is coming on now for Rotan, who hasn't shown much of anything. He's on a hiding to nothing in this match. It's all about consolation now.
The impressive Senna has just rifled a shot into the net from a corner only to see his effort whistled off for a foul on the keeper. Shame. That was a cracker!
That was a cracker! What a shame that one didn't count.
Bob, i think there's only been one straight red. The others have all been for two yellows.
Hey mate, agree with you. It's good to see Spain get off to a good start. I quite like them these days with the Liverpool boys in the squad. They also seem to have solved the striking problem for once. I agree - Villa and Torres look the biz. Consign Raul to the bench.
Gooner, the Avery John one was definitely for two yellows, but I thought that Graham Poll showed a straight red. It's difficult because he also then flipped the yellow out quickly and then put it away. I haven't seen confirmation of that one.
what do you know about the spanish no. 3, pernia? all I know is that he's 29, but on this form, i'd be inclined to offer cashley up for him in a straight swap.
Poll mixed up his cards. He said as much today. Thought that was the confusion, the uke has the distinction of the first straight red.
Ah, I hadn't heard that. Coverage, as you can imagine, is dire back here. Lots of complaints. They just make basic mistakes, confusing players constantly. I don't blame the commentary staff entirely. Only two of them are in the stadia, the others are watching on monitors at home. Can you imagine trying to spot players from a telly monitor? Still, it was appalling that in the Sweden-T&T they misidentified Shaka Hislop for the first fifteen minutes!
What I've been doing is leaving it on Univision for the anthems until kickoff and then listening to podcasts during half-time and after matches. It's not Motto and Hansen, but it helps.
Don't know Pernia at all, but he does look good. I've heard more rumors that Cashley is off to Chelski at the end of the WC. I'd say good riddance, especially after his woeful performance the other day.
What do you reckon about Sheva today - is he fit?
These Spanish boys seem to be going back to the mullet - it's obviously "Big 90s" time in the clubs of Madrid these days. Look at the barnet on that Sergio Ramos bloke!
it's so great to have proper commentary, although itv has david pleat and robbie earl and bbc have the completely unintelligble mick mccarthy. mccarthy just rambles on and on in that deep yorkshire accent and he even seems to lean away from his mike from time to time. he sounds like the nutter on the bus!
i'm not looking forward to the coverage when i get back.
what do you think about the proposition that the spanish national side has benefited from having players in the English Prem? I think a case can be made.
Now even the referee is taking on water. Another stinking hot day in Germany.
What did you reckon about the penalty? I didn't think there was much in it.
Here comes your boy Fabregas!
oh happy day! fabregas becomes spain's youngest capped player. viva el arsenal!!!
I agree; the Premiership experience has been good to them, apart from Morientes, who must understand that his international career is just about done.
i think the pen was a disgrace. i swear that i thought the ref had a card out for torres because he dived. not in a million would i have guessed that he was going to throw vashchuk off.
he's the second least impressive ref that i've seen. dracula being the worst so far.
Have you counted up the Arsenal players in the competition. Must be around fifteen or so:
1.Lehmann
2.Toure
3.Cashley
4.Sol
5.Eboue
6.Gilberto
7.Fabregas
8.Van Persie
9.Adebayor
10.Henry
11.Ljungberg
I'm obviously missing some.
GOAL: 4-0! A peach of a goal by Torres, scrapping through the midfield and then smacking it home. Both strikers have scored now - that's got to put the frighteners up with any second round opponents.
It only took thirty seconds for Tommy Smyth to make the comment that the U.S. are no longer the worst side in the tournament - I suppose that that'll console those soccer moms who are tuning in on a Wednesday morning.
oh christ, that's put another £5mil on the torres price-tag. i have noticed today however that he favors the left and we're all sorted on the left unless we flog reyes off somewhere.
You weren't thinking that Torres would be coming to the Arse, were you?
oh christ, that's put another £5mil on the torres price-tag. i have noticed today however that he favors the left and we're all sorted on the left unless we flog reyes off somewhere.
I love how the Spanish are looking to run up a score even in this heat. They don't care about saving gas in the tank. They're just having fun. Why not?
you missed reyes and djourou for spain and the swiss.
Full-time: 4-0 Spain; The French must be shaking their heads at that. Unless they can overturn the Koreans on Sunday, they'll likely face this rampant Spanish side in the second round.
As for Ukraine, they're still in it, but they've got a massive task to get up for their next match.
And your boy Senderos for the Swiss too - he was good yesterday.
Where's Hleb from - Austria?
This has done more damage to my Predictions Game score - so much for Sheva as Golden Ball winner.
hleb is from belarus. sorry, i thought that you already had included our swiss watch!
full time and that was great. very enjoyable watching a gifted spanish side issue a statement of intent. they were excellent all through the team.
that was fun. i'll be back for the saudis and the tunisians in an hour or so.
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