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!
The third quarterfinal of the Gold Cup 2007 is on Univision this afternoon. Ordinarily, you'd expect Mexico to handle Costa Rica fairly easily; however, given El Tri's poor form, they might be in trouble at the gorgeous Reliant Stadium in Houston today. Join me this afternoon to find out.
posted by gatorbob @ 2:18 PM
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!
83 Comments:
Mexico coach has kept the faith with the side that eked out an uninspring 1-0 win the other night. It strikes me that Mexico have been relying far too much on the old guard and really have to do a clear out of the side that did so well at WC 2002.
I've also got my eye on the La Liga scores this afternoon. Real Madrid will secure the championship with a win against Mallorca today, but if they drop points, it could allow Barcelona or Sevilla to sneak in with a surprise result. For Beckham's sake, I hope that Real can do it.
Costa Rica are giving the Mexico backline some real headaches right from the first whistle. Where on earth is Rafael Marquez? They could really use his leadership today.
A nasty collision has left the Mexico #3 on the deck. It could be a stop and start affair today.
CR's Nunez with a nice raking drive just over the bar. The early going is all Costa Rica.
The crowd has that same farty horn sound that plagues most MLS matches. I really wish they'd cut that shite out.
Jared Borgetti just doesn't seem as sharp as he was before Big Sam ruined his career.
Still 0-0 in all of those crucial La Liga matches after about fifteen minutes.
A decent headed chance for Costa Rica is snuffed out by the Mexican keeper Sanchez.
The Mexican attack is just not gelling at all today. The center back just passed a forty yard ball into space for no one in particular. The commentators are not well pleased.
CR midfielder Badilla picks up the first yellow of the afternoon. Could be a lot more of those to come.
The La Liga race has been blown right open by a goal for Mallorca in the 16th minute. If that score sticks, they'll be looking for someone to take points off Barca and Sevilla.
And things have gone from bad to worse for Real as Carlos Puyol has put Barca in front. They're now three points clear at the top.
A second Costa Rican player goes into the ref's book and again it's that cheating bastid Guardado who's earned it for them.
The Mexican fans are now screaming for a penalty after the ball innocuously strikes a CR arm in the area.
The game has settled down a bit after that initial flurry of CR attacking in the first five minutes and with Mexico coming into the match more and more.
The Ticos are spreading the ball around midfield nicely. They really are a decent side. Suddenly Concacaf has gone from a conference with two decent sides and a bunch of rubbish, now have three or four decent sides. We may really see some competition in WC 2010 qualifying.
More bad news for Real; Ruud van Nistelrooy has been stretchered off with what looks like a hamstring injury. It's all going wrong for them today.
And Lionel Messi has made it 2-0 Barca against the hapless Gimnastic, who've already been relegated.
Meanwhile England's U-21s are one up against Serbia at half time from a goal by Leroy Lita.
Half an hour gone in this one and it's not been one to write home about. The Mexican fans are going potty every time their side gets over the half way line and there's lots of farty horn sounds going, but goodness knows why.
Barca are running riot. Ronaldinho has now curled in a trademark free kick and it's 3-0. But still - Real have their destiny in their own hands. A win will do it for them.
First corner of the match and it goes to Costa Rica...
And it's cleared out for another corner.
Another long stoppage here as CR's Aleman gets treatment.
And he seems to have got a yellow for time wasting as he sprints off after several minutes on the deck. I'd love to see more of that.
Red Card! It's Aleman who's collected his second yellow there and he's off. He's done his side no favors there. The Ticos really had a chance with this one, but that might just seal their fates.
Hey Bob, just sat down at the computer.
I am watching the US Open, the footer and the kids in the pool.
Not going well for Real!!!
It's half time in La Liga, with the following scores:
Real 0 Mallorca 1
Gimnastic 0 Barca 3
Sevilla 0 Villareal 0
If those scores stuck, the championship would stay at the Nou Camp another year.
The Mexican crowd has inexplicably started up a chorus of "Oles" even though it's not even half time and their side is 0-0 against an inferior side with ten men!
England U21 are winning 1-0 in the second half. They would qualify for the semis if it stays that way
Half-time: 0-0; a fairly dire match. It's a shame that the Ticos hadn't scored early because that might have opened up the match. El Tri just don't seem to have much imagination these days but you can't see them throwing away an opportunity like this against ten men.
Second half at the Bernabu
Hey mate! Are you watching the Gold Cup match or are you boycotting it out of principle?
Sergio Ramos has just missed a golden opportunity to level it for Real. Apparently there are loud groans in the Bernabeu.
Becks has a free kick opportunity....
and it comes to nothing.
Meanwhile Messi has put in a fourth goal for Barca and Villareal have taken the lead against Sevilla.
Second half starting at Reliant Stadium....
Beckham has hit the bar but it's still 0-1 Mallorca. I can't believe that they're going to lose at home to Mallorca. This sequence of results stinks of a fix. That's the problem with the club game these days. There's so much money swirling around that it's just too tempting.
Real are dicing with danger as they chase the two goals that they need for the title.
Mexico are controlling possession now, especially through Roberto Medina on the right.
Robinho has been pulled at the Bernabeu. Apparently the Brazilian has been crap today and will surely be shopped in the summer. We'd take him down the Elland.
Dangerous free kick opportunity for Mexico....
but the keeper saves acrobatically from Osorio.
Guardado flops his way into the area for the thousandth time today and gets nothing.
Meanwhile Mexico pick up their first yellow.
Unbelievable! Beckham has been pulled off by Capello. The man has no class at all. That's the last we'll see of Goldenballs in a Real Madrid shirt. Roll on LA Galaxy!
And Arsenal old boy Jose Antonio Reyes has made it 1-1 at the Bernabeu only seconds after having replaced Becks. Game on!
Two quick chances saved by the Ticos keeper there from Guardado and Medina.
One goal in the last twenty five minutes and the game and title will go to Real now. We're in for a grandstand finish.
Ball cleared off the line there by CR - it seems just a matter of time now before Mexico seal the match. The Ticos haven't had anything going on up front since the second half started.
Matt Derbyshire has stuck in a second for the England U-21s, but it was a controversial one as the Serbs had a player down on the floor when he scored. Apparently some punches were traded before the ref restored control.
Again the question comes up about whether this one will go to extra time and penalties.
Oh boy oh boy oh boy! That was a miss for the ages. Borgetti completely unmarked in the six yard box and he missed with his header by about ten feet. Incredible miss from a player who's confidence seems to be at rock bottom.
Another chance goes begging at the feet of Lozano.
Real have ten minutes left. Ruud is off, Becks is off. They're relying heavily on Robinho and Reyes now to save the day.
Fantastic reaction save there by the CR keeper to keep out Salcido.
And an own goal from the Mallorca skipper has gifted Real the lead. They're definitely on for the title now. There is absolutely no way that money did not change hands before the matches today. No way.
And Reyes has now curled in the third goal for Real. It's 3-1 and the fix is well and truly in.
And Gimnastic have pulled one back, no doubt while all the Barca players were watching the scores on the big screen.
Well, I have been totally ignored here.
NOT EVEN A LOUSY HELLO!!
Real are 3-1 up in the last five minutes. Way to go Becks.
England U21 win and are in the semis.
The crowd at Reliant Stadium are going potty at the sight of aging Mexican star Cauhtemoc Blanco - yes, he of the "Bunny Hop" - up off the bench. They really are that desperate.
I take that back... I got one Hello Mate!!!
So, Becks was just taken off!!!
Yeah, I did say hello, asked you a question and then heard nothing. Presumably you're in the pool larking about with the boys, eh?
No love for the Gold Cup mate?
Yeah, he was replaced back in the 75th minute or so by Reyes, who immediately scored and since has stuck in the third for Real.
I reckon this whole La Liga thing was set up with match fixing from way back. It stinks to hell.
I hate Mexico.
The boys were in the pool, not me.
We had a game this morning, Kathy has taken Thomas to his game and I have to take Matt to his game in a couple of minutes.
Some Father's Day
Mexico have fifteen minutes to kill the Ticos off here.
Barca win 5-1 but it is all for naught.
Real win 3-1. Shame Becks came off but Reyes came off the bench for him and scored two!!!!!
Busy day, eh? Well, Happy Father's Day to you anyway.
Did you watch the U.S. match yesterday? Will you watch them against Canada on Thursday?
Is Costa Rico down to ten men?
Come on, you have to admit that 5-1 and 3-1 are really weird results. Mallorca did just enough to make it look plausible, but the fix was in from the start. They were probably accepting cash from both sides!
You can tell the difference between leagues. If there were match fixing going on in the Premiership, we would have had that grandstand finish they had today in Spain. Instead, United wrapped the title early and that big match with Chelski was entirely meaningless. That's the way football works if they don't fix it.
I am not as cynical as you.
I think Mallorca gave it a good shot.
Yeah, they had one guy sent off for two yellows in the first half. The first yellow was hilarious. The bloke was rolling around on the turf for about five minutes and then when they played on, he sprang up off and the referee booked him. I wish they'd do more of that. Then he went off after a rash challenge about five minutes later.
You're bloody naive. You saw that outrageous Lionel Messi "Hand of God" goal last weekend, didn't you? I posted it here. There's no way that none of the officials saw that. No way. La Liga is as rigged as Serie A.
I'm still not sure what happens here in about five minutes. Presumably they'll play extra time but with a "Golden Goal" rule? Or just straight thirty minutes and then pens? I don't know. We'll see in a minute. I don't see either of these sides scoring. They're both shite. The Ticos looked lively in the first half before they lost their man.
This one's winding down to the inevitable extra time and probably penalties.
We're off on the first period of extra time. I can't really understand much of what the commentators are saying so I don't know whether we'll be using hte "Golden Goal" rule or not.
Borgetti squanders another headed opportunity over the bar. He hasn't hit the target all day.
Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol! Gol!
Finally Borgetti buries a header. And it was a peach of a move. Blanco spread a beautiful ball out wide, the blond winger slung a ball in for a wide open Borgetti who doesn't miss.
Suddenly it's all Mexico with Osorio going close before being tipped over by the keeper.
The Ticos have completely lost their heads here. Azoiefa has been given a straight red. I'm not sure what happened there. But CR are now down to nine men!
Extraordinary! The Ticos are now down to eight men! Saborio has been shown a straight red after a seemingly innocuous challenge that was interpreted as an elbow after the Mexican player crumbled to the ground. Scandalous behavior that.
For some reason they're continuing on to the second period of extra time now. This really is the argument for a "Silver Goal" that wins it in the first period of extra time. This is a non-match at this point. In fact, I think another player off for the CRicans and they'd have to concede the match outright.
The Ticos coach looks as if he'd like to take the ref out back and shoot him.
The match is absurdly stretched out at this point with only 19 players on the pitch. And still Mexico seem incapable of exploiting the massive gaps in the CR midfield.
Oh, CR almsot equalized there. A free header from a corner. They surely won't have any better chances than that.
Five minutes left for the Ticos to dig it out here.
Full-time: Mexico 1-0 they squeak out a win against an eight-man Costa Rican side. Pathetic. But they're into the semis.
Honduras vs. Guadelupe to come up next.
Sounds like you lot picked the right game. I have GolTV so I chose to watch the culmination of the Spanish League. Three matches being played at the same time and each of Real, Barca, and Sevilla having a theoretical chance of being crowned La Liga champions.
Barca drew first blood with a Messi goal at Gimnastic which meant the end of Sevilla's hopes right there. And shortly afterwards the Merigues got a shock when Majorca took a one-nil lead at the Bernabeu. Very soon afterwards, Van Horseyface had to exit with a hamstring injury. Barca then went on a flippin' tear putting the ball into the net 4 more times before half-time though only two counted, another for Messi and a free kick for Ronaldinho, because of two offsides calls.
Under the cosh, Madrid made a change and brought on Reyes for Becks. Reyes transformed the match equalizing for Madrid and after Diarra's go-ahead goal, scored the Madrid side's 3rd.
The scenes at the Bernabeu were pretty awesome as they won for the first time in 3 years. The scenes from Camp Nou were wretched in comparison. But Mr. Messi, crime does not pay!
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