| The clock is ticking, and we're into the final week | | | | sides and were two goals down before they realized |
| -when most of mankind falls into a soccer coma for | | | | they had to quickly do something. The Luxembourg |
| a month and the female species just has to put up | | | | stroll had probably lured the team into a false sense |
| with it! | | | | of security, and the Japanese seized on that. |
| The coaches are becoming more engrossed in | | | | To be fair to the coach, he didn't get carried away |
| formations and strategies than a Grand Chess | | | | by the scoreline against Luxembourg, as Germany's |
| Master, and the fans are trying to spot any teams | | | | worst side could have beaten the Benelux country, a |
| emerging from the World Cup warmup matches that | | | | team that only has one professional footballer |
| could take on the defending champions, Brazil. | | | | representing the nation. |
| There's only one weekend left to get everything in | | | | One recent shock was the defeat of Trinidad and |
| order, and then Friday the greatest team sports | | | | Tobago against Wales, and the Welsh didn't even |
| event in the world unleashes a spectacular that | | | | qualify for the World Cup. |
| sometimes takes four years to get over! | | | | The Caribbean "Soca Warriors" tested themselves |
| Over the past week, football fans have seen the | | | | against a side that had good EPL players. However, |
| usual results. | | | | Robert Earnshaw, who with due respect to him is no |
| America enjoyed success at the end of its "send off | | | | Thierry Henry, scored two easy goals against the |
| series" against Latvia. EPL star Brian McBride scored | | | | "Warriors" defense. The Islanders need to shape up |
| the only goal of the game. Coach Bruce Arena | | | | fast if they want to make some headlines in |
| knows that a 1-0 victory against Latvia means | | | | Germany, and the alarm bells started to ring again |
| there's room for improvement as the Americans | | | | when they lost to Slovenia 3-1in Ljubljana. |
| have to face the Czechs in their opening game in | | | | Individual performance of last weekend came from |
| Gelsenkirchen on June 12 and then face two tricky | | | | Portugal's Pedro Pauleta; he has already overtaken |
| teams, Italy and Ghana, to fulfill their group schedule. | | | | the legendary Eusebio's scoring record. Over the |
| In Europe, France and Holland won by the same | | | | weekend against the Cape Verde, Pauleta scored a |
| scoreline. These teams usually start slow in the World | | | | hat-trick to give his side a 4-1 win over the Minnows. |
| Cup and improve through the tournament. You don't | | | | To be cynical, a side of Cape Verde's quality is never |
| want to peak on June 9 - the coaches want their | | | | going to appear in the World Cup. So, we should not |
| teams to peak on July 9! | | | | read too much into this victory. |
| France celebrated one of its favorite sons' milestones | | | | Argentina had a little warmup against Angola in |
| in Paris, with Zinedine Zidane receiving his 100th cap. | | | | Salerno, Italy, and a couple of goals was the margin |
| The game was not a classic, and Lyon's Florent | | | | of victory, as expected. |
| Malouda saved the red blushes for "Les Blues" with a | | | | At Old Trafford, the "awesome" midfield of Joe Cole, |
| 45th-minute goal. | | | | Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham |
| Raymond Domenech, the French coach, admitted his | | | | probably made Hungary feel like a "bunny" in a |
| players had to improve, and he wanted a much | | | | juggernaut's headlights. But, the Hungarians did |
| better performance against Denmark last | | | | manage to frustrate the "Three Lions" until Gerrard |
| Wednesday. In the Lens Stadium, goals by Thierry | | | | opened the scoring. |
| Henry and a penalty from Sylvain Wiltord showed | | | | Peter Crouch scored the final goal in a 3-1 win, and if |
| that "Les Blues" are now really focusing on reclaiming | | | | you didn't see his celebration dance then let me tell |
| the trophy in July. | | | | you that it shows why 6-foot-7 inch white |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy may be out of favor in | | | | sportsmen should not try and look cool doing a |
| Manchester, but in Rotterdam he was king after | | | | robotic dance. Let's just say it was not on the same |
| scoring the only goal of the game against Cameroon. | | | | level as Michael Jackson doing his moonwalk |
| The Dutch have a quality team on paper, who would | | | | Just as an aside, Sven Goran Eriksson will probably |
| not want "Van the Man", Van Persie, Arjen Robben, | | | | take more questions about a player who is not |
| Cocu, van Bommel, Dirk Kuyt and, of course, one of | | | | playing at the moment than any other one. The |
| the best goalkeepers in Europe in Edwin van der Sar. | | | | Wayne Rooney Saga is great for the papers as it fills |
| The Dutch always enter the World Cup with hope of | | | | column inches during a "dry period" of top-class sport. |
| success. But "The Oranje" always seem to come | | | | But, you have to wonder now that the way these |
| unstuck in the knock out games. Legendary striker | | | | "fashion" football boots are made, is there enough |
| Marco van Basten, now head coach for Holland, | | | | protection for the actual foot. Of course, the sports |
| needs to get his players focused on the whole 90 | | | | companies are not going to say anything else but |
| minutes, as he stated after the game: "We must | | | | "yes" as they try to push their boot into the billion |
| work hard on that in the next two weeks before | | | | dollar industry. |
| the World Cup starts." | | | | However, back in the 1980s every English schoolboy |
| After that match in Eindhoven, the Dutch put in a | | | | could not spell "metatarsal." But after Beckham and |
| very impressive performance against Mexico. The | | | | Rooney's injuries, this small little piece of the human |
| Mexicans opened the scoring, and with a weakened | | | | body has become as famous as the players. |
| team Van Basten's men rolled up their sleeves and | | | | Maybe I am getting old, but a good thick piece of |
| duly earned a 2-1 win. I think the bookies have | | | | black leather always stopped me from getting |
| lowered the Dutch's odds after this match. | | | | injured, and I was playing against amateurs that didn't |
| It is still a shock that the Dutch didn't qualify for the | | | | have the timing of top class defenders! |
| last World Cup - so they need to show the world | | | | The Italians got some normality back against |
| that they are a major footballing powerhouse in | | | | Switzerland win a 1-1 draw. But they couldn't score |
| Germany in this edition. | | | | against the tough Ukraine side in Lausanne on Friday |
| The World Cup hosts and Ukraine sent their fans | | | | night. If I was a bookmaker I would take any money |
| home dreaming of World Cup glory after "caning" | | | | from punters on the Italians lifting The World Cup. |
| their opposition. | | | | Therefore, from all the previous week's international |
| The former Soviet Republic hit four against fellow | | | | friendlies, I personally feel Brazil will cruise tothe |
| World Cup entry Costa Rica. Goals from Serhiy | | | | semfinals. However, England's attack is first class - its |
| Nazarenko, Andriy Vorobey and Maxym Kalinichenko | | | | midfield is the strongest on the planet and then you |
| closed the tie at halftime, and both coaches radically | | | | add ace striker Michael Owen up front - what a |
| changed their teams for the second half. However, | | | | dream combination. If England finally clicks, then 40 |
| Ukraine is a dark horse as it wants to host the 2012 | | | | years of hurt could be over. |
| European Soccer Championships with | | | | The only problem is that the FA has already sacked |
| Poland, so any good showing in Germany will push its | | | | the coach. If Sven wins, are they going to ask him |
| cause for hosting Europe's biggest competition in six | | | | back?! |
| years. Plus, Ukraine's Group H in the World Cup is | | | | The French are now hungry to prove that France '98 |
| weak. Ukraine only has to worry about Spain to win | | | | was not a fluke or they're not a "fair weather" team |
| the group; victories should come against Saudi Arabia | | | | - i.e., they only do well on home soil. |
| and Tunisia. Once Ukraine enters the knockout | | | | I think Italy will be lucky to scrape through the group |
| stages, it could upset some bigger names if it can | | | | phase, and my dark horse for a good showing is |
| carry this form to late June. | | | | Ukraine. It has done nothing wrong and quietly is |
| Pardon the pun; you can be the sub-editor here! | | | | going about its business. |
| "Germany take fans to 7th heaven" - "Lucky Seven" | | | | Also, if you like to party make sure you catch |
| - "The Magnificent Seven" - you can take the pick | | | | Trinidad and Tobago's group matches, as they'll be |
| after | | | | watching the knockout stage in a pub next to you ! |
| Germany did not break a sweat in scoring seven | | | | So, get ready. The teams are warming up, get the |
| goals against Luxembourg. | | | | beers in, the bookmaker on the phone or Internet |
| However, it was a different story on Tuesday night, | | | | and makesure you try and catch as much of this |
| when Jurgen Klinsmann's men were attacked from all | | | | football fiesta as you can. |