Merci, France for knocking the scourge of football out of the World Cup. Zinadine Zadane smacked a penalty home midway through the first half and Les Bleus held on for the 1-0 victory over Portugal.

It was a bit ironic France beat them in that fashion. Portugal continued true to form, diving, flopping and crying all over the pitch, begging for a cheap penalty. If they’d worry less about their acting careers, they might be fine footballers some day.

Poor Christiano thinks the ref was biased since he wasn’t having any of it from the Portuguese. I think his days in ManU are numbered. He won’t be welcomed back. Maybe somewhere in Spain.

That sets up a classic final Sunday between Italy and France. With proper football being played. Thank you, football gods.

Italy’s defense bent a little, but never broke, and gave the Italians a 2-0 win over the hosts in extra time. The German defense looked up to the task, surprisingly. Except for a shot off the post and another off the bar in the first extra period, Italy hardly threatened.

The Italians seemed to get a corner every other minute, but would just lamely loft it right in to Lehmann every time. It took a great shot from Fabio Grosso, just a minute or so from penalty kicks, followed seconds later by the clincher by Del Piero to finally break the German hearts.

Obviously, Italy shouldn’t have wanted it to come down to penalties. Germany surely wins if they’d have just held out a few seconds longer. Italy (like England) never wins them, Germany never loses them. Italy would have had very slim hopes to finally do so in Dortmund.

You have to say it played out exactly the way the Italians would have wanted. In a defensive battle, they’d expect to be able to hang on while waiting for a lapse from Germany. It never came. In fact, Germany looked better in the back than the Italians did. It took a lightening strike to win it, that no defense was going to be able to stop.

If only Michael Ballack was as good as he thinks he is, Germany probably win easily today. He was handled effectively by Gattuso all day long. A supposedly great player, completely ineffective the entire match.

Other than him, though, the German team were great the whole tournament. Hats off to Klinsmann. The defense I thought was going to be porous, shut down everyone.

But the World Cup is going to Roma.

The entire World Cup for me now rests in the hands of Italy. I hate the other three teams more or less passionately.

The diving, crying (and England beating) Portugal. Who are good enough not to have to play that way, but choose to do so anyway. I have no respect for them. The refs deserve their share of blame for some of what has gone on in this World Cup, but the shameful gamesmanship, especially by Portugal, is the main problem. It’s rampant, and a blight on the current game. I actually liked them going in. They were one of my underdog picks to slip into the finals. Now they disgust me. From Figo on down. Actually, from Scolari on down. Winning may be everything–but do it right or not at all.

Germany, I’ve never really liked. How could you, really? But it’s more their past that I can’t get over. The boring, mechanical defensive games they always played. This team is different. If I could erase all my other memories of them and start with a clean slate, I might actually be pulling for them now. They are a team full of complete and utter jerks, though. Schweinsteiger’s rap sheet is endless for someone as young as he is. Ballack gets along with no one but himself. The neverending saga between the two whinging goalkeepers Kahn and Lehmann–both good–both would prefer not being on the same planet as the other, let alone the same team. Klinsmann was right to stay in California as far away as he could get from this lot. I don’t really have anything against jerks per se, though. It doesn’t really matter to me what sort of people they are–they’re just footballers to me. I just can’t bring myself to root for a team I’ve always rooted against. Anyway, playing at home is enough of an advantage–reason enough to be against them.

The only thing good I have to say about France is Henry and Zidane. I like them both. Enjoy watching both play. Almost always pull for them no matter what team they are on. I hope they both continue to do well in the World Cup, while France lose as embarrassingly as possible. My main issue with France is their fans. I’ve never met one that I didn’t hate. I can’t possibly pull for a team supported by fans like that. The most cynical, by far, in the world. Most people have a love/hate relationship with their national teams (or adopted national teams, as the case may be). The French just hate theirs. Except when they happen to win. I can’t tolerate that.

So it’s down to Italy. My full and unyielding support now belongs to the Azzurri. I’m well aware of the problems going on in Italy. I don’t want to hear anymore. I don’t care right now. I know the team isn’t a bunch of sweet little angels. I don’t mind the odd elbow here and there, but I hope Totti can refrain from spitting on anyone. I like Buffon–even though I’m aware he finds some questionable things ‘funny’. I like Luca Toni. I like Del Piero. Gattuso. They’re my kind of team.

Unfortunately for them. My support is a very dangerous thing. Just look at England, Ipswich, Charlton, Indians, Browns, Cavs… the list is as long as I want it to be. Whomever I support, is soon headed for trouble. The Italians already had the weight of the world on their shoulders and did okay up to now. We’ll see how they handle the dread of having my full support. It spells almost certain doom. Call your bookies now (fans only please).

France beat Brazil 1-0. TH-12 finally played like TH-14, and managed the goal to get past the reputed, best team in the world. Guess that’s why they have to play the matches. To ruin my day.

All three of France’s fans are probably over the moon. At least there were 3 before the tournament started. There will be 3 million of them now.

Zidane was fabulous. If he think’s he’s over the hill, then 90% of the players in the world ought to quit as well. Maybe he’s angling for an MLS spot.

I think it was a good match. I was still a bit gutted over the first result of the day, though. I certainly didn’t want it to end. Especially not 1-0 to France.

England lose once again on penalties, this time to the diving Portugal 0-0 (3-1). I was thinking about a holiday there soon, I hope the women go down as easily as their footballers.

England have no gas pedal to step on. They were pathetic the entire cup. No offense whatsoever. You keep waiting for them to show up, but there’s nothing there. Good riddence Sven, take McClaren with you, please.

The ref actually did a decent job in the match. Rooney, being Rooney once again, was sent off as he should have been. There were dives, typical anytime Portugal is playing, but it didn’t get out of hand.

England looked orders of multitude better after Lennon came on for a nothing Beckham. They looked on the verge of being able to put something together, but it never materialized. Picking Crouch for the team was comical. Either Darren or Marcus Bent would have been a massive improvement to the side. Either would have given England a chance in this game. Defoe? Anyone, someone that can possibly produce some offense? Rather than continuously chipping flyers at Frankenstein and hoping for a bounce.

I think I’d feel better with a 10 yr old girls team taking penalties than the England team. They have to be the worst in the universe at it. No confidence at all. They never had a chance once it came down to that. You might think the law of averages would eventually swing their way–but the law of ‘rubbish at penalty kicks’ supercedes that one. Lampard, Gerrard, Carragher (put in just to take the kick)–all money players who choked.

Ta England. Now, where’s my Ipswich fixture list?

Football came back after a couple of days off with a nervous, but highly entertaining match. In what had to be touted as the match-up of the quarterfinals, Germany clipped Argentina with penalty kicks 1-1 (4-2).

Germany reverted back to the old-style, looking adequate in defense, but showing no offense. I’m not sure who the guys were in the blue. They looked nothing like the Argentinian team that was playing up to now. Playing a very solid team–in that team’s home, in the quarterfinals, would tend to do that to you. It also didn’t help that the keeper went out with an injury that screwed up the substitution rotation. Peckerman opted for fresh legs in the midfield rather than bolster a flagging front line. Hindsight is 20/20, but that was clearly the wrong choice now.

Despite both teams being the class of the tournament going in, offenses clipping away at a steady clip. Chances were hard to come by for either side.

You never liked Argentina’s chances if it came down to kicks. Germany, at home would have been enough, but the Argies also had to cope with their number two keeper guarding the net. He did a fair job of it, though.

In the end it was the home crowd lifting up the tired Germans just enough to beat the dead Argentinian legs. By that time, every one of Argentina’s main scoring threats were on the bench watching.

Klinsmann’s American training tactics seem to have paid off a little as well. Except for Ballack, who might need to get with the program, the German side looked fresher at the end than the South American’s did.

This sets up a very possible German/Italy match in the semis (please don’t let Ukraine win). Perhaps not as thrilling as Italy/Argentina with both sides on their games would have been, but still…

With a couple of off days until the Quarter Finals get under way on Friday, I came across a site that has compiled some interesting stats to help kill the time. It’s obviously very subjective, but they’ve got the numbers on such things as dives, tantrums, faking injuries, even the number of the team members not singing their national anthem. It won’t kill the entire two days, but it might help. The US actually faired well in most of the catagories.

On the ball statistics

I had a feeling at the start of this match that France was going to win this thing. Spain shows flashes at times of how brilliant they should be. But, in the end, they always duck out earlier than they should–and things are starting to get late in the World Cup. It was time for them to make their exit. France obliged with a couple late goals to send them packing 3-1.

I always start thinking that things are going to be different this time, but they almost never are. Brazil will probably win the Cup. England will lose somewhere on penalties. The sun will come up tomorrow. Spain will get knocked out earlier than expected by losing a match they should have won.

France has its own funk to deal with, but for now, they live to fight another day. It should still be interesting against Brazil. Both teams may actually show up ready to play. I’m looking for Brazil to put on the first real demonstration of what they are actually capable of, though. Losing to Brazil in the quarters is no great shame, and France seem more intent to avoid another shameful tournament rather than actually thinking they can win it.

Brazil, on the other hand, act like they already have won it and are just playing some exhibition matches for the fans. It’s about time for them to show up. I thought Spain would have a chance to upset them, but I don’t think France has it in them. Brazil will Beat France then Portugal (or England on penalties), then Italy.

It’s starting to look as inevitable as the sun rising.

Without Michael Essian, Ghana never had a prayer. You can almost always hope that if the favorite plays poorly and the Cinderella overperforms, there is always a chance for an upset. There was never a chance of one in this match. Brazil didn’t come close to getting out of first gear, and still cruised past a Ghana team that played about as well as they could have. It ended 3-0, but it could have been 6 or 7.

Ronaldgrande put one in after 5 minutes, and the match became something like a scrimmage for Brazil. They never looked back, nor needed to. Ghana would have been a better tune-up for them than the school boys they used in the friendlies before the Cup got under way, but only just. The Brazilians have hardly broken a sweat so far.

The Round of 16 has had its moments, but everyone managed to get through that was supposed to. Spain/France is yet to play, but whoever wins that one won’t be a huge surprise. Whoever it is, Brazil will at least be required to pay attention for a change. A second gear, at least, should be required.

Fabio Grosso fell over a scrambling Lucas Neill in the box in the final seconds of stoppage time to earn Italy a penalty, which Francisco Totti knocked home to oust the Australians 1-0.

It was another match of quick cards and an undeserved sending off, but the ref had no choice but to give the penalty. Italy held the scrappy Australians even though they were down to 10 men for almost all of the second half after Matarazzi was inexplicably sent off. Actually, with Viduka just standing around on the pitch all day, Australia was playing a man down as well.

The match looked certain to head to extra time. If that happened, it wouldn’t have looked good for the Azzurri. The Australians seemed the more dangerous side, and they were bound to nick one sooner or later. Buffon was up to the task, but the ball would have eventually found the back of the net. It only seemed a matter of time.

Instead, fate swung the other way for the Aussie’s this time. They get nipped at the wire, by a penalty call that the ref had to make. There was never a doubt Totti was going to bury it, and send the Socceroos back to Oz after a fine World Cup.

Gus Hiddink’s Australian side have nothing to hang their heads over. Heart and fire took them further than they had any right to expect. At least, further than I expected. Today, they had one of the best teams in the world on the ropes. One mistake cost them the match.

Italy, ironically, are bound to face a slightly more talented team in the next round, but are sure to have an easier time of it. Whoever wins the Ukraine/Switzerland match won’t match the Aussie’s in pure desire, and Italy matches up well against either side.