That is amazing narration with that footage! Thanks for sharing it. I have made time today to watch the Germany/Oz game.
Obviously this was not the first win “ever” for an African team at a World Cup (example), so I’m going to guess that this is the first African win this year, and something just got lost in translation, yes?
ETA: Ah, and now as I refresh the article I see they’ve fixed it to remove any reference to this being a “first.” 20 minutes ago the headline and lede were as I quoted them.
Maybe a tad harsh, but I don’t think there can be much complaint. What puts it over the top for me is how long it goes on for. Lots of little tugs happen and get called for just fouls, but a two arm grab holding the guy in place for a good second or two is definitely worth a yellow. Not the sort of risk you should be taking when you’re already on a yellow.
Definitely a yellow card offense, so a justified sending-off. The defender was an idiot to think he could get away with it, esp. since he’d already been cautioned.
For my fellow vuvuzela haters, here’s some encouraging (though still speculative) news: World Cup organiser considers vuvuzela ban after TV complaints
While I was mowing the lawn earlier, I was thinking that if the US draws against Slovenia, scoring 2 goals in a win against Algeria guarantees their advance. Am I missing something?
Also, I thought the punditry saw the teams as England>USA>Slovenia>Algeria, which would mean that Slovenia should have beaten Algeria and that the US has a decent chance of beating Slovenia. But I’m a rank amateur at this and maybe I should be more worried than I am.
I’m getting rather fed up with the lack of goals now. Seven matches, nine goals, never more than two in a match.
Part of it is the opening game nerves, I’m sure, but I think the ball has a lot to answer for. It seems far too light and bouncy. Players are struggling to control it, they are overhitting passes and ballooning shots over the bar.
Why must Fifa always introduce “new and improved” balls for the World Cup? They’re always rubbish. It would be much better to use any old ball that players are used to using in everyday league competition.
I tried to watch a couple of games. I find the buzzing extremely annoying and unless the TV can filter out the vuvuzelas, I will not be watching any more games.
No no, you’re correct.
The problem is that the US isn’t overwhelming favorites in either of those games. As we saw against England, the weaker team can take points off the stronger team. I do not want to head into the final game needing multiple goals to advance.
The US is in good position. Better than before the tournament started. It’s just that of the three outcomes in that game, this was the worst (barring something like a 5-0 victory in which case we’d have been boned on goal differential.)
Maybe they were trying to say first win by an African World Cup team at a World Cup hosted in Africa? During the Ghana/Serbia game the commentators were mentioning that.
“Dear Mr Blatter, please find enclosed a cheque for one million Swiss Francs, as agreed. Yours, Adidas.”
I think that basically covers it.
Not really, shirt pulling is a professional foul. The players have no business doing it, and they can’t claim it’s accidental.
I agree the horns are driving away casual viewers. I’m a more committed viewer and I though I can handle my poor comprehension of the Spanish broadcast (it’s tiring to work that hard to figure out just a few tidbits of analysis), I couldn’t take the noise anymore during today’s second game and shut it off. I’ll watch Germany-Australia in a few minutes but I’ll be able to watch an English-language broadcast.
Apparently FIFA is considering a ban on the horns. I went to the FIFA website and sent them an email encouraging them to end the noise. I would much rather hear whatever interesting songs/chants the locals and visiting fans have.
Does technology exist, like noise-canceling headphones, to reduce the hum but only at certain wavelengths? I guess the networks would be doing that if it were feasible.
Here we go!
I like this referee already. A well deserved caution.
Best yellow card so far.
Germany got this, though. 
Too bad, I like the Aussies.
Deutschland uber alles-they seem to be dominating the game so far. I feel like I’m watching the Aussies just run around, playing ball chase.
Are the horns getting softer? I can clearly hear the announcers and can actually hear cheers now.
To be fair, the Aussies are keeping the ball away from their own goal for the most part. When the Germans get too close though, it’s ferocious shot after ferocious shot.
For that kind of BS wussy crap, the rule should be that the ref kicks the player in the nuts, to remind him he has them and should play like he does.