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WC 2006 Match Chat: Germany vs. Argentina, 8 am PT
2006-06-30 04:00
by Bob Timmermann

Live from Berlin!

The quarterfinals get started in a big way as three-time champion Germany faces two-time champion Argentina in what could be the match of the tournament.

Germany has shown itself to be one of the most interesting teams in the tournament with a quick striking offense led by Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski. The Germans have won all four of their matches and outscored their opponents 10-2. Germany beat Sweden 2-1 in the round of 16.

Argentina has won three of its four matches, getting a draw in a match against the Netherlands. Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win in overtime thanks to a spectacular goal by Maxi Rodriguez.

The two sides have met four times in World Cup play, twice in the final. Argentina won 3-2 in the 1986 final in Mexico City and Germany won 1-0 in the 1990 final in Rome. Germany also beat Argentina in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden and the two teams played a scoreless tie in the 1966 World Cup in England.

As for the referees, FIFA has sent much of the Yellow Card Brigade to the sidelines.

Of the 15 entries that had either Argentina or Germany advancing out of this round, ten people chose Argentina and five chose Germany.

Comments (79)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2006-06-30 04:24:15
1.   Sam DC
And Bob gets the coveted LA Observed link, and it's in a post with a picture of a pretty girl at the top, no doubt substantially boosting traffic.
2006-06-30 07:31:56
2.   Bob Timmermann
I doubt that woman will be stopping by to chime in here.

No Univision in my hotel, so I will be stuck with ESPN.

2006-06-30 07:35:34
3.   D4P
I'll try to keep you updated on Univision's "pretty women in the crowd" coverage, but I'll be switching back and forth between that and Wimbledon. (Oh, and doing some homework...)
2006-06-30 07:54:39
4.   yankee23
Now I'm not mentioning this to rub it in Ken's face, but Germany beat the Swedes 2-0. They haven't allowed a goal since the opening match. knocking on wood
2006-06-30 07:59:00
5.   Bob Timmermann
You mean there will be pretty women other than German chancellor Angela Merkel?
2006-06-30 08:05:09
6.   D4P
5
I wasn't even thinking they'd show her. She was a bonus.
2006-06-30 08:14:55
7.   Penarol1916
Definately looks like I'll be skipping out to find a bar at half-time, my biggest fear is that if the game goes on for too long that it will be pre-empted by the Cubs-White Sox game at all of the bars here downtown.
2006-06-30 08:17:06
8.   Mark T.R. Donohue
Nice chance for Ballack there. Poor finish, though. Who does he think he is, Djibril Cisse?
2006-06-30 08:18:53
9.   D4P
We used to call that a "nutmeg"...
2006-06-30 08:24:48
10.   scarface
Both teams definitely seem cautious - in that sense that attackers very diligently hurry back to help defend...
2006-06-30 08:25:08
11.   Sam DC
The Top Headlines at espn.com right now:

Tour doping scandal
NW football coach dies at 52
Lamar Odom's son
Bond's trainer refuses to talk
Duke LAX player reinstated after vlugar email
Surf Dawg Canseco
Wimbledon
Coco Crisp's Catch
Women's US Open
Pirates win

Half sports; half bad news (and that's counting Canseco as sports)

2006-06-30 08:25:08
12.   Bob Timmermann
I could nutmeg Cisse now.

I hear that the broken leg really hampers him.

2006-06-30 08:26:29
13.   Mark T.R. Donohue
My friends and I tried to get high on nutmeg in junior high school...ever since I've been unable to really enjoy apple pie.
2006-06-30 08:29:44
14.   Bob Timmermann
Nutmeg is a gateway spice. Next thing you know, you'll be trying to get high on allspice and coriander.
2006-06-30 08:30:40
15.   Sam DC
14 LOL.
2006-06-30 08:40:58
16.   ABreck
I'm stuck with GameCast.
Argentina no shots on goal?
They can't be playing for PKs already, can they?
2006-06-30 08:42:16
17.   Kayaker7
Boy, I've been out of touch. I thought this match was going to be on Saturday. To think, I've been productive at work at this morning.
2006-06-30 08:43:30
18.   Bob Timmermann
England-Portugal and Brazil-France tomorrow.
2006-06-30 08:43:35
19.   Penarol1916
16. Form what I've been reading, the German and Argentine defenses are just playing that well right now.
2006-06-30 08:44:03
20.   Kayaker7
Why is it that fouls committed by one team does not necessarily equal fouls suffered by the other team. Is it the non-contact fouls like handballs?
2006-06-30 08:46:33
21.   Bob Timmermann
20
Yes.
2006-06-30 08:47:10
22.   scarface
Re.16,19:
Yeah, they just showed a wide angled shot that showed how the German side of the midfield was jammed full of white shorts - no way Argentina can play its short ground game there.
2006-06-30 08:49:06
23.   Kayaker7
Wow, I didn't know that Germany was ranked 19th. I guess they haven't played very many friendlies.
2006-06-30 08:49:08
24.   Mark T.R. Donohue
Is it time for Argentina to tap some of that bench depth? We want Leo!
2006-06-30 08:49:11
25.   Bob Timmermann
Germany and Argentina don't look as if either of their defenses are going to make a blunder.
2006-06-30 08:50:10
26.   Mark T.R. Donohue
That ranking has to be skewed because as host country Germany didn't have to participate in qualifiers at all. Which seems wrong...but everything else about the FIFA rankings system is stupid so it wouldn't surprise me.
2006-06-30 08:52:46
27.   Penarol1916
26. I believe that is part of it Mark and the other part is that since they lost in the finals of the 2002 WC they have just not been playing well on those ocassions that they have played
2006-06-30 09:03:11
28.   scarface
I'd guess the first 5 and last 5 mins of this half would be the best chance to see a goal - and slim at that...
2006-06-30 09:06:29
29.   D4P
Gooooooooooollllllll!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-06-30 09:06:55
30.   Bob Timmermann
No, the first 5 minutes of the second half.
2006-06-30 09:07:43
31.   scarface
Unbelievable - I thought there might be a slight lapse/imbalance in the 1st few minutes, but I never thought Arg would win an air battle.
2006-06-30 09:07:59
32.   Los Longhorns
I can breath easier now!
2006-06-30 09:09:01
33.   Mark T.R. Donohue
That was the best thing that could have possibly happened. Now things ought to open up and we'll see a real game. Here we go!
2006-06-30 09:09:48
34.   scarface
Absolutely, Mark - Germany has no choice but to go crazy :)
2006-06-30 09:10:21
35.   Bob Timmermann
Los Longhorns really wants that T-shirt.
2006-06-30 09:10:38
36.   ABreck
Why would it open up if Argentina would feel like they just need to gum up the works?
Germany may try to be more offensive, but I'm guessing it just opens up the backline.
2006-06-30 09:11:04
37.   scarface
BTW, anyone know if any specific reason was given why Tevez is starting.
2006-06-30 09:12:43
38.   Kayaker7
35 What T-shirt? Is it the Croatia-Montenegro checker board shirt?
2006-06-30 09:12:51
39.   scarface
Shut up Balboa! It actually looked like Crespo was offside and that's why Riquelme chose Rodriguez
2006-06-30 09:15:27
40.   Bob Timmermann
It's a Team Togo t-shirt.
2006-06-30 09:15:57
41.   Los Longhorns
35 Togo is my favorite team : )
2006-06-30 09:17:14
42.   Kayaker7
41 The sandwich ain't half bad either.
2006-06-30 09:17:25
43.   Los Longhorns
We have a good size office pool going. The t-shirt is just a bonus.
2006-06-30 09:23:54
44.   scarface
Wow, that empty-net situation was weird - none of the Germans seemed to care (from their body language), except Ballack...I wonder if these German guys are already down on themselves, having not experienced the feeling behind in this World Cup.
2006-06-30 09:29:13
45.   Bob Timmermann
I'm assuming that it's tough to play in goal with some banged up ribs.
2006-06-30 09:31:48
46.   Los Longhorns
How close was that last opportunity for Argentina? Radio said it should have been a goal
2006-06-30 09:37:47
47.   Bob Timmermann
Wow!

Simply, wow!

2006-06-30 09:37:55
48.   Mark T.R. Donohue
GOAL! It's a whole new ballgame!
2006-06-30 09:38:01
49.   D4P
The crowd got much more excited about that goal than the previous one.
2006-06-30 09:38:05
50.   scarface
That was pretty - aerial string-togethers!
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2006-06-30 09:38:17
51.   Los Longhorns
Argentina is in trouble now.
2006-06-30 09:38:57
52.   scarface
Re.48:
Well, it is being played in Germany after all :)
2006-06-30 09:40:11
53.   scarface
I gotta say - I don't know what the hell is going on, particularly with Argentina's two very weird substitutions. With a possible 40 more minutes of play - Argentina would appear screwed. But then, things have not exactly gone as people expected today...
2006-06-30 09:43:36
54.   scarface
Re.52,49:
sorry, I was replying to 49.

Marcelo might have been right about Argentina playing a dangerous game by not maintaining possession - goal came right after he said that :)

2006-06-30 09:46:45
55.   D4P
Can someone explain why it is that the player who gets tripped can get a yellow card? Is it for doing a Divac?
2006-06-30 09:47:35
56.   Bob Timmermann
55
Yep, dives can get a yellow card.
2006-06-30 09:56:52
57.   Kayaker7
56 Also called, "simulation." :)
2006-06-30 09:57:22
58.   scarface
Damn, I get part of why so many people complain about Marcelo - dude just won't shut up!
2006-06-30 09:58:26
59.   Kayaker7
Who's Marcelo? Spanish language announcer?
2006-06-30 10:01:42
60.   Bob Timmermann
Marcelo Balboa is Dave O'Brien's sidekick.
2006-06-30 10:02:20
61.   scarface
Marcelo Balboa - ESPN announcer. Reminds me of the 3 stooges of last season's Sunday Night NFL. That's not a good thing btw.
2006-06-30 10:04:15
62.   Kayaker7
Oh, the dude with the Pantene hair.
2006-06-30 10:09:37
63.   Bob Timmermann
The thread for the second match went up early as I'll be missing the Italy-Ukraine tilt.
2006-06-30 10:11:02
64.   D4P
Is Bob in Seattle this weekend for the Sabre Philosophy conference?
2006-06-30 10:11:07
65.   Bob Timmermann
Fans outside the US don't get the crawl telling them when the US Paintball championships are going to seen.
2006-06-30 10:11:27
66.   Kayaker7
I'm predicting another spectacular Maxi strike to end it.
2006-06-30 10:14:35
67.   Bob Timmermann
64

Don't you read the other posts I put up?

2006-06-30 10:18:07
68.   D4P
67
Oops, I missed that one. BTW: that software the presenters use appears to allow them to make their points quite powerfully...
2006-06-30 10:30:56
69.   Kayaker7
Woohoo!! PKs...
2006-06-30 10:32:42
70.   Bob Timmermann
If Argentina wins, Los Longhorns and yankee23 will lead the contest with 9. If Germany wins, Penarol1916 will be alone in first with 9.
2006-06-30 10:41:00
71.   Greg Brock
Yay.
2006-06-30 10:43:54
72.   Andrew Shimmin
Do all soccer players suck at fighting, or just these ones?
2006-06-30 10:44:09
73.   Greg Brock
All of them.
2006-06-30 10:44:22
74.   Bob Timmermann
Gentlemen,
Behave yourselves!

Penarol1916 leads with 9 points
Phil Birnbaum is second with 8.

2006-06-30 10:45:10
75.   Greg Brock
Most conflicts in Argentina are resolved through abduction, not fisticuffs.
2006-06-30 10:45:55
76.   Greg Brock
Darn. Should have refreshed. Please disregard 75
2006-06-30 10:53:19
77.   yankee23
I just wanted to say that I'm incredibly glad to be somewhat out of the running, as I only picked Argentina in order to jinx them.
2006-06-30 11:03:22
78.   Penarol1916
78. That's why I picked Germany. I must say, this is the first time I've really paid attention to an ESPN broadcast of the game. I definately understand people's complaints about the graphics and Balboa, but Dave O'Brien was more of a 0 than a negative for me and Balboa actually made a decent point about the substitutions and Argentina letting Germany back in the game. I guess if my dream final of Argentina/Brasil is now over, I'll just root for the T-shirt now.
2006-06-30 11:07:45
79.   Andrew Shimmin
I'll retract, too, but c'mon. That little pretend melee at the end was very silly. The guy jumping towards the coach but not doing anything, just sort of jumping? Nineteenth century finishing schools had more manly brawls.

Can a player get carded after the match is over? Was it a ploy at crippling Germany for its next match?

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