The Final Four Possibilities!

Forza Pazza has a chance for at least 3rd in all 8 remaining outcomes.  The bad news is that if NED beats GER in the final and the total goals in 3rd+Final is 5 or less or 8 or more, he goes home with nothing.  Also, despite his champ BRA gone, Number 10 still has a chance to win first in 3 possible outcomes.  The bad news is that in all three he is tied with Forza Pazza so no guarantees.  My Zulupalooza still has a chance for 3rd in one outcome but that same outcome I could lose the tiebreaker and finish 5th and out of the money.

See below or this link for all possible outcomes (note: this is manually written, so hopefully I didn't mistype anything):

If NETHERLANDS beats GERMANY then…

Love the posts

Spain hit the right post and then the rebound shot hit the left post and ricocheted all the way off the right post before dribbling in.  The European Union has come back strong placing three teams in the semis. 

eta: Spain also hit the post after their PK was saved.

Can anyone score?

Both teams have missed PKs.  15 minutes left in regulation.

Somber Maradona

No jumping?  No screaming?  Maradona just looked sullen.  I thought GER was 4 years away from doing something great but they're ready now.  A clash of the titans and it's 4-0?  Crazy cup.

GER's win was picked by just 16 and 20 lost ARG as their champ.  That means the top 2 of the top 3 teams (BRA and ARG) picked to be champion are gone.  Will Spain be next?  This was a key game for a lot of entries as 5 were eliminated (leaving 18) but more importantly six were eliminated to win 1st, leaving just FOUR.  And it now guarantees Forza Pazza, who has now built an 8-point lead, will be in the money (unless there is a tiebreaker for 4th) and a 10 in 16 chance to win 1st.  Number 10 has a 6 in 16 chance for 1st, LB has a 25% chance for first, and Stewart W has a 12.5% chance for first.

OK, Klose, I get the hint

A great finish by Klose... with his feet again!  I do miss his great headers, though.  4-nil!

Rout?

The ARG defense is nowhere to be found and GER scores their third goal with 15 minutes left.  So, BRA tried a new tactic and ARG tried an outspoken coach and both are going to be out of the WC.  Uruguay seems to be the saving grace for South America with Paraguay playing later today against Spain.

And Klose scores with his feet

After bashing Miraslov Klose with his feet, Klose did have trouble settling the ball with his feet but he then had the easy tap in to give GER a 2-0 lead.  His 100th international goal and SECOND in the WC not using his head.  Maradona can't be happy.  Can't wait for the soundbites.

Galaxy has the best stat crew!

Sammy also agreed with me in his newsletter that there shouldn't have been an own goal on the first NED goal yesterday, and today, FIFA announced they have changed the official scoring from an own goal to a goal by Wesley Sneijder.

In the meantime, watching delayed, Germany once again scores early and holds a 1-0 lead at the half.  Klose didn't use his head and missed a golden opportunity skying a ball high with his feet (though he did score one goal with his feet in the WC).  And ARG figured it worked so well against MEX, they tried FOUR players offside for their goal, but the linesman was actually playing attention this time, so no goal.

Sam's Latest Pando! or Gordo? DOUBLE FEATURE!

Both games PANDOs!  What a great day for soccer.  Read Sam's recap here.

And as a BONUS, Sam recaps the USA's performance and why he is on Fantasy Island and who he thinks will start in 2014...

El Chileno Still Alive Thanks to URU

Before the Macross Frontier concert (featuring Megumi Nakajima and May'n and awesome secret guest Yoko Kanno), I watching live on my Droid Incredible the Verizon VCast ESPN broadcast of the URU-GHA match in the Nokia Theatre.  Drew a little crowd and "how are you doing that" comments.  But the concert, delayed by 20 minutes, started right after the 1st overtime period tied at 1 (I'm almost glad the USA didn't make it because then I would have to miss the match for this concert).  After the truly amazing, most awesome concert ever, I tried viewing the video highlights of the match.  But although you can watch live ESPN TV, the highlights are extremely delayed (only had the NED-BRA highlights).  Frustrated, I drove home.  Turned on the DVR.

The most amazing 120th and last minute of the URU-GHA match, the very last free kick of the match.  Wow.  Thank goodness I didn't hear or read about it.  The ball bouncing everywhere in the URU goal box with GHA getting three point blank shots, one saved, one blocked, and one saved by a deliberate handball by Suarez.  Desperately deliberate.  If Suarez lets the ball go in, Ghana wins 2-1 and the game is over right then and there. So goal-scorer Suarez sacrificed himself... he was red-carded and out of the possible PK round and possible semifinal round (at least; maybe so deliberate FIFA would kick him out of the Final as well?).   So it seemed Africa would finally get a team in the semifinals.  Asamoah Gyan, who had already scored 2 PKs in the WC already, lined up.  But like in Japan's only PK miss, he hit it hard but it hit the crossbar, silencing the Vuvuzelas.  The URU GK saved two PKs (one on a weird soft one step take by the captain, easily saved) and Sebastian Abreau sealed it with a cheeky soft kick to win the PK shootout 4-2.  So heartbreaking for Ghana.   But the match did feature two mind-bending goals by GHA and URU where the GKs guessed wrong as the ball swerved from right-to-left-right (or vice versa).  Crazy ball.

El Chileno was the only one to pick URU so he is still alive and moves from 4th-Tied to 3rd but more importantly, from 9 points down to just two (93).  Forza Pazza and EEChick1400 were shut out and remain at 95 and 94 pts, respectively.  With NED's win, Baba moved from 13th-T to 4th and FC Spermacidals (1 of 6 to pick NED to win it all) moved from 20th-T to 5th-T.  Samersig (42nd-T, 75), who was already eliminated, missed a chance for a moral victory by picking GHA in the semis.  There are just 23 alive and 10 can win 1st. 

Forza Pazza still has the best chance with a 11 in 32 (34.4%) chance for 1st and 65.6% for money.  EEChick1400, El Chileno, Lionelmessi (5th-T, 87), Number 10 (7th-T, 86), Ghost of Ireland (28th, 80), and Flying Elvi (32nd-T, 78) had BRA as their champ but are still alive.  They'll need more upsets to help them out (e.g. ESP losing).  Not so lucky was Doughboy who is tied for 13th (83) and now elimianted.

The hand that saved Uruguay

Smartest handball ever.

There!

NED are through!  They are now unbeaten in the last 24 matches.  It's amazing that BRA are out.  After holding off North Korea 2-1, BRA seemed to have found their stride.  But NED, after somehow allowing a goal down the heart and middle of their defense in the 10th minute and being outplayed in the first half, got a lucky cross that went in and NED gained momentum getting the 2nd goal then having BRA get a red card. 

24 had BRA as their champ.  Forza Pazza (95 pts) still holds his one point lead over EEChick1400 despite not picking NED but 35 have moved up on him with a key 7 points.  23 still have a chance to finish in top 4 while only 10 now have a chance to win 1st.  Seven have a 1 in 4 or better chance to win money.  Baba (88) and FC SPermacidals (87) have moved up to 3rd and 4th-Tied, respectively.  LB is now the lowest entry (21st-T, 81) to still have a chance for 1st and Flying Elvi is now the lowest entry (32nd-T, 78) to still have a chance for money (4th).

Nearly there...

NED will have to do something that has never been done in the WC... defeat a BRA team that has never lost when leading at the half.  NED has blown two golden opportunities to put the game away including a weird 2-on-none.

Good refs?

The ref is doing a great job managing the game.  He isn't falling for all the diving taking place (maybe giving a foul but not a yellow card) and he somehow saw own-goaler Melo step on Robben (who wasn't faking for once) and gave him a straight red.  Then on some silly play at the sidelines, the ref ran up to give a yellow card to NED and accidentally pulled out the red (he had it down and never raised it up) and gave a big smile when he realized his mistake.  Now, BRA is down a man and there are only 10 minutes left.

NED leads!

(Watching delayed) Just like that, Holland has scored two goals and lead Brazil 2-1.  A double-header which you rarely see lead to the second goal.  On the first NED goal, a quick restart after Robben tried to shameless draw a yellow card.  The ball crossed in the box slightly deflected off BRA's Felipe Melo's head as he interfered with his own GK.  They gave it an own goal and upon watching on HD replay (HD is soooo nice), it's a 50/50 call.  If we were watching on the small curved, crummy Home Depot monitors, I wouldn't give the own goal since the ball just slightly deflected, the ball was still going in the same basic direction even after the deflection, and it would've gone in even without the deflection.  But in HD replay, Melo was trying to head it away and he interfered with the GK and the ball was definitely a cross, not a shot.

EEChick1400 Catching Up to Forza Pazza

The eight R16 matches are done and when the dust settled, EEChick1400 has cut Forza Pazza's (95) six-point lead down to one thanks to he being one of six to correctly pick Paraguay's quarterfinal march.  All six went 2-0 with only I Hate Vodka Alot (64th-Tied, 61) and Hobbes (25th-T, 78) not picking Spain.  Hobbes has the distinction along with AnybodyButEngland (who had POR & ESP in his quarters) (25th-T) to go from a chance for 1st to start the day to eliminated. 

There are now only 12 who could win the $310 first-place prize led by Forza Pazza at 37.5% (3 in 8) and Number 10 (4th-T, 86) at 21.9%.  Forza Pazza also has a 65.6% chance to win something with EEChick1400 at 59.4%.  A total of 34 entries (just over half) still have a chance to win money, which is quite amazing to me.  LB and Serrano still have a chance for 1st despite being tied for 45th (74) and Eek and Reckin Crew still have a chance for money (3rd) despite being tied for 53rd (71).  Coin Tossed remains in last with 38 pts and is one of three (I Hate Vodka Alot and Da Fermo (66th, 60)) to only get 2 of the 8 quarterfinalists while five got six of eight (Forza Pazza, EEChick1400, El Chileno (4th-T), Number 10, and Stewart W (8th-T, 83)).

So there are 4 South American teams, 3 European teams, and one African team left.  The Uruguay-Ghana is the least sexy match but one of those teams will be in the semis. 

Finally!  There is a break in the schedule.  After 19 straight days of matches, there is now a 2-day break.  I don't understand how Ghana (along with the U.S.) only had two full days rest for the R16 but now have five full days rest for the quarters.  Seems unbalanced somewhere.  I do wish they had a 2-day break after the group stage.  It would give me a chance for a breather!

Sam's Latest Pando! or Gordo? 6/29

Did Sammy think the PAR-JPN match was a gem?   What does he mean by "entertainment chasm"?  Read all about it in his 24th issue of Pando! or Gordo?.

The eight are complete

In the battle of two of the top three teams looking for their first star on their jersey, Spain prevails.  Only the USA won their group and didn't make the quarters.

Roja

Not a good angle on the straight red but Portugal is now down a man and still down a goal.

PK!

Japan and Paraguay are heading for the penalty shootout in the scoreless match... nice chances for each but no one dominated.   Six have picked PAR and Source is the only one to pick JPN... let's see who wins...

PAR goes first... GOAL!... JPN's Endo... GOAL!
Guessed right, but PAR GOAL!...JPN GOAL!! (2-2)
PAR scores!... JPN defender hits the crossbar!  (3-2)... oh no! PAR controls destiny!
PAR under the crossbar for GOAL!  JPN needs the next one!  Honda has scored twice and on the PK he cheekily sneaks it in (4-3)...
If PAR scores, they win!  A slow windup and he scores! (5-3)  PAR makes the Quarters for the first time ever!

Great job Japan!  After the disastrous pre-WC prep, you came together and delivered!

ET!

Just the second match to go to extra time (GHA beat USA 2-1) and will we see PKs?  JPN holding their own against PAR, part of the South American contingent who are so far 13-2-4 with 30 goals to 11 against.

Scoreless at the half

Why is Japan kicking free kicks in the box instead of on goal (where they scored twice last match)?  Nice to see FIFA's Shep Blatter admit two mistakes by the refs (MEX, ENG) but what about USA's???  Goal line technology is necessary because the linesmen and ref are never going to be in the best position to make that call.  That blown offsides call was just that... a blown call by the ref.

Sam's Latest Pando! or Gordo? 6/28

Is Sam impressed by NED's win?  What headlines did he pull from the English newspapers?  Find out!

Guilty Pleasure

I was at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance (my new favorite market!) on Sunday and found some dark chocolate.  Wasn't until I got home that I saw the name of the dark chocolate:  Ghana!  Still doesn't mean I'll root for them, but the chocolate (if it ain't dark, it ain't chocolate) is excellent.  BTW, great prices on sashimi (including the please-don't-hate-me-for-eating-it-but-it's-so-tasty $50/pound blue fin tuna) and American Wagyu.

Bye-Bye Me

Poor Chile.  The only R16 team to not score thus far.  

Well, 52 of 67 entries picked both NED and BRA today.  For some reason, my main entry (Futbol Fabone Four (51st-Tied, 66 pts) was not one of them.  As such, I am eliminated.  I still have slim hopes for my last entry, Zulupalooza (49th-T) which is only a point ahead of my eliminated pick.  60 picked NED and 58 picked BRA.  I Hate Vodka Alot (64th-T, 56) was the only who picked Slovakia and El Ruso (25th-T, 73) the only one to pick Chile.  Almost.

As usual, Coin Tossed (33) was the only one to go 0-2 today but she is not the only one to get only 1 of 6 Quarterfinalists correct... I Hate Vodka Alot and Da Fermo (66th, 55) also have picked just one thus far.  If Holland wins it all (I'll be rooting for them since that is what I picked for Zulupalooza), I am waiting for Warner L (Da Fermo) to complain about how he picked the correct champion and was left out of the money.  He finished 7th last time despite picking Italy to win it all.  If all you had to do was pick the correct champ, then why should I let you guys pick the other 62 matches??

LB and Serrano, tied for 45th (69), both still have a chance to win first.  Reckin Crew now holds the distinction for still having a chance while being placed the lowest:  51st-T (66).  Lionelmessi can't win first despite being in 3rd (82).  How frustrating must that me (probably not as much as being eliminated).  Neither can Corner Kick Kid (4th-T, 81) and Dime 23 (6th, 80).  I'm surprised there are still more than half the entries (39 of 67) are still alive for money and 16 still have a chance for 1st.

Forza Pazza (90) still has his six-point lead and has a 32.8% to win 1st and 59.8% to win money.  He is one of two (El Chileno (4th-T)) to pick 5 of the 6 quarterfinalists.  The top 11 entries have picked either Spain or Brazil.

Rout is on

Chile's used all three subs already and Brazil has taken a 3-nil lead with 25 minutes left.  The first of 5 South American team to fall and that's because 2 teams played each other.  That's what Chile gets for not winning the group like the other four.

Brazil breaking game open

After holding their own with Brazil for more than a half hour, Chile had quickly  surrended two goals.

Sam's Musings on direction of USMNT...

Sammy writes (and don't forget his Pando!orGordo? daily newsletter):

FOMI ON THE NEXT US MNT MANAGER .. .. If there is one thing that the cataclysmic ENGLAND disaster, and to a smaller extent the RUUD GULLIT experiment, shows us is that you MUST have someone familiar with the US Soccer environment at the top, or near it .. .. I do think in 2014 the US MNT players will need to hear a new... voice, but it would be criminal to allow Coach Bradley's knowledge, expertise + work ethic go to waste > Make him a very lucrative offer to become a TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, or DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS .. .. That then allows you to get a younger, vibrant coach with a grasp of the INT scene .. .. Stick an experienced head next to him on the bench (Sarachan?) along with someone like Marco Etcheverry, Cabrera, Sorber or Jones .. .. If we can keep somene like Coach B in a position to oversee the program, then USSF can gamble a wee bit on a young coach .. .. Any suggestions?

Score and the game is over!

Unfortunately, SVK's Vittek's PK goal in extra time was the last play of the match and NED still wins 2-1.  SVK missed some point blank goal opportunities in the middle of the box.  63 picked NED to advance.  There have been 18 goals scored in the 5 R16 matches (3.6 goals per match) and all 10 teams have scored.

Holland Nearly Through

The Dutch have taken a 2-0 lead over underdog Slovakia.  A quick free kick caught SVK napping.  With the way the "big" teams are playing, this is playing out to be a great WC.  URU, ARG, GER, and NED have been dominating and all except NED (who are usually dubbed the best team to never win the Cup) are multiple-WC winners.

Pool Update

Germany's win eliminated six more entries but more importantly, now only 20 can win 1st (was 29).  One of those eliminated was Big Tex, who despite being for 8th place (68 pts), can't win money.  England doomed him.  Argentina's win eliminated just one person and only 18 can win 1st. 

Thirty-three went 2-0 while four went 0-2.  All five who lost their champ (1 USA, 1 ITA, 3 ENG) have been eliminated.  Forza Pazza (80) maintains his six-point lead while I R Winner! Part 2 (67) falls from a tie for 5th to 14th and can't finish higher than 3rd.  Forza Pazza now has a 63.4% chance to win money and 36.9% chance to win 1st.  Hobbes (8th-T), Number 10 (16th-T, 66), and El Chileno (4th-T, 71) all have a 11-14% chance to win 1st.  2nd place EEChick1400 (74) has a 44.2% chance for money.  Remember when there were 29 within 10 points of first place?  Now there are only 6.

At the bottom, Krispy Kicker is the only one who picked GER as his champ and thus, still has a chance for 3rd despite being tied for 63rd place (51).  I Hate Vodka Alot is also tied for 63rd and can still win 4th (Sam's only entry that is still alive -- Vodka cursed him again!).  Coin Tossed remains forever in last with 33 pts but normal picks Princessa and Da Fermo are tied for 65th with 50.

Serrano and LB are tied for 48th with 59 pts but both can win 1st!

Americans are Watching... Unfortunately

The USA-Ghana match drew the most viewers for a USMNT game which was shown on ABC.  That means that almost 15 million saw the USA miss a golden opportunity to advance.  But for the casual fan, it sounds like this game was exciting while for the more die-hard fans were disappointed.   It's all good.

Sam's Latest Pando! or Gordo? 6/27

Has Sam recovered from yesterday?  Does he believe the refs are doing great ;-)  Read all about it!

Hope?

MEX had a ball cleared off the goal line (no replay yet to see if it was in like the ENG non-call) and minute later scored to pull within two.

World Class

Boy, GER and ARG are impressive.  Carlos Tevez just had a world class strike from outside the box to put the Argentines up 3-0.  Maybe USA didn't do so bad after all...

Refs Having a Bad Day

Missed offsides leads to ARG having a 2-0 lead at the half.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday, Forza Pazza has a 23.1% chance of winning the first place prize of $310 and a 44.9% chance to win money.  But he doesn't have the best odds.  EEChick1400 has a 63.8% chance to win money.  You can now click on the "Possibilities" tab and see how much of a chance you have (if you weren't one of the 12 eliminated).  This will be updated tonight to include the GER and MEX/ARG wins.

Dominance

Would ENG have come out strong in the second half if the game was tied at 2?  Don't think so.  GER dominated through and through.  Did ENG give up on GER's fourth goal in the 70'?  Great run and way too easy.  And GK James let one through his legs and guessed wrong on another goal (ENG's Robert Green must be smiling).  And Klose scored without using his head??

40 picked GER and three had ENG to win it all.  Oh, well.  Don't forget to look at the standings (it is from yesterday) to see if you were still alive before this match.

I'm Sorry to Inform You...

... that 12 entries are eliminated from the top 4 spots.  That still leaves 55 in contention, even I Love Vodka's pick and he had USA winning it all.  Check out that Standings to see if you're still alive and whether you can finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.

BTW, behind so I'm still watching the GER-ENG match (62').  I can't believe they missed that goal (that hit the crossbar and hit at least 3 feet inside the goal)... if FIFA doesn't go to goal line technology for big events (or at least another two sideline officials specifically at the end line), all the goodwill we earned will be lost as FIFA will just be a laughingstock because there is no way the two sideline (who are looking for offsides) can tell from their angle if it was a goal or not.

I LIKE MEXICO'S CHANCES AGAINST THESE GUYS

maradona and carlos tevez sharing a tender moment