AUSSIES GO UNDER - BUT NOT DOWN

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Group F Initial Results

Brazil ran out worthy winners over Australia last night in their Group F opener, but the Poperoos had their share of chances and goals in a thrilling encounter. Brazil played dazzling football and never looked like losing, but thanks to some excellent team play in the Australian midfield, they never truly dominated. Both camps seemed optimistic last night - pundits are already comparing thenipper's side with PWC 1970's Tropicalia heroes, and every neutral must be looking forward to their clash with Japan. As for the Australians, they refused to be downhearted in defeat. "If we play like that against Croatia and Japan, we'll qualify", said a source close to the team.

In the other group F game, two late goals gave Japan victory over a dogged and well-drilled Croatia side. The win was a fair reflection of Japan's greater skill and attacking play, though for most of the match they couldn't find a way through a maze of Croatian bodies. Commentators have wondered if the weight of expectations is affecting Japan's play, though with an ultimately comfortable win under their belt the team and management will have no such complaints.

(Vote here to affect the course of Group F.)

Comments

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

hehe, poperoos :)

Olé!

[thenipper.livejournal.com]

CSS would like to thank all their loyal fans for their support so far, but they're keeping their feet on the ground, because, as they are fully aware, the Pop World Cup is a marathon, not a sprint, and there's still everything to play for.

Poptimism World Cup Overall Table

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Poptimism World Cup Overall Table

GERMANY - 189 points (Qualify as winners)
ECUADOR - 167 points (Qualify)
Trinidad and Tobago - 156 points (QUALIFY AS WINNERS)
Poland - 144 points
GHANA - 142 points (Qualify as winners)
CZECH REPUBLIC - 134 points (Qualify)
IVORY COAST - 132 points (Qualify as Group winners)
SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO - 130 points (Qualify as runners-up)
HOLLAND - 128 points
England - 127 points (QUALIFY)
USA - 126 points
IRAN - 124 points (Qualify as winners)
PORTUGAL - 119 points (Qualify)
Sweden - 119 points
MEXICO - 112 points
ARGENTINA - 110 points
Paraguay - 100 points
Costa Rica - 100 points
ANGOLA - 104 points
ITALY - 98 points


Fascinating to see that Poland failed to progress with such a high points total. The Dutch may also take some solace here as the failure in a tough group came despite clearly winning many fans with their direct attacking play. Iran may breathe a sigh of relief when nobody's looking as their total would not have been enough to proceed in other groups, and the Swedes may gaze at Portugal with bitter envy. Above, or rather below, all, the Italians will be aghast with the shame of receiving the lowest points total so far. But it's not over yet...

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Maybe at the end of the first round we can have a CHART showing the scores people gave for each track. Tom you should know by now that if you find you are unable to produce such a chart due to time constraints or lack of an arse, I would be more than happy to pour over the required data to complete this essential task.

[thebopkids.livejournal.com]

The marvellous Brazilian entry reminds me as much of the so-called "Tom Tom Club" team of the 1982 finals as it does of their illustrious predecessors 12 years before.

I am surprised the Japanese team is apparently not seeing the results I expected. It's a side which seems to me strong in all departments, full of running and energy, with the potential for lots of goals.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

There was UNREST in the Spanish camp last night as their manager has been seen FRATERNISING with some of the Brazilian team, declaring them "hot favourites" whilst dancing around the Brazilian training pitch with her "hands in the air like she just didn't care". Some of the Spanish players are starting to question their gaffer's team loyalty, especially as Brazilians don't even speak Spanish. But in a later interview katstevens remained firm: "I feel confident that my newly-signed secret striker has the moves and the grooves to outclass the rest of the group. There's no question about it - we'll be sailing through to the next round."

[(Anonymous)]

the love for Cansei de Ser Sexy continues to show the PWC wuv for the indie

MATCH SUMMARY

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

Australia: sustained attempt at minimalist shut-down ultimately wears down the team trying it rather than the opponents

Brazil: where Mexico failed by adopting a model they couldn't live up to (which i keep forgetting to look up the name of), Brazil improvise round not just A but THE classic in the field: by a deft reversal substitution the once-startling-now-shticky theme of the THE NORMAL'S "WARM LEATHERETTE" strategy is supplanted not by its present-day equivalent but by a mere generic descendent, a tactic as brilliant it's sardonic

Croatia:Uncomplicatedly superior play, as comfortable wth the effewctivenes of traditional virtues as with the directness of the more popular euro styles of the last ten years

Japan: those j-rap foopball connoisseurs able to remember the great MELON line-up will be disappointed i think: where their forebears made a signal virtue of they ways they COULDN'T merely mimic, this present showing suggests too great a commitment to precision imitation, a distinct fear of cultural collision and flair arising

[(Anonymous)]

The marvellous Brazilian entry reminds me as much of the so-called "Tom Tom Club" team of the 1982 finals as it does of their illustrious predecessors 12 years before.

I agree. Too bad I dislike "Genius of Love." In a further divergence from the hivemind, I think this is the worst group, at least since the previous one.

Unimpressed Spice