poptimists | DEFENSIVE NAIVETY COSTS ANGOLA DEAR

Group D Initial Matches

Angola boss

martinskidmore was left to rue his side's sloppy marking as their first Pop World Cup game ended in emphatic defeat to a rampant Iran. With the group stage only a third over there is still plenty of time for Angola to catch up to their other Group C rivals but the result confirms Iran as a team to watch: Angola could simply find no way past them, and at the other end Iran's controversial striker netted a brace to leave them sitting atop Group D. Commentators wondered, though, whether the Iranians had peaked too soon.

In the other Group D match a confident Mexico side had enough quality to beat Portugal, though it was a tight, tactical game with few chances at either end and Portugese manager

thebopkids may well feel the result was unfair on his cosmopolitan team. The Mexicans meanwhile will be pleased with this bright start to the campaign and the forthcoming clash with Iran promises to be one of the games of the tournament so far.

(The initial reports are based on the first 8-10 votes. Vote here to influence the course of Group D.)