Comments on: A Weekend of Late Revolutions

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:08:51 +0000

And a great win for Angola! This was one of those games that seem to clarify the essential characters of the teams involved. Senegal started out playing hard physical football and trying to push Angola around. Angola looked battered for most of the first half, but when they managed to get the equalizer, all the energy seemed to go out of Senegal, and by the end of the match, the Angola players were openly toying with their opponents and showing off their greater skill.

Now Angola are 3 points up in Group D and with a +2 goal differential. They can’t lock up qualification today, but they’re in a good position regardless of happens in the Tunisia-South Africa match today.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:33:46 +0000

Spurs up one at Old Trafford after Keane scored on a sweet little cross from Lennon. Lennon has been a step ahead of Evra throughout the match so far.

UPDATE: Ah, but it didn’t last. 1-1 at halftime on Tevez’s matter-of-fact equalizer. During what the announcer lyrically named “the last flickering embers of the half,” the solitary figure of Jermaine Jenas bore down on goal for Spurs, but felt lonely, and kicked a melancholy shot that van der Sar was able to save.

UPDATE: Well, it was a nice try from Tottenham. 3-1 to Man Utd, after Jenas missed another sitter, Dawson was sent off for a handball that also resulted in a penalty for Ronaldo, and Ronaldo scored again at the end. Juande Ramos (have you heard?) is magic in the cups, but Man Utd are physics, and physics beats magic almost every time.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:02:36 +0000

Well, at least Chelsea-Wigan is turning into a thriller. 1-0 to Chelsea in the 80th minute—who could have seen it coming?

Also worth noting that Derby not only lost to, but were crushed by, Preston North End. 1-4. At home. I don’t know what’s grimmer for Derby, the fact that it happened at all or the fact that it was so easy to predict.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:54:39 +0000

I managed to find a stream of the game, tuning in when H&W went 2-1 up. Even if the dream was stomped on, the looks on the Liverpool players’ faces at that moment was beyond priceless.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:29:11 +0000

Tom, I don’t even think they can defend the decision by saying they’re promoting the more competitive match. Chelsea-Wigan has no choice but to be what you already know it is. But H&W have about a 2% chance to catch onto some crazy current of destiny and do something you’d never forget.

It just seems tone-deaf on the part of the schedule-makers, like they don’t really understand soccer and just went for this game when Wikipedia told them that Wigan played in the Premier League.

EDIT: Well, Yossi Benayoun has more or less put a stop to the “crazy current of destiny” talk with three goals in 15 minutes—but only after H&W took the lead in the 8th minute and then again in the 31st. Unbelievable.

By: ursus arctos

ursus arctos — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:12:35 +0000

Not a classic week in Italy by any measure, but the bookies here all believe that Inter’s away trip to Udinese on Sunday is the biggest hurdle they face in their quest for an undefeated season in Serie A.

And Roma – Palermo this evening should have more than the average number of goals.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:07:42 +0000

The TV Gods have never pissed me off more than by deciding Chelsea-Wigan is bigger than Liverpool-H&W. Absolutely disgraceful.