July 2010
11 posts
16 tags
2010 FIFA World Cup Final Recap
Day 31 - WORLD CONQUERORS Spain fulfills its destiny, taking home the country’s first-ever World Cup Championship. July 11, 2010 by Dan Krier
Spain 1 - Netherlands 0 And so it happened. With an extremely late goal by midfielder Andres Iniesta in extra time, Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, victorious for the fourth straight match by a result of 1-0.
By anyone’s account, it was a...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 30 Recap
Day 30 - BRONZE METTLE Germany outduels a memorable Uruguay team to finish in 3rd place at the 2010 World Cup. July 10, 2010 by Dan Krier Germany 3 - Uruguay 2 For the second straight World Cup tournament, Germany took home the 3rd place trophy, this time winning Saturday’s consolation game against Uruguay in comeback fashion by the score of 3-2.
Playing in constant rainfall in the...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - All-World Team
1st Team All-World Cup Better than All-Stars, these 11 men performed so well in this year’s tournament that their names will go down in football history forever.
July 9, 2010 by Dan Krier
FORWARDS:
David Villa - Spain
Villa has had a remarkable World Cup, scoring a tourney-best 5 goals leading into the Final on July 11th. He was also a model of consistency for Spain, scoring in a...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 27 Recap
Day 27 - SPANISH LULL-A-BYE Spain defeats Germany, punching a ticket to the World Cup Final for the first time in history. July 7, 2010 by Dan Krier
Spain 1 - Germany 0 Spain’s national football team has made up its mind to systematically win the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the same exact way an explosives expert goes about diffusing a bomb: slow, deliberate, and surgeon-like. Call it a bore,...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 26 Recap
Day 26 - ORANJE CRUSH Holland appears marked for glory in reaching their third-ever World Cup Final.
July 6, 2010 by Dan Krier
Netherlands 3 - Uruguay 2 Sometimes the path to greatness is riddled with its share of ups & downs. Other times, it’s smooth sailing from square one. The latter case represents the way in which the Netherlands national football team have reached the 2010 World...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Semifinal Round Predictions
Uruguay vs. Netherlands
What can you say about this one? Nobody in the world outside of these two countries would have picked either of these teams to reach the 2010 World Cup semifinals, yet here they both are. I’m shocked, but it’s a pleasant surprise since both squads have earned the right to be exactly where they are.
Who has the advantage? Really, I’m not so sure....
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 23 Recap
Day 23 - CONTINENTAL DRIFT Europe’s best are rising to the top as Germany & Spain defeat their South American foes on Saturday. July 3, 2010 by Dan Krier Germany 4 - Argentina 0 Please cry for me, Argentina. This game was as close as the score indicates. Call it “The Beat Down in Cape Town”, because at no point in the entire 90-minute span of play were Argentina in control...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 22 Recap
Day 22 - #1 BITES THE DUST Brazil’s championship dreams come crashing down after a furious 15-minute span that turned a sure victory into a sour defeat; Uruguay delivers more dark horse heroics in an unbelievable penalty kick ending. July 2, 2010 by Dan Krier Netherlands 2 - Brazil 1 When Friday morning’s sunrise hit the horizon, who could have guessed that the Netherlands were about...
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BRAZIL KNOCKED OUT BY NETHERLANDS! 2-1
That was a shocking 2nd half. I can’t believe how much the game changed after Holland’s first goal.
I don’t think it should have been counted as an own goal for Felipe Melo. It was a fair score by Wesley Sneijder. Melo’s head got pushed forward by the goalie.
Bad luck on that play for Brazil, but they earned their loss. Sneijder was fantastic today.
CAN’T...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Quarterfinal Round...
Brazil vs. Netherlands
This game has the potential to be a classic, and there is some extra spice involved due to the deep history between the two teams.
The Netherlands were knocked out of the 1994 & 1998 World Cup Tournaments by Brazil, and this year will be no different. Brazil has too many weapons to choose from, most notably Luis Fabiano and Kaka. Most importantly, the Brazilians have...
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2010 FIFA WORLD CUP MVP - as of June 30th: DAVID...
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With a tournament-leading 4 goals going into the start of quarterfinal play, my pick for World Cup MVP thus far is Spain’s David Villa.
Villa is simply the single-biggest reason...
June 2010
29 posts
15 tags
2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 19 Recap
Day 19 - IBERIAN KNIGHTS Tuesday, the 2010 FIFA World Cup was privy to its first penalty-kick shootout, as well as an intriguing affair from two world-class European neighbors. June 29, 2010 by Dan Krier Spain 1 - Portugal 0
Spain defeated Iberian Peninsula-mates Portugal in a border-war that saw stingy defense and some uneven but quality action, the game ending 1-0 Tuesday night in Cape Town.
...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 18 Recap
Day 18 - CLASS ACTS
Things are getting tasty at the World Cup with Brazil & Netherlands both winning on Monday to set up a monster of a match between the two on Friday. June 28, 2010 by Dan Krier Netherlands 2 - Slovakia 1 The men of the Dutch national football team found themselves flying atop the field Monday afternoon in Durban, breaking out their wings once in each half en route to a...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 17 Recap
Day 17 - WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Not without a bit of controversy, Germany & Argentina move on to the World Cup quarterfinals, setting up a fantastic affair between the two sides next Saturday. June 27, 2010 by Dan Krier Germany 4 - England 1 England has a valid gripe after their 4-1 loss to Germany in the Round of 16 Sunday afternoon, but complaints or not, one thing is always for...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 16 Recap
Day 16 - DEAD & GHANA Americans can’t come back twice in one game as Ghana goes on to the quarterfinals. Uruguay continues to impress in win over South Korea. June 26, 2010 by Dan Krier Ghana 2 - USA 1 The USA had made a habit of falling behind early before coming back in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and again they accomplished this feat on Saturday night.
Unfortunately for the team, they...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 15 Recap
Day 15 - FULLY LOADED SWEET SIXTEEN The final puzzle pieces fall into place on Friday, setting up a wildly wide-open knockout bracket filled with intrigue and expectation. June 25, 2010 by Dan Krier GROUP H: Spain 2 - Chile 1 The country of Spain can finally breathe a sigh of relief tonight, their team of ultra superstars completing the draining task of rising out of the ashes of Group H to...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 14 Recap
Day 14 - ITALIAN SQUASH Defending champs are sent packing thanks to a lackluster performance vs. Slovakia, finishing dead last in Group F. Paraguay & Holland move on; Japan sparkles. June 24, 2010 by Dan Krier GROUP F:
Slovakia 3 - Italy 2 Italian soccer presented their country with a modern rendition of Pompeii meets Mt. Vesuvius Thursday afternoon in Johannesburg, as the 2006 World Cup...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 13 Recap
Day 13 - TIGHTROPE WALKERS Joy incarnate for the USA & England, as both teams leapfrog their way into the Knockout Stage. Germany & Ghana also advance by the slimmest of margins.
June 23, 2010 by Dan Krier GROUP C:
USA 1 - Algeria 0
Unbridled elation in Pretoria Wednesday afternoon as Landon Donovan saw his career reach new heights with a 91st-minute, stoppage-time rebound goal that...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 12 Recap
Day 12 - MOVING ON UP The preliminary stage of the World Cup officially ends for Groups A & B as four teams secure spots in the Knockout Round of 16. June 22, 2010 by Dan Krier GROUP A:
Uruguay 1 - Mexico 0 In a game where both teams could afford to play cautiously, Uruguay triumphed for their second win of the World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico. Each side came into the match with 4...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 11 Recap
Day 11 - CHILE CONDITIONS Chile benefits from questionable red card against Switzerland; Portugal enjoys its target practice session vs. N. Korea; Spain conquers for first win of World Cup. June 21, 2010 by Dan Krier Chile 1 - Switzerland 0 There was a raucous atmosphere in Port Elizabeth Monday afternoon, with tens of thousands of Chilean fans packed into stadium rows, beating drums and singing...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 10 Recap
Day 10 - BRAZILICIOUS The Class of the World Cup shifts it up a gear in a demolishing display vs. Ivory Coast; Italy looks unsure of itself against New Zealand; Paraguay flexes its muscle vs. Slovakia. June 20, 2010 by Dan Krier
Brazil 3 - Ivory Coast 1 In the opening minutes of their match in Johannesburg Sunday night, Brazil looked as if their sluggish performance against North Korea last week...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 9 Recap
Day 9 - CLOCKWORK ORANJE Netherlands advances to Round of 16 after registering win over Japan; Denmark outguns Cameroon; Ghana ties Australia via another penalty kick. June 19, 2010 by Dan Krier
Netherlands 1 - Japan 0 Holland’s orange-clad team of superstars scored an early 2nd-half goal, and held on to take home their second victory of the 2010 World Cup, defeating Japan 1-0 in Durban on...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 8 Recap
Day 8 - BACK AGAIN! US works another amazing comeback on a day of ridiculous ref calls; Serbia wins thanks to German red card; England bores and snores vs. Algeria. June 18, 2010 by Dan Krier
USA 2 - Slovenia 2 No need for a shovel. They’ll dig out of anything.
For the second time in two 2010 World Cup matches, the United States suffered an early defensive lapse, falling behind 1-0 to...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 7 Recap
Day 7 - FRENCH FRIED France turns in another dud in 2-0 loss to Mexico; Argentina explodes for 4-1 win; Nigerian braincramp lets Greece off the hook. June 17, 2010 by Dan Krier
Mexico 2 - France 0 Au revoir, Les Blues! In a second consecutive sleep-inducing performance, the French national football team saw most of its World Cup dreams fade away for 2010 with a vapid performance on a cold and...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 6 Recap
Day 6 - SWISS BULLFIGHTERS, SPANISH BULL Switzerland springs monumental upset of reigning European Champs; Chile books 1-0 win; host South Africa on the ropes after 3-0 loss. June 16, 2010 by Dan Krier
Switzerland 1 - Spain 0 This wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t even a consideration.
Switzerland cashed in on a rare scoring opportunity Wednesday evening, thwarting a sterile...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 5 Recap
Day 5 - SLEEPING GIANT OR SLOPPY GIANT? Brazil snaps out of first half stupor but surrenders late goal for narrow 2-1 win over North Korea; day’s other two games end in draws. June 15, 2010 by Dan Krier
Brazil 2 - North Korea 1 Although Brazil won the game Tuesday night to receive 3 points in World Cup Group G standings, the 2-1 result versus a surprisingly stubborn North Korean team was...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 4 Recap
Day 4 - A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING Monday’s action involved an own-goal by Denmark, an upset win by Japan, and a face-saving comeback by Italy. June 14, 2010 by Dan Krier
Netherlands 2 – Denmark 0 Denmark and Holland took a back-and-forth first half affair to the halftime break tied 0-0. It didn’t stay that way for very much longer. Just one minute into the 2nd Half, the Netherlands...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 3 Recap
Day 3 - THREE TIMES WON 3 games, 3 winners, and 3 points apiece for Ghana, Germany, and Slovenia on Sunday. June 13, 2010 by Dan Krier
Ghana 1 – Serbia 0 With an 84th minute penalty kick by Asamoah Gyan, Ghana scored a 1-0 victory over Serbia, becoming the first African team in World Cup history to win on African soil. The Black Stars triumphed against a talented but clumsy Serbian team that...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 2 Recap
Day 2 - UK = UNSAFE KEEPING British goalie’s bad mistake allows US to survive early disaster for 1-1 tie; South Korea & Argentina also win opening games. June 12, 2010 by Dan Krier
USA 1 – England 1 The marquee matchup of the Preliminary Round at the 2010 FIFA World Cup - pitting a seasoned and talented English team against a scrappy but skilled American side - ended in a 1-1 draw...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Day 1 Recap
Day 1 - FOUR SQUARE Both matches end in ties; all 4 teams receive 1 point.
June 11, 2010 by Dan Krier
South Africa 1 – Mexico 1 This was the game everyone was waiting for. Not so much because of the combatants on the field, but more because this was the culmination of so much hope and excitement going into the first World Cup on African soil. With the opening whistle, World Cup 2010 was finally...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Group H Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group H Breakdown by Dan Krier June 11, 2010 Group H: Spain – World Rank #2 – Odds to Win: 4-1 Switzerland – World Rank #26 – Odds to Win: 200-1 Honduras – World Rank #40 – Odds to Win: 750-1 Chile – World Rank #15 – Odds to Win: 50-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Spain & Chile Once again, we have a group where one team is...
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2010 FIFA World Cup - Group G Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group G Breakdown by Dan Krier June 10, 2010 Group G: Brazil – World Rank #1 – Odds to Win: 5-1 North Korea – World Rank #106 – Odds to Win: 1500-1 Ivory Coast – World Rank #27 – Odds to Win: 30-1 Portugal – World Rank #3 – Odds to Win: 25-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Brazil & Portugal Brazil will move on to the next round,...
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group F Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group F Breakdown by Dan Krier June 8, 2010 Group F: Italy – World Rank #5 – Odds to Win: 12-1 Paraguay – World Rank #30 – Odds to Win: 50-1 New Zealand – World Rank #78 – Odds to Win: 1500-1 Slovakia – World Rank #38 – Odds to Win: 225-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Italy & Paraguay
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not...
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group E Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group E Breakdown by Dan Krier June 7, 2010 Group E: Netherlands – World Rank #4 – Odds to Win: 12-1 Denmark – World Rank #35 – Odds to Win: 125-1 Japan – World Rank #45 – Odds to Win: 250-1 Cameroon – World Rank #19 – Odds to Win: 100-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Netherlands & Denmark Alright, so I’m showing some European bias...
o-townguy asked: Any change in your picks in light of the fact that England lost their captain?
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group D Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group D Breakdown by Dan Krier June 6, 2010 Group D: Germany – World Rank #6 – Odds to Win: 12-1 Australia – World Rank #20 – Odds to Win: 125-1 Serbia – World Rank #16 – Odds to Win: 66-1 Ghana – World Rank #32 – Odds to Win: 70-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Germany & Ghana Germany is an easy pick to win Group D. They are a...
3-1...USA wins final World Cup warmup game vs....
June 5, 2010
The US Soccer team got a very nice win Saturday in South Africa.
The W came courtesy of two goals by Edson Buddle (4th & 31st minutes) and one by Herculez Gomez (90th minute extra time) en route to a 3-1 victory over World Cup Group D’s Australia. Though the match was considered a warm-up “friendly,” it was anything but cordial. Tempers flared in the first half...
Didier Drogba OUT of World Cup with fractured...
June 4, 2010
UPDATE - JUNE 6, 2010 - Drogba undergoes surgery. There is a chance he might be able to play in World Cup. PLZ, dude!
This is sad news. I was really looking forward to seeing Drogba in action, so this really diminishes the competition of Group G, where Ivory Coast & Portugal were going to duke it out for 2nd place behind Brazil.
Think of this like the Los Angeles Lakers losing...
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group C Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group C Breakdown by Dan Krier June 3, 2010 Group C: England – World Rank #8 – Odds to Win: 6-1 USA – World Rank #14 – Odds to Win: 80-1 Algeria – World Rank #31 – Odds to Win: 350-1 Slovenia – World Rank #23 – Odds to Win: 250-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: England & USA Needless to say, this group draw could be considered...
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group B Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group B Breakdown by Dan Krier June 1, 2010 Group B: Argentina – World Rank #7 – Odds to Win: 7-1 Nigeria – World Rank #20 – Odds to Win: 100-1 South Korea – World Rank #47 – Odds to Win: 200-1 Greece – World Rank #12 – Odds to Win: 150-1 2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup. DK’s Picks: Argentina & Greece This is a very difficult group to predict....
May 2010
3 posts
2010 FIFA World Cup - Group A Breakdown & Betting...
World Cup Group A Breakdown by Dan Krier May 27, 2010
Group A: South Africa – World Rank #90 – Odds to Win: 125-1 Mexico – World Rank #17 – Odds to Win: 80-1 Uruguay – World Rank #18 – Odds to Win: 100-1 France – World Rank #10 – Odds to Win: 16-1
2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
DK’s Picks: France & South Africa
France is a relatively safe...
2010 FIFA World Cup - Introduction to 2010 World...
2010 FIFA World Cup Breakdown
by
Dan Krier
May 26, 2010
On June 11th, the FIFA World Cup begins in Johannesburg, South Africa, with 32 teams vying to become champions of the world’s most popular sport. While we here in America are accustomed to quicker, more high-scoring sporting affairs (and therefore subsequently find soccer to be “boring” or too repetitive, some would say), the rest of the...