TRAVEL LIGHT

Unsung Heroes

Perhaps like most Brazilian fans, I am a bit unsatisfied with the performance of the Seleção. After two matches, Brazil is still picking-up its rythm. Although winning their first two matches, Brazil has yet to show the world its fireworks and magic that is expected from them. Patiently we have to sit and wait because this most favored team is known to have a habit of improving as the competition goes on. But then again, that remains to be seen. And while Ronaldinho and Ronaldo haven’t really started to spark yet, some of their less-popular, unsung teammates are gaining the limelight and admiration of Brazilian fans like myself.

My Man of the Match for the Brazil-Australia match is Ze Roberto, the Bayern Munich attacking and defending midfielder. Ze Roberto provided a determined defense and brilliant assists to the Brazilian team that became key to their 2-0 victory over Australia. From now on aside from Ronaldinho, I will have my sight set on this underated Brazilian player, Ze Roberto.

Italian (blow) Job

Italy is considered one of the superpowers of football having been a World Cup Champion for three times. But last night, despite having football stars in their squad like Totti, Zambrotta and Del Piero, Italy played one of the lousiest match that I have ever seen. Last night’s match between USA and Italy ended in a draw 1-1.

Italy played like they were an under-19 team. Their forward thinks he’s playing basketball, he always play offisde. The Italian defense was so genorous to give away a score to the US by sending the ball straight to their own goal. In that match, the US squad was the more aggresive and was able to deliver more attempts at goal while Italy finds itself unable to penetrate the US defense. Worst of all, the Italians were playing against a team composed only of 9 men.

The match was not an upset, the match was a lousy Italian blow job. Cazzo!

Football is FREE

Watching the World Cup has taken the best part of my blogging time. This means I have to be awake from 9:00PM till 5:00AM for three matches straight. This means I have to put blogging at the moment in the back burner. But I’m a happy man, I never expected that I can watch World Cup matches live. I’m watching a Live match while I’m writing this post. (oh, Ghana just scored a an early goal against Czech Republic just a minute in the openning of their match.)

All along I thought I would just settle on watching replay matches. In order to watch live matches on Cable you have to pay your provider with 6K for a Pay Per View subscription. No way Jose!

Bambit saved the day. She was able to discover an internet TV where live World Cup matches are being shown. But since it’s an American channel, one has to live with Americans doing football commentaries. You get confused whether you’re watching football or the NBA when you hear them bawl “hey guys, shoot that ball! shoot that ball!”. You have to endure listening to them repeating the word Soccer instead of Football. Quite a disorienting and annoying sound byte if one is used to listening European football commentators. But hey, it doesn’t matter even if its George Bush on the mike. Beggars can’t be choosers. What matters is now Bambit and I can watch the World Cup together without paying a singkong duling. Football is free.

…another goal by Ghana!! it’s now 2 nil…….

World Cup 2006 Begins!

FIFA World Cup 2006 has started!

The opening match was between the host team Germany and Costa Rica. Germany won by 4 goals while Costa Rica scored 2.

Last night I kept on hopping from one channel to another hoping that a cable channel might show a live telecast of the match but to no avail. Out of frustration I decided to surf into our local channels instead, if only to amuse myself. When I switched to RPN 9, I was surprised that it was showing a football match instead of a usual Malacanang Press soap opera. The familiar white jersey of Germany and the Red jersey of Costa Rica playing immediately caught my attention. To my delight, it was the World Cup opening match! Although it was a delayed telecast, but what the heck, for only a few minutes late it was almost like watching the live match. I just hope this won’t be the first and last match that RPN 9 is going to show.

Here’s a pic of the match opening ceremonies. This is one thing that I love about the beautiful game, it exhorts fair play and it plays for a cause - SAY NO TO RACISM!

FIFA World Cup Trivia II

World Cup Records on Matches

First match:
Mexico 1, France 4 in Montevideo, Uruguay on 13/07/1930.

First tied match:
Italy 1, Spain 1 in Florence, Italy on 31/05/1934.

First match with extratime:
Austria vs France on 27/05/1934.

First Final with extratime:
Italy vs Czechoslovakia on 10/06/1934.

First scoreless match:
Brazil vs England in Stockholm, Sweden on 11 June, 1958.

First match decided on penalty shoot-out:
Semi-final between West Germany & France on 8 July, 1982 in which the Germans won the shootout 5:4.

First Final decided on penalty shoot-out:
The 1994 Final in which Brazil beat Italy 3:2 on penalty shoot-out after a 0:0 tie.

First match played indoor:
USA vs Switzerland at Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, USA on 18/06/1994.

First match where a coach was sent off :
Paraguayan coach Cayetano Re in a match against Belgium on 11 June 1986.

Only finals with no Final:
The 1950 finals, where there was only a final pool without a knock-out Final.

Lowest attendance for a match:
300 spectators for the match between Romania & Peru in Montevideo on 14/07/1930.

Highest attendance for a match:
199,850 spectators for the “final” match between Brazil & Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro on 16/07/1950.

Most matches played by a country:
87 matches, by Brazil.

Most grand final matches played by a country:
7 finals, by Brazil (in 50,58,62,70,94,98,02) and Germany (in 54,66,74,82,86,90,02).

Most matches played by the same two countries in finals:
7 matches between Brazil and Sweden in 1938, 1950, 1958, 1978, 1990 & 1994 (2 times).

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