Yeah Messi is playing now against Cote d'Ivore ...

Aguiro, Messi, Lavezzi .... DAMN !!!

FT results for the late games today:

Netherlands 0 - 0 Nigeria
China 1 - 1 New Zealand (goals by Li and Brockie)
Argentina 2 - 1 Cote d'Ivoire (goals by Messi and Acosta for the Argies and by Cisse for Cote d'Ivoire)
South Korea 1 - 1 Cameroon (goals by Park and Mandjeck)

I was only able to watch the first few minutes of the Argentina game before going to work so can't really comment on the games much. Apparently Evander Sno was sent off for the Netherlands in injury time.

Thank Tennie

Yeah, Im watching the rerun of the Argentina game .. Cote d'Ivoire have a good team .. With Kalou up front and Argentina with a really good lineup Macherano and Riquelme in midfield

No Pato goal today

I watched half of the Italy match, Half of the Brazil match and half of the Argentina match.

The most entertaining of them all was Argentina by far, the link up play, the killer through balls, the passes the technical skills were outstanding.

I only saw the first half of Italy's game but what i saw was fairly impressive. The defence which i thought was a shaky area in the Toulon tournament was much better, also De Silvestre's pace is blistering (shame he couldnt always control the ball). Giovinco is a fantastic player and probably one of the best Italian talents i have ever seen play. G.Rossi played well. I think we should make a move for him, he is a very talented player. He can play as an AM, SS and CF although he is slightly better as a SS. An ideal partner for Borriello. I didnt get to see Abate play so i cant pass judgement. Acquafresca played a good match, using his pace but his finishing perhaps could have been better, specifically the easy one on one he had in the early minutes

The Brazil game was fairly dreary. Ronaldinho and Pato didnt really do anything significant, but the same can be said of the team performance today.

From what i have seen Argentina seem like faveourites to retain the Gold medal, but i wouldnt rule out Italy. Argentina have an absolutely devestating attack line (Aguero, Lavezzi, Messi, Riquelme)

Too soon to say who's gonna win the gold medal and who's gonna flop. it was just the first game. I'm not really worried for Pato as I'm sure he'll do great in Milan. as for Brazil, the real problem is Dunga IMO. he has COMPLETELY ruined Brazilian football since he's taken over with his ugly football. it's so anti-Brazilian that even people inside Brazil consider him a traitor. says a lot, doesn't it? I don't know what else to say, but I hope I won't be seeing him on Brazil's bench in 2010 World Cup...

Well, Dunga was a DM in his playing days so perhaps it's not a huge surprise that as a coach he's not into the full-out attacking style. I don't think there's a need to worry about the Duckling & co just yet though - it's still early days in the tournament and they did, after all, win.

Psst PORTIKINS: Is "Dunga" really Portuguese for 'Dopey' (ie, one of the 7 dwarves)?

Argentina have a very strong team at this tournament ... But so do Brazil.

Argentina: Riquelme, Messi, Mascherano, Auguiro, Lavezzi

Brazil: Ronaldinho (nuff said)



Though the Dutch also have an interesting team too ... And I agree with whoarethepatriots; Giovinco was fantastic today

Does anybody else think the Brazil game was probably the worst officiating in the history of refereeing? I can't honestly think of many, if any, worse performances than that.

What was so bad about it, Kurt? That game wasn't televised here.

The worst officiating in the history of the game was Holland-Portugal IMO!

(What? There was a GAME in the middle of that brawl?)

I've only seen the highlights, but my dad and brother both saw it live and have said it was just as bad. He gave sending offs for really petty things in my view, he didn't seem to let the game flow and then when a Brazilian - don't remember who - made a really bad timed tackle, where he could have been sent off, the ref gave nothing at all. He made me want to scream, and I only saw the highlights!

Really well-said!

Yes, very good. I think this one deserves to be in the our own Quotes of the Week thread!

Brazil-Belgium was bad but wasn't the worst officiating in the history of refereeing.

What do you think about Viviano?There wasn't many chances for Honduras but he had some good reflexes,He could be a good option for Milan

We were linked with Viviano at one stage and he is clearly superior to all three current keepers. I would like to see him at the club but it is a far fetched possibility. If he were Brazilian...

But seriously what is our obsession with Brazilians, i too like a healthy Brazilian contigent, but buying their youth instead of home grown players is something i will never accept, unless the player has limitless talent like Pato

IMO it's really demeaning when galliani and silvio make their "I'm in love with every Brazilian alive" quotes, especially considering they're Italian.

Well, Viviano is still at Brescia so there's hope....

For what it's worth, the now-Primavera keeper (was the Berretti keeper last year) for Milan is said to be quite good. Perrucchini is his name, I believe.

anyways argentina are clear favorites paper, messi >> R10.

i'm guessing they're playing some sort of 4-3-3 in the barca mold?

--------Gago-------Masch---------
------------Riquelme-------------
Messi------------------------lavezzi
-------------aguerro---------------

from the midfield out they are by far the best team but i'm quit confident with azzurrini squad (a semi final would be what i expect) since this is a true u23 squad while argentina have many regulars.

So what about Offerdi?or maybe Perrucchini is the first name of Offerdi

Offredi is all graduated from the primavera - he's currently on loan at Pro Sesto.

Argentina were supposed to win the last world cup as well. And they were brilliant then too. But yes,I don't see Brazil progressing far. Will be interested in the Azzurini though.

I, on the other hand, wouldn't be surprised if Brazil did actually win it! remember Coppa America?

No...I was too young.

Fair point...it is football after all.

Brazil haven't been very convincing...specially Ronnie didn't so anything. My oh my, if they don't win it Dunga has to look for a new job.
It also seems as if no club wants to force a player to return his club. Too late for that anyway.

That'd be the only good thing about Brazil not winning the gold medal

Brazil seem to play a pragmatic style of football. In the Coppa there was Robinho who pretty much took them to the final on his own. Right now there is no one who can do that. I am still not convinced by Ronaldinho, Pato is too green and Diego isnt having the impact i would have liked

You meaniehead!

Pato and Ronaldinho both on the scoresheet for Brazil verses New Zealand... nicely executed header from Pato and a funny freekick from Dinho plus a pen and this(offside)

And people say Pato isn't a header he heads the ball masterly

Btw, Ronaldinho looks so thin


Anderson
Pato
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho (p)

It still amazes me why the defenders are still fooled by R80 looking the other way, and the ball going the opposite one. Guess they don't do their homework too well.

A belated QUACK QUACK! for Pato's goal. (and for Ronaldinho's 2)

Italy lead South Korea at halftime 2-0 with goals by Giuseppe Rossi and Tomasso Rocchi. Rar!

It's a little scary listening (the game's on one of the English language channels) as the commentators are actually saying NICE things about Italy. They're the same guys who bashed Italy nonstop during the Euros. Hah.

The future certainly looks bright for Brazil [Pato, Marcelo, Anderson, etc.] Italy [Rossi, Giovinco, Paloschi, etc.] and Argentina [Messi, Aguero, Lavezzi, etc.].

That trick will never become too old. Players used before Ronnie was even born and they will use when Ronnie already retired from football

and i'll keep getting amused by it

FT Italy 3 - 0 South Korea

Montolivo added the third goal in the 90th. Abate came on for Giovinco in the 75th and again had good touches and runs (one of which was only stopped by a Korean player grabbing a handful of jersey and earning a yellow for his effots).

Yea,IMO Abate was very good,he has great runs.
again,what you think about Viviano? I like this guy.

R80's first goal was an alarm for Pirlo!

Though a great amount of luck was involved in that goal, but yes, Pirlo might lose his FK-taker status to Ronaldinho if he keeps taking his freekicks like he's done in the past 10-15 months.

They both have different styles of freekicks. Don't think there will be an issue. It would be like talking about Pato benching Pippo.

It's not a question of different styles, but taking advantage of dead balls. we haven't been good at it for some time now.

I hear Rocchi has been injured and out for the rest of the tournament. Can Italy now call-up a sub?

Before the tournament each team can list 4 players that in case of injury can replace the injured player.

Rocchi has a microfracture to the top of his fibula -- and played with that on Sunday. Ow.

I think Candreva is the one who'll substitute him.

And joining Candreva in an unexpected trip to China will be Napoli's Andrea Russotto.

Russotto will replace the injured Zebra Claudio Marchisio (yes, he's also a midfielder. they're dropping like flies). Marchisio has an injured calf.

Ooooh...

I'm sure the squad will do fine, and most of them are in great form. They are a deep squad with many great young talents... like Montolivo, Acquafresca (I think he opted for Italy instead of Poland if I recall correctly), our own Abate, and of course the pint sized Giovinco amongst others...

The oooh was for Juventus actually.