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USA-Ghana 1-2 (Extra Time!)
GOAL! USA 1-2 Ghana (Gyan 93′)
GOAL! USA 1-1 Ghana (Donovan 62’pen)
Donovan smashes it in off the right upright. It’s all square.
PENALTY FOR THE USA! Dempsey nutmegs Mensah on his way into the Ghana penalty area and is subsequently brought down by Jonathan.
GOAL! USA 0-1 Ghana (Boateng 5′)
Kevin Prince Boateng puts Ghana ahead. Clark lost the ball cheaply in midfield and Boateng ventured down the left channel, as Jay DeMerit backed off him and backed off him. From about 25 yards, Boateng decided to try his luck, spearing a low drive past Howard at the goalkeeper’s near post. That’s a catalogue of errors from the Americans, who’ve been punished badly.
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Flags waving during the Star Spangled Banner
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46 – HALF TIME: Boooooooooooo. The referee receives a huge volley of abuse from the England fans. He’s denied us the lead but in truth we could be losing by five. Let’s put the disallowed goal behind us and look forward to a 45 minutes in which England can reignite their World Cup hopes…
39 min: 1966 IN REVERSE!!! Lampard hammers a long shot goalwards. Finally in an England shirt he delivers a peach, looping over Neuer’s head and bouncing off the underside of the crossbar and into the net, before spinning out. It’s miles over the line – but the goal’s not given! Lampard can’t believe it. You may well hear about this again. That’s probably ensured video replay come the next tournament.
38 min: ENGLAND GET THEIR GAMEFACES ON!!! Germany 2-1 England. England take a short corner on the right. Gerrard swings a cross in towards Upson, who is always getting there ahead of Neuer, and heads home. It is on!
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Bad call, but worse second half play by the Three Lions.
Mexico got screwed with an offsides goal. Too many blown calls in this World Cup.
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simply move ahead with little fuss to the quarter finals: Netherlands – Slovakia 2-1. It ain’t beautiful play, it’s focused and business like, but so far quite effective: 4 wins. The last 23 matches were without a loss!!
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
– Preamble Hello. Thus far, Holland have been the quietly cool kids of this World Cup, sitting inscrutably at the back of the class, saying very little and taking it all in. They have a magnetic presence not because of what they have done, but because of what we think they can do.
There are two main reasons for their low-key start: they didn’t need to get out of first gear in an extremely easy group, and they have been without the irreplaceable Arjen Robben. Most will expect them to beat Slovakia today and be thrust into the hot hot heat of a quarter-final against Brazil (probably) on Friday afternoon. That would be quite a leap given the teams they’ve played so far, from a chic, detached soundlessness.
One of the finest goals ever: 1998 World Cup against Argentina …
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."