WC 2010 - Match 1 - Group A: South Africa vs Mexico

[Sando prince]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

Who doh look good against T&T?

But seriously, This version of Mexico team might be the weakest in years. They normally make the quarterfinals, so they must be doing something right.

you mean to say they normally make the round of 16 ?..(cannot be quarterfinal cause i think they never accomplished that)

[sammy]

I predicting ah draw..on the average day i will say mexico will win but SA (together with massive home support) will pull out a draw..

OH HOR SO MY PREDCITION WAS RIGHT !  


I also predict England will get some licks from Uncle Sam tommorow

nopes, your prediction was wrong. It was mexico who pulled of a draw against S Africa. Big difference.

[Jah Gol]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

They just walk over Italy last week though. Properly well knock the ball around them too.

[chelsealife]

what a start to the tournament....Mexico should not have played dat midget in goal though. Tshabalala: wat a player, had a very good game and Gio was awesome for Mexico>>> good luck to both

[Boodsy]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

Who doh look good against T&T?

But seriously, This version of Mexico team might be the weakest in years. They normally make the quarterfinals, so they must be doing something right.

you mean to say they normally make the round of 16 ?..(cannot be quarterfinal cause i think they never accomplished that)

Mexico made it to the Quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986

[ProudTrinbagonian]

a draw possible if no goal in the first half

wha i tell yuh

[Sando prince]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

Who doh look good against T&T?

But seriously, This version of Mexico team might be the weakest in years. They normally make the quarterfinals, so they must be doing something right.

you mean to say they normally make the round of 16 ?..(cannot be quarterfinal cause i think they never accomplished that)

Mexico made it to the Quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986

true that is correct ..BUT was there a round of 16 back then or did a team went from group stage to the quarterfinals ?..

[Boodsy]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

Who doh look good against T&T?

But seriously, This version of Mexico team might be the weakest in years. They normally make the quarterfinals, so they must be doing something right.

you mean to say they normally make the round of 16 ?..(cannot be quarterfinal cause i think they never accomplished that)

Mexico made it to the Quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986

true that is correct ..BUT was there a round of 16 back then or did a team went from group stage to the quarterfinals ?..

1986 had a round of 16 and in 1970 they went from group to quarterfinals

[Star Child]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2iJdl0HyS8

[Bitter]

mexico does look real ordinary to teams other than T&T boy.

Who doh look good against T&T?

But seriously, This version of Mexico team might be the weakest in years. They normally make the quarterfinals, so they must be doing something right.

you mean to say they normally make the round of 16 ?..(cannot be quarterfinal cause i think they never accomplished that)

Mexico made it to the Quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986

true that is correct ..BUT was there a round of 16 back then or did a team went from group stage to the quarterfinals ?..

1986 had a round of 16 and in 1970 they went from group to quarterfinals

Nah, Sando Prince is correct.  I meant round of 16. That is where they normally get poison.

Since 1970:
1970   Quarter-Finals
1974   No participation
1978   Stage 1
1982   No participation
1986   Quarter-Finals
1990   No participation
1994   Round of 16
1998   Round of 16
2002   Round of 16
2006   Round of 16

[asylumseeker]

Buh lehwe be clear, Aguirre (who I like) muddle up matters with the starting line up. Ah could rationalize Perez in goal over Memo Ochoa. Obviously Cuah Blanco coming off de bench was a no-brainer, buh ah wasn't fond of Guardado's initial omission. There should be tweaks fuh game 2.

Carlos Alberto Parreira will never be on the same page fuh me. Not a fan.  His game plan is highly opportunistic.

[FF]

hear nah... is just me... or it have jackasses on tv still insisting that that was a goal...

i want to pelt this laptop... fuss ah peeved.

[weary1969]

meheeco 2-1

U get parole 4 d WC miss yuh hatin on meh Lakers.

ah keepin meh tongue numb on de lakers fuh now.

I know dat hard but welcome back

[kicker]

Buh lehwe be clear, Aguirre (who I like) muddle up matters with the starting line up. Ah could rationalize Perez in goal over Memo Ochoa. Obviously Cuah Blanco coming off de bench was a no-brainer, buh ah wasn't fond of Guardado's initial omission. There should be tweaks fuh game 2.

Carlos Alberto Parreira will never be on the same page fuh me. Not a fan.  His game plan is highly opportunistic.

I woulda gone with Ochoa, but no goalkeeper was stopping Shabalala's shot...as far as the other influences on the game- I dunno.  Puzzled over the Guardado ommission as well. 

Carlos Alberto Parreira is a wily veteran who I think got it right today.  We've seen him get it wrong before (Brazil in the last cup), but today I think he got it right- after the first 20 min nerves, I think South Africa was good for all 3 points.   Mexico dominated the ball but I would say that SA had the easier chances and probably would feel like they gave away 2 points today.   

[Mango Chow!]

....ah miss de game, Peoples, but from the updates ah was gettin, ah hear South Africa have they very own modern day "Serginho" on dey squad:  A #9 missin' a setta of easy, easy chances.  Ah  no ass!!  South Africa coulda take instant control of this group and make easier their quest to unexpectedly "make past the group stage!" 

[asylumseeker]

a draw possible if no goal in the first half

wha i tell yuh

Iz u yes, not sando prince .... good call.

[Deeks]

No goalie could have stop the shot by Shabalala. Mex. had the better of the the game. The same way they play we is the same way they play today. Move the ball to foot and most of the times in control. SA, on the other hand were dangerous in the counter and the 50/50 balls. Dos Santos was excellent, man of the match for me. Fair result.

[asylumseeker]

Buh lehwe be clear, Aguirre (who I like) muddle up matters with the starting line up. Ah could rationalize Perez in goal over Memo Ochoa. Obviously Cuah Blanco coming off de bench was a no-brainer, buh ah wasn't fond of Guardado's initial omission. There should be tweaks fuh game 2.

Carlos Alberto Parreira will never be on the same page fuh me. Not a fan.  His game plan is highly opportunistic.

I woulda gone with Ochoa, but no goalkeeper was stopping Shabalala's shot...as far as the other influences on the game- I dunno.  Puzzled over the Guardado ommission as well. 

Carlos Alberto Parreira is a wily veteran who I think got it right today.  We've seen him get it wrong before (Brazil in the last cup), but today I think he got it right- after the first 20 min nerves, I think South Africa was good for all 3 points.   Mexico dominated the ball but I would say that SA had the easier chances and probably would feel like they gave away 2 points today.   

Agreed re: the SA goal. An excellent goal that deserved to be protected by a 2-0 lead...

Perez was quite the adventurer as regards interrupting play at the edge or beyond the penalty area. Don't think Memo would have brought this aspect to the proceedings. It will be interesting to see whether Memo's sweat lingers till the 3rd group game.

Forgot to mention something else drectly: This game should settle once and for all the question of whether Carlos Vela is a contender for 90 minutes. Maybe incorporating him in the manner Uruguay attempted with Lodeiro would be the thing to do. [Aguirre employed him like that during the Gold Cup and got a lot out of that bargain.]

Guardado is a class act. Took it in stride.

[NYtriniwhiteboy..]

any links for the highlights or goals?

[AirMan]

any links for the highlights or goals?

this site will have all the highlights..http://www.footytube.com/

[kicker]

Agreed re: the SA goal. An excellent goal that deserved to be protected by a 2-0 lead...

Perez was quite the adventurer as regards interrupting play at the edge or beyond the penalty area. Don't think Memo would have brought this aspect to the proceedings. It will be interesting to see whether Memo's sweat lingers till the 3rd group game.

Forgot to mention something else drectly: This game should settle once and for all the question of whether Carlos Vela is a contender for 90 minutes. Maybe incorporating him in the manner Uruguay attempted with Lodeiro would be the thing to do. [Aguirre employed him like that during the Gold Cup and got a lot out of that bargain.]

Guardado is a class act. Took it in stride.

Yeah Vela kinda hid in Gio's shadow... or maybe he did alot of hard running off the ball to make room for Gio who I thought had a great game...(kinda hard to tell watching on TV, but maybe Vela just played that "role" today).  The biggest puzzle to me is Guillermo Franco...I find him totally unimpressive...Never saw what the fuss was about him.  After La Volpe lost the job I thought you'd never see that Argentinian in a Mexican nat'l kit again...He's a very very poor man's Jared Borgetti...(watch him score a hattrick in the next game lol)...

Remember Nery Castillo? ...what ever happened to him?  What a fall from promise. 

[Bakes]

Announcer doesn't know the offside rule- (must be 2 defenders behind the line of attack when the pass is made)- the goalkeeper came out so the guy on the line was the only one... pathetic commentary...and allyuh like yuh British commentators?

Correct.  I real like Efan Ekoku, but he let mih down there.  Then he come out in the second half and tepidly admit the linesman got the call right, but didn't offer any explanation for his change of mind... or apology for that matter.

haha doh study me...I like Martin Tyler... but he lapse there..

Was Ekoku... although Tyler was complicit in not correcting him.  Maybe he did so quietly at halftime but it was a disservice to the viewers to a) get the call wrong; b) Not admit that they got the call wrong; c) Not offer a proper explanation of why the call was correct.

[Bakes]

South Africa coulda kill it there...SA Goalkeeper could real distribute dread geez!!!

Yes I-yah... he real play.  Him, Pienaar... but ESPECIALLY Tshabalala.  No lie, I say to myself even before he buss de net that he probably play heself into a European contract based on this first game.  Him and the keeper.

Of course they have at least two games to fall dong on dey face still...

[Bakes]

Yeah Vela kinda hid in Gio's shadow... or maybe he did alot of hard running off the ball to make room for Gio who I thought had a great game...(kinda hard to tell watching on TV, but maybe Vela just played that "role" today).  The biggest puzzle to me is Guillermo Franco...I find him totally unimpressive...Never saw what the fuss was about him.  After La Volpe lost the job I thought you'd never see that Argentinian in a Mexican nat'l kit again...He's a very very poor man's Jared Borgetti...(watch him score a hattrick in the next game lol)...

Remember Nery Castillo? ...what ever happened to him?  What a fall from promise. 

Disagree on Franco... I thought second to Gio he was Mexico's most dangerous player.  I agree with you that he was unimpressive in the final analysis given the fact that he throw 'way at least two clear chances on headers.

Yeah... fuh real, wha'ppen tuh Nery?

[kicker]

Yeah yuh right Bakes it was Efan... and yes he does call a good game in BPL, but he didn't handle this situation very well...and a big veteran like Martin Tyler (probably one of the most respected football commentators of our time) as you say didn't really make amends honorably either.  They weren't alone in gaffes today though- McManaman bawl "lacking inexperience" in reference to S.A's roster...and Lalas fell asleep on himself in the URU-FRA post game when called upon to respond to the ESPN/ABC anchor about a topic... he was like "ummmmm who?"... he clearly wasn't listening...first day jitters I suppose.  Hopefully they clean up their act.   

[Bakes]

Yeah yuh right Bakes it was Efan... and yes he does call a good game in BPL, but he didn't handle this situation very well...and a big veteran like Martin Tyler (probably one of the most respected football commentators of our time) as you say didn't really make amends honorably either.  They weren't alone in gaffes today though- McManaman bawl "lacking inexperience" in reference to S.A's roster...and Lalas fell asleep on himself in the URU-FRA post game when called upon to respond to the ESPN/ABC anchor about a topic... he was like "ummmmm who?"... he clearly wasn't listening...first day jitters I suppose.  Hopefully they clean up their act.   

ah miss Macca gaffe... I had tuh work and recorded the game, so of course I fast-forwarded straight thru the halftime studio bit.  That Uzbekistani crew did a brilliant job I thought.  I'm no authority on officiating, but the ref had a real minimalist approach to the game... and the teams helped, not a whole lot of fouling, nice attacking football, even if not the prettiest.  The one call they absolutely had to make the got spot on perfect, big call, big game, big moment.  Get the call right, otherwise go about your business unnoticed.  Tyler and Efan voiced surprised that they were given such a high-profile assignment... over an European crew I'm sure... but they acquitted themselves extremely well.

[warmonga]

I puzzle.  straight up.I have played football since mi born and today mexico south africa clash have mi all f**ked up. It get wurst when Lallas say it was a good call.  some one please clear it up fi mi nuh.  I confuse .there was two mexican players between the south african goalie and a south african player standing on di line. How could dat be offside ?  Straight talk though,  what am I missing here ? was there a rule change ?and if suh what type of rule it was ?
war

[just cool]

War, check out the game thread on the world cup forum. but i will reiterate what i too my self had learned today on the site, "thank you SW.net", and so did javier agguire,  franco and an espn sports caster.

the man on the line was in the position of the goal keeper, and since the goal keeper came out off his line he played the mexican player offside. heard it on skysports aswell.

in ah  nut shell, the defender on the line assumed the position of the goal keeper, and viseversa, the goal keeper coming off his line assumed the position of ah defender.  hope it helped tuh shine some light on the ting.               positive.

[asylumseeker]

Regarding Kicker and Bakes asking about Nery:

Out of favour, out of sight, out of friends, out of playing time, and who knows maybe even out of options.

According to one source:

The surprise for many Mexican citizens is that Nery Castillo, one of the famous Mexican soccer players was not included in the list by coach Javier Aguirre. Castillo who hasn't seen any activity in the last months with his local team the Ukranian Shakhtar Donetsk, apparently talked to Aguirre in several occasions to ask for a chance to train with the Mexican team and then, Aguirre could take a decision about including him among the other Mexican soccer players or not.

Many Mexican newspapers and local soccer shows said that the Mexican coach agreed to give a chance to the striker, but Castillo wasn't invited for the last Mexican squad trainings before this year's World Cup.

The club reference is off ... although a Shakhtar player he was on loan with DD.

[Bakes]

I puzzle.  straight up.I have played football since mi born and today mexico south africa clash have mi all f**ked up. It get wurst when Lallas say it was a good call.  some one please clear it up fi mi nuh.  I confuse .there was two mexican players between the south african goalie and a south african player standing on di line. How could dat be offside ?  Straight talk though,  what am I missing here ? was there a rule change ?and if suh what type of rule it was ?
war

What just cool said, but is not about the keeper and defender switching position.  At the time the ball is played to the attacking player there must be two defenders between that player and the goal line.  Usually those two defenders are the last defender and the Goalkeeper.  So there was a "last defender" on the goal line, but since the goalie came off his line and was behind the attacking Mexican forward, that left only one defeder between him and the goal at the time the ball was played to him.  Offside(s) (fuh FF sake, lol)


--------------------

Asylum thanks for the info... ah looked him up yesterday after Kicker raised it and see that he was with Shakhtar, but looking closer yuh see that he been on loan for most of the past 2 seasons and out of favor as yuh say.