Well, the end of the trip has come for me. I'm flying back to Canada in about six hours. It's been a hell of a ride. The highs (watching Korea games), the lows (missing the England game) and everything in between (meeting great people), it was definitely all worth it.
I totally want to do this again in four years, when Brazil will be hosting the World Cup. Save your money, book your tickets and let's head down!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Port Elizabeth = heart
Port Elizabeth is a really nice place. Similar to Durban as it is on the seaside, but much more relaxed and less of the beachbum/surfertown feel to it.
My impressions of the cities I've been to are as follows:
Joburg: Great hostel, met so many great people, but the city is so shit I would never want to visit or live there.
Durban/PE: Great cities, but I've found it tougher to meet people, mostly due to the structure of the hostels I'm staying at. At Diamond Diggers in Joburg, it was basically built as a huge house, and it made it much easier to meet people.
I have one more match left, and it's going to be a doozy: Uruguay vs. South Korea, 2nd round. It's going to be a tough test for Korea for sure. Uruguay have looked real good in the group stages, including an impressive 3-0 win over Bafana Bafana.
The other 2nd round matchups are shaping up to be crackers too, including England and Germany.
Sorry for the short entry, but I'm almost out of internet time. GO KOREA!!! DAE HAN MIN GUK!!!!!! FIGHTING!!!!!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Choked from yesterday's debacle but.... (NSFW or kids)
still glad that I'm alive, not robbed, raped, stabbed or shot at.... yet.
Yesterday was probably the worst day on the trip. I arrived at the Durban airport to the gate to catch my flight to Port Elizabeth. I was already on a tight schedule because I was due to land in PE at 2:30pm and catch the crunch tie between England and Slovenia at 4:00pm. I had already made the arrangements to get picked up, dropped off at the airport, and have my bag dropped off at the hostel. Unfortunately for me, none of this happened.
I got to the gate at approximately 12:56pm. There is a bus that takes you all the way out to the plane. The bus doors were OPEN, yet the man standing at the door said I was too late and can't let me go. I objected and said that the bus hasn't left yet and that I must catch this flight. He says sorry I cannot let you do that. He says something to the bus driver, the doors close, and he's off. Knowing how everything here runs on African time (ie. late) and that everything is supposed to happen "just now" (just now is a saying that people use to let you know how long it will take for something to happen. 'Mom will be here just now.' How long that actually means? I've no fuckin' idea) I don't see how it was a problem to let me on the bus. Sadly, I did miss the England game and I'm out $120 plus whatever value you would add to the excitement of being at a World Cup game.
Nevertheless, I'm trying not to let it damper my spirits. I'm in PE now, which is a cool little seaside town. I'm here for a few more days before I catch an epic 2nd round clash between Uruguay and South Korea.
I should talk about the SK/Nigeria game a little bit. In short, that is what the World Cup is all about. Being down in the lower section with the other Koreans made the game that much more exciting for me. Everyone was singing and chanting the whole game, even though most of the crowd was behind Nigeria and people wanted to see an African team progress. I'm going to post some epic videos that I took from that game. I hung around after to have some photo ops with people, which was also real cool. There's also a small chance that I made it onto Korean TV or newspaper (have I been seen in any newspapers, my friends in Korea?) as there were a ton of cameramen and photographers taking shots of us. This then lead to the surprise of the trip. I see a familiar face walk by me. He definitely looked familiar, and I was so sure it was a friend of mine from the hostel in Johannesburg. Low and behold, it turned out to be my friend Cameron Dwyer, who I hung out with some. He came down here on a whim with my two other friends Kevin and Jonathan. So, I ended up going to their hostel and celebrating the big win. I went pretty crazy after the game, running around waving my flag like K'Naan had suggested me to do and was yelling things like "KOREAAAA!!!! AHHHH FUCK YEAH!!!!! I FUCKIN' LOVE YOU SOUTH AFRICAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"
It was truly the moment of the tournament for me. Hopefully though, this trip has a couple more memories in store.
Yesterday was probably the worst day on the trip. I arrived at the Durban airport to the gate to catch my flight to Port Elizabeth. I was already on a tight schedule because I was due to land in PE at 2:30pm and catch the crunch tie between England and Slovenia at 4:00pm. I had already made the arrangements to get picked up, dropped off at the airport, and have my bag dropped off at the hostel. Unfortunately for me, none of this happened.
I got to the gate at approximately 12:56pm. There is a bus that takes you all the way out to the plane. The bus doors were OPEN, yet the man standing at the door said I was too late and can't let me go. I objected and said that the bus hasn't left yet and that I must catch this flight. He says sorry I cannot let you do that. He says something to the bus driver, the doors close, and he's off. Knowing how everything here runs on African time (ie. late) and that everything is supposed to happen "just now" (just now is a saying that people use to let you know how long it will take for something to happen. 'Mom will be here just now.' How long that actually means? I've no fuckin' idea) I don't see how it was a problem to let me on the bus. Sadly, I did miss the England game and I'm out $120 plus whatever value you would add to the excitement of being at a World Cup game.
Nevertheless, I'm trying not to let it damper my spirits. I'm in PE now, which is a cool little seaside town. I'm here for a few more days before I catch an epic 2nd round clash between Uruguay and South Korea.
I should talk about the SK/Nigeria game a little bit. In short, that is what the World Cup is all about. Being down in the lower section with the other Koreans made the game that much more exciting for me. Everyone was singing and chanting the whole game, even though most of the crowd was behind Nigeria and people wanted to see an African team progress. I'm going to post some epic videos that I took from that game. I hung around after to have some photo ops with people, which was also real cool. There's also a small chance that I made it onto Korean TV or newspaper (have I been seen in any newspapers, my friends in Korea?) as there were a ton of cameramen and photographers taking shots of us. This then lead to the surprise of the trip. I see a familiar face walk by me. He definitely looked familiar, and I was so sure it was a friend of mine from the hostel in Johannesburg. Low and behold, it turned out to be my friend Cameron Dwyer, who I hung out with some. He came down here on a whim with my two other friends Kevin and Jonathan. So, I ended up going to their hostel and celebrating the big win. I went pretty crazy after the game, running around waving my flag like K'Naan had suggested me to do and was yelling things like "KOREAAAA!!!! AHHHH FUCK YEAH!!!!! I FUCKIN' LOVE YOU SOUTH AFRICAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"
It was truly the moment of the tournament for me. Hopefully though, this trip has a couple more memories in store.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Just a quick entry
Hey all,
Only got time for a real quick entry before I catch the bus into town.
There's a massive massive game tonight between Nigeria and South Korea, which will decide on who qualifies to the second round, with Greece also having an outside chance if they manage to beat Argentina.
The trip to Durban has been short, but sweet. It's a beautiful town which reminds me of Melbourne. I'm off to Port Elizabeth tomorrow to watch England play Slovenia. Hopefully we're in for some more drama this World Cup. Ciao all, my bus is coming!
Only got time for a real quick entry before I catch the bus into town.
There's a massive massive game tonight between Nigeria and South Korea, which will decide on who qualifies to the second round, with Greece also having an outside chance if they manage to beat Argentina.
The trip to Durban has been short, but sweet. It's a beautiful town which reminds me of Melbourne. I'm off to Port Elizabeth tomorrow to watch England play Slovenia. Hopefully we're in for some more drama this World Cup. Ciao all, my bus is coming!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Brazil/Ivory Coast and what's next for me
Went to the Brazil/Ivory Coast game, which was held at Soccer City in Joburg. It was a real entertaining match, which included highlights such as: A great flick up/half volley goal from Fabiano, a sending off for Kaka! I'm pretty sure you will be able to see the highlights for that.
I also must say, CONGRATULATIONS to New Zealand on tying the World Cup champions, Italy. An impressive defensive performance, and that penalty was such a dive. I can't believe the Italians get away with all the crap they pull. The one time that it turned against them (vs. Korea in 2002), they start pulling the bribery card. They've built that reputation for being referee cons for years and years and it finally bit them in the ass. But sadly, they get away with it time and time again.
I actually should be in bed right now. It's 3:30 am and I'm not even packed to go to Durban yet! My plane leaves in about 5 hours, eek!
As I just mentioned, I'm off to Durban, but will only be there for two days. I'm gonna go watch the Nigeria/South Korea match. It's a huge huge game, considering that this will determine qualification in the group. With Argentina already having 6 points and also playing Greece, a win looks likely there. With South Korea on 3 points and a -1 goal difference, Nigeria on 0 points with a -2 goal differential, that would mean a 1-0 Nigeria win would see them trhough which also means that South Korea can advance with a draw. After that, I will spend the last leg of my trip in Port Elizabeth. My flight lands at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, and the match between England and Slovenia starts at 4:30 pm! Add the fact that I'm bringing my huge backpack full of clothes, this poses a potential problem for me, ugh! I emailed the hostel that I'm staying at, hoping they can pick me up at the airport, drop me off at the stadium and bring my bag with them to the hostel, fingers crossed!
Finally, my friend Shawn is also in South Africa with his wife. He told me that he met Steve Nash the other day! Maybe we're in for a possible Steve Nash meeting at the England game? Time will tell.
I also must say, CONGRATULATIONS to New Zealand on tying the World Cup champions, Italy. An impressive defensive performance, and that penalty was such a dive. I can't believe the Italians get away with all the crap they pull. The one time that it turned against them (vs. Korea in 2002), they start pulling the bribery card. They've built that reputation for being referee cons for years and years and it finally bit them in the ass. But sadly, they get away with it time and time again.
I actually should be in bed right now. It's 3:30 am and I'm not even packed to go to Durban yet! My plane leaves in about 5 hours, eek!
As I just mentioned, I'm off to Durban, but will only be there for two days. I'm gonna go watch the Nigeria/South Korea match. It's a huge huge game, considering that this will determine qualification in the group. With Argentina already having 6 points and also playing Greece, a win looks likely there. With South Korea on 3 points and a -1 goal difference, Nigeria on 0 points with a -2 goal differential, that would mean a 1-0 Nigeria win would see them trhough which also means that South Korea can advance with a draw. After that, I will spend the last leg of my trip in Port Elizabeth. My flight lands at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, and the match between England and Slovenia starts at 4:30 pm! Add the fact that I'm bringing my huge backpack full of clothes, this poses a potential problem for me, ugh! I emailed the hostel that I'm staying at, hoping they can pick me up at the airport, drop me off at the stadium and bring my bag with them to the hostel, fingers crossed!
Finally, my friend Shawn is also in South Africa with his wife. He told me that he met Steve Nash the other day! Maybe we're in for a possible Steve Nash meeting at the England game? Time will tell.
Friday, June 18, 2010
USA vs. Slovenia, and why England doesn't win
Hey guys. I went to the USA/Slovenia game today, which was being played at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. It's only a 15 minute walk away from where I'm staying. It's a real nice stadium, which was home to the 1995 Rugby World Cup (think Invictus).
Both teams played with a lot of energy, but Slovenia put two goals on the board before the end of the first half. I thought the U.S. were a bit unlucky not to be a goal down because they did play pretty well, especially Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley (not just a coach's son). During the second half, the U.S. knew they had to put the petal to the medal. It resulted in an early goal, by Landon Donovan. And the crowd went crazy. I was actually really surprised at how well behaved the Americans in the crowd were. Apparently only the nice Americans travel. The U.S. I thought controlled the second half for the most part, with Slovenia only getting a few counter attacking chances. This pressure finally resulted in the equalizer as Michael Bradley put one away in the 82nd minute.
Just finished watching England play Algeria to a 0-0 borefest. England were shit in every sense of the imagination.: no creativity, no quality, no urgency. With 5 minutes left, I see Wayne Rooney walking with the ball in his own half. There's really no excuse for that if they're constantly billed as the "best England team ever" and other similar headlines.
I think the reason why England are not successful is due to a little bit of bad luck, but for the most part, they lack heart. Their big game players are not being big game players. They're the ones that are supposed to step up, take over games, and win them for you. I don't see that in them. Where's Wayne Rooney and his shitload of goals that he scored for Man United? Where's Captain Steven Gerrard when you need a goal? Something seems wrong with them for sure. They're gonna have to come up big vs. Slovenia, which I will be at.
Both teams played with a lot of energy, but Slovenia put two goals on the board before the end of the first half. I thought the U.S. were a bit unlucky not to be a goal down because they did play pretty well, especially Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley (not just a coach's son). During the second half, the U.S. knew they had to put the petal to the medal. It resulted in an early goal, by Landon Donovan. And the crowd went crazy. I was actually really surprised at how well behaved the Americans in the crowd were. Apparently only the nice Americans travel. The U.S. I thought controlled the second half for the most part, with Slovenia only getting a few counter attacking chances. This pressure finally resulted in the equalizer as Michael Bradley put one away in the 82nd minute.
Just finished watching England play Algeria to a 0-0 borefest. England were shit in every sense of the imagination.: no creativity, no quality, no urgency. With 5 minutes left, I see Wayne Rooney walking with the ball in his own half. There's really no excuse for that if they're constantly billed as the "best England team ever" and other similar headlines.
I think the reason why England are not successful is due to a little bit of bad luck, but for the most part, they lack heart. Their big game players are not being big game players. They're the ones that are supposed to step up, take over games, and win them for you. I don't see that in them. Where's Wayne Rooney and his shitload of goals that he scored for Man United? Where's Captain Steven Gerrard when you need a goal? Something seems wrong with them for sure. They're gonna have to come up big vs. Slovenia, which I will be at.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Bonus Blog
I should also report... had a real scary moment today. After I got dropped off from the shuttle bus, it was around a 10 minute walk back to my hostel. I ended up walking too far up the road, missed my turn and all of a sudden I was walking down a busy road with what looked like rundown houses on the side. This is where things start to get scary. Every person who passed me (must have been at least 50 people) kept giving me the stare and hard looks. On almost every occasion, I took a peek over my shoulder and they were looking back at me at the same time. I honestly thought there was a chance I was going to get jumped.
I walked into a small grocery store, asked the only white guy I had seen in the last while there for some directions back to the road I'm supposed to be on, but he gave me the most f'd up directions. This is what he said, "You go down the road (which direction?) and about 3 roads up, you take a left, then you go right, right, then right. That will take you back to Roberts Road.)
Gee, thanks. I ended up walking some more, finding a gas station and asked them to call me a cab. Close call.
I walked into a small grocery store, asked the only white guy I had seen in the last while there for some directions back to the road I'm supposed to be on, but he gave me the most f'd up directions. This is what he said, "You go down the road (which direction?) and about 3 roads up, you take a left, then you go right, right, then right. That will take you back to Roberts Road.)
Gee, thanks. I ended up walking some more, finding a gas station and asked them to call me a cab. Close call.
Argentina vs. South Korea
Well what can I say, I was a little disappointed at the result, but the atmosphere and fans were amazing. It was a great experience overall.
All the Argentina fans were real classy, and I took tons of pics.
Where does this leave South Korea's chances of qualifying? It all comes down to their final match vs. Nigeria in Durban. With Greece winning today, that puts Argentina on 6 points, Greece and Korea tied at 3 (with the tiebreaker being even at this point. More details at: http://fredericiana.com/2010/06/16/fifa-world-cup-tie-breaker-rules/
Nigeria still has a shot if they beat Korea by more than one goal, and if Argentina beats Greece.
Next match up, Slovenia/USA. I have a nice surprise for the USA fans: A Sidney Crosby jersey, reminding them who PWNS at hockey, and I'll also be wearing a Canadian flag.
All the Argentina fans were real classy, and I took tons of pics.
Where does this leave South Korea's chances of qualifying? It all comes down to their final match vs. Nigeria in Durban. With Greece winning today, that puts Argentina on 6 points, Greece and Korea tied at 3 (with the tiebreaker being even at this point. More details at: http://fredericiana.com/2010/06/16/fifa-world-cup-tie-breaker-rules/
Nigeria still has a shot if they beat Korea by more than one goal, and if Argentina beats Greece.
Next match up, Slovenia/USA. I have a nice surprise for the USA fans: A Sidney Crosby jersey, reminding them who PWNS at hockey, and I'll also be wearing a Canadian flag.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A middle of the night update
It's 5:30am and I've barely gotten any sleep. Two reasons, I'm real messed up from flying all day, but also there's a German guy underneath my bunk snores just about as loud as I do!
I may be screwed for sleep, but luckily, I'm not going to any matches tomorrow. Have a few errands to run, like collecting my tickets, visiting my travel agency, hunting down a Korea (South in case you're wondering) and maybe score some South Africa gear.
Will start taking lots of photos soon, until next time!
I may be screwed for sleep, but luckily, I'm not going to any matches tomorrow. Have a few errands to run, like collecting my tickets, visiting my travel agency, hunting down a Korea (South in case you're wondering) and maybe score some South Africa gear.
Will start taking lots of photos soon, until next time!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Quick update
Just a quick update guys. I'm at the Atlanta airport waiting for a connecting flight to South Africa. The time has finally come!!!
I'm looking forward to getting there, it's gonna be a long flight out for sure. My first game is this Wednesday, South Korea vs. Argentina.... DAE HAN MIN GUK!!!! GO KOREA let's see the biggest upset in tournament history!!!
I'm looking forward to getting there, it's gonna be a long flight out for sure. My first game is this Wednesday, South Korea vs. Argentina.... DAE HAN MIN GUK!!!! GO KOREA let's see the biggest upset in tournament history!!!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
WC Predictions
I'll probably end up being WAY off on my predictions, but I've decided to try and map out the entire World Cup.
I don't even have any idea on where this is going to end up, but without further ado.....
Round 2
1A vs. 2B
France 1 - 2 South Korea (Extra time)
1B vs. 2A
Argentina 1 - 0 South Africa
1C vs. 2D
England 2 - 0 Australia
1D vs. 2C
Germany 2 - 1 USA (Penalties)
1E vs. 2F
Netherlands 4 - 1 Paraguay
1F vs. 2E
Italy 1 - 0 Denmark (Extra time)
1G vs. 2H
Brazil 4 - 1 Chile
1H vs. 2G
Spain 2 - 1 Ivory Coast (Penalties)
Quarter-finals
England 2 - 1 South Korea
Germany 1 - 3 Argentina
Netherlands 2 - 0 Brazil
Spain 3 - 1 Italy
Semi-finals
England 2 - 1 Netherlands (Penalties)
Argentina 2 - 3 Spain
Finals
Spain 1 - 0 England
I don't even have any idea on where this is going to end up, but without further ado.....
GROUP A
 South Africa |  Mexico |  Uruguay |  France |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 11 | South Africa 2 - 0 Mexico | 10:00 AM | Johannesburg |
| June 11 | Uruguay 1 - 1 France | 2:30 PM | Cape Town |
| June 16 | South Africa 1 - 1 Uruguay | 2:30 PM | Pretoria |
| June 17 | France 3 - 0 Mexico | 7:30 AM | Polokwane |
| June 22 | Mexico 1 - 2 Uruguay | 10:00 AM | Rustenburg |
| June 22 | France 0 - 0 South Africa | 10:00 AM | Bloemfontein |
GROUP B
 Argentina |  Nigeria |  South Korea |  Greece |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 12 | Argentina 2 - 0 Nigeria | 7:30 AM | Johannesburg |
| June 12 | South Korea 1 - 0 Greece | 10:00 AM | Port Elizabeth |
| June 17 | Greece 1 - 2 Nigeria | 10:00 AM | Bloemfontein |
| June 17 | Argentina 3 - 1 South Korea | 2:30 PM | Johannesburg |
| June 22 | Nigeria 1 - 2 South Korea | 2:30 PM | Durban |
| June 22 | Greece 0 - 4 Argentina | 2:30 PM | Polokwane |
GROUP C
C
 England |  United States |  Algeria |  Slovenia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 12 | England 2 - 1 United States | 2:30 PM | Rustenburg |
| June 13 | Algeria 1 - 1 Slovenia | 7:30 AM | Polokwane |
| June 18 | Slovenia 0 - 3 United States | 10:00 AM | Johannesburg |
| June 18 | England 1 - 0 Algeria | 2:30 PM | Cape Town |
| June 23 | Slovenia 1 - 1 England | 10:00 AM | Port Elizabeth |
| June 23 | United States 2 - 0 Algeria | 10:00 AM | Pretoria |
GROUP D
 Germany |  Australia |  Serbia |  Ghana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 13 | Germany 1 - 0 Australia | 10:00 AM | Durban |
| June 13 | Serbia 0 - 1 Ghana | 2:30 PM | Pretoria |
| June 18 | Germany 2 - 0 Serbia | 7:30 AM | Port Elizabeth |
| June 19 | Ghana 1 - 1 Australia | 7:30 AM | Rustenburg |
| June 23 | Ghana 1 - 2 Germany | 2:30 PM | Johannesburg |
| June 23 | Australia 2 - 0 Serbia | 2:30 PM OAK | Nelspruit OAK |
GROUP E
 Netherlands |  Denmark |  Japan |  Cameroon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 14 | Netherlands 1 - 1 Denmark | 7:30 AM | Johannesburg |
| June 14 | Japan 0 - 2 Cameroon | 10:00 AM | Bloemfontein |
| June 19 | Netherlands 4 - 1 Japan | 10:00 AM | Durban |
| June 19 | Cameroon 2 - 2 Denmark | 2:30 PM | Pretoria |
| June 24 | Denmark 3 - 0 Japan | 2:30 PM | Rustenburg |
| June 24 | Cameroon 2 - 2 Netherlands | 2:30 PM | Cape Town |
GROUP F
 Italy |  Paraguay |  New Zealand |  Slovakia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 14 | Italy 2 - 0 Paraguay | 2:30 PM | Cape Town |
| June 15 | New Zealand 1 - 1 Slovakia | 7:30 AM | Rustenburg |
| June 20 | Slovakia 0 - 1 Paraguay | 7:30 AM | Bloemfontein |
| June 20 | Italy 3 - 0 New Zealand | 10:00 AM | Nelspruit |
| June 24 | Slovakia 0 - 0 Italy | 10:00 AM | Johannesburg |
| June 24 | Paraguay 2- 0 New Zealand | 10:00 AM | Polokwane |
GROUP G
 Brazil |  North Korea |  Ivory Coast |  Portugal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 15 | Ivory Coast 2- 2 Portugal | 10:00 AM | Port Elizabeth |
| June 15 | Brazil 3 - 0 North Korea | 2:30 PM | Johannesburg |
| June 20 | Brazil 3 - 3 Ivory Coast | 2:30 PM | Johannesburg |
| June 21 | Portugal 1 - 0 North Korea | 7:30 AM | Cape Town |
| June 25 | North Korea 0 - 2 Ivory Coast | 10:00 AM | Nelspruit |
| June 25 | Portugal 2 - 3 Brazil | 10:00 AM | Durban |
GROUP H
 Spain |  Switzerland |  Honduras |  Chile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Teams | Time(ET) | Location |
| June 16 | Honduras 2 - 2 Chile | 7:30 AM | Nelspruit |
| June 16 | Spain 5 - 1 Switzerland | 10:00 AM | Durban |
| June 21 | Chile 1 - 0 Switzerland | 10:00 AM | Port Elizabeth |
| June 21 | Spain 2 - 0 Honduras | 2:30 PM | Johannesburg |
| June 25 | Switzerland 1 - 1 Honduras | 2:30 PM | Bloemfontein |
| June 25 | Chile 0 - 3 Spain | 2:30 PM | Pretoria |
Round 2
1A vs. 2B
France 1 - 2 South Korea (Extra time)
1B vs. 2A
Argentina 1 - 0 South Africa
1C vs. 2D
England 2 - 0 Australia
1D vs. 2C
Germany 2 - 1 USA (Penalties)
1E vs. 2F
Netherlands 4 - 1 Paraguay
1F vs. 2E
Italy 1 - 0 Denmark (Extra time)
1G vs. 2H
Brazil 4 - 1 Chile
1H vs. 2G
Spain 2 - 1 Ivory Coast (Penalties)
Quarter-finals
England 2 - 1 South Korea
Germany 1 - 3 Argentina
Netherlands 2 - 0 Brazil
Spain 3 - 1 Italy
Semi-finals
England 2 - 1 Netherlands (Penalties)
Argentina 2 - 3 Spain
Finals
Spain 1 - 0 England
Friday, May 14, 2010
Match Previews
With my accommodations all but booked, I am officially ready for South Africa! What I promised last time were some match previews. Here they are:
June 17th: Argentina/Korea - Joburg 1:30 pm
My first official World Cup game. And what a game it is. My fellow Koreans taking on the South American giants. With Korea and Argentina already having played against Greece and Nigeria respectively, I think both teams will be going into this match with a win apiece. Both teams will be looking to grab a stranglehold of the Group lead, but I think Argentina is just too strong for the South Koreans. Look for Messi to torment the South Korean defence, whether he plays on the right or down the middle. Korea will fight and fight all the way to the last whistle, though.
Argentina 3 - 1 South Korea
June 18th: Slovenia/USA - Joburg 4:00 pm
With both teams having already played a game, look for the USA to take this one very easily. They impressed me a lot during the Confederations Cup when they beat Spain and pushed Brazil as far as they would bend. Look for Landon Donovan and co. to take this one.
USA 3 - 0 Slovenia
June 20th: Ivory Coast/Brazil - Joburg 8:30pm
What a matchup. Two of the what I'd call the top ten teams in the world being matched together in the same group. It's Drogba vs. Kaka. My guess from the first match would be that Brazil demolished a poverty-stricken North Korea side, while I do believe Ivory Coast will sneak out winners vs. Portugal. Expect to see a lot of goals and a lot of open play in what I'm going to call a 6-goal thriller.
Brazil 3 - 3 Ivory Coast
June 22nd: Nigeria/Korea - Durban 8:30 pm
The last group game for the Super Eagles and Red Devils. I believe this will be a game for 2nd place in the group. I think both teams will have beaten Greece and lost to Argentina. In what could be a dramatic, thrilling encounter, I believe the Red Devils will prevail and move onto the second round. KOREA FIGHTING!
Korea 2 - 1 Nigeria
June 23rd: Slovenia/England - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
In what is the final group game for both teams in Group C, I believe England will have already wrapped up first place in the group off the back of wins vs. USA and Algeria, I think England may look to rest a player or two (Rooney, Lampard). With Slovenia long out of the competition, I believe they will play their hearts out to grind a result from this game.
England 1 - 1 Slovenia
June 24th: Paraguay/NZ - Polokwane 4:00 pm
This is a mismatch in every sense of the word. With most of Paraguay's players playing in the top leagues in South America and Europe, New Zealand only have a couple players plying their trade across the Atlantic, with most of their players playing in the A-League in Australia. Paraguay I think at this point will still have everything to play for, and I can't see anything but a win here for them.
Paraguay 3 - 1 New Zealand
June 17th: Argentina/Korea - Joburg 1:30 pm
My first official World Cup game. And what a game it is. My fellow Koreans taking on the South American giants. With Korea and Argentina already having played against Greece and Nigeria respectively, I think both teams will be going into this match with a win apiece. Both teams will be looking to grab a stranglehold of the Group lead, but I think Argentina is just too strong for the South Koreans. Look for Messi to torment the South Korean defence, whether he plays on the right or down the middle. Korea will fight and fight all the way to the last whistle, though.
Argentina 3 - 1 South Korea
June 18th: Slovenia/USA - Joburg 4:00 pm
With both teams having already played a game, look for the USA to take this one very easily. They impressed me a lot during the Confederations Cup when they beat Spain and pushed Brazil as far as they would bend. Look for Landon Donovan and co. to take this one.
USA 3 - 0 Slovenia
June 20th: Ivory Coast/Brazil - Joburg 8:30pm
What a matchup. Two of the what I'd call the top ten teams in the world being matched together in the same group. It's Drogba vs. Kaka. My guess from the first match would be that Brazil demolished a poverty-stricken North Korea side, while I do believe Ivory Coast will sneak out winners vs. Portugal. Expect to see a lot of goals and a lot of open play in what I'm going to call a 6-goal thriller.
Brazil 3 - 3 Ivory Coast
June 22nd: Nigeria/Korea - Durban 8:30 pm
The last group game for the Super Eagles and Red Devils. I believe this will be a game for 2nd place in the group. I think both teams will have beaten Greece and lost to Argentina. In what could be a dramatic, thrilling encounter, I believe the Red Devils will prevail and move onto the second round. KOREA FIGHTING!
Korea 2 - 1 Nigeria
June 23rd: Slovenia/England - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
In what is the final group game for both teams in Group C, I believe England will have already wrapped up first place in the group off the back of wins vs. USA and Algeria, I think England may look to rest a player or two (Rooney, Lampard). With Slovenia long out of the competition, I believe they will play their hearts out to grind a result from this game.
England 1 - 1 Slovenia
June 24th: Paraguay/NZ - Polokwane 4:00 pm
This is a mismatch in every sense of the word. With most of Paraguay's players playing in the top leagues in South America and Europe, New Zealand only have a couple players plying their trade across the Atlantic, with most of their players playing in the A-League in Australia. Paraguay I think at this point will still have everything to play for, and I can't see anything but a win here for them.
Paraguay 3 - 1 New Zealand
Thursday, May 6, 2010
My World Cup game schedule
Hey guys,
I thought I'd do a little update. Here are the games I'm going to be going to in South Africa:
June 17th: Argentina/Korea - Joburg 1:30 pm
June 18th: Slovenia/USA - Joburg 4:00 pm
June 20th: Ivory Coast/Brazil - Joburg 8:30pm
June 22nd: Nigeria/Korea - Durban 8:30 pm
June 23rd: Slovenia/England - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
June 24th: Paraguay/NZ - Polokwane 4:00 pm
June 26th: 2nd round 1A vs. 2B - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
The June 24th game is probably off my schedule. A flight to Polokwane is way too expensive ($500) and just to watch Paraguay/NZ... I love the Kiwis, but not that much I guess. I've put the ticket up for resale, but I doubt it will get sold, as there are still tons of tickets available for that game. What might end up happening is that I give the ticket away to a "ticket fund", which will be used to give to underprivileged children and such. So at least my ticket won't go to waste and would be going to a good cause! Enjoy the Kiwis on me. :)
I've been busy booking up hostels in the three cities I will be based in. They're obviously in high demand, so the search continues for them. Next time, I'll give a preview of the matches I'll be watching.
I thought I'd do a little update. Here are the games I'm going to be going to in South Africa:
June 17th: Argentina/Korea - Joburg 1:30 pm
June 18th: Slovenia/USA - Joburg 4:00 pm
June 20th: Ivory Coast/Brazil - Joburg 8:30pm
June 22nd: Nigeria/Korea - Durban 8:30 pm
June 23rd: Slovenia/England - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
June 24th: Paraguay/NZ - Polokwane 4:00 pm
June 26th: 2nd round 1A vs. 2B - Port Elizabeth 4:00 pm
The June 24th game is probably off my schedule. A flight to Polokwane is way too expensive ($500) and just to watch Paraguay/NZ... I love the Kiwis, but not that much I guess. I've put the ticket up for resale, but I doubt it will get sold, as there are still tons of tickets available for that game. What might end up happening is that I give the ticket away to a "ticket fund", which will be used to give to underprivileged children and such. So at least my ticket won't go to waste and would be going to a good cause! Enjoy the Kiwis on me. :)
I've been busy booking up hostels in the three cities I will be based in. They're obviously in high demand, so the search continues for them. Next time, I'll give a preview of the matches I'll be watching.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Welcome to my blog!
Hey guys,
Welcome to my blog. I'm going to be talking about the trials and tribulations of my summer vacation in South Africa checking out the World Cup. This idea spawned I guess from when I was a child. My first memories of the World Cup were while watching Italia '90 with my dad. My fondest memory of that tournament was watching the Maradona-led World Champions Argentina go down in to the pesky Germans in the final. Watching the despaired emotion of Maradona and the joy on the face of Lothar Mattheus was awe-inspiring for this 9 year old Canadian boy. Ever since that moment, I've wanted to go to the World Cup.
I was really close to going to Germany in 2006, but a combination of having a lack of funds, and friends dropping out caused me to abandon that journey. But this time, no economic shortfall exists and I'm more than willing to go it alone this time.
That time is coming soon, it's time to live out my childhood dream......
Welcome to my blog. I'm going to be talking about the trials and tribulations of my summer vacation in South Africa checking out the World Cup. This idea spawned I guess from when I was a child. My first memories of the World Cup were while watching Italia '90 with my dad. My fondest memory of that tournament was watching the Maradona-led World Champions Argentina go down in to the pesky Germans in the final. Watching the despaired emotion of Maradona and the joy on the face of Lothar Mattheus was awe-inspiring for this 9 year old Canadian boy. Ever since that moment, I've wanted to go to the World Cup.
I was really close to going to Germany in 2006, but a combination of having a lack of funds, and friends dropping out caused me to abandon that journey. But this time, no economic shortfall exists and I'm more than willing to go it alone this time.
That time is coming soon, it's time to live out my childhood dream......
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