World Cup Open Thread

REUTERS/Yves Herman (GERMANY)
Swedish soccer fans

Saturday, June 17, 2006
TIME	HOME		AWAY	MATCH	VENUE
Jun 17 09:00 ET	Portugal	v	Iran	Match 24	Frankfurt
Jun 17 12:00 ET	Czech Republic	v	Ghana	Match 26	Cologne
Jun 17 15:00 ET	Italy	v	United States	Match 25	Kaiserslautern

Jen, find two male soccer players kissing from the World Cup and it will go up, OK?

Ah, we're hoping the US doesn't embarass us.

Enough said on that.

Angola goalie frustrates Mexico in 0-0 tie

By BRIAN TRUSDELL, Associated Press Writer Fri Jun 16, 7:03 PM ET

HANOVER, Germany - At times it was desperate, and occasionally ugly. It also was a point in the World Cup for Angola.

Anchored by goalkeeper Joao Ricardo and defender Jamba, World Cup newcomer Angola frustrated heavily favored Mexico and hung on for a 0-0 draw Friday night.

Ricardo made several dramatic saves, and the chances he flubbed somebody — usually Jamba — came to clear from danger.

Five days after losing 1-0 to former colonial ruler Portugal, the Black Antelopes withstood an early surge from Mexico, displayed a bit of offensive initiative and then managed to overcome playing a man down for the final 11 minutes.

"It's a great challenge to play Mexico," Angola coach Luis Oliviera Goncalves said. "They're a very difficult team, but we developed a strategy that allowed us not to suffer goals and to try to score ourselves."

The result left Mexico, who beat Iran 3-1 in their opener, atop Group D with four points and one game remaining, against Portugal. The Portuguese face Iran on Saturday. The Angolans have only Iran remaining.

I dare anyone to say that this didn't shock the shit out of them. Angola played like desperate men, and Mexico acted once again, like they were assumed to be stars and not earning that.

I think Ivory Coast also showed a lot of spirit in their match against the Dutch, It's not easy to face down that side and keep coming.