[Douy]

Portugal will win this group easy!
So they got beat 3-2 of USA!
They will whoop Poland easily..but South Korea may be a bit of a threat!
They shouldnt take Poland lightly though..we dont wont another beating of a team they should whoop!!!!!
:fero: Come on Portugal!!!:fero:

 

[Gregor]

Douy Portugal will go out they lost to U.S.A

 

[BeiraMarense]

Their not out yet. Mistakes not form caused their loss. If we get our act together for the next game we can still pass as second which means the Americans would be screwed if they came first again Italy. I don't doubt the Koreans but chances are Poland is just WAY too aggresive and gave up possesion.

 

[ForçaMadeirense]

We can still go throw First
Relax and watch the Game
It will be a Differente team Playing.

 

[BeiraMarense]

Plus-We'll have our Xavier!

 

[Magic#10]

It's going to be one of the best matches so far. 2 good teams - sad to see Portugal go back home. I guess you could hope for a thrilling 3-3 draw, eh? I think the US might screw up against Poland and save Portugal from an early exit

 

[O Glorioso]

It's going to be one of the best matches so far. 2 good teams - sad to see Portugal go back home. I guess you could hope for a thrilling 3-3 draw, eh? I think the US might screw up against Poland and save Portugal from an early exit

Huh? ....... Sadly my friend you are wrong. I'll make an assumption that you don't watch that many Portuguese NT games from what you said. A 3-3 draw will only occur if Portugal play as they did against the United States. The players have said that they came out of the U.S.A game surprised, b/c of what they didn't expect. Now when they went into and out of the Poland game they have said that they have and will expect anything in their games. The players now know that they must work together, unlike in the U.S.A game.

Now when you look at South Korea, they are acting a little bit cocky. I read today that "The U.S. beat Portugal, so can we," Kim Nam-il said. Now that is being a little over confident and cocky.

Let's see what happens.

 

[Frederik]

Well Portugal is now out of the World Cup. So yet another favourite exited the turnament before the second round.

I think it's clear that many of the top players have had a tough a long season. Just look at Zidane and Figo. They've been either injured or really poor in this World Cup and both of their countries have gone home before the second round.

I think UEFA should think about maybe changing their European cups - It's too tough for the players. Zidane for instance has played over 50 games this season. It's too much! This is clearly one of the reason for many of the top players poor performance.

Then I also have to say that the top countries can't use this as an excuse for being poor and out of the World Cup. It's also about poor preparation and maybe also a bit the will to win.

Although I think it's sad for the turnament that countries like France, Argentina and Portugal, which was huge favourites before the turnament started. I must say that it's very good for football in general. That smaller teams as Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, Japan, USA and Senegal have had such a great World Cup so far. It shows that there isn't such a huge gab between the best teams and the rest anymore.


The Cup of surprises.

 

[Magic#10]

Allow me to quote Peter Schmeichel:

"
I think the attitude of some of the big teams - especially France and Argentina - has been: "Let's cruise through the first three games and then we start playing."

That's not good enough anymore.

There are the so-called smaller teams and then the big teams who are expected to go all the way.

But the difference between the two is getting smaller and I don't think the big teams have realised that. "

 

[Frederik]

But the difference between the two is getting smaller and I don't think the big teams have realised that.

Well 3 of them definitely haven't !

 

[Marek]

portugal flops once again, to bad portugal will never be rembered as anything more than a country that produces talented players.

 

[Figo Rules]

Well done Poland...

You showed us that the USA were overrated after we gifted them their win.

It's too bad, because I figure that it was pre-ordained that the ref would do what he could to ensure that the dog-eaters and the US would advance.

Our 2nd yellow was a huge dive by Korea. I guess with Poland up 3-0 Portugal had to lose. If Korea didn't score when they did, I wonder how many more we would have had sent off.

People may not see it my way. To those, I say, "Stop being so naive"

Portugal loves this game and will always love this game.

Korea had to advance. They are the hosts.

Meanwhile, after all the hype about US Soccer after beating Portugal, I wonder what would have happened if the US went home early. I guess they had to make it too.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Makes FIFA go round

 

[Jonny Knoxville]

dumbass!?
I tell how much they have progressed . They are in the second round while the Portuguese team are going home and deserved to go popstickle! Why do the canadiens have a soccer forum here , a disgrace to the name of soccer!!

 

[Figo Rules]

Yo jackass...

I know you're conflicted about this whole Portugal-USA thing, but get a clue.

I think it's great that the US advanced. The way they came out against Poland was just awesome; a credit to US soccer.

I guess the powers that be got what they wanted.

Portuguese people will always love soccer. The Americans on the other hand need to be pushed to like soccer. Maybe this will do it.

Go Go USA.

Your comment about Canadian soccer is typical American crap. It gets harder and harder to defend Americans when people talk crap about them. Smarten Up !

 

[JureM]

Actually lack of finishing is what did Portugal in today. They have only themselves to blame....plus, all that was needed was a tie and the US would have been eliminated...Korea was going on regardless....

This stuff happens....and not just to Portugal...I think Portugal took the US to lightly and they paid for that mistake, sure the goals the US scored in that game weren't great but they did go in...Croatia, made that same mistake against Mexico. They took them lightly and we paid for it....it happens, and its time to move on....

So in today's case, I doubt it had anything to do with FIFA and $$$ because as I said, the US was losing 3-0 with Poland and the Portugal game was still a tie, that was all that was needed for both Korea and Portugal to advance...

Well...for the Euro teams that are out..we have to start looking ahead to Portugal 2004....

 

[JureM]

Plus...when it comes to a great second round I think FIFA would have preferred that Portugal, Argentina and France move on and not go home......lets be honest who would you rather have going to the second round...

Senegal
US
Sweden

or...

France
Portugal
Argentina????

 

[Jonny Knoxville]

Sorry :yuck:

 

[JureM]

Figo Rules is a good poster and has every right to be angry and disapointed. When your team gets knocked out of a big tournament such as the WC which only comes around every 4 years, there is bitter disapointment.

 

[Figo Rules]

JureM...

Any one who knows the Portuguese NT knows that we did not play our best soccer, for various reasons. All I wanted was a fair chance in this game to make up for the US loss.
To deny that Korea and Japan got favourable calls in crucial situations is either being naive, or those people did not watch their games.

Beto's 2nd yellow was a joke (obvious dive), and a couple of minutes later Korea scored. We were having trouble keeping up with them at even strength, then we had 2 men sent off.

Our best chances came when we had 9 men, and only in the last 5 minutes. I don't think Korea would have scored 11 on 11 if the game went on for days; but 11 vs 9, they had a chance.

Now that you mention it, Portugal is a reltively poor nation that will always love soccer no matter how far they go in the WC. Korea had to advance, FIFA had to make sure of that.

You're American. How do you think non-soccer fans in the US would react to the US being put out in the first round after all the hype they may have heard about beating Portugal. Would they lose any interest they might have had in the past week ?

I believe FIFA got what they wanted. Say what you will, but I don't trust FIFA one bit. There is too much money at stake.

I can't speak for Arg and Fra going out. Their own fans would know better than I would, just why they went out.

 

[JureM]

Figo...

Now you understand how we Croatians feel. The worst feeling in the world is losing knowing you didn't play you best. I always say, if we play hard and lose then fine, you gave everything that you got but it wasn't meant to be...but when you play bad and lose that is hard to accept.

As for non-soccer fans in the US, I'll be honest with you, I don't think they care at all weather the US advanced or didn't. The non-soccer fans ndon't understand our sport and I don't think they care to understand. Give them Baseball, football, and NASCAR and they are happy....