Ghana

World Cup Soapbox: withdrawal symptoms or back to a normal life?

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soapbox


… in which Pete Sixsmith fills a World Cup gap by going to the circus before offering his closing stage predictions (for the football, not the circus); thus Pete laments the likely end of the road for Paraguay, sees Ghana proceeding to the semis and names the trophy winners …

After coming through two scary days without football. I need my fix today. Like Renton in Trainspotting, I will have my perfect day in front of the screen tonight, taking an interest in Holland v Brazil and roaring out encouragement for Big John and the Black Stars tonight.

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Sorry America, but you had to go

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jeremy3

We end our trio of Sunday morning reads on a controversial note. Jeremy Robson, writing from Ontario, risks the wrath of nearish neighbours to, whisper this, welcome the USA’s exit …


Well, thank goodness the USA have been eliminated from the World Cup.

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World Cup Soapbox: the tournament warms up

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soapbox


Pete Sixsmith appreciates an urgent new dimension to the World Cup after the often turgid fare of the group stage. England fans of a nervous disposition should stop reading before the end …

After the chess games of the Group stages, the cynicism of the likes of Portugal and Chile and the ineptitude of England, we saw some real football today, with belting games in the first of the Round Two games.

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Bravo Ghana, as USA football comes of age

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bill9

Spoilt for choice, Salut! Sunderland has three writers lined up to share their thoughts on yesterday’s games, and the new phase of the World Cup more generally. Let’s start with Bill Taylor‘s eulogy to an absorbing encounter between Ghana and the USA …

If England and Germany play half as well today as the United States and Ghana played yesterday, it’ll be a very good game.

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World Cup Soapbox: bring on the Germans – or maybe not

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soapbox

England v Germany. Not a sporting occasion that always brings out the best in Her Majesty’s Tabloid Press. Pete Sixsmith dreads a deluge of red-top Germanophobia, but also wonders whether our boys can throw off the sluggishness that threatens England’s progress …

Sitting here, I am surrounded by the efforts of 300+ young people in their recent GCSE History exam.

A number of the questions on that paper rake over Britain’s stormy relationship with Germany in the 20th Century, a relationship that is about to be tested again at Bloemfontein on Sunday.

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