The Daily Mirror routs the tabloid headline competition
* England 1, USA 1. Play of the game: "Clintinho" Dempsey's samba steps around Steven Gerrard, followed by Robert Green's unbelievable blunder. Most fun repeated joke of the afternoon: yelling ecstatically, "BRILLIANT SAVE BY GREEN" in an English accent every time he handled a soft back-pass for the rest of the game. Man of the match: me, for desiring and correctly predicting the exact score.
Steven Gerrard said: "The whole team is behind Rob Green." Withhindsight, that's a good place to stand. HAR HAR.
Steven Gerrard said: "The whole team is behind Rob Green." Withhindsight, that's a good place to stand. HAR HAR.
* Argentina 1, Nigeria 0. Play of the game: Maradona putting on a suit, obviously for the first time in 20 years, before the match. Mild disappointment: Lil' Lionel Messi, who looked dangerous for all 90 minutes, but never quite generated the moment of sheer genius everyone is waiting for. Man of the match: Maradona, for his brilliant clown-show on the sideline. The only man in the world with a "cocaine gut", as they say, he looked like an overfed, bearded Grouch Marx. Normally I root against Argentina but I want to see this man every day of the week for the next month.
Predictions! (Sorry, Algeria-Slovenia).
* Serbia 2, Ghana 0. Trying to stick with this cold-blooded thing. Ghana may be capable of an Essien-less surprise, but not in their first game.
* Germany 2, Australia 1. Our first three goal game? Germany (in Euro '08 and the friendlies I saw) plays a much more open game than their historic reputation would imply. High hopes for this one.
Predictions! (Sorry, Algeria-Slovenia).
* Serbia 2, Ghana 0. Trying to stick with this cold-blooded thing. Ghana may be capable of an Essien-less surprise, but not in their first game.
* Germany 2, Australia 1. Our first three goal game? Germany (in Euro '08 and the friendlies I saw) plays a much more open game than their historic reputation would imply. High hopes for this one.