There are just two matches left in the World Cup, and because they've been dragging it out for days and days now, I'm only mildly interested in the results. Not only that, but today's meet between Uruguay and Germany is completely pointless. They're battling for third place, something that just doesn't seem to be very important. Who sits down and remembers the team that came third in the 2010 World Cup?
Credit: Gustavo Bravo / Flickr
Diego Forlán, with added mobile phone
Having prefaced this game with such an uplifting introduction, I will say there is some good news. Diego Forlán will be playing, despite the fact that he has a slightly twingy thigh. He was pulled off their losing semi-final match minutes before the end, but is determined to get out on the pitch today.
He's sort of in the running for the Golden Boot thing, which is some kind of recognition for scoring the most goals throughout the World Cup tournament. I'm not sure he's going to be able to do it, unless they have an epic goal-filled game tonight. It could happen, but up against Germany, I'm not so sure.
Either way, Mr Forlán is keeping his fingers crossed:
I would be much happier if we get third place. If I score and help to achieve that aim, then great. I really hope we can finish third as I'd like to finish this tournament with a victory.
Diego Forlán
The match kicks-off at 7:30pm GMT+1 and will be broadcast on ITV for those in the UK. Let us know your predictions, and particularly how many goals you think Forlán will score.
[Image licensed under a Creative Commons 2.0 license]
Is it still not finals day? For gods sake, hurry up!
This game is so rubbish and pointless, I'm hoping that the speedway in Cardiff has a powercut until 7:30, and then goes on to 9:15ish.
Or a good film is on, I don't mind which
what's FIFA's reason for putting this game on?
I've got a pound riding on this game.... Goooooooooooooo Uruguay!
Its bound to be along the lines of money. I understand if its the Olympics and someone needs a bronze medal but this is just utterly pointless.
I demand all grand slams now have a play off for third and fourth between the losing semi finalists.
That is the correct answer!
I think coming third is more important to Uruguay. As a side note could Forlan and um wassername have decided to have a high scoring match so one of them nicks the ridiculously na,Ed "golden shoe"?
In fairness to the pointless game, they are usually good since both teams go for it because there is nothing to lose.
#sorrychristine but Germany to win heavily tonight
Germany to win via another thrashing and Miroslav Klose for golden boot! Anything to make the actual final look bad really. #soreloser
Hello everyone. ;)
Oh wait, Miro is injured. :( Really stupid of me to boycott all the newspapers after their defeat.
And no...Lahm either.
Yes, I am in a very unhappy mood now. Hopefully they cut to him on the bench often enough to keep me from sulking.
At least Thomas Mueller is playing! :D
So...which important player is going to get a serious injury which will pretty annoy the team they play for?
Suarez. Just because. ;)
No wink for the camera from Thomas this time. I am surprised.
Have got my ITV stream up and running now.
Oh no, anti-Paul signs! :(
They said we can vote man of the match at the end.
I already know who man of the match is.
The guy who scores the most goals because the voters on that site don't appreciate anyone other than the goalscorers.
I love Bastian and all but I am rather unhappy that Philipp is not doing the introducing today. It is supposed to be his opportunity to cement that arm band! :P
Not true actually. Like Bastian being MotM for Germany-Argentina.
Klose when he comes off the bench to score number 15? ;)
No this is ITV's special little thing they do on the website. Its stupid.
Oh. The actual MotM is also voted by viewers. I do it for every match I watch.
My predos even if I'm not watching it: Germany 5-3 Uruguay.
And I'm still not watching it.
Plenty of goals! :D
Why? It is going to be better than the final!
Speedway is on and there are people trying to kill each other out there*
*slight exageration, but we've had two fights already.
KICK OFF!
Why isn't he the captain today?
Philipp Lahm? He is sick with the flu virus. :(
THOMAS! No goal given though.
I don't know who that is! Was talking about Forlan... as a change :)
Someone is making their World Cup debut on THIS game? Poor chap.
I do believe Lugano was suspended for the last game, so Forlan who was vice-captain took over, but he's back for this one.
Ohhh, I thought he was proper captain. Rrrruubbish.
Rubbish Forlan? :P
Nah. Uruguay for not making him captain.
ARNE! I think he is starting to get a hang of those headers.
MULLER!!!! :D
Goal for Germany.
Boooo.
Right I've given up and am now watching it.
Only because the speedway has finished and there is nothing else on.
Oooh. Close one there.
Yay!
But you missed the Mueller goal. :(
They'll show it at half time.
Uruguay goal!
Oooh excellent, well on for this 5-3 prediction.
Goalkeeper error, met thinks.
Cavani. Nice finish.
Very neat.
Woooo.
To celebrate: http://sidepodcast.posterous.com/they-are-1-0-down-but-who-cares-about-that
I'm now watching, will cook some food during, and maybe (hopefully) either do some ALMS notes for Alia or finish a blog post I started the other day
Yay for more people watching this pointless match! :D
It's raining!
Can you imagine if Philipp, Lukas and Joachim recovers from the flu, and everyone else on the team (plus the whole Uruguay 1st team) falls sick because of this pouring rain?
I do think this German defense (and even attack given the lack of runs down the right) is really missing Philipp, if I do say so myself.
Why aren't they playing down the right if one of their best players (Mueller) is on the right?
YAY! Or at least the crowd thinks so.
"he shanks it wide"
he did what? needs more wallop.
Very obvious handball by the Uruguay captain there.
:D
I think this Uruguay goalkeeper may actually be worse than Rob Green...
Its torrential rain out there and no matter how much grip you have on their gloves it is almost impossible to catch a ball.
Arne! That was really funny actually.
But but but.... Don't you want someone to be worse than Rob Green? I mean the poor thing only made 1 mistake and did make a terrific save to make up for it after that.
I defend all keepers, no matter who they play for ;)
:D
isn't that the defenders job?
Evening peoples. How's the match so far?
:D :D :D
Both players aims is to stop a goal being scored, they'll be quick to blame the keeper if it came to it.
Fantastic. Better than the final. Only missing Captain Philipp's awesomeness.
Saying that the keeper shoulda least parried the ball away from the goal for the German goal.
Second thoughs the ball is being a ....... right pain again.
They dropped the captain? Ballack will be happy
Well he ain't young you know. Unlike the rest of the squad. :D
Nah. Philipp and Lukas and their manager is down with the flu. I saw Philipp tucked deep into his jacket earlier.
What the #4 got away with that?! Thats an instant red card for sure.
I suppose if you are going to get flu at the world cup this is the time to do it
Which one? *searchesforremote*
:D As I was saying:
Early in the game apparantly, missed the ball and coulda broke the players leg.
After this game, there is an ALMS qualifying session from Utah if anyone is interested.
I think that was Aogo's foul? Looks bad, but I think the Uruguay player didn't really get that badly hurt. Good for him to not make it look worse and activate the red card call.
ZAKUMI! <3 <3 <3
I'm not sure you can defend that tackle. It doesn't matter if the player wasn't injured, he missed the ball and had studs showing, definate red card.
THey have a track in Utah?
I am not defending the tackle. Just saying that if the Uruguayan player did a CR on it, he could have forced the red card. So good on him not to do so.
Salt Lake City. Dusty, not much there apart from mountains in the background.
Oh fair enough, I'd agree with that.
2nd half kick off.
:D Remember, I am the one who hates bad tackles? I think this referee is positively awful and he has done nothing to change my opinion yet.
I know the one. Odd place to put a track
Seems crazy to me but they seem to like it.
woah
Forlan scores
Oh what a goal by Forlan.
Forlan scores! Christine?
♥
'Arry, can you sign him up before his price gets even more higher?
No chance for the keeper there with the defender 'hiding' the shot
Forlan has said he is not going to England because of the weather and is staying in Spain
:D
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_6253237,00.html
And 'Arry is in charge so, who could possibly say no?
GOAL FOR JANSEN!!!!!
2-2 now. Nice header.
Now that was a good save.
Looks like everyone fancies scoring a spectacular goal
A back pass?
I'd love to tell you but ITV were enjoying a bit of Forlan's goal.
Same here.
That is a passback
Hmmm... On replay.... Maybe? A little harsh, but it is an indirect freekick so maybe?
Can't blame them.
There is a guy in the crowd who has a full white hand painted on his face. Wonder what that symbolises other than slap here.
SARUMAN! But this isn't Bloemfontain....
What does that mean?
That was a rugby tackle. I say yellow card.
Lord of the Rings apparently
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saruman
Saruman = white wizard of Isengard from LotR
Bloemfontain = hometown of JRR Tolkien author of LotR
:D
German substitution
Kieblig for Cacau
Kiebling
Kiesling on for Cacau. Good move by Joachim, since Cacau getting rather hot-headed there.
heehee :D
Got it wrong twice
Nah. German names are weird like that.
Gargano on for Perez.
I was reading it of the back of his shirt and thought it was a B rather than a ß
Whats the point of being in a wall if you are just going to duck anyway?
Not surprising. Some of my friends saying the german typefont for A looks like a R so they have been going Rogo and I was like who?
:D
Does anyone know if this pointless game goes to extra time and penalties if required? That just seems unnecessarily pointless
Yeah, same rules as the final.
Yes it does. More Germany! (and Forlan for Christine).
Blame Adidas. Mr C told me all about their typeface. Haven't noticed the A/R problem.
Toni Kroos on for Jansen.
3-2Germany Khedira
SAMI!!!! Germany goal!
3-2, no idea who scored.
Sami Khedira. :D
That was a bit of a mess.
Great header over the keeper to the far corner. That's not how the experts tell you to do it. It's supposed to go down not up
This goal reminded me of the Ghana confusion. No Suarez on the line this time though.
Imagine being sent of twice for that in 3 games
Then he will get booed even more than he is now. :D
I think Uruguay will get another goal.
Joachim Loew looks very healthy for someone who is ill
I think this game just deserves 1 more goal no matter the side. Whether for Germany to continue the 4 goal streak or for this game to be brought to extra time.
He looked sick earlier. Maybe his team doing well is a good enough tonic. :D
I can't believe Kiesling skied that!
Forlan gets Man of the Match
I SAID THAT before we even started.
For which channel?
I had no idea we could vote for ITV's man of the match. Clearly they have no publicised it well over there previous 30 matches
Pschic
ITV
Ah. I say Khedira for actual MotM.
Taxi for Oezil ;)
:D Tasci on for Oezil.
Forlan hits the crossbar!
Full time: Uruguay 2 Germany 3
Well, that was some last kick.
Right, proper stuff tomorrow night, hooray.
Forlan close to taking the game to extra time. From what I saw it was a really good game
Ahhhhh, that was so close.
I repeat - this is going to be better than the final. Too bad for Uruguay though.
Woops. Thomas Mueller gets it.
Finals can be tense affairs and Spain will try to shut down the midfield. Netherlands need to score early if we are going to have a good match.
Presumably Forlan is too old to be in the next world cup?
Spain has been awful and Netherlands has added 'boring' to 'total football'. I am not predicting good things there.
I think this match would have made a much better final. Tense, but still plenty of pretty football on show. And Forlan gets the final kick. ;)
Yes, I am afraid. Unless he is doing a Franco ala Mexico-style?
Presentation. YAY!!!! :D
Probably. Uruguay is a small country with not many players of his standard so if he is still playing by that time there is every chance he will be chosen. Assuming they qualify of course.
CAPTAIN PHILIPP!!! <3 <3 <3
You are seeing something different to us
The octopus picked Spain to win the final. Calimari anyone?
He is the captain. I am just stating the truth.
:D I think I want Netherlands to win too.