Australia 2-2 Croatia

So the US are now out of the World Cup. I didn't watch the game (being at a comic book store. And if John is curious, I bought Eternals #1, by Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr., and Manhunter #23, by Marc Andreyko and Javier Pina.) Gina has more relevant comments. From the reports I have read, Arena has no tactical sense. Why have a 4-5-1 formation when Ghana is weak on defense and when you have Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope on the bench (red cards from the Italy game)?

If the US want to do better in the World Cup, I suggest they hire Guus Hiddink as Arena's replacement (that is, if the French don't snatch him first to replace Raymond Domenech, another senseless coach. Well, the British could also try to get him to replace Sven-Goran Eriksson.) Seriously, Hiddink has to be the best coach around. The man is capable of miracles. Watch what he did with South Korea four years ago and with Australia now. (as a note to Tommy Smythe of ESPN, who gives a shit whether the Australian A-League is behind MLS? It's not going to change their performance during the World Cup. Australia exports its players to Europe, the US don't)

Granted, you have to be willing to accept that the opposing team will score their first goal under two minutes (see today's game against Croatia and four years ago, South Korea's third place game against Turkey).

Now, today's game was rather strange toward the end of the second half. Intense, but strange. It seems the referee lost his nerve when Croatia lost theirs, and just started doling out yellow cards. And what was up with Croatia's Simunic getting three yellow cards, including one at the end of injury time?

The surprise of the day was Tamade scoring Japan's first goal against Brazil. Brazil then proceeded to beat Japan senseless, for a final score of 4-1. I would have been please, had Japan beat Brazil. (As a rule, I will always root for the team that plays against Brazil)

Tomorrow is the last day of group play. Here is me hoping that France wins against Togo (don't tell me France will win this one easily! Remember Paraguay winning over Trinidad & Tobago!) and that the Switzerland-South Korea game does not end in a tie. Switzerland can actually afford a tie (but not a loss) while South Korea would be competing with France over goal differentials. Then France would have to score at least 2 goals to be promoted. So I'm also rooting for the Taeguk Warriors in that game.