This group is still wide open. I'm still hoping for my home team (USA) to make it through, but they have to beat Ghana AND have Italy beat Czech Republic for that to happen. (Well, either that or beat Ghana and have a huge swing in goal differential compared to Italy.)

On the other hand, if Ghana beats USA and Italy ties Czech republic, Ghana would win the group outright. How big a surprise would that be!

I think Ghana ARE favourites to win the group to be honest!

Nothing against the US, but that Italy match will have taken a lot out of them I fear. In fact I predict that the Czechs will turn an equally-tired Italy over and Ghana will beat the US, hence Ghana and the Czechs qualifying

I wouldn't be surprised by that result, Sam, but that would put the Czechs being No. 1 in the group. If Ghana wins and Italy ties Czech Republic, that would mean Ghana comes out as No. 1 in the group. I don't think anyone would have expected that at the start of the tournament.

I think if Italy went out, there would be a big surprise, but I can picture it happening.

Poor USA got lumbered with probably the worst group...

Go USA!!!

And GO Italy!!!

:bigwave:

I'm going for the Czech's, they looked so good in their first match it would be a shame if they don't get through, the second match was really disappointing though

I would love it if the czechs and ghana went through...dont see it happening though. Ghana are missing a few key men including gyan so i can see them struggling. I hope not....Tomas Rosicky to bag a brace :P

I think the Ghanaians are in pole position to qualify, nothing against the US but they will be easier to Ghana than the Czechs or Italy were.

I think Italy will have to start favourites to go through with them, the Czechs are seriously short of forwards, as Koller has his thigh problem, Baros is similar and Lokvenc is banned!

I'm sorry. If you don't want the USA to go through, then you will all be banned from the board!! :devil: :devil:

I'd love the USA to go through Nick, especially at the expense of Italy...

I just don't see it, lets see how it goes!

Ghana 1 USA 0

And Sam saves himself from the :ban: :D

I don't see them going through at the expense of Italy, though. It's not impossible, but with Italy sitting on a +2 goal diff. and USA on -3 . . . .

If Italy loses this game, the USA is all but eliminated.

Italy 1, Czech 0

Ghana 1-0 USA

Italy 1-0 Czech Repulic

I think the US and the Czechs have had it now...

Ghana 1-1 USA!!

Ghana 2-1 USA :angry:

ecstasy and agony in 3 minutes! :D

the czechs are down to 10 men too, it looks like Ghana and Italy surely...

I didn't get to watch any of the game, but it sounds like USA got hurt by some questionable calls again. This is from the write-up on the BBC coverage:

Shame the ref would do something like that, but still, the USA were disappointing this world cup. They really only scored one goal in total (and benefitted from the own-goal in the Italy match).

Oh well. "Soccer" is starting to gain popularity here, and I was hoping for a good showing by USA to give that a boost.

Nick, I think it was always going to be difficult for the USA to repeat their achievements in the last world cup - there were a lot of smaller teams getting far in that.

In fairness to USA, they were, on paper, the worst side in the group. They put in one hell of a proud effort against Italy, and today they were robbed by a ludicrous decision for the penalty to Ghana. It was never a foul in a million years!

If the USA want to make a success of football, a lot more of their players have to come across to Europe and play in the top leagues, instead of stay at home. That sounds harsh, but eventually it will benefit American 'soccer' as a whole. The other problem an American soccer team will always have is the fact they will lose a lot of their best athletes to other sports. For instance, New Zealand have the best Rugby Union teams in the world, because their main obsession is Rugby Union (worse than the Brits with football).