Another opinion here: patrice Evra shouldve been booked for what just happened. He pushed, shoved and even kneed the guy in the face. Cheating french team (no offence to normal french people). Oh and guillermo franco was incorrectly booked after ONLY THREE MINUTES!

South Africa 0-3 Uruguay. Argentina 4-1 South Korea. Greece 2-1 Nigeria. Report

Hey!

Uruguay produced an assured performance to beat hosts South Africa in Pretoria and take control of Group A.

The South Americans were much more forward-thinking than during their nervous opening match with France five days ago providing a constant threat to Bafana Bafana’s goal while also nullifying the meek attacking threat provided by their overwhelmed opponents.

Diego Forlan capped an impressive performance with two goals – the first a 30-yard deflected strike, the second a well-taken penalty after Luis Suarez had been fouled by goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, for which he was red carded – and Alvaro Pereira added a late third.

The victory not only advances Uruguay to four points and to top of the table ahead of their final group game with Mexico, but gives them their first World Cup finals victory since a group stage win over South Korea at Italia 90.

In contrast, this defeat is South Africa’s first in 14 matches and leaves them facing an uphill task to secure a place in the last 16.

Prior to the game, both coaches had promised more positive approaches from their sides following conservative showings in their opening games, which yielded them a point a piece, and so it proved in an entertaining match that not only improved on what Group A had offered, but what the tournament on the whole has provided thus far.

Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira kept essentially the same side – Tsepo Masilela replaced Lucas Thwala at left-back – and the same shape from the 1-1 draw with Mexico. Their performance was more in keeping with their passionate second-half display at Soccer City rather than their nervous first 45 minutes, but they were unable to pose enough of a threat to trouble their superior opponents.

Having navigated a tricky opening game against France relatively unscathed and knowing here lay their chance to seize control of Group A, Uruguay opted for a three man strike force, bringing in Edinson Cavani to partner Suarez, with Atletico Madrid’s Forlan playing in a withdrawn attacking role.

The former Manchester United striker was the difference – dropping deep to collect possession and influence his side’s attacks and providing the moment of individual brilliance that gave Uruguay the lead midway through the first half via a 30-yard dipping shot that found the net via a glancing deflection off Aaron Mokoena.

He also demonstrated an immense level of composure to emphatically hammer his penalty into the roof of the net following a considerable wait while the hosts replaced Khune with substitute keeper Moneeb Josephs.

The 75th-minute penalty prompted a silent, defeated exodus from the stands and when Forlan floated an exquisite pass to Suarez who then crossed for Alvaro Perreira to head home Uruguay’s third deep into injury time the stadium was only half full.

For all their disappointment, the partisan home support can have no complaints as Oscar Tabarez’s side were dominant. They set out their stall in an opening 10 minutes that saw them create more chances than in the whole of the 90 against the French, with Suarez’s shot from a tight angle that flew wide the best of them.

Suarez, who is so prolific in front of goal for club side Ajax, was to squander further chances: hitting the side-netting from a tight angle from 10 yards and also firing straight at keeper Khune from a promising position 20 yards out.

His strike partner Edison Cavani also missed two good opportunities and captain Diego Lugano fluffed a header from a Forlan free-kick early in the second half.

South Africa’s chances were significantly fewer but their wastefulness mirrored the worst of their opponents’ attempts.

Siphiwe Tshabalala – brim full of confidence after his superb opening goal against the Mexicans – had two good shooting chances in the opening quarter but the first he fired over from 25 yards and the second he badly misjudged with an attempted chip when Steven Pienaar was perhaps better placed to receive a pass.

Katlego Mphela, who was denied giving his side a win against Mexico by a post late on – missed the target with a close range header in each half.

South Africa now face a final group game against France without suspended keeper Khune, midfielder Dikgachoi, who picked up a second yellow of the tournament, and with only slim hopes of qualifying.

NEXT MATCH

Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a hat-trick as Argentina saw off South Korea at Soccer City to all but book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Higuain struck once in the first half and twice in quick succession after the break as Diego Maradona’s side made it two wins out of two in Group B and fired another warning that they are one of the teams to beat in South Africa.

An own goal from Park Chu-Young got Argentina off to the perfect start before Higuain nodded in, and after Martin Dimichelis’ error allowed Lee Chung-Yong to pull a goal back, Maradona’s side got the goals their dominance perhaps deserved.

It was an authority they had exerted from the first whistle and, despite a spell of South Korean pressure in the second half as they pressed for an equaliser, Argentina were thoroughly deserving of the points.

South Korea coach Huh Jung-Moo, who played against Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, saw his team struggle to live with Argentina’s quick tempo and the quality of their pass-and-move football.

They took the lead when Lionel Messi’s free-kick from the left hit the unfortunate Park Chu-Young on the knee before flying in and the goal buoyed an already buzzing Albiceleste as they continued to attack the South Korea goal with pace and in numbers.

South Korea’s brief forays forward were resulting in the occasional shot from range, with Ki Sung-Yeung’s 25-yard screamer flying narrowly over, but after Carlos Tevez had drilled a free-kick inches too high, Argentina doubled their lead thanks to more shaky defending.

This time, Messi and Maxi Rodriguez were allowed all the time and space they wanted to take a quick free-kick down the left and when Maxi’s cross was flicked on by Nicolas Burdisso, Higuain had the simple task of nodding in.

Angel di Maria then forced a flying save from Jung Sung-Ryong, and Messi thrilled the crowd with a brilliantly jinking run before clipping a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

But with half-time looming, Dimichelis handed South Korea an unlikely lifeline. Caught between deciding to clear his lines or pass back to his goalkeeper he did neither, and Lee nipped in to steal the ball off him and superbly finish past the advancing Sergio Romero.

Suddenly there was a game on, and the teams traded attacks after the break.

Higuain’s close-range finish brought a stunning save from Jung, and Tevez forced another save from Jung with his 20-yard drive, while at the other end Yeom Ki-Hun wasted a golden chance to get South Korea back on level terms as he shot wide when through one-on-one with Romero after Lee’s fine pass.

Yeom paid the price when Argentina counter-attacked, and after Messi’s shot hit the post Higuain tapped in. But they saved their best for last as Messi’s stunning chip enabled Sergio Aguero to cross for Higuain to head home to complete his treble.

It was the first World Cup hat-trick since Portugal’s Pauleta in 2002 and the first from an Argentine since Gabriel Batistuta in 1998.

AND FINALLY

Greece came from behind to defeat Nigeria in a pulsating match that kept alive their hopes of qualifying from Group B.

It was the first victory for Greece at a World Cup and came after a contest that was completely transformed by the dismissal of Nigeria’s Sani Kaita after 33 minutes.

Nigeria, who like Greece had lost their opening match in South Africa, had taken an early lead after Kalu Uche’s free-kick from a wide area eluded everybody.

And the Super Eagles had a firm grip on the game until Oche foolishly kicked out at Vasileios Torosidis after both players had briefly tangled as they tried to win the ball.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel, who presided over his team’s stunning victory at Euro 2004, quickly grasped the opportunity by adopting a more attacking formation and was rewarded with a crucial victory.

A deflected strike from Dimitrios Salpingidis drew his side level before Torosidis struck the winner after the break to severely dent Nigeria’s hopes of progressing beyond the group stage.

The Super Eagles, who are managed by Swede Lars Lagerback, are pointless and play South Korea, who defeated Greece, in their final match.

Greece, who now have three points, take on an Argentina side that are on the brink of qualifying after winning their first two matches.

Rehhagel’s team lined up with three central defenders, two full-backs and two deep sitting midfielders – and until the dismissal of Kaita after 34 minutes it seemed that their only attacking ploy was to try to win a set-piece in a dangerous area.

Skipper Georgios Karagounis delivered cross after cross after free-kick into the Nigeria area, with recalled defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos a frequent target.

It was stale, unimaginative and one-dimensional, while Nigeria showed glimpses of precise attacking play and deservedly took the lead.

Greece keeper Alexander Tzorvas clearly thought the unmarked Peter Odemwingie would make contact with Uche’s cross but the Lokomotiv Moscow striker missed the ball, which continued on its trajectory before nestling in the far corner of the net.

There was little sign of a Greece comeback until the dismissal of Kaita, who appeared to be in tears as he made his way off the pitch.

Within minutes Rehhagel had replaced the defensive Sokratis Papastathopoulos with Celtic forward Georgios Samaras.

Greece were instantly transformed – and soon cut open a stunned Nigeria defence, with a deft lay-off from Konstantinos Katsouranis playing Salpingidis through only for Vincent Enyeama to block the striker’s shot.

Lukman Haruna cleared an effort from Samaras off the line but, on the stroke of half-time, Greece scored their first ever goal at a World Cup through Salpingidis’s deflected strike.

Lagerback tried to bolster his side by replacing Odemwingie with Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi at the start of the second half and playing two banks of four, with Yakubu as the lone striker.

But Greece continued to threaten, with an unmarked Karagounis wastefully heading wide and Kyrgiankos forcing a save from Enyeama.

Greece really should have scored through Theofanis Gekas after an awful header from Joseph Yobo gifted him a gilt-edged opening – but his shot was saved and Nigeria broke with devastating effect.

Ogbuke Obasi slipped the ball to Yakubu, who drew a brilliant one-handed save from Tzorvas. The rebound fell to Ogbuke Obasi, who contrived to miss a sensational opportunity to restore his team’s lead.

It was a pulsating passage of play that was greatly appreciated by a far-from-full Free State Stadium – but it was hardly a fair reflection of how the match had developed.

Greece were in the ascendancy and although Enyeama palmed clear a header from Torosidis he was partially at fault for Greece’s winner.

The keeper could not hold a low strike from Alexandros Tziolis, with Torosidis pouncing on the rebound to spark huge scenes of jubilation.

Enyeama made two decent saves in the remainder of the game, denying Karagounis and Tziolis, but Greece held on to end a sequence of four successive defeats at the World Cup.

cya

jack

MUSE @ Estadio Vicente Calderon Review

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MUSE @ Estadio Vicente Calderon Review

SET LIST
Uprising
Supermassive Black Hole
New Born
Map of the Problematique
Neutron Star Collision
Guiding Light
Bliss
Interlude
Hysteria
Nishe
United States of Eurasia
Feeling Good
MK Jam
Undisclosed Desires
Resistance
Starlight
Time is Running Out
Unnatural Selection

ENCORE 1
Unintended
Exogenesis Symphony Part 1 – Overture
Stockholm Syndrome

ENCORE 2
Take A Bow
Plug In Baby
Knights of Cydonia

VIDEOS
Map of the Problematique

WHAT DO THE MUSE BOARDS THINK??
Shadowelwolfe said this:
Has anyone esle noticed that something seems a bit… “off” with the boys (especially with Matt) since they started the European Stadium/Arena tour?

I’ve been following Muse’s gigs, tv and radio appearances, and interviews on Youtube since I missed them at Madison Square Garden here in NYC this past March. I understand its not the same as seeing Muse live, but even in those video clip, their playfulness, electricity, and power come through. But in viewing the vid clips from the recent gigs at the Swiss, Italian, and French stadiums something really seems wrong, particularly with Matt.

IDK, maybe is just me, or maybe its just not enough vid clips to really judge by, or just the poor quality of most of the vid clips, but something just doesn’t “feel” right.

OneWhoGoes said this:
I just got home from Calderon stadium, maybe I’ll elaborate tomorrow, but for now I can just say it was a bad gig, too many twilight kids, too many teatrics, too little rock, too little quality music.

Edit: by the way, at least in the zone I was in (just in front of Matt) the sound was horrible, a lot of distorsion in the bass, not enough guitar and voice volume, Matt even spent a whole verse of Hysteria tunning all the strings of his guitar.

So overall not such a good gig. Lets hope that the next one at Goffertpark is much better, as I will be going!

cya

jack