2014 World Cup

[Stuttgart88]

Is there any particular reason for the blue/pink combination? Japan's keeper has one blue and one pink glove. One of the Italian players - and I think one of the players in this game too - hhs one blue and one pink boot. Seems a bit weird to be a coincidence

Lots of them doing it. Buffon's gloves are the same. It's basically Puma's latest gimmick but the supposed idea is something like "you need to be self confident to wear these" so it reinforces self belief. I think that's what I read when I noticed it first in the FA Cup Final.

Edit, sorry, just read DeLorean's response.

[geysir]

So are most of the other nations registered in English or what?

You ask a lot of questions.
But yes, IC are the only team on the FIFA list not in English.
Why is that? how is that? as Van Morrison says "it just is".
And that answers your original question Why are they called Cote d'Ivoire so often?
It's just another misplaced sense of political correctness, not unlike Andy Cole being called Andrew, because he once said that's what his mother called him.

[Crosby87]

Geysir is the coast actually made of ivory and if so was it nigel-harps that hunted all the elephants?

[pineapple stu]

But yes, IC are the only team on the FIFA list not in English.
Why is that? how is that? as Van Morrison says "it just is".
And that answers your original question

Except it doesn't, as we've already seen on this thread.

Switzerland beat Ecuador 2-1 with an injury time winner, having been 1-0 down. Missed this one; are either side likely to do anything in the next fortnight?

[Razors left peg]

Except it doesn't, as we've already seen on this thread.

Switzerland beat Ecuador 2-1 with an injury time winner, having been 1-0 down. Missed this one; are either side likely to do anything in the next fortnight?

No, it was a game with 2 average enough sides to be honest.

I expected more from Equador, I seen them live against Portugal last year they were brilliant that night, all pace and power. They didnt look anywhere near as good today

[Crosby87]

Google the picture of the people waiting on lines trying to get into the stadium....absolutely criminal.

[pineapple stu]

So goalline technology is in with a bang. Funny that no matter how many replays they showed of that, I still can't see that it was a goal.

Interesting that Honduras were still giving out about the decision though. Was the technology replay showed in the ground?

[SkStu]

Yes it was judging by the reaction of the crowd stu. What confused things unnecessarily was showing two decision points when there was only one that was in doubt.

Am I the only person that thought the technology did exactly what it was supposed to do and demonstrated that it was a goal? My initial reaction to the shot, in real time, was that it was a goal.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Love it. Absolutely love it. Twitter going into meltdown over BBC commentary team of Jonathan Pearce/Martin Keown, who don't understand how the tech works.

[pineapple stu]

No, it did exactly what it was supposed to do alright. Commentators on RTE saying it validated the ref's decision, but surely the ref took his call from the technology? I thought that was the whole point? Assuming that is what happened, the call was very quick, which is good.

Tbh, I missed the goal itself reacting to the shot coming off the post, so didn't get to see it in real time.

Not convinced by France though. Shades of 1998 about them; they've flattered to deceive in front of goal. Honduras have handed them two goals on a plate. Better teams won't do that.

[ArdeeBhoy]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/world...-2-0-honduras/

[Charlie Darwin]

No, it did exactly what it was supposed to do alright. Commentators on RTE saying it validated the ref's decision, but surely the ref took his call from the technology? I thought that was the whole point? Assuming that is what happened, the call was very quick, which is good.

Tbh, I missed the goal itself reacting to the shot coming off the post, so didn't get to see it in real time.

Not convinced by France though. Shades of 1998 about them; they've flattered to deceive in front of goal. Honduras have handed them two goals on a plate. Better teams won't do that.

Far as I recall, the referee awarded the goal right away.

[Stuttgart88]

Doesn't the ref have a gizmo that buzzes when it's a goal though?

[pineapple stu]

Far as I recall, the referee awarded the goal right away.

He did; I'm just presuming that it was the technology's call rather than his call. Doesn't the technology send a signal to the ref when the ball goes over the line? That's just what I'm not sure on.

[Crosby87]

I was listening on the radio and the play by play guy kept mentioning the Honduras has not scored a goal at the wc since 1982, but he failed to say how many times they had the chance to...

[DeLorean]

You ask a lot of questions.
But yes, IC are the only team on the FIFA list not in English.
Why is that? how is that? as Van Morrison says "it just is".
And that answers your original question Why are they called Cote d'Ivoire so often?
It's just another misplaced sense of political correctness, not unlike Andy Cole being called Andrew, because he once said that's what his mother called him.

It was pretty much the same question over and over really. I couldn't let them think that I was satisfied that they cleared it up when I was none the wiser I knew it is obviously their official name, but I would have assumed that all the official names were in the official language of the nation in question. It seems this isn't the case so that explains it I guess.

[Charlie Darwin]

Doesn't the ref have a gizmo that buzzes when it's a goal though?

Ah right, I wasn't aware of that. Mad stuff.

[pineapple stu]

Another super game, this. Credit the Argentine manager for the half time changes. Messi now has more World Cup goals than Gary Breen!

[strangeirish]

[Charlie Darwin]

That was sublime from Messi. Still fewer goals than Tim Cahill.