Jezza’S World Cup Report

Results to date (25/6/14)
Group A
Cameroon 0 Croatia 4 – good win for the Croats, but it’s adios to the Africans.
Croatia 1 Mexico 3 – now it’s adios to the Croats as Mexico go forward to the next round with a great win to now face Holland (should be good!)
Cameroon 1 Brazil 4 – at last, Brazil are on their way, with a Neymar brace and it ‘s an all South American match in the next round with Brazil v. Chile. Fitting that Brazil should score the 100th goal of this WC on their 100th appearance!
Group B
Holland 3 Australia 2 – what a match and a fright for the Dutch but what a memorable goal from Aussie Tim Cahill.
Spain 0 Chile 2 – and the end of an era for Spain as they’re on their way home.
Australia 0 Spain 3 – pride at last for the Spanish in a dead rubber as both go out.
Holland 2 Chile 0 – the Dutch take the group with another good display but Chile qualify.
Group C
Colombia 2 Ivory Coast 1 – the South Americans qualify.
Japan 0 Greece 0 – another dismal scoreless draw.
Japan 1 Colombia 4 – the South Americans top the group with 3 wins from 3 and now face Uruguay in the next round, whilst it’s adios to the Japanese.
Ivory Coast 1 Greece 2 – big surprise here as the Greeks qualify after a 92nd minute penalty earns them a 2nd round match with Costa Rica and it’s adios to the West Africans for the 3rd time in 3 WC’s.
Group D
Uruguay 2 England 1 – Suarez with two bites of the hand that feeds him, (ed—brilliant jezza) but the Three Lions are just not good enough.
Italy 0 Costa Rica 1 – the Ricans qualify and confirm the adios to England!
Italy 0 Uruguay 1 – it’s arrivederchi to the Italians while Uruguay march on – just, and now play Colombia in the next round! But, maybe, should be, without Suarez as he appears to bite an Italian and it’s not as if it hasn’t happened before, twice! Must be those rabbit teeth!
England 0 Costa Rica 0 – well, at least we got a point after 9 changes to the team but first time since 1958 that we’ve come away from the WC without a win. The Ricans top the Group and play surprise qualifiers Greece in the next round.
Group E
Switzerland 2 France 5 – Ooh la la, the French are on song with 2 wins from 2 with the Swiss needing to beat Honduras and hope France beat Ecuador.
Honduras 1 Ecuador 2 – bye, bye Honduras but Ecuador need at least a point against France and hope the Swiss draw.
Group F
Argentina 1 Iran 0 – OMG, what would the Argies do without Messi as he scores a 92nd winner with yet another piece of magic. Not looking good for the Middle Easterners.
Nigeria 1 Bosnia-Herz. 0 – the West Africans with their first win and favourites to qualify in 2nd. Bosnia ditto Iran.
Group G
Germany 2 Ghana 2 – arguably the best match so far in the WC, with the Germans down 2-1 and seriously worried but scraped a draw to top the group.
USA 1 Portugal 1 – the Americans adamant that they “would put the Europeans in their place” but in the last minute obviously forgot about Cristiano as he laid the leveller on a plate. Portugal now on a knife-edge for qualification.
Group H
Belgium 1 Russia 0 – my European “dark horses” top the group with 2 wins from 2 and Capello’s men in danger of an early exit.
South Korea 2 Algeria 4 – wow, where did that come from? Brilliant match with the North Africans looking good for 2nd and qualification for the next round.

Jezza’s Comments:
What’s happening to European football?
With 3 past WC winners and all 3 with the so-called best 3 Leagues, Spain, England and Italy are back home already and I wonder what odds you would have got for that at the start of the tournament. And, let’s face it, not just outclassed but humiliated with only an overall total of 7 points ( 2 wins and a draw) from a possible 27 (nine games, 3 each!), how bad is that? I am speechless!
Overall view: Only 6 teams so far (Wed 25/6) with a 100% record, and still an awful lot at stake.
Some superb games with some cracking goals, 121 in total so far, with van Persie (Holland) and Tim Cahill(Australia) leading the way for Goal of the Tournament. Some superb saves especially Ochoa (Mexico) against Brazil and for me, the Player of the WC to date has to be Arjen Robben (Holland).
More of the same please but a final plea to FIFA, throw the book at Suarez and ban him for the rest of the WC. Not because he beat England almost single-handed but because he’s a cheat and a serial biter!

Jezza’S Sports Report

Well, Sports Fans, I wasn’t going to write this week (which would have been the first time for three and a half years) ‘cos I’m so depressed even to the effect of writing in to Dear Kate, but, no, I have a duty to inform our readership of the goings-on in the sporting world so here I am.
As you’ve probably realized by now, the reason for my depression is the state of English sport at the moment. We, as a nation, gave Football, Cricket and Rugby Union to the world and what does the world do – spit it back at us and say “we’re better than you and you have to move/progress with the times”. Firstly, in Footie at the World Cup we are also-rans, not even close, bottom of our Group (at the time of writing) and to think that we had the temerity and arrogance to say that Costa Rica were the flogging boys of the group whereas, in reality, we ended up as the minnows. Played 2 Lost 2 doesn’t make good reading as well as an early flight home. Then, in Rugby Union, we think we’re almost as good as the All Blacks and altho’ we lost the first two Tests by small margins, the Kiwis came home to roost by stuffing us in the Final Test at the w/end. Played 3 Lost 3! Mind you, Wales lost out to South Africa, France were thrashed by the Aussies, but at least Scotland beat Argentina!
Now, to cap it all, in Cricket, it looks as if we’re just about to be humiliated in the most English of all counties, Yorkshire, by the Sri Lankans in the 2nd Test ( our current score at lunch 83 for 5 chasing 350 to win and only 5 wickets left) which will lose us the Series. Played 2 Lost 1 Drawn 1! So take it as a whole, Played 7 Lost 6 Drawn 1. Totally depressing!
Some solace then when Spain suffered at the WC as well, losing their first two matches, and being booted out even before us. But, and there’s always a but, at least (a) they have had an amazing record over the last 6 years, with 2 Euro titles and the World Cup and (b) they did win their last match 3-0. Now, as we all know, these things happen in cycles but the problem for our teams is that we don’t seem to even mount the saddle, if you get my drift! Somebody, somewhere in England needs to get the three sports administration and management, by the scruff of the neck and sort it all out, once and for all, otherwise, if not already, we’ll be the laughing stock of the sporting world.
For a start, let’s hope that the England XI playing tonight against said Costa Rica (top of our group) can at least start the process and give us our pride back by winning. Also, let’s hope that Our Andy Murray, still a Brit, can continue his good form at Wimbledon, after his opening 3 set win on Monday, in defense of his title. Mind you, as before, he’s going to have to go some, because the way the seedings are, to win he’s going to have to dispose of Ferrer, Nadal and Djokovic, no mean feat.
Finally, with the Tour de France imminent, let’s hope Chris Froome can repeat his performance of last year and retain his title. I shall be a happy bunny if all that occurs as I’m sure you will be!
Until next week and have a good ‘un!

F1 Austria

Is it the same old story? Mercedes finish their sixth one-two of the season with Rosberg pipping Hamilton to the post. It wasn’t easy for Mercedes again, as both cars suffered problems with their brakes as they did in Canada. More notably, Williams gave the performance we have been waiting for in Bottas joining the podium a cool 3rd and his teammate Massa 4th both drivers led for a few laps but Mercedes were just stronger. Alonso had a great race finishing 5th given he was the only car not powered by a Mercedes engine finishing in the top seven and Raikkonen managed 10th despite struggling with his Ferrari as he has most of this season. Force India’s Perez and Hulkenberg will be happy with their results coming in 6th and 9th respectively, with Perez starting on a grid penalty and Hulkenberg ultimately losing 8th place on the last lap – still good points for the Force India team. Red Bull had another setback with Ricciardo 8th the only car to finish. Vettel was withdrawn midrace to save his engine. McLaren had a steady race with Magnusson 7th and Button 11th, even with lack of downforce and some strategy issues. Lotus came through with both cars crossing the chequered flag – Maldonado 12th and Grosjean 14th, with Sutil of Sauber sat snugly between them in 13th. Gutierrez suffered a 10 second stop-go penalty after an unsafe release, and will suffer a 10-place grid at Silverstone for the infraction. Both Caterhams, Kobayashi 16th and Ericsson 18th lost out to Marussia, with Bianchi finishing 15th and his teammate Chilton 17th. Finally, it was a miserable race for Torro Rosso as both cars were retired, Kvyat with a puncture that damaged his suspension and Vergne with brake issues. We go to Silverstone next!