Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia

Keep in mind they don't even have a professional league in New Zealand. I thought it was a fantastic result.

 

I know and it was a fantastic result for New Zealand, but I'm saying that they didn't show any quality and Slovakia were way off form.

 

True, always disliked both Slovenia and Slovakia for some reason. Then again, I love Croatia, Czech Republic, Serbia, and Bosnia.

 

The likes of New Zealand and Australia don't deserve to be in the World Cup, why not have these teams play for example Bosnia, Russia even Albania (and many many more countries) and who wins from those groups then have them join the World Cup.

it's a shame to have these weak teams every 4 years, it just gives the team on their group an easy way to advance. (and gives us boring games)

 

No offense CK, but Australia deserves to be as much as Albania does.

Also, Slovenia are one of my favorite national teams. I just love their hard-nosed defense, patience and heart.

 

Australia wouldn't be able to beat any of the Balkan nations, plain and simple. But yeah Slovenia fought to get in there. I'm talking about these countries having to play the weakest opponents in their route to the World Cup. (same goes for US, Mexico)

 

Australia were great in 2006.
Your're right about New Zealand though, they should have just let Bahrain go to the World Cup instead of having a playoff, cause Bahrain would have really spiced things up

 

The is an A-League team in New Zealand! NZ also has a league, is it not professional? http://www.nzfc.co.nz/

Timbers signed a Solomon Islander who was playing in New Zealand a couple years ago. I listened to the Championship game on the internet to track the players performance before he transferred over.

 

Nope, it's semi-professional.

 

And you have 666 posts!

 

Doublepost.

 

It was great fun watching New Zealand. I think its easy to pass them off by saying that they're weak and had an easy go through qualifying, and I'd agree with that, but its the inferior sides that tend to spice things up a bit, at least for me. Watching them get a result in that dramatic fashion is definitely going to be one of the memories of the Cup. Slovakia were far from great, but we're talking about a team representing a country without a professional league, featuring several semi-pros, a guy cut from MLS, and another playing the US second division (something the US haven't done since 2005).

Looking over what's left, I think its Paraguay's group to lose as I see them winning against Slovakia and they end with New Zealand. I'm just hoping that the All-Whites can score one and make the match with Italy interesting.

Also, are the All-Whites the only NZ national team that don't wear all-black? I've seen videos of the Tall Blacks (basketball...I shit you not, google it) and the Ice Blacks (hockey) performing a pregame Haka. I've also missed seeing a Haka from these guys.

 

The Haka is very impressive. My step-dad is a Kiwi so I'm constantly told about how great NZ are!

 

The badminton team is (was?) known as the Black Cocks, obviously this was the source of many jokes while it lasted. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/15/nz_badminton_kerfuffle/. It's also about the only way the badminton team could get publicity.

I think the All Whites are the only non-black wearing NZ sports team too (other than sports like golf), but I could be missing some team.

 

Perfect smiley choice!

 

Paraguay won 2-0 against Slovakia.


New Zealand leading 1-0 vs Italy, 8th minute right now. WOW!!!

 

New Zealand 1 - 1 Italy

Iaquinta with a penalty shot tied it.