NADTATIDA1

Gyan to do it for Africa

Striker saddened Ghana are only African side in last 16

Gyan: Two World Cup goals

Asamoah Gyan is disappointed Ghana will be the only African side competing in the second round of the 2010 World Cup.

Ghana will play the United States of America in the last 16 after finishing second in Group D following the 1-0 defeat by Germany.

Striker Gyan, who has struck twice at this summer's tournament, is eagerly anticipating the encounter but is saddened to see Ghana as the only nation flying the flag for Africa.

Gyan, who has been linked with a move to West Ham, said: "I am disappointed we are the only African team here.

"African teams had chances to qualify, like Nigeria who could have qualified if only they put the ball in the net.

"Ivory Coast were unlucky because Portugal scored a lot of goals against Korea, but we will give our all to make Africa proud against USA.

"We will be ready, we will have all the support here on Saturday, we can't wait for that."

Just a point on group H,just had a good look at it and the Swiss are still in with a great chance of qualifying,and Chile have not conceded winning both games,are we to see a mega shock?

I think it will be a good finish to that group tonight maybe some twists before the group finishes.Spain could and i repeat could get knocked out also if they play like they did against the Swiss I doubt it though!....Interesting group.

Will be interesting to see what team Brazil do pick tonight,no Kaka and no Elano for starters they definately don't have the resources that they have had in previous World Cups.

On the other hand Portugal have to pick Ronaldo but they too do not have the menace up front without him.

As for Italy James they were struggling from game one and not surprised at all they are out,no great striker of note and the midfield apart from maybe De Rossi was toothless,a poor squad

Looking forward to seeing Spain again they are without doubt the team to beat in my opinion,ladyboy has not got up to speed yet and with Villa firing they will be hard to beat.....that midfield is just brilliant!

^Som nam na

More power to England if this is true.

Concern over Boateng, but playmaker Ozil given all-clear

Schweinsteiger: Injury blow

Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger is a doubt for his team's round of 16 encounter against England.

The rival nations collide in Bloemfontein on Sunday after Germany topped Group D to book a date against the Three Lions, who progressed on Wednesday after beating Slovenia to finish runners-up in Group C.

But Joachim Low could be dealt a huge blow prior to the clash as it emerged that midfield schemer Schweinsteiger had sustained a thigh injury in his team's defeat of Ghana.

The 25-year-old has played a prominent part in his side's impressive World Cup campaign but was forced off during the closing stages in the win over the Black Stars.

And the Bayern Munich man is facing a race against time to be fit enough to feature against Fabio Capello's team.

Time running out

Assistant coach Hansi Flick said: "He has sustained a thigh injury. The doctors say time is running out but we hope he can play because he is an important player."

Low could be forced to tinker with his starting line-up elsewhere as doubts also emerged over the availability of Jerome Boateng.

The Manchester City summer capture is nursing a calf problem although Mesut Ozil the playmaker who has caught the eye in South Africa should be given the all clear.

Ozil twisted his ankle after bagging the stunning winner over Ghana in Johannesburg but has shrugged off the injury.

Warp speed you have just stated the fact yourself .....yes this is a World Cup thread about the USA in South Africa.

I have just read your posta here and to be honest with you,not once have you actually stated anywhere on this thread about your teams performance so far in this comp,all you have done is continually waffle on about American this and American that ,is it that you are here for only the reason to antagonize people because you dont see the irony(yes sarcasm also)in there posts or is simply that you don't understand the English sense of humour.

Today you have ranted on about name calling which on a forum is stupid,everybody does it but is meant as light hearted banter,do you want me to refer you to posts made of yours before which a moderator said he would let it slide this time?

Every thread i have read you have some problem with somebodys view,we are all entitled to our opinion and so are others but you keep to continually think you are in the right on every point you make.

This is a football forum that involves banter and fun at the expense of other teams,people take the piss and we laugh at each other and don't continually have to make remarks against others point of view simply because they don't agree with our own.

In short mate it is a happy forum and you have got to laugh at yourself sometimes why don't you actually talk about soccer and how well your team is doing in the World Cup i think you would get a bit more respect that way...don't you?

The USA play Ghana at the weekend did you forget that,what about the team? ...the players?...Ghana? how do you think they will play?

Try the footy forum i think the member Warpspeed was lookin for a friend.

So then.

The French surrender early and the Americans arrive late, leaving us to fight ze bloody Germans.

Some things never change.

not bad.

Japan are in the background still!

Well hopefully now the dandy has his own thread we can go on to discuss how great England are,and not have any interference from third world footballing nations concerning bad refereeing decisions and how the whole world has a vendetta against them!

First you have to beat the third world nations, then you can talk trash.

My apologies i forgot you beat us 1-1 with a wondergoal

Of course some day the USA will win the World Cup. It is inevitable, especially with our huge pool of Latino origin people. Dream final -- Brasil vs. USA.

Yes and on that thought it is a wonder why not so many Latinos playing and even viewing as even in Florida where the Hispanic population is extremely high there hasn't been much support by the community nor much success and this team is mostly comprised of players of African heritage only one generation removed, seems they've made more strides in less time, very curious?

It wasn't even that long ago when I remember if a player was of African heritage he was not even from the states but from Europe somewhere....It wasn't until much later in my playing career that we had any black players as most were heavily into basketball and such and considered SOCCER less of a macho sport and wouldn't be caught dead playing it out of peer pressure as much as anything else.. Good to see now making such a strong contribution to our success..

Just think you could play Uruguay or S Korea if you beat Ghana so it really does mean it is a World Cup that your country is involved in maybe most of the American population needs time to find its identity first before they can understand the concept of a World cup involving other countries?

Big is not always better,Quality does not come from quantity.

Just an observation and glad you found the thread

Lampard happy to finish second

Midfielder confident ahead of Germany clash

Lampard: Delighted to get through

// A bit of a hack but it works // The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is empty if( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) { $("div#article-sub").remove(); }Frank Lampard believes finishing second in their group could prove a blessing in disguise despite facing old foes Germany.

The USA's last-minute winner against Algeria earned the Americans top spot in Group C, condemning England to second spot and a meeting with Group D winners Germany on Sunday.

Lampard is not bothered that England now face a tougher draw if they are to go all the way in South Africa and feels the extra day's rest could help them before they take on Germany.

"I couldn't care less that we have finished second," said Lampard.

"You cannot pick and choose your future matches.

"And finishing second might actually be a bonus for us because it now means we've got an extra day's rest before our next game on Sunday, rather than playing on Saturday."

Confidence

Chelsea midfielder Lampard believes England can build on their win over Slovenia and that the real action now starts in the knock-out stages.

"This performance gives us a lot to build on. You have seen it many a time when teams in tournaments start a bit cagey and then come strong," added Lampard.

"We have to try to follow that model and try to keep improving every game. For everyone who is in it, the tournament starts here because it is knock-out.

"How you play in the group doesn't win you anything. It certainly doesn't give you any credit if you then get sent home in the next round.

"Everybody starts here now. It is pure knock-out football and it is about performing. When you think you are four games away from doing something very special, that can only focus the mind."

^blah blah blah

Can you get to the point of why you are still here?

JT has set you up a soap-box for you to spread your knowledge to your country folk.

Well hopefully now the dandy has his own thread we can go on to discuss how great England are,and not have any interference from third world footballing nations concerning bad refereeing decisions and how the whole world has a vendetta against them!

They wonder why?? <deleted>

^Well they beat England 1-1 so they have got a head start on that account.

10 minute intervals every 15 minutes then they can start to believe in Soccer.

Thank the Lord that the game is this weekend and this drivel will hopefully end with it.

It is Sport James an we are all fair game

"why so serious"

Blatter must be concerned for his Oil reserves.

GO USA GO USA,i hope they beat them Ghanians with one offside goal,one penalty that wasn't and one that didn't cross the line.3-0!

Cant believe it mate you will never guess what my son has done with all MY panini stickers,he has only gone and stuck em on his school books and bedroom wall??

Including 5 of your missing collection!

I have told him he cannot come out of his bedroom until the World Cup is over now,he even had the audacity to scribble on some of them.

For instance on John Terry"s face he wrote a big knob and the word wanke_r,after last nights game i said" why did he have to do that?"

He said.... "its ok Dad he is worthless in the school dinners value"

On Ronaldo's body i saw the words "sexy man" now i haven't confronted him about that one yet,i am a bit concerned as you can imagine!

But the best one was i awoke this morning to go to the shop and on inserting my key into the motorcye who was looking at me not 1 but 4 Keisuke Honda"s......I tell you i wasn't happy! wait until he gets home from school....

what the handball?

blatant handball by cahill and one of the disallowed goals was not offside. no wonder serbia were furious, one more goal put them through.

I forgot Stevie was you wearing your nice T-Shirt

I thought you said you was a referee?? You bleat on like a player......take experience from your professional days and stop moaning about your peers. I think the refs have been above average in this tournament so far....sour grapes or what,then again yankees have to have an excuse dont they

Impossible to read this rubbish maybe you should learn how to properly use the quote function eh??? I couldn't even respond without fixing your rubbish quote as the software wouldn't allow it..

Your response is what is sour grapes as you forget who won the group and should have won hands down but I never expected anything different from you...

JFYI I've been both ref and player, why should one limit their life's experiences and by being on both sides of the ball you have a better perspective which is obviously something lacking with people of your ilk..

Now your moaning about the quote fuction <deleted>!

JFYI we know we are shit end of story.....

Yes your experience in Football in gaga land is just that......... don't forget who taught you how to play the game cowboy and ref it!

what the handball?

It is a well known fact that the world is a bit biased against us at this current point in time so provide me with some relevant explanation in which the highest rated referees, hand picked from a world wide pool have made not only poor calls but obvious crap calls??? Name one other team in this cup that has been the victim of such consistently atrocious refereeing??

AND THEN!!

Let's be clear, you have no idea what these referees biases are or their personal motives or agenda, they are human after all...

numpty!

A much fairer statement would be that we were average....

In spite of all the hype that says it all, let's be realistic at least once here were it not for the atrocious referring that seems to be bordering on conspiracy against the US team it would not even be a contest, and that doesn't even include the open net goals we can't seem to capitalize on Dempsy alone should have had a heat trick last night.... Where as the English team get almost every call their way to keep them in the matches were they should be blown out of.. I know it's almost unheard of but a bit of humility and credit where credit is due would be a immensely cleansing experience for the English fans and team as well.. This rubbish about how you never get beat that it's always just that you're just not playing well is well.................Rubbish!! I know it grates you to no end to read this but there are BETTER teams then you and it's been proven 3 games in a row now as well as on the score line in spite of at least 2 GOALS being called back.... In every aspect the US has outplayed not only you but every team in their group period!!

I just wish the US could put one away without all the drama though I'm going to have a heart attack...

Germany only just beat Ghana so while being predicted as an easy win for the US? They also have recent history going Ghana's way so couple that with worthless referees and I'm not at all confident ..

I thought you said you was a referee?? You bleat on like a player......take experience from your professional days and stop moaning about your peers. I think the refs have been above average in this tournament so far....sour grapes or what,then again yankees have to have an excuse dont they

should be a decent match england - germany. not convinced that germany's defence is all that and england could get some joy from corners and free-kicks against them.

Germanys defence is crap worse than ours,but they have usually had a strong midfield and a couple of good goalscorers

I think Schweinsteiger is not 100% the same as Rooney it will be interesting to see if either one plays.

I think it is the best outcome for England playing the Germans they will not need lifting again,if we have pace up front we can get behind them and i think have the quality to dominate the midfield....I should think Klose should be back for Germany and he is there focal point,Ozil seems to be the only livewire danger to me that i have seen.

All this of course is said under the pretence that England play a bit more like last night.

One thing that must be said is that Capello deffo has the Italian attitude installed in England we have conceded only one goal which was a goalkeepers mistake so that is a positive .

Midfield will have more confidence now that they know that they can dominate against the Germans,it is just up to who and how he plays in the game up front....Rooney is not the same Rooney we see week in at United and is not at it at all!

All in both teams will think they have a good chance against each other......maybe penaltys again and David James becomes starman???

Well done Germany!

The 1:0 win over Ghana will bring the German team to the next round. It was a difficult match but Oezils goal made the difference.

And on Sunday will be the "classic" match against the Brits! That will be interesting.

Good luck to the German team.

Jogi Loew, many things done right!

Don't you mean the English?