Argentina are out of the World Cup in round one for the first time in forty years.

June 12, 2002 1:26 AM

Argentina are out of the World Cup in round one for the first time in forty years. England and Sweden go through to round the second. w00t!
posted by stuporJIX (45 comments total)

Fantastic!!!

That only leaves Italy, Brazil and Spain as any side that could threaten England!
posted by stevridie at 1:40 AM on June 12, 2002

I'm thrilled, but even as an England fan just hoping we make it out of the group of death, could they have looked more bored out there today?

I hope England turn it on 400% for the next round.
posted by dopamine at 1:49 AM on June 12, 2002

Brazil in the QF anyone?
posted by brettski at 2:01 AM on June 12, 2002

not that i care, but the first local non-premium cable broadcast of that game is still in the first half right now where i live.
someone else might complain about the lack of a spoiler warn.
you won't find me doing it unless you start posting italy results though.
posted by juv3nal at 2:21 AM on June 12, 2002

Portugal anyone??
posted by johnny7 at 2:21 AM on June 12, 2002

Where's that Carduso?
posted by johnny7 at 2:21 AM on June 12, 2002

The England team is, no doubt, only a game or two away from our typical heroic exit but while we're in jubilant mood let's consider some worrying evidence for the loss of Argentine form.
posted by Dan Brilliant at 2:22 AM on June 12, 2002

I do cry for you Argentina. I remember hearing how the Argentinians were fighting to give their countrymen some happy news after a disastrous year, economically, politically, and otherwise. Very sad in that respect.

Though I was starting to get really tired of all that hair.

You sound rather confident about England, sevridie. I'll betcha Denmark gives them a good run -- I'd bring up the point that they beat France, but then, that doesn't appear to mean much these days, eh? Once through the Danes, it's quite likely they could play Japan -- not exactly a cakewalk there, either. A nil-nil tie with Nigeria is hardly a confidence builder, I should think...

And for those who, like me, were not lucky enough to bear witness to the players' anguish or the fans' dissapointment, "La Nacion" provides.

And have you ever seen Swedes celebrate before? I don't think I've ever seen one so much as smile before, but...
posted by Bixby23 at 2:31 AM on June 12, 2002

Wahey .... it's like Port Stanley all over again ;o)
posted by MintSauce at 3:17 AM on June 12, 2002

Argentina were lucky with the penalty. Crespo was in the area, level with the penalty taker, when the ball was kicked and should have been done for encroachment. Bloody hippies.

Ah well, England can thank ol' Magnus Hedman for some goalkeeping heroics.

A solid, if dull performance from England. First task completed. It doesn't make us world-beaters yet, and the Danes are going to be a tough prospect, but our ability to grind out a result should help us.

And remember, England have never lost a competitive game under Svennis. (And I think we've got a better crop of penalty takers ­ and savers ­ than in the past, should they be required).
posted by i_cola at 3:19 AM on June 12, 2002

England is going to lose against Denmark, I wager. England has had a hard time playing Scandinavian teams, and Denmark has a strong team this year. Incredibly efficient against France.
posted by cx at 3:22 AM on June 12, 2002

Wahey .... it's like Port Stanley all over again ;o)

No it isn't. You are, I presume, referring to a war in which people died. Smiley/no smiley, that sort of comment is not funny. I'm sorry I posted a stupid photo now.
posted by Dan Brilliant at 3:26 AM on June 12, 2002

Dan I see your point but let's face it, if you start that sort of policing you'll have a tough time when the Germans get mentioned.
posted by Frasermoo at 3:51 AM on June 12, 2002

Dan. Never be sorry for posting that picture anywhere.

I'm just surprised I didn't see any headlines after the England - Argentina game that said 'Gotcha!'
posted by vbfg at 3:53 AM on June 12, 2002

Here I am, johnny7!

England isn't a good team. A good team doesn't draw in a crucial game with a disheartened and disqualified Nigeria. A good team doesn't score two goals in three games - one of which a penalty.

I wish England well but, apart from competent Sweden, the whole group was rubbish. Group of death, my arse.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:13 AM on June 12, 2002

Weren't you saying in another thread the other day how little you knew about football Miguel...? ;-)
posted by bifter at 4:51 AM on June 12, 2002

Miguel: er, I think that it was 'rubbish' because it was the group of death. Probably the most evenly matched group and so the teams were pretty cagey in their approach to games.

Smart teams get the results they need.
posted by i_cola at 4:54 AM on June 12, 2002

I am surrounded by experts, bifter, against my will. I'm simply passing their considered opinions on. ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:55 AM on June 12, 2002

I almost feel sorry for Batistuta - have you seen his guestbook today? :) (site being hammered by gloating England supporters as I type)
posted by viama at 5:00 AM on June 12, 2002

Just joshing with ya Miguel... :-p

You're probably right (to an extent) anyway, but i_cola's right: being dour can be a virtue some times. Nigeria certainly didn't play like a team that was due to go home with 1 point either - they played some *beautiful* football in the Sweden game, and were pretty unlucky.

At this stage, and with this many upsets more or less anyone in the second round could win (although Brazil just must be licking their lips...)
posted by bifter at 5:11 AM on June 12, 2002

No it isn't. You are, I presume, referring to a war in which people died. Smiley/no smiley, that sort of comment is not funny. I'm sorry I posted a stupid photo now.

Get over it. Many people were saying that the England vs Argentina match was 'like the Falklands War all over again'. We know full well that it wasn't a proper war.. but it's called a simile.

The antagonism between the UK and Argentina is no secret, and it's hardly tasteless to pick up on it in a humourous context.
posted by wackybrit at 5:13 AM on June 12, 2002

(PS I was more worried about Nigeria than I am about Denmark...)
posted by bifter at 5:13 AM on June 12, 2002

I almost feel sorry for Batistuta
It's very lame when people are happy to see a great player like Batistuta cry after a game like this. The man will remain in football history as one of the greatest strikers, played for Fiorentina (Florence) for many years because of his love for the club and the fans even if bigger teams wanted to sign him, and only left when the club was bankrupt and needed the transfer money.
The man deserves more respect

It's one thing to be happy about another team's defeat ( I admit that since Italy lost the European title in 2000 to France in overtime it was somewhat satisfactory for me to see France's terrible performance yesterday ).
But I'll respect forever Zidane's guts in playing even if injured, because he tried everything to take France forward. His sadness too deserves respect.

I was equally appalled when some shitheads in Argentina actually cheered Beckham's injury in the Champions League -- I mean, to be happy about a great player's broken foot, there must be something wrong with you if you do that. Especially to players like Batistuta, Beckham and many others, who take the game to another level

But maybe I'm just old-fashioned
posted by matteo at 5:40 AM on June 12, 2002

dan i loved the photo. and there is a smile on my face as i've just seen french tv broadcasting film of the french squad leaving town.
posted by quarsan at 6:06 AM on June 12, 2002

I think if anyone here tries to instill political correctness into footballing fans' actions and words then they are as stupid as they are ignorant.

I love my fellow man, but as of right this moment, the Argies can f*ck off home and take the frogs with them.
posted by Frasermoo at 6:07 AM on June 12, 2002

I think this has been the most exciting World Cup in memory!
posted by claire at 6:13 AM on June 12, 2002

I think if anyone here tries to instill political correctness into footballing fans' actions

it's not political correctness, it's called sportsmanship.

"footballing fans actions ": does that include violent hooligans?

they are as stupid as they are ignorant
Cheers Frasermoo: you're on Metatalk

the Argies can f*ck off home and take the frogs with them.
Oh. Saudi Arabia came back home as well, and Nigeria and Cameroon and South Africa: what's your slur for them? I'm curious
:)
posted by matteo at 6:28 AM on June 12, 2002

matteo, I have asked the my french colleague here to help me out with the other slurs but he is somwhat disconsolate at the moment and literally told me to 'get f*cked'.

I love the World Cup.

(and footballing fan's actions does not include violence, I am appalled as everyone should be at the deaths in Russia and quite frankly would not be surprised of similar reports from Argentina)
posted by Frasermoo at 6:40 AM on June 12, 2002

Small promotional note for a great site: Sportsfilter is a great place to talk about football: thread after thread of it, wide open for comments.

Of course the Swedes celebrate! Schnapps and singing, my friend!
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:42 AM on June 12, 2002

U! S! A! (snicker)
posted by jragon at 7:44 AM on June 12, 2002

Frasermoo - 'I think if anyone here tries to instill political correctness into footballing fans' actions and words then they are as stupid as they are ignorant.'

so, if i was into euthanasia i could purify my country in one fell swoop by terminating the discordant, simply identified using the question - which team do you support? if the subject responds football team X, then it's purification time, baby.
i mean, really.
there are plenty of teams which have anti-racist organisations working with them to make supporting teams less likely to be associated with ignorance and violence.
do you prefer attending matches watched by an all-male crowd, or a mixed crowd?
you may have heard of a team called leeds united, who have been tarred with a racist image for many years, there is even a campaign against racism in football associated with them.
or can football only be enjoyed by disenfranchised men, unable to express their disatisfaction and bewilderment with the world around them through any method other than violence of language and behaviour?
posted by asok at 8:04 AM on June 12, 2002

so, if i was into euthanasia i could purify my country in one fell swoop by terminating the discordant...

Errm, I think euthanasia has to be done by choice...

Oh, and U S A! U S A!
posted by Yelling At Nothing at 8:31 AM on June 12, 2002

you've lost me on that euthanasia thing there.

my point, as badly made as it is, goes something like this.

All around England at the moment hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, are thinking "We stuffed those Argie bastards last week and now those fuckers are going home. Good."

If you took 99.99% of those people, including myself, and put them in front of an Argentinian, there would be no real anomosity. The same goes for domestic football as well.

eg. "I despise anyone who wears an Arsenal shirt, the filthy gooner twats" (being a Chelsea supporter)
However all too many of my friends are Arsenal supporters. So in footballing terms they are bastards, but still loveable mates.

'tis a crazy mixed up world isn't it?
posted by Frasermoo at 8:34 AM on June 12, 2002

Tips for a better life (# 254 of an occasional series)

Never support a football club named after a former US president's daughter.
posted by i_cola at 9:23 AM on June 12, 2002

Maybe she was named after the club? I mean it's only been going since 1905.
posted by Frasermoo at 9:27 AM on June 12, 2002

If you took 99.99% of those people, including myself, and put them in front of an Argentinian, there would be no real anomosity.

It all depends on numbers. Put 99 England fans in front of an Argentinian after a few beers and a bad result and there's likely to be blood spilled. Same the other way round. Sad but true.

I have a great deal of sympathy for the Argentinian nation at the moment. But as far as their football goes, it didn't belong in this world cup. Taunting, shoving, diving, spitting, bitching, and generally talking shit more than anyone else. Maybe they'll use these next four years to get their behavior up to the same world class standard as their skills.
posted by dlewis at 9:29 AM on June 12, 2002

... you'll have a tough time when the Germans get mentioned.

yes, but don't mention the war.
posted by bwg at 9:53 AM on June 12, 2002

I'd just like to point out 4 years ago the Argentian team openly taunted the English team after beating them on penalties; rivalry and passion fuels such competitive behavior. Most football fans recognise this rivalry for what it is - fun, a release of stress, banter - and we all expect to take some shit off the other side when they when just as they take it when we win. It's part of the fun, because so much rides on the win - you don't want all the abuse off the other side. This is rivalry not hatred. And it goes two ways.
posted by boneybaloney at 10:43 AM on June 12, 2002

She was named after the Joni Mitchell song.
posted by muckster at 12:09 PM on June 12, 2002

Miguel, you are very wrong about the group of death, it was a very apt description. Any of the 4 could have expected to qualify from any other group. Ask an Argentine if he agrees with your comments.
Frasermoo, very cogently and hilariously put.
Matteo, Batistuta has proved himself time and again to be very unsporting and arrogant, and this is perhaps why he is taking some abuse. The Argentines, from Bielsa down behaved as if all they had to do was swagger a bit and the opposition would roll over. The fact is they were not even that good and completely misread what was required. To a man they behaved like arseholes during and after the game on Friday, like spoilt brats in fact.
I am a bit sorry that France went out because when they play as they can they are very good indeed. There is a small chance that Portugal could go out and that would be bad for those who appreciate the aesthetic side of the game. Argentina showed us nothing but arrogance. And after getting in the England players faces in the most despiscable way 4 years ago they can fuck off.
A report in the Guardian earlier in the week described how 2 Argentine substitutes abused Paul Scholes while he was being interviewed after the game. Danny Mills has described how he was repeatedly gobbed on and elbowed. They are a singularly unlovely lot. Good riddance.
Gloating is bad karma, however.
posted by Fat Buddha at 12:12 PM on June 12, 2002

England isn't a good team. A good team doesn't draw in a crucial game with a disheartened and disqualified Nigeria. A good team doesn't score two goals in three games - one of which a penalty.

Kind of like Italy in '82 then? Scraped through the 1st group stage on three points and then went on to win the competition ...

England took their point in the full heat of the day, thanks very much, and ended up with one of the four best defences in the group phase, in terms of goals conceded. And this in the group which all the pundits had down as the hardest. I fancy the Denmark game in the evening much more than Senegal in the afternoon, and I think it was quite telling that a lot of the England players said much the same sort of thing after the match.

In addition, we should know the Danish style quite well, since we invented it and most of their players learned it here. Brazil in the quarters looks quite mouth-watering though. If you're going to go out of the cup it might as well be against the best ...
posted by walrus at 3:07 AM on June 14, 2002

OK, I was wrong if you won't gloat. ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:41 AM on June 14, 2002

I think I've restrained myself fairly admirably so far. One thing: I don't usually make footballing predictions, but I will say this. The team which wins Friday's quarter final will take home the world cup. I've watched the full 90 minutes of every game so far, barring Turkey v. Costa Rica, and that is what I believe based on the evidence I've seen.
posted by walrus at 8:24 AM on June 17, 2002

Doh! I meant Friday's first quarter final, of course.
posted by walrus at 8:26 AM on June 17, 2002

p.s. I haven't been able to log into Sportsfilter for ages. Damn the electric fence!
posted by walrus at 8:57 AM on June 17, 2002