It’s Ayoba time!

Friday, June 18, 2010


Match 21
Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth
Germany 0 – 1 Serbia
Place watched:  At the MTN booth at Ellis Park [their slogan is in the heading above]

Another stroke of good fortune occurred this morning.  We had finished breakfast and had moved over to the couches in the common area to fire up our laptops to find the best way to Ellis Park.  An older couple came in to wait for their room to be cleaned after checking in.  We chatted a bit and discovered that they were going to the same match that we were plotting our course to see.  Since they had rented a car, they offered to take us as far as the Park & Ride at Ellis Park.  This is purely speculation, of course, but it seemed like they wanted to have us in the vehicle for protection.  Or because they thought we were slow…  Whether it is wild animals, or thieves, you don’t have to be fast in a bad situation, you only have to be faster than someone else in your group.

Meanwhile—and this is the part you have all been waiting breathlessly for, I am sure—my friend fired up the bunny suit.  I will post pictures here, but you probably already saw him on TV.  With this get-up, it will be impossible to keep us off the airwaves!!!

Match 22
Johannesburg – JEP
Slovenia 2 – 2 USA
Place watched:  Ellis Park- Johannesburg, South Africa

Dude.

We all did a fair amount of shouting during this match, but could no better than a draw.  When the US hit the net for the 3rd time, our section was dancing and singing and shouting, it took at least 45 seconds to figure out the goal had been disallowed.  We still don’t know what happened.  Some say there was a foul, others say offside was the call.  Either way, the goal didn’t stand and here we are.  We will have to beat Algeria on Wednesday to go through.  This seems so discouraging familiar…


Match 23
Cape Town
England 0 – 0 Algeria
Place watched:  Cappellos / Morulani Guest House common area

The last match of the night was sure to be a blow-out.  England would certainly lay a beat-down on lowly Algeria.  The pundits would likely need an electrified adding machine to tally all the goals England would score.

…Or it would end in a nil – nil draw with England looking awful.

I am not sure how, but the second thing happened.  Star striker Wayne Rooney looked average, at best; and their whole attack lacked purpose.  Thankfully for the Brits, their defense held or they would have been on the outside looking in as we reach the final match in the group stage.

Whatever the cause, this result benefited the Unites States.  We need to win on Wednesday, but we now hold the tie-breaker over England because our draw was at two, and theirs was at zero.  Hope still reigns in the States!