Brazil and Argentina square off in a crucial World Cup qualifier for both teams in Brazil tonight. If you will be watching the game, and will be online, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
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38th minute- Okay folks. i'm bagging my commentary until the second half. I will be back though and will post directly in the comments section. Enjoy the match.
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36th minute- Still scoreless.
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27th minute- And there goes my feed again.
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24th minute- Brazil applying some pressure.
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21st minute- Juan gets a yellow card for a foul on Riquelme.
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15th minute- Still no score and my feed is still hit or miss.
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9th minute- Having some issues with my feed of the game. And it's back.
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6th minute- Interesting to see how Brazil's attack works without Kaka or Robinho.
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4th minute- Brazil on the attack early on.
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3rd minute- We're underway in Brazil.
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PRE-GAME- We're close to getting under way and Riquelme is in the middle while Aguero is on the bench for Argentina.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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Where can we watch the game online?
Posted by: Adriano | June 18, 2008 at 08:40 PM
Yeah, because it's $30 on PPV. I'm not cheap and I'd like to watch the game...but not $30 worth.
m
Posted by: mig22 | June 18, 2008 at 08:44 PM
myp2p. everyone's confused. the game isn't until 630 pacific
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 08:48 PM
National anthems just about done, myp2p channel 48732.
Posted by: DCM | June 18, 2008 at 08:53 PM
ok not until 550 haha
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 09:01 PM
Why isn't Messi playing?
Watching it on justin TV, hard to tell exactly who is out there, but ESPN says no Messi and that Robinho is playing.
Posted by: why | June 18, 2008 at 09:05 PM
Wait, they just showed Messi. Maybe I should get a TV?
Posted by: why | June 18, 2008 at 09:07 PM
why, can u please send me the link u r using, thanks
Posted by: Erik Abarca | June 18, 2008 at 09:09 PM
http://www.justin.tv/flacotc
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 09:10 PM
Nice sequence that ends in a header. But is caught.
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 09:13 PM
thanks
Posted by: Erik Abarca | June 18, 2008 at 09:13 PM
http://www.justin.tv/directory?category=sports
Almost all the channels are showing different feed of the game.
Posted by: why | June 18, 2008 at 09:14 PM
theres a nice feed from cablesports that you can find on myp2p via sopcast...and its in english
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:16 PM
http://www.justin.tv/eliminatorias
Posted by: CrewCrazed | June 18, 2008 at 09:23 PM
ATV representing, Vive Peru Carajo!
Posted by: PERU | June 18, 2008 at 09:23 PM
Looks like Brasil is using a 4-2-3-1 dutch style
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:28 PM
Okay folks, let me know how the feed I just plugged into this post is working.
Posted by: Ives | June 18, 2008 at 09:30 PM
Anderson with an injury, diego coming in for him
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:30 PM
Ives....what? I'm confused lol
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:31 PM
P.S. Robinho AND Messi are both playing
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:33 PM
40th minute- Fk argentina. about 30 out
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:37 PM
Riquelme hits the wall.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:38 PM
43rd- Fk Brasil, Diego over the ball and abbodonzieri catches it
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:39 PM
45th- Long ball to messi who scoops it up and hits just wide of the goal
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:42 PM
Halftime Brasil 0- Argentina 0
Pretty evenly matched, with Argentina maybe having a slight edge because of all the opportunities Brasil is giving them by fouling. However, Brasil has 2 shots on goal to argentina's 1. We'll see how things unfold.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 09:44 PM
Penalty should have been called on the Argentine GK grabbing Robinho's shirt form behind when he had the ball past him in the area.
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 09:50 PM
Annnnd I'm back. I played soccer for an houyr and a half before this game so I had to shower at halftime.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:05 PM
50th- Nice combination play by robinho and adriano, with adrianos last ball going to abbodonzieri rather than robinho's feet.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:08 PM
51st- FK argentina, riquelme
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Messi takes the kick instead and sends a dangerous ball to lucio who clears it.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Is Carlos Tevez playing in this game?
Posted by: Sandro | June 18, 2008 at 10:10 PM
No sir. Looks like the forward of choice today is Julio cruz and messi, although I think messi has been playing more of a wide role. Not sure of the exclusion of tevez, injury maybe?
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:12 PM
55th-Adriano gets a yellow for a foul on gutierrez
On a side note, pato is warming up, along with others
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:13 PM
57th- Julio Cruz misses a wide open shot on goal badly.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:15 PM
perfect oppurtunity there for argentina but it is wasted by cruz.
Posted by: Seisco | June 18, 2008 at 10:17 PM
60th- Gago gets a yellow for a harsh tackle on lucio
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:18 PM
62nd-Julio Baptista sends in a curling high FK straight to the net only to be saved by abbodonzieri
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:20 PM
64th- Yellow for Mascherano, Diego's free Kick also on goal, but also saved by the argentine GK
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Wow. Lots of very intense tackling and cards that seem to be totally warranted. I guess that bravery and complete commitment to the game are what make the difference at this level. Awesome match.
Posted by: why | June 18, 2008 at 10:22 PM
66th- Buildup from Brasil ends in a robinho shot, but just wide
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:23 PM
68th- Aguero in, Cruz out
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:25 PM
69th- Messi with a nice little juke in the box to result in his shot being blocked by what looks like lucio (who by the way is captaining brasil). Doesn't look like Brasil is using their home field to their advantage.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:28 PM
71st- Adriano out for sevilla's Luis Fabiano
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:28 PM
72nd- Fabiano contributing immediately, sending a chip cross to julio baptista who does a sideways bike kick to be saved by abbodonzieri again. Abbodonzieri seems to be having a good game.
Posted by: Drew D(From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:30 PM
77th- last few minutes have been all argentina, who have been pressing Brasil's defense
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:34 PM
78th- guess I spoke to soon, corner Brasil.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Looks like Daniel alves is about to come in
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:36 PM
80th- Alves for Diego
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Looks like Alves is following the Panama U-23 trend with his blowout mullet.
Disappointing to seem him come in though, as it may signify that Brasil is willing to drop back and settle for the tie.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:39 PM
83rd- messi showing some more flair in the box, has his shot blocked that comes to aguero who shanks it
On another note, Sebastian Battaglia of Boca in for riquelme
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Its got to be a crime against humanity for a Brazil-Argentina game to end in a scoreless draw.
Posted by: Seisco | June 18, 2008 at 10:42 PM
86th- Mineiro fouls messi about 22 yds away from goal. FK argentines.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:44 PM
88th- Yellow for Jonas Guttierez for pulling an abuleo and grabbing on dani alves' ear it looks like. Lots of cards in this game. Less cards, more goals!
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:45 PM
whoops, sorry for the typos fellas, abuela*
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:46 PM
92nd- Messi with a great shot saved by Julio Cesar, deflected back to messi who shanks it.
Now rodrigo palacio in for lionel messi
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:49 PM
Oh man, Messi needs to finish that chance.
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 18, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Messi. FTW. I don't care if he didn't finish that. He made something out of nothing, he's amazingly talented.
Posted by: why | June 18, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Final Brasil 0- Argentina 0, and the boos shower down from the stadium. Good play by both keepers but it feels as if both Argentina and Brasil could have made a little more of their chances. As a Brasilian myself, I am disappointed. With all the cards in this game, it looked more like England-Germany than Argentina-Brasil
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Dunga is on very shaky ground....A loss would have definitely put him out.
Posted by: MiamiAl | June 18, 2008 at 10:54 PM
did anyone else think this game was incredibly boring?
both teams gave each other so much space, it looked like both teams were playing in La Paz or something the way they were lazily walking around in the second half.
Posted by: combo breaker karma | June 18, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Ugly game overall. Dunga played Gilberto Silva and Minero in the midfield, which pretty much killed any offensive flow from Brazil and seemed to concede that they wanted a result, not necessarily a win. Riquelme looked a little lost, Messi was active but ineffective, and Cruz just isn't getting it done. Games like this remind you how good absent Kaka is now (and to a lesser extent, absent Tevez), and perhaps more importantly, how unreal absent (but in the stands) Ronaldinho was a few years ago. It also reminds you that, for all his talent, Robinho cannot will the team forward like Ronny used to, and that as great as he is in Germany, Diego never quite gets it done for Brazil. Dunga, I think, is in trouble. When was the last time Brazil went this long without scoring? If you are Argentina, you have to be happy with the away tie against a side that has murdered you recently, but I still think you realize that you are still second-rate to a decidedly third-rate Brazilian performance.
Posted by: Adam M. | June 18, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Drew D, thanks for the great work on the minute-by-minute updates.
Cheers,
Posted by: mig22 | June 18, 2008 at 11:19 PM
No problem man. Thanks for the feedback.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Hey Drew D, thanks for picking up the slack with the commentary. It's greatly appreciated.
Posted by: Ives | June 18, 2008 at 11:43 PM
I did my best. Thanks for the feedback guys, it means alot to know that people read my commentary, and I wasn't just doing it for nothing. It was my pleasure, and also very flattering to get a compliment from Ives himself. It's a shame no TV station this side of GolTV decided to buy the rights for this game.
Posted by: Drew D (From FL) | June 18, 2008 at 11:55 PM