WORLD CUP FEVER - June 30 (again)

Results:

Romania (0) 0	Croatia (0) 1
	Suker 45 (pen)

Argentina (2) 2	England (2) 2   *
Batistuta 6 (pen) Zanetti 45	Shearer 10 (pen) Owen 16
*   Argentina won	4-3 on penalties

[Pre-match thoughts at 4pm... What does history have to say about the likely outcome of tonight's clash? It says England are notoriously hard to put out of a tournament once we get to this stage... look at 1982, we only went out by drawing our two second round games 0-0 (against Germany and Spain). Went home unbeaten. 1986 - terrible start, yes, but once we got to the quarters, there was a different shape to the team, a more confident outlook. Went out largely due to cheating Hand of God, might have lost otherwise, but we'll never know. Worthy of a draw and extra time, at least. 1990, went on on pens. We were not beaten fairly and squarely in three successive World Cup latter stages. The same thing applies to Euro 96. The further we went the better we got. But what about Euro 1988 and 1992 when we were shite and didn't win a game you ask? This is superficially worrying, yes, but if we'd have got to the next stage, it would have been a different story I'm sure. Now we've had our stumbling block, Romania, we've got back up in the saddle and can only improve.

The Argies. Yes they won it in 1986, and yes they reached the final again in 1990. But they went out at this stage last time (3-2 to Romania). Why shouldn't they be stopped again? Some say they haven't conceded a goal yet and in fact they've had eight clean sheets in a row or something ridiculous. This is a good omen, how long can they go without letting one in? Their goalkeeper must be tested. We'e got to beat the man and get round the back. Cos we're playing for England, In-ger-land etc... How long can Alan Shearer go without scoring another? Put your money on him. David Seaman... what are the chances of him letting in two goals again? Negligible. Three? Forget it. No way, not a chance, don't even think of it.

Colombia was the first South American opposition we've beaten in years. They never bothered us. So why shouldn't we beat another one? Look at the facts... six of the quarter-finallists are guaranteed to be European teams. Only Brazil have won through otherwise. Come to think of it - England to beat South Americans again, seven European teams in the last eight? - these are both good arguments for an Argie win. So think of a better reason!

It depends what happens this afternoon (Romania v Croatia) , but we haven't had a penalty shoot-out yet. It's only matter of time.... I reckon extra time/golden goal is a distinct possibility. Also, whatever their result is, we won't have the same result tonight, because there have been two 4-1s (Brazil and Denmark who now face each other), two 1-0s (France and Italy who now face each other) and two 2-1s (on the same day) at this stage. So, my voodoo mathematics says England must have a different result to Romania. Not that this will help in any way.

What do we learn from this? History is arse. There are 11 men against 11 men, and at the end of the day it's 90 minutes. And a golden goal. That's what I think, 1-1 and then blood and guts and exploding organs will win it. Tears before bedtime, jumpers for goalposts... marvellous. Except it won't be, it'll be agony.

I can't concentrate. I'm full of pre-match nerves, but I refuse to think about defeat. Come on England, three lions on a shirt. Jules Rimet still gleaming. All those years of hurt. Never stopped us dreaming...]

* * *

And then, a few hours later, it was over. We all know what happened, but I don't think some of us realise just how much we were cheated out of a decent chance of victory by this man...

Referee Kim Nielsen was truly abysmal. Is my judgement being clouded by misguided 'patriotism'? I don't think so. Neither of the first-half penalties were justified. A yellow card for Seaman? No. A red card for Beckham? No, no and thrice no. A yellow card for Simeone for feigning injury? Definitely (an all-round cheating diving cunt just like you said Mr Gibs) and he, should then have been sent off. A goal for Sol Campbell? Yes - Arsene Wenger thought it would have been given in England. A red card for whoever held back Owen in the second half (was it Almeyda)? Yes. A penalty in extra time for a handball? Possibly. All in all, he sucked, he blew (far too often) and I hope he never referees another World Cup match.

Yes, the England players will return as 'heroes' - except Beckham who I imagine will receive abuse from every set of opposing supporters for the whole of the next season - but we beat ourselves, with a lot of help from the referee. Argentina were there for the taking. We matched them, rose to the challenge, but failed to deliver the final blow. Just like in 1990 and 1996 with the Germans. Certainly we can be proud of 'our boys' but the fact remains we're out, and I'm not happy.

I know this is focusing on the negative points, and there were some incredible highlights, Owen's goal in particular. A few seconds of delirium when we thought Sol Campbell had scored. Another brief resurgence of optimism when Seaman saved a penalty. We showed when it mattered we were good enough but if we don't get a fair chance then there's no way of winning. I laughed earlier on when hearing that Cameroon and Morocco had their calls to suspend the World Cup (because they were cheated out of a fair chance of preogressing to the second round) dismissed by a French court. But it shows how much these things are left in the hands of one man. Him, up there. And I don't mean God. It left a familiar taste in my mouth. In addition to far too much beer. And I can't shrug it off with a 'never mind, well-played lads' and wait another four years...

If we must be forward-looking and positive - not something I'm always good at - then I have to say Michael Owen is a demi-God and Sol Campbell was a giant, magnificent.


* * *

Your (for once contemporary) World Cup Quotes:

'It was the first I've ever taken. I don't even take them in training usually and I never thought I'd have to take one in a penalty shoot-out.' David Batty

'Still with 10 men we defended like lions. It's a bitter, bitter pill to take and we are absolutely distraught tonight but proud at the same time.' Glenn Hoddle

'The whole country can be incredibly proud of the way the English team played. They showed English spirit at its very best.' Tony Blair

'We go out of a World Cup because of a referee's decision.' Cameroon coach Claude Le Roy (not the only one)

'Without being too harsh on David, it cost us the game.' Ian Wright

'It was a silly thing to do, a foolish thing to do but it was not violent.' Glenn Hoddle

'David is devastated. He was so choked that he couldn't speak last night.' Ted Beckham (David's father)