Group C - COL | GRE | CIV | JPN

Match threads in here.

TAB have Colombia and Ivory Coast going through.

I'm going Colombia and Japan sneaking in there.

I think Columbia will breeze through. a big step ahead ahead 

Japan should take 2nd spot.. had some good results in the last year including drawing with the dutch and beating belgium

there defense is a little suspect but can score goals

Agree - Greece might nab a dour draw or two, and Ivory Coast should be good to watch, but the draw should let Japan and Colombia play out a draw in the last game and go through. 

With the Toure brothers struggling with injury and malaria, an aging squad and a weak backline I don't fancy Ivory Coast.

Got Colombia to win to nil today at $2.50

Oooof.

Some celebration too.

"Rodriguez sees a shit blocked"

Classic text commentary on stuff.co.nz

Few dodgy moments in defence for Colombia but did it easy. {Enter Dark Horse cliche}

That strike just before half time by Kone would have given the Greeks a real lift had it gone in.

Stadiums are full around japan as they cheer for japan against CIV today. Awesome idea

Thought that was a good match to watch, although it was a bit tiresome hearing the commentators talk about how everything that happened was down to drogba once he came on. Yes he played well, but that's hardly fair to the players who actually got the goals, or the player that put both crosses in.

Even after losing I still think Japan are good enough to get into the last 16. They really looked good for long periods in this game. Conceding two goals in three mins was through giving silly balls away. Like the way they play.

Really enjoyed the Japan Cote d'Ivoire game (a good effort, given that it was game 4 on the trot), and thought that either of these against Colombia will be very mouth-watering.  Likewise, I wouldn't write Japan off just yet.

On the basis of what we saw today, Greece would be well back in the field, but they are the sort of team to throw a spanner in the works.  No big names, but some quite tasty fixtures to come in this group.

Maybe. They didn't have the legs or impact subs. If they can't put a team away early it is hard to see them coming from behind against a good team. But yeah, some good players and they play attractive football.

I just made the comment in another thread, but pretty much any team at this competition could sneak a win. This is what makes the World Cup awesome. It is better for us to earn a place at an awesome world cup than to get gifted a place at a lamo world cup.

Like the one in 2022 you mean?

standard of Ivorian crossing needs rapid improvement

Otherwise, they can win this.

Must be about 80% possession to Japan this half. Will be kicking themselves if they don't win this.

Why on earth would Greece defend like that??? don't they hope to go to the next round???  well there is my last team (Japan) pretty much out.

Did not watch that game, but history tells me,  Greece is total defense team. They hope for some long ball counterattck. It's the most horrible team to watch, that why I'll did not bother.

Down to 10 men after 39 mins. Captain sent off for 2nd yellow card offence.

Yep. At one stage I was getting angry at them but then I realized how we played last time. Other teams probably felt the same.

This thought had crossed my mind also, didn't give a stuff what the rest of the world last time!

Colombia looking sharp. Love how they brought on their 43 year old veteran keeper so he could become the oldest player in WC history.

Samaras fell over his own feet. O'Leary is now yesterday's news. Another ref to be getting death threats shortly.

Colombia brought on their 43 year old third choice keeper this morning, purely so that he could break the record for the oldest player at a world cup. Reminds me of Andy Barron coming in for us in 2010 purely so he could be the only amatuer at the cup!

Nice moment. He was their number 1 last time they played in the World Cup in 1998, and was even in the 1994 squad.

Ricki should've brought himself on for last 5 mins v Paraguay.

It looked to me that he clipped the defenders shin (not the other way around - so not a pen for this alone), which caused him to kick himself on the follow through. Either way not a pen.