In yesterday’s piece, I appear to have muddled Gaby Roslin, BBC Watchdog presenter, with Gabby Logan, ITV World Cup anchorwoman. In my defence, I would plead the fact that Gabby Logan changed her surname from Yorath when she married, her fairly radical makeover and the general interchangability of celebrities. I hope that the traffic generated by my error was not responsible for Blogger’s server being down this morning.
Elsewhere, it’s been a game of 2 halves 3 times over, with each second half being much better than the first. Mexico recovered from going a goal behind against Ecuador in the 6th minute to win 2-1, which puts them top of their group with just one game left. The bad news for them is their last game is against Italy. Goal difference is likely to be crucial for somebody.
Costa Rica drew 1-1 with Turkey, equalising just before the end. This means Brazil are definitely through to the second phase, but need to draw with Costa Rica to top the group. Turkey need to beat China in their final game by a few goals, and hope Brazil beat Costa Rica.
Those of you who are actually interested in football (I try not to dwell on what a small percentage of my audience that is) may remember the last World Cup, when Morocco and Scotland played the last game in their group in the belief that the winner would go through. Morocco chopped Scotland into Mars bar sized chunks and deep fried them in batter, but Norway beat Brazil to render the whole affair academic. Most of the Moroccan team, having developed a taste for pointless fixtures, then signed en masse for Coventry.
The final order in this group matters, but I've decided not to make you know why. Oh my mercy knows no bounds.
In the final game of the day, Japan beat Russia 1-0. The game was mainly remarkable for the worst miss of the tournament so far, perpetrated in front of a prone defence and a wide open goalmouth by one Vladimir Beschastnykh, whose name is apparently Russian for "unlucky". I blame the parents.
Barry Davies distinguished himself in the commentary box once again. "I don't know who that gentleman is, but he's obviously very important in Yokohama", he said of the Japanese Prime Minister. Apparently in Russian baridavis means own goal.
I go back to work tomorrow, classes having apparently not been cancelled even though the World Cup is on. I just don’t understand the world sometimes. My diarising may become slightly more erratic, but I’ll do my best.
