See you on Saturday

The next is the third place match between Germany and Portugal in Stuttgart.

How is this for an embarrassment?

You are sitting in a meeting at your client’s.

The head of marketing and an array of other executives are lined around the table in the clients conference room.

You are discussing an important point with the client as you are having your cup of coffee.

Suddenly the coffee gets in to your windpipe badly asphyxiating you.

You are forced to spit the coffee allover the conference table at the full glare of your top client and 4 of his counterparts.

You take 15 minutes to get over the choking effect you undergo. Coughing, tears flowing and sweating badly.

One you get over with it, you realize where you are and what you have done. There is a stunning silence around.

You are EMBARRASED.

Then, when the meeting gets over the client says “Thank you very much for coming, And thank you for spitting all over my table. It was nice having you here.”

This happened to me today. It happened to me at one of the most valued & important clients place. During an important meeting.

At the end of the meeting I thought I recovered well to respond to my clients thank you note saying “Thank you very much, I’m extremely sorry for what happened. I’ll make sure I do it better next time.”

Portugal will go to Stuttgart

France go to Berlin for the finals and would play Italy.

The final score, 1 - 0 for France. It was a Zidane penalty kick in the 33rd minute. Seemed like Henry was fouled inside the Portugese box and the referee showed the dreaded spot. The replays were inconclusive but the referees decision as we all know is final and 1 - 0 is the final result in favor of France.

Figo's Portugal played very well, in fact they seemed better in all aspects of the game but finishing. Figo himself was to blame when he missed a simple second half header to level scores. Overall it was a good game of Football and someone had to go to Berlin and France prevailed.

The Portugese tried some opera like stunts to grab the referees attention and get a few penalty kicks as reward. But the referee today was stern and watchful. Scolari as usual was animatedly superb, unfortunate we wouldn't see his antics in Berlin.

I for sure would miss Figo in Berlin. But I'm pretty sure Zidane, Henry & Thuram would make-up for that loss.

Well done France.

Who will play Italy in Berlin?

In another 7-8 hrs time we would have a team from Munich that will go to face Italy in Berlin. France are playing Portugal in the second semifinal of the football world cup 2006. My personal favorites are Portugal, I am a Figo fan.

This match would be no less nerve-wracking than the first semifinal yesterday. This is going to be a fabulous match-up between two very good teams in the football world today. Both the teams took some time to find their touch in the tournament and are now in the peak of their form.

May the best team win (Portugal!!)

And the winner is...

It was a match dominated by the Italians. The Germans held till the 119th minute, then they started crumbling. Conceding 2 goals in the span of 2 minutes.

Italy goes to Berlin...

Fabio Grosso opened the account for the Italians in the 119th minute.

Alessandro Del Piero who came in by the second half of the extra time extended the lead by scoring in the 121st minute.

Italy 2 - Germany 0

Thriller?

At the end of 105 minutes of play (i.e.) two halves of play and one half of extra time the score remains 0 - 0.

Seems like this match is going down the wire.

It is fulltime

The fulltime whistle goes off. After 90 minutes of play it is 0 - 0. Italy were dominating with 57% ball possession through the two halves.

We now move on to the extratime.

Will a golden goal decide who goes to Berlin?

Or will we see penalty kicks deciding the finalist today?

What will happen in Dortmund?

It is halftime and the score is 0 - 0

Will the Germans win?

Are we in for an Italian shocker?

Did I say it would be 3 - 1 for Germany?

Well it has been a disappointing first half, at least for me who said the Germans would win 3 - 1.

35 minutes of first half play is over as I write this blog. The scoreline is 0 - 0.

But my worry is the state of affairs till now.

Italy has had a greater share of ball possession, 59% till now. They have also had "3" shots on the goal as opposed to "0" by the Germans. Italians till now have forced "4" corner kicks as opposed to "1" by the Germans.

As I finish this post in the 39th minute, Italians have forced another corner (5 overall) and they have had a freekick.

Germans need to improve a lot to win this match.

Italy dominating.

The football is back after a short break

Germany is going to Berlin. But I don't rule out a shock win for the Italians. Should be Germany by the end of the day (night here in Dubai). 3 - 1 is my final score, for Germany.

Let's wait and watch...

No football? How about some cricket?

India completed a historic series win over the West Indies, in West Indies. The four test series ended with a win for India at Sabina park, Kingston, Jamaica. This is India’s second series win in the Caribbean, 35 years after Ajit Wadeker’s team won a series. This win would also add some sanctity to India’s not so impressive away from home wins record.

It was a roller coaster of a match, with both the teams dominating in short bursts. In the end India prevailed by the end of the third day. It was a great match of test cricket and in the end the Indians definitely proved that they are a far better team.

Day 1

Rahul Dravid, the Indian captain won the toss and chose to bat
Jerome Taylor, the fast bowler from West Indies picked up 5 to reduce India to 200 in their 1st innings

Day 2

It was Harbajan Singh’s turn, he picked 5 West Indian wickets to reduce them to 103. A lead of 97 for India.

Day 3

Cory Collymore picked up 5 Indian wickets to end the Indian 2nd innings at 171. The West Indians needed 269 to win. They had more than 2 ½ days to win the test and wrap the series.

Kumble, emerged the hero for the Indians with a 6 wicket haul. And India won the test by the end of the third day by a margin of 49 runs, with 2 days to spare.

Positives

India

Batting – Dravid (as usual), Shewag & Laxman (back among runs), Wasim Jaffer (showed lots of temperament and promise), Kaif (should hold his place for another couple of series with that 100)

Bowling – The young ones did extremely well (Sreesanth, Munaf & VRV), Harbajan (among wickets again) and the old war horse Kumble (dependable as usual)

West Indies

Batting – Lara, Sarvan, Ganga & Ramdin (the wicketkeeper)

Bowling – Jerome Taylor (he was brilliant), Collymore (you could depend on this guy) and Collins (a modest comeback series for him)

Bravo scores full marks for living up to his allrounder reputation

No football for 2 days

Next game: Germany (Vs.) Italy in Dortmund on July 04, 2006

The Srilankan whitewash

The football worldcup euphoria subdued a fantastic game of cricket in Headingley, Leeds.

It was the fifth and final oneday game of Srilanka's tour of England. England scored 321 - 7 in their allotted 50 overs. The Srilankan's took 37.3 overs to maul that with 8 wickets to spare.

At one point in time I thought the Srilankan's would finish the match off well within 30 overs. Both the Srilankan openers, Jayasurya & Tharanga scored 100's. Jayasurya went on to bag the man of match as well as the man of the series awards.

In the end Srilanka had completed a 5-0 whitewash of the English in the onedayers. This, after a very closely fought test series where the Srilankan's came back from a 1 - 0 deficit to level the series 1 - 1.

While Mr. Moody, the Srilankan coach will rejoice welcoming his good times. Finally fortune smiles on him after a very bad run since the day he took over.

And Mr. Fletcher, his English counterpart has lots of introspection to do. With Ashes down the corner, this drubbing would only add to England’s miseries of injury and indifferent form.

Who’ll go to Berlin?

We have four teams now, was wondering who will play in the finals and who might win.

And this is what I have got to say.

Semifinals

Germany (Vs.) Italy – Germany 9:2
Portugal (Vs.) France – Portugal 3:2

Final line-up, winner and odds

Germany (Vs.) Portugal – Portugal 3:2
Germany (Vs.) France – France 5:4

Italy (Vs.) Portugal – Portugal 1:4
Italy (Vs.) France – France 4:9

In my opinion there are only three teams now running for the cup (in the same order).

1) Portugal
2) Germany
3) France

Italy’s odds are a bit too high at this point in time.

So my pick, it will be Germany (Vs.) Portugal in Berlin. And it will be a closely fought final, must be physical as well.

Vinay M says Germany. I say Portugal.

Let the best team win.

Fittingly the fourth qualifier

France it is…

And I did spell a Nostradamus. Incidentally, I had also predicted the final score for a couple of my friends. I told them it would be 1 – 0 for France, fulltime.

So, France is the fourth team to qualify. Thierry Henry scored for France in the 57th minute.

They now face Portugal in Munich on July 05, 2006.

Thank you Vinay M for acknowledging my astrological prowess through a text message. But there was nothing astrological about my prediction.

I repeat France definitely are a better team and Brazil were grossly overrated*.

* This inspite of me claiming to have spelt a Nostradamus!!

Three of four

Portugal I had predicted and Portugal it is…

A good game of football with both the teams having their share of chances and half chances.

To make things worse for England, Wayne Rooney was red carded in the 62nd minute. It was 0 – 0 fulltime and after a series of eventful hit and miss penalties it was 3 – 1 for Portugal finally.

So as I had predicted Portugal goes to Munich.

Opinion: France from Frankfurt

It will be France from Frankfurt (that is my prediction for todays second match). Brazil in my opinion are a bit too overrated and quarter's is how far they would go this time.

So France goes to Munich...

Hope I spelt a Nostradamus on France. We will know it tonight

Who will triumph in Gelsenkirchen?

In my opinion it will be Portugal, even if they are without a couple of their stars. But I also like Sven-Goran Eriksson's England.

What to do? At the end of two 45's only one team can win and I think Portugal will go to Munich.

Two of four...

Italy is team number two in the semifinal lineup.

They made a short work of Ukraine, 3 – 0. Gianluca Zambrotta (6th minute) & Luca Toni (59th and 69th minute) scored for Italy.

But for excellent goalkeeping from Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon the match could have been close.

It will be Germany (Vs.) Italy on July 04, 2006 in Dortmund. Let’s see who goes to Berlin from there.

One of four...

It is Germany. The German's become the first to qualify for the Semifinals beating Argentina on penalties, 1 – 1 (4 – 2).

Jans Lehmann the hero saving two spot kicks and Roberto Ayala & Esteban Cambiasso, the antiheros for the Argentinians.

All said, it was a hardly fought match, with both teams locked 1 – 1 in fulltime. Miroslav Klose of Germany equalized ( 80th-minute) Argentina’s opening goal from Roberto Ayala (49th-minute).

Seems like Jurgen Klinsmann’s decision to choose Jans Lehmann as his number one goalkeeper ahead of the experienced Oliver Kahn is vindicated.

Let’s now see how far the hosts go in this tournament.