Cupdate

Clever, huh?

People are still talking about the upset win in World Cup soccer by Switzerland over Spain, heavily favored to make the finals id not win the Cup this year. This is roughly the equivalent of the New York Yankees losing to the Chicago Cubs in interleague play (because we know the Yankees would never meet the Cubs in the World Series). It's been said that it was embarrassing for the Spaniards to lose to a country famous for making chocolate and clocks, but it makes sense that the Swiss would deliver a sweet, precise victory.

Greece, meanwhile, won its first World Cup game over, defeating Nigeria two to one. Nigeria controlled the game in the first half until midfielder Sani Kaita was shown a straight red card for kicking Greek player Vassilis Torosidis, forcing the Nigerians to play the rest of the half and the game with one player fewer. Torosidis scored the deciding Greek goal in the seventy-first minute. Given Greece's recent troubles, the country - whose soccer team is not a Cup favorite - needed a psychological boost. The go against Argentina on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Mexico-France game reminded me of far less recent events. After a scoreless first half, Mexico scored two spectacular goals in the second half, shutting out the French. It if seemed to be like Cinco de Mayo in the stands, bear in mind that Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla in 1862, in which the Mexicans defeated an invading French army. The Mexicans seemed to enjoy the chance of taunting the French in this defeat, with cries of "Olé! Olé!"

Mexico needs to tie in their next game to advance. France, the 1998 Cup champion, just needs another win to save face. :-O