Comments on: Pop World Cup 2010: Group B – Greece 1 Nigeria 2

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:11:50 +0000

‘Kokoroko’ is actually a well-known brand of incontinence pants in Nigeria.

By: Steve Mannion

Steve Mannion — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:59:07 +0000

I was just collecting links for the artists featured in the PWC so far, for the minisite home page, and would like to share the top Google result for Kefee with you all: http://www.modernghana.com/movie/3874/3/kefee-screams-you-wet-the-bed-every-night-and-aske.html

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:30:49 +0000

Thanks for hashing out those scenarios! I suppose that means South Korea are through unless one of Greece or Argentina win heavily and my team gets completely thrashed. Tempted to experiment a bit now…

By: Birdseed

Birdseed — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:18:25 +0000

Right, let’s pull together a quick tabloid-like analysis of those permutations then.

In case of a draw in either game Nigeria and South Korea are both through.

Greece will go through if:

They win their last-round game, South Korea win their last-round game and Greece’s percentage score in the last round is at least 24 points higher than Nigeria’s.

They win their last-round game, Nigeria win their last-round game and Greece’s percentage score in the last round is at least 41 points higher than South Korea’s.

(Argentina’s quivalents are 35 and 52)

The minimum “double-win” margin is 16, so 24 is not a terribly difficult result to achieve. Good to know, I’ve really got to fight hard in the last round though, and rely on South Korea to trample Nigeria, which seems unlikely to be honest.

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:58:48 +0000

No, there are no dead rubbers in the PWC (or very few).

The head to head on equal points is yr total %ages, or total votes if those are equal.

So if you beat Argentina and there’s a victory in the other game you’ve got a chance of going through.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:58:07 +0000

I believe it’ll be decided on ‘percentage difference’ rather than head-to-head, but the organisers will need to confirm that. It might not be decided yet. Looking at the margins South Korea are racking up, that puts them in a very good position.

A draw between Nigeria and South Korea in the third game would be enough to ensure qualification for both sides, however.

By: Birdseed

Birdseed — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:54:54 +0000

What a difference a single percentage point can make!

So does this mean I’m out? What’s the tie-breaker in case two teams end up on four points? If it’s head-to-head scores, both Greece and Argentina are already out, right, rendering the final round of games purely about honour?

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:50:55 +0000

This leaves Nigeria and South Korea knowing a draw in their game will see them both qualify, but I think there’s too much at stake not to go for the win. (also I’m not sure how you’d play for a draw in the PWC, hooray!)

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:43:29 +0000

*Runs to corner flag, does little dance*

I think I have the French manager’s late vote to thank for this. Still, terrific play from Greece for the entire game. Still a lot to play for in this group.

By: Lex

Lex — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:30:12 +0000

Heh, I see the GRE manager has been lurking around the French training camp! Almost works, too, but the NGR track just pushes all my buttons, and specifically makes me demand MORE R&B DIVAS PLEASE. Raise your games, other managers; this is the gauntlet being thrown down.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:39:41 +0000

I did fuck up badly with an evening kick-off for one Friday track. I found as organiser that doing the preparation in two blocs with a day and a weekend gap was a bit less gruelling, so I think making sure we get the Friday one up quickly is the way to go.

By: Birdseed

Birdseed — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:36:21 +0000

I agree. Or at least put the friday track out earlier in the morning?

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:28:34 +0000

I think whoever goes up on Friday tends to get fewer votes than the other ties. There might be a case for running the four games Monday to Thursday from now on?

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:08:14 +0000

You are not mistaken! VOTE IN THIS, it’s a bit low.

By: Matt DC

Matt DC — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:44:53 +0000

Last day of voting on this unless I’m mistaken.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:06:04 +0000

CORRECTION! This match finishes at midnight (UK time) on Thursday 18th March. Sorry for the gross incompetence. The managers would be quite justified in complaining to the authorities about my timekeeping.

By: koganbot

koganbot — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:27:21 +0000

The Greeks play a beautifully harmonious game in slow motion, create quicksand for the opponents but sometimes get caught in it themselves. The Nigerians in contrast come out running, though there’s confusion as it appears the equipment bus was stolen and their outfits hastily pieced together from American Army surplus. But the talent up the middle is undeniable, and eventually they get past the Greeks.

By: Jonathan Bogart

Jonathan Bogart — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:58:22 +0000

This is the sort of game you tell your grandkids you were in the stands for. Greece fields a mystical hippie duo with fragile-looking backup, Nigeria fields one of the most engaging young female strikers it’s been our pleasure to see play and backs her up with a massive pop party. Thrills and disappointments abound (on both sides) as Nigeria discovers that what looks like fragility on the part of the Greek defense is in fact GOETIC MAGIC, and their best shots are turned away without a defender being visible on the field. However the Greek wizards up front aren’t finding the Nigerian electrofunk defense an easy mountain to climb either; they themselves may be able to float hand-in-hand above the heads of their opponents, but the ball remains stubbornly earthbound, and they rarely get past midfield against a defense that is here to party. Kefee is undoubtedly the star of the game — if she isn’t swamped by sponsorship deals and invitations from the big association teams like Timbaland’s or Max Martin’s, there’s no pop football justice — but she’s let down by a co-striker who simply can’t keep up with her. Never mind; in the last five minutes the Greek defenses flag, and Kefee, alone on the field (no one will call her offside if they CAN’T SEE THE DEFENSE), finds a hole, and rears her heel back to shoot, straight and true.

At which point we turn to our grandkids and grin at the ensuing cries of “but what HAPPENED?”

“Well,” we say, “then the votes came in….”

By: lonepilgrim

lonepilgrim — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:45:08 +0000

Some may suggest that the Greek manager has lost his marbles with this team selection but there’s a deceptive robustness and passion to their play which should cause problems for the Nigerians whose energetic, modern style appears a bit brittle and repetitive as the match goes on. A tight call but a draw seems likely unless there are some dubious decisions from the linesmen.

By: jeff w registered

jeff w registered — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:24:20 +0000

Agree with previous commentators that this (another!) tight match, and I’d be happy to see either side prevail. The Greeks are playing in a style which I’d normally dismiss out of hand, but this song has completely wrong footed me. It’s just beautiful. By contrast, Nigeria are definitely aiming to please the pop purists here. And when Kefee Obareki is on the mic, there are definitely goals in prospect. The quality dips when she passes to her team mate(s) though.

I’m voting Greece this time.

By: Birdseed

Birdseed — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:37:16 +0000

Based on the comments, we might be heading for a draw here too – which suits me fine, since I’d love for Nigeria to go through… Besides myself for selfish reasons of course.

By: juje80

juje80 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:46:26 +0000

tough one…i think it’s one of the best matches of this world cup…saddly i have to vote for one of them…and i choose the greek one…

By: Bec

Bec — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:26:50 +0000

This was a tough match – very different tactics at play but the gorgeous, Simon & Garfunkel-esque harmonies of Greece won me over in the end.

By: Martin Skidmore

Martin Skidmore — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:10:42 +0000

The Greek team play a likeable enough game, but it’s a bit soporific, and I think they are totally overpowered and outpaced by the non-lying hips of the Nigerian strikers – I am powerfully reminded of the great Colombian player (whose country failed to qualify), Shakira.

By: Kat but logged out innit

Kat but logged out innit — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:46:56 +0000

The Slovenian management DISPUTE all accusations that so far they have been too busy out clubbing to draw up the team sheet from the vast swathes of techno covering the country like a cloud of volcanic dust. Said management approves of both these tracks above but wonders if the Nigerian side could have worked a little harder on their finishing?