New Zealand enter this game with their tails up, this group’s only holder of three points after round one. If the Italians play as they did in the last game, they might chew those Kiwi tails right off.

Voting on this match finishes at midnight on the 1st April.

ITALY: Crookers – “Il Cattivo” The Manager Says “A couple of days curled up on the sofa, and a liberal application of cookies, hugs, and heartwarming films about puppies and kittens finding happy homes, seems to have restored the Italian team’s spirit. The opposition will still quake in their spiky footballing shoes, but this time it’s the awesomeness of our synthy synthy HOOVER that causes the
fear.

NEW ZEALAND: Scribe ft Tyra Hammond – “Say It Again” The Manager Says “We’re so delighted to have won our first match, but we’re just getting started. Now is the time for NZ’s finest rap son Scribe to spearhead the attack and with big-voiced chanteuse Tyra partnering him in attack we’re going to take this game to the Italians so whether they play as stubbornly as last time or come right back at us we’ll be ready. A step upward, another…the sun shines!”

Commentary Box Analysis: There’s a manic feeling about both teams in this one, tempo right up. It’s a classic encounter. Italy play a wordless machine funk, electrical nerves twitching in a lively showing, their team still recognisably the product of of the same managerial brain as round 1. On the other hand, the New Zealanders again spurn the tactics their country is most famous for, and deploy a more meaty kind of funk, steak Americaine, if you will. But cooked. I have no idea what will happen.

Group F Match 4: Which track did you prefer? [ballot]

  • NEW ZEALAND: Scribe ft Tyra Hammond - "Say It Again" 72%
  • ITALY: Crookers - "Il Cattivo" 28%

Total Voters: 43

Poll closes: 1 Apr 2010 @ 23:59

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Result! Group D: Germany 1 Serbia 0: Germany just scrape past Serbia in a game notable for Germany’s unusual formation and some hostility aroused by Serbia’s decision to deploy a team drawn from a club with an unpalatable sponsor. Claims that pop football should be decided on the pitch, and only on the pitch, claims that “it’s all about the music, man”, came to nothing. Whatever, this result leaves Germany on the edge of qualification and the Serbs with nothing to play for but (Balkan) pride. “Serbia are playing well enough here, but the relentless innovation of the Germans could take them by surprise.” “The transition from attack to defense is a crucial part of the modern game but Germany’s veteran playmaker is showing that it’s hardly a new skill – even though the transition back is a tiiiiny bit clumsy.” “This style of play is sexy, pop-heavy, creolistic in its mixture of different styles and generally the way forward – quite the opposite of the clunky cosmo-eclecticism of the deadbeat germans.” “First the Germans go up and down, then they go side to side, which may work in some endeavors but seems self-defeating here. The Serbs, meanwhile, dance and rock and wiggle and kick and easily get my vote, though it seems the refs have a different idea what the outcome should be.” “I wouldn’t want to vote for the ‘honorary president’ of the ‘Party of Serbian Unity’ (a fascist party), even if she were a much better singer…

Coming Next Into Group G as Brazil, widely tipped but pointless after round 1, take on the  take on the might of the Cote D’Ivoire. A classic surely awaits?