It’s tight down here at the very end of the group stages but nothing’s decided yet. Switzerland, managed by Greg F have just one point but a win here could see them through (assuming other results go their way). Honduras (Carsmile Steve’s babies) have three points right now, and a win sees them through, while a draw will leave them biting their nails and looking at the Chile score.
This match closes at midnight on Wednesday 21st April
SWITZERLAND: Stress Ft Karolyn – “Tous Les Memes“ The Manager Says: “Having fielded mediocre results with older tracks for the previous two rounds, our young manager turns towards the present day to pull out a desperately needed win. This catchy rap track by Stress ft. Karolyn does indeed hail from just this past year and, indeed, recently won a Swiss Music Award for Best Swiss Single of 2009. Plus, as far as I know, it features no Senegalese-Frenchmen.”
Audio PlayerHONDURAS: Bullaka Family – “Amanecer en la Playa” The Manager Says “The lads were very upset by our poor showing in the last round, Brian, but that’s the nature of this game of two halves. To finish off our group matches here are Bullaka Family. They appear to be Honduran equivalent of Roll Deep in that they’ve worked with almost everyone else on the local reggaeton scene, this is a nice slice of summery pop that’s in and out in two and a half minutes. I think we’ve made some friends so far, hopefully enough to see us sneak through into the promised land of the knockout stage (and i honestly didn’t think i’d be writing that six weeks ago!!)
Audio PlayerGroup H Match 6: Which of these tracks do you prefer? [ballot]
- HONDURAS: Bullaka Family 66%
- SWITZERLAND: Stress ft Karolyn 34%
Total Voters: 35
Poll closes: 21 Apr 2010 @ 23:59
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Commentary Box Analysis: Fittingly for a tie boasting the presence of the Bullakas, this is a beefy kind of game. Steve sticks with his muscular reggaeton approach, always enjoyable. Greg, too, stays with Swiss hip hop, a choice which meant a slightly torrid time last time out, but this is a good showing. There’s nervousness on the terraces, and in the dug-outs. Everything in the groups will be clear at the end of this game!
Coming up What comes next is a little break to let the group games play out, and to let the Pop World Cup team have a little break. We’ll be back the week after next with the ROUND OF SIXTEEN!
You couldn’t ask for a bigger contrast in rhythms here – the brutally bouncy, straight-ahead reggaeton beat from Honduras counterposed with Stress’s big staggered swing. I love the positive play here from Bullaka Family but I’m a sucker for end-of-the-night, arms-around-your-friends-shoulders tracks like this one from Switzerland.
There’s a soca feel to the Honduran effort too, lots of flicks and kicks learned from beach football. Good use of the deep-lying chipmunk vocalist too, a tactic we all remember with fondness from the early 90s. Not sure they have the end product, though.
Very positive play from the Swiss too – the manager may be feeling desperation but it’s not showing in his side’s confident, unhurried movement. Technically they have the edge on the Hondurans but if there’s a winner here it may be down to hunger more than technique. My vote? It’s a toss-up, though the fact that I’m off on holiday tomorrow may well sway me that little bit towards Honduras…
Download link for Swiss track is missing.
This is indeed a very hard choice: the happy summer song, on the beach with a piña colada in your hand, from Honduras or the soulful track from Switzerland that plays whilst enjoying some nice raclette. The bouncy rhythm from the Swiss team has got my vote in the end.
There’s real class to the Swiss frontwoman and the rest of the team are playing nice tidy football but they’re totally let down by the lumpen oaf selected as her strike partner. Meanwhile Honduras are just terrific right across the park – more please!
Swiss surely plays elegant with such a frontwoman.
Honduras didn’t change a bit to their hipshaking strategy.
The sun is out, the beer is cold… Honduras, bring it on!
Wonderfully entertaining play from both sides. HON don’t seem to be playing a conventional striker at times but there’s a sense that any player could pick up the ball and score. The Swiss put on their most convincing and consistent performance yet and there’s a swagger and swing to their movement on the ball which I find refreshing after so much percussive play of recent days – so they get my vote.
When the Swiss guy raps he sounds like he’s just trying to finish out his community service, but there’s a melody to get into, and when he finds it, he comes alive, and his partner in footie here rocks back and swings the ball forth. The Hondurans play like the breeze, the question being whether there is enough in their breeze to affect the trajectory of the ball. Not quite, but I enjoy their whoosh, while giving my vote to the Swiss.
This is the perfect way to end the group stages, an absolute belter of a tie, a joy to behold as both sides pile everyone forwards to try and snatch that place in Round 2. I’d give it to the Hondurans, but this one absolutely could go either way.
Switzerland putting in a lot of work here and it’s a catchy chorus, but Honduras easily match them and make it all seem quite effortless. I thank that’s been the Swiss problem throughout. They came up with a cracker in the second round but it feels like hard graft rather than natural flair. I predict a Honduran win.
Not really feeling either side: 2009 rap shouldn’t sound like this, and the soca-reggaeton hybrid is on the very thin side. Still, it’s at least catchy!
Despite strong crowd support the reigning European champions come unstuck again. Questions will be asked from Lake Geneva to St. Gallen. The tenacious and resourceful Hondurans enter the second round on a massive high having gone from unfancied enigmas to a pop force to be reckoned with.
Woo! Awesome, thanks everyone!!!