A look in at other scores from Wednesday's action

As we walk through some of the other games from friendly action on Wednesday, one score stands out the most (and makes Irishmen smile everywhere).  Spain throttled France 2-0 in Paris.  The European champions look every bit a favorite for this summer's World Cup.  Will they try on the dress instead of always being the bridesmaid?  We shall see; apart from the last Euros Spain has had a habit of fizzling out in major competitions with major talent.  Not so...so far, with this crop of Spanish matadors.

Argentina beat Germany in a match-up that was always going to be separated by a goal.  Maradona continues to get the best of the Germans (see 1990 World Cup finals), but can he get the best out of Messi for the national team (the pint sized pinnacle of football seems to lace them up best for Barcelona).
Brazil trumped a spirited Irish squad that was a bit unlucky not to score.  Had it not been for heroics in the net by (perhaps the world's best at the moment) Julio Cesar, Brazil looked shaky enough to tie as a fair result.  Alas, it is Brazil and they found a way to win comfortably with what amounted to many second and third team players getting loads of time.

Defending champions Italy failed to impress against Cameroon.  They failed to impress all of last World Cup and won the thing.  Go figure!

Portugal, in the so-called Group of Death with Brazil and the Ivory Coast dispatched China with ease, 2-0, without their talisman Ronaldo netting a goal.  In other GOD action (Group of Death, not Him, evangelists out there), Ivory Coast was felled by the always dangerous Asian powerhouse, South Korea.

Mexico beat up on fellow WC participant New Zealand.  Mexico has the chance to do some things in Group A if their media doesn't take down the team themselves.  Too many times we've seen the pressure from fans and media alike be too much for the underdog, but talented nation.

Hosts South Africa were held to a 1-1 draw against Namibia.  It could be a painful first few weeks for the hosts come tournament kick-off on June 12th.  Claps all around for getting on the score sheet though.

Uruguay continued their form from South America qualifying in dispatching of a clever and young Swiss team, 3-1.

Norway beat WC participant Slovakia 1-0 in what I imagine to be a contest of which squad had more mass (they grow 'em big in those parts).

Ghana was upset by Bosnia and Herzegovina...this is a surprise, many experts have the Black Stars as the most hopeful African candidate to go far in the tourney.  Perhaps if they were playing just a Bosnia side, or Herzegovina...no, no, NO more fighting.

In U.S.'s group to be, England did mightily well to trump Champions of Africa (but failure to qualify for the more important tournament) Egypt, 3-1, after falling behind early.
Algeria was walloped 3-0 by Serbia in a scoreline that should make American fans happy.  And finally, Slovenia beat Qatar 4-1.  However, your local high school side, wherever it may be, could maybe nip a full strength Qatar on a good day so that scoreline is a throwaway.

Full day's action, quite a bit of intrigue.  Still 3 months to go, we'll see how it all shapes up.