Mostafa   Brooklyn, NY

9:22pm on Saturday, February 9th, 2008

yall will keep doubting Egypt. I grantee you tomorrow after we win the game yall will say we won by luck.

I tell you what man. Egypt will step on Cameroon again tomorrow to prove to any s***talk out their that Egypt is the top African team.

Soccer isn't Big names in the team. Soccer is like Art, more like a chess game every game is different than the other. You need to have strategy and Tactics. You need fast ball. You need chemistry between the players. and the most important thing is the fighter heart. Its far more effective to fight for some thing than against something.

Egypt have all that, there is no reason why would you say something like that about egypt unless you just hating.

mariusrec   Romania

10:52pm on Saturday, February 9th, 2008

Hi Mostafa,
First of all i just want to say i haven't got anything with Egyptians or Egypt people in general.
There are a few things you said that i agree with and a few that i do not agree with.
"Soccer isn't Big names in the team. " - agree, most of the time it's about passion and that is why soccer is great because sometimes the small guy has a chance of winning...
"like a chess game" - yes soccer is like chess in a way, if we think of the tactics on the pitch and it's about judging the game in the right way...
You also said
"I tell you what man. Egypt will step on Cameroon again tomorrow to prove to any s***talk out their that Egypt is the top African team."
and i understand what you are feeling.i suppose you're Egyptian so you care for you're country and all the international press keeps writing that Egypt was lucky and most people do share that opinion and you'd wish that would stop....i understand....for example if my country Romania would win the EURO this year a good part of the press would say they were lucky and of course i wouldn't agree...
BUT i really doubt that Egypt can surpass Cameroon we will wait and see...
Egypt don't deserve the cup...i mean in the semi-finals they pulled time in any way possible...i ask you....is that fair play?....that only shows their mediocrity....what they did was not in the spirit of soccer...if that would happen in England , in the EPL for example...the entire stadium would shout out "cheat" even if the player that fakes the injury would be on their team...it's about having a sort of "football culture" and Egypt have shown a lack of that...that is why i'm so against them ....
and also take in consideration as far as the actual bet goes...that i placed only a medium stake as african football is very unpredictable due to "the fighter heart" fact that which you mentioned...

Threepwood   Egypt

1:10am on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Mariusrec,

First of all, I'd like to say that everyone is entitled to their opinion. So, I'm not gonna comment on your pick but rather, I'd like to comment on your preview. So let me pick some words of yours and comment on them:

"i''m not a big fan on African soccer as i consider it to be very mediocre."
My comment: Have you seen Cote d'Ivoire in the last World Cup?? Do you call their performance as mediocre in the three matches including their win over Serbia 3-2?? Have you seen Cameroon in 1990?? Aside from this, are you calling Drogba, Eto'o, Kalou, Essien, Zokora, Geremi, Muntari, Kanu and more as mediocre. Why do English tea**cream every two years then when ACN commences?? Why do they buy them in the first place??

"Judging by what i've seen so far i have to say that Cameroon is a much better team than Egypt"
My comment: Well, how come with watching one single match, and some highlights you can form an opinion that Cameroon is a MUCH better team?? How come a team that have lost 2-4 to another team is said to be a much better team??

"But from such players you can't really expect much quality and fair play."
My comment: What exactly do you mean by "such players"?? I may understand you wouldn't like faking injuries (although it only happenned twice all over the 90 minutes) but why can't I expect quality?? Are they one legged for instance??

In your comment you also mentioned " Egypt don't deserve the cup...i mean in the semi-finals they pulled time in any way possible...i ask you....is that fair play?....that only shows their mediocrity"
My comment: Does that mean that Rivaldo was a mediocre player faking taking the ball in his face although it only hit his knee in the 2002 WC match against Turkey??

Again, I'm not disagreeing with your pick. After all, Cameroon can win the cup. And it's not a fight either, but I find you preview discriminating and humiliating and misleaing as well.

Good luck with your pick, although, I hope Egypt wins of course

mariusrec   Romania

1:57am on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Threepwood,
I would have so much to say...i don't know even where to start...
First of all i think that my preview is kind of understood the wrong way...
I do not mean to discriminate anybody...
let me comment on a few things...which i believe were misunderstood...
when i stated "i''m not a big fan on African soccer as i consider it to be very mediocre." i was refering more to the ANC and other competition that actually take place in Africa...i mean i don't know of any major leagues and such ...i was not refering to other competitions outside of Africa like the WC...of course i saw Cote d'Ivoire at the WC....i love their game play a lot...but where is their great game play here...why don't the big star shine....because the right conditions are not created ....it isn't the "big stage" ...the motivation isn't as big....
I repeat i love players like the ones you mentioned ..and i do not consider them mediocre as they clearly proved what they are capable of...even more it is clear that they are a major factor of why the EPL is the top league in the world....they bring passion along with strength in the game...but i repeat you didn't understand what i meant ...or better yet i failed to express myself in the best way...
then comes this frase
"Judging by what i've seen so far i have to say that Cameroon is a much better team than Egypt"

i saw one full match...it's true ...but i also watched all the important highlights along with a general recap of the ANC...remember...this is money i'm betting...real money...

"But from such players you can't really expect much quality and fair play."

Well my opinions is that you can't expect quality from players that cheat...and it happened more than twice...don't forget that soccer is about the ma** and making a great show and giving everything you got on the pitch...but when a player comes and breaks the game down in bits and pieces with faked injuries that just murders the entire show...i becomes a dull match to watch....just play the damn match...if you lose you los... read more »

kliurkis   Lithuania

11:41am on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Lets see what results will be, we bet in here not do chit-chat :)

i hope Egypt wins

greeker02   Thessaloniki, Greece

12:02pm on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Having watched every single match of the tournament i am still undecided about my prediction... in the ACN everything can happen -last yesterday's match with Ghana-Cote d' Ivoire- In the match against Cote d' Ivoire Egypt played the counter attack system perfectly and with the help of Al Zaky who proved himself an a**sin in front of the net won the game fairly! Another fact is the Eguptian goalkeeper who was beaten only once in that match and was the stepping stone for the victory managing to stop Drogba -in my opinion the best striker in the tournament- many times.
As far as Cameroon is concerned they got a lucky win against Ghana who had a bad match that day. In my opinion Eto'o is not the one who will make or break the result. He's left alone in front and is an easy target for the defenders if they double-team him. It's the others that brought Cameroon to the final. Song's tackles, Geremi's fouls and Epalles passing. In my opinion they will judge the result.
To sum up Egypt is much more of a team, great spirit, long pa** and great counter-attacks. If they stay back and try to control the rhythm they will certainly win but if they play an aggressive game they might pay the price. Anyway
Pick : Egypt 2.3 (sportingbet)

RaresOltean   Romania

1:03pm on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

I can understand why Marius has said all thos things and I agree with him. Anyway, Mostafa or Threepwood, u shouldn't take things so personal. He was talking about the ANC and when u see teams like Zambia or Guinea u can't help wonder if their players actually play football or rugby. Of course it's not the case of big teams like Egypt, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana or Nigeria which have experienced players on their side. And yes, I also believe that neither Egypt, nor Cameroon deserve to win the ANC. If there would be a moral winner that would be Cote d'Ivoire because they lost the competition not due 2 their skills but lack of concentration. I also find shameful the way Egypt played the last 20 min of the semi-final and that's way I hope that Cameroon can teach them a bit of fair-play. In conclusion it's soccer and we should only talk about the way soccer is played. Cheers :)

nuful   korea

7:19pm on Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Do not fight each other.
We all football fans.
I think this man's tip is a good thinkaful tip.
ACN happens every odds.
moreover I think football is a war than art.
Artic football is a fragile thing.
Winning football is artic.
Just articful up and down is a terrible football....like barca
Most better don't like barca.
just like winning team.
Passion.Motivation is more important things.