Phooey, we say. The Iran vs. Angola matchup has plenty of good subplots. Not least of which: Angola, with a big-but-still-reasonable three-goal differential to catch up with Mexico, could still sneak in the second round. (They need a two-goal win for Portugal and a two-goal win here.) And hey, it's Iran! When else does Iran make news?

Your live-blogger today is Whitney Pastorek, of Whittlz.com and a very active commenter on these here soccer blogs. (Comment often so she knows someone's watching.) So don't forget about this game! Come on in, follow along in the comments, and hey, let's be careful out there.

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FULLTIME So, 1-1. That's how it ends. I'd make some remarks to wrap this up but my boyfriend Eric Wynalda is talking to me right now and I have to pay attention or he'll shoot me with the lasers that dwell in his dreamy, dreamy eyes.

Thanks for the opportunity, kids. Kick ass, and we'll see ya in 2010.

92:12 And it is now the time in the match when Glenn and Shep are just going to natter on about what this all means, you know, in the big picture. Apparently, Angola has inspired us all just by trying— "Just the fact that little Angola was competing with Mexico for a place is remarkable," says Shep— and Iran should be very, very ashamed.

And there's the whistle.

88:52 So Portugal has beaten Mexico, but who cares. Honestly. Now the Angolans are getting ME depressed. I mean, what's the point? All your country has to live for is this one chance, every four years, to not be in a civil war, and now you're getting run into the ground by some jerk Middle-Easterners, your fans are fat, white, mustachioed guys, and Shep Messing likes Iran way better.

Oh! Zandi takes down an Angolan guy right outside the box! Free kick Angola in the 90th minute! Mendonca will take it!... Right at Mirzapour. Boo. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's about it for Angola's World Cup hopes.

86:00 Seriously: this has gotten as dull as the first half. La la la. Zeke gets fouled, Delgado will have a free kick from just left of the penalty box. Here's the cross... and Mirzapour gets yet another fist, plus a foul from Kali. Kali? Like the goddess? Well, that's certainly macho.

83:00 Shep seems to have settled on "Ay-ran," and Angola have clearly lost their will to live. Which is too bad. They are not giving 110%, they are not running all the way through first base, and they're letting Khatibi just drill shots straight at the goal from the 18. This is sad. Come on, Angola!! Is this how you fight your civil wars??

81:53 A programming note: David Hasselhoff will be crying on Cold Pizza, at the conclusion of this match. I know you'll all want to set your VCRs.

80:27 And now we're all playing a fun game called "Boot it around in the midfield and then send a long ball that no one can possibly catch up with b/c everyone is tired, and then boot it around in the midfield some more." Whee.

76:54 Some Iranian dude is lying face down on the field. Like I care. I'm still trying to figure out what those women were wearing.

So, I have to go see "The Lake House" later with my friend Missy. Maybe there's a way I can use what I learn from that movie to turn back time and help Angola here, but I doubt it.

76:03 And they show two very fetching Iranian women celebrating in the stands, wearing what appear to be modified, full-length aprons. Hott.

74:48 Mahdavikia with a corner... OH SNAP!! He puts it right on the head of the man formerly known as "Bob" but whose name I will now spell out because he just scored: GOAL, BAKHTIARIZADEH!! IRAN SCORES!!

73:54 Iran almost puts together an attack, but the cross just goes harmlessly off to the side...

72:48 Your "It's a Small World" dippy moment of the match: Khatibi helps Angola's new captain, Jamba, put on his armband. Where's Love? Shouldn't he be here for this?

71:54 Alas, it is not to be. Figgy is out, Rui Marques is in! So what does that translate as, like, "Mark Street" or something? I shall call him Mark.

71:39 Figgy gets taken down. Get up, little Angolese white dude! Get up! Shake n' bake!

70:02 Khatibi had a good chance but miffed it so badly that Ricardo didn't even bother to pick it up with his hands, just let it roll to his foot and stepped on it. That's cold, Ricky.

[note: I will be blogging the remainder of this half topless.]

68:19 It occurs to me now that placing one's fate in Portugal's hands— in soccer or otherwise— is just a bad idea. Historically. Meanwhile, Angola gets another chance, very much like the goal they scored, but Mirzapour is there.

66:56 Zeke gets a yellow card for what the slo-mo replay reveals as NOT touching the Iranian player, who actually takes an Olympic-caliber dive and plop, complete with arm flourish. Who was that? #21. Who's #21? I will find you, flopper!

66:24 Iran makes another substitution: Kaabi out, Borhani in. No!

64:43 Free kick Angola, and Figueiredo takes it... rather poorly. He flatly sends it to the top of the 18. That was stupid, leather. No wonder you were playing amateur soccer just a couple years ago.

62:44 Mendonca is just shooting like a madman now. I think Flavio is still in shock. Honestly, I just like typing Flavio. Flavio!

The Angolans in the stands are still going nuts, except for the fat white dude with the mustache. Will! What's your dad doing hanging out with the Angolans?

Shep just said "shake and bake." I'm not sure why.

59 And all of a sudden everything at once! Zeke crosses to Flavio— Flavio!!— who heads it over Mirzapour... AND INTO THE GOAL! ANGOLA SCORES!!!

56:42 Glenn and Shep are just totally bitching out Angola right now. If they're so smart, why don't they coach? Huh?? Oh!! Mahdavikia took a long shot, the ball wiggled, and Ricardo somehow managed to block it with his face! The rebound is cleared! Dang!

And we are informed that Mexico's Luis Perez just got a red card. Angola! Step it up! God may have closed a door, but somewhere he is opening a window! We're in Germany! That analogy worked against the Nazis in "Sound of Music," it'll work now!

54:36 Teymourian from Iran gets a yellow card. I'm not sure why. Oh. He got into a kerfuffle. Neither of these teams are real mature about the free kicks.

53:51 We've just been informed that Mexico missed a penalty kick. Hope stays alive! Hope floats!

I really wish Shep would make up his mind how he wants to pronounced Iran. Is it "Eye-ran"? "Ee-ran"? "Ay-ran"?

51:46 There is so much pride and joy in Angola, says Glenn. As opposed to, say, Canada, where they just sit there, really. Shep follows that with, "It's a country most known for 3 decades of civil war!" So if you're keeping track: Togo = magic, Angola = civil war. I know where I'm vacationing.

49:45 Ouch again: Akwa just limped off the field as Khatibi interferes with a little drop back to the keeper on the part of Angola... and Akwa is out! Flavio is in!! .... Flavio? Really?

48:35 Ouch. Mahdavika just smacked right into Delgado, like the way sometimes I try and walk through closed screen doors. It hardly seems like there should be a foul if he's not looking where he's going.

45:14 Yes, we just went back in time, but stoppage time doesn't count in the second half. Here we go! Hey Angola? How about putting together an attack or two? Very nice! Here they come! And my boy Mendonca slaps one just to the left of the goal!

Note: Angola has neither scored nor allowed a goal in 222 minutes. I'd just like to thank Will one more time for giving me this thrilling game.

HALFTIME Nothing to report. I fast-forwarded right through. Thank you, Tivo!

But seriously, here's what I'd like to see from these two teams in the second half:

Angola: Score.

Iran: Spell out "Go Angola!" on the field with your bodies.

48:09 Delgado on the corner, it's a beaut, right to the back post... but Akwa takes out the Iranian keeper and that's against the rules. Oh yeah. On the slo-mo you can see Akwa all but clothesline the guy. He's having a nice conversation with the ref right now as Mirzapour gets the stretcher.

Note: The ref— Mr. Shield, from Australia— chose to have a chat instead of tossing a yellow. Cringer would like everyone to know that he approves. Additionally, "Mr. Shield" reminds Cringer of the ballroom dancing teacher we had in 7th grade, who forced us all to foxtrot to "Kokomo."

46:38 Can this half be over now? It is dull. DULL, Shep! PS: love the announcers and their total hard-on for Angola's keeper, Ricardo. Meanwhile, Cabungula— AN ANGOLAN PLAYER WHO THE NY TIMES DOES NOT HAVE LISTED ON THEIR FANCY GAME TRACKER AND SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW TO SPELL HIS NAME, NY TIMES??— has the best shot Angola's taken all day, saved only by Mirzapour's fists.

45 Mendonca— love that name— gets a yellow card b/c he sticks his foot in front of an Iranian free kick like a petulant 12 year old girl. Technically, the "c" in Mendonca has one of those little French things on it but I can't be bothered. Mendonca!!

44:12 A couple notes from the crowd: First of all, it's been brought to my attention that I have some ducklings, as well as kittenfluffs, in the audience today. Hello, my children.

Second: A nice man named PJ just asked, "What's with the microphones on the refs?" I bring you answers. They are part of a communication system between the ref and his linesman. Also, at halftime— and we don't get to see this, thanks to ESPN— they put on a mean performance medley of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" and "Brown Sugar."

41:05 And Mirzapour gets his own chance to fist, on a corner from Angola. He doesn't do it as gracefully, though. Sort of flailed like a hooked bass. Now Iran's coming on the counterattack... and nothing happens. Which is ok, really. Frankly, both of these teams have problems. I think it would be neat if Angola could make it to the knockout round, but the—

Hey! Akwa just almost scored a nice own goal there, but everyone was so confused that he'd kick it straight up in the air in front of his own goal that Ricardo had plenty of time to catch it. Which was dicey, b/c keepers can't catch balls that were kicked to them by the defenders... but I guess we'll call it a deflection and go on with our day—

Anyway, like I was saying, I don't see much about Angola right now that's gonna survive 10 minutes against an actual soccer team. (no offense, Iran.) (I'm sure you're very nice.)

38:35Zeke takes down Madanchi in the corner, Iran's gonna get a free kick... and make a substitution: Hashemian out, Khatabi in! Good. I am in favor of players with less syllables in their names. Because I am a racist.

The kick... FISTED! nice job, Ricardo. OH! After the fist, Iran puts it back in sharply and Ricardo makes a damn nice dive to save the ball, then scrambles and gets his own rebound AND draw the foul. He's like Dwyane Wade in there!!

37:26 Angola gets a couple free kicks in quick succession, but they can't seem to, like, kick the ball in the air, so nothing happens.

36 Ze Kalanga (really? you can be named that?) gets taken down by Iran's "M. Madanchi" (again with the first initial), who gets a yellow card. Cringer approves of this one— Zeke was on a sweet run. It was a good takedown, and good call by the ref.

34:21 Aw. The ball was last touched by Love. That's sweet. Touched by Love. I wish I was. sniff.

31:29 Ok, Angola's waking up. They're gonna get a corner. I like the way the Iranian goalie is "E. Mirzapour," as though there are just thousands of Mirzapours just waiting to get on the field.

The first corner is cleared over the line by Iran. The second corner is cleared over the line by Iran. The third corner is cleared over the line by Iran. Someone call Bill Murray. Ah. The fourth corner is fisted out.

29:17 Mexico just scored. Dang. Now Angola has nothing to live for again.

PS: to the commenters who are shocked I prefer Shep to JP: Remember that woman who had seizures every time she heard Mary Hart's voice? Yeah. It's kind of like that.

28:34 Akwa gets his first real shot on goal, right at the top of the 18. It floats high, but he needs more touches on the ball.

26:45 Bakhtiarizadeh takes a nice corner, and that's the last time I'll be spelling out his name. From now on, he is Bob.

25:14 Cringer's pissed: Shep not only pronounces it "corner KICK," he also says "hand BALL."

23:27 Daei— you're gonna keep hearing his name— shanks a header, while Portugal takes the necessary 2-0 lead over Mexico...

22:41 Daei takes the free kick off the Loco penalty and Ricardo makes another nice save.

21:30 Loco, fyi, is the one with the little patch of dreds on his forehead. And he's in some pain. Meanwhile, Mattais isn't coming back, and is being replaced by Love. The Angolan soccer team is very much like a Beyonce song.

19:27 Stretcher. Stretcher. la la la. I'm sorry this is so slow, btw— I'm blaming TRL for the bandwidth cloggery. You're not missing much. Oh, someone else is down now. Uh. Who is that? Oh, it's Loco, from Angola! Crazy! "When he regains his health," says Glenn, "he's gonna receive a yellow card." Cringer cringes.

18:09 Mattias tries to turn the corner and ends up on his ass thanks to some slimy turf and Kaebi... he's gonna need a stretcher...

13:15 Iran's substitute captain Daei makes a nice feed to Zandi who takes a point-blank shot! Right at the Angolan goalie!

12:51 Nosrati has left the game, replaced by Shojaei. PS WIll, I couldn't blog the game with the guy named Fred? YOU try casually spelling "Bakhtiarizadeh."

9:43 They keep talking about how much the Iranian team has been criticized back home. I may be an asshole for saying this, but I don't want to be on a losing Iranian soccer team...

Holy cow, this Iran/Angola game is so boring they just cut away for a Bonds-style gamebreak. We have yet to see an actual shot on goal here.

7:54 Iran's speedy left back Nosrati is down, clutching his hamstring...

5:30Oh, hello! Portugal just scored. Glenn reminds us that "this can get very, very intriguing." I certainly hope he wasn't planning on having it be dull as bricks before?

4:20Iran gets a free kick and... nothing happens.

2:25 Jamba takes down an Iranian guy and prays to the ref not to get a yellow card. He's got one already. Man do I love these cards. Cringer says there have been too many, but I just told him to shut up because everyone knows that already.

:54 Angola stages the first attack and... nothing happens. But Glenn lets us know they need to change their attitude. Shep reminds us that they need to not give up anything in the back and find a way to score goals. I am so glad our announcers know so much aboutt the sport in question.

:25 So, as Will mentioned, Angola's World Cup is not over— if Portugal can beat Mexico by two goals and Angola can beat Iran here by two, Angola can be the first African nation in the group of 16. This is why they've got the Portugal/Mexico game on at the same time: so no one gives up. Come on, guys! 110% effort! Run THROUGH first base!

Pregame: Howdy, kids. Time to blog this sucker into submission. Iran! Angola! Game on!

Ew, this Stuart Scott / Scott Van Pelt commercial where they rip off their suits is a bit unsettling.

I have no one here to use as a funny sidekick, so we're going to go ahead and anthropomorphize the ceramic tiger that sits next to my TV. Cringer will be commenting throughout as he sees fit. Please respect.

A couple things going right already: We've got Glenn Davis and Shep Messing calling the game. Thank god. If it had been JP "You Will Listen To Me If I Have To Kill You First" Dellacamera, I might have walked.

So, it's Mexico vs. Angola, with the Final 16 awaiting the Mexicans if they can pull this off.

Your live blogger, the last of a very busy week, is Eamonn Brennan, also from We Are The Postmen, and he is all ready to rock. Email us with thoughts, follow along in the comments and, hey ... go Angola! Why not?

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FULL TIME: That's it! Angola holds on, with a gutty performance rivaling that of Trinidad and Tobago's from earlier this week. Mexico has to deal with shame, even though they're still likely to advance into the Round of 16. Portugal's up next for them.

OK - they're showing the Argentina highlights again, and I would like to watch that. Thosee of you that read this, even a few lines passing through, before you realized I'm not a good writer, I thank you. It was a lot of fun, despite my inferior computer-jockey skills.

93: With about 30 seconds left, Mexico throws one into the box and Ricardo handles it.

91: Angola pushes forward now, winning a throw in near Mexico's corner...come on Antelopes. Just a few more minutes, men.

90: Mexico loses the ball again. Mexico continues to push forward, but nothin' doing. Three minutes stoppage.

87: Marquez hits a cracker from distance and nearly gets one; cross gets over Ricardo's head and Bravo hits the net. This is getting serious.

86: ESPN's Jared Borgetti update: "Will not play in today's game." Maybe the program director at ESPN is getting his updates from ESPN mobile.

85: Mexico pressuring a lot here, and Angola's defense is holding strong. Mexico corner...foul on Mexico. Out it goes.

82: Angola's dude with crazy front braid-mullet throws it in after a good Angola possession, but Mexico counters immediately. A neat chip to the back post by Pardo puts it on a platter for Fonseca, but he makes a mess of the volley.

79: Marquez rapes our friend No. 9 in the middle of the field as Stone and his buddy indict the Angolan defense for opening up too man gaps. Ze Kalanga wins a free kick for Angola in the counterattack, and Mexico subs in Morales. Mexico clears the corner pretty easily. Uh-oh...an Angolan midfielder (name, Stone!) gets his second yellow of the day, and he's off. Can the Black Antelopes hold on a man down?

75: Mendez works off a great 1-2 to get into the box, but Ricardo and his backs collapse on it before to long. By the way, Ricardo and His Backs has the potential to be a great band name.

73: Angola dinks it around in back, and a corner kick results. Ricardo does well to catch this one (with two hands this time) and boots it away.

72: The subs are coming in. Mexico brings in Fransisco Fonseca for Franco up top.

69: After a series of corner kicks, Ricardo comes off his line to pull Angola out of it again. Hopefully this blog updates before this Angolan defense collapses.

67: Angola subs in a forward for a midfielder. All I can tell you about the sub is that he is No. 9, which usually indicates goal-scoring ability. Come on No. 9!

65: Angola fails to clear it, and Omar Bravo has a wide open chance from 12. He muffs it right to Ricardo, and again the Mexicans fail.

64: Mexico lofts one to Angola's back post, but Ricardo controls it, again, with one hand. Very nice.

62: Mexico does a little of their own offensive stuff here, but the 1-2 at the top is left wanting when Marquez abandons it.

59: Angola puts a little offensive possession together here, and they're doing well to control the pace. A cross goes in, but no luck. Mexico throw-in.

55: Tremendous exchange here. An Angola forward has a great chance, but the Mexicans counterrack immediately, and the clearance comes from an Angolan defender after the goalie was already beaten. Alas, the Black Antelopes still have life, but Mexico is certainly the agressor here.

50: A good service from Mexico leads to a minute of short breath, but again, nothing. Mexico's manager looks a bit muffed here; maybe he should just say Eff It and light one up, arleady.

48: So we're back, and Torrado, who looks like an hispanic Sideshow Bob, commits a foul in midfield. Mexico has a chance but the cross is muffed,, but here we've got Mexico's first corner kick of the game. Angola does well with it. Still nothing earth-shattering to report.

HALFTIME: So, as I sit in the bliss of those Argentina highlights from earlier today, let's take a look at what we know. Angola is pretty technically raw, but they've done just enough to keep Mexico off its pace. Mexico could probably do well to add Borgetti, but since that's not going to happen, they'll need a bit more creativity. As much as I hate them, I hope someone finds something here, because there are only so many Rob Stone references to be had in this one. Well, without further ado, on to Partido Dos! (Rob's got nothing on me.)

46: That's the first half. Good stuff by Angola, but not a particularly exciting half of soccer. Could be a worse time to be at work, if that's your scene.

44: Not much more going on here. Angola is doing well to keep Mexico on their heels a bit, and haven't faced much pressure for their trouble.

40: Another corner for Angola. Alas, offsides on the short corner. Shoot, I really wanted to work in a lame a "No Mas" joke there.

39: One Angolan player was quoted by Stone as saying "We have shown that Angola is about more than oil, war, and poverty." You know what? That's damn right. Go Angola.

37: Speaking of Rob, he just busted out the Spanish. That sly devil. Communications major, I presume?

35: The Black Antelopes are pressuring the Mexicans a bit here, and Rob Stone (and this other guy, whose name I've yet to capture) are doing a pretty damn good job with this broadcast. We could have two upsets today.

34: Angola corner kick, but again, no real threat. Come on! Give me something here!

32: A good cross from Mexico, and the Angolan goalie leaves the rebound in front of the net, but it's cleared away just in time.

31: Angolan striker takes a wild chance but earns a free kick just a few yards outside of the box. Could have a go here...ah, a cross, and a good header from distance, but no real threat.

28: A little more midfield play, with nary a chance on goal. The Mexicans have most of the ball, but can't make anything of it.

24: Free kick for Angola, which, as Rob Stone points out, have the nickname "Black Antelopes." "Great nickname" says Rob. Can't disagree. Oh, and the Angola free kick goes pretty wide.

22: Figuerido launches a shot over the net. Nothing fantastic, but Angola is getting some chances, at least.

20: ESPN just flashed a graphic with the breakdown of money some Angolan bank is offering the National Team's players. $5,000 for any Man of the Match. Is that Angolan, or U.S.? Not to rip on Angola's economy or anything...

16: Yet another Mexican free kick. Pardo lines it up, and...a great play by the keeper to, well, keep it from landing on a Mexican striker's head. Not bad.

14: Rob Stone just offered the Angolan guy with the "reverse mullet" his vote for "worst haircut." Rob, you don't get a vote. In fact, why are you broadcasting this game? Where's JP Dellcamera? What's going on?

12: Mexico gets into a middle gap, and Angola's Delgado brings the dude down. Oops, that's a yello. Another free kick for Pardo? No...Marquez hits it off the post! Wow. Almost lost Angola, just like that.

11: So I didn't notice them last game, but Angola's jerseys are pretty wild. Even the shinguards are high art. I like.

9: Mexico has a free kick outside the 18. Pardo hits a shot over the wall, but no trouble for the Angolan keeper. Away it goes.

7: Angola's Kalanga goes down for the second time, which means he might actually be hurt. Never can tell, those footballers. Well, here's the stretcher.

5 min: Again, technical difficulties are running amok, but I'm hoping (cross fingers) that this little update reaches you. Each side has had a couple looks at the goal already, but nothing major happening.

Pre-Game:

Angola: Use a little imagination for me on this one. Imagine that this was World Cup 1830, and in the first match of the first World Cup the U.S. had ever been to, they played the UK. Things would probably not have proceeded amicably. That was basically the situation that faced Angola in their first match against Portugal Sunday, and even though they lost 1-0, it was a major improvement over the 6-0 and 5-1 debacles they yielded to their former colonial power. Plus, no one got in trouble, a far cry from the last game between the two, when four Angolan players were sent off. That's fight, right there. It's hard not to root for the African side for that reason, and of course, because they're playing. ..

Mexico: Could El Tricolor be the third team to guarantee a placement in the Group of 16 today? It looks likely, unless our friends from Angola can put things together and challenge them. The Mexicans are missing their star, Jared Boghetti, so the attack that Iran held off for over an hour could be even more challenged today. Realistically, though, Mexico should win this, and if they do, they should thank their lucky stars that they got the group draw that they did, and not the U.S.' Grupo de Muerto, those lucky bas- ... Sorry. Just a little bitter over here.

Ok, so with that, we're off over on ESPN. Please send all sorts of e-mails to eabrenna@wearethepostmen.com, especially when I get things wrong, because, honestly, I know zilch about the intracacies of either of these squads. Which puts me a little ahead of JRob Stone's curve.

In honor of MJ's return to the NBA (kinda), indulge me this honor. All together now: What time is it? GAMETIME, HOO!

• 1. Know Your (Absent) Angolan Soccer Stars. Striker Pedro Mantorras (Benefica, Portugal) and Akwa are ready to go. But we're pretty sure that missing the World Cup will be Angola's Gilberto (Achilles tendon), Pedro Emanuel, Maurito (ligament injury) and Chainho, the latter because of eligibility questions. (He played for Portugal as youth).

• 2. Don't Forget, Their Flag Features A Knife. The country is a former Portuguese colony. Well, that's putting it nicely; Portugal colonized Angola in 1575, and for the next three hundred years or so used Angola as a source for slaves to send to Brazil. The Angolian FA crest features an Oryx, or some other African long horned deer. The flag of the nation, seen above, is pretty audacious. Red Star, machete, part of a tractor gear... who concieved this? Benito Trotsky? — (thanks to Mike Cardillo).

• 3. Billy Packer Doesn't Think They Belong In the Tournament. Not to disrespect the accomplishments of the Angolans, but there are about 20 teams more worthy of a spot than them. But much like the mid-major college hoops team that gets into the NCAA Tournament (to play Duke in the first round), Angola earned it, while the Nigerian Super Eagles sit home and practice their fadeaway jumpers with Akeem the Dream. Angola is currently running at about 20:1 odds to get out of their group; around 400:1 to win it all. — (thanks to Mike Cardillo).

• 4. This Time, It's Personal. Which team is Angola's first Group D Finals opponent? Portugal, of course. No rivalry there (see item No. 2). In two previous meetings, Portgual has beaten Angola, 5-1 and 6-0, both in Portgual. But if you're looking for an upset special in the WC, this could be your matchup.

(Tomorrow: Ukraine)