Checking In With The Copa Mundial...

mjdeadspin|published: Sat 10th June, 14:56 2006

• Trinidad & Tobago 0-0 Sweden. T&T goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was like a vintage Patrick Roy out there, making save after save, helping little Trinidad & Tobago earn the unlikely point against the yellow-clad Swedes. Shaka, who, according to ABC's Dave Revsine, played at Howard University and interned at NASA, wasn't even expected to start today. And he stepped in and put on the performance of the tournament thus far. Outstanding game. I'd love to be drunk and in Chaguanas right now.

• England 1-0 Paraguay. It wasn't what you'd call a convincing win for the Brits, but I suppose it will do. They won without Wayne Rooney, and got just half a game from Michael Owen, and really, advancement from here shouldn't pose any difficulty. The only goal of the game was an own goal off of a David Beckham free kick that glanced off a Paraguayan head, and may have gone in anyway. And the T&T tie pretty much paves the way for them into the knockout round. They could start Julia Child at center-mid if they wanted to.

• Pfister jams it in Togo. Togo's head coach, Otto Pfister (which has to be the greatest name of all time) has walked out on his team. The issue is money. Pfister wants more, Togo's government doesn't want to give it up. He left the team hotel at about 2 a.m. last night, and isn't expected to return. What it means for Togo is that they're not going to lose without him now, as opposed to losing with him.

• Czech striker is a no go. Milan Baros will probably not be suiting up for the Czech Republic for their first game against Team USA. He's got a left-foot tendon strain, and it's not progressing. He's got 26 goals in 44 international games, so... yeah, I wouldn't shed any tears if someone dropped a bowling ball on his foot this evening. But I do wish him the best of health against both Italy and Ghana.

• Hey, why are Brent Musberger, Julie Foudy, and Alexi Lalas broadcasting live from The Belmont Stakes? Are their horse racing analysts going to be broadcasting live from Gelsenkirchen?

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