h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So who's going to write about this one? A collaborative entry perhaps?

Anyway, great result today!

I was seriously thinking of doing an Entry for this World Cup, actually! If you want to contribute, just let me know! I'll probably start it next week.

And yes - a great performance and a great result!

Oooh - could I contribute too?

By all means, WD! I'll probably start it later today, actually, because I've finished my Entry on Franz Beckenbauer.

And the story of this tournament is gettiing more interesting by the minute! Bags I write the bit about how the champions bit the dust in the first round...

I was thinking yesterday that Franz Beckenbauer needed an entry in the guide....

Bags I write about the host nations then!

OK then!

My piece on Franz Beckenbauer is now in Peer Review. Hope you like it!

Who's Franz Beckenbauer?

Frankie, I'm tempted to say 'Read A753338 and find out'!

But the short version is that Franz Beckenbauer is one of the greatest footballers of all time. He played in West Germany's World Cup-winning team in 1974, and managed West Germany's World Cup-winning team in 1990. He played in a Bayern Munich team that were European Champions three years running. He pioneered some major changes in football tactics. And recently he headed the successful German bid to host the 2006 World Cup, so he's now the chairman of the organising committee that's already planning the next World Cup.

Quite an important guy, one way and another!

No the great result was today Ireland are on there way to tokyo

I'm only just able to keep up with modern football, I've got no chance when it comes to historic football.

Great result for Ireland! Will England be able to match it?

P.S Why not take part in the BBC Fantasy World Cup? Go to http://bbcfootball.fantasyleague.co.uk/ to sign up. If you like you can join my league - number 675306

Frankie

Right, folks - I have now set up a page for the 2002 entry, here: A767315 . I've written an intro and put up the final league tables for the six first round groups that have finished, and I'll add the other two tomorrow.

I'll be making a start on with the 'Tournament' section next, but I'll leave Japan and South Korea's groups for you to deal with, Witty Ditty. Anything you want to include in the guide entry, just post it here and I'll add it in (unless it's factually inaccurate or completely outrageous!).

Right - I've done Groups D and H up to now, and I'll add tomorrow's match summaries later. Would you like the summaries now, or when they're all together?

Thanks! It'd probably be simpler if you give me them all together after tomorrow's games.

I've done Group A (France's group). Shall I do the rest of the first round groups, or are there any other groups you'd particularly like to do?

Oooooh - I feel so tempted to say Group F - ah to hell with it

I'll take on the Group of Death if you don't mind Unless you really want to do that - I'll take on Group E

(God - that sounds like a bizzare request 'One Group of Death please - yes, wrapped...')

Oh, go on then! You can do the England and Ireland first round groups if I can have England v Denmark in Round 2!

I don't know if you've read what I wrote on Group A yet, but I think it would make sense to put the Group of Death after that, since it contains the other big shock exit. I obviously began with France v Senegal, so you could begin by talking about how (in contrast to France's opening day disaster) things seemed to be OK for Argentina at first, but then...

Ah - go on then

You're right - structurally it looks better, and if Portugal go out, Group D after the Group of Death, or even if they don't, due to the USA's win over them

Best get typing......

Sounds like you two are collaborating well...

This is like a guide to the worldcup, updated in real time!

It's going swimmingly Gives me a great reason to watch the early matches tomorrow - or at least the first half, and take notes

Come Saturday, I shall be in the pub, punishing my liver (for it is mysteriously evil) and cheering on the boys....

Anyhow - Ormy, I've done the Group of Death now, here it is, ready and GuideML'ed - it's quite lengthy compared to your cool concise summaries, so feel free to edit heavily

Every World Cup Finals has it, and 2002 was going to be no different. Group F was 'The Group of Death', containing the highly tipped favourites Argentina, the African Cup Semi-finalists Nigeria, the tough and reliable Sweden, and last, but not least, a seemingly rejuvenated England.

It was the young and relatively inexperienced English side who started off proceedings in Group F, against Sweden. This would always be a difficult match, not only to the known ability of the Swedish team (many of the capped players earn their living in the English and Scottish Leagues), but also due to England's new manager, Sven-Goran Ericksson being Swedish himself. After a bright and promising start by England, a corner set-piece saw Sol Campbell slot in a header in the first half. However, England's defensive naivety sprang out as Sweden pressed forward with a much better passing game in the second half and England looked depressingly subdued, booting up long balls from midfield, and Danny Mills' indecision in defence cost England a goal, leaving the game at a mediocre 1-all.

Argentina, however, got off to the start that everyone expected. Playing against Nigeria was never going to be easy, as the Africans matched the Argentines' forceful attack. Despite a goaless first half with chances at scoring coming in thick and fast for both teams, it wasn't until the second half that Argentina cashed in from Gabrel Batistuta's header. The expected win for Argentina was there, and it all looked like smooth cruising for one of the tournament's favourites.

It was then the turn of the Swedes to meet the Nigerians. Neither team could really consider losing. This made for some lovely open passing play, with Nigeria's shots at goal almost paying off; hitting the woodwork twice. They eventually profited, with Julius Aghahowa's header sending him backflipping all the way from the 6-yard box to the corner flag. Sweden's reply was swift - a neatly toe-ended ball from Celtic's Henrik Larsson. The second half brought Sweden a penalty, which the aforementioned Larsson duly converted to make the scoreline an exhilarating 2-1 to Sweden.

Then came the match that everybody knew was going to be no less than good - England vs Argentina. The rivalry between these two footballing nations runs deep - back to the last time England won the World Cup in 1966. It was a 'get your own back' match for the English captain, David Beckham - sent off in the last World Cup match between the two nations which they lost on penalties, and a morale boosting match for Argentina, the country thrown into deep economic crisis since the peso devalued earlier on in the year. The track record for Argentina was no less than excellent - they had not lost to England since 1966. So of course, after England's lacklustre performance against Sweden, they were the hot to trot favourites, so to speak. Both sides could afford to draw should that have been the case, but neither team would have settled for less than a win. England came out seemingly toasty in the air-conditioned Sapporo Dome, compared to a slightly subdued, but no less dangerous Argentina. The yellow cards were flying from Pierluigi CollinaThe referee that no-one would dare argue with due to what can only be described as the 'stare of death'., and it seemed that again, the chances were many for both teams, but there was no fruit. That was until Michael Owen made another one of his trademark lightning runs into the box, until he was fouled by a featherlight touch from Mauricio Pochettino, and Collina pointed to the spot. With captain David Beckham arrowing the spot kick into the back of the net in the last minute of the first half, England led 1-0. Come the second half, and the Argentine boys were all fired up to put the young English team in their place. Chances were firing off all over the place, but with a very tense final 15 minutes with the usually cool Sven looking decidedly nervous from the dugout, it seemed that all the England team were desperately defending in the box. Argentina, despite valiant last-gasp efforts from the corner, couldn't break them down. At full time, 1-0 to England.

With all the permutations of the Group of Death, England had to now at least draw against the already exiting Nigerians to be certain of qualification into the knockout stages. There was only one way that England could lose, and still go through, and that was if Sweden beat Argentina. As a result, despite Sven's insistence that England were out to win, their performance was more 'get the job done' and as a result, an uninspiring performance against a deflated Nigeria, although the 19-year old reserve 'keeper, Vincent Enyeama made an impressive one-handed save of one of Paul Scholes' bending 25 metre shots. With neither team wanting to take the initiative, the score remained a mundane 0-0, but this was enough for England to qualify.

It was now to Sweden that Argentina had to take their game - and both teams had it all to play. Neither team could lose, Argentina had to win to usurp Sweden and take first place in order to qualify for the knockout stages by virtue of goal difference. Sweden could draw, needing only a point to cement their first place position. The first half was full of missed chances - Argentina having begun brightly, but not able to show anything for it. The second came with a violent crash to earth - Anders Svensson's 25 metre free-kick putting Sweden in front. Gabrel Batistuta was substituted for Hernan Crespo, and Argentina pushed forcefully forward. Then came a surreal moment - an Argentine player was sent off, leaving 11 men on the pitch. One of the players on the bench was describing the ref's decisions in a particularly critical fashion, and was shown the red card. Despite the assistant manager's attempt to fool the ref by sending one of the coaching staff into the changing rooms, the correct player was eventually sent off. Then came the dramatic equaliser - in the 85th minute, Ortega's penalty was saved, but Crespo slotted it in on the rebound. With 4 minutes of stoppage time left, Argentina desperately tried to find the second goal that had so eluded them. However, it was all too late, and on the referee's final whistle, the news that reverberated around the world was that the hot favourites Argentina, like the French team, were on the next plane home.

Thanks a lot for that, WD - I've dropped it into the entry (the GuideML worked!) and I'll take a proper look at it tomorrow, when I've had some . I probably will condense it a bit. So much has gone on at this World Cup already that there is a danger of the entry ending up unfeasibly long if we're not careful! Anyway, thanks again, and I look forward to carrying on with it all tomorrow!