Just some notes on the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan as we have reached the Quarterfinals.

***147 goals scored in 56 matches (2.63 average)

***Goals by Stage: GROUP PLAY -- (Phase 1, 46, 2.88); (Phase 2, 32, 2.00); (Phase 3, 47, 2.94); (2nd Round, 18, 2.25)

***37 of 56 (66.1%) matches decided by 1 goal or ended in a tie

***28 shutouts posted (1-0, 8-0, 1-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-0, 4-0, 1-0, 4-0, 2-0, 3-0, 1-0, 0-0, 3-0, 1-0, 2-0, 1-0, 1-0, 3-0, 2-0, 2-0)

***13 ties (1-1, 2-2, 1-1, 2-2, 1-1, 1-1, 0-0, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1, 3-3, 0-0, 1-1)

***3 overtime matches: Senegal 2, Sweden 1 (OT); Spain 2, Ireland 1 (3-2 PK); South Korea 2, Italy 1 (OT)

***Germany routed Saudi Arabia 8-0 (largest margin of victory since 1982)

***Remarkable that #1 France (0-2-1), #2 Argentina (1-1-1), and #5 Portugal (1-2) have been eliminated from the World Cup, since all three entered as odds-on favorites for the title -- these rankings are provided by FIFA/Coca-Cola (the next rankings will be released on July 3rd)

***The United States (2-1-1), Senegal (2-0-2), South Korea (3-0-1), and Turkey (2-1-1) are all in the Quarterfinals along with Brazil, England, Germany, and Spain.

***Also, note that the Netherlands (#9), Yugoslavia (#10), Romania (#14), and the Czech Republic (#15) did not qualify for the World Cup and you have seven of the top 15 teams in the world not in the Round of 16

Interesting stats -- add to them if you'd like!

Updated 6/14/02 @ 10:20 a.m.

ROUND OF 16 MATCHUPS (Record & Goal Differential)

GROUP RECORD (7-0-5, +13)
Denmark (2-0-1, +3) vs. England (1-0-2, +1)
Brazil (3-0-0, +8) vs. Belgium (1-0-2, +1)
Quarterfinal Match -- 6/21 @ 2:30 am

GROUP RECORD (6-2-4, +11)
Germany (2-0-1, +10) vs. Paraguay (1-1-1, 0)
Mexico (2-0-1, +2) vs. United States (1-1-1, -1)
Quarterfinal Match -- 6/21 @ 7:30 am

GROUP RECORD (7-1-4, +12)
Spain (3-0-0, +5) vs. Ireland (1-0-2, +3)
South Korea (2-0-1, +3) vs. Italy (1-1-1, +1)
Quarterfinal Match -- 6/22 @ 2:30 am

GROUP RECORD (5-1-6, +7)
Sweden (1-0-2, +1) vs. Senegal (1-0-2, +1)
Japan (2-0-1, +3) vs. Turkey (1-1-1, +2)
Quarterfinal Match -- 6/22 @ 7:30 am

1) Brazil (3-0-0), +8
2) Spain (3-0-0), +5
3) Germany (2-0-1), +10
4t) Denmark (2-0-1), +3
4t) Japan (2-0-1), +3
4t) South Korea (2-0-1), +3
7) Mexico (2-0-1), +2
8) Ireland (1-0-2), +3
9t) Belgium (1-0-2), +1
9t) England (1-0-2), +1
9t) Senegal (1-0-2), +1
9t) Sweden (1-0-2), +1
13) Turkey (1-1-1), +2
14) Italy (1-1-1), +1
15) Paraguay (1-1-1), 0
16) United States (1-1-1), -1

And 9 of the 16 are from Europe.

can someone please explain to me all this hype surrounding African countries? Everybody in the media was jabbering about the rise of African football, but only one of the five teams even made it out of the group stage...there was also a lot of hype about asian football, but at least they have lived up to expectations...

Updated at 12:45 pm on Monday, June 17th.

What a match tween S.Korea & and Italy.Stamina wins matches:

sometimes refs do too

quit your complaining el hombre. your still bitter about the call against totti. yes, from seeing the replay you can tell that the call was incorrect but you cant say that it should have been a pk. it was a valid tackle by korea and a valid fall by totti. the correct call was no call. so, it wouldnt have drastically changed the outcome of the game. and i know you can argue that italy needed him and that they had to play a man down but he has his 1st yellow card to blame for that also. mistakes happen, refs are human, the game is over.

i know it wasnt a penalty, and i know refs are human, but this one was heavily influenced by the crowd, like some of the ones in CONCACAF...if the refs make one or two errors, even major ones, i dont usually care, but when theres an apparent attempt to influence the outcome of the match, thats when i get mad...

Updated on 6/20 @ 12:15 pm

despite what u might think, the game was pretty evenly called. 27 fouls against korea and 24 against italy. four yellow cards each. and yeah, that totti call was a miscall, but hey everybody can make mistakes!!!!!!!!!!!

now tell me the refs arent rooting for Korea...THREE goals called back in one match??? How much did Korea pay those linesmen??? If Collina doesnt ref the semifinal then im afraid Korea will walk straight into the final...

oh, im still grateful to the Koreans for getting us through, but i just think the preferential treatment they have recieved thus far is ridiculous...