New Zealand 0 Paraguay 0 (Group F) Nothing much happened at all. Someone contested the ball. Somebody shot from a distance. Somebody else showed resistance. The ball was kicked out for a throw. The ball was thrown back rather slow. The teams both trooped off at half time. The weather was really sublime. Second half, […]

England 1 Slovenia 0 (Group C) He stepped from the shadows, the rope in his hand, As twilight descended to gloom, Determined to pull off the mission as planned, Despite all the merchants of doom. The walls of the prison reached up to the sky, The sentries looked down from their posts. The moon disappeared […]

Mexico 0 Uruguay 1 (Group A) They said nothing could be plainer, It was really a no-brainer, Both sides would be glad to gain a Simple draw. It would be most uninspiring, Nothing much to be admiring, With the two teams both conspiring Not to score. It was a banker, I should take it, Maybe […]

Portugal 7 North Korea 0 (Group G) From Lisbon did the caravels set sail Southwards to the Cape, full of good hope. South, past schools of porpoise and of whale, The captain’s eye glued to the telescope. But, off a coast that was replete with ivory, The mighty ships were suddenly becalmed. The doldrums! But […]

Paraguay 2 Slovakia 0 (Group F) In downtown Bratislava, near The Grand, Beyond the high-class hat shop and the sauna, An ice-cream parlour sits upon the corner That serves the finest milk shakes in the land. Chocolate, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, The queues begin to form from eight o’clock, Stretching down the street and round the […]