Champions Go Through

Another day, another frenzied ending that potentially could've seen favorite Spain go home.  While Croatia and Ireland played their hearts out, it will be the familiar faces of the '08 EURO and '10 World Cup champs Spain and '06 World Cup champ Italy progressing to the knockout stage.

Spain and Croatia started off in the driver's seat (and if they wanted to be a part of Italy's match-fixing scandal, they could've agreed to a 2-2 tie and both would be in regardless how Italy did) but Italy got an early goal which put Croatia on their heels the whole game against Spain.  Spain weathered the storm and seemingly made one too many passes on several good opportunities.  And Spain should've been worried because a Croatia goal would've knocked them out of the tournament but an 88' minute tap in gave the defending champs the top spot of Group C.  Italy sealed the win
with a 90' half-bicycle kick by Mario Balotelli but Croatia still could've advanced with a goal.  How crazy is that?  With head-to-head being the first tiebreaker (instead of goal differential), some funky scenarios were created (which is why GRE advanced over RUS despite RUS +2 GD to GRE's 0; GRE beat RUS).  Although it makes the logic harder, I like the head-to-head as first tiebreaker.  If you beat the team you're tied with, it shouldn't matter what goal differential each team had.  But Croatia pushed and couldn't net the tying goal.

So a good day for most as 25 got both matches correct (and now 9 straight games without a tie -- I bet this messed some of you (e.g., me) up) and only Sisyphus (22nd-Tied, 38 pts) missed both.  35 picked ESP and 28 picked ITA.  21 got both Quarter-finalists while 18 got one (all 39 picked ESP into the Last 8).  17 of 39 entries got the max 14 points today while Sisyphus only got 5.  Adivianza and The Flying Elvi remain on top with 49 points while Wampa fell from 1st-Tied to 9th-Tied (42).  Tuan is now in 3rd (46).  Ilmigilore moved out of last (39th to 34th-T, 31) as JP and Thumper now share that distinction (28).  The Flying Elvi and SalsaKing (5th-T, 44) currently have 4-game win streaks.  ITA's win snapped T3's (31st-T, 33) 4-game losing streak.

Overall, Advianza, The Flying Elvi, and V2 Divorce Court! (13th-T, 41) got 5 of the 6 quarterfinal teams correct while four only have 2 of the 6 (Futbol Fabone Five (::sad::) (30th, 34), EEChick1400 (36th, 30), JP, and Thumper).  Thumper lost one of his finalists (CRO).

After tomorrow's matches, we may know (if I can get the macro to work correctly) who is officially eliminated from money (i.e., the top 4 spots).  Bring out the tissues.