Where to go in Manila

Spent the opening game of the 2006 World cup at the Heckle and Jeckle bar in Makati. Fairly quite I thought, for a world cup game but maybe because Costa Rica does not realy have a large community here in the Philippines. I was certainly the number one Costa Rica supporter in the bar and when Wanchope equalized after 12 mins I thought this could be possible.

Alas Germany did look by far the better team but still anything is possile. Even though Germany won the game I thought Costa Rica played well, far better than was expected.

Highlights Video

Match Photos
Got home around 230am after a 25 minute drive that during the day takes 2 hours. I was just in time to watch the 2nd game Equ - Pol however their had been a Brown out here during the first game, the power was back but the cable was still out. Someone had put the kiss of death on my plans. I was hoping to watch every game live but I missed the second game already and it turned out to be a cracker.
England plays today(9pm Philippine time) Im taking no chances and heading out again the power problems seem to be less of an issue in Makati but still no gaurantees.
side's is more of an English bar also in Makiti and the owner an Englishman says he should have a full house tonight for the game so "bring your England Shirt" he says.

England vs Philippines

With the World cup starting today I thought it was time to bring out my St Georges cross (thanks Dad). The flag is kinda big but patriotism encourages me to do so. I have not seen any other flags or banners out with the exception of the Philippine flag, infact their are rather a lot of Philippine flags around at the moment and they are not even in the world cup, nobody here seems to even know the world cup is kicking off any minute now. Why so many flags around then? I ask a friend and yep I fecked up again its Philippine independence day here on June the 12th. And every one is doing their bit by flying their flag. So hanging my England flag high may be seen as a spit in the eye to the locals.
So with 8 hours to kick off I got to get out and get myself a Philippine Flag and hang it next to mine (bummer). Of course it will have to be smaller than the St George cross I have but that goes without saying.
I wish the Philippines and all its people a great Independence day and I wish England an even bigger world up. Come on England / Costa Rica

Seventeen To One

Costa Rica 17/1
You Never Know
Bet Fair

Come on Costa

Costa Rica has the opener in the 2006 world cup finals against the Hosts and one of the top seeds Germany. Beating Germany is highly unlikly but I can still dream. I have no links to Costa Rica but it would give me great pleasure to see them come out on top over Germany.
Alexandre Guimaraes, the Brazil-born manager of Costa Rica's national soccer team,
"We want to reach the second round, but we are going to face super-tough rivals; so we have our feet on the ground," he said. "We have given the country World Cup joy twice and we are going to do all we can to extend the pleasure beyond three games," he said.

In its third World Cup outing, after the Italy in 1990 and South Korea-Japan in 2002, Costa Rica is in Group A alongside Germany, Ecuador and Poland.


Costa Rica

Coach: Alexandre Guimaraes
WC Winners: 0
WC Participants: 1 (1990 and 2002)
Titbits: They made it through to their first qualifying round in their first ever World Cup Finals (1990). Their best result came in 1946, when they beat Panama 12-0. Costa Rica have won 11 Central American titles.

Key Player: Paulo Wanchope, who has played for Derby, West Ham and Man City in the Prem and also at Malaga in Spain. He has scored 43 goals in 69 games for the Costa Ricans who he also represented in 1993 in the Cental American Basketball tournament!