Say it with chocolate

I heard some French expats screaming out loud over there.

Spaniards were quite disapointing, compared to a good French team.... Viva Francia !

I heard the guy SCREAMING.

All the Chinese commentators are SO CHINESE. They support the better team in every single game. In fact during the Premiership season they practically blow Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U.

Italy are better so the little chinese guy supports them so that he can say 'yay'. Glory hunters.

and yes, VIVA ESPANA!!! ESPERO QUE ESPANA GANARA!!! After they beat France they will face Brazil though, what a match that will be.

MAYBE YOU'LL LIKE THIS PEACE OF NEWS FROM XINHUA.

MAN, THE CCTV-5 COMMENTATOR WAS A F***ING PRICK!

DOWN WITH ITALY!

LONG LIFE SPAIN!

Chinese commentator in spotlight for losing his cool in World Cup

broadcast

By Sportswriter Cao Jianjie

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese World Cup commentator

caused an uproar in the country as he shouted "Long Live Italy"

and declared "I don't like Team Australia" after Italy knocked out

Australia on a last-minute penalty shot in Cologne of Germany on

Monday.

Huang Jianxiang, a commentator for national broadcaster China

Central Television (CCTV), lost his cool as Francesco Totti scored

a penalty in the last minute of stoppage time to give 10-man Italy

a 1-0 win over Australia in the World Cup second round.

The 38-year-old Huang shouted himself hoarse after Italian

defender Fabio Grosso tumbled over Lucas Neill's challenge in the

Australian box. As Francesco Totti blasted home the penalty, Huang

shrieked in excitement.

"Biased and crazy as he is, Huang Jianxiang has to quit as a

soccer show host," a netizen named Ximen Yidao posted on Xinhua

News Agency's portal Xinhuanet.com.

Popular Chinese portals such as Sina.com and Sohu.com's online

discussion forums were flooded with messages about Huang's

outburst on Tuesday. More Web surfers blasted at Huang than those

siding with him.

"Huang went too far," said a message on Sina. "He shouldn't

extol an ugly-playing Italian team and ridiculed the brave

Australian squad."

As Australia coach Guus Hiddink disputed Italy's last gasp

penalty which killed Australia's World Cup dream, Huang said

Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo's decision was wise.

"It was an undisputed penalty," shouted Huang in the last

minute of the game.

"Grosso made it! He made it! Don't give Australia any chance!

Great Italian left defender. Grosso alone represents the long and

deep tradition of Italian soccer. He is not fighting alone.

"Totti! He is about to take the shot. He shoulders the

expectations of the whole world.

"It's a goal! Game over! ... Italy didn't fall to Hiddink's

team this time (Hiddink had led South Korea to oust Italy in the

2002 World Cup). Happy birthday to Paolo Maldini (born on July 26)!

Long Live Italy!"

Huang then turned to the Socceroos: "Go home! But they don't

need to fly back to Australia which is too far away. Most of them

live in Europe. Bye-bye."

Huang was unrepentant for his controversial comments in the

post-game satellite linkup with the Beijing newswroom.

"I am a human being, not a machine, and I can't be impartial

all the time," he said.

"Australia reminded me of a lousy team which eliminated China

in the World Cup qualifiers in 1981. Australia is just like New

Zealand team that beat us in 1981.

"It (Australia) is full of neutralized Australians who play and

live in Britain. I don't care about the Australian team and don't

want to see Australia have good results in the World Cup.

"Australia (which has joined the Asian Football Confederation)

now will fight for an Asian World Cup berth and it may not be good

enough to handle South Korea and Japan. But it will very likely

take advantage of the Chinese team. So I don't like it."

Beijing newsroom host Zhang Bin tried several times to

interrupt Huang to avoid further damage, but Huang rattled on

until the linkup was severed.

Zhang then tried to make up, apple-polishing the hard-fighting

Australians and guru coach Hiddink in the rest of the program.

Despite Chinese soccer remains at a low level, its soccer media

is as racy as its English and German counterparts.

Chinese TV hosts' preferences can be easily heard in their

comments. CCTV reporters and commentators usually favor

traditional powers such as England, Italy, Argentina and Germany.

In the 2002 World Cup, CCTV hostess Sheng Bin stunned millions of

Chinese audiences as she openly wept at Argentina's early exit.

China's sports media took off after the nation launched a

professional soccer league in 1994 and began broadcasting English

and Italian soccer on state television.

A newfound passion for the sport, combined with rising incomes,

fuelled demand for more colorful and informative news. As the

market becomes more competitive, China's fledgling soccer

paparazzi can do anything for a story. Enditem

You've got to feel aggrieved Shamus, but you've also got to look on the bright side. Australia did excellently all in all and have a very good future to look forward to with growth of the sport in the country.

Daylight robbery.

they weren't robbed. the guy laid down in the box and didn't touch the ball! you cannot stop a player from attacking by just laying down like that...anyway, regardless, it was a stupid mistake by the australian player with no seconds left. and that i think we can all agree on!

If you can't say it - I will!!

WE WAS ROBBED.

No shame losing to Italy - but having a free kick in the box in the last 8 seconds from a rolly polly Italian prima dona is a bit rich.