Angolola

Shock horror - another good game! That's a clean sweep so far. After Angola went 1-0 down in the first five minutes I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking it could have been a bit of a wash out they really got it together. They look to have quite a bit about them, and if any team deserves the support of neutrals it's Angola, with their history, the fact that one of their star strikers was orphaned by the civil war, the fact that their goalkeeper has been without a club for a season and was training at a Portuguese second division club and the fact that one of their players lives in a house with no running water.

In their first world cup, after a disappointing African Cup of Nations they performed really well after losing that early goal and had some decent chances to equalise. Their game against Mexico will be very interesting - after today's performance I'd say they definitely have enough to worry Iran, and it will be fascinating to see if they can go one better against Mexico than they did today.

In commentary watch news: I was in the kitchen for much of the first half, so got to hear Jimmy Armfield's co-commentary, the highlight of which was the very early appearance of the "naive defending line" that one of the commentors at Finals Fantasy predicted. It arrived just after the goal, at about 5 minutes. He did stress repeatedly how impressed he was with the Angolans keeping their shape. I think on at least four or five seperate occasions. My Pleatian highlight was his refering to the Angolans as Angolola.

In mullet watch news, no mullets were seens, but the Angolan number 20 boasted an extraordinary do - singled out as Haircut of the Tournament so far by Drury and Pleat (and deservedly so.) Shaved all over except for a short outcrop of dreadlocks, almost like a second set of eyebrows above his actual eyebrows, and resembling the dangly bits you get at the bottom of very fancy curtains, this do will be hard to beat...