Wednesday, June 21, 2006 | 7:18 a.m.
Las Vegas native Herculez Gomez enjoys playing with Brazilian midfielders Paulo Nagamura and Marcelo Saragosa on the Los Angeles Galaxy. Nagamura even played the bull in Gomez's matador celebration after he scored Saturday in New York.
"You know, the Red Bulls?" Gomez said of New York's nickname. "I got to slay the bull."
However, he's having an increasingly difficult time watching World Cup games with the duo. Watching the Mexico-Angola game Friday with them in Saragosa's hotel room, tempers flared.
"I can't watch games with those guys anymore," Gomez said. "I try to zone (Saragosa) out. He's in my ear, trying to get me to react. Nothing against Croatia or Australia ... but (Brazil) played Croatia and Australia. If it were in the Argentina or U.S. group, they'd be talking how Brazil is 0-2 instead of 2-0.
"You can't go into a tournament looking to (improve) each game. You have to be on top of your game, each game. You can't rely on the luck of the draw. They've gotten fortunate with their draw, and I think they know it."
In his exclusive predictions for the Sun, Gomez went 19-15 through Tuesday's morning matches, even picking the exact scores of games such as Germany's 1-0 victory against Poland and Sweden's 1-0 decision against Paraguay. After everyone had played twice, he provided further insight into the globe's most popular sporting event.
Was the 1-1 draw between the U.S. and Italy tough to watch?
Unfortunately, the referee (Jorge Larrionda of Uruguay) got involved. It's never good when the referee makes a name for himself in a game. The U.S. was fortunate to escape with a point, but they showed a lot of heart and grit.
There were 10 players apiece when Eddie Pope collected a second yellow card, and ejection, in the 47th minute.
Why didn't U.S. coach Bruce Arena sub for him at the intermission, to avoid possibly playing nine vs. 10
You can't save Pope for the next game. There might not be a next game if you lose that game. You have to ride it out. You almost can't do anything else. They had to take that chance. He felt they were better with Pope in there, and you hope it pays off.
So there were positives in that one for the Americans, who needed an Italian own-goal for that draw?
For sure. It was a great way for the team to respond, not only to the world criticism but from their own coaches. They had to change their plan, and they did. They were gassed and a man down, but they showed a lot of character to the rest of the world.
How about upstart Ghana, the U.S. foe Thursday in Nuremberg?
My surprise team. Ghana is very good. I still think Italy (which plays the Czechs in Thursday's other Group E game) has the potential to be the goat of the group. Ghana plays disciplined soccer. The U.S. put itself in a tough position. That's the World Cup. No easy games.
What's most impressive about the Ghanans?
They're a bunch of machines. They move so well. They're so fluid, with no break in movement, from one side to the other. It's one-touch soccer, and it's fast and controlled. When they lose the ball, they pressure you so much.
You predicted a 1-0 victory for the U.S. against Ghana. Sticking with that?
No. I'd love for it to be that way, but Ghana is my surprise team for a reason. I think they'll have the Brazilians (in the second round) shaking in their boots, too.
Might Italy alter its tactics, knowing that it must defeat the Czechs - with the U.S. beating Ghana - for the Americans to advance?
No. They don't want to face Brazil in the next round. (The fate for Group E's second team.) But I predicted that the Czechs will beat Italy, 2-1, and I'll stick with it. Luca Toni hasn't performed as he should this World Cup. Maybe Italy isn't ready, mentally. A man up against the U.S., they looked like they were a man down. Better teams will punish them for it.
With the tight Group E, do you want to reconsider your Group of Death, which you pegged for Group C, with Argentina, Holland, Ivory Coast and Serbia-Montenegro?
The U.S. wouldn't want to see Holland, Argentina or the Ivory Coast. And Serbia-Montenegro conceded only one goal in 10 World Cup qualifiers. Wow. Ivory Coast was unlucky to be in this group. Any other, they'd be in the second round.
Did Mexico miss striker Jared Borgetti in its scoreless draw with Angola?
Yeah, did they ever. They play Portugal, the best team in their group, today. It will be tough, but Portugal isn't a team that's gone for the throat. That might be their downfall. But they play at a faster pace, a European style. I have to give the edge to Portugal.
How about South Korea, whose fans have rivaled Brazil's, England's or Germany's
I'm a big fan of them. They're another machine. They don't have flashy, individual players. But they're well oiled. They get an objective, and they stick to it. I'm not saying they'll go as far as four years ago (the semifinals), but they have the potential to go far.
Your favorite player on that team?
Park Ji-sung. I'm a Manchester United fan, so ... but the team isn't a bunch of stars. It's just a good team.
So Brazil has two shutout victories but still doesn't impress you?
My Brazilian teammates still aren't talking me into thinking that Brazil is a World Cup-winning team. That's the World Cup. I can predict until I'm blue in the face, but any given team on any given day ...
How about Ronaldo?
I predicted he'd do well. But, so far, he's shown me nothing, except that he's 20 pounds overweight. He has plenty of soccer in him, he just has to get all that (stuff) out of his head, stop worrying about this and that. I don't think he's happy with soccer. He's doing it, obviously, for the money. He has to get back to enjoying the game.
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