Brazil Out! Gray on Top!

Kevin De Bruyne scores Belgiums second goal.

Two very entertaining games kept BISERGSers transfixed today.  France played with discipline and poise to claim a 2 - 0 victory over Uruguay in the opener.  The result sent Dawn to the top of the  BISERGS leader board for a few hours and poor Rachel, who had been at the top consistently all summer, was suddenly on the ropes.  In the second game, Belgium showed their quality against Brazil in a game that many wish had been the World Cup final.  I'm just glad we got to see them play because it was a fantastic game.  Levi was hopeful of ending the day on top, but this result sent BISERGS World #1 Gray to the top with Kelley close behind.  Since those two share Belgium, the results of Croatia and Sweden's matches tomorrow will determine which of them ends up on top, if Belgium keep on winning.

France and Belgium owners now have their teams in the semifinals which guarantees two more games for each of them.  Even the semifinal losers get a game next weekend in the 3rd place match (worth the basic BISERGS points - 3 for a win, 1/2 for a goal...), so these quarterfinals have an even greater importance.  The losses of Uruguay and Brazil mean Greg, Derek, Emilie and Josh no longer have teams in the BISERGS.  Thanks for playing. Our teams may be out but there is still a lot of excitement to keep watching this summer.

Tomorrow, the second and final day of the quarterfinals, has two more games.  These teams aren't as glamorous as today's, but the stakes are equally high, so we hope to see some great action.  For the BISERGS, the top 9 participants on the leader board have teams in on the field, so it is another huge day.  A Sweden victory would solidify Gray's place, but it would also put Dawn close enough behind to pass him if her France can beat his Belgium in the semifinal.  Lisa is down in 13th, but she two teams in action tomorrow and an England, Croatia double would guarantee her a finalist and give her the inside track to the BISERGS if England were to go on and win the World Cup.  James also has two teams playing tomorrow and is opposing Lisa in both of them.  Russia and Sweden victories would send him soaring up the table.  Rick and Kelley still have their own paths to the BISERGS this year, but both of them depend on Croatia winning tomorrow, so the late game is huge for them.  With each passing game, more and more BISERGSers are facing elimination.  Tomorrow's list includes Evan, James, Katee, Shelby, Ivan, Carol, Lisa, Andrew, Arlan, Doug, Annika, Levi and Rachel.  As we've seen before, BISERGS fortunes can change in an instant.