Zombie

Well I have felt like a zombie today but don't worry. I am a happy zombie.

After winning last night's pub quiz with my two pals, I came home knowing that I still had a long night ahead of me. I was determined to stay up to watch England's knockout game with Mexico beamed live to our house from The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Thank you BBC!

For a couple of hours I roamed around the internet, visiting blogs and the latest news - such as Trump's blatant interference in a red card decision. With the obsequious aid of his slimy buddy Gianni Infantino, the grifting FIFA president, Trump managed to get US player Folarin Balogun's red card rescinded, allowing him to play in tonight's match with Belgium. The whole thing stinks like, well, like a smelly trump (American: fart)!

Anyway as one in the morning approached, it was time to switch our television on but damn me - the kick-off time had been delayed for an hour because of heavy rain in Mexico City. So it was back to the computer where I learned how to make a parcel bomb, read about The Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne who died in Aachen, Germany in 814AD and successfully blew away the latest "Wordle" challenge.

Now two o' clock was looming so I sat on the sofa with cushions stacked behind me to make my sitting position a little uncomfortable. You see, I obviously did not want to fall asleep. I pressed the remote and watched our lads singing "God Save the King" in lusty unison. The Mexico team's singing was equally committed as they launched into "Mexicans, at the Cry of War":-

Mexicans, at the cry of war,

Assemble the steel and the bridle,

And may the Earth tremble to its core

To the resounding roar of the cannon. 

And what a hell of a battle the game was! You can read match reports elsewhere but let me just say that I was immensely proud of our national team last night. They battled against the odds at high altitude in front of incredibly loud home supporters to scrape home by three goals to two. Mexico losing in the Azteca stadium is as rare as a Dinagat moonrat. Almost unheard of.

England were severely handicapped by the sending off of our full back Jarell Quansah in the fifty fourth minute. This means that he will not be allowed to play in our quarter final match with Norway... unless of course those two grifting slimeballs get his card rescinded too! Fat chance of that.

It was approaching five o'clock this morning when I finally crawled into bed with happy TV memories of what had just transpired  5500 miles  from here. Before I dozed off, Shirley asked, "What was the score?" She couldn't believe it.

Come on England!

*Image at the top; "Head of a Man" by L.S.Lowry (1938)