I hurried home from the errands I was running this morning, slightly fearful that I had mistaken the kick-off time and would miss it. I hadn't and I didn't. Jimmy McGee was making the best of describing the opening ceremony which looked impressive enough from what I saw of it. So I put on the kettle, dug out my World Cup 2002 official merchandise chopsticks and made myself some noodles which I duly slurped while watching the two teams during their respective national anthems.

As the anthems were being sung, the camera travelled along the length of the team's line, shoving itself into each player's face in turn. Not all were singing and they seemed to do something weird with the French anthem, it seemed to stop twice (if you know what I mean). I've always thought that France had the best anthem, but the Senegalese one was quite good too.

The first half moved along at a nice clip. Paddy was cruising around, occasionally stopping in front of the TV and pointing. (Bawh! Yes son, it's a ball. He likes football.) It was slightly embarrassing to see Desailly being given the run around so much, he was showing his age I think. And then came the goal. I was surprisingly pleased by it and when I saw Papa Bouba Diop take off his shirt and dance around it at the corner flag with some of his team-mates, I forgave them. I hate silly goal celebrations.

Looking at the replay and watching the ball bounce around the six yard box I have to wonder what the hell Bartez thought he was doing. He was looking away to his right when Petit hit the ball as if he'd decided that it was no longer his problem. As a result the first he knew of the ball being struck in his direction was it hitting him and he couldn't get hold of it. So Papa Bouba Diop did.

Unfortunately visitors (expected and unexpected) interfered with the second half, so I didn't see it all. The result pleased me. Underdogs winning always does.

Eamonn Dunphy on the other hand, (and all the morons that are going to cheer for the Cameroon tomorrow) can get fucked. Yes Eamonn, it is a tragedy that Roy isn't playing, you don't have to keep banging on about it. What people should remember about tomorrow morning is that you're not cheering for Mick McCarthy or the FAI, but Ireland. OK?

And another thing, I thinks it's borderline racist to insist that all African teams are the same. Not all European teams are, or even teams from the same league. So stop trying to extrapolate from Senegal to Cameroon (or Nigeria). The game tomorrow will be difficult, we know that, and saying that they're the team that beat the team that beat France has no meaning.

And finally (really), I switched over to ITV in time to see Paul Gascoine acting a little strangely. If I didn't know better I'd have thought he was drunk.