Coincidence?

Fact #1: France 0 - 2 Italy. The rerun of the 2006 World Cup Final ends with the winners of that trophy once again triumphing to progress to the knockout stages and the runners-up - the team I drew in the office sweepstake at 9/1 - packing their bags for home.

Fact #2: Jean-Alain Boumsong, accurately described in the BBC match report as "former Newcastle flop Jean-Alain Boumsong ", comes off the French bench before the half-hour mark due to Eric Abidal's red card.

Coincidence, non?