Game One: (game 12)
Germany v Portugal. I think this should have been the pick of the games. Lots of names and reputations in this game.
Portugal have the best of the opening and this culminates in the goalkeeper presenting an open goal, almost farcical. Almost possible to throw a blanket over both teams in the mid field, and the thrust into the box ends in a Penalty kick for Germany.
Lets crowd around the referee, because that always works. It's quite poor really and needs to be addressed somehow. Referee will never change his decision.
11 minutes and it's 1-0 from a penalty and you know that there is a chance that this is the death knell for their hopes and defending this is going to be an ask.
Germany look very structured on the break.
2-0 from a set piece corner with an open header in the 6. That could be enough.
So then, in madville tempers flare and it ends badly for Pepe who gets sent off to take a cold shower and have a match off. It it wasn't over it will be now. Which in the added time at the end of the half it 3-0 and Portugal look defeated and yet have the 2nd half to get through. What a demolition.
Second half didn't match the first for goals and came to it's inevitable conclusion with Germany scoring 1 more to make it 4-0, and a thoroughly defeated Portugal with it all to do to stay in the competition.
Game Two: (game 13)
Nigeria v Iran. Ping-Pong football, very tight between them, lots of counter-attack and action. A goalless half, really unusual in this Word Cup so far. The Nigeria team did have the pick of the action, but couldn't find a finish.
The Iran team are very well organised with 4 at the back and as long as they have discipline they'll be an hard ask to beat.
game 13 finished at 0-0 the first goaless game so far, a game of fair play but little else by way of spectacle and anything memorable.
Game Three : (game 14)
USA v Ghana. You have to fancy 'Murica in this one.
USA in Red Shirts, like in Star Trek.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED -- 35 seconds !!!!! SHUT UP!!! #scenes (turns out the 5th fastest in the history of the Word Cup - 1 Hakan Suker 11' 2 Masek 16' 3. Ernst Lehner 25' 4. Bryan Robson 27'”)
Commentator just said "Ghana must feel like they've turned up to a party to find all the food and drink already gone."
In with a bang out with a whimper then for the first half gets to the half, even handbags couldn't save it.
The second half didn't spark up either, with no reason the the USA to go hunting for a 2nd goal, and Ghana resorting to long range shots, and substituting out of fitness players into the game in the hope of 5 minutes of glory.
Which of course works out... and 83 minutes into the game, from almost the same place as the opening goal it's 1-1
With more twists than a twisty thing it's like the giant woke up and the USA press for an unlikely goal, but there it is 2-1 USA from a set piece. Can't help but think that it's going to be all throwing ourselves around in dramatic fashion trying to get an edge in the last 5 ...
And USA have won the World Cup! A game that had a lot of stodge in the middle ended with a roar.
Enjoying the posts on the World Cup. Keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteI missed the Pepe explosion and cannot find a video that shows the complete sequence of events. What I have found suggests he is an idiot. I'm thrilled at what this means for 'Murica's chances to get into the next round. Although it always seems as soon as we start hoping about our team's chances in the World Cup something happens. I blame the boredom of the USA-Ghana game on the idea that somehow a 1-0 lead is insurmountable. I hate that so many teams fall back into a defensive game just because they have a one goal lead. I get it, goals are hard to come by in soccer, particularly at this level, but really? With 89+ minutes to play?
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your feedback, I'm trying to be brief, and I need to stop live blogging, I could end up with a monster post
ReplyDeleteIt did spark to life near the end though, but a very well organised defence from the USA team will always be hard to get around. I was amazed that both goals were from similar positions, although one was left food the other right.
ReplyDeleteIt sets up things nicely.
The Ghana goal was amazing. The way they set it up, the passing, and then the left footed shot. I don't necessarily want to say the U.S. got lucky, but they definitely squeaked by on this one.
ReplyDeleteI think the length is fine. As a US fan I didn't think we were going to be able to pull the match out. When you forsake possession for most of the game it's difficult to hang on, but it all ended well.
ReplyDelete