Friday, June 25, 2010
Wave Your Flag
This is a great video and song that captures the exuberance and joy of the World Cup: 2010 World Cup - Wavin Flag
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
2010 World Cup First Round Final Matches
Sometimes managers really matter. France's behavior during this World Cup has been disgraceful. Apparently the Sports Minister changed their return flight arrangements from Airbus 380 first class to a chartered coach-class flight. They might want to change their return destination as well. I have no doubt that the players contributed to their fiasco of a World Cup but as manager it was Raymond Domenech's job to, well, manage the situation. Does anyone think that other teams don't have ego clashes? And just when I thought he could not go any lower, he actively refused to shake Carlos Alberto Parreira's hand. What possible reason could he have for making this his final gesture?
Carlos Alberto Parreira is one of those managers who is called upon to rescue teams. Parreira had managed Brazil previously to win the 1994 Cup but he had not never won a match with any other team. Until the match with France. It was never much of a hope for South Africa to advance into the knockout phase. But at least they played well, earned a victory and left the tournament with their heads held high. And Parreira deserves some of the credit.
Uruguay and Mexico needed only a draw for both teams to advance. Both Uruguay's manager Oscar Tabarez and Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre spoke of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the World Cup. And both teams responded to their call. The fact that there was a winner -- and for a brief time the fantastic, unrealistic prospect of a South African miracle -- is enough evidence that they did not conspire beforehand. Both teams played well, there were several scoring chances and soccer integrity won the day. In 1982, West Germany and Austria did conspire together for a 1-0 fixed match that resulted in Algeria being eliminated deliberately. This match was the genesis for the simultaneous final matches in the first round. The next time one of my soccer buddies tries to tell me how European soccer sets the standard, I'll remind them of the way both Tabarez and Aguirre approached the Uruguay v. Mexico match.
I never thought I would say it. Diego Maradona managed the Argentina v. Greece match very well. He played his B team but then again Argentina's B team is better than most country's A team. But he kept Messi in the lineup. He said the world deserved to see Messi. Sound silly? Maybe. But I enjoy every opportunity to see Messi. And while he didn't get his first goal, as usual, he caused havoc that helped his teammates find space, generate opportunities and score goals. Including Martin Palermo who became the oldest Argentine to score a World Cup (surpassing Maradona's record). Why would Maradona pick 5 world class strikers and then choose a 36 year old Palermo who hadn't played for Argentina in 10 years? I don't know. What I do know is that Palermo scored a critical goal for Argentina during the qualifiers and that he coolly put away the rebound from a Messi shot. And that his entire team seemed to surround him in a moment of euphoria. Maradona may not know much about tactics but he is definitely tapping into the passion and emotion of this team. When he channels it, great things happen for this team. Channeling his own emotions is another matter.
Group B started the final matches with Argentina in a very secure spot. The other three teams -- one from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia -- all had a chance to make it through depending on the outcomes of the matches. South Korea and Nigeria played an entertaining match that had both teams feeling hope. Nigeria will undoubtedly feel disappointed and it's sad that neither South Africa or Nigeria made it through. But South Korea would have also felt disappointed and they deserve to advance.
The first matches in the first round are usually cautious, even tentative. The second matches feature some teams coming out of their shells trying to ensure their passage through to the second round. The final matches of the first round feature drama and nothing exemplifies this more than the US v. Slovenia match. The US was another inappropriately disallowed goal and 2 minutes away from heading home. Instead with one fantastic goalie distribution from Tim Howard, one incredible run from Landon Donovan and a goal that no one could disallow, the US won Group C. This US team never seems to quit. ESPN's commentators mentioned that the US team has scored 9 goals during qualifiers and the World Cup in the last 10 minutes of matches. Adidas has playing an ad focusing on the celebrated #10 jersey. In their first edition when they included Donovan I thought it was a stretch. Pele, Maradona, Matthäus, Zidane, Kaka, Messi...and Donovan? Well, maybe it's still a stretch but the newest version of the ad shows Donovan's goals from the World Cup. Definitely makes him seem much more worthy of the #10 jersey. While England must be relieved to just get through, they finished in second place and now will face Germany in the second round.
Ghana remains the sole African team within the tournament. Despite their loss to Germany, they secured passage once the Australians defeated the Serbians in their final match. I know Australia no longer plays in Oceania but it seems that both Australia and New Zealand have come a long way. One has to wonder if New Zealand will now dominate Oceania the way Australia had done prior to joining the Asian region. While South America, Concacaf and Asia celebrate tremendous success, Africa must regret the lack of representation in the second round. ESPN's South African commentator Shaun Bartlett was direct when he said lack of proper administration hampers African teams.
Everyone expected the Netherlands to cruise into the second round and they certainly did so. They are firing on all cylinders but they have yet to face stiff opposition. Nonetheless, 3 wins, 9 points, and a team seemingly in harmony. No one expected Japan to advance in this group but they did so with style and substance. If not for Wes Sneijder's swerving rocket shot, they might have drawn with the Netherlands. Japan dominated Denmark and Honda played exceptionally well. HIs move in the box for their third goal was world class and his pass to a teammate was unselfish. If he had taken the shot, he would almost certainly scored -- and tied for the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
Wine and scotch generally get better with age. Soccer players might do so for a time, but their shelf life eventually expires. This seems to be the sad reality for the Italians. A team that won the World Cup in impressive fashion 4 years ago looked 4 years too old on this occasion. Injuries to Pirlo and Buffon undoubtedly hurt. Their backup goalie Marchetti must be getting a complex. Though I suspect Buffon might have gotten one of those shots, that would not have been enough for the Italians. Italy is notorious for starting slow and turning it on when they need it. Not this time. Wholesale changes are undoubtedly coming for the Azzuri as they prepare for European Cup qualifying. Paraguay has impressed during the first round but even they could not beat New Zealand which goes home without tasting defeat. What a tremendous accomplishment for a team ranked 78th according to FIFA.
Group G seemed to offer a tantalizing array of matchups yet Portugal managed to choke the life out of two of them. In their matches against Ivory Coast and Brazil, their defensive tactics disrupted both teams. They seemed to relish pounding a team with far less talent in North Korea yet seem unwilling to play openly against opponents with comparable if not better talent. I sincerely hope they don't continue to bore their opponents to death in the knockout phase. Brazil wins Group G and avoids a showdown with Spain in the second round.
Or should I say Spain managed to avoid the showdown with Brazil? Spain has yet to display its full brilliance. Torres in particular seems out of sync and unable to find his scoring touch. Spain left it to the last match to secure not only passage to the second round but first place in the group. Even a man down, Chile found a way to score and make things interesting -- until the last 15 minutes. Spain has yet to receive a single card making them clear front runners for the Fair Play award. They play fairly and elegantly but I am left to wonder if there's something more "systematic" going on in terms of their treatment!
16 teams left, 6 from Europe, 5 from South America, 2 from Concacaf, 2 from Asia and 1 from Africa. The first time all 5 South Americans move through, a new low number for Europe (which has never won the World Cup outside of Europe), surprisingly impressive performances from Concacaf and Asia and disappointment for Africa. No Italy, no France -- the first time neither finalist from the previous World Cup has advanced to the knockout phase. In order to advance, the US will have to knock out the new sentimental favorite of the home crowd. Three matchups feature European teams playing each other with Slovakia being the surprising team in the mix. Only one all South American encounter between Brazil and Chile. The two Asian teams play what are supposed to be the weaker South American teams, but it's possible that South America could advance 4 teams into the quarter finals.
It's time to get ready for extra time and penalty kicks.
Carlos Alberto Parreira is one of those managers who is called upon to rescue teams. Parreira had managed Brazil previously to win the 1994 Cup but he had not never won a match with any other team. Until the match with France. It was never much of a hope for South Africa to advance into the knockout phase. But at least they played well, earned a victory and left the tournament with their heads held high. And Parreira deserves some of the credit.
Uruguay and Mexico needed only a draw for both teams to advance. Both Uruguay's manager Oscar Tabarez and Mexico's manager Javier Aguirre spoke of the importance of maintaining the integrity of the World Cup. And both teams responded to their call. The fact that there was a winner -- and for a brief time the fantastic, unrealistic prospect of a South African miracle -- is enough evidence that they did not conspire beforehand. Both teams played well, there were several scoring chances and soccer integrity won the day. In 1982, West Germany and Austria did conspire together for a 1-0 fixed match that resulted in Algeria being eliminated deliberately. This match was the genesis for the simultaneous final matches in the first round. The next time one of my soccer buddies tries to tell me how European soccer sets the standard, I'll remind them of the way both Tabarez and Aguirre approached the Uruguay v. Mexico match.
I never thought I would say it. Diego Maradona managed the Argentina v. Greece match very well. He played his B team but then again Argentina's B team is better than most country's A team. But he kept Messi in the lineup. He said the world deserved to see Messi. Sound silly? Maybe. But I enjoy every opportunity to see Messi. And while he didn't get his first goal, as usual, he caused havoc that helped his teammates find space, generate opportunities and score goals. Including Martin Palermo who became the oldest Argentine to score a World Cup (surpassing Maradona's record). Why would Maradona pick 5 world class strikers and then choose a 36 year old Palermo who hadn't played for Argentina in 10 years? I don't know. What I do know is that Palermo scored a critical goal for Argentina during the qualifiers and that he coolly put away the rebound from a Messi shot. And that his entire team seemed to surround him in a moment of euphoria. Maradona may not know much about tactics but he is definitely tapping into the passion and emotion of this team. When he channels it, great things happen for this team. Channeling his own emotions is another matter.
Group B started the final matches with Argentina in a very secure spot. The other three teams -- one from Europe, one from Africa, one from Asia -- all had a chance to make it through depending on the outcomes of the matches. South Korea and Nigeria played an entertaining match that had both teams feeling hope. Nigeria will undoubtedly feel disappointed and it's sad that neither South Africa or Nigeria made it through. But South Korea would have also felt disappointed and they deserve to advance.
The first matches in the first round are usually cautious, even tentative. The second matches feature some teams coming out of their shells trying to ensure their passage through to the second round. The final matches of the first round feature drama and nothing exemplifies this more than the US v. Slovenia match. The US was another inappropriately disallowed goal and 2 minutes away from heading home. Instead with one fantastic goalie distribution from Tim Howard, one incredible run from Landon Donovan and a goal that no one could disallow, the US won Group C. This US team never seems to quit. ESPN's commentators mentioned that the US team has scored 9 goals during qualifiers and the World Cup in the last 10 minutes of matches. Adidas has playing an ad focusing on the celebrated #10 jersey. In their first edition when they included Donovan I thought it was a stretch. Pele, Maradona, Matthäus, Zidane, Kaka, Messi...and Donovan? Well, maybe it's still a stretch but the newest version of the ad shows Donovan's goals from the World Cup. Definitely makes him seem much more worthy of the #10 jersey. While England must be relieved to just get through, they finished in second place and now will face Germany in the second round.
Ghana remains the sole African team within the tournament. Despite their loss to Germany, they secured passage once the Australians defeated the Serbians in their final match. I know Australia no longer plays in Oceania but it seems that both Australia and New Zealand have come a long way. One has to wonder if New Zealand will now dominate Oceania the way Australia had done prior to joining the Asian region. While South America, Concacaf and Asia celebrate tremendous success, Africa must regret the lack of representation in the second round. ESPN's South African commentator Shaun Bartlett was direct when he said lack of proper administration hampers African teams.
Everyone expected the Netherlands to cruise into the second round and they certainly did so. They are firing on all cylinders but they have yet to face stiff opposition. Nonetheless, 3 wins, 9 points, and a team seemingly in harmony. No one expected Japan to advance in this group but they did so with style and substance. If not for Wes Sneijder's swerving rocket shot, they might have drawn with the Netherlands. Japan dominated Denmark and Honda played exceptionally well. HIs move in the box for their third goal was world class and his pass to a teammate was unselfish. If he had taken the shot, he would almost certainly scored -- and tied for the lead in the race for the Golden Boot.
Wine and scotch generally get better with age. Soccer players might do so for a time, but their shelf life eventually expires. This seems to be the sad reality for the Italians. A team that won the World Cup in impressive fashion 4 years ago looked 4 years too old on this occasion. Injuries to Pirlo and Buffon undoubtedly hurt. Their backup goalie Marchetti must be getting a complex. Though I suspect Buffon might have gotten one of those shots, that would not have been enough for the Italians. Italy is notorious for starting slow and turning it on when they need it. Not this time. Wholesale changes are undoubtedly coming for the Azzuri as they prepare for European Cup qualifying. Paraguay has impressed during the first round but even they could not beat New Zealand which goes home without tasting defeat. What a tremendous accomplishment for a team ranked 78th according to FIFA.
Group G seemed to offer a tantalizing array of matchups yet Portugal managed to choke the life out of two of them. In their matches against Ivory Coast and Brazil, their defensive tactics disrupted both teams. They seemed to relish pounding a team with far less talent in North Korea yet seem unwilling to play openly against opponents with comparable if not better talent. I sincerely hope they don't continue to bore their opponents to death in the knockout phase. Brazil wins Group G and avoids a showdown with Spain in the second round.
Or should I say Spain managed to avoid the showdown with Brazil? Spain has yet to display its full brilliance. Torres in particular seems out of sync and unable to find his scoring touch. Spain left it to the last match to secure not only passage to the second round but first place in the group. Even a man down, Chile found a way to score and make things interesting -- until the last 15 minutes. Spain has yet to receive a single card making them clear front runners for the Fair Play award. They play fairly and elegantly but I am left to wonder if there's something more "systematic" going on in terms of their treatment!
16 teams left, 6 from Europe, 5 from South America, 2 from Concacaf, 2 from Asia and 1 from Africa. The first time all 5 South Americans move through, a new low number for Europe (which has never won the World Cup outside of Europe), surprisingly impressive performances from Concacaf and Asia and disappointment for Africa. No Italy, no France -- the first time neither finalist from the previous World Cup has advanced to the knockout phase. In order to advance, the US will have to knock out the new sentimental favorite of the home crowd. Three matchups feature European teams playing each other with Slovakia being the surprising team in the mix. Only one all South American encounter between Brazil and Chile. The two Asian teams play what are supposed to be the weaker South American teams, but it's possible that South America could advance 4 teams into the quarter finals.
It's time to get ready for extra time and penalty kicks.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
2010 World Cup Second Matches
The second matches are over. More random thoughts and observations:
It is sad indeed to watch the collective dream of a nation disintegrate. Uruguay soundly and decisively defeated South Africa, which will be without the services of their starting keeper Khune when they face France. Without a major miracle, South Africa will become the first host nation to bounce out after the first round. Even if the South Africans do not advance, I hope they play well against France and continue to revel as good hosts. Uruguay adjusted well to both of their opponents but it remains to be seen how they will fare against a top level team firing on all cylinders.
While it took an impulsive and foolish Nigerian red card to bring out the offense in Greece, it was encouraging to see them play attacking soccer. Not the most potent attack but 2 goals in one game is quite a breakthrough for a team that hadn't scored in 4 straight World Cup games. It might seem odd to praise a goalie whose team has allowed three goals but Enyeama has looked like the best keeper so far -- despite his mistake on Greece's second goal. Nigeria remains in the hunt even with no points from two matches.
Argentina seems determined to outscore their opponents. It turns out that on another day Higuain did get a hat trick and the early lead for the golden boot. However, Messi and Tevez were the ones causing all the havoc. There are doubts about Argentina's defense and midfield (why would Maradona leave out Zanetti and Cambiaso?) but with 5 top class strikers, they look like they could outscore anyone. South Korea continues to play positively and look lively but they are perhaps a bit too quick to attack. As much as I like their play, I confess that what I really admire is how seemingly none of their players complain to the ref.
If the French team was in a bad mood after the first match, what kind of mood are they in now? Easily one of the most talented teams in the tournament yet also one of the least inspired. Players blaming the manager and manager blaming the players. It's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg but consider the managers' decisions regarding substitutes. Hernandez scores, Barrera secures the penalty and Blanco takes a perfect penalty. What did Gignac and Valbuena manage to do during this match? And why leave Cisse and Henry on the bench? Whoever lines up for France against South Africa, I hope they at least play with some passion.
So far the officiating had been quite good. And then we had the Germany v. Serbia match. While the ref (Alberto Undiano) may have been applying the letter of the law (for the most part though he wasn't entirely consistent doing so), it's never a good outcome when the ref has tremendous influence over the outcome of the match. Sending Klose off changed the game but Germany had its penalty chance. Before the penalty, I thought it was a bad idea to put Podolski on the spot. He was off the entire match. Klose was looking to tie Pele for 4th place on the World Cup all-time scoring list and score his 50th international goal. With the red card suspension, if Germany doesn't make it into the round of 16 (seemingly unthinkable but possible), the Serbia match could be his last World Cup match. That would be a sad way for such a prolific goal scorer to end his World Cup career.
Perhaps the one person happy about the refereeing during the Slovenia v. US match was Alberto Undiano (well, perhaps the Slovenians were happy as well). Everyone stopped talking about Undiano's refereeing once the US match was over. The US doesn't get any style points and they need to stop allowing early goals, but they certainly showed a lot of spirit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit. To come back like that and then score a goal in the 85th minute, only to have it inexplicably taken away is unfortunate indeed. This type of egregious error is part of soccer and FIFA seem to be perfectly content to turn a blind eye to such incidents. It certainly generates buzz but it does leave some teams out in the cold. At least the US can make it through to the next round if they beat Algeria. At least the US is in the World Cup. Ask the Irish about officiating controversies.
The English team seems determined to compete with the French for most underwhelming play. ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas questioned whether this team is really any good ("above average") but this same team won 9 of 10 qualification matches with one of them being a dismantling of Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Something is definitely wrong and no one seems to really care. They were resoundingly booed by their fans and deservedly so. Algeria certainly showed enough of a display that the US should take nothing for granted in the final match for both teams. Will the real Wayne Rooney please stand up?
It looks like the Netherlands are putting aside their egos and playing well as a team though they haven't exactly overwhelmed two opponents with far less talent. Nonetheless, six points from two games and passage through to the next round. And they have yet to put Arjen Robben on the pitch. Japan's keeper might have done better with Sneijder's shot though that looked like a world class strike. I think it might have even bent at the last second. I guess Sneijder won't complain about the ball. Japan still looked competitive even when a goal down and I wouldn't rule out their chances against Denmark.
Neither Serbia nor Ghana pressed their advantage against teams with 10 men. Ghana's choice to lay back seemed particularly odd given how easily the Australians had been giving up goals (not only against Germany but they also gave up 3 to the US in a pre-World Cup friendly). In a group where Germany has a +3 goal differential after two matches, you have to wonder if Serbia and Ghana will regret not pressing their advantage. Harry Kewell was off the post when he handled the ball. No guarantee the outcome would have been different but there's a good reason why anyone on the back line is told to hug the post. Australia are now without Cahill or Kewell for their final match.
Denmark and Cameroon decided to leave their defenses at home for the most free-flowing match so far. Soccer is cruel to teams that don't finish and kind to those that do. Spain learned that against Switzerland but they have another day to change their fortunes. Cameroon's near misses end up making them the first team to crash out of the World Cup (and makes the Netherlands the first team to move through). Even though Algeria defeated West Germany in 1982, Cameroon's remarkable run in 1990 really marked the arrival of African soccer on the world stage. It's been 20 years and it's time for Cameroon to write a new chapter in their history. Maybe in 2014.
South American teams have yet to be defeated and Paraguay did more than its part to ensure that this streak remains in tact. Clinical finishing on both goals ensured a comfortable margin of victory. Paraguay feels like the tournament dark horse at this point. ESPN commentators kept talking about questionable defense but Slovakia didn't even have a shot on goal until the 92nd minute. I bet Slovakia really regrets dropping two points against New Zealand in the last minutes of their match especially given the New Zealand result against Italy.
It might seem strange to identify a 1-1 draw as one of the greatest -- perhaps the greatest -- upsets in World Cup history. I had speculated that New Zealand's goal against Slovakia marked their arrival on the world stage. Not so. Ranked 78th according to FIFA, New Zealand ranked 1st in courage and teamwork in their match against Italy. We saw both the ugly and elegant side of Italy. Down 1-0, they resorted to dives and feigned injury. Yet in the second half, with the exception of one incident, they turned to their skilled strike force and played well. Plenty of chances some of which were denied by great goalkeeping from Paston. And in the 81st minute, 18 year old Chris Wood -- who I'll be very interested to see play in the Premier League -- beat 36 year old legendary Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and missed scoring by a foot. If he had scored, that would have been quite a striking juxtaposition of exuberant youth versus seasoned professional experience. At the end of the match, the Italians realized that they were on the short end of soccer history. I respect their reaction. I am sure they did not imagine trading jerseys with New Zealand players, some of whom are still looking for a professional club. Seeing Cannavaro walk off the pitch with an all-white jersey over his shoulder, right next to the captain's arm band, simply point to the crowd and clap was quite a sight. He must have known that this was one of those magical World Cup moments.
Didier Drogba started for Ivory Coast a mere 15 days after breaking his arm. But he didn't quite seem himself. Or his teammates didn't find him nearly enough. The two times they crossed the ball to him, he scored once and nearly scored on the second occasion. Brazil showed flashes of brilliance once again and Kaka seemed to hitting his stride more easily during this match. Until he was sent off for a second yellow card through a dubious incident. I'm not sure how the ref missed not one but two handballs by Fabiano on his second goal. Ivory Coast resorted to some fairly ugly tackling with studs up on several occasions. Elano looked like he suffered an injury as he limped into the locker room. So much was expected of Ivory Coast which made their rough tactics even harder to watch. South American teams have done very well and African teams have done very poorly.
When I started watching the Portugal v. N. Korea match, I noted the obvious change in approach and tactics by the N. Koreans. I also recall thinking that's a curious choice. They had a great showing against Brazil but they should have shown more respect for Portugal despite Portugal's recent goal scoring challenges. No challenges for goals on this day. I can recall playing in a soccer match when I was a kid where we lost 5-0. It's hard to describe what it feels like to be part of a complete meltdown when the losing side simply falls apart and just stares at the clock begging for the match to end. ESPN commentators mentioned that N. Korea practices at a public gym. What a sad state of affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was almost comical but you could see the relief on his face. He set up his teammates exceptionally well and they looked genuinely pleased when he scored. The results of that kind of camaraderie and teamwork were impressive indeed but you have to wonder why they don't do this against other teams. And why they felt the need to pile it on an obviously overwhelmed N. Korea.
Chile plays attractive soccer and obviously features several players with great creativity and skill. However, after playing Honduras and 10 man Switzerland, they only have 2 goals. Their goal differential is a respectable +2 but in this group it is entirely possible that goal differential will determine which team goes through to the knockout phase. Chile dominated both of their matches for large stretches of time so they might deeply regret not scoring more goals. And speaking of regret. Switzerland had a golden opportunity to tie the game and strengthen their position in the group. They face Honduras for their last match so they are probably hoping for a victory in their last match but they could easily secured a point against Chile.
I admire the way Honduras played against Spain. But their approach resulted in a predictably dominant performance by Spain. David Villa's two goals were impressive efforts but his penalty miss was inexcusable. Spain sits within this group where goal differential might become critical so they might really miss that penalty goal. At least Villa took shots. Spain must have had over 50 touches in Honduras' penalty area but they kept looking for the perfect pass or perfect goal. As an Arsenal fan, I know all too well the wonderful spectacle of such great soccer without results, which are especially important at the World Cup given the little margin for error. I'm sure Spain assumes that they will beat Chile but they also probably assumed they would beat Switzerland. Honduras has one more chance to win, tie or even simply score a goal. They have good players so I hope they put on a good show for their final match.
It is sad indeed to watch the collective dream of a nation disintegrate. Uruguay soundly and decisively defeated South Africa, which will be without the services of their starting keeper Khune when they face France. Without a major miracle, South Africa will become the first host nation to bounce out after the first round. Even if the South Africans do not advance, I hope they play well against France and continue to revel as good hosts. Uruguay adjusted well to both of their opponents but it remains to be seen how they will fare against a top level team firing on all cylinders.
While it took an impulsive and foolish Nigerian red card to bring out the offense in Greece, it was encouraging to see them play attacking soccer. Not the most potent attack but 2 goals in one game is quite a breakthrough for a team that hadn't scored in 4 straight World Cup games. It might seem odd to praise a goalie whose team has allowed three goals but Enyeama has looked like the best keeper so far -- despite his mistake on Greece's second goal. Nigeria remains in the hunt even with no points from two matches.
Argentina seems determined to outscore their opponents. It turns out that on another day Higuain did get a hat trick and the early lead for the golden boot. However, Messi and Tevez were the ones causing all the havoc. There are doubts about Argentina's defense and midfield (why would Maradona leave out Zanetti and Cambiaso?) but with 5 top class strikers, they look like they could outscore anyone. South Korea continues to play positively and look lively but they are perhaps a bit too quick to attack. As much as I like their play, I confess that what I really admire is how seemingly none of their players complain to the ref.
If the French team was in a bad mood after the first match, what kind of mood are they in now? Easily one of the most talented teams in the tournament yet also one of the least inspired. Players blaming the manager and manager blaming the players. It's hard to know which is the chicken and which is the egg but consider the managers' decisions regarding substitutes. Hernandez scores, Barrera secures the penalty and Blanco takes a perfect penalty. What did Gignac and Valbuena manage to do during this match? And why leave Cisse and Henry on the bench? Whoever lines up for France against South Africa, I hope they at least play with some passion.
So far the officiating had been quite good. And then we had the Germany v. Serbia match. While the ref (Alberto Undiano) may have been applying the letter of the law (for the most part though he wasn't entirely consistent doing so), it's never a good outcome when the ref has tremendous influence over the outcome of the match. Sending Klose off changed the game but Germany had its penalty chance. Before the penalty, I thought it was a bad idea to put Podolski on the spot. He was off the entire match. Klose was looking to tie Pele for 4th place on the World Cup all-time scoring list and score his 50th international goal. With the red card suspension, if Germany doesn't make it into the round of 16 (seemingly unthinkable but possible), the Serbia match could be his last World Cup match. That would be a sad way for such a prolific goal scorer to end his World Cup career.
Perhaps the one person happy about the refereeing during the Slovenia v. US match was Alberto Undiano (well, perhaps the Slovenians were happy as well). Everyone stopped talking about Undiano's refereeing once the US match was over. The US doesn't get any style points and they need to stop allowing early goals, but they certainly showed a lot of spirit in coming back from a 2-0 deficit. To come back like that and then score a goal in the 85th minute, only to have it inexplicably taken away is unfortunate indeed. This type of egregious error is part of soccer and FIFA seem to be perfectly content to turn a blind eye to such incidents. It certainly generates buzz but it does leave some teams out in the cold. At least the US can make it through to the next round if they beat Algeria. At least the US is in the World Cup. Ask the Irish about officiating controversies.
The English team seems determined to compete with the French for most underwhelming play. ESPN commentator Alexi Lalas questioned whether this team is really any good ("above average") but this same team won 9 of 10 qualification matches with one of them being a dismantling of Croatia 4-1 in Zagreb. Something is definitely wrong and no one seems to really care. They were resoundingly booed by their fans and deservedly so. Algeria certainly showed enough of a display that the US should take nothing for granted in the final match for both teams. Will the real Wayne Rooney please stand up?
It looks like the Netherlands are putting aside their egos and playing well as a team though they haven't exactly overwhelmed two opponents with far less talent. Nonetheless, six points from two games and passage through to the next round. And they have yet to put Arjen Robben on the pitch. Japan's keeper might have done better with Sneijder's shot though that looked like a world class strike. I think it might have even bent at the last second. I guess Sneijder won't complain about the ball. Japan still looked competitive even when a goal down and I wouldn't rule out their chances against Denmark.
Neither Serbia nor Ghana pressed their advantage against teams with 10 men. Ghana's choice to lay back seemed particularly odd given how easily the Australians had been giving up goals (not only against Germany but they also gave up 3 to the US in a pre-World Cup friendly). In a group where Germany has a +3 goal differential after two matches, you have to wonder if Serbia and Ghana will regret not pressing their advantage. Harry Kewell was off the post when he handled the ball. No guarantee the outcome would have been different but there's a good reason why anyone on the back line is told to hug the post. Australia are now without Cahill or Kewell for their final match.
Denmark and Cameroon decided to leave their defenses at home for the most free-flowing match so far. Soccer is cruel to teams that don't finish and kind to those that do. Spain learned that against Switzerland but they have another day to change their fortunes. Cameroon's near misses end up making them the first team to crash out of the World Cup (and makes the Netherlands the first team to move through). Even though Algeria defeated West Germany in 1982, Cameroon's remarkable run in 1990 really marked the arrival of African soccer on the world stage. It's been 20 years and it's time for Cameroon to write a new chapter in their history. Maybe in 2014.
South American teams have yet to be defeated and Paraguay did more than its part to ensure that this streak remains in tact. Clinical finishing on both goals ensured a comfortable margin of victory. Paraguay feels like the tournament dark horse at this point. ESPN commentators kept talking about questionable defense but Slovakia didn't even have a shot on goal until the 92nd minute. I bet Slovakia really regrets dropping two points against New Zealand in the last minutes of their match especially given the New Zealand result against Italy.
It might seem strange to identify a 1-1 draw as one of the greatest -- perhaps the greatest -- upsets in World Cup history. I had speculated that New Zealand's goal against Slovakia marked their arrival on the world stage. Not so. Ranked 78th according to FIFA, New Zealand ranked 1st in courage and teamwork in their match against Italy. We saw both the ugly and elegant side of Italy. Down 1-0, they resorted to dives and feigned injury. Yet in the second half, with the exception of one incident, they turned to their skilled strike force and played well. Plenty of chances some of which were denied by great goalkeeping from Paston. And in the 81st minute, 18 year old Chris Wood -- who I'll be very interested to see play in the Premier League -- beat 36 year old legendary Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and missed scoring by a foot. If he had scored, that would have been quite a striking juxtaposition of exuberant youth versus seasoned professional experience. At the end of the match, the Italians realized that they were on the short end of soccer history. I respect their reaction. I am sure they did not imagine trading jerseys with New Zealand players, some of whom are still looking for a professional club. Seeing Cannavaro walk off the pitch with an all-white jersey over his shoulder, right next to the captain's arm band, simply point to the crowd and clap was quite a sight. He must have known that this was one of those magical World Cup moments.
Didier Drogba started for Ivory Coast a mere 15 days after breaking his arm. But he didn't quite seem himself. Or his teammates didn't find him nearly enough. The two times they crossed the ball to him, he scored once and nearly scored on the second occasion. Brazil showed flashes of brilliance once again and Kaka seemed to hitting his stride more easily during this match. Until he was sent off for a second yellow card through a dubious incident. I'm not sure how the ref missed not one but two handballs by Fabiano on his second goal. Ivory Coast resorted to some fairly ugly tackling with studs up on several occasions. Elano looked like he suffered an injury as he limped into the locker room. So much was expected of Ivory Coast which made their rough tactics even harder to watch. South American teams have done very well and African teams have done very poorly.
When I started watching the Portugal v. N. Korea match, I noted the obvious change in approach and tactics by the N. Koreans. I also recall thinking that's a curious choice. They had a great showing against Brazil but they should have shown more respect for Portugal despite Portugal's recent goal scoring challenges. No challenges for goals on this day. I can recall playing in a soccer match when I was a kid where we lost 5-0. It's hard to describe what it feels like to be part of a complete meltdown when the losing side simply falls apart and just stares at the clock begging for the match to end. ESPN commentators mentioned that N. Korea practices at a public gym. What a sad state of affairs. Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was almost comical but you could see the relief on his face. He set up his teammates exceptionally well and they looked genuinely pleased when he scored. The results of that kind of camaraderie and teamwork were impressive indeed but you have to wonder why they don't do this against other teams. And why they felt the need to pile it on an obviously overwhelmed N. Korea.
Chile plays attractive soccer and obviously features several players with great creativity and skill. However, after playing Honduras and 10 man Switzerland, they only have 2 goals. Their goal differential is a respectable +2 but in this group it is entirely possible that goal differential will determine which team goes through to the knockout phase. Chile dominated both of their matches for large stretches of time so they might deeply regret not scoring more goals. And speaking of regret. Switzerland had a golden opportunity to tie the game and strengthen their position in the group. They face Honduras for their last match so they are probably hoping for a victory in their last match but they could easily secured a point against Chile.
I admire the way Honduras played against Spain. But their approach resulted in a predictably dominant performance by Spain. David Villa's two goals were impressive efforts but his penalty miss was inexcusable. Spain sits within this group where goal differential might become critical so they might really miss that penalty goal. At least Villa took shots. Spain must have had over 50 touches in Honduras' penalty area but they kept looking for the perfect pass or perfect goal. As an Arsenal fan, I know all too well the wonderful spectacle of such great soccer without results, which are especially important at the World Cup given the little margin for error. I'm sure Spain assumes that they will beat Chile but they also probably assumed they would beat Switzerland. Honduras has one more chance to win, tie or even simply score a goal. They have good players so I hope they put on a good show for their final match.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
2010 World Cup First Matches
The first round of matches has ended. My random observations and comments:
It was perfect that South Africa scored the first goal of this World Cup and what an amazing shot it was. You could feel the collective sense of relief for an entire nation that was literally on the edge of its seats. Siphiwe Tshabalala is now the answer to what will become a famous trivia question.
Why is the French team in such a bad mood? Much to the chagrin of France's Deputy Sports Minister, they are staying at a luxury resort with rooms starting at $600/night. Yet this group of players seemed almost irritated to be playing. If they are finding it such a burden to play in the World Cup, I'm sure the Irish would be happy to take their place.
While Maradona seems to keep making headlines, it took Lionel Messi perhaps five minutes to demonstrate why he is worthy of wearing the Argentine #10 jersey. If not for Nigeria's goalkeeper Messi could have had a hat trick. On another day, Higuain could have also had a hat trick. Yet despite the firepower, Nigeria almost equalized late in the match. Let's hope the on-field artistry of Argentina overwhelms the off-field chatter from Maradona.
South Korea looked lively and Park Ji Sung made an impressive run for his goal. But beware of Greeks playing soccer. That might have been the worst performance of the first matches.
Robert Green. A name that will go down in infamy. For his and England's sake, I really hope that gaffe is behind him.
Luckily for Algeria's goalkeeper, his name isn't as easy to remember as Robert Green. His mistake leaves Slovenia sitting pretty in Group C.
Germany sure knows how to start their World Cup campaigns. In addition to the impressive soccer, I found it interesting that Germany started two Polish-born strikers and substituted one of them with a Brazilian-born striker. Diverse composition of players, same result.
Ghana secures the first African victory during the first African World Cup without even having Michael Essien in the lineup. I do think they'll miss him as the tournament continues.
The Netherlands start their campaign off with a victory over the Danes but through an own goal and a follow-up move by Dirk Kuyt -- that was not matched by the Danish defender who was originally between Kuyt and the ball.
What a cool finish by Keisuke Honda on the only shot of the first half for Japan. I understand Australia's reasons for switching to the Asian qualifying zone. But it is ironic that both the other Asian qualifiers, South Korea and Japan, won their opening matches. Samuel Eto'o looked like he needed much more support to showcase his talents.
Even when Paraguay scored, I knew Italy would find a way to equalize. They must love to torment their fans. Apparently Italy's manager Marcello Lippi complained about Paraguay's tactics stating that they tried to choke the game after they led 1-0. Hmmm...I wonder who else plays like that?
I completely understand why Winston Reid took off his shirt to celebrate New Zealand's last minute equalizer. Who cares if he got a yellow card? This was history in the making!! I wonder if New Zealanders will look back at this goal as their debut onto the world stage of soccer.
Ivory Coast v. Portugal. What a letdown. Cristiano Ronaldo had an impressive shot hit the cross bar but what I recall most vividly was his deplorable dive. Why doesn't he just focus on the tremendous soccer he's capable of playing? I can't believe Didier Drogba is playing but I hope he starts in their next match against Brazil. For me, best striker in the world.
North Korea held their own against mighty Brazil for 55 minutes. Was Maicon actually crying tears of relief after he scored? Was that goal the result of keeper error? Or did Maicon fake him out into believing a cross was forthcoming? Robinho's pass to Elano was the best pass of the first set of matches. ESPN's commentators claimed that the North Korean fans were actually paid Chinese actors. You can't make up this kind of stuff.
Honduras didn't look totally outclassed by Chile but they never looked particularly threatening either. I bet most people forget that Chile qualified in second place during the South American qualifiers. With this victory and Spain's defeat, Chile is in a good position for moving through to the second round.
Spain. Wow. They were about 10-15 degrees off the entire match. Or in the case of Xavi Alonso's rocket shot, 10-15 inches off. Why didn't Iker Casillas use his hands to stop the original shot from the Swiss. He would have undoubtedly been clobbered by the Swiss striker but better that than an entire nation being clobbered by this shocking loss. ESPN reported that during the last three World Cups, only 8% of the teams that lost their first match made it through to the second round. That's disheartening indeed. But if anyone can do it, Spain can.
It was perfect that South Africa scored the first goal of this World Cup and what an amazing shot it was. You could feel the collective sense of relief for an entire nation that was literally on the edge of its seats. Siphiwe Tshabalala is now the answer to what will become a famous trivia question.
Why is the French team in such a bad mood? Much to the chagrin of France's Deputy Sports Minister, they are staying at a luxury resort with rooms starting at $600/night. Yet this group of players seemed almost irritated to be playing. If they are finding it such a burden to play in the World Cup, I'm sure the Irish would be happy to take their place.
While Maradona seems to keep making headlines, it took Lionel Messi perhaps five minutes to demonstrate why he is worthy of wearing the Argentine #10 jersey. If not for Nigeria's goalkeeper Messi could have had a hat trick. On another day, Higuain could have also had a hat trick. Yet despite the firepower, Nigeria almost equalized late in the match. Let's hope the on-field artistry of Argentina overwhelms the off-field chatter from Maradona.
South Korea looked lively and Park Ji Sung made an impressive run for his goal. But beware of Greeks playing soccer. That might have been the worst performance of the first matches.
Robert Green. A name that will go down in infamy. For his and England's sake, I really hope that gaffe is behind him.
Luckily for Algeria's goalkeeper, his name isn't as easy to remember as Robert Green. His mistake leaves Slovenia sitting pretty in Group C.
Germany sure knows how to start their World Cup campaigns. In addition to the impressive soccer, I found it interesting that Germany started two Polish-born strikers and substituted one of them with a Brazilian-born striker. Diverse composition of players, same result.
Ghana secures the first African victory during the first African World Cup without even having Michael Essien in the lineup. I do think they'll miss him as the tournament continues.
The Netherlands start their campaign off with a victory over the Danes but through an own goal and a follow-up move by Dirk Kuyt -- that was not matched by the Danish defender who was originally between Kuyt and the ball.
What a cool finish by Keisuke Honda on the only shot of the first half for Japan. I understand Australia's reasons for switching to the Asian qualifying zone. But it is ironic that both the other Asian qualifiers, South Korea and Japan, won their opening matches. Samuel Eto'o looked like he needed much more support to showcase his talents.
Even when Paraguay scored, I knew Italy would find a way to equalize. They must love to torment their fans. Apparently Italy's manager Marcello Lippi complained about Paraguay's tactics stating that they tried to choke the game after they led 1-0. Hmmm...I wonder who else plays like that?
I completely understand why Winston Reid took off his shirt to celebrate New Zealand's last minute equalizer. Who cares if he got a yellow card? This was history in the making!! I wonder if New Zealanders will look back at this goal as their debut onto the world stage of soccer.
Ivory Coast v. Portugal. What a letdown. Cristiano Ronaldo had an impressive shot hit the cross bar but what I recall most vividly was his deplorable dive. Why doesn't he just focus on the tremendous soccer he's capable of playing? I can't believe Didier Drogba is playing but I hope he starts in their next match against Brazil. For me, best striker in the world.
North Korea held their own against mighty Brazil for 55 minutes. Was Maicon actually crying tears of relief after he scored? Was that goal the result of keeper error? Or did Maicon fake him out into believing a cross was forthcoming? Robinho's pass to Elano was the best pass of the first set of matches. ESPN's commentators claimed that the North Korean fans were actually paid Chinese actors. You can't make up this kind of stuff.
Honduras didn't look totally outclassed by Chile but they never looked particularly threatening either. I bet most people forget that Chile qualified in second place during the South American qualifiers. With this victory and Spain's defeat, Chile is in a good position for moving through to the second round.
Spain. Wow. They were about 10-15 degrees off the entire match. Or in the case of Xavi Alonso's rocket shot, 10-15 inches off. Why didn't Iker Casillas use his hands to stop the original shot from the Swiss. He would have undoubtedly been clobbered by the Swiss striker but better that than an entire nation being clobbered by this shocking loss. ESPN reported that during the last three World Cups, only 8% of the teams that lost their first match made it through to the second round. That's disheartening indeed. But if anyone can do it, Spain can.
Keeping Some Perspective
I'm enjoying my quadrennial vacation -- or perhaps I should say homage -- for the World Cup. I've been collecting some random thoughts about things that have happened on the field or within the stands but today it's important to focus on the host nation. South Africa suffered a rather decisive defeat at the feet of Uruguay today. Adding insult to injury was the red card handed out to their starting goalie meaning that he won't be eligible to play in the crucial match against France. Having to defeat France for any chance of moving into the second round is not a good position. South Africa could very easily become the first host nation to bounce out of the World Cup in the first round. Despite serious doubts, the US team managed to make it into the second round in 1994; South Korea and Japan also managed to do so in 2002 (with the South Koreans making it all the way to the semi-finals). Host nations are supposed to rise to new heights. I hope South Africa can somehow pull out a miracle.
But then again, South Africa has already pulled out many miracles. Today is South African Youth Day marking the anniversary of the Soweto riots. Prior to the match, ESPN showed clips of current South African students who thanked the brave souls who protested in 1976. Not only did those earlier students make a stand for education in South Africa, their actions were also powerful expressions against apartheid.
While the World Cup may seem all encompassing at the moment, I hope South Africans reflect on this day against the backdrop of history and not the bleak picture of today's soccer. It was sad to see South Africans leaving the stadium early and to note the sad expressions of those who chose to remain to the bitter end of the soccer match. But no soccer result should diminish South Africa's journey. In the movie "Invictus" there is a scene where Morgan Freeman (playing Nelson Mandela) notes that black South Africans are cheering for England during a rugby match. One of South Africa's defenders, Matthew Booth, is injured for this World Cup. When I first watched him play, I wondered if some fans -- non-white fans -- were actually booing him. Not the case. He has become a fan favorite to the point where fans yell "Boooooooooth" when he touches the ball. During South Africa's matches, the stadiums has been filled with South Africans of all varieties cheering for the team. Those students during the Soweto riots were protesting for fundamental rights but in less direct ways their actions may have also led to the sights we're witnessing during the World Cup.
I'm sure that there remains much to do in South African in terms of racial equality or harmony or economic progress and equity. But then again how many nations can claim that they are done when it comes to such things?
But then again, South Africa has already pulled out many miracles. Today is South African Youth Day marking the anniversary of the Soweto riots. Prior to the match, ESPN showed clips of current South African students who thanked the brave souls who protested in 1976. Not only did those earlier students make a stand for education in South Africa, their actions were also powerful expressions against apartheid.
While the World Cup may seem all encompassing at the moment, I hope South Africans reflect on this day against the backdrop of history and not the bleak picture of today's soccer. It was sad to see South Africans leaving the stadium early and to note the sad expressions of those who chose to remain to the bitter end of the soccer match. But no soccer result should diminish South Africa's journey. In the movie "Invictus" there is a scene where Morgan Freeman (playing Nelson Mandela) notes that black South Africans are cheering for England during a rugby match. One of South Africa's defenders, Matthew Booth, is injured for this World Cup. When I first watched him play, I wondered if some fans -- non-white fans -- were actually booing him. Not the case. He has become a fan favorite to the point where fans yell "Boooooooooth" when he touches the ball. During South Africa's matches, the stadiums has been filled with South Africans of all varieties cheering for the team. Those students during the Soweto riots were protesting for fundamental rights but in less direct ways their actions may have also led to the sights we're witnessing during the World Cup.
I'm sure that there remains much to do in South African in terms of racial equality or harmony or economic progress and equity. But then again how many nations can claim that they are done when it comes to such things?
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