World Cup Report - Day 20-21

We are now entering the final stages of has been a gruelling and exhilarant 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  Despite the absence of some major players in the latter stages, like France, Portugal and Italy, the quarter-finals brought a lot of drama and controversy to the theatre of football.  At the weekend, it was South America’s turn to suffer, as the European game fought back in style, to dominate the semi-finals again.  Here is a round-up of the action, including missed penalties, blatant handballs and deliberate stamps! Yes, this four quarter-finals had it all.

Friday 2^nd July: Holland 2-1 Brazil

In a dramatic first quarter-final in Port Elizabeth, Holland produced a stunning second-half fightback to overcome a brutal and bullish Brazilian side, which lost their lead and their head in sensational fashion.  In this fourth meet-up behind the two stylish outfits in World Cup history, it was Brazil who took command in the first half, with Robinho beating a poor offside trap, to slice Dunga’s side infront on ten minutes.  Having looked toothless in the first half, the Dutch put the normally reliable Brazilian defence under pressure after the break, and it worked, with perfect results.  Six minutes into the second half, Wesley Snejider whipped a dangerous ball into the penalty area, which caused a horrific defensive mix-up.  Julio Cesar missed his cross completely, and lacked the usual composure – not calling for defensive midfielder Felipe Melo to miss the ball.  Instead, the helpless Juventus player flicked the ball into his own net, though FIFA have since credited the goal to Snejider.  Snejider’s second of the game came with just over twenty minutes to go, heading in unchallenged from another set-piece, after a clever flick-on from the hard-working Dirk Kuyt.  Melo’s afternoon got worse, when he was sent off by the Japanese referee with sixteen minutes remaining, for a cheeky and deliberate stamp on Arjen Robben.  Although Robben made the most of it, Melo’s actions were both cynical and stupid, and he will be lucky not to have his ban increased by FIFA.  Despite intense Brazilian pressure, they ran out of time and exit the World Cup at the last eight for the second successive finals.  Dunga has paid the price, with his job in the process.  For the Orange Army, a first semi-final in twelve years beckons, and who knows, possibly a first ever World Championship at the end of it.

Friday 2^nd July: Uruguay 1-1 Ghana (AET) URUGUAY WON 4-2 ON PENALTIES

Africa’s hope of having its first ever representative in the semi-finals were ended in heartbreaking fashion after a breathless two hours of football in Soccer City.  With the score tied at 1-1, in the dying stages of extra-time, controversy took over, with accusations of dirty play and cheating.  Uruguay failed to deal with a long throw-in and in the ensuring goalmouth scramble, Ajax striker Luis Suarez deliberately handled on the line, preventing a certain goal in the process.  He was sent off, but seconds later, tears turned to celebration, when Asamoah Gyan, who had already scored two penalties in this tournament, smashed this kick onto the top of the crossbar, with the last kick of the match.  Earlier, Sulley Muntari’s wonderful 35-yard effort on the stroke of half-time was cancelled out by Diego Forlan’s swerving free-kick.  In the ensuring penalty shootout, Gyan showed a lot of composure and guts to step-up, and score again.  However, misses from John Mensah and Dominic Adiyiah, left Sebastian Abreu to casually slot home the winning penalty.  It left Ghana feeling cheated and robbed, whilst Uruguay celebrated their first semi-final appearance since 1970.  They will face Holland in Cape Town tomorrow.

Saturday 3^rd July: Argentina 0-4 Germany

Germany sent out a hideous warning to the rest of the world, after destroying Argentina in Cape Town, and with it, send Diego Maradona’s management career down the toilet seat in the process.  After ripping England to shreds, Joachim Low’s side were full of confidence, and were infront after only two minutes, when the inspired Thomas Muller headed home from close-range.  In the second half, Argentina capitulated, under the force of a devastating attacking display, which saw a first international goal for dependable right-back Arne Friedrich and two goals from the potent Miroslav Klose.  It takes Klose to within one goal of equalling Ronaldo’s tally of 15 goals at FIFA World Cup Finals, and on this evidence, Spain will really need to up their game in Wednesday’s semi-final.

Saturday 3^rd July: Paraguay 0-1 Spain

David Villa scored his 5^th goal of this World Cup, though it took three strikes of the goalposts to seal Spain’s first ever place at the World Cup semi-finals.  A drab and dour quarter-final at Ellis Park, came to life when Oscar Cardozo was unnecessarily dragged down in the penalty area, by Gerard Pique.  Cardozo’s resulting spot kick was saved by Iker Casillas.  Less than sixty seconds later, Villa went down in the other penalty area, under minimal contact from Antolin Alcaraz.  The dopey Guatemalan referee handed Spain a lucky penalty.  Xabi Alonso converted first-time around, but encroachment, led to a retake.  On the second attempt, Alonso’s penalty was saved by Justo Villar, who on the rebound, brutally chopped down Cesc Fabregas, which was unseen by the officials, that would have struggled to referee a primary school match, let alone a World Cup quarter-final.  Villa’s winner came eight minutes from the end, after substitute Pedro’s effort rebounded off the woodwork and despite not playing at their best, the European Champions now have a repeat of the Euro 2008 final with Germany to look forward to, in Durban on Wednesday evening.

World Cup Report - Day 16-19

Forty-eight games gone, and so onto the knockout stages at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  Despite the shock elimination of World Champions Italy and 1998 winners, France, the group stages produced the expected final tables, despite some unlikely results.  The competition now begins to take proper shape and it was nice to see most matches, have a real attacking feel to them.  With twenty-two goals in eight matches, that brings encouragement for the latter stages of the competition.  Here is a round-up of the action in the Round of 16. (Germany v England Match Report in separate section: http://happydude88.blogspot.com/2010/06/germany-4-1-england-sorry-england.html)

Saturday 26^th June: Uruguay 2-1 South Korea

Two-time winners Uruguay reached the last eight, for the first time since 1970, after overcoming a resilent South Korea in filthy conditions in Port Elizabeth.  Ajax’s Luis Suarez was the hero for the South Americans, with two strikes.  His stock value has bound to have increased after this performance, with his winner, just ten minutes from time, a spectacular curling effort that is one of the goals of the tournament.  Despite a leveller from Lee Chung-Young, the Koreans dodgy defending cost the 2002 semi-finalists, though they don’t leave the competition in disgrace.

Saturday 26^th June: USA 1-2 Ghana (AET)

Asamoah Gyan smashed home an extra-time winner to seal Ghana’s place in the last eight, at the expense of the United States in Rustenberg.  Kevin Prince-Boateng gave the Black Stars the dream start, drilling a low shot past Tim Howard in the fifth minute.  The Americans converted a penalty, through their golden boy Landon Donovan in the second half.  Just as they looked the stronger, Gyan’s bursting run and stunning hit in the third minute of extra-time was enough to see Ghana become only the third ever African side to reach the last eight of a World Cup finals.

Sunday 27th June: Argentina 3-1 Mexico

On a day of controversy at the World Cup, Diego Maradona’s Argentina needed help from a terrible decision on the way to a comfortable triumph against Mexico.  The game was evenly balanced up to the half-hour mark, when Carlos Tevez headed Argentina infront, despite being yards offside.  The Mexicans were incensed by the decision, especially when the replay was shown on the big screen in Soccer City.  Despite protests, the Italian referee Roberto Rossetti stuck to his decision and from that moment on, Mexico never recovered.  Gonzalo Higuain pounced on a dreadful piece of defending by the recently released Ricardo Osario and Tevez made it three shortly after the interval, with a smashing strike of genuine class.  Despite Javier Hernandez’s deserved consolation, Argentina cantered through into a quarter-final tomorrow with Germany.

Monday 28^th June: Holland 2-1 Slovakia

Holland’s stars came to the fore in Durban, as they achieving an unconvincing, yet deserving victory over Slovakia.  Arjen Robben made his first start of the tournament and on seventeen minutes, collected a long pass from Wesley Snejider and drilled a low shot in from 25 yards out.  Snejider wrapped it up with five minutes to go, finishing off a slick move from Dirk Kuyt’s clever cutback.  Despite several opportunities, Slovakia looked destined not to score, until a foul by goalkeeper Maarten Stelkenberg allowed Robert Vittek the chance to score his 4^th goal of the finals, with the very last kick of the match. 

Monday 28^th June: Brazil 3-0 Chile

Brazil saw off a disappointing Chile at Ellis Park, to set-up a mouth-watering quarter-final with Holland today.  Dunga’s side were always in control, once they scored twice in four minutes, through a header by AS Roma centre-back Juan and then a neat combination of passing by Kaka and Robinho, led to Luis Fabiano doubling the advantage.  A precise finish from Robinho early in the second half, sealed the outcome, with the suspension of three key players costing Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking Chile outfit.  They leave the competition on a downer, but after winning many friends for their spectacular fluidity of play. 

Tuesday 29^th June: Paraguay 0-0 Japan (AET) PARAGUAY WIN 5-3 ON PENALTIES

Paraguay became the fourth South American side to book a place in the last eight, after a perfect penalty success rate against Japan.  Paraguay scored all five of their penalties in the first shootout of the 2010 finals, the final penalty being tucked away by Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo.  Yuichi Komano’s spot kick brushed the crossbar; he was the only failure of the shootout, after quite possibly the most boring match in World Cup history, unsurprisingly ending 0-0 after two stale hours of football.

Tuesday 29^th June: Spain 1-0 Portugal

European champions Spain scraped through into the last eight, getting the edge over a disappointing Portugal in a poor encounter in Cape Town.  With the Portuguese negative tactics not exciting anyone and leaving Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated, and completely out of the action, one goal was enough for the Spanish, coming through new-Barcelona striker David Villa with an hour gone.

World Cup Report: Days 1-3

Three days in to the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the tournament is well underway now, with half of the thirty-two teams, having started their campaigns for success in South Africa.  Apart from England (who will be covered in separate match reports), here are minor details of the other seven matches to be played over the weekend.

Friday 11^th June: South Africa 1-1 Mexico

After a colourful and spectacular opening ceremony in Soccer City, the hosts won an unlikely and deserving point in the Group A opener in Johannesburg.  Against the talented North Americans Mexico, South Africa overcame the expected early nerves to break the deadlock early in the second half, when neat build-up released Siphiwe Tshabalala, who fired in a thunderbolt of an opening World Cup goal.  Cue massive celebrations for Bafana Bafana.  Barcelona’s Rafael Marquez ruined the party, taking advantage of slack marking to score from close range with 12 minutes left, but South Africa had done a nation proud and kept them believing of an unlikely passage into the knockout stages.

Friday 11^th June: Uruguay 0-0 France

As in the 2002 Group Stages, Uruguay and France played out a dull goalless draw in Cape Town.  Sidney Govou went closest in the early exchanges, failing to connect on a wonderful Patrice Evra cross.  Despite Diego Forlan threatening on occasion, the South Americans failed to capitalise on Raymond Domenach bizarre decision to leave Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda out of his starting eleven.  Substitute Nicolas Loderio picked up two yellows in the last ten minutes, which saw the Uruguay player become the first player to be dismissed in the finals.  It was an awful match, and left the favourites happy to see the French pose absolutely no threat to the probable final outcome in the tournament’s later stages.

Saturday 12^th June: South Korea 2-0 Greece

In Port Elizabeth, South Korea made a confident start with an emphatic 2-0 success over ageing Greece.  The 2004 European champions made little impact on the proceedings, conceding in either half to Lee Jung-Soo and Manchester United winger, Park-Ji Sung.

Saturday 12^th June: Argentina 1-0 Nigeria

A dominant Argentina gave Diego Maradona a winning start to World Cup management at Ellis Park.  Africans Nigeria, who beat Argentina to win the Olympic gold in 1996, was no match for Maradona’s superstars, and ended up being lucky to lose this Group B encounter by just the one goal.  This was largely down to an inspired goalkeeping performance from Vincent Enyeama and poor finishing from the South Americans, Gonzalo Higuain and Lionel Messi especially guilty.  The only goal came in the sixth minute, with Gabriel Heinze powering home from Juan Sebastian Veron well-executed corner.

Sunday 13^th June: Algeria 0-1 Slovenia

England shouldn’t be too worried about their fellow Group C opponents, if this game has anything to go by.  Slovenia won their first ever World Cup match in a stinking match, settled by Robert Koren’s optimistic drive with ten minutes to go, which slipped through the grasp of Algerian goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi.

Sunday 13^th June: Serbia 0-1 Ghana

Africa received its first victory on day three, courtesy of Asamoah Gyan’s late penalty, earning Ghana a hard-fought 1-0 success against Serbia.  Raddy Antic’s side failed to cope with the powerful Ghanaian midfield, which dominated the game and were reduced to ten men, when defender Aleksandar Lukovic was dismissed for two yellow cards in the 74^th minute.  Gyan’s penalty came five minutes from time, when Serbia substitute Zdravko Kuzmanovic needlessly handled a dangerous cross.

Sunday 13^th June: Germany 4-0 Australia

Germany sent a message to the rest of the global opposition, with an impressive demolition of Australia in Durban last night.  Joachim Low’s gamble to play out-of-form strikers Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose paid off, as the strike duo answered any doubters, with two first-half strikes.  Klose’s goal was his 11^th in three FIFA World Cup tournaments.  Everton Tim Cahill was harshly dismissed for a mistimed challenge on Bastian Schweinsteiger early in the second half, which ended outside hope for the Socceroos.  Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller and substitute striker Cacau rounded off the rout midway through the second half, with two classy finishes to quality moves.  Make this note: The Germans must be taken seriously after this performance.