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.

Germany 4-1 England: Sorry England Humiliated In Bloemfontein

England’s players looked dejected at full-time, and no wonder, after a pitiful and abject display in Bloemfontein on Sunday, that pretty much summed up their World Cup campaign.  Forgettable!

Fabio Capello’s team weren’t the Three Lions; they looked like eleven Lambs to the slaughter, as they were thrashed by Germany.  The scoreline ended 4-1, and quite frankly could have been a whole lot more, had it not be for some smart stops from goalkeeper David James.  Although England had a perfectly good goal ruled out, when Frank Lampard’s delicate chip bounced over the line, but was remarkably missed by the clueless Uruguayan match officials, there could be no doubt which side deserved to go through.

Capello didn’t make any changes from the side that worked hard to beat Slovenia in Port Elizabeth last Wednesday.  Consequently, he resisted the urge to bring Ledley King back, ahead of schedule and stuck with Matthew Upson.  Twenty minutes in, he might well have been regretting yet another tactical error.  A long goal-kick by Manuel Neuer went a full 80 yards.  John Terry mistimed his jump and Upson was caught ball-watching.  In a flash, the prolific Miroslav Klose stole through and beat the despairing James to cap a fine return from suspension.  For England, it was a shambolic goal to concede, the sort of goal you concede on a Sunday League pitch, not a World Cup second-round match.  Eleven minutes later, the defence once again was exposed, by a neat German move which involved Klose and the energetic Thomas Muller.  As Glen Johnson went to close Muller down, Upson was miles away from the action, and that allowed Lukas Podolski the freedom of Bloemfontein.  Despite a poor first touch, he still managed to squeeze the ball inside James’s near post to make it 2-0 and leave England in big trouble.

Within of six crazy minutes though, England could have been level, if not for a sharp turn of fortunes.  First, the Germans fell asleep on a short corner, and Steven Gerrard curled a delightful cross, Upson rose furthest and beat Neuer to the ball, nestling in the bottom of the net.  It was Upson’s second international goal for England and ironically, the first one had come against the Germans in a friendly win in Berlin back in November 2008.  Less than ninety seconds later, Jermain Defoe’s sharp turn had the defence on the backfoot again.  The ball approached Lampard, who hit a delicious lob, which beat the unconvincing Neuer and bounced miles across the line.  England fans went wild; Capello punched the air in delight, Lampard wheeled away in celebration.  It was now 2-2, or was it?  Amazingly, everyone in the stadium, on TV saw it cross the line, yet it wasn’t given.  The match officials had not seen it.  Television replays confirmed the blundering miss by the officials.  Once again, the rejection of goal-line technology earlier in the year had come back to haunt FIFA on the global stage.  I personally hope Sepp Blatter; the President of FIFA was squirming in his seat, wondering where he goes from here, if he doesn’t introduce the technology that football badly craves for.

After an absorbing end to the first half, surely England would carry on their momentum into the restart.  Well, they did briefly, with Lampard coming close again, a free-kick beating Neuer, but shaving off the crossbar.  With twenty-five minutes remaining and Joe Cole brought into the attack, England were throwing the dice, but once more, their hopeless defending was exposed by the deadly German counter-attack.  Gareth Barry was robbed with possession and away came Joachim Low’s team again, with the outstanding Meszut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger pulling all the strings.  This time, the ball landed at Muller’s feet and the 20-year old lashed a powerful drive past James, which killed the game off.

Moments later, Glen Johnson was carelessly caught out and Ozil outstripped him for brutal pace, squaring the ball past James, allowing Muller to tuck away his second in quick succession.  To cap off Capello’s miserable day, at 4-1 down, he took off goal threat Defoe, for the dopey Emile Heskey.  To be honest, it summed up England’s game, England’s tournament, England’s nightmare.  Germany eased through the last twenty minutes, and now can prepare their youngsters for a tasty quarter-final on Saturday with Maradona’s Argentina in Cape Town.

For England’s flops, it was an early flight home.  For the players, it was the chance to feel that they blown it yet again!  They went to South Africa with high hopes, but instead performed like a bunch of clueless highly-paid superstars, putting in the country’s worst performance at the World Cup for sixty years. 

Wayne Rooney looked unfit, lacked fitness and match practice.  He looked more likely to be sent off, than score in South Africa.  Gerrard lacked the dynamic passion as a leader, surprising considering his Liverpool glory as their inspirational leader.  Lampard rarely featured, Heskey was just the bumbling clown everyone predicted, Rob Green needs to learn how to catch and hold onto a ball and even the usually energetic and buzzing Ashley Cole was at least a yard short.  Capello must wait another two weeks, before learning whether he will be leading England into qualification for Euro 2012.  This has been another tournament full of hope and expectation, but once more, delivered the usual failings and disasters you would associate with our national team.  England’s worst ever World Cup defeat and dire South African performance must leave for some serious scratching of heads in the coming months.