Day 31 - WORLD CONQUERORS
Spain fulfills its destiny, taking home the country’s first-ever World Cup Championship.

July 11, 2010
by Dan Krier

Spain 1 - Netherlands 0

And so it happened. With an extremely late goal by midfielder Andres Iniesta in extra time, Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, victorious for the fourth straight match by a result of 1-0.

By anyone’s account, it was a substandard affair Sunday night in Johannesburg, with each team taking dives on fouls in order to elicit yellow cards, which came in hordes as both sides were handed a record number of 13, the previous high being 6. And while it could be said that head referee Howard Webb was too quick to book players, a lot of the challenges were overexuberant and came across as dangerous sloppy play.

For the Netherlands, this day will forever go down as a game of missed opportunities. Twice during the second half - in the 62nd and 83rd minutes - Holland’s Arjen Robben was denied by the diving legs of Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas on clear-path 1-on-1 breakaways. Robben and the rest of the Netherlands will be replaying those moments in nightmares for the remainder of their lives.

Spain, as well, had multiple chances to score, though nothing as wide open as the runs made by Holland’s Robben. In the 70th minute, World Cup leading-scorer David Villa was given a sliver of space to shoot on a mishandled cross through the Dutch box, but he couldn’t solve the tight angle off the left side of the goal, keeper Maarten Stekelenburg making one of several great saves during the match.

Then in the 77th minute, Sergio Ramos was denied glory when he missed a wide-open header on a corner kick that caromed off his forehead before sailing high over the bar. The game stayed tied 0-0 until the 90th-minute whistle, forcing thirty minutes of extra time.

In the overtime period, things went back & forth, with the best chance to score by Spain’s Cesc Fabregas thwarted by the leg of Stekelenburg in the 95th minute to preserve the shutout. But shortly thereafter, things took a major turn for the worse for the Netherlands, because another rough tackle by Holland’s John Heitinga yielded his second yellow card for pulling Spain’s Iniesta down from behind, which translated to a RED CARD and a send-off, putting Spain in the position of having a one-man advantage.

Finally, then, in the 116th minute, the moment came.

With the prospects of another bland penalty-kick shootout just four or five minutes away, Spain was able to cash in on their power play before it was too late.

On the goal, substitute forward Fernando Torres took the ball on a pass up the left side, where he crossed it to the front of the box toward another reserve, teammate Fabregas, who then slid the ball right, where Andres Iniesta controlled the bouncer just enough to fire a right-foot volley into the net off the bottom of Stekelenburg’s right hand, giving Spain the lead 1-0 in the nick of time.

The goal marked the end of the road for Holland, who couldn’t create a last-gasp chance, falling in what is now their third World Cup Final defeat. Utter joy for Spain, who hoist the cup for the first time in history, this team taking its spot in the books as one of the best ever, having won the 2008 UEFA Euro Crown along with the 2010 World Cup.

Though they only won each of their knockout games by the score of 1-0, Spain is undoubtedly the best team in the entire world. Congratulations.

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Day 23 - CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Europe’s best are rising to the top as Germany & Spain defeat their South American foes on Saturday.

July 3, 2010
by Dan Krier


Germany 4 - Argentina 0

Please cry for me, Argentina. This game was as close as the score indicates.

Call it “The Beat Down in Cape Town”, because at no point in the entire 90-minute span of play were Argentina in control against their well-known German opponents, with whom they’d shared more than a few memorable World Cup matches. In fact, this game could be classified as a total washout, a 100% house-cleaning that solidly puts the young German team down as a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

What happened, you ask? Well…do you like early goals? Germany does. Just three minutes after kick off, the score was 1-0 on a fantastic in-swinging free kick by Bastian Schweinsteiger that was calmly headed in by 20 year-old sensation Thomas Mueller, his fourth goal of the World Cup in just his seventh ever game for his country.

After the first score, things did not change in the least. Germany maintained most of the possession, were able to keep Argentina out of anything resembling a valid scoring opportunity, and most importantly of all, shackled Lionel Messi with a blanketing team defense which made you wonder why he wasn’t doing more to help him team. Because he couldn’t. The Germans were too much to handle.

But the score remained just 1-0 at the half, so the Argentinians and coach Diego Maradona had to have hope. Unfortunately, the action after the break was the same as before, with Germany showing the ability to push forward as a full unit with blind speed whenever they desired.

Then more goals came and all hope for Argentina was extinguished.

First it was Lukas Podolski up the left wing cutting into the box in the 68th minute. A fake and a mini-cross to Miroslav Klose, and the score was 2-0, Klose netting his 13th career World Cup goal, surpassing Pele for third-most all-time. Then it was Schweinsteiger again in the 74th minute, copying Podolski with another run in from the left, his cross finding the foot of a falling Arne Freidrich for his first-ever international goal for Germany in 77 career games, and a 3-0 insurmountable lead. Not a bad way to put the nail in the coffin.

Just for icing on the German chocolate cake, in the 89th minute with the Argentinians ready to hit Cape Town International Airport, midfielder Mesut Oezil made another dashing run up the field, dropping a nifty pass over to Klose, who kicked in his 14th-career World Cup goal, and second of the match, for a 4-0 lead.

Klose is now tied for 2nd-most World Cup goals all-time with the great German striker Gerd Mueller.

So goodbye, Argentina…and hello to a new & improved German machine that will face Spain for the right to play in the 2010 World Cup Final. Who wins that game is anyone’s guess, but being that the German performance on Saturday was just as dominating as the display against England last Sunday, I fully expect the men in red, yellow, & black to be playing for their 4th Championship Trophy on July 11th. Sehr gut!

—-


Spain 1 - Paraguay 0

Spain did what its fans were waiting so long for on Saturday night, moving for the first time ever into the semi-final stage of the World Cup with an extremely tense 1-0 win over Paraguay in Johannesburg.

Call it jitters, or call it pressure, but the second half is where the action got crazy, leaving two players to wonder if they were going to be the scapegoat for the next four year. Luckily for the now-off-the-hook Xabi Alonso, the poison memories are going to Paraguay’s Oscar Cardozo.

In the 58th minute, with the game tied 0-0 and goals clearly hard to come by, a Paraguay counterattack led them up the field to where a looping corner kick sailed into a melee of congestion in the box. Two separate Paraguayan players were pulled down by their jerseys, and to the horror of the Spanish, the team in striped red & white was awarded a penalty kick that would surely give them the decisive lead.

So up stepped Cardozo, hero of the PK shootout versus Japan last Tuesday, when he ended things by calmly sending home the fifth and final penalty shot for his team. Today it was nerves galore for Cardozo, because his left-foot kick failed to move much to the right and was smothered by Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Shock for Paraguay.

In fact, the shock was so great, Paraguay’s defense somehow forgot to mark superstar David Villa, who was allowed to make a clear run down the field just seconds later, only to be tripped up at the last moment inside the opposing penalty box for YET ANOTHER penalty kick…this time for Spain.

Up stepped Xabi Alonso to give Spain the lead, most likely because Villa had missed his PK when he had the chance for a hat-trick against Honduras. Good strategy too, because Alonso’s shot rang out with conviction, banging into the left side of the net for the 1-0 Spanish lead. NO WAIT…HOLD ON! Head referee Carlos Batres blew his whistle for a re-kick, saying Spain’s other players had crossed into the box too early before the kick was taken. Replays showed this to be true. Wow.

No problem, though…right? Wrong. On the second Alonoso kick, nerves struck the Spanard and his shot was weak and to the right, easily saved by Paraguay keeper Justo Villar, keeping the score tied 0-0. It was the first time a game had seen two missed penalty kicks in World Cup play since 1930. Probably’ll be another 80 years before it happens again.

Surely this game was slated for it’s own run into extra time and then more penalty kicks. It’s really the only way to decide things.

Except that David Villa was still on the field. The man with the magic touch connected for the game’s only goal in the 83rd minute after a dazzling run up the middle of the field by Spain’s Andres Iniesta, who shuttled a pass right to new substitute Pedro, whose right-footer plowed into the left post, the carom bouncing directly to Villa, who decided to knock his shot off the RIGHT post, the ball taking a bounce into the back of the net for the real 1-0 lead, Villa’s Cup-leading fifth goal of the tournament. T’was all over at that point.

Great run for Paraguay, who were determined to win the World Cup on the hopes of four straight scoreless penalty kick wins. Thankfully that won’t be the case.

Spain crawls forward by the slimmest of margins yet again, feeling relieved more than elated I’m sure. No Red Fury to be found on Saturday, so clearly some sort of spark will be necessary when they take on Germany July 7th in order to get to their first-ever Final. Efforts like this today won’t cut it if they’re going to go for glory.

What a World Cup!

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Day 18 - CLASS ACTS

Things are getting tasty at the World Cup with Brazil & Netherlands both winning on Monday to set up a monster of a match between the two on Friday.

June 28, 2010
by Dan Krier


Netherlands 2 - Slovakia 1

The men of the Dutch national football team found themselves flying atop the field Monday afternoon in Durban, breaking out their wings once in each half en route to a decisive 2-1 win against a prominently overmatched Slovakian side.

Netherlands scored their first goal in just the 18th minute thanks to a spectacular one-man effort from fully-healed Arjen Robben, who appeared back on top of his game while slicing his way down the right sideline alone before turning back in to fire a left-foot blast that laced its way down the tiniest of channels into the back right of the net.

Holland took the meager 1-0 lead to halftime, but in no way did the game feel in jeopardy for the men in technicolor-bright orange. Slovakia simply didn’t have the pieces necessary to solve the Dutch defense.

The second half saw several good chances for both sides that were saved by stellar goalkeeping. Slovakia’s Jan Mucha got some luck along with his skill in the 51st minute, blocking a sure second Dutch goal with his face of all things. And then, in the 67th minute, Netherlands netminder Maarten Stekelenburg stopped not one, but two mono y mono Slovakian shots, one by Miroslav Storch and one by Robert Vittek seconds later.

In the 84th minute, the Netherlands were rewarded for their hard work, getting a well-built goal off a quickly-taken free kick that sent a long pass to forward Dirk Kuyt, who worked free up the left sideline before delivering a crispy little cross into the box that was slapped in by Wesley Sneijder for the 2-0 lead. That was all she wrote.

Slovakia’s Vittek did knock in a stoppage-time penalty kick to make the final score 2-1, but the referee blew the final whistle as soon as the ball crossed the goal line, so it was the equivalent to an NBA player hitting a 3 at the buzzer with his team down by 6. Not gonna do it. Vittek does finish his Cup run with four goals, tournament-leading at the time. Well done.

So now Netherlands moves on to face World Cup juggernaut Brazil on Friday in a match that will most-likely decide who ends up in the finals from this half of the bracket. It’s going to be like watching two #1-seeds go at it in the NCAA tournament. Can’t wait.

—-


Brazil 3 - Chile 0

The Brazilian soccer machine was running on full power Monday night in Johannesburg, as the 5-time Champions behaved like a cobra in an open basket, rising up to strike whenever it felt the need, unleashing its fangs on Chile three times in a 3-0 blanking.

The Chileans charged out the gate like gangbusters, and Brazil let them, sizing up their enemy for the first half hour before getting a proper gauge on where and when to exploit the pressure points. Soon it was all going their way.

The Brazilians began moving into Chilean territory around the 30-minute mark, with Maicon delivering ball after ball across the middle on several free and corner kick attempts.

Then in the 34th minute, an outstandingly perfect pass found its way into the net. Maicon’s out-swinging corner from the right side hooked hard and fast, sailing over the helpless Chilean defense to where Juan got hold of the ball high in the air for a header that scored top shelf over the leaping goaltender. 1-0 Brazil, and there was no looking back.

Just four minutes later, Chile’s reeling defense surrendered another goal on a lightning-quick counterattck that saw Robinho find Kaka up the middle, who acted as a pinball bumper, one-timing his pass to Luis Fabiano for a perfect side-step fake-out of the goalie for an open net. 2-0 Brazil, and it was all but over.

The second half was filled with Brazilian scoring chances, one of which was capitalized on via a Ramires run up the middle from midfield to the penalty box, where he dropped off a pass to Robinho, who one-touched the ball on a lovely finish into the right side of the goal. Great assist, great teamwork, great team. 3-0 final, Brazil’s eighth consecutive victory over Chile.

So the 2002 Champions move on to yet another quarterfinals, where they’ll face Netherlands, whom they played and defeated in both the 1994 and 1998 World Cup. Holland is great, but I’ve seen nothing to make me believe the result will be any different this time around.

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Day 12 - MOVING ON UP
The preliminary stage of the World Cup officially ends for Groups A & B as four teams secure spots in the Knockout Round of 16.

June 22, 2010
by Dan Krier

GROUP A:

Uruguay 1 - Mexico 0

In a game where both teams could afford to play cautiously, Uruguay triumphed for their second win of the World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico.

Each side came into the match with 4 points in Group A standings, which was a comfort considering they had both earned a significant +/- goal differential on their other group foes, South Africa & France.

That said, it was no surprise to see a 0-0 tally on the scoreboard deep into first-half action. As it turned out, Uruguay was just biding its time waiting for the right moment to strike, which came in the 43th minute right before the break.

On the scoring play, star-powered Diego Forlan dribbled adeptly up the right side, distributing a quick pass to fellow forward Edinson Cavani, who made football look far too easy by crossing an unbelievably accurate pass right to the head of 23 year-old teammate Luis Suarez, who slotted the goal without hesitation.

1-0 Uruguay, a score that would stick for the remainder of the match.

Impressive play all around for the 1930 and 1950 World Cup Champions. They move on to the knockout bracket for the first time since 1990, when the Cup was held in Italy. Mexico also qualifies for the next round, making it there for the fifth consecutive time.

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South Africa 2 - France 1

The boys of Bafana Bafana supplied the home fans with something real to cheer about Tuesday in Bloemfontein, scoring twice before holding on to win their matchup against France 2-1.

Unfortunately for the host nation, South Africa was unable to overtake Mexico in Group A standings, finishing tied with 4 points, but behind the Mexicans in terms of goal differential. Their 3-goal loss to Uruguay last Wednesday is what did them in.

Scores came on a shoulder-smack disguised as a header by defensive back Bongani Khumalo in the 20th minute (off a sharp cross by game-one goal scorer Siphiwe Tshabalala), and by striker Katlego Mphela in the 37th minute on a botched defensive clearance by France.

The French’s Yoann Gourcuff was penalized with a RED CARD in the 25th minute for a high elbow during a header attempt in the box, nothing dirty, but rough enough to get him removed from the match. To their credit, the remaining 10 Frenchmen played hard, and scored a man-down goal in the 70th minute when Franck Ribery hit Florent Malouda with a clever pass on the break.

But it was far too little and much too late.

With the loss, France officially wins the award for most disappointing team of the 2010 World Cup. You know you’ve had an ugly tournament when your best accomplishment was a scoreless draw. Triste.

The French will spend the next 4 years trying to clone Zinedine Zidane.

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GROUP B:

Argentina 2 - Greece 0

Argentina and Greece kept the pot on simmer Tuesday night as the two sides engaged in a more than tepid contest, with the Greeks determined to stay in their shell, turning away dozens of Argentinian scoring chances hoping to come away with a scoreless tie.

Not the best strategy in the world, being that defender Martin Demichelis scored a 78th minute goal on a corner kick double-timer, where his header was blocked by his own teammate before he kicked in the game-winner to the joy of outspoken head coach Diego Maradona.

36 year-old Martin Palermo added the team’s second goal on a rebound of a Lionel Messi miss, giving the Argentinians a 2-0 win for their third win of the World Cup.

With the result, Argentina easily finished Group B in first place with 9 points, clearly proving their worth in the dominant process. They were barely exposed defensively and it’s amazing they didn’t win their games by bigger margins.

So Maradona has accomplished Part One of what he has set out to do for his country in 2010. This much was expected, though. Can he do more is the question. I would be shocked if Argentina doesn’t win at least two games in the knockout stage. They’re that talented.

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South Korea 2 - Nigeria 2

Who was going to come out of Group B besides Argentina?

To the horror of the South Koreans, Nigeria tallied an early goal on a defensive lapse in the 12th minute, when Korean fullback Du-Ri Cha fell asleep during a tough run up the right sideline by Nigerian defenseman Chidi Odiah.

Odiah bullied his way to the goal line before sending a cross towards the goal that was knocked home by Kalu Uche, his second goal of the World Cup, giving Nigeria the 1-0 lead right off the bat.

But South Korea did their nation proud on Tuesday with a well-fought comeback, notching a 38th minute score on a wonderful free-kick curler from left to right by Sung-Yong Ki, whose pass landed right on the head of a cutting Jung-Soo Lee, tying the score 1-1.

The second half saw a goal by each side as well, with the Koreans scoring on a nicely-shielded free kick by Chu-Young Park in the 49th minute, Nigeria benefiting from a penalty kick by Yakubu Aiyegbeni in the 69th minute.

In the end, it was enough to give South Korea a date against Uruguay on Saturday, their second time moving past the preliminary round and first since 2002. Hard work by Nigeria, but 2010 will be remembered as the year that could have been.

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ROUND OF 16 MATCHUPS:

URUGUAY VS. SOUTH KOREA - Sat June 26th
ARGENTINA VS. MEXICO - Sun June 27th

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Day 7 - FRENCH FRIED
France turns in another dud in 2-0 loss to Mexico; Argentina explodes for 4-1 win;
Nigerian braincramp lets Greece off the hook.

June 17, 2010
by Dan Krier

Mexico 2 - France 0

Au revoir, Les Blues!

In a second consecutive sleep-inducing performance, the French national football team saw most of its World Cup dreams fade away for 2010 with a vapid performance on a cold and windy Thursday night, losing to Mexico 2-0.

France, who had never suffered defeat to Mexico in 6 previous games dating back to 1930, started off the first half aggressively, but showed themselves once again to be sloppy closers, continually missing the goal by 10 yards left, right, and over. Mexico, as well, did little to score in the opening 45 minutes, both teams registering just one official shot each in the first half.

Perhaps the French were playing for a tie, with hopes pinned on defeating a now-exposed South Africa in their 3rd and final Group A game next week. Perhaps they could have “used a hand” from aging superstar Thierry Henry, who spent the entire match on the bench. Either way, nothing happened early for either team as the first half ended in a 0-0 tie.

Whatever comfort the French found in this spiritless situation did not appeal to the Mexicans, who started pushing forward early in the second half, and not long after received a fitting reward for their newfound attacking confidence.

In the 64th minute, a seemingly-offsides and all-alone Javier Hernandez received a lob pass that put him one-on-one with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. A sidestep to the right beat the charging goaltender, and Hernandez coolly put the ball into the open net for a 1-0 Mexico lead.

Fifteen minutes after the first goal, Mexico’s 37 year-old Cuauhtemoc Blanco slotted a perfectly-placed penalty kick bottom shelf left, which was awarded after Pablo Barerra sold a tripping “foul” on Eric Abidal inside the penalty box.

Back luck for France on both goals, but that’s the risk of doing nothing to force calls your way.

The French now sit in last place of Group A tied with South Africa, and will need a major miracle to move out of this group. Mexico, on the other hand, is looking good for the knockout stage, and should move on even with a loss to Uruguay next Tuesday.

—-

Argentina 4 - South Korea 1

South Korea found out how much one man can change a game Thursday afternoon, when Lionel Messi - the purest soccer maestro of the 2010 World Cup - displayed constant acumen and ability with the ball, weaving through the Koreans and setting his teammates on course for a 4-1 victory that left no doubt that the Argentinians might be the best team in the entire field of 32.

Messi’s talents on the left side of the field require full attention from any defending unit, so it’s no surprise that right-side forward Gonzalo Higuain remained wide open most of the day, scoring 3 goals to take the overall scoring lead in this year’s world cup.

Messi helped get things started in the game’s 16th minute, crossing a free kick that bounced off defending Korean forward Chu-young Park’s shin back into the goal for a 1-0 Argentina lead. It was the 2nd own-goal of the World Cup so far.

Soon Argentina led 2-0, and despite yielding a late first half goal on a steal by South Korea’s Chung-Young Lee, tallied two more goals for the 4-1 win.

The Argentinians now have 6 points, and have been dominating in both games. They sit atop Group B and can start to prepare for the Round of 16. South Korea can still make it to the knockout stage with a win versus Nigeria next Tuesday. I fully expect them to do so.

—-

Greece 2 - Nigeria 1

In what has to go down as the worst mental error of the 2010 World Cup, Nigeria’s Sani Kaita almost singlehandedly shepherded Greece to a 2-1 comeback victory over his team Thursday afternoon.

The game began like a wish fulfilled for the Nigerians, who scored a goal on their first shot of the match in the 16th minute, when Kalu Uche’s free kick bent in around Greek goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas, who expected the ball to take a carom off any number of players crossing in front of him. A weak goal, but a legitimate one, giving Nigeria the early 1-0 lead.

And there things stood for the next fifteen minutes, Greece looking like stale Pita bread for the second time in two games, no fire in their bellies, hangdog attitudes, a diffident demeanor befitting a team ready to take its second loss in a row.

That’s when Kaita demonstrated an inexplicable loss of composure on a sideline out-of-bounds exchange with Greece’s Vassilis Torosidis. The two men bumped into one another as the ball went over the touch line, and a split-second after Torosidis shoved Kaita with the ball, the Nigerian defender lunged and kicked up his left foot, the neon cleat shining out for the referee to see.

Kaita was handed a devastating RED CARD, which sent him off the field for the remainder of the game, putting Nigeria in the grim situation of having to play one man down for almost a full hour of game time.

Like a horror movie, Nigerians across the globe watched as the Greeks scored the tying goal on a lucky deflection off the foot of Dimitris Salpigidis in the 44th minute right before half.

Then, in the 71st minute, Alexandros Tziolis’ shot off a corner kick pass lasered in and bounced off goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama hands, the rebound excruciatingly (for Nigeria) knocked in by new nemesis Torosidis for the 2-1 lead.

Sadness for Nigeria, and empathy for Kaita, whose regret could be seen right away, knowing that his actions would most likely have morbid repercussions, which they did indeed.

Congratulations to the Greece team, who scored their first-ever win in World Cup history. They can move on to the knockout stage if they find a way to spring a huge upset of Argentina next week. We’ll see!

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Day 6 - SWISS BULLFIGHTERS, SPANISH BULL
Switzerland springs monumental upset of reigning European Champs; Chile books 1-0 win; host South Africa on the ropes after 3-0 loss.

June 16, 2010
by Dan Krier

Switzerland 1 - Spain 0

This wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t even a consideration.

Switzerland cashed in on a rare scoring opportunity Wednesday evening, thwarting a sterile Spanish side for a 1-0 stunner in front of over 62,000 fans.

Let’s get started with some statistics. Spain came into the match on a majestic roll, finishing European World Cup qualifying 10-0 (that’s 10 games, 10 wins), and had won (WON…not tied) 45 of their previous 48 international matches. More importantly, Switzerland, as a nation, had NEVER notched a victory over the Spanish in the history of its football-playing life. Never. In 18 previous matches not once.

Today, all that changed.

The Swiss played as an organized unit all game long, concentrating their efforts on the defensive end of the field, knowing Spain was very well going to control the ball for 75 to 80% of the match. And that they did, passing back and forth and back and forth, around and around for most of the game.

Unfortunately for the Spaniards, there was no venom in their bite, and the men of La Furia Roja spent the entire first half shelling Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio to no avail, the score remaining tied 0-0 at the break.

2nd half play began very much on the same path, with Spain passing in and out, out and in, winning balls back at will, keeping the Swiss back on their heels, outshooting them at one point 14-1.

But only one statistic matters in the end, and in the 52nd minute, a long goal kick took a fortunate deflection off a Spanish defender, landing right at the toe of sprinting Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok.

Derdiyok carried the ball directly at Spain’s goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, who collided with the forward, sending him head over heels, leaving a car-wreck of Spanish defenders to tumble along with the ball.

Thankfully for Switzerland, African-born left midfielder Gelson Fernandes stayed on his feet and was able to touch the ball ever so slightly into the back of the net, a miraculous goal that gave the Swiss an unbelievable 1-0 lead. Fernandes couldn’t believe his good fortune.

Even a late substitution by world star Fernando Torres couldn’t save his side. Spain’s best chance was a 20-yard rocket off the boot of Xabi Alonso that hit the crossbar and bounded back out of danger in the games 70th minute.

Great play from Spain, but the spoils go to the team that earned it, Switzerland now leading the way in Group H. A well-deserved win for a team that played with resolve and capitalized on the one mistake their opponents couldn’t afford to make.

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Chile 1 - Honduras 0

Chile displayed a calm, aggressive demeanor throughout the entire 90-minute match Wednesday morning, outclassing an overmatched Honduran side that was fortunate to be in South Africa in the first place.

Utilizing swift passes and agile ball-control, the Chileans mounted a first-half charge down the right sideline which started after a Honduran giveaway on an unguarded throw-in.

On the play, in the game’s 34th-minute, the ball was tossed right to the feet of Chilean midfielder Carlos Carmona about 40 yards out. He soon worked it front and center before tapping it to teammate Matias Fernandez, who placed it at the foot of helping defender Mauricio Isla as he charged towards the right goal line. Then it was a bit of luck, albeit deservedly handed out by the soccer gods.

Isla crossed the sharp pass directly in front of the goal mouth, where it took several blink-of-the-eye deflections, pinballing off the left hip of midfielder Jean Beausejour into the goal for a 1-0 Chilean lead.

Respect to Beausejour, who waved off teammate praise after the score, grinning coyly, knowing it was more “right place at the right time” than beautiful craftsmanship. But it was in the books, and Beausejour will surely carry the accomplishment with him for a lifetime.

The game’s second half was a tad bit boring, Honduras never mounting much of anything other than long clearance balls. In the 64th minute, Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares made the play of the match for his team, saving a crossed header that went off the forehead of Chilean defender Waldo Ponce, who watched the save with utter disbelief. That was his moment. No sir, said Villadarez.

All in all it was a dominating win for Chile, who now sit atop Group H with 3 points, tied with Switzerland of all people. What a shock! What a World Cup.

—-

Uruguay 3 - South Africa 0

Wednesday’s action concluded with host nation South Africa taking the field against Uruguay in a continuation of Group A exploits that began last Friday.

Both teams entered with 1 point apiece in the standings thanks to previous ties versus Mexico & France. Therefore, a winner here would surely propel that team towards the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Fortunately for Uruguay, they are equipped with one of the world’s top scorers, and soon-to-be worldwide sensation Diego Forlan. The crafty striker netted two goals, one in each half, the first coming off a fortuitous deflection, the second via an 80th-minute penalty kick after a bit of controversy.

In the 74th minute, with Bafana Bafana working hard to tie the match, Uruguay benefited from an unexpected ricochet that sent the ball directly into the goal box just when the South African defense was pushing forward. Goalie Itumeleng Khune was forced to trip the attacker, an instant red card that will cost Khune his team’s final preliminary match versus France next week. Bad luck, and a sad way to go out.

Uruguay added a meaningless goal in final stoppage time for the 3-0 victory, and they now look to take first place overall in this group with a win against Mexico next Tuesday.

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Day 4 - A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
Monday’s action involved an own-goal by Denmark, an upset win by Japan, and a face-saving comeback by Italy.

June 14, 2010
by Dan Krier

Netherlands 2 – Denmark 0

Denmark and Holland took a back-and-forth first half affair to the halftime break tied 0-0. It didn’t stay that way for very much longer.

Just one minute into the 2nd Half, the Netherlands were the benficiaries of an own-goal by Denmark which occurred on a rather tame cross by Dutch forward Robin van Persie. Though the lining pass was low and swift, three separate Danish defenders stood fast across the goal-line guarding the way.

Unfortunately for Denmark, fullback Simon Poulsen feebly attempted a clearing header that glanced off a teammate Daniel Agger’s back shoulder and into his own net, giving the Oranje a 1-0 lead. Words can barely describe the humiliation on Poulsen’s face after the gaffe.

With the goal, the wind was completely taken out of the Dane’s sails, a sense of “Why Me??” in the players’ steps. Just the opposite was the case for Holland, who received spirited performances from Wesley Sneijder and reserve Eljero Elia.

By the game’s end, the Danish defense looked at least two steps too slow, and sure enough, in the 85th minute, a tight pass from Sneijder to Elia led to a goal after Elia’s shot beat the goalkeeper, hitting the right post before deflecting directly to the foot of right forward Dirk Kuyt, who sealed the game with his team’s second and final goal.

Netherlands played well as a team, dominating much of the play to get 3 points with the victory. Who’s to say how the 2nd half would have gone without the own-goal. Most likely a Dutch victory regardless, given that Poulson had to make a goal-line save of his own late in the match that would have made the score 3-0.

An expected result today. I still think Denmark has a chance to beat Cameroon and Japan.

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Japan 1 – Cameroon 0

We’ve had a lot of things to discuss in the World Cup so far, but an out-and-out upset victory was not one of them. That is, not until Japan outworked and out-manned an insipid Cameroon side this afternoon.

Save for one or two flashes of brilliance from star Samuel Eto’o, the torchbearer of Africa’s past World Cup success was limited to choppy play and clunky attacks from the middle of the field only, never really attempting to move the ball wide in order to cross back. Cameroon’s best chance to score came on a 30-yard blast that smacked off the crossbar with less that 10 minutes remaining.

Japan, on the other hand, did what undersized teams need to do to win games. They pulled together as a cohesive unit defensively, and probed forward when possible, creating free kicks on numerous occasions.

Not at all lucky, the Japanese tenacity was rewarded in the 38th minute when a perfectly lobbed cross from Daisuke Matsui landed square on the foot of star striker Keisuke Honda, who calmly settled the ball before blasting in a top-shelf left-footer inside of a diving goalkeeper. His reserved celebration had an air of “Yeah, I meant to do that.” You know what? He did.

Nice job, Honda, and nice nice nice win Japan. It’s your first ever World Cup victory away from home soil. That’s something worth remembering.

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Italy 1 – Paraguay 1

Italy fell behind 1-0 at the break on a beautiful 39th minute header off the noggin of Paraguay middle defender Antolín Alcaraz, but the reigning Cup Champions found 2nd Half magic from the feet of Simone Pepe and Daniele De Rossi, pulling even and holding on for a 1-1 draw. Rossi’s goal came at the 63-minute mark with the assist from Pepe on a deceptively perfect corner kick.

Some will blame Paraguayan goalkeeper Justo Villar for allowing the ball to get past him, but the cross from Pepe was fantastic, lined just so slightly in front of the goal box. So i don’t blame Villar in the least. He tried to punch it out. There was nowhere else for him to leap, thinking the ball was going to curve inward. It never did and De Rossi put it away.

With rain pouring down during the entire match, this game featured two of the top team’s in this year’s tournament playing at their most staunch and skilled. Both looked tough enough to move on past the preliminary round and deep into this year’s tournament.

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Day 3 - THREE TIMES WON
3 games, 3 winners, and 3 points apiece for Ghana, Germany, and Slovenia on Sunday.

June 13, 2010
by Dan Krier

Ghana 1 – Serbia 0

With an 84th minute penalty kick by Asamoah Gyan, Ghana scored a 1-0 victory over Serbia, becoming the first African team in World Cup history to win on African soil. The Black Stars triumphed against a talented but clumsy Serbian team that was never able to get its timing down right.

The penalty occurred on a rather innocuous crossing attempt in the game’s 83rd minute. Sailing from left to right, the ball overshot the goal by 20 feet and was curving back out of bounds when Serbian reserve Zdravko Kuzmanovic inexplicably and needlessly left his feet, accidentally smacking the pass aside with a flailing arm, suffering the indignity of being the self-made scapegoat of today’s loss. Maybe he should go get a drink with England’s goalkeeper Robert Green.

Ghana looked sharp throughout the match, but it was a rather decrepit affair overall for the Serbians, with fullback Aleksandar Lukovic receiving a yellow card in each half. That added up to a red card send off in the game’s 74th minute, subtracting one man from the Serbian lineup for the rest of the game. Ghana took advantage of the freedom to roam, and ended up getting a win that will most likely send them through, with Germany, as a Group D representative to the knockout stage of the 2010 World Cup. Nice job, Ghana. You looked tough out there.

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Germany 4 – Australia 0

Germany once again showed its dominating style in a game that was over by the time Miroslav Klose headed in his team’s second goal in the 26th minute, a score that gave the Germans a 2-0 halftime advantage.

In reality, the match’s outcome was truly decided right after kickoff. It was at the 8-minute mark that the Germans pounced on the weak Australian defense, with Lukas Podolski netting a left-foot liner that nearly took off the right hand of Australian goalkeep Mark Schwarzer.

When all was said and done, the final score ended up 4-0, and it could have been worse, with Germany sending shot after shot just wide of the mark.

Though the final result was never in doubt, the game was marred by an unfortunate overreaction by head referee Marco Rodrigues, who sent off Australian striker Tim Cahill with a red card, most likely forcing him to miss the rest of the World Cup with a mandatory 2-game suspension.

Though the incident involved a rough tackle from behind, there was no malice in Cahill’s play. The whole thing reminded me of a nervous teacher on his first day of school sending someone to the principal’s office for accidentally speaking out of turn. The foul wasn’t that bad, Rodrigues. Take a chill pill and stop ruining the World Cup!!! Sorry, Cahill…don’t cry.

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Slovenia 1 – Algeria 0

In the late stages of a 0-0 game (the 79th minute to be exact), Slovenian captain Robert Koren curled in a right foot bouncer from just outside the penalty box as Algeria was handed the defeat 1-0.

Television pundits proclaimed the score another soft goal, blaming it on Algerian goalkeeper Fawzi Chaouchi while at the same time once again denouncing the Jabulani soccer ball used during these games.

In my opinion, it was a well-placed strike whose trajectory was tricky, with it landing just in front of the diving goalie before finding the back right corner of the net.

No need to feel sheepish about success if you are Koren or the Slovenians. They sit atop Group C with 3 points, and must ready themselves for a matchup with the USA on June 18th, one that will most likely decide which team joins England in the knockout round of this World Cup.

Last note on this game: If the Algerians play with half the pizazzof their haircuts in their next two matches, maybe they’ll give themselves a chance to come out of this tournament with a shred of dignity. Check it!…not much of that after today.

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Day 1 - FOUR SQUARE
Both matches end in ties; all 4 teams receive 1 point.

June 11, 2010
by Dan Krier

South Africa 1 – Mexico 1

This was the game everyone was waiting for. Not so much because of the combatants on the field, but more because this was the culmination of so much hope and excitement going into the first World Cup on African soil. With the opening whistle, World Cup 2010 was finally here, and you couldn’t have asked for a better start to the tournament.

The first half went as expected with both sides shaking off early jitters before playing with the skill they hope to bring from here on out. In the game’s first few minutes, Mexico was clearly the dominant force, but slowly South Africa found confidence, especially on counterattacks after missed Mexican opportunities.

The best moment of the first half was also the game’s most controversial, with Mexico seeing the apparent first goal of the match waved off by the side judge’s offsides flag during a corner kick. The call angered the Mexican side, and didn’t seem to make much sense being that a South African player was standing on the goal-line guarding the near post. But like all sports, there’s no such thing as a do-over when dealing with an official ruling, so the game took to halftime tied 0-0. OR WAS IT A MISTAKE AFTER ALL?!!

The 2nd Half began with a distinct South African feel. The crowd was jazzed up (literally…with constant blaring squelches coming from plastic trumpets), and Bafana Bafana responded, scoring the tournament’s first goal in the 55th minute thanks to a blazing left foot laser beam from Siphiwe Tshabalala. It was a dream within a dream for the hosts, with fans and politicians alike joining the players in a post-goal dance. And as the game progressed, it felt like the 1-0 lead was more than secure for South Africa, with goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune making a wonderful diving stop from a curving liner off the boot of Mexico’s Giovani Dos Santos.

But alas, sweet victory was not meant to be for the pride of Africa, and in the 79th minute, Mexico’s Rafael Marquez netted a quick right-foot shot from 5 feet away (off a nifty cross after a short-played corner kick), a ball that appeared to be shanked to the right, just bad enough to sneak past the goalie on the short side. The score was evened at 1-1, and that’s where it stayed until the final seconds ticked away.

All in all, neither team will feel too poorly about earning 1 point, but I know both would tell you their side should have notched a win. Mexico, the game’s clear aggressor, missed on several opportunities, whereas South Africa missed on several counterattack attempts, most notably on a shot by Katlego Mphela that hit the near post as the game pressed towards the 90th minute. Five inches to the right and it would have been a 2-1 win for South Africa.

A good game with a fair result. Welcome to World Cup 2010.

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France 0 – Uruguay 0

When it comes to games that make people shutter at the thought of viewing a full soccer match, this would be one to put forth as Exhibit A. 0-0 at the start, 0-0 at the half, 0-0 at the end. Bleh, bleh, and did I mention bleh?

And yes, while some 0-0 football affairs can be the equivalent of a pitcher’s duel in baseball, this match could be characterized as a moldy stinker dud of a timewaste that was more like a drunken game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

The game’s best scoring opportunity came at the 6-minute mark when France’s Sidney Govou botched a perfect centering pass by Franck Ribery. The pass was right on Govou’s foot, yet he somehow managed to direct it at an impossibly obtuse angle to the right, sending it harmlessly out of bounds. I did that once in a Midget League game back when I was 11 years-old and still haven’t gotten over the embarrassment. I wonder if Govou or anyone else from France will ever forget about today’s disaster. “Allons-nous, dude!” Score the damn ball.

As far as Uruguay was concerned, you can’t fault them at all for being cautious, probing upfield offensively on just a handful of occasions. Whereas France will spend the night gritting their teeth at their poor offensive execution and lack of imagination, Uruguay will sleep like babies knowing they played stout and with pride, even after seeing a 2nd-half substitution sent off with a Red Card for a cleats-up tackle just minutes after his entry.

No more 0-0 games like this plz. Thx, everyone else in the World Cup. Day 1 over, can’t wait for Day 2.

Siphiwe Tshabalala scores the first goal of World Cup 2010

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World Cup Group H Breakdown
by
Dan Krier
June 11, 2010

Group H:
Spain – World Rank #2 – Odds to Win: 4-1
Switzerland – World Rank #26 – Odds to Win: 200-1
Honduras – World Rank #40 – Odds to Win: 750-1
Chile – World Rank #15 – Odds to Win: 50-1

2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

DK’s Picks: Spain & Chile

Once again, we have a group where one team is definitely going to make it to the next stage of this competition, and then you’re not so sure.

The obvious choice is Spain, who have been winning internationally at a consistent pace for the last several years, most notably garnering the UEFA Euro Cup crown in 2008 (a 1-0 victory over Germany).

The Spanish squad is led by a bevy of marksmen, such as David Villa (who plays professionally for Barcelona and has 36 international goals in 55 career games) and Fernando Torres (who plays for Liverpool and has 23 goals in 72 career international games). Also giving them strength are midfielders Xavi (Barcelona; 8 international goals) and Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid; 7 international goals). Add in young stars like 24 year-old David Silva (Valencia; 6 international goals) and you have almost too many weapons at your disposal. Expect a lot of goals and three wins for Spain in the preliminary round.

After Spain, the second choice from this group isn’t so clear cut.

I am picking Chile due to their solid run in South American qualifying. Chile, like Paraguay, finished tied for second place in that continent’s standings, only one point behind Brazil. Humberto Suazo (who plays for Real Zaragoza in the Spanish League) is the team’s top scorer with 17 international goals, and should help add strength as well as a daunting presence to the physical Chilean side.

Switzerland could also very well move on past the first three matches, due to their respectable showing in European qualifying. The Swiss won their group (finishing one point ahead of Greece) and are appearing in their second consecutive World Cup, having won preliminary Group G in 2006 before being ousted by the Ukraine via penalty kicks in the first round of the knockout stage.

Honduras most likely won’t be moving on. They are only in South Africa thanks to a Costa Rican meltdown versus the USA on October 14, 2009, when America’s Jonathan Bornstein tied the game at the very end of stoppage time (thus allowing Honduras to take the final North American automatic bid). Have a good time, Honduras…and hold on to that Golden Ticket.

Best Game of Group H: Spain vs. Chile – June 25th

Fernando Torres

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World Cup Group G Breakdown
by
Dan Krier
June 10, 2010

Group G:
Brazil – World Rank #1 – Odds to Win: 5-1
North Korea – World Rank #106 – Odds to Win: 1500-1
Ivory Coast – World Rank #27 – Odds to Win: 30-1
Portugal – World Rank #3 – Odds to Win: 25-1

2 teams from this group move on to the knockout stage of the World Cup.

DK’s Picks: Brazil & Portugal

Brazil will move on to the next round, period. Why? Because Brazil is #1 and always has been and always makes it past the prelims and it’s not worthy of much analysis. All that needs to be said is the famous quote, “The English invented football, the Brazilians perfected it.” True statement. Very true.

Led by stars Kaka and Robinho (who have scored (27 and 23 goals, respectively, in international play), Brazil will cause big problems for anyone they face. Expect them to roll through the competition, ending up in the Championship Game on July 11th.

Now moving on to the big question of Group G: Who else joins Brazil in the knockout stage?

Surely it won’t be North Korea, who enters the World Cup as the lowest ranked team in the field. I’m not even sure the team will net one goal. The only thing I’m concerned about with them is how badly they lose Brazil. 12-0? 15-0? It’s going to be ugly, like watching LeBron James play me in 1-on-1.

So that leaves us with two teams led by two world superstars. On one hand you have perennial chokers Portugal, fronted by pretty boy Cristiano Ronaldo (currently playing professionally for Real Madrid, previously Manchester United).

C-Ron is arguably the “best” player in the world based on his 110 league goals and 22 international goals since 2003, and he has the ability to carry a team on his back. But modesty does not come natural to this Ronaldo, and in my opinion, a me-first player like this can never lead his team to greatness. But we’ll see. I doubt he’s got what it takes.

Now on the other side of this superstar coin, you have Ivory Coast and their injured Time Magazine cover boy, Didier Drogba. This man is a scoring machine, having tallied a total of 135 career goals in league play since 1999, most recently scoring a English Premier League-best 29 goals in the 2009-10 campaign while leading Chelsea to yet another Championship (their third since 2005).

To put it simply, Drogba has what it takes to make a huge difference on the world stage. but will we see him? The man has netted 43 goals for Ivory Coast since 2002 (in 66 games), so his broken elbow might be a tragic loss for his country, and for soccer fans around the globe. The sport is called “football”…so I say bandage him up in a sling and send him out on the field. The man is 32 years old so this might very well be his last shot at international glory. Give him a chance, Ivory Coast!

So therefore, Group G’s consolation prize will go to the team that wins that first match played on June 15th. Ivory Coast vs. Portugal is my pick as best game overall of any preliminary group.

Best Game of Round 1 Group G: Ivory Coast vs. Portugal – June 15th

Cristiano Ronaldo

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