Category: World Cup (Page 13 of 17)

They waited until the very end, but Gus Hiddink finally pulled the right strings and yanked Australia from disaster with a 3-1 win over weak Japan.

It was shaping up to be a gift to Japan from inept officiating. Several calls were missed, including a crucial non-call when Australian keeper Schwartzer was fouled and Japan scored midway through the first half.

Australia had to beat these minnows if they were to have any chance to get out of the group. They nearly didn’t. The overrated duo of Kewell and Viduka once again displayed their mediocrity, but Hiddink finally put Tim Cahill on the pitch and he was the deciding factor. Even if it took 85 minutes.

Japan certainly didn’t deserve the win, or even a draw in this match. They only took a small handful of shots, and the one that trickled in shouldn’t have counted. So, fair enough. Oz deservedly took the three important points here, but even with Hiddink, who else can they beat?

I sat down to the Portugal match fully expecting to see something like the usual 6-0 thrashing they generally serve up to Angola. The Angolans understandably hate their former colonizers and there’s usually plenty of fire and red cards. Portugal don’t just beat them, they humiliate them. Today’s match was a comparatively listless 1-0 for the Portuguese.

It looked like it was going to be brutal when Portugal scored after 4 minutes, but the match bogged down after that, and Portugal once again seemed content to back off the gas a bit once they felt they did enough to win. The three points should have never been in doubt in this match, but they left Angola with every chance to steal a result, right up to the whistle.

Portugal took the points, so it doesn’t matter if it was 1-0 or 20-0, but if I’m a Portugal fan I’m starting to worry about it being deja vu all over again. They are supposed to play with the South American style, with flash and flare. Instead, they seem only to have mastered the South American Achilles heel–they walk on the pitch as if the game was already won and the match is just a formality.

In a lackluster contest, Mexico eventually found the answers and beat Iran 3-1.

I remain unconvinced. The entire match seemed pretty even between two below average squads until Mexico broke the 1-1 tie late and took the air out of Iran.

For obvious reasons, it’s practically impossible to root for Iran in any sort of arena, but Mexico is my team that I love to hate. They make it easy to do. I wouldn’t have been happy no matter what the result was in this match.

On a completely unrelated issue, since my mind had occasion to wander fairly often during this match, I was glad to hear the German authorities were at least thinking about the shadow problems. I thought it was just me. In seemingly every stadium so far, the shadows cast by various inanities hanging over or around the venues makes it seem like we’re watching the match through a sheet with some holes in it. I don’t know what effect it’s having on the players, little, I suspect, but it’s annoying the hell out of me.

Arjen Robben’s first half goal was just enough to get the Netherlands past Serbia Montenegro 1-0

Just as advertised, the Serbia Montenegro defense was solid and kept the match tight and entertaining, but the class team won. This, so-called by some–including me, Group of Death, is now shaping up to be a battle for the top spot. A battle Argentina should win, but the Dutch are solid and should do some damage in this tournament now that the team is built more around the talent than egos.

After what has been an entertaining two days for the most part, several things are shaping up already.

Germany despite gaping holes in its defense as noted by Philip Cornwall on Worldcup365, easily have enough offense to take Group A and slip through to at least the quarterfinals. The rest of the Group are completely uninspiring.

Equally, England are very much in charge of things in Group B. They didn’t play beautiful football, but did what they needed to win. The only thing keeping them from the quarters would be themselves. No team looks capable of stopping them to that point even without the security blanket, Wayne Rooney. Go and enjoy the frauleins, son–you’re not needed yet.

Trinidad and Tobago have already made their tournament with the improbable and amazing draw against Sweden. They’ll be even happier to be there now than they were–and probably won’t earn another point.

The ‘Group of Death’ if that’s what you consider Group C to be, doesn’t seem quite as frightening now. Granted only one match has been played, but Ivory Coast is a one man band and will struggle here. Argentina has been flying under the radar for the most part up until now, but they look very strong.

The referees, on the other hand, aren’t looking strong at all. Offsides seems to be correctly called once in awhile. Not a single dive is noticed. Some questionable handballs have been let go. Argentina looked to have scored on a bobbled save but was denied. The ref in the England match may as well of suited up for Paraguay. I could go on and 0n. But, isn’t that always the way? These guys are supposed to be the best in the world, but I don’t see a single Collina among them. Still, as long as your team wins, they do just well enough. To be fair, they certainly haven’t done anything that would have changed any of the outcomes. Yet.