This week 32 teams played again but only 16 of them go through into the next round. Even though half of them were eliminated, it’s important to remember that they’re all champions. These teams spent most of the last 3 years playing qualifying matches all over the world to arrive at these last three weeks, so, win or lose, none of them have lost any glory because it’s an honor just to be in the World Cup.
The only ones that have lost much of their honor this week are the referees. The trend that started last week continued in many games this week with the referees flashing yellow-cards and handing out red ones like garage-band flyers. Bad calls over phantom fouls led to the elimination of more than one team this week. In one CNN vote over yesterday’s Croatia- Australia match 100% voted to send English referee Graham Poll home.
The fact that many of these referees have day jobs in another profession does not inspire fan confidence in their ability to officiate a game any better than your local bartender. More than one penalty kick was handed out over a simple foul, yellow cards and red cards, when a simple warning was all that was needed. In some games players were ejected in the first five minutes and, in others, in the last five seconds of play. In some cases referees missed red-card fouls and let play continue to the devastation of a team’s chance to advance. In others they halted play much to the same effect.
More than one team had their hopes married to O.J. over a questionable call that lead to a penalty kick. When these games are over, FIFA would do well to review their policies and raise the referees to the same champion level as the players over whom they officiate.
The other thing I’ve notices this week, as World Cup Fever gets into full swing, are people who don’t understand the appeal of the World Cup. These are the same people that are “not into soccer”, or say that soccer is a “wimpy sport”. The World Cup is not just soccer, and not just a sport. These games represent the hopes and dreams of millions of people, everywhere, whether their country is in it or not. In Egypt, Mexico, and countless other countries, massive-screened monitors were set up in public squares so that fans without televisions could also enjoy the games. In Somalia, angry fans planned massive protests because Islamist Rebels cut the electricity to outdoor theatres, and in Bangladesh, mobs of angry fans stormed electric company offices after power failures interrupted two elimination games.
“As the pinnacle of the only truly global game, played in every country by every race and religion, it is one of the few phenomena as universal as the United Nations. You could even say it's more universal. FIFA has 207 members; we have only 191”
Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations, “An Open Letter to Football Suppoorters Around the World”
Now, onto the recap of this last week of Group Action and the eliminations:
GROUP A
Ecuador v Germany
These two teams both qualified for the Round of 16 with thrilling wins in the first couple of game and were playing only for the number 1 spot in Group A. Although they were both assured a spot neither side let up the pressure. Ecuador emerged strong and took about a minute to take the first shot of the match when Midfielder Luis Valencia made a hard cross to the net but was denied joy by German Goal Keeper Jens Lehmann. Germany retaliated 3 minutes later in the form of a left-right flick to Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger who caught Forward Miroslav Klose in the penalty area. Klose launched a slick strike to the net and sent the fans into thunderous cheers.
The Ecuadorians tight defense, and missed chances, along with several wide shots from Die Nationalmannschaft kept it at 1-0 until the 44th minute, when Klose closed the play around Goal Keeper Cristian Mora with a pass from Midfielder Michael Ballack before the half with a fantastic follow through to the net, ending the first have with a deuce-nil to the sound of singing German fans.
Germany came out hard in the second half as Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger launched a low strike 40 seconds in that was tipped out by fleet footed Mora. Midfielder Edwin Tenorio played a 35-yard shot over Lehman to stay in the game but without success, and in the 57th minute, Lukas Podolski came in hard and close to give the Germans 3-0 lead over Ecuador, and the German fans another reason to cheer.
Germany now takes on Sweden on Saturday and Ecuador is set to face England on Sunday.
Costa Rica v Poland
This was an honor game for both these teams. Going into it Poland, who’d remained scoreless in this entire tournament, had no hope of advancement. Costa Rica also had no chances to take it into next round. They arrived in Germany with the misfortune of playing the hosts, proceeded to make a good show with a 4-2 loss against them, but looked stunned by Ecuador for a 3-0 loss.
The heat was on as 4 minutes into it Forward Ronald Gomez took a 35-yard free-kick that slammed off of Defender Barosz Bosacki . Forward Maciej Zurawski took an awkward free-kick 17 minutes into it but goalkeeper Jose Porras stopped it with ease. 7 minutes later Gomez shoved one past the Polish Defense and through Goalkeeper Artur Boruc in front of a disheartened and mostly Polish crowd but despite a continuing Costa Rican assault, that kept Borac busy at the net, the Bialo-Czerwoni was far from beat this time.
Poland Midfielder Ebi Smolarek slid a smooth one to forward Ireneusz Jelen, 6 minutes later, for a clear smash at Porras, who appeared undisturbed. Polish fans looked like they were once again facing Sultan Osman II, but now, as then, they rallied. In the 33rd minute of the first half, with Porras nowhere close enough to block it, Bosacki cannoned one into the net to tie it 1-1 and give Poland their first score at the World Cup.
The players seemed as energized as the fans, and went on a wild, but fruitless, offense before and after the half, with a flurry of blocked and missed shots until the 66th minute when Bosacki struck gold, again, from the corner off midfielder Jacek Krzynowek blocked shot, that silenced Costa Rican fans and made it 2-1.
A tense moment came in the 82nd minute when it seemed that forward Paulo Wanchope had tied it up but he was offsides and the point thrown out, sending Poland home with their honor intact, and their fans in better spirits than when they came into this game.
GROUP B
Paraguay v Trinidad & Tobago
This game was much like the last one, with the hopes of advancement for of teams jockeying for position in the dirt derby. Neither team won a match, although Trinidad & Tobago did play Sweden to a 0-0 draw that, theoretically, gave them the better chance to advance with a win, both teams had yet to score a goal in Germany. The dejected fans in the stands mirrored the subdued performance of the teams on the pitch, which led to a very reserved game. There was excellent defense and great shots on both sides, but the players lacked intensity and the crowd lacked the energy to give it to them.
T & T Forward Cornell Glen hit La Albirrojas goal hard but was denied by Goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla. Edgar Barreto retaliated with hard long shot off of Kelvin Jacks chest that very nearly let forward Nelson Valdez sneak one in around back.
The Soca Warriors started Kelvin Jack as their Goalkeeper and benched dynamo substitute Shaka Hislop. Jack, who was kept out of their previous matches with a hurt ankle, defended the net fiercely, and was given a Paraguayan work out from the start. Roque Dos Santos attacked with a fearsome strike that Jack was just able to keep out of the net, but 25 minutes into the first half, rattled and disoriented Defender Brent Sancho smacked midfieldman Roberto Acuna’s free-kick with his head and into his own goal.
The goal gave Paraguay the energy they needed to renew their attack on the T & T net, keeping The Soca Warriors busy on defense until the half. Valdez sent two shot into face Jacks rejections. Midfieldman Carlos Paredes launched one at the net only to have it sent out of the box by Kenwybe Jones, who’d come in for injured defender Avery John, 31 minutes into the first. Finally, defender Denis Caniza netted ball past the exhausted Jack but the shot was ruled offside.
In the second half, Trinidad & Tobago came out strong, with a pair of incomplete low crosses from Midfieldman Carlos Edwards, and star player Dwight Yorke, “The most celebrated name in the history of soccer in Trinidad and Tobago,” rallied his team and the fans, to a make it a real game. Russell Latapy came in for Aurtis Whitley and helped keep the pressure on Paraguay with a massive 20-yard shot that danced off the bar on the net.
Paraguay came at them hard toward the end of regulation and kept up the pressure with some superb ball handling from Dos Santos and Nelson Cuevas, who came in for Nelson Valdez in the 66th min. In the end this was not to be the year for the Soca Warriors. It was Cuevas who scored in the 86th minute, giving Paraguay back their dignity, and sending the Long Shots from the tiny Caribbean country back home with only one goal to show for their time in Germany…Sanchos own goal in the first half.
England v Sweden
Before I discuss this game I want to say something about the English Team and their fans. This team is the best team in the United Kingdom. They have gone to the world cup 12 times, as opposed to Scotlands 8, Irelands 2 and Wales 1. That means that they have been more times than the next three teams put together. Of the 53 games they have played at the World Cup, they won 24, tied 16 and lost only 13. They’ve scored 73 goals and allowed only 47. Their fans, regardless of their negative image in the press, are the best in all of the United Kingdom. They show a spirit, energy, passion and desire on a truly National level and, unlike their closest neighbors, know the sweet smell of a Victory in a world cup Finals match.
This is not yet the Final but England has an excellent chance of taking it all the way.
Also, I bring this up because, after Midfielder Joe Cole’s goal 34 minutes into the first half, the English fans started to sing God Save the Queen so loud that it drowned out the colorful commentators on the Spanish station.
Up until that point the action had gone back and forth, with neither side seeming to have the advantage. Concern washed over fans of the Three Lions in the 4th minute when Michael Owen went down hard with a horribly wrenched knee and Peter Crouch substituted in his position, and demoralized both fans and players alike.
Crouch, who made his first appearance in this tournament, came out strong to replace him, and picked up the pace to bring the game to Sweden, with midfielder Frank Lampard hitting for the goal twice only to twice be repelled by confidant Swedish Goalkeepr Andreas Isaksson, but the Blagult were relentless and came back for a volley of plays that were all kept safely out of the danger-zone.
England fought back ferociously, with midfielder Owen Hargreaves working off position in central midfield, and forward Wayne Rooney and midfielder Joe Cole backing up the counter attack. Defender Teddy Lucic sharply rejected a Rooney attempt, off a Beckham hard, stretched cross 25 minutes into it. Nine minutes after, Joe Cole took the ball down and sent it soaring passed a floundering Isaksson, into the net, rousing the crowd to song, and silencing the broadcasters.
After the half, the Swedes came back strong, slipping through a firm English defense and, at 51 minutes, Midfieldman Tobias Linderoth air-mailed one across to leaping forward Marcus Allback, in from the left, who butted it in past Paul Robinson to tie the game 1-1, giving the Swedish fans a chance to cheer and jeer.
At 55 minutes Paul Robinson glanced away a rocket that shot through a screen of defenders by Henick Larsson. 4 minutes later defender Olof Mellbergs shot slapped the bar and midfielman Kim Kallstroms shot from the line was blasted away by an alert Stephen Gerrard at the 71 minute mark.
Again, with a tremendous roar from the crowd, at the 85th minute, Gerrard snaked in for a powerful head-butt into the net. It looked to be over, with England up 2-1 over Sweden but amid the celebratory elation of the fans, Larsson pushed through to bop a strike at the 90th minute, tying the game 2-2, and sending both these fantastic teams, and their exuberant fans, into the next round.
GROUP C
Ivory coast v Serbia & Montenegro
The Ivory Coast came into this game #3 in their group, having scored a pair of 2-1 games against Argentina and the Netherlands. To have any miniscule chance of moving into the next round, however, they needed Argentina to trounce the Netherlands, and a huge win against Serbia &Montenegro. Serbia & Montenegro, for their part, came in to it with slim to no chance to advancement and Slim was already on the plane home.
Amid a steady rain, and very little reason for either side to fight on the damp pitch, neither the fans nor the players let their losses or the weather dampen their spirit. The Elephants, however, came in to the game without a red-carded Didier Drogba, and a weak defense, which was only made worse by the slippery pitch, which saw players on both sides sliding around like they were the D troupe of Disney on Ice.
9 mins in to the first half, Midfieldman Dejan Stankovic launched a ball to Nikola Zigic letting the forward dance one past confused and off-balanced goalkeeper Boubacar Barry for a 1-0 lead. In the melee in the box defender Mladen Krstajic collided with midfielder Gneri Yaya Toure and they both went down. Barry gave a bewildered shrug over his miss and seemed to indicate the wet ground and the replay showed definite slippage action going on around players boots and the pitch.
The Elephants charged back, though, with midfieldman Kader Keita feeding star forward Aruna Didane a tight one but his strike was denied by goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric, and the second-chance slipped painfully past forward Kanga Akale, to lose the opening to tie it up.
The Plavi went into full offense mode after that, attacking the Ivorians with all they had. Defender Cyril Domoraud lost the ball to midfielder Predrag Djordjevic who passed to midfielder Sasa Ilic for a clear shot the past Barry to make it 2-0 match at the 19 and a half minute mark. Through the rain that continued to fall, the fans of the Plavi could be heard singing. A free kick at 33 the minute mark by Midfielder Dejan Stankovic failed to make it in the net. Defender Emmanuel Eboue took an elbow to the eye but there was no card or penalty.
Defender Milan Dudic took a caution for a hand ball in the 37th minute, allowing the Ivory Coast a free kick to let the Elephants come stomping back with Didane shooting, and landing, the shot twice past Dragoslav Jevric from the line because Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez forced a do-ver when some over zealous Elephants encroached over the line. The game stood at 2-1.
The Serbs receive a penalty kick but can’t cash in because it was deflected by Barry at the post. Dindane picks up a yellow card for chasing down a pass from forward Arouna Kone but cannot figure out why…He was on the receiving end of a trip by Jervic and it was never made clear why he drew the card.
In the second half The Elephants looked hungry for a win. Serbia & Montenegro was playing a man short because of a second yellow card on midfielder Albert, and they felt the pressure of an Ivorian battering in a series of rapid fire attacks, first by forward Akanga Akale who challenged Jervic head on with no fear, then from Kone, whose shot went a little too wide to threaten the lead. Defender Blaise Kouassi’s downtown shot bounced off the goal bar, but the Ivorians were relentless. Dindane finally made good on a cross pass from Abdulkader Keita, sending the soggy crowd to their feet, and started the African team dancing a festive celebratory stomp in the corner, the score standing at 2-2. Serb fans looked on sad, silent and subdued.
Still The Elephants kept coming like something out of Hemingway’s African nightmares, playing the short game in the danger zone and keeping the pressure on Serbia & Montenegro, who looked organized but too rattled to make good on a Djordjevic free-kick. At the 90 minute mark, however, with Barry on his knees praying at the opposite net, the Serbian & Montenegran World Cup dream went tail-gaiting with Jesus as Midfieldman Bonaventure Kalou made good on a freekick of their own to send the Africans home with a 3-2 win, the first World Cup win ever for their country. The Ivory Coast showed great faith, spirit and camaraderie. There was great ball handling on both sides but the second half belonged to them.
Argentina v Netherlands
The wild fans on both sides were not only the highlight of this game but the main feature in this scoreless draw. Raucous, rowdy and noisy, they cheered with the confidence of people that knew for certain that their berths in the next round were secure. The fact is that either one of these teams could go all the way in the Final, to win it all. They both show the talent, skill, and audacity of World Cup Champions.
There was excellent ball handling on both sides and athleticism that left one marveling at repeated dashing cross field sprints from both ends. Argentina is another one of those Soccer loving nations that sent a huge contingent to cheer their team in Germany, and the excitement they and their Dutch counterparts are going to be add extra excitement to their next round matches: Argentina against Mexico on Saturday and Holland against Portugal on Sunday.
Midfielder Juan Riquelme and forward Lionel Messi displayed the panache for which Argentina has become famous, with Maradona cheering fanatically from the stands. Riqulme, forwards Carlos Tevez and Maxi Rodriguez kept the pressure on goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar. Riquelme sent across past Van der Sar but defender Khalid Boulahrouz footed it away off the bar to preserve the 0-0 game.
Both teams displayed superior defense, Van der Sar shining again and again, taking on a head on Messi kick that he snatched like a Shaquille O’Neil rebound. Forward Dirk Kuyt came close for the Dutch with an off-the-the bar shot to take it into the half.
Argentina stayed on the offensive in the second half with
Riquelme sending a wide shot to the net. Midfielder Phillip Cocu tied to give the Boys in Orange the lead but had it knocked away by and alert Roberto Abbondanzieri at the net. Tevez attacked Van der Sar’s net but in the end both teams were content to wait and take it into the next round.
Group D
Iran v Angola
Las Plancas Negras needed a win in this game, coupled with a loss to Portugal from Mexico to advance into the Round of 16, but Iran sent those chances to hear the Fat Lady in concert with a goal by defender Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh in the 76th minute. The Iranians were playing for their honor after a 3-1 loss to Mexico and a 2-0 loss to Portugal, and they looked determined to make a showing at this one.
Team Melli came out with a strong defense but failed to make a single goal in the first half. Angola was defiant of the odds and gave no ground, needing to make the point differential to stay in it after their 0-1 loss to Portugal and a hard won 0-0 tie with Mexico. The first have ended scoreless, and it was very much either sides game going into the second half.
60 minutes into it, though, Amado Flavio smacked in a magnificent head shot into the net to give the Angola the much needed advantage. Iran came back hard, and Mkhtiarzadeh made good on a pass from Mehdi Mahdavikia to tie it 1-1. This was Iran’s first and only goal in Germany, this year, and was enough to satisfy honor in a game that had no chance of earning them any sort of advancement into the next round.
Goalkeeper Jaoa Ricardo blocked a rapid fire Iranian offense, led by a desperate Ali Daei. There was to be no joy for the veteran scorer, and the game continued to trudge on without pushing the score any higher. Both these teams went home, Iran with two points scored and Iran with just the 1.
Portugal v Mexico
Meanwhile, over at the Arena AufSchalke, in Gelsenkirchen, Portugal was facing down Mexico. Now, the Mexican fans are another one of those passionate Futbol crowds. A noisy sea of red, white, and green poured across the stadium, with may more who couldn’t get tickets setting up camps in bars all across the world. It amazed me to see so many of the fans dressed like the Frito Bandito, complete with over sized sombreros and fake mustaches. The fans knew that it was not so much important to win as to make a good show of it, as they were almost assured a place, as long as the #3 and #4 teams (Angola and Iran) didn’t pull a miracle out of their hats.
Ricardo La Volpe, looking more than ever like a tough-guy out there, ran his team hard, even though they were a man short. In the 2nd minute Francisco Fonseca took a shot but goalkeeper Alexandre Ricardo wrapped his body around it to prevent the score.
Mexico weathered a major blow when Sambrosa Simao passed one to midfielder Nuno Maniche at the 6 minute mark to put them down 1-0. 2 minutes later Omar Bravo brought Mexican fans to their feet with a almost point blank shot went wide of the net. 12 minutes later, Portugal got the break when a handball by Rafael Marquez earned them a penalty kick that they turned into a fantastic slam to the net in by Simao.
Helder Postiga tried to make it three but Oswaldo Sanchez slapped it away. Cardoso Tiago tried for the second chance but couldn’t get it to work for him. El Tri could have tied it before the half but Ricardo denied any and all shots at his goal.
The second half brought no joy to mexico, missing a penalty kick at the 58 minute mark and this one ended with a 2-1 loss for Mexico. Somehow, thought, they coasted into a spot in the next round by the skin of their teeth
GROUP E
Ghana v USA
If the USA‘s games against the Czech Republic and Italy were painful to watch, this one was pure heartbreak. Team USA needed Italy to come out on top of the Czechs, and they needed to beat Ghana in this one for a hope to move into the next round. No one thought it would be easy, and with key players benched for each side because of red-cards in previous matches, starters on the American side were played off position, which may have led some to their confusion.
The yellow cards kept flying in this one, too, the first coming in the 4th minute when midfielder Michael Essien dropped Team USA Captain Claudio Reyna with a hard tackle. Defender Eddie Lewis picked one up for a hand-ball three minutes later.
Defender Jimmy Conrad fouled and gave Ghana a free kick that Midfielder Stephen Appia fed to Essien, who launched it up way too wide. 17 minutes into the first Lewis took an elbow to the head from Defender John Pantsil, and had to hit the sidelines to get a cut over his eye examined. USA kept up the pressure to deny Ghana any opportunities. Midfielder Landon Donovan slipped up and took a wide shot to the sound of a disappointed crowd. Soon after, Lewis found an opening but had it slapped away by Goalkeeper Richard Kingston. Kingston moved like a cat and stayed on top of his goal the entire game.
Finally, in the 22nd of the first, Midfielder Haminu Drama pulled past an off-position Reyna, stripped him, and came in hard to score one past Keller and put Ghana up 1-0. Reyna went down hard with what seemed to be a wrenched knee from the match-up to defend against Drama and was stretchered off the pitch. He came back in a few minutes later to a thunderous American crowd but looked winded, and slower.
Meanwhile, at the other net, defender Carlos Bocanegra collided with Kingston, and the game was stalled for ac little while, to allow the Ghanan goalkeeper time to get treatment on the pitch for what seemed to be an injury to his back. When play resumed The Black Stars come out strong and put the USA on the defensive right away, moving with speed and ease.
At the 30 minute mark it looked like forward Razak Pimpong was going to make it a 2-0 game but the shot went wide. Midfielder Clint Dempsey took an elbow to the head from Defender Illiasu Shilla, who drew a yellow card for the bump. 11 minutes before the end of regulation time, Forward Brian McBride sent a long ball to Midfielder Landon Donovan , who blew a sweet shot, sending what could have been an easy goal too wide to make it any good.
At that point Bruce Arena looked like he wanted to strangle someone. Midfielder Haminu Dramani triped up defender Steve Churundalo on a wild dash to the goal, and gave the US a chance to equalize. Defender Eddie Lewis takes the penalty kick looking for Dempsey at the end of it but Kingston deflects it out of danger. Lewis slips another a fantastic pass but no one was in the box to take the shot.
The USA launched an attack with Dempsey, Donovan and McBride on but are stopped short with an empty cross from McBride, and go back on the defensive to face an aggressive African team. At the 40 Reyna goes out and Olson comes in. Olsen immediately gives a hard foul on Midfielder Michael Essien .
Finally, a little bit of fried gold in the 43rd minute when Clint Dempsey scores a goal. It was a clean shot by the Texan into the net, which he celebrated in the corner with a little honkey tonk shuffle. The celebration is short lived when, in the 46th minute, amid boos and jeers from the crowd, ref Markus Merk gave Ghana a penalty kick off an invisible foul on defender Oguchi Onyewu. Stephen Appiah converts on the 12 yard kick to score with Kasey Keller going the wrong way. The call and the goal put American hopes of advancing on the unable to breathe list.
The second half started slow, with the USA against the wall. Team USA spent too much time on defense, and picking up petty violations. Ghana seemed confidant and strong, taking shots like winners and keeping Keller busy at the net. Team USA looked disoriented and confused, and that confusion and lack of support from Bruce Arena, and several mistakes by Donovan and Reyna, led to tears of frustration and despair on the eyes of some American fans.
Ghana left the game exuberant hitting the field to pray, and dance, and give thanks for their win against Team USA. Ghana advances to the Round of 16 and it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against Brazil on the 27th.
Czech Republic vs Italy
With the stinky games by other teams in Group E, Italy could have just sat this one out, drinking espresso on the sidelines and watching the clock run out. Win or lose, on other words, they were going to advance. The Czechs, however, had to win or tie to advance, and Midfielder Pavel Nedved was coaxed out of retirement to try and help his team do just that.
Italy has always been a Soccer powerhouse in Europe, but the Czech team hasn’t seen a World Cup since 1990, when things were different there, before everything changed. For them, I think, it was more than a matter of national pride, it was a matter of national identity.
Both sides came out playing elegant defense, and moved the ball quickly into strike range with a fierce determination. The Lokomotiva tried to take advantage of the talent gap left open when Defender Alessandro Nesta went out with an injury and Marco Materazzi came in in the 17th minute. The Czechs displayed spirited and agile ball handling but the Italians held them off and went on the offense, driving again and again to the box, finally carving out a score in the end of the 25th minute from Materazzi butted close off a corner kick.
The Czechs came back with a gritty assault, trying to keep their chances alive, but the Italian crowd sang and chanted and let the world know that, once they’d taken the lead, they planned on taking it the distance. The rest of the first half saw some close calls but the score remained the same into the second.
In the second half, the players surged back and forth across the pitch, the pressure to score was intense, with exciting steals, perfect tackles, and slick Euro-Style blocks. The Czechs looked close to equalizing and were certain to have done so if the Azzurri creative efforts had not foiled their runs, dribbles and shots.
Finally, in the 87th minute, Forward Filippo Inzaghi surged into the penalty area and knocked one into the net with a fiery left foot, ending the Czech Republics chances to move beyond the Group Round. Next, Italy faces Australia on June 26th.
GROUP F
Croatia v Australia
The Socceroos came a long way to play this game, much farther than the 10,000 some odd miles from Sidney to Berlin. The last time they made the trip to the World Cup, in 1974, it was also in Germany. Back then they were knocked out in the First Round without having scored a goal. In their first game against Japan, this year, however, they scored 3 and, although they remained scoreless against powerhouse Brazil, they came into this game determined to make a good showing to keep their dream alive.
For Croatia, this was their third time to the World Cup. They made won Third place in 1998 but were eliminated at this very stage in 2002. They’ve remained scoreless so far this time, and came out to the pitch eager to redeem their honor, and , with a win, their chances of advancement with a win.
The referee seemed determined to addle both teams, however, and through out the game Graham Poll awarded 17 fouls, 4 yellow-cards and 2 red-cards to Croatia and 21 fouls, 1 yellow-card and 1 red-card to Australia.
So far, this year, this was the most thrilling game in Germany. Starting with a free-kick goal 2:06 into the first half, masterfully played into the net by Midfielder Darijo Srna, the action came fast, and tense. With the score 1-0, Croatian hopes of moving up looked better than they had in the whole tournament.
Australia looked baffled at their poor start, and spent several hard minutes trying to regain control and get into the game. A vigorous Srna kept the Socceroos off their game, battling defender Craig Moore at every turn for control of the ball. At 6:30 into the first, Defender Josip Simunic tipped his teams hand and revealed just how desperate the Vatreni were to win this game, by bringing down forward Mark Viduka hard in the box. Graham Poll, the referee, however, let play go on, without a call, giving the Aussie fans another reason to get rowdy.
The Socceroos were pinned down by the Croats, who defended fearlessly by Defenders Stjepan Tomas and Igor Tudor against several sloppy Aussie attacks. Simunic and Srna, kept the pressure up with excellent ball handling and a manifest desire to take the game to the net Down Under, serving up rough steals and hard passes.
Bret Emmerton held off midfielder Niko Kranjcar in the corner, showing off the brash style of dogged soccer that brought this team into the knock out round. At the 13 minute mark forward Harry Kewell made a wild attempt from 30 yards out that pegged a sideline camera man right in the gut. Not productive shot but something that I’d been waiting a long time to see. Next, I hope to see one of the security guys that stand with their backs to the pitch take one in the back of the head.
Mile Sterjovski gets taken down hard in the corner by Babic and earns the Aussies a free kick and a chance to tie it up but Scott Chipperfields shot gets cleared off Simunc’s head. A little while later Simunic kicks his boot dangerously close in Cahills face, but there’s no card and the ref lets the game go on, giving the ball to Croatia.
It went on this way, with each side growing more restless to hit the net. A series of bad calls from an either careless or inept referee did not prevent either side from pushing to the limit, and getting rough with each other, with several empty strikes and close saves at both nets.
In the 37th minute Cahill caught a shove to the neck that was ignored by the ref and a yellow card for Tudor but Tomas gets the call for a handball, giving the Aussies another chance to tie it up with a penalty kick. Craig Moore takes the shot and ties the game 1-1 at the 38th minute. Amid a roaring dancing crowd of Australian fans and Socceroo fans world wide.
The second half moved fast and smooth with the Prso getting a fruitless free kick and the Australians pushing for the initiative, through a sometimes violent Croatian defense. Nico Kovac takes the shot and Australia goal keeper Zeljko Kalac put his whole 6ft 8 in frame down to block it but the ball bounced off and over, and rolled neatly into the net sending Croatian coach Zlatko Kranjcar again leaping into the arms of the closest person around with a 2-1 lead.
This would be the last moment of joy for the Croatians in this years World Cup. As in their game with Japan the Australians stepped it up in the end when Harry Kewell finally found the net to tie it up and send the Australians onto the next round, and giving the Croatians a ticket to ride the Perma-Pine highway all the way back home.
GROUP G
Switzerland v South Korea
This was an important game not only for the teams but for the very complicated workings of the FIFA ranking system. Follow me on this one as best as you can. Now, a South Korea win would have put them in the next round along with France, who are supposed to play Togo. A tie would also send them into the next round as long as France could win by a point. A score-less draw and a 2-1 French win would leave Switzerland in the #1 group spot with France and South Korea with exactly the same score and goal differential. If France beats Togo 2-0 and a1-1 tie with Switzerland and South Korea would leave both the Swiss and the French qualified and shut out the other two teams but, then, Switzerland and France would have exactly the same standing. This would mean a drawing of lots as a tie-breaker to decide the Group G second place. Basically, it’s as if they flip a coin.
Both sides wanted to avoid this tricky situation, and both sides came into this game confidant of a win. South Korea showed excellent motivation and hustle with the ball and goal keeper Woon-Jae Lee was alert and on the ball at the net. In fact, a vigilant South Korean defense kept the Swiss from making any progress until defender Philippe Senderos slammed home a Hakan Yakin free-kick, and sent the Swiss fans into paroxysm of delight and glee.
As in many other games in this tournament the end was decided upon an unpopular and a questionable call by the referee, Horacio Elizondo. In the 76th minute of play, well into the second half, with the score still 1-0 and South Korea still very much in the game, Xavier Margairaz shot bounced off a Korean defender in the box, and the lineman raised his flag to signify an offside play. Swiss Forward Alexander Frei collected the ball, after several South Korean players paused play for the flag, and launched a surprise shot into the net that caught everyone off guard. At first, it looked as though the score would remain unaltered until Elizondo over-ruled the lineman and let the Swiss advance 2-0.
This turn of events severely demoralized the South Koreans and pissed me, and thousands of South Korean fans, off. Since the flag was clearly raised the mistake lay not with the players but with the officials. Perhaps that sort of thing could be understood in a qualifying match, or in the earlier rounds, but in an elimination game, if the officials error then neither team deserves to be penalized.
I am starting to pay more attention to the referees than to the games and that’s a shame, since so many of these teams have worked so hard to get here, to make it this far, only to have the officials shatter their hopes over miscommunication, error, and old fashioned stupidity.
The Swiss advance but I’m not a happy about how this game turned out. Both sides played hard and deserved better than to have this effort be marred by the underhanded kind of victory this game offered. These ref’s stink.
Togo v France
Things did not look good for France. Their Group standing was as mysterious as a fanatical adoration for Jerry Lewis and a love of stinky cheese. What was clear was that, unless there was a clear winner in the Switzerland v South Korea game they had to beat Togo by at least 2 goals in order to advance into the Round of 16. A tie in that game would leave France sitting pretty with any kind of win, but anything less than a win and they would be accepting the consolation call from Charles DeGaul on their way back home.
Togo’s trip to the World Cup has, sadly, been overshadowed by the off pitch action of their coach and their players. First, coach Otto Pfister quit his position before the start of the games but returned just in time for Togo’s first game against South Korea. Then, before their game with South Korea, the players threatened to walk out over a pay dispute. They lost both those games, scoring only one goal the whole time. They, in other words, were going home either way, honor be damned.
The worry and questioning about the outcome of this Groups match-ups was, in the end, for nothing. France came out in this game with their defense put together and held Togo at bay through the first half, testing the Sparrowhawks blockers and goalie, in order to mount a better offense.
Togo seemed to have finally realized they were on the world stage, and played, now, to go home with some smidgen of honor, holding off the increasingly more determined French to a scoreless first half.
In the second half, however, Togo looked bewildered and ungainly, flubbing passes, missing crosses, and all around stinking up the scenery.
Birthday boy Patrick Vieira played with style and determination, breaking through the Africans defense to score in the 55th minute of play, and then, six minutes later, he gave a snap cross to set up Thierry Henry for the match.
The rest of the game was a series of missed opportunities for the Africans, who seemed to sense that the end was near. Desperation made them sloppy, but they fought long and hard to push through, and tried to score to the bitter end. There would be no dancing for Togo, however, and the game ended 2-0, the win that France was looking for to send them into the Round of 16.
Group H
Tunisia v Ukraine
Both of these teams needed a win, but neither sides fans seemed willing to hope for one, helping to create one of the quietest crowds in this round. Except for occasional jeers and whistles at the refs for some bad calls, the fans looked more intent on focusing their energies to the player, by sheer will, to keep their side alive. Tunisia needed the win, for the Ukraine a win or a draw.
The Ukrainians suffered a 4-0 loss at the hands of Spain in their opener, and were the subject of strong and harsh criticism from their fans back home. Honor was restored with their crushing victory over Saudi Arabia in their second game, ending in a 0-4 win over the Arabs.
The Tunisians came out strong, pushing hard against the Ukrainian defense, but the Ukrainians refused to give away any easy shots. When Zied Jaziri was ejected at the tail end of the first half, the wind seemed to go out of their sails.
The Ukrainians, for their part, played about as well as the Tunisians, but without as much passion for the game, merely functional and utilitarian soccer. But, with Tunisia growing ever more desperate to score as the clock ticked down, Andriy Shevchenko took advantage to push it to their net, with several blocks by phenominal goalkeeper Ali Boumnijel, who was a whirlwind of a defense and motivator for his team.
In the end, it came down to a penalty kick earned when Karim Haggui clipped Shevchenko in the box. Shevchenko took the shot and, as Boumnijel dived one direction the ball slammed into the net. Score 1-0 in the 77th minute.
Both teams struggled to score again against the ticking clock, but in the end, the 1 point would suffice to send Tunisia home and let the Ukraine eek into the next round.
Spain v Saudi Arabia
For the most part, there was never any question about the outcome of this game. While the Saudi’s are a strong team within their league, on the international stage, they seem to be lacking a certain level of competitive push to be taken seriously.
Not that this team didn’t have heart. The Saudi’s brought more than enough of that to each of their games in Germany, but in the end, it took goals, not heart to advance into the Round of 16. Spain had plenty of those in this round and just enough in this game to move them onto the Round of 16.
Saudi Arabia had no illusions that they could move on, they just wanted to play well, and make a good show of it, but in the end they went home having scored only 2 goals in a 2-2 tie in their match with Tunisia.
For most of the match both teams seemed well balanced, with excellent blocks, superb defense, and skillful ball handling, but at the 35:34 mark, forward Jose Antonio Reyes put in a corner kick and found defender Gutierrez Juanito in the middle, who broke through and launched it into the corner of the Saudi net.
After that the Saudi’s tried to mount repeated counter attacks to try for a tie but a reinvigorated Spain held them off through to the half.
The next half was full of desperation from both sides, Spain to hold onto their lead and Saudi Arabia to try and tie it up, but there was slipshod playing full of missed opportunities and missed shots, and in the end, Spain was able to proceed into the Round of 16, and the Sons of the Desert went back home.
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So, that’s the end of the Group Round. The match ups for the Round of 16 are
Germany v Sweden
Argentina v Mexico
England v Ecuador
Portugal v Netherlands
Italy v Australia
Switzerland v Ukraine
Brazil v Ghana
Spain v France
1 comment:
Awesome! Thanks for keeping me informed, I get lost.
"Hopes married to O.J."?
"Elephants kept coming like something out of Hemingway's African nightmares"!?!
Classic!
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