Two Exciting Quarter-Final Games!
Ohh, I'll actually have reports up on time for once! Tomorrow... yeah, well I have a family BBQ after work, so while I don't doubt that I'll miss the later game - this is an Italian family after all - I probably won't be able to sit at my computer and write about it until Sunday.
The Netherlands vs. Brazil
It's the up-and-comers versus the heavyweights! The long-shots versus the seasoned pros! Who will win? Whose cuisine will reign supre--
... Wrong show.
Played in Port Elizabeth Stadium, the game began quickly, as Brazil's Robinho gets a nicely kicked goal in the tenth minute. Yup. It's Brazil alright. What did you expect? Defensive playing? No, Brazil plays hard and fast.. and then after getting one goal decides to have tea and crumpets instead of actually playing. Just like the in Chile match, Brazil decides to chillax for the rest of the game, because they have nothing to worry about. The Netherlands has problems getting around their formidable defence, and even if a goal is scored, Brazil can score another just as quickly. I mean, to score a goal within the first ten minutes is akin to getting the first punch in a boxing match, a punch that stuns the other player with its speed and powerful. It doesn't need to be a knock out, it just has to distract. This is Brazil's strategy.
This is Brazil's weakness.
Nothing happens for the rest of the first half. The Netherlands can't come close to scoring, and Brazil ceases to try to score as often; if they get close, they go for it, but they never strive to do any more. The first ten minutes of the second half see no change. But then the 53rd minute arrives, and something eye-opening happens.
Brazilian player Felipe Melo scores a goal... on his own net.
I call this:
No, I am not making up funky titles for an excuse to make funny banners in every post. You don't know what you're talking about. I deny everything... STOP ACCUSING ME!!!
You see, Arjen Robben gets a free kick and passes the ball to Wesley Sneijder, who kicks the ball towards the mass of players guarding and attacking the Brazilian net. Brazilian goalie Julio Cesar quickly runs out of the net to catch the ball so that he isn't attacked by headers. And he would have caught the ball, had Melo, not realizing that Cesar had come out, slightly knocked Cesar out of the way and headed the ball away, straight into the now unguarded Brazilian net. What Melo was thinking, I have no clue. He either tried to head the ball towards where he believed his goalie was so the goalie could toss it back onto the pitch, or he didn't realize how close he was to the net and while trying to head the ball out of play accidentally shot it straight into the corner of the net. I think the second scenario is more likely, as no player would ever deliberately aim for their own net, even if they know the goalie is right behind them to catch the ball.
Right?
So, Brazil is stunned to say the least. Some one-two punch, huh? Now look who's distracted. Well, Brazil can easily score again, right? Wrong. Apparently, the “own goal” was so out of left field that the Brazilian players could not over come their own shock and anger. Things only worsened when Sneijder gets a legit headed goal in the 68th minute after a corner kick. Now, with just over twenty minutes to score two goals, Brazil gets desperate. We haven't see Brazil play desperately, because they've never been threatened. So here's a fun fact: Brazil doesn't play well under pressure. This is why they try to score fast and furiously, so that they get the largest advantage as early as possible. They become sloppy, passes become less smooth and accurate, strategies fall apart, and players become more agitated.
Melo, furious at himself no doubt for the whammy of a mistake, fights with Sneijder for the ball in the 73rd minute, and in the scuffle Sneijder falls to the ground. Replays show that Melo does trip him up slightly, though the deliberateness is questionable. What isn't questionable is the nice stamp on the thigh Melo gives Sneijder as the later lies on the ground. This does not escape the notice of the referee, and a red card is immediately given, ejecting Melo from the game. If Brazil was dazed before, they were knocked out now, as the game was called without Brazil scoring even one more goal. Brazil loses, paving the way for the Netherlands to move on to the semi-finals.
0_o
Yeah, I would not have called that, not in a million years. Brazil losing to a smaller country with an off-and-on team? Never would have guessed. Brazil losing because they scored on their own net? Losing bet right there. Brazil losing due to their overconfidence and then later lack of focus due to having that confidence shattered?
That, after the last game, would have been a good bet, and I was a bit presumptuous to assume that Brazil would not get into trouble with this at some point. So good on you Netherlands for teaching Brazil a valuable lesson: just because you're the record-holders doesn't mean you can stop working for a victory.
Final score: Brazil 1-2 Netherlands
Ghana vs. Uruguay
In this corner, representing a country of almost 24 million people, representing the last hope of an entire continent for a first-ever semi-final position, GHANA!!!!!
*cue fevered cheers*
In the other corner, representing a country of just over 3 million, looking for their first FIFA victory since 1950, URUGUAY!!!!!
*cue rabid fans*
I went to Milestone's after work today to watch the end of this game. It was fun. There were people behind us screaming for Ghana, and people next to us hollering for Uruguay. I don't use those verbs lightly. One of the bartenders even remarked later that he could hear us shout and yell from across the restaurant in another room. To think, if Italy were still playing, I would have been as invested as those people.
... Okay I did let out a holler every now and again.
The first thing about the game that struck me was how controlling Ghana was, and how disappointing Uruguay was. Ghana made some of the nicest, smoothest, almost artistic passes between players I've ever seen. There's a finesse about them. They danced around the ball instead of merely kicking it and being done with. It was... distracting. Ah, that's how they confused Uruguay. They were too busy watching the footwork instead of the ball and other players who might be open. Still, fancy footwork was not enough for the first half, though Ghana attempted to score more and made fewer errors, neither team could break 0-0. Forty five minutes came and went, then stoppage ti-- WHAT THE FUCK?!?! Sulley Muntari scores a long-range goal just as stoppage time is called!! 1-0 Ghana!! Holy shit!
People beside me broke into loud groans. People behind me burst into screaming fits of joy. I whooped.
So, the second half begins, but it starts off slower than the last half. It looked like Ghana was playing it safe, while Uruguay was trying to figure out how to get around their goalie, Richard Kingson, who is awesome by the way, almost superhuman in his blocking abilities. But in the 55th minute, Uruguayan player Diego Forlan gets a free kick, and uses it to fool Kingson and score the equalizer. Now this was a bit unexpected, as Forlan's previous kicks (and later ones) were a bit... weak, ineffective, and just plain sad, so the fact that this kick suddenly went further than his others, and even curved a little to trick the goalie was surprising. It was a great goal. Shame he couldn't repeat his performance, even for a corner.
Now both sides are desperate; everyone's getting tired, and no one wants to go into extra time. Attempts are made left and right, but strikers either can't get past goalies, or shots go too wide. There were a couple of times where the ball went into the side of the nets, causing viewers are home to momentarily believe a goal had finally been scored, only to see from another angle that a goal had not come about. So, eventually, extra time was called, and another thirty minutes of anticipation began. And it played pretty much like the last 90 minutes, only more desperate, with people making more mistakes. I couldn't count how many times players on both sides would try and pass the ball, only to find no one on the receiving end. Aim people, aim! It only takes a second to find your team's colours!
When stoppage time for the extra time began, I briefly toyed with the idea that maybe lightning would strike twice, and maybe Ghana would score again in the final seconds. Well, in the closing minute, Ghana got a corner, and the ball pinged around in the Uruguayan box for a few seconds as players desperately tried to control the ball. Uruguyan goalie Fernando Muslera steps out of the net to hit the ball away, but a Ghana player heads the ball back into the now open net, where Luis Suarez - who had been trying to score so much during this game I almost called him “Torres” - must have thought he was the goalie for a second, as he hit the ball away with his fist.
Automatic red card. Automatic penalty kick for Ghana.
Asamoah Gyan steps up to take the shot. Victory is assur--
IT HITS THE CROSS BAR!!! EXTRA TIME IS OVER!!!
*headdesk*
So, now we move onto the bane of my existence (not really): penalty kicks. I've already explained why I don't like it when matches are determined by penalty kicks, but the game has to end somehow if you can't suffice with a tie. Uruguay steps up first: goal. Ghana is next: goal. Uruguay: goal. Ghana: goal. Uruguay: goal. Ghana: MISS! Uruguay: MISS!! Ghana: MISS HARDER!!! Uruguay: GOAL!!!!! Uruguay wins!!!!
Uruguay was the favourite going into this, so I'm not surprised that they won, but Ghana held them at bay for a good long while, and it ultimately came down to luck, both good and bad, to determine the victor. I'm not upset at the result, I just wish it didn't have to be decided with penalties. Oh well. Good job Uruguay, you're well on your way back to the top spot. And Ghana, you guys were awesome, don't minimize that fact. Don't forget that fact.
Final score: Ghana (2) 1-1 (4) Uruguay
That's all tonight folks! See you Sunday!