Monthly Archives: June 2010

When people talk about Spain vs Portugal certainly their first thought will be the battle of young, premier strikers.

Spain’s David Villa

And, of course, Portugal’s Christiano Ronaldo. He hasnt made much an impact yet in this tournament. Can he come up big today? Or will he spend too much going down on the ground at every draft of wind in an attempt to draw fouls?

Allow me a few other random thoughts that go beyond the mercurial, high scoring strikers.

So far in this second round, we’ve had rematches, European powers and South American continent mates go head to head, but in this match, we might have the only true rivlary game of the second round. In my quest for futbol education, I have been watching a lot of the Greatest Rivalries series broadcast by the Fox Sports Channel. They took a nice, long dive into the Spain/Portugal rivalry these Iberian Peninsula neighbors have. What fascinated my was how much angst, rage, and chip on the shoulder emotions that Portugal saves for Spain. Bizarrely, Portugal wants to beat Spain badly, but also, however, they yearn to be Spain. I didnt get the sense Spain felt as intense about the rivalry. I’ll quit with the dime store psychology before I turn away any readers from Portugal or within the Benifica fanbase. But, make no mistkae, Spain vs Portugal gives the World Cup today perhaps the best example of Big Brother vs Little Brother in this entire tournament. Mike Hart and Mark Dantonio should watch together (Zing!). Read more »

You have to feel a little bit bad for Chile. Anytime you have to play Spain and Brazil in consectuive matches in the World Cup, you’d like to think, expect even, that those games would be semis and finals off the tournament. Instead La Roja gets the top two teams in the world to end group play and the first Knockout game in the round of 16. For Chile it’s their first appearance this far in the tournament since 1998 when they lost in this round to guess who? Brazil. Like I said, in a way you have to feel bad for Chile.

South America has been the story of the tournament so far. For the first time, we get two of the continent’s teams going head to head. Technically speaking, we have the two best South American teams as Brazil and Chile went 1-2 in the South American qualifying for this event with Chile falling a point short of Brazil’s 36 during the 18-game qualifying schedule. Chile made some big time waves during the 2-year qualifying run. They beat Argentina, splitting their two games with Maradona’s boys. They played to a pair of draws against Uruguay, but they actually scored twice in a game against the brick wall La Celeste D. They added a win over Paraguay, all told going 2-2-2 against that trio of fellow World Cup qualifiers. So, they can play.

But one thing they havent really proven they can do is play with Brazil. The two may look neck and neck on paper when looking at the Connebol qualifying standings for the 2010 World Cup, but it might have been the widest one point margin in a soccer table that we’ve seen. In the two head to head legs, Brazil really had their way with Chile, beating them 3-0 and 4-2.  Brazil has a heck of a defense, and they’re critiqued by their fans who expect both style and substance with spending too much focus on that end. But, dont tell EL Roja about their lack of substance. Brazil had three multiple goal halves against them in those matches, looking like the same high wire act on the offensive end of the pitch that we expect. In 16 legs against the rest of South American, La Roja went 10-3-3 with a +15 goal margin. In two games against Brazil, this happened:

This is the first qualifier. Luis Fabiano scored twice, along with a Rohbino tally.

Nilmar scores three goals in a 4-2 win in the team’s second leg against each other in qualifications Read more »

The only fitting way to set up today’s Mexico-Argentina elimination game is by digging up a highlight clip.

Or we could use this video:

Those are from the last two World Cups. In 2006, in the very same round these clubs meet today, Maxi Rodriguez crushed the Mexicans in overtime with one of the all-time goals in World Cup history. It was another bitter pill for El Tri and their fans to swallow. I say that because, rematch aside, I also started this post, by pointing out Mexico’s bitter 2-0 to the hated Yanks in the 2002 Round of 16. But, we could have just as easily with a little digging, found clips from their 2-1 loss to Germany in 1998. Or their painful loss to Bulgaria in the penalty kick phase in front of 70,000 fans, mostly paritsan El Tri supports, at the Meadowlands during the 1994 USA finals. El Tri had now made five straight Knockout Rounds, but in each of the previous four were eliminated in painful fashion right off the bat in the Round of 16. They have become the Buffalo Bills of World Cup group stage: always advancing out of it, but losing in their first  big game. Conventional wisdom says it wont get any better today with the heavily favorited Argentina squad on the other side of the pitch.  Will today be another chance for Diego Maradona to tell the world soccer punidtry class Sigue Chupando. Or, will he and his team fail to deliver, giving the chattering class the ammo they’ve seeked all along in their pursuit to bury the outspoken and wild coach?

Argentina has a lot of current star power with Messi, Tevez and Haguin. Mexico has a lot of future star power with dos Santos, Vela and Hernandez. That’s probably the difference today, the combination of  Argentina’s quality and experience. But, I still expect Mexico to give a strong run at this. This will be more competitive than the Germany/England game. This is a better team than the 2006 team, perhaps better than any other version of El Tri that has fallen during this Round of 16 jinx. I just like the way they’re playing. They were steeled in Group A play, and they will be the hardest team Argentina will have played so far.  I think Argentina has a bit of a weakness in spots on their midfield and the counterattacking Mexicans can take advantage of that. Carlos Salcido, quieted by Uruguay’s defensive effort in the final leg of group play, will be closer to the force he was against France. I think El Tri does no worse than extend the game past regulation. I’m biting on Draw at +280. Read more »

England versus Germany in the World Cup. It conjures up some special moments in the history of the event.

Like the Three Lions win over Germany in the 1966 Championship Game, the last time jolly old England hoisted the World Cup trophy.

Or, the 1990 semifinals, the closest England has been the promised land since. Their hopes, however, dashed by the efficient Germans who ended up winning the title over Argentina a few days late.

I wont really break this game down. Just know that when the German and English sides meet on the pitch, its more than a football game, its rich with historical subtexts. Most importantly, its a match between two of the best sides in world, and All Star game with international bragging rights on the line. I think there are two questions in this game. Will England’s defense, a main reason they’ve struggled so far this World Cup, be able to contain the German attack? And, can the guady looking English roster, highlighted by Wayne Rooney, finally generate goals? They’ve only scored twice during this entier finals campaign. They have way too much talent to have scored so little.

Of course, there are a few other keys. Can Jermaine Defoe who has always been Capello’s goal threat off the bench add another tally getting a second start in a row? Where in the world is Joe Cole? Will Wayne Rooney finally score? Can the Three Lions get a goal saving play from its keeper instead of the other way around? The German midfielder Meset Ozil has been a breakout star of these games, but how will the kid perform in his first World Cup Knockout Round with a fierce rival on the other side of the pitch? Miroslac Klose is back in the German lineup after missing the Ghana game on yelloow-card suspension can pass somebody named Pele on the all time WC goal list.  Whats the status of Bastian Schweinsteiger? The German midfielder is the straw the stirs the drink, but he’s doubtful after twisting his ankle against Ghana. The Germans are a world power, but actually have a losing record in legit international games where he’s unavailable. Does he play, and, if so, how effective will he be? We go on and on and on keys of the games. It’s about to start, so we wont. But, we do have a pick to make and we’re feeling bullish about things after a nice 2-0 start to the Knockout Round yesterday. Read more »