Should I be so happy that Brazil have been knocked out of the World Cup? Well, I could be happier, it could have been Uruguay knocking them out in the up coming semifinals. Even better had they gone on to lose to Argentina in the final.
Netherlands beat Brazil in a come from behind thriller 2-1. As soon as the team from Europe scored the go ahead goal, the Brazilians started to lose their composure. Five minutes later, Felipe Melo received a red card after having not only fouled a Dutch player, but continuing to kick the man after the whistle had blown. This wasn't the Brazil of the Beautiful Game, but the ugly Brazil, who can't deal with a team that isn't intimidated by them, a team that had gone down 1-0 ten minutes into the game, but fought back to win.
The Brazilians eventually regained their composure, or at least Kaka did, but down a man with only some twenty minutes to work with they just couldn't find a way to take the game level... and I laughed and celebrated, not that the Netherlands had gone through, but because Brazil, the almighty Brazil, the nation who has won more World Cups than any other, are heading home.
Ah, life's simple joys.
On the day's other match, Uruguay and Ghana played to a 1-1 draw. Ghana nearly won it in the dying minutes of the second over time. In a mad goal line scramble, Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who was back helping out in defense, was on the line when a nearly sure goal came his way. Unable to get a head on it, he forgot that he wasn't the goalkeeper and deflected the ball away with what was clearly a hand ball. In this case, the referee spotted it, red carding Suárez and pointing to the penalty spot.
Fortune smiled on Uruguay as Ghana's Asamoah Gyan beat the keeper, only to slam the ball against the crossbar. Suárez thus earns the distinction of having perhaps the most tactically sound red card ever earned at a World Cup.
Really, this was one of those matches were neither side deserved to lose, so it was only just that the game be decided by way of the penalty shoot out. I still wish there was a better way of deciding these things, but it's all we have for the moment. Uruguay proceeded to move on, winning the shoot out 4-2.
Tomorrow we'll see Argentina vs Germany, a rematch of both the 1986 and 1990 finals, and Spain vs Paraguay. Both Argentina and Germany will be going into their match against each other full of confidence. Paraguay, however, must pray for a miracle against Spain.
Villar, Cardozo... just remember, as good as Spain may be, they aren't invincible. Switzerland beat them in the first round, the USA at last year's Confederation Cup. Why not Paraguay in the World Cup quarterfinals?
Showing posts with label Ghana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghana. Show all posts
Friday, July 2, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
USA World Cup Dreams Denied By Ghana... Again
The 2006 World Cup in Germany the USA couldn't even get out of the group stage, so I suppose that making it to the second round, winning their group over England via goals scored should be considered an improvement. In truth, during the group stage, they were a much better team than they were four years ago... well, at least in the second half.
At this very moment ESPN Classic is repeating the USA's 2-1, overtime loss to Ghana in the second round. Yes, I could have, perhaps should have written about this yesterday, but I've been working a lot of overtime of late, and as much as I'd like to post daily reports on what has happened at the Cup I just haven't had the energy.
Ghana should have been beatable. They dumped the US out in 2006, so the US had every reason to go out and play with conviction to win. Instead, their old weaknesses come back to haunt them, along with their new weakness of giving up goals early. Yes, if the USA could play a full 90 the way they have played every 2nd half they've played in South Africa they could well have gone a lot further than the 2nd round, despite still making too many passes directly to the feet of their intended target (who stands there waiting for the ball, flatfooted,) a lack of a solid finisher up front (Charlie Davies surely was missed, but even he isn't exactly what I'd call a goal poacher,) two players playing wide in midfield who don't have the kind of speed that is needed there.
Yes, Landon Donovan is the USA's best player, but, in my opinion, he'd be better off playing as a central attacking midfielder with the freedom to roam the width of the pitch. Even then, he appears to have developed a fear of physical contact. Every time he had the ball against on a dribble and was confronted by an opposing defender, he'd turn away from the challenge rather than try and dribble past his man. With a bit more backbone Landon could have gotten past the defender, or possibly drawn a foul.
Clint Dempsey would serve the team better as a striker. Just look at his track record, just about every time he's been moved up to the front line he's found the back of the net. He is, again, this is my opinion, the only US player with a true understanding of the game. The game isn't just being sound tactically and technically, it isn't the physical conditioning. Yes, all these things are needed, but what Dempsey has that the rest of the USA's attacking forces lack is a bit of flare, the instinct to try something a little different, something unexpected. It was this trait that earned the US a draw against first round opponents England, and it was a Dempsey run into the box that earned the USA a penalty.
Personally, I think Dempsey should have been given the nod to take the spot kick, but Donovan converted to level the score, so I can't complain too much.
Looking forward, there is reason to be optimistic if your a fan of the US team. The team has only a few players over thirty, and so the core of the team should still be around for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Problems that need to be addressed is an aging defense that is perhaps the weakest part of the team, developing at least one of their young forwards into a true goal scorer, and finding some speed on the wings.
Meanwhile, it's Ghana pushing on into the quarterfinals to play yesterday's other 2nd round winners Uruguay.
Now it's almost time for Germany vs England, which should be an interesting match up. Later on it's Argentina vs Mexico. Can I possibly hope for another magical goal from Maxi Rodriguez?
And I promise to try to post something on both of these matches after they have concluded. (Crossing my fingers, already feeling the need for a nap.)
At this very moment ESPN Classic is repeating the USA's 2-1, overtime loss to Ghana in the second round. Yes, I could have, perhaps should have written about this yesterday, but I've been working a lot of overtime of late, and as much as I'd like to post daily reports on what has happened at the Cup I just haven't had the energy.
Ghana should have been beatable. They dumped the US out in 2006, so the US had every reason to go out and play with conviction to win. Instead, their old weaknesses come back to haunt them, along with their new weakness of giving up goals early. Yes, if the USA could play a full 90 the way they have played every 2nd half they've played in South Africa they could well have gone a lot further than the 2nd round, despite still making too many passes directly to the feet of their intended target (who stands there waiting for the ball, flatfooted,) a lack of a solid finisher up front (Charlie Davies surely was missed, but even he isn't exactly what I'd call a goal poacher,) two players playing wide in midfield who don't have the kind of speed that is needed there.
Yes, Landon Donovan is the USA's best player, but, in my opinion, he'd be better off playing as a central attacking midfielder with the freedom to roam the width of the pitch. Even then, he appears to have developed a fear of physical contact. Every time he had the ball against on a dribble and was confronted by an opposing defender, he'd turn away from the challenge rather than try and dribble past his man. With a bit more backbone Landon could have gotten past the defender, or possibly drawn a foul.
Clint Dempsey would serve the team better as a striker. Just look at his track record, just about every time he's been moved up to the front line he's found the back of the net. He is, again, this is my opinion, the only US player with a true understanding of the game. The game isn't just being sound tactically and technically, it isn't the physical conditioning. Yes, all these things are needed, but what Dempsey has that the rest of the USA's attacking forces lack is a bit of flare, the instinct to try something a little different, something unexpected. It was this trait that earned the US a draw against first round opponents England, and it was a Dempsey run into the box that earned the USA a penalty.
Personally, I think Dempsey should have been given the nod to take the spot kick, but Donovan converted to level the score, so I can't complain too much.
Looking forward, there is reason to be optimistic if your a fan of the US team. The team has only a few players over thirty, and so the core of the team should still be around for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Problems that need to be addressed is an aging defense that is perhaps the weakest part of the team, developing at least one of their young forwards into a true goal scorer, and finding some speed on the wings.
Meanwhile, it's Ghana pushing on into the quarterfinals to play yesterday's other 2nd round winners Uruguay.
Now it's almost time for Germany vs England, which should be an interesting match up. Later on it's Argentina vs Mexico. Can I possibly hope for another magical goal from Maxi Rodriguez?
And I promise to try to post something on both of these matches after they have concluded. (Crossing my fingers, already feeling the need for a nap.)
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