footballspectator

FIFA is currently running a poll on its website, asking readers to select the likely Golden Shoe winner awarded for the top scorer in the World Cup. One surprise is that a number of the top contenders e.g. Adriano and Crespo do not figure in the list of choices. An even bigger one however is that according to voters, Ali Karimi of Iran, who has yet to score, is the most likely winner of the Golden Shoe. Six goals are usually required to win the award. Iran have only one match left, so Karimi will need to shoot on site if he is to break the World Cup record for goals scored by a player in one match (currently held by Oleg Salenko who scored 5 for Russia against Cameroon at USA ‘94) and fulfil the hopes of his fans…

According to the Brazilian press Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira paid a special visit to Ronaldo’s hotel room a couple of days after his statuesque performance against Croatia and tried to “motivate” him by telling him that he had to improve in today’s match against Australia or he would be benched. We find this report surprising for a couple of reasons:

1. Ronaldo was actually in his room after training and not out clubbing; and
2. Does Parreira think that Ronaldo minds sitting on the bench? Sitting down is what he wants to do!

A better tactic would have been to tell him that unless he improves, he will be confined to his room without food after matches. Maybe then we would see the real O Fenomeno make a reappearance.

Were they too arrogant or dismissive? Probably. Italy should have beaten the USA last night in Kaiserslautern. Instead their numerical advantage made them complacent. They assumed they would win as a goal was just a matter of time. Then time ran out and oops, they only had a draw.
Gilardino’s early header gave the Azzurri the lead which they hardly deserved as the USA had made the better start and looked a different proposition to the team that had been demolished by the Czechs. They got the equalizer their play deserved through an unexpected gift from Cristiano Zaccardo who sliced his attempted clearance badly and saw it end up in his own net. Then came the sendings off which changed the game. De Rossi stupidly elbowed McBride and then almost out of instinct displayed the classic Italian hand signal - palms together waving backwards and forwards as if to say, “Who? me? You’ve got it all wrong“. The numerical advantage was short-lived as Mastroeni was sent off for a bad foul on Pirlo. Eddy Pope was the next to go for a second yellow card.

That almost seemed to be Italy’s undoing. Yes Kasey Keller made a couple of great saves but ultimately Italy seemed content to pass the ball in front of the American area without taking a shot. Indeed the Italians were lucky that DaMarcus Beasley’s shot  was contentiously ruled off side - Brian McBride was in an offside position but arguably not interfering with play.
The long suffering Italian fans had been full of hope coming to Germany. This team was meant to be different to the previous teams - more attacking. The first match gave them hope. But in this match they reverted to type. Come 9th July, Italy will still be 3 times champions.

Here are the goals with a Brazilian touch of commentary class. We have never heard so much jubilation over an own goal.

After the first matches in Group E, most people would have thought that the Czechs, so vibrant against the USA would brush Ghana aside. Instead the Ghanaians dominated from start to finish. Asamoah Gyan’s 2nd minute strike appeared to fill the Black Stars with confidence and they started to produce some flowing football, with Petr Cech forced to make some big saves to keep the Czechs in it.

Things got worse for the Czechs in the second half Ujfalusi gave away a penalty for a foul on Amoah for which he was sent off. Asamoah Gyan’s effort hit the post and Czechs continued to have hope. However as they pressed for an equaliser they left massive holes at the back which the Ghanaians should have exploited. Instead, they came up against a wall  called Petr Cech. Eventually they managed to get through, as Udinese’s Sulley Muntari smashed his shot into the roof of the net.

Without Jan Koller or Milan Baros, the Czechs are struggling. Lokvenc did nothing and it was obvious that star players Nedved and Rosicky had no confidence in him. The Czechs will now have to beat Italy in their last match to ensure qualification, something which looks unlikely in the absence of their first choice forward line.

Highlights below..

As they did against Angola, Portugal struggled to impose themselves on supposedly inferior opponents. In the first half for all their possession they created few chances. Their best chance came coming from a smart Deco turn which was brilliantly saved by Mirzapour. Ronaldo was once again frustrating, focusing too much on crowd pleasing tricks rather than delivering end product. If he continues playing this way it won’t be long before an opponent takes offence and kicks him.

It was a similar story in the second half until Deco’s 63rd minute right footed screamer which gave the excellent Mirzapour no chance. Iran tried to respond but their players always seemed to need an extra touch by which time they had been closed down and could not get shots off. Cristiano Ronaldo’s late penalty, for a trip by Golmohammadi on Figo, killed them off.

Portugal are frustrating. They have so much talent in their team but at the moment they are not producing anywhere near the kind of football that their talent demands. It almost seems as they are still smarting from their defeat in the final of Euro 2004. Despite having qualified for the last 16, it may be a good idea for Big Phil to give his first choice team another run out against Mexico otherwise they will be playing Argentina and taking the next flight home.

Here are the “highlights”

Being over 2 metres tall, Peter Crouch should not really need any extra help to score from a header. However, as this picture shows, Crouch pulled T&T defender Sancho’s hair as he scored England’s opener in Thursday’s match in Nuremberg. Sancho complained after the match that he had been fouled but few listened. England can count themselves extremely lucky. For years we have heard complaints about Maradona’s “Hand of God”. How is this any different?

Angola won their first ever point at the World Cup after holding heavily fancied Mexico to a 0-0 draw in the evening kick-off. The hero for the Angolans was unemployed goalkeeper Joao Ricardo who pulled off a string of unbelievable saves to keep out the Mexicans. One save in particular from Marquez’s long-range second half thunderbolt was unbelievable. Mexico must be disappointed as they had more than enough chances, but poor finishing, especially from Guille Franco cost them.

The result means that if Iran draw with Portugal today, then both qualification places will be up for grabs going into the final round of matches.

The Dutch beat the Ivory Coast in Stuttgart 2-1 to ensure qualification to the last 16. Holland now play Argentina to decide who tops the group and must be glad that they do not have to win to progress given the form that Argentina have displayed.

Robin van Persie opened the scoring with a great free kick which he powered into the top left hand corner. Ruud van Nistelrooy doubled the lead shortly afterwards. But the Ivorians never give up. Didier Zokora’s long range effort cannoned off the bar before Bakari Kone, an impressive substitute in the first game, scored an excellent solo goal to reduce the deficit at half-time. The Ivorians pushed the Dutch hard in the second half and needed Van Persie’s clearance on the line to keep out Drogba’s header.
Holland looked good going forward, but with Robben once again way too selfish could not increase their lead. However their defence struggled to cope with the direct running and ability of the Ivorians. The Ivory Coast must be the unluckiest side in the tournament. They have played extremely well in their first two matches but the draw did them no favours. Hopefully, they will get the win they deserve against S&M.

They were excellent in their first match but yesterday Argentina’s performance was from a different world. Their 6-0 demolition of Serbia & Montenegro was the performance of the World Cup so far. They displayed a brand of flowing, attacking care free football that even start-studded Brazil will struggle to match. Serbia & Montenegro could not cope and they are not a bad side.

All six goals were excellent but the stand-out has to be the 24 pass move which culminated in Esteban Cambiasso’s great finish from Hernan Crespo’s backheel to score Argentina’s second. Earlier, Maxi Rodriguez had opened the score from a great pass from Saviola, and Saviola set Rodriguez up again for the third. Saviola’s performance was outstanding once again and it is hard to believe that he is surplus to requirements at Barcelona. There should be a queue forming for his services. The other scorers were Hernan Crespo and young duo Carlitos Tevez and Lio Messi who both made their World Cup debuts.

Argentina are playing as if they have something to prove following their disappointing exit in 2002 when they were favourites. While Pekerman was criticised in the Argentinean media for his substitutions in the first match, his decisions cannot be faulted in this game. Their performances need to be put into context - they are producing them in the TOUGHEST Group! If the albiceleste can keep it up, they should be lifting the title on July 9th.

Here are the goals. Please excuse the commentary!

When a picture of Michael Ballack wearing an “Italia” t-shirt appeared in the press, German fans were horrified, seeing it as a lack of commitment to the cause. Ballack defended his actions by saying that he wore it to bring the team luck as Italy was the country in which Germany won their last World Cup in 1990. What next? Will German players wearing brands of boots other than Adidas and Puma be accused of showing a lack of commitment too?

In a frustrating match in Berlin, Sweden edged Paraguay 1-0, thanks to Freddie Ljungberg’s deft header. Sweden were again poor in front of goal with superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking slow and unfit and wasting a good chance when he scuffed his shot when clean through. The problem is that Sweden are not Brazil. They not do not have superstars in reserve that they can call on when their first team do not perform. Instead, they have players like Marcus Allback - willing but ultimately useless. His attempt to chip excellent Paraguay goalie Bobadilla was a good example. Allback wheeled away to celebrate but suddenly realised he had not given his shot enough and turned back to try to make amends but it was too late as Caniza cleared off the line. A fit Zlatan would have buried that chance.

The Swedes now play England to decide first place in the group. If both continue to play as they have so far, this could rival France v Switzerland for the title of most boring match of the tournament. Germany and Ecuador should not be worried.

Best chance of winning the World Cup in 40 years? Give me a break! England were poor throughout today’s match and finally got out of jail courtesy of Peter Crouch’s 82nd minute goal. Steven Gerrard’s vicious drive in injury time only added to the sense of injustice.

The fact that Eriksson was forced to introduce an unfit Wayne Rooney in this game, sums up just how desperate England were - without him they are lost. They struggled to break down an organised but ultimately limited team. Bean pole striker Peter Crouch played as if he believed he was Maradona. Sadly for him, he has neither the touch nor the technique of Diegito. In the first half, Beckham’s cross picked him out unmarked in the 6 yard box. Rather than take his time to control the ball, Crouch attempted an acrobatic flying volley and put the ball 20 metres wide. Then, at the beginning of the second half, receiving the ball with his back to goal, he attempted to flick the ball up in the air and execute an overhead kick. The ball flew 15 metres above the goal. When he finally did score, through a header, it was mainly because he was about 40 cm taller than his marker.

So what of the other England players? Michael Owen must again be disappointed to be substituted. His confidence is clearly not improving. The normally clinical Lampard was also poor, missing several good chances. The only real pluses for England were the performances of substitute Aaron Lennon who made a substantial impact in taking on other players and Beckham’s precise delivery from set pieces.

T&T can take plenty of credit from their first appearance in a World Cup. They have run two of Europe’s football nations very close and owe a lot to the clever coaching of Beenhakker.