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(Apologies for the dodgy formatting -- I tried to make paragraph breaks more pronounced)
Last 16 Day Two
26 June 2010
ARGENTINA 3 (Tevez 26, Higuain 33, Tevez 52)
MEXICO 1 (Hernandez 71)
Salcido hit the crossbar with a sensational 35 yard strike. As the
debate over Lampard 2010 raged on Argentina took the lead with an
illegitimate goal. Tevez ran onto a through ball and into Mexican
goalkeeper Perez, who is about an inch taller than him, Messi lobbed the
ball goalwards, Tevez, standing two yards offside, headed in. The
Mexican's surrounded the linesman Ayroldi, pointing to the giant screens
in the stadium which showed Tevez was offside but of course Rosetti's
hands were tied. No doubt FIFA's response will be to ban replays in
stadiums. That's the best course of action, bury your head in the sand.
Osorio underhit a square pass across his box, Higuain intercepted,
Osorio jumped on his back, but he rode the challenge, dragged the ball
back, rounded Perez and tapped into an empty net. Tevez was trying to
play in a team-mate on the overlap (Otamendi?) but kicked the ball into
two defenders, he quickly turned onto the rebound and unleashed an
extraordinary foot shot which tore into the top right corner, best long
range goal of the tournament. Manchester United new boy Javier Hernandez
bagged a brilliant consolation goal. With his back to play inside the D
he spun onto Torrado's pass, with a fabulous first touch took the ball
away from Demichelis then thumped into the top left corner.
Argentina showed very little ambition to attack after going 3-0 up. They
still haven't been tested, their goalkeeper is crap. Still no goals for
Messi. He'll have to turn it on against Germany otherwise Argentina are
going home.
Attendance : 84,377
Assists : Messi, n/a, n/a, Torrado
GERMANY 4 (Klose 20, Podolski 32, Muller 67, Muller 70)
ENGLAND 1 (Upson 37)
Schweinsteiger released Ozil with a glorious ball over the top of a
square English defence, Cole prevented him from cutting inside but he
managed to shoot nonetheless, drawing a good save from James. Neuer hit
a booming goalkick deep into the England half, Klose ran straight
through the middle, held off Upson and poked the ball into the bottom
corner as James advanced off his line. His 50th Germany goal. The
German's fashioned another chance minutes later from a throw-in. Lahm
passed to Muller, who played a one-two with Khedira, running onto his
backheel, he drifted infield and threading a reverse pass through
Terry's legs, Klose angled his run between Johnson and Terry to stay
onside but James dived at his feet to kick clear. Beautiful football.
England won a throw-in, Cole hurled the ball at Upson who hit a caveman
longball out of defence, straight to Mertesacker, he passed to Lahm,
Lahm to Khedira, Khedira into Muller, Muller drove a pass into Ozil as
he spun around Ashley Cole, Klose lobbed a first time pass over Upson's
head, Muller ran though, lobbed the ball over Johnson to Podolski out
wide left, he took a touch before shooting between James' legs into the
bottom right corner. Another marvellously crafted goal. England
responded with Lampard throwing himself at a low Milner centre but Neuer
blocked and Lahm cleared.
The German response was swift, Klose forced a
corner then a subsequent save from James. England won a corner and
played it short, Milner feigned to cross before giving Gerrard a reverse
pass, Gerrard crossed and Upson leapt in the air, closed his eyes and
the ball dropped over Neuer. 2-1. Within a minute we witnessed what will
surely go down in history/infamy as one of the most controversial
non-calls of all time. England recovered the ball from kick-off, Milner
passed into Defoe, as he was tackled the ball fell to Lampard who took a
touch before lobbing over Neuer, Neuer dived to catch the ball from 2
yards inside the goal, no goal. 1966 and all that in reverse. Neuer
immediately booted the ball downfield, Klose held it up while waiting
for support which arrived quickly, Muller's cross should have been
cleared by Upson but he gave the ball straight back to the Germans,
Muller headed across to Ozil, he feigned to shoot, rolled the ball back
to Podolski and his drive flashed wide of the right post.
Lampard slammed a free kick against the top of the crossbar. Muller had
a shot blocked and Friedrich stole the ball off Defoe's feet as he ran
through onto a Rooney pass. Schweinsteiger bounced a shot wide of the
left post. Rooney dived to win a free kick, Lampard's shot was charged
down, Barry was tackled by Lahm as he tried to force his way into the
box and Boateng released Muller in space down the left, Muller switched
play with a pass out wide to Schweinsteiger, Ozil charged forward in
support distracting Johnson, Schweinsteiger ran infield, Schweinsteiger
rolled the ball to Muller and from angle wide right on goal he blasted
the ball into the bottom corner, James parrying it into the net as he
dived in the opposite direction. Another counter attack, another German
goal. Joe Cole's lazy centre was intercepted by Klose who released Ozil
with a magnificent first time crossfield pass, Ozil left Barry for dead,
cut in from the left, poked the ball between Ashley Cole's legs and
Muller smashed in his second and Germany's fourth.
Chasing three goals Capello brought on Heskey for Defoe while his opposite number
substituted Klose and man of the match Muller. The director cut to a
shot of two England fans dressed as RAF Pilots. It's not about the war
you stupid bastards. Neuer denied Gerrard with an excellent save
following good link-up play between Lampard, Barry and Rooney. England's
worst ever defeat at a World Cup finals tournament.
The debate over the use of VT will run and run and the UK are the
victims of their stupidity. The IFAB, the rule makers, which originally
consisted of representatives of the UK Football Associations i.e.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland allowed FIFA on board and
now FIFA hold as many votes as the four UK associations. It was the
Welsh and Northern Irish FAs that voted against the use of technology at
an IFAB meeting earlier in the year.
The goal that wasn't a goal will be used to excuse England's performance
but they were a distance second best. As Alan Hansen said :
"I went to the game against Algeria and I thought they (England) were
abysmal. Today they were four levels below that ". Germany could have scored eight. A succession of England coaches have
failed, Capello the most high profile of them all. He made many mistakes
of course and he was undermined by Terry and dressing room mutiny. The
lack of imagination shown by English players is galling. Getting the
ball wide and sending crosses into the box is an archaic tactic and
that's how most England teams play. Where are the one-twos and
triangles? Where is the patient passing which drags players out of
position, where is the intelligent movement? Long-term, short-term,
England are doomed because, as I have said time and time again, the
football played in the EPL is not conducive to success at international
level. It's too fast, too furious, lacking in intelligence, like the
players themselves.
Thomas Muller is the best young midfielder in the World, a player of
extraordinary intelligence. Levels far above Ballack whose absence has
liberated this team.
Attendance : 40,510
Assists : Neuer, Muller, Gerrard, Ozil, Schweinsteiger
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Courtesy http://www.soccer-europe.com
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