Match 57
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium - Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth
Netherlands 2 – 1 Brazil
Place watched: Reza’s Pitch, Bismarck, ND
This was the first of the highly-anticipated Quarter-final matches. Two classy, entertaining teams with very different styles in a winner-takes-all match-up… this, along with crazy hairstyles and strange facial hair, is what the Cup is all about!
I was checking out a bar / grill that promised to be open at game time for every Cup match. It is owned and operated by a guy who plays in a pick-up match I attend when I come back home to Mandan, ND. It is a cool place and the people are very nice—I was handed a donut and cup of coffee when I walked in the door.
The match started with Brazil controlling the play and pace of the match from the opening whistle. They were unlucky to not find the net in the first few minutes. Brazil did strike in the 9th on a solid finish after an amazing through-ball put in Robinho. Holland was lucky to get through the half only a goal down.
The second half started with more of the same. A couple forays into Dutch territory produced good chances but no goals. In the 53rd minute, against the run of play, The Netherlands scored. After beating 2 defenders, Arjen Robben laid back a ball for Wesley Sneijder who played a cross through the 6-yard goalie box. Brazil keeper Julio Cesar collided with his defender, Felipe Melo, and the ball ended up in the back of the net.
From there it was all Holland.
When Sneijder scored off of a well-taken corner kick to make it 2 – 1, Brazil’s frustration boiled over. Felipe Melo fouled Robben and, as Robben lay on the ground, stomped on him. The straight red card was well-deserved and Brazil never looked likely to score again.
Match 58
Soccer City Stadium - Johannesburg
Uruguay 1 – 1 Ghana (Uruguay advance on penalty kicks)
Place watched: Ground Round, Bismarck, ND
If it could be argued that the match this morning was the most anticipated match of the Quarter-finals, then this could be the one that caused the least amount of anticipation. While neither of the teams were expected to get this far in the tournament, both had earned their spots. I wrote a few days ago that Paraguay and South Korea both looked like they were playing not to lose, in this contest, both were playing like they had nothing to lose.
Just before the stroke of halftime, in the 47th minute, Ghana struck. A powerful drive from 30+ yards by Muntari beat Uruguayan keeper Muslera. Replays verified that the shot came out of nowhere. It was a half-chance at best, but Ghana has made half-chance goals a living in this Cup. Outstanding strike!
The second half began with Ghana in “prevent defense” mode, allowing Uruguay the bulk of possession. Traditionally, the only thing this type of defense prevents is a win.
Sure enough, a foul well outside the area gave Uruguay a free-kick in the 54th minute. Up stepped Diego Forlan, the Uruguayan striker with outstanding pedigree. His well struck free-kick wrong footed Ghanan keeper Kingson for Uruguay’s equalizer.
Regulation ended with the scored tied at 1s.
In extra time, both teams continued to attack. This was a very exciting match! In the 2nd added minute of stoppage time, Uruguay cleared a shot off of the line with a hand. A straight red card was issued to Suarez, and Ghana was awarded a penalty kick.
This hurts my soul to type given the stakes. Gyan stepped to the spot and confidently smashed the ball off of the crossbar. I was gutted. To the dismay of the wait staff who had gathered around the one TV in the place turned to the Cup, I gathered my stuff, paid my tab, and walked out. On the way back to my parents’ place, I received no fewer than 25 texts updating me with the result and I didn’t even want to look. Gutting, simply gutting…
The last African team had been eliminated.
No comments:
Post a Comment