June 18.
Croats Split with Sapporro Samurais.
I expected the Croats to win this game. Not by a huge margin but by one of those convincing yet underwhelming scores like 1-0 or 2-1. After playing very well against World Champions Brazil, in their opening game, they fell apart against a determined Japan.
I don't know what to make of Croatia - enigmatic, frustrating at times but consistently capable of turning over more illustrious foes. They are compact, technically gifted and in Dario Srnja and Dado Prso, (him of Christopher Lambert looks) have competent strikers who will take their chances and score goals without setting the game alight. Their midfield of Kovac, Kranjcar and Babic is dogged without being dominant and their defence, marshalled by France 98 veteran Igor Tudor, is neat and tidy.
Their whole World Cup campaign has, once again, lacked the explosive touch, symptomatic of recent tilts at international tournaments. They seemed off colour and sterile, an international Charlton or Bologna, good enough to make it to the final dance, but never good enough to challenge for manjor honours. One could say Yanagisawa played an inspired game to deny the Croats, but the fact remains that they never really had a clincher that could have won the game.
With Serbia getting systematical dismantled and dumped out of the tournament by Argentina, and Ivory Coast frittering away its chances, my hopes now fell on the Croats to take on the mantle of outside bets. They failed to light up, again. They were physically more imposing than the Japanese and possessed more talent, technique and organisation, but like a fading team whose best years seem behind them they failed to find the final telling pass. When Srnja stepped up to take the penalty you sensed he would fluff it, and fluff it he did, his final effort pathetic.
Japan battled hard, displaying mental resolve and determination to make up for their late debacle in their opening game against Australia. Nakamura, Nakata and Inamoto played well but what they lack in skill, they make up in effort and poise, running, running and running.
Other than the sun though, nothing else shone down. Once the final whistle blew you felt even the players had had enough. The game needs less games like this but sadly there are so many evenly matched out-of-form teams to go through.
I've labelled this group as Brazil's with the crucial match the decider between Croatia and Oz. On this form Australia have the upper hand and Croatia have to chase the game - but this group of middling professionals may find that group of motley journeymen too hard a group to beat.
Croatia 0
Japan 0
Brazil bruise Australia.
Some people called this game close. Some said Australia deserved a draw. Oh please. I'll admit - Brazil were not brilliant, but they still played well. Australia had little to offer. As predicted, their limited group of thugs sought to clamp down and crunch up any spark of Brazilian flair. They knew they could not win by trying to outfootball Brazil so they figured they'd out foul them and throw them off their game. I hate that attitude. Football is a game of goals and balletic attacking movement - not one of defensive communism. Australia, like Ghana in the their opener against Italy, disgusted me. If they had scored it would have been off a mistake by Dida, the Brazilian custodian, not because they created anything worth watching.
I enjoyed seeing them cut open in the final 20 minutes. Adriano's finish off Ronaldo's side pass was exquisite, seminal and technically perfect. That is what finishing is all about. Fred's second may have been fortuitous but the fact remains that the ball bounced off a post after Robinho had sliced through the apology of an Australian defense. Kaka should have put away a third but he was tense, rattled by the physical abuse he had had to put up with the whole game. I was most impressed by Lucio and Ze Roberto, the latter displaying all his years of experience with a mature, composed performance that was understated but crucial. Gilberto was everywhere, shielding, passing and cutting off angles.
Brazil should have stuffed Bolton - I mean Australia, but the 2-0 win and qualification will go down fine. They are yet to sparkle, but they should remind themselves that Oz played better than Serbia did against Argetina and so comparisions with their southern neighbours are misplaced and counter-productive.
The scary thing in all this is that Australia now only need a draw in their final game to proceed - a tragedy that should not occur.
Brazil 2 - Adriano, Fred
Oz 0
France fluff their lines.
France should have won this game but they looked clueless and shackled the whole time. After they went a goal up through Henry's simple finish, they briefly came out of their shell. However once the minutes ticked by and they had still not scored a seond goal, one could sense panic and anxiety mounting. Sure enough their nervoueness permeated through to the Koreans who scored a deserved equaliser. I've always been a little harsh on the Koreans but I have never discounted their effort - that shone through today as they maintained their grip on top place in the group. Park's goal was a little comical in fashion, Barthez showing why everyone rates him so low. But the Koreans got just reward for a gutsy, determined fightback.
Henry disappeared after scoring the goal, preferring to fall at the slightest contact in the box, Viera played rubbish. He was so bad that even Makhalele could not protect the hole that was being forged in the centre of the park. Zidane is past his prime - he has been for a few years now. It's a sign of things that the French team is built around 2 aging overseas has beens when they have a vibrant domestic team in Lyon. Abidal was wasted, Wiltord was his usual sloppy self.
At one point Viera received the ball on a breakaway on the right. Instead of either crossing, passing forward into the box where Henry and Wiltord were making runs, surging forward himself or shooting, he waited till THREE Korean defenders moved past him into position and then played the ball BACK to Abidal, just behind him. That move summed up the French - ponderous and tentative.
Domenech is a joke - he has wasted this team. Anyone who picks Barthez over Coupet is a Sven - Monsier Raymond is a definite Sven, down to the stylish eyewear.
Korea might still go through, France look headed out.
France 1 - Henry
Korea 1 - Park Ji-Sung
Croats Split with Sapporro Samurais.
I expected the Croats to win this game. Not by a huge margin but by one of those convincing yet underwhelming scores like 1-0 or 2-1. After playing very well against World Champions Brazil, in their opening game, they fell apart against a determined Japan.
I don't know what to make of Croatia - enigmatic, frustrating at times but consistently capable of turning over more illustrious foes. They are compact, technically gifted and in Dario Srnja and Dado Prso, (him of Christopher Lambert looks) have competent strikers who will take their chances and score goals without setting the game alight. Their midfield of Kovac, Kranjcar and Babic is dogged without being dominant and their defence, marshalled by France 98 veteran Igor Tudor, is neat and tidy.
Their whole World Cup campaign has, once again, lacked the explosive touch, symptomatic of recent tilts at international tournaments. They seemed off colour and sterile, an international Charlton or Bologna, good enough to make it to the final dance, but never good enough to challenge for manjor honours. One could say Yanagisawa played an inspired game to deny the Croats, but the fact remains that they never really had a clincher that could have won the game.
With Serbia getting systematical dismantled and dumped out of the tournament by Argentina, and Ivory Coast frittering away its chances, my hopes now fell on the Croats to take on the mantle of outside bets. They failed to light up, again. They were physically more imposing than the Japanese and possessed more talent, technique and organisation, but like a fading team whose best years seem behind them they failed to find the final telling pass. When Srnja stepped up to take the penalty you sensed he would fluff it, and fluff it he did, his final effort pathetic.
Japan battled hard, displaying mental resolve and determination to make up for their late debacle in their opening game against Australia. Nakamura, Nakata and Inamoto played well but what they lack in skill, they make up in effort and poise, running, running and running.
Other than the sun though, nothing else shone down. Once the final whistle blew you felt even the players had had enough. The game needs less games like this but sadly there are so many evenly matched out-of-form teams to go through.
I've labelled this group as Brazil's with the crucial match the decider between Croatia and Oz. On this form Australia have the upper hand and Croatia have to chase the game - but this group of middling professionals may find that group of motley journeymen too hard a group to beat.
Croatia 0
Japan 0
Brazil bruise Australia.
Some people called this game close. Some said Australia deserved a draw. Oh please. I'll admit - Brazil were not brilliant, but they still played well. Australia had little to offer. As predicted, their limited group of thugs sought to clamp down and crunch up any spark of Brazilian flair. They knew they could not win by trying to outfootball Brazil so they figured they'd out foul them and throw them off their game. I hate that attitude. Football is a game of goals and balletic attacking movement - not one of defensive communism. Australia, like Ghana in the their opener against Italy, disgusted me. If they had scored it would have been off a mistake by Dida, the Brazilian custodian, not because they created anything worth watching.
I enjoyed seeing them cut open in the final 20 minutes. Adriano's finish off Ronaldo's side pass was exquisite, seminal and technically perfect. That is what finishing is all about. Fred's second may have been fortuitous but the fact remains that the ball bounced off a post after Robinho had sliced through the apology of an Australian defense. Kaka should have put away a third but he was tense, rattled by the physical abuse he had had to put up with the whole game. I was most impressed by Lucio and Ze Roberto, the latter displaying all his years of experience with a mature, composed performance that was understated but crucial. Gilberto was everywhere, shielding, passing and cutting off angles.
Brazil should have stuffed Bolton - I mean Australia, but the 2-0 win and qualification will go down fine. They are yet to sparkle, but they should remind themselves that Oz played better than Serbia did against Argetina and so comparisions with their southern neighbours are misplaced and counter-productive.
The scary thing in all this is that Australia now only need a draw in their final game to proceed - a tragedy that should not occur.
Brazil 2 - Adriano, Fred
Oz 0
France fluff their lines.
France should have won this game but they looked clueless and shackled the whole time. After they went a goal up through Henry's simple finish, they briefly came out of their shell. However once the minutes ticked by and they had still not scored a seond goal, one could sense panic and anxiety mounting. Sure enough their nervoueness permeated through to the Koreans who scored a deserved equaliser. I've always been a little harsh on the Koreans but I have never discounted their effort - that shone through today as they maintained their grip on top place in the group. Park's goal was a little comical in fashion, Barthez showing why everyone rates him so low. But the Koreans got just reward for a gutsy, determined fightback.
Henry disappeared after scoring the goal, preferring to fall at the slightest contact in the box, Viera played rubbish. He was so bad that even Makhalele could not protect the hole that was being forged in the centre of the park. Zidane is past his prime - he has been for a few years now. It's a sign of things that the French team is built around 2 aging overseas has beens when they have a vibrant domestic team in Lyon. Abidal was wasted, Wiltord was his usual sloppy self.
At one point Viera received the ball on a breakaway on the right. Instead of either crossing, passing forward into the box where Henry and Wiltord were making runs, surging forward himself or shooting, he waited till THREE Korean defenders moved past him into position and then played the ball BACK to Abidal, just behind him. That move summed up the French - ponderous and tentative.
Domenech is a joke - he has wasted this team. Anyone who picks Barthez over Coupet is a Sven - Monsier Raymond is a definite Sven, down to the stylish eyewear.
Korea might still go through, France look headed out.
France 1 - Henry
Korea 1 - Park Ji-Sung
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