June 21.
Group C ends the excitement.
This group finally ended just as it had begun. Excitement, great goals, bad defending and a strangely muted Dutch performace.
In the game between the top two teams who had already qualified, the Dutch showed no initiative and lacked endeavour. Argentina had the group wrapped up yet they still ventured forward to attack and score some goals - no doubt bouyed by the fact that they had little to lose in finishing second - on this form Portugal should not trouble them. Holland's midfeld has been under par for the entire group stage and so it remained - Van Bommel, Cocu and co. unable to create a single noteworthy chance of substance. It might cost them as the tournament unfolds.
The game petered out into a rather underwhelming draw - one would have expected some fireworks atleast since both teams had qualified. No doubt they should step it up in the knockout stages.
Argentina took the group on GD, Holland finished second - both on 7 points.
The other game was a real cracker. Both Ivory Coast and Serbia had already been eliminated and were playing for little other than pride. There was some atrocious defending from both sides, first the Balkan nation going 2-0 up thanks to some comical giveaways from Cyrille Damoraud, playing while Kolo Toure was rested, and then gifting back 2 goals with Dudic conceding 2 penalties after palming twice in the penalty box. Despite the 2 goals Serbia were played off the park - Cote D'Ivoire retaining 65% of the posession and registering 27 shots with a mind boggling 19 shots on goal. Nadj getting sent off did not help the Serbs either. Overall Ivory Coast's win was well deserved and despite going out in the first stage can hold their heads high. Vibrant, adventurous and outrageously attack-minded they are definitely the best and most popular team not to go through.
Serbia were done in by bad coaching - Sasa Ilic and the tall Zigic should have started - as a pair they are much better than the Punch and Judy show of Milosevic and Kezman. After Vidic got injured they had no defenders, Gavrancic was pathetic and Krstaljic a shadow of the defender who conceded only 1 goal in qualifying. Stankovic finally played a decent game, his long pass to Zigic for the first goal was a beauty. They should have gotten more experienced peformances from Stankovic and Djordevic in midfield, Ljuboja and Koroman should have started and not the ridiculously out of depth Nadj. Finally, Duljaj was a constant weak spot and despite his effort was mostly at sea for all 3 games. They will rebuild and return - I know it. Football is in their blood, political disputes are terribly distracting, once they settle, the remnants will return - stronger and better.
Argentina 0
Holland 0
Ivory Coast 3
Serbia and Montenegro 2
Argentina 7
Holland 7
Ivory Coast 3
Serbia and Montenegro 0
Group D.
Well, Mexico tried really hard, despite going a man down they took the game right to Portugal. Portugal held on and in the end the win was more than enough for them to go through. Fonseca scored a blinder, Simao was immense, speedy, dribbly and deadly. The Mexicans played their second game in a row where they utterly dominated the second half, despite playing with only 10 men, but did not win. Bravo should have put that penalty away. Portugal were on the ropes at that point.
Angola made it interesting, Andre scoring a goal that briefly scared Mexico and made things a little tense but the Persians battled back and the draw in that game was a deserved result. I had been overtly critical of Angola, thinking them to be completely outmatched. However they battled manfully and only conceded 2 goals while drawing 2 games and losing only once - that too only to an early goal by Portugal. Iran ? Well, they played competently but do not have the tools to really threaten at this level, like the other Asian nations, the games against the African nations providing their best chance of success.
Overall this group was a bit of a snorefest, Portugal never really taking off and Mexico failing to deliver on their early promise. Let's hope the Mexicans can build this time on their 4th straight appearance in the last 16. Sadly, they play Argentina. Portugal did not mess up things this time around and kept their heads. Their matchup against Holland should be interesting.
Portugal 2 - Simao, Maniche
Mexico 1 - Fonseca
Angola 1 - Andre
Iran 1 - Bakhtiarizadeh
Portugal 9
Mexico 4
Angola 2
Iran 1
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June 22.
Group E holds the Czechs back.
The Republic Czeched out in some style, losing their last match and a player in a pulsating game versus Italy. Other than Nedved, they failed to ignite, Rosicky and Galasek seeming to be a little paralysed by the occasion. Italy on the other hand, with qualification stil on the line, played very well, good goals from Inter hackman Materrazzi and Pippo Inzaghi completing a Milanese rout of the Bohemians. The Czechs attacked right from the outset but the Italians held firm and eventually won 2-0 based on solid defence and a competent counter attack. Gattusso was immense in midfield for the Italians, Nedved, a one man wrecking crew for the Czechs, but Buffon played his best game of the tournament, making 8 saves. And in the end that made the difference.
Once again, despite having a stellar team the Czechs have failed to make an impact. With the retirement of this generation one can only wonder what the supply chain will throw up next. thei mentality has to be questioned. The Italians have been most impressive. Never once in this tournament have they looked under pressure, deep and resourceful they have rotated well, solid on all fronts and playing with some attacking verve. Lippi no dount thinks its 1995 and he is at Juventus. If they can keep their temper under wraps they should go far.
Ghana go through.
The point is that while Ghana may have certain players who are better as a team they are roughly on the same level as the US - arguably worse. Some may excuse their brutal physical style as youthful exuberance but I think that that reasoning only goes so far. There's a reason why they've commited more fouls than anyone else and I think also gotten more cards - they are rough. They played rough and ugly and got rightly whacked in the first game versus Italy, toned it down and came back strong against the Czechs and then had a scrapfest against the US.
The problem with the US is that even though they are tidy as a team they don't have any weapons and don't have any variation in style - this is why they fail against more talented and arguable more skilled sides. Kicking, running, passing and heading only gets you so far - to make the jump from being competently good (as the US is right now IMHO) you need a playmaker who can thread low percentage passes(Kaka, Ronaldinho, Riquelme, Fabregas, Xabi, Pirlo, Nedved). You need a ball winner or a holding midfielder (Gattusso, Emerson, Gilberto, Essien, Van Bommel, Makhalele, Ballack). You need attacking full backs (Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy - even France). You need a penetrative attacking midfield corps(Tevez, Messi, van Persie, Ljungberg) or a finisher (Crespo, Nistelrooy). You need a free kick specialist (Beckham, Ronaldinho). I'm not saying that the States need all of these, but they do need atleast one of the above. They have none - and it is this lack of specialization that does them in eventually.
The first 17 of the US are all very fit, competent players with good attitude and decision making - but they lack a match winner
1-1 should have been fair. Ghana may not have deserved to win but the US did not deserve to lose.
Italy 2 - Materazzi, Inzaghi
Czech Republic 0
Ghana 2 - Draman, Appiah
USA 1 - Dempsey
Italy 7
Ghana 6
Czech Republic 3
USA 1
Group F - Croatian fumbles, Brazillian fireworks.
In the end it was too easy for Brazil, they conceded early and then went on to utterly dominate the game. slamming home 4 goals to come from behind and slaughter the Japanese. Like Spain they have self belief, a deep squad and an innate ability to continue playing their natural attacking game even when trailing. In the end they won all their games, and displayed versatility in beating the defensively solid Croats and Australians as well as the trigger happy Japanese. Don't look now but Ronaldo is scoring goals again, the Brazillians are peaking at the right time.
The Japanese, in my opinion, played better than they did in 2002, playing in a harder group. They led against Brazil and Australia (they really should have beaten the latter) and held the technically superior Croats to a draw. Like the US, they have good all round players and decent physical ability but they don't have any weapons. This is what costs them in international tournaments.
Croatia flattered to deceive again. They played very well in their game against Brazil, should have beaten Japan having dominated the game, and should have beaten Australia today. They are a far better team but strangely have been more and more out of synch as the tournament has progressed. Twice they went ahead only to surrender the game back to the Aussies, for whom Kewell scored - Kewell has played only one a few decent games all year - this was one of them. After having scored to take a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute they should have locked down the defences and kept the Aussies at bay but strangely made no changes to their tactics and plodded on. So now, Australia, by virtue of their comeback win against Japan, have gone through. And Croatia have only themselves to blame.
Brazil 4 - Ronaldo 2, Gilberto, Juninho
Japan 1 - Tamada
Croatia 2 - Kovac, Srna
Australia 2 - Kewel, Moore
Brazil 9
Australia 4
Croatia 2
Japan 1
Group C ends the excitement.
This group finally ended just as it had begun. Excitement, great goals, bad defending and a strangely muted Dutch performace.
In the game between the top two teams who had already qualified, the Dutch showed no initiative and lacked endeavour. Argentina had the group wrapped up yet they still ventured forward to attack and score some goals - no doubt bouyed by the fact that they had little to lose in finishing second - on this form Portugal should not trouble them. Holland's midfeld has been under par for the entire group stage and so it remained - Van Bommel, Cocu and co. unable to create a single noteworthy chance of substance. It might cost them as the tournament unfolds.
The game petered out into a rather underwhelming draw - one would have expected some fireworks atleast since both teams had qualified. No doubt they should step it up in the knockout stages.
Argentina took the group on GD, Holland finished second - both on 7 points.
The other game was a real cracker. Both Ivory Coast and Serbia had already been eliminated and were playing for little other than pride. There was some atrocious defending from both sides, first the Balkan nation going 2-0 up thanks to some comical giveaways from Cyrille Damoraud, playing while Kolo Toure was rested, and then gifting back 2 goals with Dudic conceding 2 penalties after palming twice in the penalty box. Despite the 2 goals Serbia were played off the park - Cote D'Ivoire retaining 65% of the posession and registering 27 shots with a mind boggling 19 shots on goal. Nadj getting sent off did not help the Serbs either. Overall Ivory Coast's win was well deserved and despite going out in the first stage can hold their heads high. Vibrant, adventurous and outrageously attack-minded they are definitely the best and most popular team not to go through.
Serbia were done in by bad coaching - Sasa Ilic and the tall Zigic should have started - as a pair they are much better than the Punch and Judy show of Milosevic and Kezman. After Vidic got injured they had no defenders, Gavrancic was pathetic and Krstaljic a shadow of the defender who conceded only 1 goal in qualifying. Stankovic finally played a decent game, his long pass to Zigic for the first goal was a beauty. They should have gotten more experienced peformances from Stankovic and Djordevic in midfield, Ljuboja and Koroman should have started and not the ridiculously out of depth Nadj. Finally, Duljaj was a constant weak spot and despite his effort was mostly at sea for all 3 games. They will rebuild and return - I know it. Football is in their blood, political disputes are terribly distracting, once they settle, the remnants will return - stronger and better.
Argentina 0
Holland 0
Ivory Coast 3
Serbia and Montenegro 2
Argentina 7
Holland 7
Ivory Coast 3
Serbia and Montenegro 0
Group D.
Well, Mexico tried really hard, despite going a man down they took the game right to Portugal. Portugal held on and in the end the win was more than enough for them to go through. Fonseca scored a blinder, Simao was immense, speedy, dribbly and deadly. The Mexicans played their second game in a row where they utterly dominated the second half, despite playing with only 10 men, but did not win. Bravo should have put that penalty away. Portugal were on the ropes at that point.
Angola made it interesting, Andre scoring a goal that briefly scared Mexico and made things a little tense but the Persians battled back and the draw in that game was a deserved result. I had been overtly critical of Angola, thinking them to be completely outmatched. However they battled manfully and only conceded 2 goals while drawing 2 games and losing only once - that too only to an early goal by Portugal. Iran ? Well, they played competently but do not have the tools to really threaten at this level, like the other Asian nations, the games against the African nations providing their best chance of success.
Overall this group was a bit of a snorefest, Portugal never really taking off and Mexico failing to deliver on their early promise. Let's hope the Mexicans can build this time on their 4th straight appearance in the last 16. Sadly, they play Argentina. Portugal did not mess up things this time around and kept their heads. Their matchup against Holland should be interesting.
Portugal 2 - Simao, Maniche
Mexico 1 - Fonseca
Angola 1 - Andre
Iran 1 - Bakhtiarizadeh
Portugal 9
Mexico 4
Angola 2
Iran 1
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June 22.
Group E holds the Czechs back.
The Republic Czeched out in some style, losing their last match and a player in a pulsating game versus Italy. Other than Nedved, they failed to ignite, Rosicky and Galasek seeming to be a little paralysed by the occasion. Italy on the other hand, with qualification stil on the line, played very well, good goals from Inter hackman Materrazzi and Pippo Inzaghi completing a Milanese rout of the Bohemians. The Czechs attacked right from the outset but the Italians held firm and eventually won 2-0 based on solid defence and a competent counter attack. Gattusso was immense in midfield for the Italians, Nedved, a one man wrecking crew for the Czechs, but Buffon played his best game of the tournament, making 8 saves. And in the end that made the difference.
Once again, despite having a stellar team the Czechs have failed to make an impact. With the retirement of this generation one can only wonder what the supply chain will throw up next. thei mentality has to be questioned. The Italians have been most impressive. Never once in this tournament have they looked under pressure, deep and resourceful they have rotated well, solid on all fronts and playing with some attacking verve. Lippi no dount thinks its 1995 and he is at Juventus. If they can keep their temper under wraps they should go far.
Ghana go through.
The point is that while Ghana may have certain players who are better as a team they are roughly on the same level as the US - arguably worse. Some may excuse their brutal physical style as youthful exuberance but I think that that reasoning only goes so far. There's a reason why they've commited more fouls than anyone else and I think also gotten more cards - they are rough. They played rough and ugly and got rightly whacked in the first game versus Italy, toned it down and came back strong against the Czechs and then had a scrapfest against the US.
The problem with the US is that even though they are tidy as a team they don't have any weapons and don't have any variation in style - this is why they fail against more talented and arguable more skilled sides. Kicking, running, passing and heading only gets you so far - to make the jump from being competently good (as the US is right now IMHO) you need a playmaker who can thread low percentage passes(Kaka, Ronaldinho, Riquelme, Fabregas, Xabi, Pirlo, Nedved). You need a ball winner or a holding midfielder (Gattusso, Emerson, Gilberto, Essien, Van Bommel, Makhalele, Ballack). You need attacking full backs (Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy - even France). You need a penetrative attacking midfield corps(Tevez, Messi, van Persie, Ljungberg) or a finisher (Crespo, Nistelrooy). You need a free kick specialist (Beckham, Ronaldinho). I'm not saying that the States need all of these, but they do need atleast one of the above. They have none - and it is this lack of specialization that does them in eventually.
The first 17 of the US are all very fit, competent players with good attitude and decision making - but they lack a match winner
1-1 should have been fair. Ghana may not have deserved to win but the US did not deserve to lose.
Italy 2 - Materazzi, Inzaghi
Czech Republic 0
Ghana 2 - Draman, Appiah
USA 1 - Dempsey
Italy 7
Ghana 6
Czech Republic 3
USA 1
Group F - Croatian fumbles, Brazillian fireworks.
In the end it was too easy for Brazil, they conceded early and then went on to utterly dominate the game. slamming home 4 goals to come from behind and slaughter the Japanese. Like Spain they have self belief, a deep squad and an innate ability to continue playing their natural attacking game even when trailing. In the end they won all their games, and displayed versatility in beating the defensively solid Croats and Australians as well as the trigger happy Japanese. Don't look now but Ronaldo is scoring goals again, the Brazillians are peaking at the right time.
The Japanese, in my opinion, played better than they did in 2002, playing in a harder group. They led against Brazil and Australia (they really should have beaten the latter) and held the technically superior Croats to a draw. Like the US, they have good all round players and decent physical ability but they don't have any weapons. This is what costs them in international tournaments.
Croatia flattered to deceive again. They played very well in their game against Brazil, should have beaten Japan having dominated the game, and should have beaten Australia today. They are a far better team but strangely have been more and more out of synch as the tournament has progressed. Twice they went ahead only to surrender the game back to the Aussies, for whom Kewell scored - Kewell has played only one a few decent games all year - this was one of them. After having scored to take a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute they should have locked down the defences and kept the Aussies at bay but strangely made no changes to their tactics and plodded on. So now, Australia, by virtue of their comeback win against Japan, have gone through. And Croatia have only themselves to blame.
Brazil 4 - Ronaldo 2, Gilberto, Juninho
Japan 1 - Tamada
Croatia 2 - Kovac, Srna
Australia 2 - Kewel, Moore
Brazil 9
Australia 4
Croatia 2
Japan 1
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