For reasons explained in my earlier post, I was, well, unable to blog on the weekend.
Six games, some great goals and some entertaining games. Let's run through them:
Day 9:
Holland ground out a solid but unspectacular win over Japan in the early game. Despite dominating, Holland struggled to create a plethora of good chances and had to resort to the odd goal
Wesley Sneijder unleashed a bullet from outside the area on the left side that was too hot for Japanese custodian Eiji Kawashima to handle. For Japan, Daisuke Matsui and Yoshito Okibo came close but didn't have the quality to put the final touch on a goalward shot.
Ibrahim Affelay had a brace of chances late in the game, but like Holland, he got into a good position and then lost steam.
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Australia showed remarkable gumption to hold Ghana to a draw in their second game, even going as far taking the lead. They played much better than their first game and showed both tactical awareness and positional discipline.
Ghana huffed and puffed but didn't create much. They had to resort to another penalty, this time when Harry Kewell handled on the line, to score. Asamoah Gyan scoring his second penalty of the tournament. Things mirrored Ghana's first game against Serbia when Kewell was sent off for the infraction as well. Despite playing against ten men, Ghana failed to impress.
For Australia, their defence was less outpaced than in their first game as they were deployed deeper. Brett Holman, the Nathan Bracken look alike, scored Australia's first goal of the tournament when he opened the scoring in the 11 them minute with a cultured finish.
For an Arsenal fan like myself, it was great to see Ex-Gunner Quincy Owuso-Abeyie come on late in the game.
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In the late game Cameroon and Denmark put on a counterattacking clinic in a game that ebbed and flowed with every minute. Both sides created tonnes of chances. Both sides scored good goals and passed the ball with verve and purpose.
Samuel Eto'o scored a good opener before Nicklas Bendtner and Dennis Rommedahl replied for the Danes.
Cameroon were cultured on the counterattack passing the ball up the middle but misfiring in the final third. Denmark attacked off the wing with both Rommedahl and Jesper Gronkjaer particularly impressive. The Danes showed pace not seen since the days of Danish Dynamite and the Laudrups.
Cameroon have disappointed everyone so far. I expected them to do well with the World Cup in Africa but instead they became the first team to get eliminated with consecutive losses:
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Day 10:
Slovakia slumped to an early defeat against a very impressive Paraguay side.
I expected the central Europeans to clinch a victory against a defensive Paraguay side but they were stymied and beaten by two goals.
Maresk Hamsik was marshalled well by Victor Caceres and Cristian Riveros. As a result he could not create the passing that lights up the Slovaks play and was unable to release Stanislav Sestak and Robert Vittek. Their only shot of the game came in injury time.
To add insult to injury, Paraguay exerted a fair bit of their own pressure and scored through Enrique Vera and that man Riveros.
Paraguay continued the strong showing by South American teams, which I did not see coming, to remain unbeaten in their Group. Sovakia must be kicking themselves for throwing away a win against New Zealand as they slumped to the bottom of the group.
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New Zealand scored the second big upset of the World Cup by holding World Champions Italy to a draw in their second match.
Shane Smeltz scored the opener to stun the Azzuri as Fabio Cannavaro fell over at a free kick and handed the ball on a platter for the Kiwis to score.
Italy then drew level when Daniele De Rossi was hauled over by Tommy Smyth in the penalty box. Vincenzo Iaquinta stepped up to score from the spot. New Zealand then held on and moved to two points from two games, still unbeaten.
Italy, once again, flattered to deceive and failed to get out of second gear. Once again Antonio Di Natale did not start and Fabio Cannavaro is showing his age with every game. How the Italian must miss Nicola Legrotaglie.
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