Football Blog #2 - World Cup Edition
For those of you who've been under a rock, the 2010 World Cup has been going on in South Africa since June 11. This once-every-four-years event can bring out the best and worst in people. You just have to see the passions and emotions oozing out during the games. That would probably also include whatever stuff comes out of your ears because of those darn vuvuzuelas.
This year's World Cup has been great to a watch, if you're a fan of the underdog. With traditional powerhouses Italy and France out at the opening stages, and England and Portugal gone by the second round, it has made for great football. Not to mention breaking the hearts of those who placed large bets on the favorites.
There was a lot of talk as well about the burden of expectations for Africa. It was unfortunate that the pressure got to them and only Ghana was left by the quarterfinals. They didn't have to lose the way they did - a missed penalty in overtime, practically the last kick of the game. A poor showing in the shootout led to their doom.
Four teams remain to slug it out at the semifinals: Germany, Spain, Holland and Uruguay. Cue more sleepless nights for me then, as I go through each pairing.
The Germans are the team I love to hate, and rather unfortunately, I actually like watching them play. Defeating the most overrated team in football (England) and the most offensive minded team (Argentina) is no easy task, yet they did it, and did it well. They take on Spain, my second choice to win this tournament. They haven't really played like it, but the last time these two played, Spain won 1-0 in Euro 2008. It should be fun watching David Villa, Xavi and Iniesta against the likes of Podolski, Muller and Klose.
The second match pits the Dutch against Uruguay. Most people may not know this, but the Uruguayans have won this thing twice in their history (1930 and 1950). The Dutch of old made the finals in 1974 and 1978, but lost both (must have been all that bong). This may be the game most people would not watch, but it should make for good offense (witness how Holland came back against Brazil) and bad acting (both teams fall down at the slightest touches because either somebody chopped their legs or pulled out their spleen).
I'm going with Spain-Holland in the finals, and hopefully my prediction will finally (finally!) work out. I had England in the finals after all, and don't remind me of how that worked out.
Here's hoping as well that we don't have controversy in officiating. The officiating has been so bad, it makes me wonder if FIFA hired the head of NBA refereeing and David Stern. The most glaring (England's and the USA's goals that weren't given, Argentina's Tevez with the offside goal) shows how the "human element" of football has to give way to a little bit of technology when needed. Either that's needed or we need 20 something year old refs, not the middle-aged pot-bellied types.
The lack of Balls in my TV means I've been watching the games either on streaming or over at the Cafe Euro in Elizalde. It's been great to be with many fans of the game. Yes we are a small minority in this country, but just imagine if we pooled our resources to focus on a tournament like this. Imagine the pride and the honor of actually being in the World's Greatest Tournament. Even if we lost all our games 10-0, I'd love to watch, just to be mentioned in the same breath as the big ones. Heck, even North Korea has been in the tournament twice already! Let the grassroots grow especially in the Visayas, and let's if the Philippines has what it takes to be in the World Cup.
This year's World Cup has been great to a watch, if you're a fan of the underdog. With traditional powerhouses Italy and France out at the opening stages, and England and Portugal gone by the second round, it has made for great football. Not to mention breaking the hearts of those who placed large bets on the favorites.
There was a lot of talk as well about the burden of expectations for Africa. It was unfortunate that the pressure got to them and only Ghana was left by the quarterfinals. They didn't have to lose the way they did - a missed penalty in overtime, practically the last kick of the game. A poor showing in the shootout led to their doom.
Four teams remain to slug it out at the semifinals: Germany, Spain, Holland and Uruguay. Cue more sleepless nights for me then, as I go through each pairing.
The Germans are the team I love to hate, and rather unfortunately, I actually like watching them play. Defeating the most overrated team in football (England) and the most offensive minded team (Argentina) is no easy task, yet they did it, and did it well. They take on Spain, my second choice to win this tournament. They haven't really played like it, but the last time these two played, Spain won 1-0 in Euro 2008. It should be fun watching David Villa, Xavi and Iniesta against the likes of Podolski, Muller and Klose.
The second match pits the Dutch against Uruguay. Most people may not know this, but the Uruguayans have won this thing twice in their history (1930 and 1950). The Dutch of old made the finals in 1974 and 1978, but lost both (must have been all that bong). This may be the game most people would not watch, but it should make for good offense (witness how Holland came back against Brazil) and bad acting (both teams fall down at the slightest touches because either somebody chopped their legs or pulled out their spleen).
I'm going with Spain-Holland in the finals, and hopefully my prediction will finally (finally!) work out. I had England in the finals after all, and don't remind me of how that worked out.
Here's hoping as well that we don't have controversy in officiating. The officiating has been so bad, it makes me wonder if FIFA hired the head of NBA refereeing and David Stern. The most glaring (England's and the USA's goals that weren't given, Argentina's Tevez with the offside goal) shows how the "human element" of football has to give way to a little bit of technology when needed. Either that's needed or we need 20 something year old refs, not the middle-aged pot-bellied types.
The lack of Balls in my TV means I've been watching the games either on streaming or over at the Cafe Euro in Elizalde. It's been great to be with many fans of the game. Yes we are a small minority in this country, but just imagine if we pooled our resources to focus on a tournament like this. Imagine the pride and the honor of actually being in the World's Greatest Tournament. Even if we lost all our games 10-0, I'd love to watch, just to be mentioned in the same breath as the big ones. Heck, even North Korea has been in the tournament twice already! Let the grassroots grow especially in the Visayas, and let's if the Philippines has what it takes to be in the World Cup.
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