Drama, Drama and More Drama; The FIFA 2010 World Cup Semifinals are Set
I’ve been following the World Cup closely since 1990 and have watched just about every game available on TV since 1994. That’s six World Cups and nearly 320 games viewed. I’ve seen some excellent matches through the years, but I don’t know that any of those World Cups can match the 2010 games for drama. By no means am I saying the quality of play in this year’s Cup is the best I’ve seen. It certainly has not been. But the drama, oh the drama.
ESPN spent loads of money on this tournament and the US ratings are not disappointing the sports TV giant. Americans are watching the games in South Africa and they are seeing game after game filled with twists and turns – plots and subplots.
The Quarterfinals stage of the tournament can sometimes be all about two teams grinding out the game, making sure they make no mistakes and trying to find a result. But this year’s quarterfinals… well, there would have been no way to script what has taken place. I think it’s that drama that draws so many people to sports in the first place. I also believe that it’s the close scores (low scoring games) that so many non-soccer people in the US complain about which allows the drama. Soccer is certainly a game of tension, not unlike baseball.
Netherlands 2-1 Brazil
An early goal by Brazil meant that they could not sit on their 1-0 lead and Holland had to push for an equalizer. This set up an exciting game that saw Wesley Sneijder, who has been larger than life for the Dutch, once again lead his team by an outstanding free kick that glances off the Brazil defense in the 53rd minute. It was originally called an own goal but later changed to credit Sneijder. In the 68th minute Derk Kuyt flicks on a corner kick that again finds Sneijder who redirects to the far post for a 2nd goal for The Oranje. Brazil was definitely rattled and couldn’t seem to find an answer down the stretch and instead lost their composure. A red card late in the game dropped Brazil to 10 and eventually the side that has seen themselves in 3 of the 4 last World Cup semifinals was going home. ESPN Video Highlights
Uruguay 2-1 Ghana ET and PK’s
Sulley Muntari sneaked an excellent shot by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera who seemed to be screened on the shot. Muntari put his side up 1-0 two minutes into extra time of the first half. But it wasn’t long before Diego Forlán equalized with a perfectly taken free kick at the 55 minute mark. Both teams had chances but at the end of regulation the score was still 1-1. Extra time saw a Ghana side that dominated play yet couldn’t put another one past Muslera. Then in added time of the 120th minute of extra time Ghana’s free kick into the Uruguayan box saw a shot cleared off the line and then a header that was going into the back of the net cleared with a deliberate hand ball from Luis Suarez who was ejected from the game. The ensuing penalty kick was clunked off the bar by Asamoah Gyan. So ended the extra time and penalties saw the pressure of having the whole continent of Africa resting on the Ghanaian’s shoulder be too much for the team. Uruguay wins in PK’s 4-2 in the most dramatic of styles. Even though FIFA declares “Fair Play”, Uruguay proved that cheating will get you to the semi-finals – and only with a one game suspension. ESPN Video Higlights
Germany 4-0 Argentina
Who would have believed it? Yet Germany decimated Argentina 4-0, who didn’t seem to have a plan once they fell behind early in the game. The Germans no longer play the methodical game they did of years gone by. They have the youngest team in the World Cup and they are fearless and attack quickly and their strikes are methodical and precise. They proved to the Argentinians, Messi, Tevez and Maradona, that the England shelling was no fluke. Could Germany be “the team”? ESPN Video Highlights
Spain 1-0 Paraguay
Paraguay’s defense had gotten them to the quarterfinals, not their scoring touch, with only 2 goals allowed in 5 games but only 3 scored. Spain was unimpressive in this game and this game was grinding along until all hell broke loose in the 58th minute. Spain’s Gerard Piqué took down Oscar Cardozo in the box resulting in a yellow card and a penalty kick. However, the South American’s goal drought continued as a nervous Cardozo kicked the ball to keeper Iker Casillas, who smothered the ball, saving the day for the Spaniards. Less than a minute later, Antolin Alcaraz took down David Villa and the penalty kick was now on the other end. Xabi Alonso bulged the net for Spain but after much celebration, the PK was nullified and called back to retake. The referee had correctly called infringement into the penalty box by the Spanish players. This time Alonso was stopped by Paraguayan keeper Justo Villar. However, just 2 minutes later Andrés Iniesta hit a low shot that deflected off the far left post and out to Villa. He side-stepped his defender and sent a curling shot that hit the right upright, caromed to the left upright before bouncing into the goal and fully crossing the goal line. Spain bunkered in and held the game securing the win and a place in the semifinals. ESPN Video Highlights
Tuesday will see Uruguay take on the Netherlands at 1:30 pm CT.
Wednesday will be Germany versus Spain also at 1:30 pm CT.
Both games will be televised on ESPN and Univision as well as ESPN 360.
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Haven read this article, i ll like to give FIFA food for thought. During a game, i see the FIFA rep as the ref and what ever he decides the ruling body defends. So if fair play is preached then it should be defended at all cost. Secondly, i am made to understand that the game is used to promote world peace good but in the absence of justice? The only obstacle ghana had was the evil hand of suarez now the hand of God for the south americans. I think this world cup has shown that the game lacks a lot of fairness and is incapable of standing out at present to boast of bringing world peace. Injustice and peace do not co exist.
I just do not get the uproar about Cheating and Fair Play when it comes to Suarez and Uruguagy.
First off, it’s really a pretty silly semantic argument, but stopping a goal with your hands is not “cheating”. Unless you want to call every foul or infraction committed in the entire match “cheating”. The laws of the game delineate which actions are allowed and which are not – as well as punishments for actions that aren’t allowed. If you want to call every action that isn’t allowed “cheating”, that’s fine, but that means every single foul, offside, etc is “cheating”.
Here’s the thing that gets me: If you commit a professional foul in the middle of the field to effectively kill a counter opportunity for the other team, you’re penalized by a free kick and (hopefully) a yellow card. Is that “Cheating”? Because it’s exactly the same thing. Using your hands to stop a ball going in the goal is penalized with a penatly kick and a red card. Where is the difference?
As far as fairness, what is unfair about it? No one changed the rules. No one misapplied the rules. 2 teams played a game under an agreed upon set of rules, which they knew going into the game, and which were enforced exactly as written. How is that possibly “unfair”?
First of all, welcome back from South Africa Leper. Hope you had an outstanding time.
I Just have one question for you that relates to Tammy’s statement that I have to agree with. Why does FIFA do so much to promote the slogan “Fair Play” if they are not really interested in it?
I am as confused as leper is here regarding the Suarez uproar. Handball prevented goal. Red card and penalty awarded. Penalty missed. The end. What should have been done differently? I could see everyone getting all worked up if the call had been missed, but it wasn’t. All Gyan had to do was make the penalty. One really has to like those odds. Should FIFA award a goal for deliberate handball on the line? Would that not be preposterous?
As you know Brian, I like your website a great deal, but FIFA promotes the slogan Fair Play like BP promoted the slogan Beyond Petroleum: in bad faith. FIFA is and has been rotten to the core. Jack Warner still had a job. What more proof does one need?
I do not follow Tammy’s point at all. Anyone waiting for FIFA and/or the World Cup to bring about justice or world peace is going to be waiting in vain.
Thanks, it was a great trip.
I guess my question is – how do you define “Fair Play”? Or more importantly, what is your understanding of what FIFA means by “Fair Play” when they are promoting it? I guess I’ve always just ignored it altogether as one something that sounds nice but doesn’t really have much meaning.
Because in this particular case, I just don’t see what was in any way unfair about this? Maybe your and Tammy’s understanding is different from mine.
Hey, I didn’t say I totally agree with Tammy, I am just asking a hypothetical question about FIFA and their Fair Play. I too think its total lip service.
I also agree the rules have been there. Lets get this straight however, using your hand to stop a ball going into the net is cheating and yes they did rob them of a goal and yes most likely a trip to the semifinals. However, the rules have been there for a long time and I don’t see that ever changing. But ask yourself. If the reversed happens what is the rule? For instance, if Maradona had gotten caught fisting the “Hand of God” into the net they would have disallowed the goal and given him a yellow or red card. But if you deliberately hand the ball away from the goal then you are not credited with the goal. The problem is of course is if you were to change the rule, which I’m not saying should be changed, but if you did, when would you make the decision? When the player is on the line? When he is in the goal box? In the Penalty box?
Again, I’m not saying the rule should be changed but think of goaltending in basketball. The basket is given even if they don’t know if the shot would have gone in or not. However, much smaller stakes in basketball with 60-120 points scored.
I do not agree that what Suarez did is cheating. Cheating is doing something that you hope to get away with. Gyan makes that penalty 9 times out of 10. To me, cheating is Rivaldo in the Turkey World Cup match. Cheating is Sergio Busquets in this link.
http://www.sinnacle.com/2010/04/28/i-hate-having-to-defend-this-about-soccer
Suarez reacted instinctively, and he was punished appropriately. He will not play in the World Cup semi-final. The scorn being rained down on Uruguay is out of proportion to what actually happened.
“I do not agree that what Suarez did is cheating. Cheating is doing something that you hope to get away with”
Nathan, is handling a ball not an infraction? To me, any infraction if done intentionally, whether it’s a tackle when knowing you can’t really get to the ball, a pull on a jersey or handling a ball is cheating to get an advantage. It has become part of the game because we’ve always known it to be used by players. But I’m not sure how you can say it isn’t cheating.
Websters: Cheating: ” act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage”
Doing it by accident is one thing. Intentionally is breaking the laws of the game to gain advantage. Again, I’m not saying the rules should be rewritten but handling a ball is not in the laws of the game.
That’s the thing though, and again maybe it’s just semantics – but to me there’s a difference between saying:
1) There is a problem with the rule as it’s written that should be changed, because the penalty for a certain illegal action is not harsh enough relative to the benefit of the player/team who did it.
2) Player x took an action for which a specific punishment is outlined in the laws of the game and was punished accordingly. But in this particular case I really don’t like it, ergo he cheated.
#1 A reasonable point of debate (although I personally find the current punishment to be enough)
#2 I still just don’t get it. If what he did was “cheating” then any player who commits a tactical foul in trying to stop the opposing team is “cheating” as well.
I’m too slow – trying to work and post at the same time. I’m with you BQ, except I guess this is where we differ:
“act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage”
If a red player has a breakaway and is about to be 1 on 1 with the goalie and a blue defender pulls him down, knowing full well that he will be sent off when he does so – is that “dishonest” or “unfair”? Again, Nathan’s example of Rivaldo is a perfect one – that was totall dishonest, so sure, we can reasonably call that cheating. But in the case of the last defender, or Suarez on the line, it might be “cynical” certainly to make that play to stop the goal. But if you don’t try and disguise your actions, and just commit the infraction and accept the punishment – how is that either dishonest or unfair?
Again, probably too much arguing over semantics. But that’s why they invented the internet.
“Again, probably too much arguing over semantics. But that’s why they invented the internet.”
“But if you don’t try and disguise your actions, and just commit the infraction and accept the punishment – how is that either dishonest or unfair?”
I do not think it is either.
soccer is a disgraceful sport, players diving, faking injury, acting, cheating,stalling for time just disgusting.
that is why soccer is so dead in America, get this crap off the air. Can’t wait for the real football season in the fall. Go Washington Redskins
Disgusting. Right. My brother played major college “real” football with a gaggle of felonious maniacs so I tend to take a different view of what disgraceful means.
And the Redskins, yikes: “redskin = n. Offensive Slang; used as a disparaging term for a Native American”.
Diving? Have you ever seen an NBA player get rejected or blocked? An NHL Player looking for blood to get a penalty elevated to a major? Cheating – NBA refs fixing – Pete Rose baseball betting on baseball – college basketball point skimming (maybe you are too young). Real football? What? : Holding – Interference – Flags – Penalties – Steroids). QUARTERBACK TAKING A KNEE to end the game? Redskins – isn’t that kind of racist? Soccer dead in America – funny – you are reading a soccer blog. You are either sarcastic and funny or stupid.
Cam – I think the latter who is just stirring the pot. That’s suppose to me my job.
Soccer is a great sport. Just like Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Football, Aussie Rules Fotball, Rugby, and Cricket.
PS: Vancouver Whitecaps will win MLS Cup in 2011 and the New York Giants will beat the Redskins!!!!
don’t feed the trolls … IMS is for soccer, let the others go off in a corner and play by themselves.
UBUNTU
Everybody will beat the Redskins.