Furia Freefall (Again)

6/27/2006: France 3 – Spain 1

This was the year I thought that Spain could really do it. They had won 3 games in the first round, totally dismantling a team that had already made it into the quarterfinals, Ukraine 4-0. But I guess their first game was their highest point as they went from better to worse as the tournament progressed.

Against France, they totally fell apart and failed to contiue to put pressure on what I think is a good but aging French team. I guess the French were well organized at the back especially with Claude Makelele, the world’s best defensive midfielder, again showing his incredible skill in that position. But Spain lacked imagination in the attack and, despite their youth (or maybe because of it), couldn’t get past the well organized French.

Spain had gone ahead 1-0 on a very well taken David Villa penalty kick. France’s Ribery, who had been added to the team after Cisse’s broken leg put him out of the World Cup, scored the tying goal very close to halftime when he and Vieira worked a beautiful 1-2 passing combination which put Ribery on a breakaway against Casillas. It appeared on the play that Spain’s Carlos Puyol tried to play the offside trap, a move that had worked quite well against Thierre Henry (who must have been called for a record 10 or some times for offside but who on this play played the passive position to perfection) but failed on this play.

The score stayed tied 1-1 until the 83rd minute, when the ageless and very slow Zinedine Zidane took a free kick. It was played backwards by a Spanish defender onto Patrick Vieira at the far post. Vieria headed hard towards the goal and Spain’s Sergio Ramos deflected the ball into his own goal, possibly obstructing Casillas from making a save.

Zidane scored a garbage time goal after the 90th minute when Spain pushed everyone forward. He made a nice cutback at the end of his run to beat Puyol (again) and Casillas.

Everybody who thinks France is a legitimate contender is in for a big surprise. France now plays Brazil, who must want to avenger their 3-0 nil defeat in the 1998 World Cup Final. If Zidane looked old and slow in the Spain game, his lack of pace will be further exposed against the Brazilians. Even though Brazil hasn’t played great, they have enough to best the French.

For Spain, it’s the same thing again. I’ll continue rooting for them out of loyalty more than anything, but it is getting harder every year.