World Cup Day 4

6/12/2006: Australia 3 – Japan 1 (Group E)

Australia gained a historic triumph by scoring their first, second, and third ever goals in a World Cup to stun Japan 3-1 in their first World Cup in an eternity. For the first 80 minutes I waited in vain to yell Aussie Aussie Aussie Oy Oy Oy as it appeared that Australia was not going to get any goals in this game. (Or for that matter the next since who could dream them scoring against powerhouse Brazil). But in an instant the fortunes of the Aussies changed forever. The Japanese goalkeeper, who up until the 84th minute, had been brilliant making at least two world-class saves on shots by Aloisi and Viduka in the second half, made a huge blunder. On a cross into the area, he forayed wildly out of his box chasing a ball that he couldn’t possibly get to. Leaving himself way out of position, Cahill was able to get the Aussies over the hump with a low powerful shot on a ball that fell at his feet in the ensuing chaos that only had to beat a sole defender left on the line.

Lightning then struck twice 5 minutes later as Cahill scored on a beautiful shot that went off the post and ricocheted all the way across the goal. In between the goals, there was a very controversial non-call on what clearly appeared to be a foul on Nakamura as he worked his way around the Aussie defense. (Maybe the non-call was a makeup for the controversial first-half goal, which unfortunately I didn’t see so I can’t really say.) If that wasn’t enough, Aloisi scored a third running against the defender before beating the Japanese keeper, who by the way, couldn’t be blamed for the last two goals as the Japanese defense broke down, but had he not allowed that first goal, things could have been vastly different for Japan in this group. As it is, Gus Hiddink’s men pull it off and make him look like a genius, just like the South Korean’s did four years ago.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie !!! Oy Oy Oy !!!

6/12/2006: US 0 – Czech Republic 3 (Group E)

The US lost in 1990 to Czechoslovakia 5-1 when the US were minnows in the world of soccer. Today it must have felt like déjà vu all other again as they were dumped 3-0 by the Czech Republic.

In the first half, it was a story of less is more. Without the football 15% less of the time, the Czech Republic used one header by Koller early and the second best goal of the World Cup by Rozicky to take a two goal advantage over the United States. Early on, the US tactic was to pound the giant Koller physically. But in the 6th minute, Nedved passed into a wide open right hand side and Grygera had all day to spot a streaking Koller who headed past a sprawling Keller after a very subtle push on Eddie Pope. The US tried to use its superior speed and possession and in a nice buildup up the middle, Reina latched on to a pass and fired past Cech but unfortunately was denied by the woodwork. Instead of a well deserved tie, the US soon found themselves down 2 – 0 after Rosicky picked up a poor defensive clearance into the middle of the field. With one move to free up space, he fired a bullet that always was swerving away from a diving Keller.

Just like that, the US was two down. The only positive for the US was a negative for the Czech Republic when their “pivot man” Koller went crashing out of this game (and likely the Cup) with a hamstring injury. There were still 45 minutes to go, and the US had tons of work ahead to do because teams down 2-0 at halftime are 73-0-4 in World Cup history.

Pathetic Apathy is how I would call the US’s performance against the Czech Republic in the second half. Down 2-0, this team was a reflection of the coach on the bench. Arena looked positively content with the result sitting on the bench with no apparent urgency of any kind. You would think he was winning by 2 instead of losing by the same number. Tactically there were two changes at halftime but they had no effect on the shape of the team as a whole. The US’s two best players, DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan largely disappeared from this game. Rather than dropping further back to help facilitate the US attack, Donovan played too far up to have any impact. The US was content to cross the ball in from their left side and rarely put Cech under pressure. The best of the substitutions had to be Eddie Johnson, who had two decent shots and nearly latched on to a cross from Convey that would have cut the margin by one in the 70th minute.

Playing the counterattack to perfection, Thomas Rosicky (for me the Czech’s best player before the tournament started even though Nedved got the lion’s share of the attention), got his second gem on a breakaway goal where he went far post off against a far charging Keller. Onyewu was victimized on all three goals, out of position on the Keller, had the bad clearance that fell at Rosicky’s feet, and was flatly outrun by the chargin Rosicky on the third goal.

At that point, the game was obviously fait accompli. The US tried in vain to score the “goal of honor”, a goal that at least the American team that lost to the then Czechoslovakia in the 1990 World Cup by 5-1 was able to obtain. But this year’s team, with such high expectations, couldn’t even get that. The US is in for a rough ride now the rest of the way after this drubbing.

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Utilizando un juego oportuno, la Republica Checa marco dos goles impresionantes para imponerse en una victoria parcial port 2-0 a Estados Unidos. Jugando con mucho menos (una desventaja de 15% en posesion del balon), los Checos lograron mucho mas. Koller utilizo su altura superior para rematar un cabezaso a los 6 minutos. Y Rosicki aprovechando unos escasos momentos de superioridad en la posesion, concreto con un golazo de media distancia despues de un mal despeje de Onyewu. Para los Estados Unidos, Claudio Reyna fue negado por el poste despues de vencer a Cech, uno de los mejores porteros del mundo con un disparo razante al piso a los 28.

En el segundo tiempo, el equipo estadounidense, en vez de jugar con mas urgencia buscando el gol del descuento, jugo con un aparente desinteres. El equipo tanto como el entrenador se veian conformes con el deficit y no hubiera pensado uno al ver al rostro de Arena que su equipo perdia por dos goles. (Esto lo remarco varias veces el comentarista de Univision Chilavert.) Por lo tanto, en vez de darle a su equipo instrucciones tacticas, o a lo minimo darle animo, Arena no hizo nada. Espero hasta el minuto 76 para jugar su ultima carta mediante el cambio de Wolff por McBride. Espero un minuto de mas porque el minuto interior Rosicki marco su Segundo gol rebasando la zaga entera de los Americanos antes de vencer a Keller con un disparo lindisimo.

Mas bien que el nivel de EUA fue la falta de esfuerzo y animo A mi no me parecia que este equipo estaba bien configurado para competir en este grupo y no demostro hoy nada para disuadirme de ese prognostico. Al equipo Americano le va a costar mucho escaparse y llegar a la segunda ronda.

6/12/2006: Italia – Ghana (Group E)

For the third straight game, an African team lost despite looking like the faster, more agile and athletic team in the match. Like Code d’Ivoire and Angola before them, an African team has yet to have a breakthrough like Senegal did 4 years ago when that team got off the gate fast and upset France 1-0 in the opening game. This time has been much different. To be fair, each and every African opponent has been respectively two of the most storied teams in football (Argentina and Italy), and one of this year’s strongest team if legendary underachiever Portugal.

Italy scored via Pirlo in the 40th minute on a swerving shot from outside the box off of a corner kick. Downwind from the shot, an Italian ducked to let the ball through thus obstructing the Ghanan goalkeeper Kingston, who despite some early wild adventures in the box, played very solidly and kept Ghana in this game with some incredible saves. The post also saved Ghana in the first half when Luca Toni’s very well placed half volley struck the woodwork and bounced straight out.

On attack Ghana couldn’t finish their very good buildups almost as if they ran out of ideas of what to do with the ball as they approached Italy’s goal. This was not true in the 78th minute when Asamoah had a very good idea as he ran around and thru what appeared to be 5 Italians with some spectacular dribbling which ended up in an equally but ineffective spectacular dive whicih netted him absolutely nothing (but for which he should have been awarded a yellow card).

Italy sealed the deal in the 83rd minute as Iaquinta stole Kuffour’s lazy back pass and then rounded Kingston for the easy score. That was actually the second mistake on the play, as Ghana had given up possession with an equally lazy pass that led to the long thru ball for Iaquinta and Kuffour to battle for.

Additional Notes:
Italy’s second goal came on a play similar to the play in which Mexico scored their second goal; Iran made a double mistake, giving possession up twice. Good teams punish mistakes so you can’t hardly make one, less two.