World Cup 2010
Semifinals
Netherlands 3:2 Uruguay
In a world cup that seemed destined to be dominated by South America two match days in the quarterfinal round changed that completely with the continents two leading lights eliminated (Brazil and Argentina). To make that even worse the South American nation that did get through (Uruguay) did so only with a troubling sequence of events.
Uruguay managed to get past Ghana only because of a handball that prevented the match winning goal in the final minute of extra time. The young man that intervened, Luis Suarez, was sure to be at the center of a bidding war by large and rich clubs due to his excellent play. That handball could limit the interest of some of those clubs.
The event itself wasn't as bad as the aftermath where he made some truly stupid statements saying to the Associated Press that, “I made the best save of the World Cup” and that his one-match suspension “was worth it” of all things. And therein lies the real villain: FIFA and its stupid one-game ban means that Suarez could appear in the final if Uruguay should make it, or in the third place match. Why is the ban only one game? The reason Suarez says his intervention “was worth it” is that the penalty doesn't fit the crime.
Suarez's deliberate handball not only prevented the match winning goal and set up the penalty shootout but it prevented Ghana becoming the first ever African nation to reach the semifinals of a world cup. If there is any justice Uruguay will be run off the pitch by Netherlands. But even that wouldn't seem sufficient would it?
The problem is the Netherlands, highly regarded ahead of the competition, and rightly so, has yet to produce a complete game despite their 100% record to date. Watching this team you get the feeling that their best game is still ahead of them regardless of how good they have been so far. And they have been very good. But Uruguay has Diego Forlan and his ability to step up and carry his team and keep them in the game.
Imagine the achievement of Uruguay: they made it to South Africa as South America's 5th and last qualifier in a playoff with CONCACAF's Costa Rica and here they are playing for a berth in the final of the World Cup. On the other hand Netherlands produced the best record in Euro zone qualifying and have won every game in this 2010 World Cup. That being the case the soccer pundits around the world are dismissing any possibility of yet another Uruguay surprise. If Netherlands takes that posture they could become another victim of the over-achievers from South America.
Netherlands took the lead on a spectacular goal from van Bronckhorst (18); a blistering drive from about 40 yards that sailed out of reach of the keeper. On defense the Dutch seemed to relax a bit and committed a deadly sin; they allowed Forlan some space and he punished them for it with a terrific drive of his own from about 30 yards to level the match just ahead of the break (41). The Dutch would bring on some subs in the second half to change the tone of the attack but it was another of their regulars, Wesley Sneijder that did the damage with a shot that took at least one deflection off a defender and eluded the keeper for the lead (70). Robin Van Persie made what could become the play of the day by avoiding a touch on the ball as it skidded past on its way to goal. Had he touched it, he may have been flagged for offside. Whether he purposely avoided the touch or missed on his attempt to defect it past the keeper is anybody's guess but whichever, it worked in their favor. Three minutes later Arjen Robben's terrific header of a Kuyt cross made it 3-1 and the Dutch started celebrating. As is often the case that was too soon as Uruguay would get one back in the second minute of injury time (Periera) and suddenly people were wondering could it really happen again? It wouldn't as Uruguay's pressure would fall short sending the Dutch to the final with a deserved 3-2 victory. The win is their 6th in a row at the 2010 World Cup.
The place in the final is their 3rd having lost in 1974 and again in 1978, both times to the host countries (West Germany and Argentina).
Germany v Spain
Germany has been spectacular and the only match they failed to dominate their opposition was when they faced Serbia (a 1-0 loss). The athletic and youthful Ghana gave them fits as well. On the other hand Spain has been disappointing losing their opening group stage match to Switzerland and they simply would not be here if not for the heroics of David Villa and three of the most fortunate goals in this world cup.
The first came off the post from the shot of Iniesta right to him to poke it home; the second when the keeper came completely out his area and attempted to clear the ball with a sliding tackle and instead sent it right to Villa; the third was a bit of luck and showed his reactive skill as well when his left-footed shot failed to clear the keeper and the rebound came directly back to him and he poked it over the sprawled keeper with his right. Accurate finishing certainly, but tinged with just a bit of very good fortune too. Then again, you have to be there, at the right place at the right time and to his credit Villa was.
That sort of luck is not as likely to fall his way against Germany. Spain will have to prove that the support they had coming into this competition was deserved. So far they simply have not done that and the only reason they are in this semifinal match is those fortunate goals from Villa. Torres, the man that scored the winning goal in their 1-0 victory of Euro 2008 over this same Germany has been ineffective in this World Cup and may sit this one out as a result of it.
You could say that like the Netherlands, Spain haven't quite delivered their best and yet here they are on the cusp of the final. In this rematch of the Euro 2008 final they will need to be on form from the off. Earlier in this competition when Germany seemed to be the class of the field the pundits were asking how is it that the Germans can do so well collectively with a team made up of players whose failure to produce at club level had them well down the list of the nations deemed challengers here? Would we see them revert to their sputtering form or the precise counter-attacking side that made them a surprise outfit?
In the opening 25 minutes Germany seemed to allow Spain possession and it became a boring encounter with a lopsided 70-30% of control of the ball. The very few times the Germans seemed intent on a slashing counter were foiled by poor ball control or misdirected passes that shook the confidence they had built with their successes in earlier games. That precision they demonstrated in those games eluded them to the credit of Spain some would say but the truth is, the Germans bungled those efforts more than Spain disrupted them. Schweinsteiger getting the ball tangled up in his feet or centering balls to no one in particular, Ozil and Klose trying to bore up the middle of the defense all resulted in no threat whatsoever. The result was very little in the way of real threats on goal from either side and it stayed that way well into the second half. The Germans seemed a bit vulnerable on the left side of the defense with Spain finding some space there repeatedly until Boateng was subed out. A powerful header from Spain defender Puyol from a centering ball from Xavi would be the only goal of the match (73) sending Spain to their very first appearance in a World Cup Final.
Listening to pundits describe this match made me feel as if they were watching a very different game than the one I saw. In the end it was disappointing for a World Cup semifinal. Watching Xavi or Alonso passing the ball backwards to Pique which seemed to happen about a million times made the match a total zero. I found myself wishing that Brazil was one of the contestants here instead of Spain as the match lacked any semblance of zeal, flair and little open play. Watching the midfielders pass the ball back and forth with their defenders in that staid and stifling European style makes the game about as disappointing as it gets.
Here's hoping that the Netherlands produce a watchable display to end this World Cup on a positive note. Time to bring back 'total football' and end this boring approach that Spain has adopted.
On that note the final will have two nations that have never won a World Cup facing off and that is a good thing. The two most impressive European teams of the past several years will meet face to face for the very first time in a world cup match and one of them will put their nation on top of the soccer world.
Go ORANGE!
