It’s the Word Cup (1)

I start at day two because well I’m a bit lazy.  It’s FIFA World Cup time, not world series, but a proper global sport having a competition.

It’s Football. not the ‘S’ word, lets get that upfront, or if you want to bicker with me be precise about what you are referring to.

There is

• Association Football
• Rugby Football
• Rugby League Football
• American Football
• Gaelic Football
• Australian Rules Football

and

• Canadian Football

Curiously I’ve been told, without any evidence that “Soccer” appears to be some kind of weird morph of Association Football, which was commonly known as”Assoc”, and then which then became “Soccer”.

In New Zeland ‘Football” refers to Rugby Football, in Australia “Footie” can be either the League, or depending on which state you are in (as in territory) the Australian Rules version. In ‘Merica it’s the American rules game.  CAn’t speak to Gaelic (but I have watched it and enjoyed it) or Canadian Rules.

Anyhow, I digress ….

Day one:

Dodgy refereeing decision to award a penalty, and a couple of toe-pokes see Brazil  cruise past Croatia 3-1.

Day two:

Game 1- Mexico, in the rain, overcome Cameroon with a sharply taken goal. I didn’t watch much of this game, it was on way to early for me to get up and watch, especially having stayed up to watch England play Netherlands in the Hockey until the small hours.

Game 2- Netherlands demolish Spain 5-1 after being 1-0 down to another dubious penalty award. Robin Van Persie then scores one of the best goals I’ve seen in a long time, a cross from the half-way line into the 18 yard area and a flying header – this is why it’s called ‘the beautiful game’  Holders Spain – who beat Nederlands in the last Word Cup Final – then capitulate in the second half, lose the plot and were dominated.

If the link works the goal is here –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHpOEIBgS44

Game 3- I because an Aussie for 90 minutes (plus stoppage) – Australia and Chile. No one fancies Australia and they went 2-0 down in 14 minutes with 2 goals in the 12 and 14th. Looked like the gates had been opened only for Australia who looked ragged and disorganised in defence to muster up and get one goal back. Chile then sat on the lead in the 2nd half as Australia couldn’t get the equaliser, and finally let a 3rd in just on the flu time whistle. The game as cruel as it is beautiful

Day three has 4 games, England and Italy being the one I’m most interested in, mostly because being English and all, even if I live in New Zealand. You can take the boy out of England…..

Might put my England Jersey on to watch the game, might even go out and sit with strangers and watch it. Might even make a note tomorrow about how it went, which will either be praise and singing-when-you’re-winning or it’ll be “well we al knew that would happen”