It’s the Word Cup (5)

Day Six, I might be a bit lost on the day number things. Three games again….

Bit distracted waiting for the technician to come and install the fibre internet to the house.

Anyway you get an idea that this is about a bragging competition today in games 2 and in 3,  Lots of rivalry sporting, politically and historically.

Game One:  (game fifteen)

Belgium and Algeria. Algeria 28 years since a World Cup goal, and 12 years since they were in an International Tournament. Qualifying from that region must be hard. (that’s 480 minutes – 5 games  of world cup football played since without a goal….. and counting )

Odd moment at the start when the coach was made t put a jacket on as his white shirt was potentially distracting.

The whistling thing, I have no idea, lets agree that it’s a continental thing and for encouragement. Belgium content to sit with possession and look for a gap, frustrating for the supporters.

A moment of madness in defence and a penalty for Algeria to take an unlikely 1-0 lead!

1-0 from a penalty – tempting fate to say that it stays that way and Algeria might be able to hold onto this, against what looks on paper a very good Belgium side.

last 20, and the substitute gets on the end of a great cross and it’s 1-1. The choice is sit on this or press for the win…..

Blinding finish from a break out and the other substitute scores to make it 2-1 Belgium. What a turn around this has been in the last 20.

That makes the 6th time a come from behind win.

Game Two: (game sixteen)

Brazil and Mexico.  Swarming Mexican defence. The team to beat is Brazil whoa re on a 10 game winning streak.  Early chances are to Brazil in an opening 20 minutes dotted with full contact tackles and a few stray arms. Neymar puts himself a bit in a lot of these, he is their pivot man. Highlight has to be the save by the Mexico keeper on 26 minutes, that’ll make the highlights reel.

The game though isn’t free-flowing and is an arm wrestle and hardly a spectacle, for Mexico a couple of long range shots, and Brazil a few surges into the box, but an unusual goal-less half.

Brazil however are 26 games in a row having scored in a Word Cup match, they won’t want to let that record slip.

Second half starts niggly, but first flash of attack to Brazil at some pace. Mexico going for a shoot on sight option from distance.  Brazil send on a player with less letters in his name to keep the game interesting, goalie makes another great save.

Brazil do appear to have a hurry up on, but the swarming defence is frustrating them. Golden chance for Mexico  with 10 to go from a free keep wasted.

Final 10 – Both teams might have settled for this, Mexico will take more from it in confidence – Mexico goalkeeper is outstanding in this game, late bit of play acting not enough to get Brazil out of this.

All a bit ‘meh’ at the end nil-all.

That save of course always brings out the Banks v Pele save which I found on the inter tubes. Back in the day it was in tiny-o-vision and they had one camera.

Game Three: (game seventeen)

Russia and the Korea Republic. The only previous meeting sees Russia winning 2-1. 

Busy game this from the off. Korea though appear to be out of sorts and off the pace, you’d expect more busy work.

I wish I had more to write about this game, which isn’t as engaging and entertaining as I thought It might be, as I watched the Korea player hoof the ball out of the stadium from in front of the goal.

So a half that would have benefited from a good beer in hand, neither side looking likely or willing, one of the teams will need to play more up the middle rather than down the wings and putting the ball into the middle.

meander, meander, meander… and with 20 to go Korea have a speculator from distance and not for the first time this match the goalie fumbles and Korea go 1-0 up #Scenes

Referee plays a long advantage, and the substitute for Russia ounces on a loose ball from a save and makes it 1-1

It is suddenly all on like donkey kong! Except that it’s not and Russia seem happy to slow the game down.

and 1-1 with no really nice things to say,