It’s the Word Cup (6)

Day Seven,

Starts the 2nd round of the round robin games.  Australia have a mountain to climb to be competitive, Spain need to Win and two teams looking to get some points on the board to have a chance to advance.

Game One:  (game eighteen )

Australia – Netherlands Can the Netherlands team put 5 past Australia?

The early game, Netherlands on a high, and Australia high on just being in the competition.  Netherlands will want to win of course, and are most likely.

Both teams anxious not to concede a goal and that makes the game very tactical and set piece,  at 18 minutes Australia will be happy so far at 0-0. Netherlands though being over cautious and lacking fines on the final pass.

Naturally having just though about that and making a grand statement  Netherlands go 1-0 up from an individual effort on a break-away. Nice work from Robben.  Bloke in crowd dressed as kangaroo not impressed.

#SCENES !!!! 3 passes later a cross to the far post and Cahill slams one in the net to make it 1-1 a better goal you will not see! (well you will but this is a cracker)

Two goals in a minute, man in the kangaroo outfit looking well happy!

Then at the end of the first half, unnecessary roughness and a reckless tackle and the Australian goal scorer gets a yellow card, means he misses the next game.

So spiced up for the second half and more elbows and feet to get us underway. Van Persie this time in he book and missing the next game with 2 yellow cards.

Penalty !!!!!! Australia it’s all gone wrong for the Netherlands, Australia pressing and having a man over into the box, easy for the ref to give that.

2-1 to Australia – I’m going to point out that they were 1-0 down #Scenes.

This would throw the pool into disarray if it says like this, very topsy-turvy.  Not sure whats going on Australia looking the most likely at the moment, Netherlands are rattled.

Couple of deep breaths and at the hour the Netherlands team get the equaliser.

You sense more goals in this, Australia aren’t done yet, and the Netherlands will want to wrap it up.  Australia sensing glory then fluff a golden chance allowing the Netherlands to escape, breakaway and go 3-2 up from a shot from miles out! Goalkeeper might have done better, but the ball was travelling and curving. Unbelievable game.

The Netherlands tighten up their game but the Australian team are not about to stop searching and pressing for a 3rd.

Last five minutes and it gets a bit tetchy, but it meanders to a close and inevitable conclusion.

3-2 Netherlands who are safe to progress.

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi! Oi! Oi

Game Two: (game nineteen )

 Spain – Chile Can Spain need to forget the first round lesson they were given and register a win to stay in the competition. The Spain team are somewhat ‘older’ and established in this, hoping that age and experience will do for them.

A game full of flair and temperament and Spain really needing to avoid another repeat of history and be turfed from the competition.

Lots of tussle and bumping and feet left in tackles and push and shove.  Improbably at 20 minutes its 1-0 Chile !!

Both teams showing a lot of discipline in their ‘shape’ and formation with defensive and mid-field lines that are hard to get through, often with 9 or 10 back behind the ball.

The expressiveness of both team dials up a little and there is more aggressive and forcible play.  Then all the more improbable from a set piece from one of the softer free kick awards and it’s 2-0 #Scenes

45 minutes for the current holders of the World Cup to avoid ignominy and fall at the first hurdle of the round robin. Spain will have to press in this period, and that could open them up to more misery on the counter attack.

First chance though goes to Spain, the breakaway shots to the crowd showing lots of pained faces and angst from Spain supporters.  Plan seems to be a long ball to the attack to break the defensive line this half.

Chile are comfortable in this had waste a couple of chances at 65 minutes to make this out of reach for Spain, who are pressing their backs into the game to get a goal leaving gaps at the back for that sucker punch goal.

Spain trying one pass too many and their attack breaks down far to often.

There will be no Spanish party in town tonight and only dignity to play for in game 3 as Chile look good to go on.

Chile 2-0 Spain

Game Three: (game twenty )

 Cameroon – Croatia Two beaten team need to improve to advance, well its winner stays in loser takes the bus home. 

The amount of pain is inversely proportional to the amount to rolling around on the floor after a tackle, as demonstrated in the opening minutes.

Cameroon have the opening advantage, and are throwing themselves dramatically at everything. Handbags in the pre-amble but a wasted opportunity.

Ping-pong from Croatia opens up the defence of Cameroon and it’s 1-0, tidy finish at 12 minutes.

A game of much to and fro but not a lot of cut and thrust and Alex Song then has red mist and got marched straight off with a red card. Not sure that forearming someone in the back on the run is a clever move in any sport.

Second half, goal down, man down Cameroon are clinging onto hope here. Croatia know how to play tight football, and expect a few more tussles and foul play.

And it’s all about done in the first 5 with a fine individual goal, an interception at the half way line, a run into the box at pace, and finish to make it 2-0  Croatia.

Croatia not sitting back and finally fluff from in front – they’re not done. And a fairly easy finish from an unmarked player at  a set piece corner makes it 3-0

With 30 minutes to go this could end up a rout. There’s too much rom and time and Croatia are letting opportunity slip. Then it was 4, Cameroon defence seems to have  nodded off,  a tap in at the far post on 73 minutes.

Cameroon can’t buy a goal and farcically they start fighting amongst themselves.

4-0 Croatia.