It’s the Word Cup (7)

Day Eight,

England have to win to have any chance

Game One:  (game twenty-one )

Colombia – Cote D’Ivoire 

Disjointed and confused start, Colombia taking the early chances but can’t convert.

Unusual one man wall deployed might be the highlight in the first part of this game.

25 minutes and you think I’d have more highlights but it hasn’t really kicked on. Then from in front of the goal he squirts the ball wide, even I could have scored from that position.

Goal-less half, with little opportunity. Here’s to a better 2nd half.

Slightly more lively start this half,  but final touch ever so slightly out of reach. An hour into this game and its not looking like there will be a goal.

Comedic attempts at goalscoring don’t help.  Shot off the post might herald something as the game sparks up finally! Columbia taking their moment in the sun.  Cote d’Ivoire  masters of their own demise with clumsy defence and the resulting corner kick leaving an unmarked man and it’s 1-0  Columbia at 64 minutes.

The crowd has woken up to and dialled it up to 11. From in front though it;s straight into the defensive wall and Cote d’Ivoire claim handball, which is a bit wishful. They are looking for a goal, and that opens them up at the back and Colombia punish them with a goal to take it to 2-0

20 minutes to go though and this game doesn’t seem settled yet.  Couple of substitutions change of shape and Cote d’Ivoire summon up an unlikely goal, a wonderfully skilful solo effort.  It’s all on, 3 goals in 9 minutes.

Colombia stay strong, Cote d’Ivoire can’t find a gap and  Colombia take it 2-1 and the celebrations begin.

Game Two: (game twenty-two )

Uruguay v England  I expect the usual result here from England, all huff and puff…  from the match already called “The Game of the Desperate’s”

Both goal keeps have early ‘moments’ England show their wide-game intentions.  Early free kick in a promising position, but England can’t capitalise.

England’s defence is all over the place like a mad woman’s  hair and a straight up direct shot blazes over, that should have been 1-0 Uruguay, but it isn’t.

30 minutes and it’s off the bar!!!, but still 0-0. England defence unpicked at 40 minutes and it’s 1-0 Uruguay. England press and have a couple of corner set piece moves but they’re not the best.

1966 gets a couple of mentions. in World Cup games England only ever having come from behind to win once, and it was that Final.

Half time 1-0 Uruguay.

Uruguay have come out on the press from the start, and have the beset of the early action missing a couple of really good opportunities, England reply with an attack that draws a really good save from the Uruguay goalie.

England trying to play cute football that inevitably fails.

Scary moment when the Uruguay defender gets a knee in the temple accidentally and appears out to the count, but wants to continue, and does.

At 65 minutes and England can’t make the final pass count and are looking ragged and desperate. Rooney walks one in at the far post and it’s 1-1 #Scenes

As always seems toe be the case after scoring, in this case  England are all over this like spots on a Dalmatian and have a couple follow up chances, and are full of running.

But awful defence from England see Uruguay slam a goal from open play home to take a 2-1 lead with 5 to play.

So no come-back victory, or a draw for England who didn’t look likely and it’s 4 more years of torment and dreaming ahead.

Game Three: (game twenty-three )

Japan v Greece  Japan  have to win to have chance to progress, Greece can lose but clearly don’t have that as a plan, so could expect a fairly open game.

Taking it to a new level the Japan goalkeeper has mis-matched gloves that match his mis-match boots, stylie!

Japan having 70% of possession in the first 10 minutes, but not really making the most of it, and Greece still able to breakout and challenge the goal

It is an open and entertaining game though, Japan need to press and this is giving up gaps.

Wow a second card for a walk to the showers, the captain not leading from the front in discipline and this is going to dent their game plan.But a player down brings their best chance with a fine save from the goalkeeper keeping it level 40 minutes and it’s the period before the half when things happen in games like this.

Will a 10 man Greece team be galvanised by being a man down. Japan need to win though that’s the bottom line in the second half. The trick will be getting the man advantage to play out with opportunity.

30 to go and Greece look likely to score at the moment, that would set the cat in amongst the pigeons.

Even with the best will a highlight package from this game is going to be short

Awful and tragic game of football. 0-0