Ode to the beautiful game... (Soccer)

[Buzz]

Italy v Brazil, and Japan v Mexico today. The teams are confined to their hotel rooms because of the on going protests.

 

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Brazil 4-2 Italy. Hmmm.... Not bad from Brazil. I may have been writing them off too easy.

 

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That was one of the worse penalty kicks from Mexico I have ever seen.

 

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Mexico beats Japan 2-1.

 

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Spain is leading Nigeria 1-0, and Uruguay is leading Tahiti 4-0 and are down to 10 men.

 

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Poor Tahiti lost 8-0 to Uruguay and Nigeria lost 3-0 to Spain.

 

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Kobe Bryant was at the Italy vs Brazil game at the Confederation Cup and gave his opinion on Italy's chances against Spain.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...n-italian-soccer-teams-confederation-cup-loss

 

[rayhaneh]

Brazil 4-2 Italy. Hmmm.... Not bad from Brazil. I may have been writing them off too easy.

To be honest, as much as I have affection for this Brazilian side, until now they had been pretty poor as a team and I assumed in the light of their friendlies this year that qualification out of their group during this Confederation Cup might not even come easy if Japan played at their best and Mexico found their way again and played the way we know they are capable of

I'm quite happy that they have proven me wrong. I also find it interesting that they are growing as a team at the same time as Neymar seems to have turned a bit of a corner and matured compared to his performances with the national team last year or even during several friendlies this year. Both the team and the player still have their issues, but at least they seem to be heading in the right direction

I still have difficulties seeing them upsetting Spain though, they are just so much in control, although it would be quite fitting for them to win at home

 

[beepbeep]

The problem with Brazil is that it's 11 individually great players, but they are not a team.
I don't think they would survive Spain.
Actually, I wouldn't mind if they don't survive Uruguay

 

[Buzz]

Naughty girl! (or is it boy?!) The final will be Spain v Brazil. Because Uruguay I don't think has enough to beat Brazil and Italy is without Balotelli.

 

[rayhaneh]

The problem with Brazil is that it's 11 individually great players, but they are not a team.
I don't think they would survive Spain.
Actually, I wouldn't mind if they don't survive Uruguay

Sorry (actually no, not really )

I'd dispute the 11 great players: they are all very good players but they aren't all "great": some definitely are or have the potential to become greats (it's a pretty young team after all), they have a definite great with Thiago Silva, one of the best, if not the best, in his position. On the other hand I do think they are gelling as a team now, which wasn't obvious 6 months ago

Uruguay played ok but I am kind of relieved their tactic of locking the game using ten players in defence didn't work. I am almost sorry for Forlan for having missed that penalty because he's probably my favorite player on that side. Cavani on the other hand was quite extraordinary, in particular his work in defense: he was just EVERYWHERE and he did some essential work to block the left wing of Brazil's attack. To me he was the man of the game

I thought the victory at the end of the day was deserved for Brazil, but that wasn't exactly pretty. But I guess they need to go through that kind of matches to progress too. Cesar's action on the penalty really changed the tide of the match and Paulinho was great throughout, combining particularily well with Neymar for the two goals. Oscar did have his moments but he was too inconsistent: shame because he's Brazil's most gifted playmaker at the moment imo.

Neymar was (very) well neutralized but still managed to set up the two goals for his team. It's such a shame he felt he had to take THAT dive because that's all what most people will remember from him for this game. Why does he feel he has to do that sort of things with the talent he has is beyond me On the other hand, his exchange and his kiss to Gonzales at the corner was pretty hilarious

 

[beepbeep]

You are by far a better football analyst than me

Forlan has seen better days, even at Internacional (which, being a Grêmio supporter, doesn't bother me at all )
Neymar seems to be, finally, living up to the local hype. I guess that with his future departure for Barcelona, he felt the need to justify what was spent on him. I hope that doesn't happen to him what has been happening to most young and skinny Brazilian future superstars that go to Europe: they get bulked up very fast and get extremely injury prone.

 

[Buzz]

0-0 between Spain and Italy so it looks like overtime.

 

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Oh joy penalty kicks. I can't even look...

 

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Nobody has missed so far. 2-2

 

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3-3

 

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4-4

 

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5-5 and it is sudden death. And my nerves are just crumbling.

 

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6-6

 

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ooops.... first miss and it is from Italy. still 6-6

 

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That's it. Spain is in the final so congrats to them and hope the final does not come down to PKs.

 

[liv]

I watched the Brazil game and forgot about the Spain one today!!!! And it was the better one.... grrrrrr.
I look forward to a good match. Let's see if this young and talented team from Brazil can make a dent against the experienced and world champion, Spain.

I like both teams, so I don't mind who wins!!

 

[beepbeep]

Fortaleza's heat killed both teams. Spain had more fight, though.
The final should be exciting. I may even cheer for my own country.

 

[ioana]

Fortaleza's heat killed both teams. Spain had more fight, though.

Or more depth since Navas, Javi Martinez and Juan Mata all played very well after they got on. Am not that up to speed on Italy's team, but their subs didn't look all that impressive from what I saw in this game.

 

[Buzz]

Italy does not seem to have too much depth up from and Balotelli was absent from their line up. And anytime I hear anyone complain about excessive heat all I can think of is Qatar 2022...

 

[KHenry14]

And anytime I hear anyone complain about excessive heat all I can think of is Qatar 2022...

Lots of people were saying the same thing today. I shudder to think what it's going to be like for both the players and the fans. Not that FIFA cares...

 

[rayhaneh]

Neymar seems to be, finally, living up to the local hype. I guess that with his future departure for Barcelona, he felt the need to justify what was spent on him. I hope that doesn't happen to him what has been happening to most young and skinny Brazilian future superstars that go to Europe: they get bulked up very fast and get extremely injury prone.

To be honest that's one of two things that worry me: injury, especially if they try to bulk him up too quickly. And remains the question of whether he and the people are Barca will be able to grow his talent so that it translates well into European club football. And well, in these things, you always need to have a bit of luck on your side

Lots of people were saying the same thing today. I shudder to think what it's going to be like for both the players and the fans. Not that FIFA cares...

When was the last time FIFA cared about football, let alone the fans?

The World Cup will be going to Qatar because they gave the most lavish "gifts" to FIFA officials (of course that wasn't corruption, since there is no corruption in FIFA, there were only a few bad apples. Just like, you know, there is no racism in football.....) and because of the FIFA World concept, which only purpose will be to act as giant shopping windows for their sponsors

Why else would you build 8 brand new stadia in the middle of the desert in a country which will have no use for them anyway?

 

[beepbeep]

WC next year will be one of extremes, weather wise: it'll be winter in Brazil, which means regular summer temps in the north, north east and west (Brasilia, Manaus??, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza), mildly cold around the south east (São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Rio) and bloody cold in the south (Curitiba and Porto Alegre (me!)).
Should be interesting...

 

[rayhaneh]

I watched the Brazil game and forgot about the Spain one today!!!! And it was the better one.... grrrrrr.
I look forward to a good match. Let's see if this young and talented team from Brazil can make a dent against the experienced and world champion, Spain.

I like both teams, so I don't mind who wins!!

I must say it must be the best goal-less game I have seen in a loooooooooong time

The Italians really had the right tactics: kuddos to Prandelli, and to his players for applying their scheme so well. There were only three things that went in the way:

a) the absence of Balotelli to finish things off (although it could be argued that Gilardino, being more of a team player than Balotelli, fitted the tactics better, but I still was disappointed by his performance)

b) physically Spain was the stronger team, which started to become apparent during the second half and which gave Spain the advantage

c) sheer bad luck

I think b) is what gave Spain the match (that and nerves of steel, let's be honest), while a) and c) is what cost the Italians the game. They had so many occasions that they should have been up 2-0 at the end of the first half, but it just never happened

I still think Spain will win this, based on the fact that, having flirted with defeat during their semis, they will be more alert than ever going into the final. That and the fact that Spain is simply the better, more accomplished team of the two

Brazil have an off chance though if all their players play at their best but at this stage they simply don't have the strength in the midfield or the rigor in their organization necessary to threaten Spain the way Italy did, so they'll once again rely on streaks of genius from their better players. The other factors which could help this thing go their way is the heat and the fact that they had one more rest day and that Spain had to go all the way to penalties, and the public which could play its role as the 12th man in that team

 

[Buzz]

Neymar scores! 1-0 Brazil after some 2 minutes!