Brazil: see you there in 2014!

This is the end. The South Africa World Cup was sensational and made history. After all it was the first time that the African continent hosted an event of this magnitude. Congrats for South Africa!

 

I want to welcome Spain and the Spanish people for becoming the latest member of the World Cup Champions' elite club. In a game where both goalkeepers led their teams up to 116th minute with fantastic defences. Everything could have happened. Both teams deserved to win, because of their history in World Cups, their players and their fans. ARRIBA ESPANA!!! CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO!!!

 

And Germany ended up with the 3rd place after a 3-2 victory over the Uruguayan warriors. Again, both teams deserved the victory. The game wasn't decided up to the 91st minute when Diego Forlan hit the crossbar. Sensational!

 

While the Spaniards will celebrate for a while, the rest of football fans, already missing the tournament, will start thinking about the next World Cup in Brazil. I have been asked to comment on how Brazil is doing to get set for the 20th football showcase edition.

 

1. Stadiums: There are a lot of stadiums in Brazil, but none of them actually meet FIFA's standards. For that reason most of the stadiums will be built from the scratch (few of them will be renovated). The deadline is short, only 4 years, however couple of them needs to be fully operational by 2013 for the Confederation Cup.

 

2. Investments: Some analysts say that the total investment will reach US$ 10 billion. This budget, besides the construction of new stadiums, includes the renovation and expansion of airports, public transportation, hotels and all the necessary structure to host an event like World Cup and having in mind that Brazil will also host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

 

3. Economics: Brazil is in the middle of a splendid economic period, growing between 5 to 7% per year. This economic growth is responsible for raising the quality of life of several Brazilian families (50% of the families are considered medium class now). The expectation is that the growth will persist for at least a decade part due to the investments for World Cup and Olympic games.

 

4. Violence:The violence is a problem that is present among megalopolis such as Sao Paulo where more than 17 million inhabitants live. A good chunk of the budget is reserved to improve safety procedures and upgrade policing.

 

5. Party: Oh yeah! There will be parties! Lots of them, for sure!

 

The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil logotype was officially released, see the video below:

 

 

If you are willing to go to Brazil in 2014, make sure to start planning your trip since now, especially if you intend to stay in Rio de Janeiro. If you are a “city person”, then Sao Paulo is your “Brazilian Toronto” but 5x bigger. If you like forest and beaches, you have to go to North and Northeast of Brazil, to Manaus (Amazon forest) and Recife, which will host some games.

 

Preparations have started already, an initial budget was approved by the Government and for sure Brazilians will receive fans from around the planet with open arms such as the Corcovado Christ and will do their best to make the next World Cup an unforgettable experience for everyone.

 

See you there in 2014!

 

PS – if you are interested to know more details about the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, check these links:  Article on FIFA’s website and the 8-minute Brazil's presentation video (mix of portuguese and english).

About Paulo Porto

Ahora Hay Ocho

The blogging, the catching-up on taped matches at 2 a.m. to the detriment of sleep, general health and personal hygiene, it all comes to this. 

At the end of the final, there will be a new country added to the list of World Cup winners.  And with all the blogging about Algeria, the USA, and most recently Germany who impressed like no other collection of players in this tournament, it was no longer a matter of watching matches with a critical eye. 

Holland was in the final and I was able to watch the Dutch without the need to commentate in an official capacity.  No longer a "head" game, this would be a "heart" game.  The other cool thing about this match is that, because neither Holland nor Spain had won the trophy before, there would be no "The Cup's Coming Home!" rhetoric.  Take the small wins where you can, folks.

The teams lined up and I knew we would not be in for as much excitement as Germany and Uruguay provided twenty-four hours previously.  This would be a grind-out of two opposing styles that would come in fits.  And the fits kept flying.  Add to this another great kick into the gut of game excitement, Howard Webb was also officiating the final.

The game begins and already it becomes clear that Holland are out to bruise their opposition off the ball.  Total Football is out the window.  Total Thuggery appears to be in.  That said, no one is solely to blame for the match having more cards than late-night TV poker.  The Dutch tackled hard and were lucky not to be sent off several times.  To fuel this, the Spanish side played in a manner that made me ask myself if the Spanish Diving Team ever broke into a football match as they left the platform and headed for the water.

  And all of this under the watchful eye of Webb who did as Webb does: Chokes his inconsistent calls under the guise of fear to take a stand.  Call after call went missed or not reacted to by the man who should have taken control way earlier on in this contest.  When DeJong attempted to use Alonso's chest as a step-ladder, that should have sealed his fate and hopefully restore order to an already petulant match.  By not making that and other proper calls, it felt like he lost the game at the coin toss.

It then became funny.  With Webb running away from an off-the-ball incident, Webb returned to the scene of the infraction to see the damage done for the first time.  At that point, he brings forth a yellow card, a familiar sight in this match.  We thus learn that either Webb does in fact have eyes in the back of his head, or he is working on content for his new autobiography, "Booking Based on Hearsay".  Arrogant, entitled, inconsistent; it appears that England is to refereeing as England is to football in 2010.

The game bores on and it and no one involved is coming off looking good in this.  Spain are antagonistic, Holland respond, and all the while I get the feeling that FIFA honestly confused Webb with Pierluigi Collina.  Spain bring on more players into the match for the extra time attempting to brake the nil-nil full-time score line, and the Netherlands do the same, bringing on Celtic's Braffheid who has his first look at the field in this entire tournament, and can barely get a start in the Scottish Premier League.  It's now sinking in that probably Holland are not going to get away with this.

In the death of extra time, it happens.  Spain slot home what ends up being the winner and the now poisoned chalice is theirs.  Webb blows.  THE WHISTLE...sorry about that.  His pursuit by angry Dutch players do nothing to make them or him look better.  It's an embarrassment on all sides.  Add to this, Paul the Octopus was right.  I hate it when cephalopods happen to get it right.

Yes, I wanted Holland to win.  But they didn't deserve it based on the play.  Neither did Spain for that matter.  If ever I wanted Sepp Blatter to stand up and go, "You know what?  You're both just awful.  Germany, here you go."  But for this I do blame Webb.  He set the tone immediately making calamity after calamity happen escalating the vitriol between the sides and to show for it, we have a smash-and-grab result in a final that has double the number of cards ever given out in a World Cup final.  Quite the legacy and a far cry from Webb's Saturday comments of referees not being thought of after the match.

Some miscellany to close up the game.  As Webb and the other referees collected their medals, I tweeted, "Wow. Webb gets a medal. While we're at it, next up to get one, the fat guy from 'Seinfeld'."  Yeah, I was bitter, what of it?  More disappointed to be honest.  With the way this tournament being as unpredictable as it was, psychic octopus aside, and seeing some genuinely exciting matches as we reached the end, it was a profound tournament to watch, to document, and enjoy.  In many cases it shouldn't have ended this way, but it did.  We can now all return to our homes, get on with our lives and wait another four years to reunite again.

But I was able to garner one chuckle as all the dust settled from the Andy-Capp-style battle cloud of a match.  The CBC commentator stated that with Spain being the current holders of the European Championships and the World Cup, they're the first team to do so since West Germany in 1972.  Um, watch France much?

Some of the mistakes in this final were not only found on the field.

About Todd Van Allen

The future of FIFA World Cup

With the success of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa which broke barriers and records, several countries are now bidding to organize and host the 2018 and 2022 editions.

Eleven bids were submitted in 2009, covering 13 nations, with two joint bids: Belgium-Netherlands and Portugal-Spain. Mexico also submitted a bid, but withdrew theirs in 2009, while Indonesia had their bid rejected for lack of government support.

For 2018 and 2022

England

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said he would welcome a 2018 bid from "the homeland of football." England has previously hosted the 1966 World Cup which it won and Euro '96, as well as previously bidding for the 2006 World Cup. Should England succeed, it would be the sixth nation to host the World Cup for a second time.

United States

With all good audience results, soccer gaining more popularity and supported by the financial and attendance records of previous hosted 1994 FIFA World Cup, the United States are going to be a big England's competitor for the 2018 bidding. The US Soccer has submitted two bids: one for 2018 and in case they don't get it, another for 2022. The 18 host cities were already chosen: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington DC.

Russia

Russia comes strong for the bidding due to the FIFA's rotation policy. However, they are not as well structured as the USA and England, but the country is ready to spend some $10 billion on the tournament, especially to build stadiums following FIFA standards. Russia hopes to have five stadiums fit to host World Cup matches ready by 2013, which will be used for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Portugal and Spain

The joint-venture consists in Spain leading a 12-stadium project with eight of the venues, and the opening and final games would be held in Lisbon and Madrid, respectively. Spain has previously hosted the 1982 World Cup, while Portugal organized the Euro 2004. If the Portuguese-Spanish joint bid succeeds, Spain would become the sixth nation to host the World Cup for a second time.

 

Belgium and the Netherlands

Using the same model as per Portugal and Spain, Belgium and Netherlands would share the building of stadiums which comply with FIFA standards. Luxembourg will also help in the World Cup organization in case the bid is the winner, however it will not host any game neither be automatically qualified for the event.

 

 

 

For 2022 only

Australia

Initially Australia confirmed a bid for 2018, which was eventually withdrew months later. One possible stumbling block to the bid is that almost all of Australia's largest stadiums are used by other major Australian sports (Australian Football and Rugby) whose domestic seasons overlap with the World Cup. Australia has hosted several tournaments: U-20 Soccer World Cup, 2000 Summer Olympics, 2003 Rugby World Cup among others.

 

Japan

Japan is bidding to become the first Asian country to host the World Cup twice; they co-host the 2002 World Cup with South Korea. They have also withdrew the bid for 2018 and analysts say that their chances for 2022 are very low as well.

 

South Korea

As their previous partner of 2002 World Cup, South Korea has put forth an offer to host the 2022 edition. Due to the rotation policy and FIFA willing to take soccer to places that it needs to be developed, the likelihood is not good for South Korea's (and Japan's) bid.

 

 

Qatar

Qatar is attempting to become the first Arab nation to host the World Cup. Qatar is planning to promote this bid as an Arab unity bid and hope to draw on support from the entire Arab world, and are positioning this as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the Arab and Western worlds. Some concerns with Qatar's bid deal with the extreme temperatures especially in June and July, but according to them, this is not a problem at all, stadiums with controlled temperature will be built, once they win the bid for 2022.

Canada Soccer Association was also willing to pull together a bid for 2022 edition. With the expectation that the United States will land the 2018 or 2022 event, while other continents will also get to host it as it rotates from one region to another, they decided that it does not worth to move forward with an official bid. However, the 2015 Women's World Cup is more likely.

Whether Canada's chances to host or not a World Cup is low, I do hope see Canada team being part of the 32 nations in Brazil 2014.

About Paulo Porto

Germany: best of the rest?

 
"You know we missed the final by this much, right?"

I suppose that there's a reason that we don't see the technical awards given out at the Oscars.  They're full of technobabble, they're a pale comparison to the awards where you get to see quick shots of Jack Nicholson sitting in the crowd with sunglasses on at six in the evening, and no one cares about them.

Seriously, do you want to hear a guy drone on-and-on about how he figured out how a fish-eye lens works?  Here we have the third-place game of the World Cup and you'd think that at least there should be some build-up to this. 

One of the two teams is going home knowing that, in terms of the competition, anyway, they're third-best in the world.  That can't be that bad, truly.  Sadly, the banner that should be displayed beside the score and clock on the TV screen is not the CBC logo, but the words "Oh, to be Spain or Holland." 

It seemed to get worse for Germany coming into it, with Klose out with a back injury, so denied a place in the match that would allow him the goals to get top scoring spot in the World Cup ahead of Ronaldo (the fat one, not the jerk one).  With him being 32, he may still have a World Cup in him, but those goals will have to be waning.  It will be possible, but far from probable for him.

As the teams line up for the match, most-to-all have a look on their face like there's a load of sister-dating about to go on.  But no matter, there's a game to play.  Everyone's a professional, let's get on with this.  Germany line up with a 4-5-1 formation with someone named Cacau up front.  I don't know much about the sole forward, other than the fact that his name sounds about as German as the name "Cheryl".  Regardless, he's the guy that will be dealing with the balls from the nine guys behind him.  The Uruguayan side lines up with a 4-4-2 with a front pair that I'm sure they'd have loved to have against Holland, desperate, vital, yet over-talked handballs notwithstanding.

[Aside:  The Suarez Handball.  It's no worse than someone taking the legs out from underneath a bounding striker going for goal when there's no one else back to defend and getting a yellow card for it.  There, it's called "a good foul to take".  In this case, it's a "we should look at the rules again" situation.  Nonsense.  They're both the same.  The rules dictate the response to the action.  It was a foul committed in the course of the rules.  The referee response was both accurate and correct.  This is nothing new.  The only thing that should have happened is that Suarez should have shut up about it.  Comparing his action to "The Hand of God" is ludicrous.  Phrase coining like that should be left to cheating coke-heads that couldn't manage a Sunday pick-up game.  I appear to digress...]

The match begins and feels like a true friendly match; teams facing each other that normally wouldn't in the course of conference qualification, and the fouls don't seem to be right.  They seem to be over the top for a mean-nothing game, but suddenly, it appears that everyone involved is slugging it out for the third place ribbon.  That said it doesn't appear that everyone's playing to win it.  It seems they're playing to not lose it.

Ten minutes in and Friederich fires one off the crossbar, showing that if nothing else, Germany are well up for it.  And it shows eight minutes later as Müller gets his fifth goal of the tournament, showing that at the very least, he's playing for it.  And he's got company, it seems.  Twenty-fifth minute, and Forlan et al are trying to push one in to equalize.  Equalize!  In a game that means as much as Lady GaGa's hat...They're making this their final.  Fantastic.

Finally, Uruguay's work pays off.  A ball taken from Schweinsteiger as though it was candy and he were a two-year old leads to Uruguay scoring through Cavani on the wing and it's official.  It's game on.  The sides finish the half and leave the field in a rain that is coming down so hard, the players should be leaving in pairs and entering a big boat.

The second half begins with none of the usual foreplay, both sides taking it to each other where they left off.  In the forty-eighth minute, Butt parries a shot-rebound combo from Uruguay successfully, and it strikes me that this match is going to be way more exciting than anything Sunday has to offer.

To prove that point, the fifty-first minute happens.  Uruguay sustain pressure into the German end, and Forlan picks up a cross and one-times it off the pitch into the back of the net.  If anyone has been paying attention in this tournament, they'll have to recognize that Forlan has stood out as the scorer of some incredible goals.  This one definitely adds to this tally.

And then there's Germany.  Jansen scores a delightful header...and yes, that was delightful...in the fifty-sixth minute and it really is hitting home that this match will eclipse the spectacle tomorrow between Holland and Spain.  It has to.  Four goals scored in less than an hour, still a deadlock, and all I can picture is the dreary drab ten-man-clogged midfield from Wednesday that brought Germany to this game in the first place.

The teams trade blows throughout the following minutes and Schweinsteiger's attempts at goal are strongly saved, soaked up, and countered by Uruguay. 

Still fighting his way inside the box repeatedly, he continues on looking to grab Man of the Match once again.  That said, the substitution that sees Kiessling seems inspired, forcing his way forward and getting every part of his body on the ball in front of net.  It leads me to wonder why he didn't start in fact.  The pressure mounts further and in the eighty-second, it all happens. 

A German corner sees a flurry of activity inside a very inert Uruguay defence that is as flat-footed as a 1920s collection of constabulary on a beat.  Suddenly Khedira slots home what could be the German winner.  After much end-to-end action, a Friedrich free kick giveaway found 25 yards out, it comes down to the final boot of the ball in the match.  Forlan hits the crossbar, and given one last goal, this game would have finished any hope I had of a decent game tomorrow.

Full-time is blown, and were it not for the two losses that led up to these two teams playing each other for third place, I could have seen the best final in World Cup history.

Yawn.  Roll on Sunday.  Hup Holland Hup.

About Todd Van Allen

If you thought the Dutch had clogs, check the GER-ESP Midfield...

Real Sports: If You're Looking for Recliners, Go To The Brick

Yes, I'm supporting Holland.  Yes, I'm reviewing Germany.  Yes, I'm licking my lips at a chance to see Germany face the already advanced Dutchmen into the final.  When the call came out for the Toronto Star bloggers to congregate for the semi-finals of the World Cup, let's face it, you begin to feel a bit like a professional sports hack.  I half wanted to have some form of Fedora with a press card tucked into the ribbon, a butt-filled ashtray at the table, and a bottle of whisky left at the table by the wait staff because I asked them to leave it there.  This was not the case.  This is Toronto, we're all polite, and you can't smoke inside anywhere unless the building is on fire.

Call Yourselves Reporters? Not One Fany Hat Among You!

So, I'll continue to be a low-rent blogger.  The call came out to review Germany v. Spain at the Real Sports Bar across the street from the Air Canada Centre.  To call itself the ultimate sports bar and be so close to the home of the Maple Leafs makes it very suspect.  One would hope it would eventually be in the neighbourhood of winners.  Regardless...

I walk in and the place is massive, reminding me of the ESPN Zone in Times Square in NYC.  The only thing missing is the recliners that dot the front of the New York sports haven.  Once they have that, we're good to go. 

Instead of ruing the absence of comfy chairs, I settle in for the last semi-final match of the entire World Cup, Germany v. Spain.  As much as I'm typically not a Germany fan, I've fallen in love of this team and their style of play.  My Dutch already into the final, I would love to see nothing more than the Germans slide into the final slot, making the previous final encounters slightly more vindictive.  The Spanish?  I'm sure they're great as well.  I've begun to love the way this German team works and it would be great to see them scramble against a sea of Oranje.  Or more likely, it would be fantastic seeing both European sides crash against each other, with similar sides taking swings at the other.  And of all the days to have my Herta Berlin shirt in the wash...

Not Actual Size...Much Much Much Bigger

Inside the Real Sports bar, I move to an analog means of work, preferring a book and pen to a laptop since no outlets are available.  That and I figure that's what the Germans would do if they had their druthers as well, mechanic over high-tech.  I am sat down beside fellow blogger Tara Howe who I met ages ago at the Fox and Fiddle for a comedy show.  I'm sure we were both fantastic.

I settle in with my fellow Toronto Star bloggers at a table at the base of the massive HD screen.  The vantage point is such that we might as well be watching from the swing set at the base of a drive-in movie screen.  It is gigantic.  Shifting my glasses in the play where possible, I tend to focus at the smaller screens nearer the bar which up to the 10-minute mark still have darts on instead of the World Cup semi-final.

Both teams show their line-ups and both adhere to a 4-5-1, meaning that there is going to be a clog in the middle of the field that has BP execs licking their lips at.  Both teams open the game with their cards close to their chests, making this a cagey match at best from the onset.

Four minutes in, and we have our first pitch invasion of the tournament.  Why it took so long, and why it wasn't Roger Milla from the Coke commercials either beggars belief.  It still makes me think that England have a chance.

The two monolithic 4-5-1s attack each other like elephants fighting over peanuts.  It's a clunky affair that has the elegance of bumper pool.  This sadly will be the theme for the outing.  That said, 14 minutes in, and Spain have the first chance.  The place swoons and already I'm concerned that I'm the only German blogger in the place.  I'm not, but it does feel like it, the majority I'm sure having found refuge in The Musket.  The bulk of the possession lands in the Spanish hands, but that makes it easier for the Germans to counter, doesn't it?  And they do.  A few corners go Germany's way, many are close, but it's still a stalemate.

As the first half wears on, it appears more and more that the German defence has become more resolute and unforgiving, allowing no Spanish creativity at all.  Germany is not playing the game that they've become famous for in this tournament, but nor is Spain afforded the opportunity to play the game they've yet to play in the tournament.  Tit for tat at this point.  All in all, thready play from both sides, Germany still stable and resolute, unable to capitalize.

We head to the second half, and already I'm thinking what's this blog going to look like with penalty kicks written all over it.  The more I see of the match, the more I realize a mistake will have to be made by one of the sides to resolve this.  That's when the dam beings to crack.

Germany becomes more and more questionable, wondering more how to not only counter but hold back the Spanish.  Spain advances, and Germany soaks up the pressure, but more and more, Germany look for a counter that never seems to come.  And then there's Puyol...

A Spanish corner results and an unmarked Puyol lurches forward to head home what ends up being the winner.  Good for Spain.  Bad for me and the Germans.  The Germans appear to have nothing left in the tank, having left Puyol as open as a day pass.  Me, I've never liked Puyol, always thinking he looks like a guy that eats his lunch at a Woodbridge Wal-Mart.  Regardless, 1-0 Spain.

And so it stays that way.  Spain close down at the end making it impossible for Germany to play the way you'd fancy they could.  Germany now face Uruguay on Saturday, and with that loss, it is guaranteed that there is a new country to add to the list of World Cup winners.  With the Dutch not being able to face Germany, I hope the future still remains Oranje.

Spoedig zal er acht zijn.

See? I Am A Real Journalist...Honest!

About Todd Van Allen

Ghana: A rebuttal on behalf of Luis Suárez

We've all had a day or two to digest the ending of the Ghana v Uruguay quarter final match. In particular we've had time to digest Luis Suárez's "hand of god" part deux handball in the dying seconds of extra time. I have heard it said from countless people both online and in the Ghanaian bar I was watching the match at (The Point @ Jane and Wilson) that Suárez is a cheat, liar and in the most extreme case should be banned from football for life. Now on Friday I was viewing the game from the biased view of someone who was supporting Ghana. We were all heartbroken at the final result, in a game that lets face it Ghana should have won in extra time as they dominated play. However due to the disproportionate response in favour of making Luis Suárez the living model of everything that is wrong with football, I'm turning off my bias and defending him...a little bit.

First, Mr Suárez you are a great player and a cheat...in the same vain as Theirry Henry and Diego Maradona. You may get your big summer move to Manchester United, but you'll always have this hanging on you.

Second, although people want to ban him for life and take away his world cup goals (will never happen by the way) He was caught by the linesmen. He was punished appropriately by the rules that govern the game, he was red carded, sent off, the team was punished by having one less man and a penalty was awarded. Also lets not forget to mention that he will miss the semi final against Holland, which if they lose he won't be singing the happy tune as he is now.  

Third, It is up to the penalty taker to convert the penalty. Gyan did not do that. Now I know the argument will be that it should have never been a penalty situation as Suárez used his hands to clear the ball off the line. I disagree with this as Suárez could have gotten to it with his head had he now been so focused on using his hands.

Frankly for all those who are looking for 10 match bans for Suárez and a apology from FIFA to the Ghanaian Football Association; Stop it is not going to happen nor should it. He has been punished to the full extent of footballing law, plus the football gods always seem to put the wrongs right again....If you don't believe me ask the Irish FA.

About Mike Newell

I Called a Germany-Holland Final Months Ago

 
Klose  No Cigar. 

I cursed when I saw the schedule for the Argentina v. Germany match since it was scheduled while I was working in Hartford, CT. 

Instantly, my thoughts turned to the stereotypes of the Americans and soccer.  With them out of the tournament, I pictured nothing but baseball on televisions everywhere. My requests to see football might as well be for curling. 

Thankfully the matches are on regular cable here and the stereotype does not hold true.  But finding venues that have TVs that will show the game proved to be the issue.  For example, I was able to find a venue that had the games on at full volume, had free wifi and had an assortment of beers to choose from.

But once again I found myself in a Hooters.  As per my coverage of the USA match against Ghana, there were many Americans in attendance, but also a pack of Uruguayans.  Either there are Hooters in Uruguay, or they couldn't find a Chi-Chi's and figured this was the next best thing, name-wise anyway.

Being so far from The Musket and all the great German folks that I met in Toronto, I hoped I could find a similar venue where local people of German descent would gather to watch their team battle against Maradona's Argentina.  Again, I hoped.  One quick Google and I saw that 20 minutes away sat a place called "The German Club".  Already picturing sitting with another three generations of Germans, I called the club.  A woman with a New England accent answered.

"Hello?"
"Yes, hi.  I was wondering if you were going to have the German game on tomorrow."
"The what game?"
"The German game.  The match against Argentina."
"I don't know what that is."
"The World Cup game.  The soccer."
"Oh, yeah.  What time is that on?"
"10:00."
"Oh, yeah.  We'll have that on for sure.  We open at 9:00."
"So I just show up in the morning then?"

[pause]

"What time is the game?"
"10:00am."
"Oh.  No, sorry.  We don't open until 9:00pm."

[pause]

"You sure?"

Not even Hooters was going to open early for the game, not even enough Uruguayans interested in this game it seemed.  No German club.  No free wifi.  I resigned myself to the ABC coverage of the match at the condo, ESPN preferring to show bowling instead.

Now, I've become more and more a fan of the German side, but for this match, I'll say that I'm no fan of Maradona.  I've never liked him as a player.  In fact, I've always seen him as a paranoid vainglorious cheat.  Talent or not, I've never had much respect for the man.  And as such, with him at the reins of the national side, I like many were just waiting for the chaos to come.  He's dressing up now with a long flowing mane of hair, a dignified beard, but every time the camera pans on him at the sidelines, I always think he comes off looking like Super Mario's insurance-selling cousin.  That or a guy that just won the lottery and realized that he suddenly needed to buy a suit.

The sad part is I become slightly torn, with players the likes of Messi that I love to watch and wish to see do well.  But then there's Tevez, who I have absolutely no love for.  I also don't like that other toothy guy that signed with him at West Ham.  Whatever.  There are guys I like on Argentina, but there's way more on the German side that strike my fancy.

The match kicks off and the third minute sets the tone for the game as Müller connected a header on to a free kick and slotted past the dead-footed Argentinean keeper.  I instantly thought about the folks at The Musket, thinking that most of them wouldn't have had time to sit down with their beers yet and already they're out of their seats.  Remarkably, I don't think of Hooters.

With Argentina on the back foot, they go long patches attempting to break through the German midfield to no avail, allowing Germany to counter a few times but not find the net.  I half want Messi to bury one, but this game, like others in the tournament, is unable to put on the finishing touches expected of him.  His distribution succinct, but for the best footballer in the world, you'd expect him to bury goals and not Argentina's hopes.

In the 36th minute, Müller catches one of the worst yellow-card calls for a handball as seen yet in the tournament and misses what looks to be the next match as a result.  Next, up, Argentina would have scored had 36% of their team not been in an offside position.  Cut to Maradona, shielding his eyes, unable to look at the spectacle.

The second half starts with Argentina seeming to have been talked up by Maradona, their forwards rushing ahead but colliding hard with a very unforgiving German defence.  Their efforts appear to drop for nowt in the 68th minute as Klose scores to make it 2-0.  The pass from the slot tucks in behind the Argentinean defender and he side-foots it into goal.  The whole affair strikes me as offside, but no one appears to be complaining.  A quick shot to the Argentinean technical area shows Maradona scrambling about, looking like he left his answers to this somewhere.  Must be in the other suit.

Six minutes later, Germany score again and it's looking like the German match all over again.  Argentina are thoroughly beaten and are reminded of that as it all becomes academical in the 89th.  Germany make it their third four-goal game of the tournament.  With that win, every other country in the world's FAs begin firing up laptops and Googling the words "youth" and "system".

The final whistle blows and in the end, so does Argentina; their aged defence agape and their powerful strikers shown as impotent.  Speaking of which, I'm reminded that Maradona promised/threatened to run naked if Argentina won the tournament.  Thank you Germany for helping to keep his privates private.

By the way, I have been calling for a Germany-Holland final since before the games started.  Just sayin'...

About Todd Van Allen

Ghana: Suarez a disgrace to Beautiful Game

I never made a secret of my passion for the Beautiful Game and African Football.

Since this was the Hand that kept Ghana from Making History in Africa's first-ever World Cup. I could not just let this pass by without adding my two-cents.

For this - like Maradona's Hand of God and Thierry Henry's hand ball that saw the French through to the finals in South Africa, it will not soon be forgotten. Some say it was an instinctive reaction for Suarez to do what he did. However, this is the time for FIFA to act. This is not a Fair Play. 

Suarez has seen all the cheating going on game after game. So he decides to take it one step further. Players are exploiting FIFAs unwillingness to evolve with the times. And this is going to get worse.
I personally think that anyone who handballs in that manner, needs to be given a lengthy ban and a big fine. He certainly does not deserve to play in the final if Uruguay sneaks past Holland. 

Second, I want to say how disgusted and dismayed I was with some of the comments I heard after the Ghana game. Some of the so-called expert analysts who seem to have learned football by reading Football 101 for Dummies - they had the audacity to justified by saying: 

"Luis Suarez did the only thing he could possibly do"

Do you really know what football is? I am really surprised that why you did not call Suarez to be the man of the match after that comment!!. 

As a player of the beautiful game, Suarez should be ashamed of himself and those who justify his shameful act should find other sport to analyze not my Beautiful Game. That scene of Suarez over the line trying to desperately stop the ball going in to the net in 120th minute with his hands is not what the Beautiful Game is about. 

Unlike when England's goal against Germany was not allowed - when many experts were expressing their feelings to the point that bias was creeping into their voices - even saying outright how the game's momentum would have shifted to the England side if that goal would have stood, England would have come on top.

I have news for you - the play should have been judged as a goal, not just a penalty kick and the momentum would have really shifted to Ghana!!....

I never heard anyone call for video technology on Friday's game, when clearly the replay showed the ball had already crossed the line when Suarez committed his shameful act. Nor did I hear any expert question red-carded Suarez being on the pitch celebrating with his team mates. As I understand the rule is a red carded player is not allowed back to the pitch. No one picked that up either.

Furthermore, it is funny how the 'experts' curse Gyan for not converting the penalty and denying him his rightful place in these finals, when it's clear any player who is carrying on his shoulder not only his country's hope and dreams but the whole continent would have crumble under pressure. Gyan is a great striker and I'm sure he will recover from this, I have a lot of respect for the courage he's shown for taking the first spotkick in the shootout after missing in extra time.

As for the actual game, it was one of the most spectacular games of this World Cup and the tears of Black Star will dry, for they have done their continent proud.

It can be summed up by taking the page from one fan outside Soccer City:

"They (Ghana) made the world see that we Africans can play football. We'll have our day."

 I know we will.

About Khalid Magram

"Having a Hoot in Little America" or "Ghana-na-na-na! Hey Hey Hey! Goodbye!"

Down to the final 16 in the World Cup, and my attempts to find out more about Algeria ended with their failure to advance.  So, I took it upon myself to find out more about the smaller countries not expected to advance this far in the competition.  I focused my attention on a little-known country that surprises everyone by their presence in the final 16, the United States of America.  Had it not been for American internationals Maurice Edu and DaMarcus Beasley who play for Rangers, I'd never have known the USA existed.  Armed with my Rangers 'Edu' top, I ventured into the city trying to find an American bar and hopefully have better success meeting Americans than I did Algerians.

Doing a quick bit of research to find an American-centric bar, I found a pub, common in most American urban centres, called "Hooters".  Upon entering, I noted that there was no sign of any estuary.  Nor owls, as the name might suggest.  But the staff is not only friendly, but attractive, and I'll also assume, American.  Paydirt!

Hooters: A Slice of Americana in Toronto's Back Yard!

Some background on the United States:  You may be surprised to know that this country actually shares a border with Canada to the south.  Not as commonly known, Canada briefly occupied them circa 1812.  They also possess the largest population of all the competing countries, and thus surprising that it's a shock that they're doing this well.  One would think that such a large population would allow them to have a much larger pool of players to choose from for this competition.  It seems in talking to the Americans I find, the country tends to prefer supporting other competitive sports, such as "Basketball", "Baseball" and "Competitive Eating."  I am also informed that in the USA, they watch another game, also called "Football".  However, in their version of the beautiful game, it is played at a much slower pace on a much smaller field, and the players are able to use their hands to pick up the ball.  This is not only alien to me, but unheard of in proper football, but Toronto being the multi-cultural centre that it is, I remind myself not to make fun of other country's customs.

I order what I'm told is a common American beer, a "Budweiser".  I quickly note that this microbrew has, through sheer determination and American pluck, found its way into a sponsorship of the World Cup.  Hooray for the successes of small business!  American Dream indeed!  It is Ashley that brings me my pint, with a side of true American hospitality.

 
Ashley with a Budweiser. Sepp Blatter Would Be Proud.

I find myself sitting beside two Americans named Peter and Ted, from Colorado and Chicago respectively.  Both cities have MLS teams, and knowing of the Chicago Fire and their away support at TFC matches, they are well aware of the importance of this match.  They are cheering like they're at a Lakers game.  Five minutes in Boateng scores for Ghana, commencing the burrowing of the hole the USS have to climb out of.  There's a lot of fight in the US team yet, and they wisely bring on Rangers Edu to bring some more punch into the midfield, towing with him his Scottish Premier League experience.

 
Two Americans Knowing Why the Ball Isn't Being Picked Up

The US begin the second half, still a man down, but are pushing forward, forcing Ghana to defend and rely solely on the counter attack in the opening minutes.  Balls are being threaded into the box.  There are no Ghana fans here it seems, and it's all-American.  Finally, a fruitful search.

USA Away

Suddenly, the US gets the play that they want, Dempsey gets brought down in the Ghana box, and a penalty is awarded.  Landon Donovan, no stranger to being part of US success, slots home the penalty to equalize.  A more open match is now expected and delivered.  Both teams now seem to be trading equivalent blows, this game now mirroring the South Korea-Uruguay match earlier in the day in that this may be the first game that goes to extra-time if not penalty kicks.

 
Plucky Little USA Still Fights On

At the 81st minute mark, the US are awarded a free kick that hope to put them forward.  No such luck.  The Americans in attendance are willing their side forward, hoping to advance to the quarters.  If they do, I wonder what the streets of Little America in Toronto will look like.  I'm sure we'll be able to find them with their chants of "USA! USA! USA!"  It is mentioned that the US is the largest purchaser of World Cup final tickets, second only to Africans.  As it goes to extra time, it may turn out that their purchases are warranted.  Or not.

In the opening moments of extra time, a goal by Gyan puts Ghana up after 93 minutes.  It appears that for the US, this plucky little nation's tournament may be over.  Africa, meanwhile, hang their hopes on the Ghana result staying.  The US seems to be fumbling, frantic to notch the equalizer.  Each free kick awarded is lobbed forward on net, the Ghana defence still holding on.  Consistently.  The US continues to press up to the dying moments, culminating in a corner in the 120th minute of added/injury time.  The punched shot is collected and returned to net with a volley, Howard the US keeper up to add strength up front.  No avail.  The Hooters crowd groans at the miss.

Ghana comes forward again, hoping to kill off the tie.  The US meanwhile keeps missing with every attempt.  The whistle blows.  The US is out and Ghana goes through.  Their hopes, including those of my fellow Rangers kin, are dashed.  I look up and Peter and Ted are nowhere to be found.

Sadly, it appears that I'm the Death Knell for teams that I cover.  First Algeria.  Now the USA.  Let's see what Germany does.  I hope their Hooters is as nice as this one.

Chile: Did Canada create this electrifying team?

A friend of mine has an interesting theory about this Chilean team that I decided to share with you. He says that Canadians are the responsible of this "electrifyng, energetic and powerful" squad. He states that an external power went to Chilean players from Canadian people and that's why they are now a fast and strong team.

It would have happened on July 19th of 2007 during the U-20 World Cup semifinal between Chile and Argentina. Almost 20,000 people went to the Toronto FC Stadium to watch the two South American teams in the best match of that tournament. As a result of a terrible refereeing of the German Wolfgang Stark, the Argentines won that game. Of course, with 7 Chilean players yellow-carded and 2 red-carded, it is not difficult to say that Argentina finished playing 12 against 9.

Chilean fans were upset and the German referee left the field protected by the police and Chilean players. Even Condorito, the most important Chilean ambassador of peace, was arrested during that match for jumping into the field to complain about bad refereeing.

But the most important thing would come later. When the game was over and the Chileans were going back to their hotel, something unclear until today happened between the Chilean team and the Toronto police. What is already confirmed is that the T.O. police use gas and electricity against the Chilean team integrated by Alexis Sánchez, Mauricio Isla, Arturo Vidal and Gary Medel, all of them in the current adult team playing in South Africa.

Even the Chilean former president Michelle Bachelet blamed Toronto police for an "unjustified aggression" against those young Chilean players. That wasn't a funny story in that moment, but today when Chile has done a good campaign, my friend's interpretation of facts can be true.

So, was something in that gas and electric shock that changed the players' behaviour? Maybe. If Spiderman got a power from a spider or Hulk became stronger thanks to an experiment, why not in this case? For the moment, I will recommend that my friend Julio stop watching these comic series, at least for a while.

About Fernando Gonzalez Martinez