WC 2006 Round of 16 Day 2
from Benny of Soccer Europe:
25 June 2006
ENGLAND 1-0 ECUADOR
Beckham 60 (fk)
Tenorio latched onto poor headed clearance from Terry, leaving him one on one
against Robinson, he pulled the ball down and just as he shot Ashley Cole
arrived from nowhere to make a fantastic block, deflecting the ball against the
crossbar. Beckham, whose delivery from set pieces and open play were poor all
match, scored with a brilliant free kick, the ball catching the inside of Mora's
post. Robinson made a good save from Valencia after the England defence went to
sleep on a cross. Rooney gathered a huge Robinson free kick on the left wing and
destroyed Hurtado with the Ronaldinho lollipop then pulled the ball back for
Lampard who blazed over the bar, probably the third good chance Lampard wasted.
Attendance : 52,000
Assist : Lampard (won fk)
PORTUGAL 1-0 NETHERLANDS
Maniche 23
'The Battle of Santiago' is one of the most infamous matches in World Cup
history. Contested between Italy and hosts Chile in the 1962 World Cup, two
Italian players were sent off, one had his nose broken from a left hook and the
game degenerated into a brawl. With 16 yellows and 4 reds, this match will go
down in history as the modern day equivalent.
The insanity started in the seventh minute. Boulahrouz was only booked for a
bringing his boot (studs showing) down into Ronaldo's left thigh, leaving the
midfielder writing in painand with a nasty bruise. It was actually the second
foul on Ronaldo, five minutes earlier Van Bommel was booked for tripping him
from behind. Robben taking a stage dive between two Portuguese players, no
booking for diving however Ivanov decided to give a yellow to Maniche for a
foul on Van Bommel a minute earlier in the build-up. In between the hacking
and diving there was a great goal Deco volleyed on Miguel's throw-in to Ronaldo,
the midfielder wriggled free of Giovanni van Bronckhorst (GVB) and Ooijer before
passing the ball back to Deco, Deco hit a superb low cross into the box, Pauleta
stopped the ball, laid it back to Maniche, with his first touch he evaded
Boulahrouz’s sliding tackle then blasted into the top right corner of the net.
Ronaldo collapsed and was subbed just past the half hour mark. Costinha should
have been shown a red for an awful two footed lung on Cocu but got away with a
yellow card. Van Persie turned Nuno Valente inside out six times on the right
flank, Carvalho arrived to help him out only to join Valente on his backside but
van Persie shot wide. The absolutely hopeless Kuijt, he's so bad you clamour for
Kluivert, tried to overhead kick a cross, he sliced the ball as Robben was about
to shoot Nuno Valente flew in with a high kick to his shoulder, red card,
penalty the works but the ref had already blown for some other infringement so
took no action. Maniche found Simao in acres of space on the right with a superb
crossfield pass, Simao teased (GVB) before hitting a low centre into the box,
Figo back heeled and Pauleta hammered a shot on the turn which van der Sar saved
brilliantly with his feet. At the end of the first half Costinha got a second
yellow for a stupid handball.
Cocu and that waste of space Kuijt worked an opening down the left, Cocu darted
into the box, Kuijt swung in a cross, van Bommel attempted an overhead kick but
missed, the ball hit a Portuguese defender, bounced to Cocu and from six yards
out he slammed it against the underside of the crossbar. As the players were
readying themselves for a free kick after Deco had been fouled by GVB on the
edge of the box, Figo ran upto Van Bommel and gave him what can only loosely be
describe as a headbutt behind the referees back so why was Figo booked? Minutes
later Figo went down clutching his face after Boulahrouz caught him with a
stray, unintentional elbow. Second yellow, only 55 minutes too late. Carvalho
hurt his bollocks when blocking from Sneijder, as the Portuguese launched a
counter attack the ref stopped play so Carvalho could get some treatment.
The ref gave a drop ball to the Dutch and instead of giving it back to the
Portuguese, the unwritten rules of footballing etiquette, the Dutch ran
downfield and attacked, a furious Deco chopped down Heitinga from behind,
yellow card. As everyone argued with Petit standing over Heitinga, Sneijder ran
in and pushed over Petit, right in front of the ref and only got a yellow card.
Two minutes later the Dutch won a free kick on the half way line, Deco was slow
to move away so Cocu came up from behind and hurled him to the ground, second
yellow to Deco for time-wasting, nothing to Cocu. More bullshit. That waste of
space Kuijt missed a great chance when put clean through on goal. GVB got his
marching orders for tripping Tiago after loosing possession on the edge of his
box.
I remember Ivanov from a Champions League match between Inter and Milan. He let
several Inter players get away with murder, failing to punish some brutal fouls.
Every time I've seen him he's done the exact same thing and his failure to send
off Boulahrouz for a criminal foul on Ronaldo is what lead to this match
becoming a clusterf*ck, he is entirely to blame for setting the precedent.
Players are obviously going to take advantage and seek retribution if they see
their team-mates get kicked and chopped down. The Dutch may have taken the game
into extra time had Van Basten not persisted with the wretched Dirk Kuijt, he
makes the Japanese strikers look World Class, and introduced Van Nistelrooy.
Attendance : 41,000
Red Cards : Costinha 45 (Portugal), Boulahrouz 68 (Netherlands),
Deco 78 (Portugal), van Bronckhorst 94 (Netherlands)
Assist : Pauleta
I forgot to add something.
There can't be another coach in the World who is as reliant on the media
as SGE is for his tactics. They've been clamouring for Carrick to play
as DM so Lampard and Gerrard can support the attack so that's EXACTLY
what he does. I hope they've got some ideas on how to beat Portugal.
In the end QF on 1 July 2006 5:00 p.m. CEST England takes on the thugs from Portugal.
25 June 2006
ENGLAND 1-0 ECUADOR
Beckham 60 (fk)
Tenorio latched onto poor headed clearance from Terry, leaving him one on one
against Robinson, he pulled the ball down and just as he shot Ashley Cole
arrived from nowhere to make a fantastic block, deflecting the ball against the
crossbar. Beckham, whose delivery from set pieces and open play were poor all
match, scored with a brilliant free kick, the ball catching the inside of Mora's
post. Robinson made a good save from Valencia after the England defence went to
sleep on a cross. Rooney gathered a huge Robinson free kick on the left wing and
destroyed Hurtado with the Ronaldinho lollipop then pulled the ball back for
Lampard who blazed over the bar, probably the third good chance Lampard wasted.
Attendance : 52,000
Assist : Lampard (won fk)
PORTUGAL 1-0 NETHERLANDS
Maniche 23
'The Battle of Santiago' is one of the most infamous matches in World Cup
history. Contested between Italy and hosts Chile in the 1962 World Cup, two
Italian players were sent off, one had his nose broken from a left hook and the
game degenerated into a brawl. With 16 yellows and 4 reds, this match will go
down in history as the modern day equivalent.
The insanity started in the seventh minute. Boulahrouz was only booked for a
bringing his boot (studs showing) down into Ronaldo's left thigh, leaving the
midfielder writing in painand with a nasty bruise. It was actually the second
foul on Ronaldo, five minutes earlier Van Bommel was booked for tripping him
from behind. Robben taking a stage dive between two Portuguese players, no
booking for diving however Ivanov decided to give a yellow to Maniche for a
foul on Van Bommel a minute earlier in the build-up. In between the hacking
and diving there was a great goal Deco volleyed on Miguel's throw-in to Ronaldo,
the midfielder wriggled free of Giovanni van Bronckhorst (GVB) and Ooijer before
passing the ball back to Deco, Deco hit a superb low cross into the box, Pauleta
stopped the ball, laid it back to Maniche, with his first touch he evaded
Boulahrouz’s sliding tackle then blasted into the top right corner of the net.
Ronaldo collapsed and was subbed just past the half hour mark. Costinha should
have been shown a red for an awful two footed lung on Cocu but got away with a
yellow card. Van Persie turned Nuno Valente inside out six times on the right
flank, Carvalho arrived to help him out only to join Valente on his backside but
van Persie shot wide. The absolutely hopeless Kuijt, he's so bad you clamour for
Kluivert, tried to overhead kick a cross, he sliced the ball as Robben was about
to shoot Nuno Valente flew in with a high kick to his shoulder, red card,
penalty the works but the ref had already blown for some other infringement so
took no action. Maniche found Simao in acres of space on the right with a superb
crossfield pass, Simao teased (GVB) before hitting a low centre into the box,
Figo back heeled and Pauleta hammered a shot on the turn which van der Sar saved
brilliantly with his feet. At the end of the first half Costinha got a second
yellow for a stupid handball.
Cocu and that waste of space Kuijt worked an opening down the left, Cocu darted
into the box, Kuijt swung in a cross, van Bommel attempted an overhead kick but
missed, the ball hit a Portuguese defender, bounced to Cocu and from six yards
out he slammed it against the underside of the crossbar. As the players were
readying themselves for a free kick after Deco had been fouled by GVB on the
edge of the box, Figo ran upto Van Bommel and gave him what can only loosely be
describe as a headbutt behind the referees back so why was Figo booked? Minutes
later Figo went down clutching his face after Boulahrouz caught him with a
stray, unintentional elbow. Second yellow, only 55 minutes too late. Carvalho
hurt his bollocks when blocking from Sneijder, as the Portuguese launched a
counter attack the ref stopped play so Carvalho could get some treatment.
The ref gave a drop ball to the Dutch and instead of giving it back to the
Portuguese, the unwritten rules of footballing etiquette, the Dutch ran
downfield and attacked, a furious Deco chopped down Heitinga from behind,
yellow card. As everyone argued with Petit standing over Heitinga, Sneijder ran
in and pushed over Petit, right in front of the ref and only got a yellow card.
Two minutes later the Dutch won a free kick on the half way line, Deco was slow
to move away so Cocu came up from behind and hurled him to the ground, second
yellow to Deco for time-wasting, nothing to Cocu. More bullshit. That waste of
space Kuijt missed a great chance when put clean through on goal. GVB got his
marching orders for tripping Tiago after loosing possession on the edge of his
box.
I remember Ivanov from a Champions League match between Inter and Milan. He let
several Inter players get away with murder, failing to punish some brutal fouls.
Every time I've seen him he's done the exact same thing and his failure to send
off Boulahrouz for a criminal foul on Ronaldo is what lead to this match
becoming a clusterf*ck, he is entirely to blame for setting the precedent.
Players are obviously going to take advantage and seek retribution if they see
their team-mates get kicked and chopped down. The Dutch may have taken the game
into extra time had Van Basten not persisted with the wretched Dirk Kuijt, he
makes the Japanese strikers look World Class, and introduced Van Nistelrooy.
Attendance : 41,000
Red Cards : Costinha 45 (Portugal), Boulahrouz 68 (Netherlands),
Deco 78 (Portugal), van Bronckhorst 94 (Netherlands)
Assist : Pauleta
I forgot to add something.
There can't be another coach in the World who is as reliant on the media
as SGE is for his tactics. They've been clamouring for Carrick to play
as DM so Lampard and Gerrard can support the attack so that's EXACTLY
what he does. I hope they've got some ideas on how to beat Portugal.
In the end QF on 1 July 2006 5:00 p.m. CEST England takes on the thugs from Portugal.