Tied 1-1 at half, the Netherlands scored two goals in the second half and held off a feisty charge from Uruguay to hold on, 3-2, and advance to the World Cup Final.
Holland’s second goal was semi-controversial as one of the Dutch players could have been called offsides when Wesley Sneijder’s shot ricocheted into the goal.
Netherlands has been called the best team never to have won a World Cup, and they’ll have a chance to shake that moniker in Sunday’s final.
Julio Cesar was greeted by fans in Brazil despite being faulted for giving up the deciding goal against the Netherlands. The goal ended Brazil’s run at the World Cup, sending them home in the quarterfinals. The Brazilian crowds’ warmth was surprising, but Cesar couldn’t help but unleash the waterworks.
This just further exemplifies the differences between the United States and international soccer. When our players returned home after losing in the Round of 16, supporters probably swarmed them in dubious jubilation. For the Brazilian players, they can’t help but feel ashamed.
Despite arriving as the tournament favorites, it’s been a string of hard-fought matches for Spain at the 2010 World Cup. With today’s 1-0 win over Paraguay, Spain advances to the World Cup semifinals for the first time in 60 years.
Spain’s lone goal came in 83rd minute, when David Villa pounded a shot from inside the box that ricocheted off both posts before hitting the back of the net.
The most exciting part of the game, however, came off back-to-back penalty kicks and misses. During a corner kick, Spain’s Gerardo Pique took down Paraguay’s Oscar Cardozo, earning Pique a yellow card. Cardozo then failed to score on the penalty kick as Spain goalie Iker Casillas came through for the save. One play later Villa was racing downfield and looked as if he would break the tie. He was soon fouled by Antolin Alcoraz, who notched a yellow card as well. Xabi Alonso then took the penalty kick. And missed.
Unbelievable. Both teams looked evenly matched and looked headed to overtime. Villa, however, finally scored after a bit of fine passing by the Spanish side, sending his team toward a match with Germany in the semifinals.
The United States is out of the 2010 World Cup and the most remarkable thing about that fact is that most of the country knows it. Record-breaking audiences in America watched their national soccer team match England, get robbed of a victory against Slovenia and dazzle in the late minutes against Algeria. This was all en route to the knockout stage — a destination they were expected to make given their pool. But nobody cared about that — only a small percentage of Americans watching knew any back story about their team. They cared because their friend cared, or their neighbor, co-worker or sibling. Everybody seemed to be watching, or was curious at the very least. It left as quickly as it arrived — the excitement — but in its brief period, the American public — a people largely disinterested in the sport — got themselves a fast and free education about the beautiful game.
1. Soccer is not a beautiful game.
I wasn’t around to witness the Pele-era Brazil teams run circles around other nations with short passes, dead-on accurate crosses and goals kissed into the net with just the right touch. But I’ve seen footage, and I played on and against enough teams growing up to experience soccer as a cruel game of keep-away, where one side has the otherworldly chemistry to never lose control of the ball. It’s amazing. It’s art. It’s not the 2010 World Cup. Players flop all over place, turning the pitch into a minefield of prima donnas. As frustration builds, cooler heads don’t prevail, and they commit fouls. Of course, the center referee is blowing his whistle every 30 seconds attempting to keep things in order. But nothing is. It’s sloppy soccer — soccer with brute force. Goals in this World Cup are made on indecent opportunities — when the other team has its guard down, or a referee is too scared to be sure.
Even after hiring decorated Italian coach Fabio Capello and boasting some of world’s best scorers, England could not run deep into the 2010 World Cup. Germany had the Three Lions’ number all day, defeating the the Brits 4-1 and sending them home to a disappointed nation.
A pivotal moment came late into the first half Frank Lampard knocked in a shot that hit the crossbar and landed behind the goal line. However, due to back spin, it bounced easily into the hands of Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Germany went up on goals by Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski before England’s Matthew Upson made it 2-1 in the 37th minute.
Lampard’s non-goal came a minute later. After the ball landed across the line, it spun back into the arms of Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Capello initially celebrated what he thought was an equalizer by clenching his fists and shaking his arms. But his face changed when he realized the goal had not been given.
As the players headed off the field at halftime, Wayne Rooney walked over to a linesman and gestured with his hands how far he thought the ball crossed the goal line.
What’s ridiculous is that the center referee did not consult his linesman. Why not exhaust your resources during such a crucial call?
Germany will face the winner of today’s Mexico/Argentina match in the next round.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
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