Category: World Cup

Iberian Calamity

Two of the tournament’s most potent and experienced teams, Spain and Portugal, are effectively out of the World Cup after just two group matches, a scenario that no one would have predicted two weeks ago. How could this happen? Three…

Leo Lifts Argentina

It was a winning start for Argentina but their victory was not convincing even before a late Bosnia reply from Vedad Ibisevic. This was a scratchy, scrappy performance that raised more questions than it answered against a disciplined and technically…

Enter the Drogba

Didier Drogba came off the bench to inspire Ivory Coast to a 2-1 comeback victory over Japan in a World Cup Group C match on Saturday. Drogba, who had been carrying an injury, came on in the 62nd minute when…

Italy Outlasts England, Uruguay Crash

Italian experience overcame England’s youthful exuberance in an intriguing clash of styles at the World Cup on Saturday and in Group D’s other game tiny Costa Rica beat twice champions Uruguay in the tournament’s biggest upset so far. Later in…

World Cup Day Two Notes

* Mexico was denied two perfectly valid goals for off-sides, adding to the growing list of refereeing errors thus far. None of the errors seemed to be called with bad intent, but still … if Mexico will be eliminated on…

Furia Roja RIP

Spain’s shocking second half collapse against Holland marked the beginning of the end of its greatest generation. For almost a decade Spain dominated world football with a brand that delighted most and eventually annoyed some. Tikki Takka was never on…

Dive Said Fred, World Cup Saved

With twenty minutes to go in the World Cup opener, the entire tournament was in big trouble. With violent, disruptive protests and strikes preceding the game in Sao Paolo stealing the headlines, a disjointed and tired Brasil was searching chaotically,…

World Cup in Qatar 2022

LONDON (Reuters) – FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played in the summer as originally planned and discarded the idea of co-hosting the event with neighboring countries. Blatter, reiterating comments made…

World Cup Post Scriptum

The first ever World Cup to be hosted by an African nation is now for the history books. It was a tournament that exceeded expectations in terms of organization and presented some unfamiliar nuances on and off the field, yet…

Espana Campeon del Mundo

A match between great contenders with the ability and firepower to put on a display of exciting, attacking football featured exceptional talents on both sides of the pitch and carried the promise of a truly spectacular, memorable World Cup final.…

Uruguay Errors Gift Germany

Three defensive lapses, a lack of concentration on the finishing side and finally the crossbar cost Uruguay third place and a great ending to their excellent World Cup run. Germany ended the tournament on the same podium as four years…

Dutch Masters v Spanish Maestros

The world’s two best teams reached the final of the World Cup with performances worthy of champions. Spain and Holland will meet on Sunday in the climactic point of the tournament, marking the best of all possible finals for fans…

Spain’s Looming Moment of Truth

After escaping unscathed from a nearly disastrous group stage predicament and surviving two difficult encounters against Portugal and Paraguay, Spain has reached the semifinal stage of the World Cup without actually shining, while certainly benefiting from some good recent fortune.…

Argentina Rolled Over by Germany

It is Argentina’s turn to suffer after being knocked around, down and out by an irrepressible German team that controlled the match almost from start to finish and left Maradona’s team shell-shocked, tearful and out of the World Cup at…

African Hopes Extinguished

After treating spectators to 119 minutes of a tight, tense, fairly even cat-n-mouse game, drama of the highest caliber engulfed the Ghana – Uruguay quarterfinal with an unprecedented sequence that will be long remembered by both nations and African fans…