Right Said Fred, let's have another goal...
24/06/14 01:58
Day 12 in the Footcall house...
Well here we on the final leg of the Group Stages. All or nothing to play for some (f*** all to play for in England's case). Now these final Group matches are going to be played in simultaneously to prevent (please don't laugh) any corruption within the games. Somewhat ironic that statement don't you think when you consider who's in charge of the biggest show on earth! Let's not get sidetracked here as this has been one of, if not the best World Cup I can ever remember, despite England's performance. It's been a challenge to keep up with the score keeping at times there have been so many goals and I have developed RSI through all the texting during matches. Whilst I'm on that point, the Footcall management take no responsibility for the demise of a player's league standing if they are sent a text during a match... Footcall results may go up as well as down!
The first pair of matches were going to sort out Group B. This saw Holland take on Chile. The Netherlands were top boys and likely winners but Chile are never to be discounted. Robben went on a mazy run for what was potentially the goal of the tournament but the one-footed baldy put it wide. The first half finished nil all. After the break Holland who were missing Robin Van Persie through suspension brought on a couple of subs and both proved to be the decisive factor in this match. First up Leroy Fer nutted it in from seven yards out, fantastic! Chile pushed for an equaliser but in the 90th minute Robben broke free and crossed to the oncoming Memphis Depay (I wonder if he can do a good Elvis impression?) and he slipped it under the keeper to finish 2-0. This saw Holland top the group but Chile still went through in second place.
At the same time the reigning Champions Spain took on Australia in the David Villa testimonial match :-) A pointless rubber as they kept referring to it but surely that can never be good sex education advice? Well it was Mr Villa, the golden child of WC 2010, who opened up the account with an audacious clip in with the inside of his boot, a nice sensible white pair I might add, who would have thought that would ever be the case. In the second half the Aussies gave it a go but their heart wasn't really in it and Iniesta set up Torres to double the lead with the easiest of goals; right up Fernando's street - Simples! A few minutes later Spain went three nil up as Mata dispatched the third, but it didn't matter as neither of these two teams were going through.
The even match (at 9pm not 8) saw host nation Brazil play Cameroon whilst on ITV4 apparently it was all going off as Croatia tried to overturn Mexico. This was going to settle Group A and there was still a lot to play for. Well maybe not for Cameroon as the Brazilians were all over them like a fart in a spacesuit! Well who was gonna score first, no prizes for guessing it was the magician Neymar. This boy is full package, he's got all the skill of Maradona combined with the flair of Cruyff and the finishing of Le Tissier! On the 17th minute he just opened up his foot to redirect a lovely cross. Surely this was going to open the floodgates (apologies for mentioning flooding to anyone reading this who lives in Yalding) but typical of this cup the unexpected happened as Cameroon's Matip tucked away a well deserved equaliser. But the cream will always rise to the top and Neymar put the golden shirts in the lead once more with a wonderful individual effort. Who can remember that he might not have been playing this match as he was dead lucky to avoid a red card in the very first game? After the break it was all one way traffic and bumbling striker that is curiously named Fred smothered it in from four yards out with his face! He didn't care how it went it in, nor did the team and nor did the fans, it was 3-1 and it just left the goal scorer to celebrate with his infamous Fred-do frog dance in front of the adoring Brazilian crowd! I'm sure many of you Footcallers wanted it stop there (you might even be saying that to me right now) but Brazil weren't done yet as Fernandinho slotted home a fourth to seal a 4-1 victory.
Quick jump over to the other channel (I had running on Mrs Js iPad actually) to see what was going on between Croatia and Mexico. Oh my word... it was four goals, two fights and a sending off! Two fiery nations went toe to toe in a decisive match for Group A. Mexican Striker, Peralta went unbelievably close on two occasions in the first half. Well if the first half was without a goal the second was packed with em and plenty of goal mouth incident. The first of these was a stonewall penalty shout for Mexico but denied! Marquez did however open the scoring for Mexico in the 72nd minute with a powerful header and barely three minutes later it was two nil as Guardado stroked it left footed into the roof of the net. Soon after Mexico secured their promotion as Hernandez made it three. In the closing minutes Perisic did manage a consolation goal and then tackles started to fly. The game finished with the sending off of Rebic (maybe we should call him Redic?) as he went in with his studs showing for a Crunchie challenge on Pena. The whistle blew and Mexico were through, Croatia were out and had to take their chequered shirts back to the local restaurant! The star of the show was undoubtedly Miguel Herrera, the Mexican manager who nearly split his snug fitting suit and caused himself a heart attack all in the one undignified celebration. If you don't believe me, see for yourself... https://vine.co/v/MtAhnv0TaYA
And so to the Footcall league...
We have a new leader! Andrew Reginald Brunt has put in the miles and been rewarded for his efforts and is one point clear of Darryl Farmer and John Fox - Footcall's answer to Statler and Waldorf!(Google it kids). Dan Wilks and Stuart Acott are still in the frame. What a difference a day makes as Kelvin Lander picked up a hatful of points along with Jill Fuller, Colin (I told you John I should have done the predictions) Cunningham, James Ellis, Zhaomin Meng, Thomas (go easy on me this is my first Footcall) Frost, Greg Church, Eleanor Fairman, Mark Hudgell, James and Nathaniel Ridley, Cool Dave Billington, Dean Baker. Even Dan Mackenzie picked up a three pointer today, whatever next? James Parker had a corking day as did Neil Jefferis, Alex Smith and Dave Hill. Jonathan Reeves disappeared for a while and is now right back in it. Adam Botting played remarkably along with Thomas Baus, Harry Hitch, Matt (no laughing at work) Clark, Graham Weaver and Keith (where's me graph paper) Firmston. Kane Vanns was up to second at one point before slipping back down and Jack Wakefield is showing his family just how to play Footcall as he puts himself inline for another ton of Hall of Fame points. Special mention to Spencer Collins and Emma Wakefield who both guessed the Brazil game would finish 4-1.
Well I'm going to give the POTD award to two people today. First up is Peter (someone call me a taxi) Mulvey who had a tidy haul of points to see him race into 108th! And also to Mrs Rachel Rowland who suffered the fate of Footcall fury as goals went in one by one this evening to rob Rachel of a clean sweep of red squares. At one point she was up into 90th and then in a blink of an eye back down into 156th. To you and all other Footcallers who have experienced the helter-skelter to and fro of points reward I feel your pain, heck, I'm in 174th and I'm still churning out these effing reports... you lucky people.
More tomorrow!
David
PS. Look out for the prize money announcement and details of what to do come the Knockout Stages which start this Saturday. Don't go anywhere!