Penalties; the crystal meth of football - we know it's wrong, but what a buzz!
29/06/14 02:49
Day 16 in the Footcall house...
Well who would have thought we'd make this far? I'm sure the England team did but they're home now with us watching the better/luckier teams fight it out till the end. Day 16, it's gripped, it's sorted, Let's Off Road!
First up we have host nation Brazil take on fellow South American dark chocolate horses, Chile. For those who had seen dynamic Chile were in the Group Stages knew they wouldn't be an easy push over. We were all wondering just what might happen if the unthinkable happen and put Brazil out, it would surely leave a country in mourning.
This however was the Wonka Bar golden ticket and right from the off this was one to savour. The team dressed like sunshine bathed in it too as they took an early lead from former Chelsea defensive midfielder David Luiz bundled the ball in off his shirt from two yards out. It was only on close observation of the replay was it awarded to Luiz as it suspiciously like an own goal. The pace was fast and furious and without doubt one of the best games we've seen this tournament, and we've seen some classics. Chile were every bit as good as the Brazilians and in the 32nd Minute Alexis Sanchez made it one all as he slid the ball past the opposing keeper. Now we had a proper game on our hands.
After the break there were chances galore and Brazil's Hulk thought he had put his team back in front only to find that the referee, Howard Webb (England's contribution to the KO Stages), had disallowed it for controlling the ball with his arm. The look on Mr Hulk's face when Webb shook his head was priceless then, Howard pulled the yellow card out to book him for the infringement! At this point it looked like the striker was going to turn green and go all "Hulky" on his ass! Surely that would have meant him needing to get his shirt changed and he probably would have been sent back to the dressing room to smash the proverbial out of the porcelain fittings!
The second half finished one a piece and we were into Extra Time (or Overtime for our American Footcallers). The farcical Golden Goal rule is but a distant memory now and we had thirty more minutes of this glorious match to decide the winner. Even though they were well pas the 100 minute barrier there was still plenty of running in front men on both sides. Maybe the end product was a bit suspect at times but they were puffing more than Ivor The Engine and in what was almost the final kick of extra time Chilean striker Pinilla belted the ball right at Brazil's crossbar, if it had been two or three inches lower it would have split the net, the vibration of the bar sent a shudder around the ground.
A stalemate it was and we all know what comes next... the dreaded penalty shootout! Regardless of your nationality as a viewer, penalties bring back so many memories good and bad (mostly bad) and I know what tension any Footcaller would have had, especially for those of you who had chosen one of these teams to go all the way to the trophy. This was a time for Heroes and never more does the spotlight fall on the man wearing the gloves. In the Chilean goal is a chap called Bravo, sadly for us the Brazilian keeper is not called Encore, it's Julio Cesar.
Goal scorer David Luiz put Brazil one up in the pens from the off. Then Pinilla who nearly won the match earlier had his shot saved and the momentum was totally with Brazil. Next Willian but his shot wide of the left post to level it up. More penalties were scored and saved until it came down to sudden death. Neymar was Brazil's number five kicker and after a stuttering run up he did tuck it away and so it fell to Gonzalo Jara to keep Chile alive. He struck it beautifully but tragically it hit the right hand upright and stayed out and consequently putting the Chileans out of the tournament. The Brazilian players stormed the pitch and piled on Cesar in Celebration - they were through to the Quarter Finals but only by the skin of their teeth!
In the next match we saw Colombia vs Metallica! Sorry err I mean Uruguay :-) Whilst two more South American teams were going toe to toe, the heavy metal rockers were smashing it at Glasto! Colombia had shown us in the Group Stages just how talented they were and of course they were up against a team without their star player, Suarez making them about as effective as a one-legged man in an arse kicking contest!
On the 28th minute Colombia wonder kid James Rodriguez showed us a moment of magic. From just outside the box he controlled a headed pass off his chest and in one sweet move he turned and lobbed the ball left footed high into the air and straight in to the Uruguayan net off the inside of the crossbar. This was a World Cup goal from the top drawer, one to even rival Tim Cahill's wonder strike, I'm sure we will see this goal over and over again for many years to come - pure brilliance!
Uruguay had their chances but weren't quite at the races and in the second half the Colombians were running rings around them. They set up a terrifically well worked team goal which culminated in that many Rodriguez poking it in the net from four yards out to make it an astonishing seven goals in six matches for his country. Later on Ospina saved a great chance from Uruguay and finally it finished two nil. The Colombians who really are a force to be reckoned with now face Brazil in the next round, what a match that could be.
And so to the Footcall league...
Well there isn't too much to report, both Brazil and Colombia were a hot tips for Footcallers so tons of you picked up a point for each. The top five remain unchanged but a few of you had gambled on the underdogs (me included) and it hasn't paid off. The players you see in the league table with blank boxes against their name didn't manage to get their KO entry form back before the deadline so they won't be collecting any more points. The top 12 will pick up prize money so it will gradually unfold as the points accumulate through the rounds.
I'm going to make Matthew Green my player of the day as he texted me to say he was in a quandary as to what choices to make. After having established that Matt was stranded mid table, being the good friend I am, I suggested he take a gamble on Chile all the way. What I forgot to add was Chile all the way to beat Brazil. Catastrophically Matt plumped for Chile to go all the way to lift the trophy so his gamble has cost him the potential 15 points the winning team has to offer. I'm sorry Matt, I've not been a good barometer of positive prediction this tournament. Heck, I chose Uruguay to go on and lift the trophy so my race is nearly run, the difference being I have one eye on the Vuvuzela award at the wrong end of the table!
Next up Holland, let's see if they can clog dance into the Quarters...
David