The Clockwork Oranj v The Plastic Ono Band
If anything, the first-half of this match was even worse than the first-half of England's last night. Barely a shot from either side. You could tell the Dutch were starting to get really narked by the total lack of creativity that they were able to get going. ITV fussed and fretted at half-time but Edgar Davids seemed calm and composed and, sure enough, the Dutch couldn't possibly play that badly again in the second half. And, unlike England, they did get better with Wesley Sneijder scoring a beauty, albeit with a bit of help from the Japanese keeper.
In the end, the Dutch should have had at least two more - the substitutes Afellay and Huntelaar both missing good chances to make the game safe. They're still not firing on all cylinders yet and, to be honest, it wouldn't be unfair to suggest that they haven't been all that much better than England, for example, in their two games. Yet the Oranj have six point and are the second team near enough confirmed as being through to the next round. They still don't look a well balanced side and they're clearly missing Robben. Van der Vaart seems wasted out wide and when he cuts in he and Sneijder occupy, essentially, the same space. But two wins, three goals, none conceded and without much effort. They're now unbeaten in twenty one consecutive matches.
Could this be the year of the Oranj?
Black Stars v Socceroos
The game started with yet another goalkeeping calamity, Kingson spilling Bresciano's right-foot shot into the path of Brett Holman, who scored from close-range. And, for the next fifteen minutes, Australia completely bossed the game. Ghana couldn't string two passes together and Mark Bright was just about writing their obituary when a cross from the right found Jonathan Mensah and his goalbound shot hit Harry Kewell on the line. It seems to hit a combination of his chest and his right arm but Italian referee, Roberto Rosetti, pointed to the spot and showed Kewell a straight red card. (To be fair, different camera angles suggested different things with at least one appearing to show the decision in a much better light than some others.)
Asamoah Gyan step up and confidently slotted home the penalty. Thereafter, if it hadn't been for Mark Schwarzer the game would have been all over by half-time. Although, ironically, his best save of the lot ended up as a goal kick after both referee and linesman failed to spot him getting a clear touch on a Kevin-Prince Boateng shot. Second-half substitutions (Chipperfield and the very impressive Kennedy) improved Australia's shape and, suddenly, with quarter of an hour to go, you genuinely couldn't tell which team had the ten men and which the eleven. Almost in spite of itself, a very unpromising game had ended up as an end-to-end classic. There were thrills, spills, blood (Pantsil getting an - accidental - face full of Kennedy) and, sadly, now more goals. Good one that, though.
Macarooons v Lurpack
Lost interest in this one early on, to be honest. Looked like quite a good game but I had half-a-dozen other things on the go at the time and we were well into the second half before I could really give it much attention, by which time it was 1-1. Eto'o and Bendtner socred, respectively, if anyone's taking notes. Though, if you are, get a life. Or a world cup wallchart, at least. What I saw of the second half, however, was tremendous, two teams really going for it.
A ball out to the right for Denmark saw Dennis Rommedahl on the run and his pace was too much for Jean Makoun to handle - he let the winger run past him in the box and from eight yards Rommedahl bent a left-foot shot around Hamidou Souleymanou and into the corner. 'That is a little hint of Danish dynamite' orated Peter Drury. A bit flowery, maybe, but it was a fine goal. 'What a good game this is,' he noted after Tomasson at one end and webo at the other both had good chances save by the respective keepers (Sorenson's, in particular, was breathtaking). After that it was cut and thrust, the 'roonies playing some lovely football but Denmark hitting them with pace on the break. It seemed unfair after a performances like this that Cameroon should be the first country to be mathematically eliminated from the 2010 World Cup but football can be a harsh and cruel mistress. 'As Saturday nights go, this was one of the better ones,' noted Jim Belgin at the end. Not for Cameroon, pal!
Goals: 49
Red Cards: 8
If anything, the first-half of this match was even worse than the first-half of England's last night. Barely a shot from either side. You could tell the Dutch were starting to get really narked by the total lack of creativity that they were able to get going. ITV fussed and fretted at half-time but Edgar Davids seemed calm and composed and, sure enough, the Dutch couldn't possibly play that badly again in the second half. And, unlike England, they did get better with Wesley Sneijder scoring a beauty, albeit with a bit of help from the Japanese keeper.
In the end, the Dutch should have had at least two more - the substitutes Afellay and Huntelaar both missing good chances to make the game safe. They're still not firing on all cylinders yet and, to be honest, it wouldn't be unfair to suggest that they haven't been all that much better than England, for example, in their two games. Yet the Oranj have six point and are the second team near enough confirmed as being through to the next round. They still don't look a well balanced side and they're clearly missing Robben. Van der Vaart seems wasted out wide and when he cuts in he and Sneijder occupy, essentially, the same space. But two wins, three goals, none conceded and without much effort. They're now unbeaten in twenty one consecutive matches.Could this be the year of the Oranj?
Black Stars v Socceroos
The game started with yet another goalkeeping calamity, Kingson spilling Bresciano's right-foot shot into the path of Brett Holman, who scored from close-range. And, for the next fifteen minutes, Australia completely bossed the game. Ghana couldn't string two passes together and Mark Bright was just about writing their obituary when a cross from the right found Jonathan Mensah and his goalbound shot hit Harry Kewell on the line. It seems to hit a combination of his chest and his right arm but Italian referee, Roberto Rosetti, pointed to the spot and showed Kewell a straight red card. (To be fair, different camera angles suggested different things with at least one appearing to show the decision in a much better light than some others.)
Asamoah Gyan step up and confidently slotted home the penalty. Thereafter, if it hadn't been for Mark Schwarzer the game would have been all over by half-time. Although, ironically, his best save of the lot ended up as a goal kick after both referee and linesman failed to spot him getting a clear touch on a Kevin-Prince Boateng shot. Second-half substitutions (Chipperfield and the very impressive Kennedy) improved Australia's shape and, suddenly, with quarter of an hour to go, you genuinely couldn't tell which team had the ten men and which the eleven. Almost in spite of itself, a very unpromising game had ended up as an end-to-end classic. There were thrills, spills, blood (Pantsil getting an - accidental - face full of Kennedy) and, sadly, now more goals. Good one that, though.Macarooons v Lurpack
Lost interest in this one early on, to be honest. Looked like quite a good game but I had half-a-dozen other things on the go at the time and we were well into the second half before I could really give it much attention, by which time it was 1-1. Eto'o and Bendtner socred, respectively, if anyone's taking notes. Though, if you are, get a life. Or a world cup wallchart, at least. What I saw of the second half, however, was tremendous, two teams really going for it.
A ball out to the right for Denmark saw Dennis Rommedahl on the run and his pace was too much for Jean Makoun to handle - he let the winger run past him in the box and from eight yards Rommedahl bent a left-foot shot around Hamidou Souleymanou and into the corner. 'That is a little hint of Danish dynamite' orated Peter Drury. A bit flowery, maybe, but it was a fine goal. 'What a good game this is,' he noted after Tomasson at one end and webo at the other both had good chances save by the respective keepers (Sorenson's, in particular, was breathtaking). After that it was cut and thrust, the 'roonies playing some lovely football but Denmark hitting them with pace on the break. It seemed unfair after a performances like this that Cameroon should be the first country to be mathematically eliminated from the 2010 World Cup but football can be a harsh and cruel mistress. 'As Saturday nights go, this was one of the better ones,' noted Jim Belgin at the end. Not for Cameroon, pal!Goals: 49
Red Cards: 8
