At last, a game I want to see after work (US vs. Portugal)!
Yesterday was a shocker, and that’s becoming the norm. Iran held Argentina to a draw, until, in about the 92nd minute, Messi came through with a beautiful goal to win for Argentina. And Ghana held mighty Deutschland to a draw, 2-2. I watched half of the Argentina/Iran game (the last half, thank Ceiling Cat), and about the last 20 minutes of the Ghana/Germany game. I was much impressed with Ghana; they fought like tigers and were skillful passers. It was an exciting and fast-paced game—at least the part I saw.
Here’s today’s schedule:
Thanks to goddam FIFA, I can’t find any video of the four goals in the Germany/Ghana game, though I had one up last night. It was pulled. You can see the highlights here.
This is the best video I can find (damn FIFA!) of Messi’s last-minute goal, but it’s a good one: one side-step around a defender and then a powerful kick from a distance into the corner of the net. The goal occurs in the first 10 seconds, and you needn’t watch the rest.
Here’s today’s animated Google Doodle; click on the screenshot to see if the keeper makes a save:
I believe Ronaldo is going to play but it seems that he is carrying an injury. If he is not firing on all cylinders there is a decent chance of another upset.
I’m rather enjoying your posts on the World Cup!
Although I must admit (in the nicest possible way!) some of the descriptions are making me chuckle, just because, even though they make perfect sense, the language is really unfamiliar in the context.
For example, “a powerful kick” would never be described as such; always “a powerful shot/strike”. But I suppose it’s only what I’m familiar with, having read British sports journalism my whole life.
By the way, I enjoyed the old interview you mentioned with Seamus Malin. Although I was surprised no George Best or Zidane in his former players list!
Keep up the good work.
Ps, ever tried watching cricket?
I can’t help it; I’m an American and have come to love football only within the last few years. Since most of the games I watch are broadcast in foreign languages, and there’s little press in the U.S. about the sport, it’s natural that I’m unfamiliar with the argot.
The topic of George Best did come up in my talk with Seamus. I did ask him about Best, and I can’t completely recall his answer, but I think it had something to do with Best being at his “best” for only a short while, and with his playing on a team of second-raters compared to him, so his expertise wasn’t that evident. But that’s just a memory from a while back.
No – I understand completely.
Were I to opine over any American sports, I’d be completely out of my depth. It’s why I asked if you’d ever watched cricket. A mind boggling array of esoteric terminology. I’ve been watching it for years and still have to look up certain things the commentators say.
In other news, blinding double save from Howard just now. Ronaldo seems to be hitting his straps though – ominous.
There’s a site with extended highlights (usually around 15min of video covering the whole game) that seems to not be afraid of FIFA:
http://www.tsmplug.com/world-cup-highlights/
And the Germany – Ghana game:
http://www.tsmplug.com/football/highlights/germany-vs-ghana-2014-world-cup/
Clickhole (The Onion’s clickbait parody site) has an educational entry on the US worldcup team.
After reading about Lionel Messi in a recent New Yorker ( but being in no way a watcher of sports) I decided to tape the Argentina v Iran game yesterday morning before going off on a hike. After watching close to 90 minutes of no score late last night I said to my bf, “Maybe Messi will score in the last seconds” and HE DID right then! D’ya think I might have a future career as a Football Fairy??
That Messianic goal was surreal!
(Ha ha! Yeah, you have ESP(N) 😉 )
+1
“Thanks to goddam FIFA, I can’t find any video of the four goals in the Germany/Ghana game, though I had one up last night. It was pulled. You can see the highlights here.”
I am puzzled by this. There are lots of videos up at ESPN FC See the video for “FULL-TIME: Germany 2-2 Ghana” for example.
I did watch the summary of the Belgium-Russia match and there was practically nothing resembling a “highlight.”
Sorry, I meant videos that I could embed. There are lots that I could link to.
It’s gonna be a bit late here, but plan on catching the USA-Portugal match.
Would be fun to see the yanks pull a fast one on the Ronaldo-show. 🙂
Why aren’t the black community into football (soccer). I think that would raise the U.S. team to world standard. Salaries of tens of millions of dollars available in europe.
FYI the games are also on channel 66 in Chicago in Spanish.
Mike Illich
Yes, that’s how I watch them at home. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLL!!!