A Fantastic Kick Off
Garden, originally uploaded by Sarfraaz.Football lovers couldn't have asked for more. World Cup 2006 has started with a bang. If the number of goals scored in the opening match is any indication of the times ahead, then we really are in for a big feast !!!
After a very colorful and entertaining opening ceremony, the hosts Germany, completely against their traditional style of football, started off with a goal in the very 6th minute of the opening match against Costa Rica. I have never seen Germany play so good attacking game. Probably the reason for this was that Costa Rice were still shedding off their World Cup blues, but none the less, the attacks were really good and it was a great game to watch. Costa Rica, had a surprise, as they scored the equalizer in the very next 5 mintues !!! Was this a repeat of the Senegal match in the previous World Cup ? Well, Klose, of Germany, the birthday boy, with his presence of mind, made sure that Germany were not going to back off so easily, and scored the thrid goal of the game in the 19th minute. In just 20 minutes of start, we were being treated with 3 goals !!! And the commentators confirmed this being a record breaking opening match, with just 9 goals in all being scored in the previous 12 World Cup opening matches. World Cup 2006 was live and kicking and was off to a flying start !!!
As if, the flurry of goals had sparked off a vibrant wave, the quality of the game too was high and the players were really pumped up. Both the teams were playing attacking football and the spectators were kept always on the edge of their seats. Costa Rica reduced Germany's lead to just one goal, with their star striker Wanchope, tall 6'5" who moved very fast, scoring his second goal of the match. The match suddenly took a very interesting turn, and the Costa Ricans were closing in on the Germans. But, Frings, of Germany, scored the most fantastic goal of this tournament, with a long shot from clos to 35 yards. It was a great away going swinging shot which the goal keepeer of Costa Rica gave it a brave attempt at saving it, but was just too fast and far away for him to even touch it. This goal was something you usually get to watch in some ads, which are usually artificially created. With 6 goals scored in all, it was the highest number of goals ever scored in an opening match !!! If this was any indication of what was coming in the later matches, i am just not able to wait to watch Brazil score their goals this time :-)
The first match lived up to its share of surprises, by having 6 goals scored in it and the second match produced the first upset of the tourney. Poland, who were definately more experienced that their rivals Ecuador, were found stranded and lost to Ecuador's 2-0 score. It was just not Poland's day !!! They had so many chances and they were just not able to convert these chances into goals. Ecuador were most of the time found defending, but they never left any chance to counter attack, and it gave them good dividends.
The day ended with 2 wonderfully faught matches, with already 8 goals scored in one day !!! ... And I was now eagerly waiting for the England match on the next day. Germany and Ecuador are currently leading Group A.
As if taking a cue from Germany, England were off to a flier as well. Beckham scored a lovely bent free kick, a trademark Beckham shot, and with Gamarra of Paraguay heading it into his own goal, England had their first goal scored in just 4 minutes. Even better than the first match !!! England were pressing real hard after this spirited start, but Owen was not able to get anywhere near the ball. Crouch, the new England 6'7" striker, tried his best, but all he could do was just head the ball from the goal kick and either won a freekick or give away a freekick, for which he even won a yellow card. I was a bit disappointed with England's game. They had the goal advantage and didnt press too hard later on in the game. They seriously were missing Rooney. May be his fast running could give them some edge, but they have yet not shed their style of defending on the laurels of having a slender lead.
The next group B match was the first goalless draw of the tourney. Sweden were surprisingly held to a draw by the new comers, Trinidad & Tobago. Sweden were expected to have a very easy walk over TNT, but it was not happen so. TNT played so good football, that Sweden found it very tough to get past the TNT defense. TNT were counter attacking too, but just didnt have a striker who could score goals. Their passing was also not upto the mark, and were very lamely giving away the ball. Sweden were good to capitalize on this, but were finding it tough the breach the TNT defense. At times, they did succeed, but luck was not on their side. Sweden had a glimmer of hope at the start of the second half, when the tourney saw the first red card, and TNT were reduced to 10 men. This too didnt help Sweden, and TNT played just too good to hold back Sweden. At the end of the match, the TNT fans and players celebrated this draw so much, that if you just saw them without seeing the match, you would have thought that TNT actually has won the World Cup :-)
Probably, the best match till now, in terms of quality football, was to come in the match between Argentina and Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast, made up of players who play in the lower teams of English Premier, were not bent on giving it away easily to Argentina. Argentina, a team full of fresh talent, were very spiritied and clinical in their approach. The way Argentina were possessing the ball and making close passes, you could see it clearly that Argentina had arrived into this World Cup with some serious stakes. I have a feeling that it could just be their tournament. They had everything going in for them. The passes, the possession, and the most important of all, the finishing. So immaculate and beautiful to watch. They move very fast, and have an aggressive game. Their defense might be of the greatest standards, but it isnt that bad either. I want to see more of this team and hope to see it fight the spirited Brazilians, their arch rivals.
Sunday's games didnt have any big games, but the matches were none the less exciting. Netherlands could have done better, but they settled for a 1-0 win over Montenegro. The game between Mexico and Iran was more interesting to watch. Both the teams were busy attacking all the time. It did point out some loop holes in their defense. But, it was Iran who finally had to do most of the defending, as Mexico beat them 3-1, with 2 of these goals being scored in a span of 5 minutes of the second half. Portugal too had a slender lead of 1 goal, and finished winners over Angola, winning by 1 goal to 0.
Today we have matches between Australia and Japan, USA and Czech, and Italy v/s Ghana. I want to see how the Scolari lead Aussie teams performs this time. Japan will have to prove that they were not flukes to get selected twice for the World Cup finals. Czech Republic is currently the second best team in the world, going by the seedings given this year, and USA have a uphill task against them. Italy have a got a point or to prove themselves and lets hope they dont struggle against Ghana, the latest entrant from the Africanas this year.
Let the ball keep rolling ....
After a very colorful and entertaining opening ceremony, the hosts Germany, completely against their traditional style of football, started off with a goal in the very 6th minute of the opening match against Costa Rica. I have never seen Germany play so good attacking game. Probably the reason for this was that Costa Rice were still shedding off their World Cup blues, but none the less, the attacks were really good and it was a great game to watch. Costa Rica, had a surprise, as they scored the equalizer in the very next 5 mintues !!! Was this a repeat of the Senegal match in the previous World Cup ? Well, Klose, of Germany, the birthday boy, with his presence of mind, made sure that Germany were not going to back off so easily, and scored the thrid goal of the game in the 19th minute. In just 20 minutes of start, we were being treated with 3 goals !!! And the commentators confirmed this being a record breaking opening match, with just 9 goals in all being scored in the previous 12 World Cup opening matches. World Cup 2006 was live and kicking and was off to a flying start !!!
As if, the flurry of goals had sparked off a vibrant wave, the quality of the game too was high and the players were really pumped up. Both the teams were playing attacking football and the spectators were kept always on the edge of their seats. Costa Rica reduced Germany's lead to just one goal, with their star striker Wanchope, tall 6'5" who moved very fast, scoring his second goal of the match. The match suddenly took a very interesting turn, and the Costa Ricans were closing in on the Germans. But, Frings, of Germany, scored the most fantastic goal of this tournament, with a long shot from clos to 35 yards. It was a great away going swinging shot which the goal keepeer of Costa Rica gave it a brave attempt at saving it, but was just too fast and far away for him to even touch it. This goal was something you usually get to watch in some ads, which are usually artificially created. With 6 goals scored in all, it was the highest number of goals ever scored in an opening match !!! If this was any indication of what was coming in the later matches, i am just not able to wait to watch Brazil score their goals this time :-)
The first match lived up to its share of surprises, by having 6 goals scored in it and the second match produced the first upset of the tourney. Poland, who were definately more experienced that their rivals Ecuador, were found stranded and lost to Ecuador's 2-0 score. It was just not Poland's day !!! They had so many chances and they were just not able to convert these chances into goals. Ecuador were most of the time found defending, but they never left any chance to counter attack, and it gave them good dividends.
The day ended with 2 wonderfully faught matches, with already 8 goals scored in one day !!! ... And I was now eagerly waiting for the England match on the next day. Germany and Ecuador are currently leading Group A.
As if taking a cue from Germany, England were off to a flier as well. Beckham scored a lovely bent free kick, a trademark Beckham shot, and with Gamarra of Paraguay heading it into his own goal, England had their first goal scored in just 4 minutes. Even better than the first match !!! England were pressing real hard after this spirited start, but Owen was not able to get anywhere near the ball. Crouch, the new England 6'7" striker, tried his best, but all he could do was just head the ball from the goal kick and either won a freekick or give away a freekick, for which he even won a yellow card. I was a bit disappointed with England's game. They had the goal advantage and didnt press too hard later on in the game. They seriously were missing Rooney. May be his fast running could give them some edge, but they have yet not shed their style of defending on the laurels of having a slender lead.
The next group B match was the first goalless draw of the tourney. Sweden were surprisingly held to a draw by the new comers, Trinidad & Tobago. Sweden were expected to have a very easy walk over TNT, but it was not happen so. TNT played so good football, that Sweden found it very tough to get past the TNT defense. TNT were counter attacking too, but just didnt have a striker who could score goals. Their passing was also not upto the mark, and were very lamely giving away the ball. Sweden were good to capitalize on this, but were finding it tough the breach the TNT defense. At times, they did succeed, but luck was not on their side. Sweden had a glimmer of hope at the start of the second half, when the tourney saw the first red card, and TNT were reduced to 10 men. This too didnt help Sweden, and TNT played just too good to hold back Sweden. At the end of the match, the TNT fans and players celebrated this draw so much, that if you just saw them without seeing the match, you would have thought that TNT actually has won the World Cup :-)
Probably, the best match till now, in terms of quality football, was to come in the match between Argentina and Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast, made up of players who play in the lower teams of English Premier, were not bent on giving it away easily to Argentina. Argentina, a team full of fresh talent, were very spiritied and clinical in their approach. The way Argentina were possessing the ball and making close passes, you could see it clearly that Argentina had arrived into this World Cup with some serious stakes. I have a feeling that it could just be their tournament. They had everything going in for them. The passes, the possession, and the most important of all, the finishing. So immaculate and beautiful to watch. They move very fast, and have an aggressive game. Their defense might be of the greatest standards, but it isnt that bad either. I want to see more of this team and hope to see it fight the spirited Brazilians, their arch rivals.
Sunday's games didnt have any big games, but the matches were none the less exciting. Netherlands could have done better, but they settled for a 1-0 win over Montenegro. The game between Mexico and Iran was more interesting to watch. Both the teams were busy attacking all the time. It did point out some loop holes in their defense. But, it was Iran who finally had to do most of the defending, as Mexico beat them 3-1, with 2 of these goals being scored in a span of 5 minutes of the second half. Portugal too had a slender lead of 1 goal, and finished winners over Angola, winning by 1 goal to 0.
Today we have matches between Australia and Japan, USA and Czech, and Italy v/s Ghana. I want to see how the Scolari lead Aussie teams performs this time. Japan will have to prove that they were not flukes to get selected twice for the World Cup finals. Czech Republic is currently the second best team in the world, going by the seedings given this year, and USA have a uphill task against them. Italy have a got a point or to prove themselves and lets hope they dont struggle against Ghana, the latest entrant from the Africanas this year.
Let the ball keep rolling ....
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