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Quarterfinals at the Beach



The ‘real’ World Cup at the beach in Durban, where we watched the quarterfinals. Mabhida stadium made by local sand sculptors, kids playing beach football, and the game on the big screen. How most South Africans and a few visitors experienced South Africa 2010.

I’m still in disbelief that BaGhana BaGhana came within a PK of making history as Africa’s first World Cup semifinalist. Impressed by ‘Rainbow Nation’ Germany‘s humiliation of Maradona’s Argentina. Pleased that efficient Netherlands overcame Dunga’s unimaginative Brazil. And thrilled that MaraVilla’s Spain took care of overachieving Paraguay. Commentary and semifinal preview forthcoming.

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Hosting Players

The People’s Game interview with Alegi



I shared my reflections on the 2010 World Cup (thru June 27) with Alan Minsky, host of The People’s Game — a KPFK/Pacifica Radio project that provides some of the best on-the-field analysis combined with discussions of the political, economic, and cultural subtexts of the 2010 World Cup.

Click here to listen to the interview.

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Players

World Cup All-Stars 1.0



With two days off before the quarterfinals, it’s an opportune time to take stock of the top performers of South Africa 2010 so far. The team lines up in the widely used 4-3-2-1 ‘Christmas tree’ formation with no more than two players from one nation. Here are my picks:

Julio Cesar
Salcido, Mertesacker, Pique, Maicon
Kuyt, Mascherano, Oezil
Villa, Messi
Suarez

Honorable mention: Sneijder, Forlan, and Gyan

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Another Snoozer in Durban



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . Robben! zzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . Sneijder! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .

That’s my match report from Durban’s Mabhida Stadium where the Dutch easily dispatched the Slovaks 2-1. The best of the rest of our experience is captured in the short video above.

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Players

Gracias Dieguito!



Diego Armando Maradona’s charges are doing their exquisite best to keep South Africa 2010 from matching Italia ’90 as the dullest World Cup in terms of quality of play. Argentina’s performances so far have been better than Germany, Uruguay, Brazil, and better than those of their likely semifinal adversaries: Spain.

Gracias Dieguito for quenching our thirst in a desert of scientific catenaccio. Maradona’s side produces a organized, attacking, flowing game. Gonzalo Higuain is the tournament’s leading scorer, with Carlitos Tevez close behind (what a strike against Mexico!). And, of course, King Leo is always eager to please ‘beggars for good football’ like me (Galeano docet).

One regret: Germany’s 4-1 victory yesterday in Bloemfontein denied us the pleasure of seeing Maradona take on England in the quarterfinals.

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Players Video

Ciao Italia



It’s taken three painful days to write something, anything resembling rational thought about Gli Azzurri. Last year I blogged about Italy’s impending demise under Lippi 2.0 — and eventually (inevitably?) Slovakia delivered the fatal blow at Ellis Park. Too many old, unmotivated players mixed with inexperienced, deer-in-the-headlights youngsters who folded at the first sign of pressure.

Since Thursday, my rage and disgust at Italy’s worst World Cup team of all time have subsided. The one sweet memory extracted from the Ellis Park debacle is captured in this video with Gigi Buffon graciously signing autographs for our kids before the Slovakia game. Grazie Gigi!

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Players

Futebol tedioso



Brazil and Portugal delivered the letdown of the tournament at Mabhida Stadium in Durban. This was the ticket everyone wanted.

What we (62,000+) got instead was a dull, uninspired yet utterly practical 0-0 draw. Players dished off lazy passes sideways and backwards under the stern gaze of ultra-defensive coaches Dunga and Queiroz.  Instead of magical Robinho we got useless Julio Baptista.

With such tedious football on display, we, the fans, provided the entertainment and fun. When the final whistle blew, disgruntled fans booed the lackluster effort of both sides, while the players traded jerseys and knowing winks. In the round of 16 Brazil will take on Chile while Portugal will clash with Spain.

Now that we are in the knockout stages, the dictatorship of results might suffocate the joyful spirit that stubbornly breathes life into our beautiful game.