Mexico made a good start and I was left wondering why South Africa looked so listless against the Mexican team in the first half. Mokoena was huffing and puffing.. buzzing around Galastargay's Gio dos Santos but to no avail. It only looked a matter of time before they scored but Khune kept South Africa in the game.
Dos Santos is a player i have admired for a while and maybe he shouldn't have come to England so early in his career. Yesterday he was at the centre of the action for El Tri, making some great dribbly runs and causing problems for the South Afrcan Defence. Floated a couple of lovely balls in from just outside the box. Olivier Perez was hardly tested in the 1st half but showed confidence, coming off his line well. Mexico had a goal disallowed after 37 minutes, and it WASN'T a goal. In charging for the cross, Khune — who failed to touch the ball — had played Vela offside.
Ten minutes into the second half South Africa produced their first real attacking play on the counter and Tsabalala scored with a lovely goal. After that the Bafana Bafana grew in Confidence and served up some delightful attacking plays. Everton's intelligent playmaker Steven Pienaar had been the heartbeat of all those attacks, with some good passes to play his strikers in. Why he was substituted beats me. And that too with Bernard Parker, who can never possess the same exuberance and eye for scoring oppurtunities.
Mexico scored their long overdue goal in the 79th, when Guardado found Rafa Marquez unmarked in the box, soft goal conceded. Mexico should have won this one, but they lacked the finish and the heart, corrupting their attacking potential by erupting into chaos after South Africa had scored their goal. Unless they put in an improved performance in their later matches, they don't deserve to make the second round.
All of South Africa is celebrating. Their side, once they overcame their nervousness, had showed they belong.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Sneijder! Sneijder Lines It Up For Goal.. SNEIJDER!!
Wesley Sneijder is amazing.
He's quick, strong on the ball and ambidextrous, which translates to an amazing ability to find players on either side with his wide range of passes. He is a trequartista of the first order, even if Real Madrid deemed him surplus to requirements.
He has just had an amazing season for Inter and should have a great world cup too, with the likes of Robben and Rafael Van der Vaart to link up with. And just like he had Milto at Inter, he has a prolific and technically accomplished striker in the form of Robin Van Persie to provide to. When the Oranje crashed out of the euros at the hands of the Russians in 2008, Sneijder was the lone ranger, trying to produce a goal out of nothing to take Oranje to the Semis. Remember that match? This time around, his fellow attackers are all in fine form and firing, and he should set many defences scurrying in South Africa.
He's just won the Champions league with Inter, has sliced open defences all over Italy and Europe and will have the gifted Van der Vaart supporting him in the centre. He's at the centre of a midfield throbbing with talent and creativity, and should help the dutch progress far into the competition.
What the Dutch lack this time around is a leftback with pace, as Van Bronkhorst is getting on in years. Any side with quick wingplay (remember Russia?) could be a threat and leave their defensive third horribly exposed. In such a scenario, Sneijder may do well to drop back more often on the left, which would also enable him to showcase his full range of long passes and ensure his team don't get caught on the counter.
Off the field he is known to be a bit of a prick sometimes, he once told a second-string Dutch goalkeeper, "I earn 80 times more than you"!! But all that really doesnt matter as long he can get them the Cup.
2 days for the tournament to start. I can't wait.
He's quick, strong on the ball and ambidextrous, which translates to an amazing ability to find players on either side with his wide range of passes. He is a trequartista of the first order, even if Real Madrid deemed him surplus to requirements.
He has just had an amazing season for Inter and should have a great world cup too, with the likes of Robben and Rafael Van der Vaart to link up with. And just like he had Milto at Inter, he has a prolific and technically accomplished striker in the form of Robin Van Persie to provide to. When the Oranje crashed out of the euros at the hands of the Russians in 2008, Sneijder was the lone ranger, trying to produce a goal out of nothing to take Oranje to the Semis. Remember that match? This time around, his fellow attackers are all in fine form and firing, and he should set many defences scurrying in South Africa.
He's just won the Champions league with Inter, has sliced open defences all over Italy and Europe and will have the gifted Van der Vaart supporting him in the centre. He's at the centre of a midfield throbbing with talent and creativity, and should help the dutch progress far into the competition.
What the Dutch lack this time around is a leftback with pace, as Van Bronkhorst is getting on in years. Any side with quick wingplay (remember Russia?) could be a threat and leave their defensive third horribly exposed. In such a scenario, Sneijder may do well to drop back more often on the left, which would also enable him to showcase his full range of long passes and ensure his team don't get caught on the counter.
Off the field he is known to be a bit of a prick sometimes, he once told a second-string Dutch goalkeeper, "I earn 80 times more than you"!! But all that really doesnt matter as long he can get them the Cup.
2 days for the tournament to start. I can't wait.
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