World Cup 2010 - Day 10
It's Father's Day and there's plenty of good games for all the dads out there to enjoy with the kiddies today. We get start in Group F with Slovakia and Paraguay, both of which are trying to overcome the feeling that they should have won their opening matches. Then we get the Italians trying to get into their groove against the plucky New Zealanders. Finally, it's samba time with Brazil vs. Ivory Coast. I'm sure we'll have plenty to chat about - join me!
posted by The Blue Devil @ 7:15 AM
236 Comments:
In World Cup news, I predicted it and here it is - the Wayne Rooney apology.
"Last night, on reflection I said things in the heat of the moment that came out of frustration of both our performance and the result," Rooney said in a statement issued by the Football Association.
"For my part I apologise for any offence caused by my actions at the end of the game."
The teams are in:
Paraguay team: Villar, Bonet, Da Silva, Alcaraz, Morel Rodriguez, Vera, Victor Caceres, Riveros, Santa Cruz, Haedo Valdez, Barrios. Subs: Diego Barreto, Veron, Caniza, Julio Caceres, Cardozo, Edgar Barreto, Benitez, Santana, Torres, Ortigoza, Gamarra, Bobadilla.
Slovakia team: Mucha, Pekarik, Skrtel, Salata, Durica, Sestak, Strba, Hamsik, Weiss, Kozak, Vittek. Subs: Pernis, Cech, Zabavnik, Sapara, Holosko, Jakubko, Stoch, Jendrisek, Kucka, Kopunek, Petras, Kuciak.
And it's our favorite referee from the Seychelles Eddy Maillet doing the officiating today.
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Victor Cacares is on a yellow coming into this match for Paraguay.
No yellow card trouble for Slovakia.
Group F is all square going into today's match with all sides on 1 point having drawn 1-1 in both games. Something's got to give.
Roque Santa Cruz is back in for Paraguay.
Three changes for Slovakia - they've reverted to a 4-4-3.
And we're underway in Bloemfontein.
Santa Cruz with the first strike in anger. His shot is deflected and Mucha did well to tip it around for a corner.
Martin Skrtel gives up a cheap free kick going through the back of Cacares.
I can't really see Paraguay getting any joy from set pieces the way that NZ did. They seem meat and drink for teh Slovak backfour.
The most promising attack yet from Slovakia comes to nothing after Hamsic feeds the right back Durica and he Jabulanis a cross out of bounds.
Paraguay continue to knock the ball around well, but everything is in the middle of the park so far.
Hamsic runs into trouble there. That was a shame - they're expecting much better from him today.
Very cautious build-up from both sides. I think that they're aware that this is the key match, as the second slot is expected to go to one of them.
Vladimir Weiss, my MOTM last week, does well on the right and slips in to Sestak. Comes to nothing, unfortunately.
There are plenty of crunching tackles coming in for the Slovaks but no cards as of yet. Free kick....
Oh - it nearly got through to Alcaraz, the goalscorer against Italy last week.
Skrtel gave the ball away to Barrios in midfield, the winger fed his striker and the shot was well held by Mucha.
Adrian Healey and John Harkes having a light poke at the Jabulani. Expect a sharp call from the Adidas reps at half-time boys.
I was hoping for a bit more quality for Father's Day for a certain father of three in Glenville, NY but little evidence of that. Sorry, UWS.
Not happening for Slovakia at the moment. Every time they get the ball out of their own half it just comes straight back at them. They need to adopt a more attacking approach if they are to get anything here.
Valdez tries a strike on goal but it was always going wide.
The team that claims second spot in this group ultimately meets Holland in the Round of 16. I can't really see either giving the Clockwork Oranje much of a match. Safe passage for the Dutch into the quarters.
GOAL! There is it. It was coming. Barrios feeds Vera who beats Mucha in the left corner.
1-0 Paraguay!
Poor defending there from Slovakia. Weiss coughed up the ball out wide right and they never looked like recovering. Crisp passing play from the South Americans.
It really has been an excellent World Cup for the CONMEBOL and CONCACAF sides. You'd have to count Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay as amongst the best sides that we've seen so far.
To reinforce that point, we could easily see all five South American sides and two of the three CONCACAF sides in the final 16, really at the expense of African sides, none of which may make it, and European sides who have been below par.
That's interesting because many pundits thought that the cooler South African winter weather might suit the sides from the Northern Hemisphere. Hasn't happened yet.
Roque Santa Cruz got free there and shot into Mucha's feet there. Keeper did well but his defenders are keeping him busy today. 2-0 probably would have been over and out for Slovakia.
The South African fans are having a strangely jubilant time of it in the stands. I'm not sure that they're really paying attention to this match, which hasn't been much to dance about. They might just as well be jumping up and down during a political rally or a Shakira concert. Odd behavior there. Do the SA fans have any understanding of footie? I'm not sure.
Jan Durica goes into the referee's book and Paraguay have a nice free kick opportunity.
Santa Cruz is claiming a handball against Skrtel there. I'd have to see it again to judge whether it was a "natural movement" or not.
And the goalscorer Enrique Vera has now attracted the attention of the referee from the Seychelles. Yellow card for him as well.
Half-time: It's 1-0 Paraguay in a match that they don't in truth really need to win. They're marching on to a berth in the Round of 16.
The teams are back out on the pitch. Slovakia need to change something either in terms of personnel or strategy or both. They cannot afford to lose this one with the Italians to come in the third match.
Slovakia's best hope still looks like Hamsik but he's got Rooney's disease today, sacrificing all positional discipline for his belief that he has to have the ball no matter how deep that takes him.
Stanislav Sestak joins the yellow card club. No need for that kind of rash challenge.
Familiar pattern to this second half then. Not sure that Slovakia have the quality to get back into this one.
Somehow ten minutes have drifted by in this second half. Sestak had a half chance to cross wide left but there have been few sparks from Slovakia. Paraguay are comfortable knocking it about and defending their lead.
Bit of sleepy defending there from Alcaraz nearly lets Slovakia in there.
Paraguay are somewhat encouraging Slovakia onto them now. Vittek does well to find Hamsic but he's ruled offside.
Roque Santa Cruz has strangely started to drift into the inside right channel and just spray balls about a bit.
Corner now for Slovakia....
The hour mark comes and goes and surely Slovakia (and perhaps Paraguay) need to freshen things up. Sure enough, a Paraguayan is getting ready. I'd have Roque Santa Cruz off. He seems a luxury under the circumstances. The Citeh striker hasn't impressed.
For Slovakia, I've have the young Chelski striker Stoch on to run at the Paraguayan defenders who are in danger of being lulled to sleep at the moment.
It's Sestak off now and Filip Holosko on now for the Slovakians. They really need to throw caution to the wind now.
Oh - Santa Cruz gets free for once wide left, cuts it back and it's a flying header just wide of the post from Vera.
Off goes Valdez and on comes Torres, the San Lorenzo defender. 4-4-2, I'd suspect from Paraguay now.
Just about fifteen minutes left now. Slovakian coach Weiss can't be happy with his side's performance today.
Great strike from the sub Torres and it wasn't a million miles over the top.
Adrian and John are expressing surprise at the anonymity of Marek Hamsik, who was a player of the season at Napoli. Another big star who hasn't shown up yet at this summer's tournament.
Inside the last ten minutes. That Slovakian change has made absolutely no impact. I'm surprised that Weiss hasn't thrown caution to the wind. They can't fancy meeting Italy in game three.
Barrios off and Cardozo on for Paraguay. Not quite sure why the Benfica striker didn't start the match.
Here's my boy Miroslav Stoch from Chelski coming on. About time - he's got about eight minutes and change to make the difference here. One goal would certainly change the complexion of the group again.
Vladimir Weiss gets a yellow card. Went through the back of Cardozo who was just trying to hold the ball up.
GOAL! That kills it off. Riveros rifles a shot into the upper left corner after some patient build-up after the set piece.
2-0 Paraguay!
The first goalscorer Vera coming off now. Must be an ovation for him but I can't hear it. I think the muting that ESPN are now doing cuts out a lot of the crowd noise.
Into stoppage time in this one now...
Nearly full time now...
Slovakia can have no complaints here. They've been comprehensibly beaten. Paraguay could easily end up a dark horse team. They could give the Dutch a match if they aren't careful.
Full-time: 2-0 Paraguay
Good win for the Guarani there. They looked very comfortable in sweeping aside the Slovaks. Slovakia now can only play a spoiler role in keeping the score down vs. Italy.
Next up - the Italians. What exactly will we see from the Azurri. It could be a Germany style performance as against Australia or a more cagey Brazilian style performance as against North Korea.
The team news is in....
Italy: Marchetti, Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Criscito, Pepe, De Rossi, Montolivo, Marchisio, Iaquinta, Gilardino
NZ: Paston, Reid, Nelsen, Vicelich, Smith, Fallon, Bertos, Elliott, Lochhead, Killen, Smeltz
Players in yellow card peril:
Marco Camaronese for the Italians
Lochhead and Reid for NZ.
It looks like an unchanged side for Italy with the exception of Marchetti in for the injured Buffon in goal.
Iaquinto and Gilardino were quite poor in the first match vs. Paraguay but I don't see too many other attacking options for Lippi given that he left Balottelli and Cassano at home.
And we're off. This should be fascinating stuff. The Italians are notorious for leaving themselves plenty to do on day three of the group stages but I can't imagine them really slipping up here. When was the last time that they crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage?
Iaquinta wins a corner off Tommy Smith early doors.
New Zealand now have an early set piece opportunity...
Lofted in and cleared out.
A shout out to our resident Azurri fan - Chelskilad. Hope you're enjoying it, wherever you are out there, Tony.
Zambrotta was caught by an elbow to the ear there. He's down for a moment.
Not exactly a quick start from the Italians here. Five minutes gone and nothing near a chance for them.
Simon Elliott lofts one in and....
GOAL! WOOOOOOOOOW!
The Kiwis are ahead against the World Champions! I have really seen everything now! That is exactly what the game needed. Winston Reid again is the hero. I thought his goal against Slovakia was his career highlight. Now this is. Incredible!
New Zealand 1 Italy 0. Wow! I just want to savor that scoreline for a moment. What will the Italians do about that now?
Hey Bob,
I have been watching a little of the early match upstairs
I am being taken out for Father's Day breakie for this match.
I'll be here for the last match
NZ take the lead... wow is right!
Free kick now for Montolivo to deliver. Oh, it went straight through and Paston punched it away. Near thing there. Paston collects again.
Desperate defending now from the Kiwis. The Italians have been shocked out of their complacency and are now giving it a right go. They didn't seem to be bothered in the first five minutes.
It looks as if Smeltz was offside when he tucked it home from Reid's flick on, but it doesn't matter now. Italy are behind.
Heya, Dave - Happy Dad's Day!
Thanks Bob
I am leaving now.. I'll be back
This would be as big a shock as that 1966 North Korea win if they're able to hang on for the next 75 minutes.
Another elbow there from Fallon and now he's into the book.
Enjoy your day, mate. I'll catch you later.
Anyone have a quid on Shane Smeltz to score first today?
The corner over and the chance falls to Chiellini, perhaps the person you would have least wanted to have it fall to. Finishes like a center half -- well over the bar.
Chiellini shielding the ball out there for a goal kick. That's one of the habits that crept into the game that I really hate. It's obvious obstruction as the player isn't making any effort to play the ball but instead is just blocking the attacker out. But no referee seems to call as such. I'd like to see that habit stamped out but quick.
A succession of poor balls from De Rossi and Criscito there. Is it possible that the Italians aren't good enough to get back into this match?
Nearly 20 minutes gone now....
It's Fallon with the elbow again. He is perilously to going off. It's Chiellini who's down now as if he's been shot. Lippi isn't happy either. I would hate to see NZ go down to ten men. Fallon needs to watch himself.
I suppose that it's a cliche that the Italians only play when they have to. That's what we're seeing now - they're giving it a go, but the Kiwis are defending well so far.
The one thing Fallon is doing well is holding the ball up. That's given the NZ defense a breather now and again. Absolutely vital to do so.
Oh - Montolivo from distance hits one and it strikes the post and goes out again. Very, very close thing there.
Still 1-0!
If they can just hold out til half time the Kiwis might just fancy it.
Penalty to Italy!!!! De Rossi was brought down. Very soft I thought. Smith did have his shirt, but DeRossi went down easily.
Iaquinta to take....
And scores, good penalty there.
1-1 Game on!
Corner to Italy now...
Criscito Jabulanis one over
New Zealand have a problem in that Fallon has been neutered. He simply can't jump for the ball properly any more because he'll get another yellow card if even a fingernail touches an Italian defender.
What now for the World Champions, then. Will they simply go on and use this momentum to roll over the Kiwis? Or will they settle back into their earlier complacency? The Kiwis will just want to get to half-time and regroup. Half an hour gone.
DeRossi now Jabulanis a ball over. They haven't got their shooting boots on today.
The Kiwis are just knocking it about now in order to kill the Italians momentum. And the Italians don't seem to be too fussed about it. The Wave has started up in the stadium. I don't blame them.
DeRossi goes down again rolling about like a wee girl.
Free kick...Pepe to float one in.
And out again. Reid heading it out.
Wow - a bit of news coming in from the crazy French camp. The players have refused to train today with Raymond Domenech. That is just a disgrace.
Ally McCoist makes the interesting point that the two finalists from 2006 have been hopeless this time around, only gaining two points from four matches to date.
Lippi's not happy about it. Five minutes to play here.
Again we get a camera view of some moronic South African fans jumping up and down and blowing on vuvuzelas. I have a feeling they'd be doing that whether there was a match on or not. Maybe they do that at home in front of the telly. Who knows? But it has nothing to do with this match, anyway.
Nice shot from DeRossi, Paston did well to get down to it. Pushed aside.
Paston comes again to punch clear unconvincingly.
Half-time: 1-1 Simply sensational!
Second half starting up. Lippi has thrown Camaronesi and DiNatale into the action.
Simone Pepe and the really disappointing Alberto Gilardino were sacrificed at the half.
The Azzurri trying to kill the match off early here. Corner in and DiNatale makes a mess of it. More minutes tick off the clock.
NZ have reverted to a back five at this point with the two wide men dropping deep into midfield for cover. They've only got about 35 minutes to weather now. Fallon is the only attacking outlet now.
The problem with this approach is that it's more and more difficult for the midfield and Fallon to hold the ball up so it's just one Italian wave against another to weather.
Very patient possession here from the Kiwis. Just trying to eat up minutes off the clock.
It looks like Winston Reid has a problem now. He's down on the turf with what looks like a twisted ankle.
Killen gives away a needless foul, if it was a foul. Free kick to be floated in here by Montolivo. Well defended.
The Italians have gone right off the boil here. I still expect them to bombard the Kiwi area in the last ten minutes or so but they're taking a breather right now.
Burtos wins a throw deep into the Italian half. If they were to nick another shock goal - and who would bet against them - would the Italians be able to respond again?
Fallon goes up against DeRossi again and it's another theatrical performance from the Italian captain. I agree with Adrian and Ally - it's a pathetic display from the Italians.
Lippi using his third sub now. they haven't made too many chances really.
Iaquinta finds some room in the box and turns and gets it all wrong.
Pazzini, a striker, for Marchiso, a midfielder, now. That's all the subs used up by Lippi. A real gamble.
And Ricki Herbert is making a change as well. Looks like a big man to come on. Mr. Elbows - Rory Fallon - off and Chris Wood on.
Long throw for the Kiwis and the center back Ivan Vicelich hits a rocket that's just wide. That would have been a shocker if it had flown in.
Nearly 65 minutes in now. What a crazy match in a crazy tournament.
A draw here would certainly hand the advantage to Paraguay, who have a match with New Zealand to come with four points already on the board. As we've seen, Slovakia aren't complete mugs.
The Italians have got two goals off a goalkeeping howler from a corner and a soft penalty call. It's not really good enough, is it? Are they worse than England?
I am home
All the places were to busy. We brought some breakfast home from DD
Still 1-1
And yet another Italian attack is broken up. Nearly 70 minutes gone now.
How did the Italians score? It was a penalty, correct?
Burtos gives up a cheap free kick. That's not smart. DeRossi will knock one into the danger zone...
Headed away easily. Where's the quality, Dave?
Thank you... question answered
Great save!
Some worried faces in the crowd now.
Ryan Nelson with some heroics there.
Did you have brekkies in bed this morning, mate?
Winston Reid got a clout around the ear from Chiellini there. Play stopped for a moment. Just over fifteen minutes now.
No breakies in bed... we went out... that's why I buggered off!
Did you hear about the French? Refusing to train now!
New Zealand actually looking fairly enterprising since Chris Wood came on. Remarkable!
Montolivo's about the only Italian player who can hold his head up. Even DeRossi, meant to be the inspirational center and captain to be, has been abject.
I did hear about the French. Hilarious! It just gets more comical every day. They've thrown in the towel.
What a pathetic free kick!!
What were they doing?
Ridiculous set piece there. A training pitch effort that went all wrong for the Italians. Rubbish!
Is this one of the biggest shocks of World Cup history?
Iaquinta was nearly in there. Wins a corner though.
Iaquinta again from the corner. Reid gets up well. Iaquinta looks the most likely here.
Chelskilad must really be down in the dumps. I feel for him. He's had to suffer through the England v. Algeria rubbish and now this. What is going on in this tournament?
Some more fresh legs coming on - Viselich off and Christie on to spruce up the defense.
Nelson gives up another corner. Italy's 13th corner!
Deep to the backpost and Chiellini rises but he's leaning on Wood.
Inside ten minutes now...wow!
Struth!!
NZ go so close
OH - Chris Wood nearly won it for the Kiwis there. Inches wide!
What say you, Chelskilad?
Lochhead plays one in that's just too deep for Killen.
Italy have yet another corner....
Paston holds well there. Nothing funnier than a group of fans all decked out in fright wigs and painted fans looking really depressed.
Nelson's down with cramp. Meanwhile the Kiwis fans are going potty here.
Kiss of death there from Ian Darke... "Brazil vs IC should be a brilliant game"
Looks like Simon Elliott picked up a yellow card. Or is it Ryan Nelson? That seems harsh - he was merely down receiving treatment.
I agree - I've learned not to expect anything from this World Cup. Could be 0-0. Could be 10-0 either side. Could be 5-5. No way to predict.
France, Italy, England, Germany
Who won't make it!!
I'd say that Spain and France are in worse shape. England and Italy are about the same.
Maybe Spain?
Bigger shock than Switzerland beating Spain?
4 added minutes
Fantastic block there with Zambrotta threatening. Four minutes of stoppage time to play.
Germany?
Great ball in from DeRossi but Paston claims well.
I think the Germans are okay.
Two minutes to play now....
Late substitution to eat up some time here. It's corner flag time for the Kiwis.
Down to a minute....
I would have thought Brazil v. North Korea was a more lop-sided one than this one...just.
Time is almost up
Seconds away from a major upset.....
Surely that is it
Throw in to the Kiwis
That's it - Italy, the World Champions, have been held by little New Zealand. I have officially seen everything now. Wow!
It is over!!!
WOW!!!!
New Zealand have drawn against the World Champions!
Sorry Tony
Deserved?
Ally thinks so
Italy now have it all to do against Slovakia in the last match.
I thought so. Italy were really ordinary and the Kiwis defended like titans.
I'm going to take the last match off from blogging with a few mates coming over for it. I'll talk to you later, mate. Again - Happy Father's Day!
Take Care Bob
I will post once and a while to keep the string going
So here we are for the last match of the Day 10
Bob has earned well deserved rest from his blogging. I am sure that he will be back for tomorrow's game
Brazil's starting line up is blast from the past in some ways.... the starting line up is numbered 1-11
1 Julio Cesar
2 Maicon
3 Lucio
4 Juan
5 Melo
6 Michel Bastos
7 Elano
8 Silva
9 Luis Fabiano
10 Kaka
11 Robinho
The Ivory Coast's numbers are all over the place!
1 Copa
4 Kolo Toure
17 Tiene
20 Demel
21 Eboue
5 Zokora
9 Tiote
19 Yaya Toure
8 Kalou
11 Drogba
15 Dindane
Question
Has Bob earned his rest OR is he just a slacker!!!!
and we're off!
I am in the basement with the boys for a bit.. I will come back in a few minutes!
Robinho goes very close inside the first minute
I am back from the basement
Still scoreless
Two hopeless free kicks by the Ivorians.
One from Drogs went in Row Z in the second tier. Toure's didn't beat the one man wall
Don't know about IC's kit!
I don't know if I am watching Celtic or even Yeovil Town!
Robby hits a horrible shot well wide and high
Ivory Coast have dominated possession in the first 20 minutes
Maicon has a chance to run at a defender but his first touch is far too far ahead and he had to rush a cross which was useless. He gets a corner anyway
Some hugging in the box and the ref stops and talks to them...Give a penalty and it would stop soon. As Efan said, it will soon stop. The defenders aren't even looking at the ball.
It is like the NHL in the box!
How can Portugal be #3 in the world?
They didn't win their qualifying group!!
A quarter of the match gone and there is something missing! I know what it is.... QUALITY!!!!
I am the biggest fan of football and I will defend it to the nth degree but I have nothing to win a case with in this WC. It has been hopeless
Lo and Behold.... Brazil have taken the lead!
A bit of a scramble outside the box but Kaka finds Fabiano who scores at a little bit better angle than Landycakes did.
Hey, I am here, back in AZ. Just saw the first goal. Crazy tourney so far. Steve
Good afternoon Steve.
Again, not much happening
WHERE IS DROGBA!!!!!!
He hasn't done a thing except for hitting Row ZED!!
When he is wearing Chelsea blue he is dangerous all the time and his free kicks go into the net!
Sounds like Lamps! Bloody Londoners
Brazil can't even pass it to each other!
Have I lost the plot? Have all the other World Cups been like this but I just choose not to remember?
I will say it again... Brazil get too much credit.
They have had two great teams... 1970 and 1982.
Brother Tony says his favorite team of all time were the 1974 Dutch... after all he is old enough to know all of these teams
A good description by Efan
"one paced"
I think the whole WC has been like that
I bet you are all wishing for Dr. Dahlgren to return! I am just Mr. Negative but I can't help it... I am disgusted
Into the last minute of the half... please improve
Hello, mates! I came to love the game when I saw the 1974 Dutch team play . . .
That's it
Half time and it is 1-0
I hope the second half improves
UWS, I agree the more games have disappointed than not, but I enjoyed both morning matches today . . .
UWS, I agree the more games have disappointed than not, but I enjoyed both morning matches today . . .
They are off again
Brazil seldom give up a lead
I hope the Ivory Coast at least try!
Brazil have won 33 drawn 2 and lost 0 when winning at half time in the WC.. oh dear
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