Match 9 - Switzerland v. Ecuador
posted by The Blue Devil @ 11:56 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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- Brasil '14 - Day 4
- Brasil '14 - Day 3
- Match 4 - Australia v. Chile
- Match 3 - Spain v. The Netherlands
- Match 2 - Mexico v. Cameroon
- Brasil '14 - Day 2
- Brasil 2014 - Day 1!
- World Cup Preview - Group H - Algeria
- World Cup Preview - Group H - Russia
- World Cup Preview - Group H - South Korea
62 Comments:
The teams are out on the pitch enjoying the sunshine:
Swiss - Benaglio, Lichtstein, Djourou, von Bergen, Rodriguez, Behrami, Inler, Shaquiri, Xhaka, Stocker, Drmic.
Ecuador - Dominguez, Paredes, Erazo, Guagua, Ayovi, Valencia, Gruezo, Noboa, Montero, Caicedo, Valencia
Ecuador making the early running as I'd suspected. I don't rate Switzerland as highly as the Swiss-based FIFA organization does.
These two sides are real enigmas to me. I really don't know why they did so well in qualifiers.
Switzerland mount an attack! Stephan Lichtsteiner scampers down the right, and then sends his cross straight into touch. It's a start.
We've seen a lot of goals at this World Cup but nowhere close to the record (48 in 1934!) after 9 matches. Given the opening to this one, I suspect that we're not going to see 20 goals this afternoon.
Drmic had a half chance there but seemed reluctant to pull the trigger on his left side.
Granit Xhaka, who has the best name of any footballer at this World Cup except perhaps Carlo Costly or Constant Djackpa, hammers a 30-yarder over the bar.
Shaquri, the Bayern man, drifted inside and made space for a shot there. Tested Dominguez.
You can see all the red, empty seats in this picture of the teams coming out before kick-off. There are quite a lot of empty seats, the result of Fifa's, um, ambitious pricing policy.
Rodriguez unleashes one from the left side channel. Dominguez struggles with it.
A watchable but hardly spectacular match so far with few real chances despite a few long range efforts.
GOAL! Ecuador first blood, Enner Valencia rising to nod home.
The free kick over was perfectly delivered by the dreadlocked winger Ayovi. Criminal marking job by the usually stingy Swiss defense.
Really poor, comical attempt of a short corner by the Swiss. With all the tall players, I'm surprised that they didn't wing one over.
A corner whipped in to the near post and Stocker did well to beat his marker. Decent chance.
Behrami got free from the corner but the cross was behind him. Didn't trouble Dominguez.
Big appeal from the Swiss for a handball. The Uzbek ref wasn't having any of it.
A slightly better short corner routine this time but Shaquri drives it into Dominguez' arms again. He hasn't really found his range yet.
Yet another corner from the deflected shot by Xhaka.
Switzerland are repeatedly working their way to the edge of Ecuador's area, but aren't doing so well at getting inside it.
I'm really surprised by how the South American sides, on home soil, have dropped off in their energy level after the first fifteen or twenty minutes. That's been notable for Chile, Uruguay and now with Ecuador.
Nice block by Djourou when Montero stepped inside and launched one from distance.
Caicedo went down in the box but the Uzbek ref was distinctly unimpressed.
Ayovi with a really errant shot that threatened the corner flag.
Half-time - Ecuador 1-0 up. This has been the perfect hangover recipe. Nothing terribly exciting or jarring about it. A nice beginning to a day that should build to a crescendo with France and Argentina later on.
Every time they show the Copacabana, I'm green with envy.
Switzerland have now been goalless for 263 consecutive World Cup minutes.
Good afternoon Bob. A great day to watch the World Cup
One change for the Swiss at the interval. Mehmedi is one for Stocker.
We're away again...
Welcome, MUR - great to be sharing this World Cup afternoon with you.
GOAL! The sub Mehmedi makes an immediate difference, nodding home a simple set piece.
1-1!
Now the Swiss have their tails up. Inler trying a shot from distance.
Ecuador one up as
Goal !!! 1-1 Nehmedi fresh off the bench heads in from a corner bybRicardo Rodriguez.
Then just wide by Inlet.
That ended the scoring drought as it was a similar header to the first goal.
Two very similar goals, then. The set pieces were taken from the same corner at the same end, and headed in by a questionably-marked forward.
Ecuador win a free-kick on the left, and again they shift the ball so it's just outside of the neat shaving-foam line the referee has drawn for it when it's taken. The Swiss draw his attention to it, and he clearly doesn't care. So it must be allowed.
Ecuador had a header just over from a free kick then Paredes booked for a naughty challenge.
This has been entertaining enough. Enner Valencia coming close there to a second goal for Ecuador.
Just wide by Enner Valencia .Off the stanchion.
That's evidence of what has been driving you and UWS crazy at OT in recent years. Antonio Valencia scampers down the wing to reach a ball and then overcooks the cross horribly.
We're having a scrappy spell here, with the action contained in the middle barring very occasional optimistic long-range shots.
Benaglio with a kick save from Montero for a corner.
Montero comes close with a left-footed effort. Benaglio did well to turn it around.
Agreed Bob. Enner who plays in the Mexican league has been the better Valencia.
Drmic finally bundles one into the net but he's ruled offside.
Drmic has a goal disallowed offside off a pass from Rodriguez.
Into the side netting by Shaquirii then as Enner Valencia got behind Dhourou but the recovering defender cleared.
Joao Rojas on for the excellent Jefferson Montero.
Substitutions: Ecuador have taken Montero off and brought on Joao Rojas. And Switzerland have taken Drmic off and brought on Seferovic.
We're having a spirited debate about whether the Swiss should press for a win now.
Guagoa fouls Shaquiri just outside the box.
Into the wall.
Djourou booked for a foul.
The ball is played through towards Valencia by Ayovi, but Djourou pulls the striker back as he threatens to motor clear. He is booked.
Behrami with a foul just outside the box.Benaglio did well to push away the swerving free kick.
It's 1-1 as both teams are going for the win. Three minutes of stoppage time.
GOAL! Rodriguez scores the winner after an end to end move!
2-1!
The Uzbek did a marvelous job playing the advantage there as Behrami raced out of defense.
Great tackle by Behrami then he leads a counter then
Goal 2-1. The Swiss score a last second winner as Rodriguez is the hero.
Agreed Bob. Kudos to the Uzbek ref played the advantage .Behrami was fouled as he led the break off the blocked shot. He played the ball down the left and Rodriguez put the cross away.
Good start to the day, then. 30 goals now in 9 matches, well over three goals per match.
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