What a day in South Africa: World Cup juggernauts and galactic favorites Brazil crash out in the final eight, and it's not even the most memorable match of the day.
Ghana vs. Uruguay, seemingly the runt of the quarterfinal litter, turns out to be perhaps the signature event of this savagely unforgiving tournament. It was, for one thing, a far more open, energetic, and goal-minded contest than the cagey clash of the titans earlier in the afternoon. Game dominance washed back and forth between the two sides in an almost tidal fashion. There were more shots, and shots on goal, than any other match in the Cup. Muntari fired in a laser-beam from 35 yards; Forlan answered with a golden free kick. Victorino and Cavani gamboled; Pantsil parried; Inkoom bloomed. It was all quite entertaining from start to finish.
Ghana vs. Uruguay, seemingly the runt of the quarterfinal litter, turns out to be perhaps the signature event of this savagely unforgiving tournament. It was, for one thing, a far more open, energetic, and goal-minded contest than the cagey clash of the titans earlier in the afternoon. Game dominance washed back and forth between the two sides in an almost tidal fashion. There were more shots, and shots on goal, than any other match in the Cup. Muntari fired in a laser-beam from 35 yards; Forlan answered with a golden free kick. Victorino and Cavani gamboled; Pantsil parried; Inkoom bloomed. It was all quite entertaining from start to finish.
And then: the final play in front of goal, in the 120th minute. A remarkable sequence of events for any number of reasons, but especially so because it happened in what were literally the final seconds of an extra-time match, which you almost never see (even Landon Donovan's miracle goal vs. Algeria came with 2+ min remaining).
And then Luis Suarez saves Uruguay's game, and the tournament, with, of all things, a heroic hand-ball! It was bizarre -- and some may consider it unethical -- but without doubt Suarez made the shrewd play: 80% chance of losing the match, plus a red card, is far better than 100% of losing the match. The strange ease with which Suarez saved Uruguay's bacon with a slight, instinctive motion of his hand reminded me, most of all, that soccer is a sport governed by an almost invisible, almost invincible restraint. No hands! Can anyone imagine a comparable situation in any American sport -- where a player, by simply (and illegally) defying the most basic rule of the game, can make an almost superhuman play for his team? I can't quite do it.
As for Gyan... what is there to say? He's a hero to me for coming out in the post-game round and calmly nailing the first kick. I was sure he would be totally crushed. But still. How cruel. He now joins Adam Morrison and Roger Federer in the pantheon of brutally heartbroken, madly weeping athletes. It's tough not to feel for him.
And then Luis Suarez saves Uruguay's game, and the tournament, with, of all things, a heroic hand-ball! It was bizarre -- and some may consider it unethical -- but without doubt Suarez made the shrewd play: 80% chance of losing the match, plus a red card, is far better than 100% of losing the match. The strange ease with which Suarez saved Uruguay's bacon with a slight, instinctive motion of his hand reminded me, most of all, that soccer is a sport governed by an almost invisible, almost invincible restraint. No hands! Can anyone imagine a comparable situation in any American sport -- where a player, by simply (and illegally) defying the most basic rule of the game, can make an almost superhuman play for his team? I can't quite do it.
As for Gyan... what is there to say? He's a hero to me for coming out in the post-game round and calmly nailing the first kick. I was sure he would be totally crushed. But still. How cruel. He now joins Adam Morrison and Roger Federer in the pantheon of brutally heartbroken, madly weeping athletes. It's tough not to feel for him.
Finally, re: Brazil vs. Holland -- I was pulling hard for the Dutch, but their caution and clumsiness in the first half put me off. Robben's brilliant outside-of-the-box side-step against Slovakia was transformed, almost overnight, into awkward over-dribbling, easily swallowed by the Brazilian defense. Then they benefit from what was frankly one of the ugliest, luckiest goals of the tournament (perhaps Julio Cesar's ridiculously baggy outfit may have impeded him on the punch), Sneijder nails one perfect set-piece header, and Brazil completely self-destructs, red card and all.
It's very odd to see the Dutch progress when I have no notion that they were the better or even more offensively interesting team. I found myself sympathizing, oddly, with Maicon, Lucio, and even Sgt. Dunga as they watched themselves unravel against what clearly seemed an inferior Holland squad. But I suppose after their tragic failure of Total Football in '74 and '78 against ruthless Germans and authoritarian Argentines -- not to mention heartbreaking losses to Brazil in '94 and '98 -- they were due for a break. And Sneijder's post-goal head-pounding was a pretty cool celebration. So I'm still Oranje in this neck of the woods.
* No, it wasn't an intentional Harvey Danger/"Paranoia" reference. But now I see it is, and I'm sticking with it anyway.
It's very odd to see the Dutch progress when I have no notion that they were the better or even more offensively interesting team. I found myself sympathizing, oddly, with Maicon, Lucio, and even Sgt. Dunga as they watched themselves unravel against what clearly seemed an inferior Holland squad. But I suppose after their tragic failure of Total Football in '74 and '78 against ruthless Germans and authoritarian Argentines -- not to mention heartbreaking losses to Brazil in '94 and '98 -- they were due for a break. And Sneijder's post-goal head-pounding was a pretty cool celebration. So I'm still Oranje in this neck of the woods.
* No, it wasn't an intentional Harvey Danger/"Paranoia" reference. But now I see it is, and I'm sticking with it anyway.