World champions Spain found out that everything can crumble within the space of a single game and that may be the ugly truth of the Beautiful Game. Such is the vibrancy of the 2014 FIFA World Cup that nothing is going as per plan. Favourites are losing and some big teams and individuals are not able to make a mark. Krishnaraj Singh Jasana reviews the tournament just before the final round of Group stage
The world champions are out, a group of death would see two big teams eliminated and not — expectedly — one, hosts as favourites are far from convincing, the best player in the world is yet to come even close to a clear goal-scoring opportunity, there has already been a head butt, a hat-trick, 73 yellow cards, five red cards and 77 goals. And, we are still in the second-part of the group stage with only 26 out of 64 matches played till late Friday. In only nine days, the World Cup 2014 has been a melange of entertainment, exhilaration, sorrow, gravity-defying heroics, grace and flair. But the proof of this pudding is also in eating it and there is a lot of it left.
In the coming days, after playing subsequent roles in eliminating world champions Spain, The Netherlands and Chile face each other. The prize is to avoid hosts Brazil come elimination round and rather face Mexico or Croatia (both teams face-off on Monday and the winner would advance while a draw would ensure Mexico go through) — if that is the easier option. Cameroon can answer that, they’ve beaten 1-0 by Mexico and 4-0 by Croatia. Eliminated, they now face the Selecao.
But the pertinent question is, are Brazil good enough for a 13th July flightIJ While the whole country expects them to be there, they have not looked like that. Their campaign has seen a self-goal, a penalty which was an arguable one and a backline — all against Croatia — was hell bent on only clearing the ball to the centre rather than any pragmatic moves enabling counter-attack, may be nerves of an opener or the height of expectations.
Though they were denied a win in their second game by a certain Mexican known by the name of Guillermo Ochoa, the goalkeeper but constant attacking shots by Mexico — from wide outside the D area — was a strategy well attempted and one that may be adopted against Julio Cesar in the near future. Especially, when the defence let’s it happen. Certainly, heavyweights like Dani Alves, Marcelo and captain Thiago Silva haven’t looked menacing on the field — just one goal against them seems to be an aberration.
Come Monday, they look certain to make the pre-quarters as a draw would be enough but that game will show if they’ve now found their feet. It is also their final chance to do the manoeuvring — something that Costa Rica do not require.
The South American nation was slated to be the punching bags in a group that had three past champions in Italy, Uruguay and England. They’ve crossed the group hurdle, none of the others have, in fact the Brits are going back home but before that they face the surprise group toppers Costa Rica.
They have created panic as one of Italy or Uruguay will be eliminated on Tuesday. We would see Andrea Pirlo or Diego Forlan in a WC one last time or luis Suarez would head back home. That’s the power of the underdogs. They can give you the chill, like in the case of Spain or can cost you like England and others.
But life isn’t that bad also if it’s a big team, like France, Germany or Argentina. Even a defeat against Ecuador will not prevent les Bleus from making it into Round of 16 as they play their final group match on Wednesday after a 4-0 rout of Honduras and disarmament of the Swiss 5-2.
Germans were also clinical with a 4-0 drubbing of Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal as the Ballon d’Or winner looked out of sorts against the polished side. And, lionel Messi-led Argentina, though they had some problems finishing off debutants Boznia-Herzgovinia 2-1, Messi got into the scoring sheet in a WC after 2006. Both the latter sides were to play their second games on Saturday.
THE MOMENT
It happened! Perhaps it couldn’t have been anyone else apart from batman or one Robin Van Persie, The Netherlands’ captain.
Dutchman Daley Blind just heaved one from the centre-line towards the Spanish goal-post. Before that moment, it was like any other day. la Roja were ahead 1-0, their possession was close to 60 per cent and they were playing among themselves. All that changed.
Van Persie flew, as if there was no gravitation pull, found the ball somewhere in mid-air and ballooned it over Spanish captain Iker Casillas and into the net for an equaliser. That effort increased the Dutch confidence manifolds and that resulted in a 5-1 demolition of defending champions.
That was the first blow, the beginning of the end. Soon after, the greatest team of the post-2000 era had fallen after one humiliating bad game.
They were rendered mere mortals, were no more the heroes, so traumatising was the defeat. Now, their next opponents Chile, were more than a team that could give them the occasional trouble. There were calls for transition in between the WC, for heads to roll. And, changes were made.
Xavi Hernandez, who had played every single minute of Spain’s winning campaign four years back, was dropped, so was Gerard Pique. Captain Casillas, who had a torrid time in front of the post, was retained. But, was anything going to be enoughIJ No was the answer.
Chile picked up the pieces left behind by The Netherlands and a 2-0 disaster for Spain meant that a defending champion had lost its first two games for the first time in the history of World Cup.
la Roja reeled and whoever saw it, wouldn’t have recognised the red jerseys. Passes weren’t completed, chances not taken, Casillas was dribbled mercilessly inside the D area by Holland’s Arjen Robben. At one time, it was felt that the Spanish defence could be penetrated at will. The fact that the only goal Spain scored was a penalty, and one that might not have been a genuine case, ends the sordid affair.