Wednesday, June 14, 2006

World Cup So Far

The World Cup has been full of surprises so far. For those people who have been staying up to watch the games, you know what I mean. I am now grabbing a break in between the packed games and filling in my thoughts for this World Cup so far. As I type, I am anticipating the Brazil game that is expected to be the highlight of the World Cup so far. I guess if you want to truly enjoy this game, you should take out that punter in you and resist betting on this game. Just seat back and enjoy the samba against the unpredictability of the Croats. For the record, the last time these two teams met, they had a 1-1 draw. So don't expect a mulling tonight.

Anyway, this World Cup has been exciting from the neutral point of view and hair-tearing from the punters' point of view. For the fans, it is a fairy tale come true to see the defensive Germans finally opening up with flowing attacking football to demolish the Costa Ricans. And oh, how mighty and tiny Trinidad and Tobago denied Sweden the victory when the whole world expected Sweden to walk past them. Indeed, this World Cup has been a sufficient platform for the davids to slay the goliath.

The usual 'We will win the World Cup this year' England started off as expected. Slow and sluggish with plenty of excuses. They hardly created a stir with their horid game against Paraguay although they won the match 1-0. Off the foot of Beckham and onto the head of his captain counterpart Gamarra, England notched their first victory in this World Cup without having a single England player on the score sheet. If that doesn't convince you that this AGAIN is not England's year, I do not know what why. I just hope that they will falter and fall with all their hubris and smugness, a first round exit will truly change their anthem from God save the Queen to God save England.

The best team that has impressed me so far has got to be the Czech Republic. With such clinical efficency and displaying full fledged attacking prowess, the Czechs dispose of No.5 in the world USA. Now, USA may be the world's only superpower but they are nowhere near that status on the football pitch. With the nation preferring to play a different kind of football that involves helmets, it is no wonder that they fail to produce any capable players to create a storm in the World Cup. One just wonders how USA made it to the No.5 rank on Fifa because they are making a mockery out of that system with that sort of opening game.

Yet, take nothing away from the Czech who has immense talents in the likes of Nedved, Rosicky, Porbosky and Koller. With Baros still injured, you wonder what this team can do when all their stars are on field. And Rosicky has proven to be a steal for Arsenal with two great goals that will make monsieur Wenger himself salivate with anticipation.
With that I round up my entry on the World Cup so far. It's 0251 and Brazil starts in like 9mins. I wouldn't want to miss that game. I assure more candid reviews on the greatest Cup competition in time to come.

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