World Cup Digest: Day 10
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Day 10 of World Cup 2010 threw up one of the shocks of the tournament as New Zealand, ranked 78th in the world, held World champions Italy to a 1-1 draw in a game they could have won. There were also straight forward wins for Brazil and Paraguay.
Slovakia v Paraguay
Sunday’s lunchtime game saw Paraguay beat Slovakia with relative ease in Group F. In an entertaining opening half both teams played neat, passing football but it was Paraguay who worked themselves into the more promising positions.
In the 28th minute a smart pass from Barrios gave Enrique Vera a sight of goal and the midfielder flicked the ball past Mucha with the outside of his right boot to put Paraguay ahead. Santa Cruz might have added a second just before half time but Mucha blocked with his foot when the striker should really have scored.
Gradually Paraguay shut down Slovakia with their willingness to press the ball and there was little sense of competition in the second half. What chances came fell to the South Americans, Santa Cruz setting up Vera whose header bounced narrowly wide after 71 minutes. Then, with four minutes left to play, Paraguay finished off the game when midfielder Riveros smashed home following a Torres free kick.
Slovakia’s only genuine chance came in the 92nd minute when Vittek turned and fired in a shot from the edge of the box. Villar did well to tip the ball over the bar.
With four points from their opening two games and only New Zealand to come, the South Americans will be confident of making it through to the knockout stages. Slovakia will need to get something from Italy in their final game if they are to join them.
Italy v New Zealand
New Zealand claimed an heroic draw against Italy in their Group F game at Nelspruit on Sunday afternoon, shocking Marcello Lippi’s side and registering their country’s finest ever result on the football field.
It took just seven minutes of this game for the unthinkable to happen. A long free kick into the Italian penalty area was miscued by Cannavaro and Shane Smeltz nipped in to poke the ball past Marchetti and put the boys from Oz one up.
Of course the Alamo was then re-enacted as waves of blue rolled forwards, desperately seeking to restore the natural order of things. Inevitably Italy drew level when, in the 29th minute, De Rossi went down relatively easy under a challenge from Tommy Smith and Iaquinta buried the resulting penalty.
Vicelich and substitute Christie could have restored New Zealand’s lead in the second half but these were rare moments of relief during what amounted to an Italian siege. A late chance from Camoranesi was clawed away by Paston in the New Zealand goal and Ryan Nelson blocked a close range effort from Zambrotta as the game drew to a close.
But four minutes of added time failed to produce a winner and New Zealand enter their final group game with an identical record to the Italians and every chance of edging out the current World Champions.
Brazil v Ivory Coast
Brazilian forward Fabiano scored twice and talisman Kaka was sent off on Sunday night as Brazil comprehensively outplayed Ivory Coast and ensured their progress to the knockout phase of the 2010 World Cup.
It had been a relatively quiet game until the 25th minute when Kaka wriggled past a defender and played in Fabiano who finished his chance superbly, blasting the ball above a startled Boubacar Barry and into the roof of the net.
Just six minutes into the second half Fabiano doubled Brazil’s lead. This time he made his own opportunity battling past three defenders before driving the ball off the turf and past Barry.
Worse was to come for the Africans just after the hour mark when Elano bagged Brazil’s third, beating full back Tiene to Kaka’s exquisite pull back and clipping the ball into the corner of the goal.
There followed a nasty passage of play in which numerous Ivorian tackles found Brazilian shins and ongoing episodes of exaggerated injury deserved harsher treatment from referee, Stephane Lannoy.
Amid growing mayhem Didier Drogba nodded home a free kick from Yaya Toure to pull a goal back but an unpleasant end to the game was sealed when Keita feigned a blow to the face and Kaka received an ill- deserved red card.
When the final whistle came it was something of a relief. In a game where there had been so much to admire, the ugly side of football was given an unhealthy run out and the aftertaste was disappointingly bitter.
Slovakia v Paraguay
Sunday’s lunchtime game saw Paraguay beat Slovakia with relative ease in Group F. In an entertaining opening half both teams played neat, passing football but it was Paraguay who worked themselves into the more promising positions.
In the 28th minute a smart pass from Barrios gave Enrique Vera a sight of goal and the midfielder flicked the ball past Mucha with the outside of his right boot to put Paraguay ahead. Santa Cruz might have added a second just before half time but Mucha blocked with his foot when the striker should really have scored.
Gradually Paraguay shut down Slovakia with their willingness to press the ball and there was little sense of competition in the second half. What chances came fell to the South Americans, Santa Cruz setting up Vera whose header bounced narrowly wide after 71 minutes. Then, with four minutes left to play, Paraguay finished off the game when midfielder Riveros smashed home following a Torres free kick.
Slovakia’s only genuine chance came in the 92nd minute when Vittek turned and fired in a shot from the edge of the box. Villar did well to tip the ball over the bar.
With four points from their opening two games and only New Zealand to come, the South Americans will be confident of making it through to the knockout stages. Slovakia will need to get something from Italy in their final game if they are to join them.
Italy v New Zealand
New Zealand claimed an heroic draw against Italy in their Group F game at Nelspruit on Sunday afternoon, shocking Marcello Lippi’s side and registering their country’s finest ever result on the football field.
It took just seven minutes of this game for the unthinkable to happen. A long free kick into the Italian penalty area was miscued by Cannavaro and Shane Smeltz nipped in to poke the ball past Marchetti and put the boys from Oz one up.
Of course the Alamo was then re-enacted as waves of blue rolled forwards, desperately seeking to restore the natural order of things. Inevitably Italy drew level when, in the 29th minute, De Rossi went down relatively easy under a challenge from Tommy Smith and Iaquinta buried the resulting penalty.
Vicelich and substitute Christie could have restored New Zealand’s lead in the second half but these were rare moments of relief during what amounted to an Italian siege. A late chance from Camoranesi was clawed away by Paston in the New Zealand goal and Ryan Nelson blocked a close range effort from Zambrotta as the game drew to a close.
But four minutes of added time failed to produce a winner and New Zealand enter their final group game with an identical record to the Italians and every chance of edging out the current World Champions.
Brazil v Ivory Coast
Brazilian forward Fabiano scored twice and talisman Kaka was sent off on Sunday night as Brazil comprehensively outplayed Ivory Coast and ensured their progress to the knockout phase of the 2010 World Cup.
It had been a relatively quiet game until the 25th minute when Kaka wriggled past a defender and played in Fabiano who finished his chance superbly, blasting the ball above a startled Boubacar Barry and into the roof of the net.
Just six minutes into the second half Fabiano doubled Brazil’s lead. This time he made his own opportunity battling past three defenders before driving the ball off the turf and past Barry.
Worse was to come for the Africans just after the hour mark when Elano bagged Brazil’s third, beating full back Tiene to Kaka’s exquisite pull back and clipping the ball into the corner of the goal.
There followed a nasty passage of play in which numerous Ivorian tackles found Brazilian shins and ongoing episodes of exaggerated injury deserved harsher treatment from referee, Stephane Lannoy.
Amid growing mayhem Didier Drogba nodded home a free kick from Yaya Toure to pull a goal back but an unpleasant end to the game was sealed when Keita feigned a blow to the face and Kaka received an ill- deserved red card.
When the final whistle came it was something of a relief. In a game where there had been so much to admire, the ugly side of football was given an unhealthy run out and the aftertaste was disappointingly bitter.
About Simon O'Gorman
Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and … View Full Profile