(Sometimes) even the Germans miss penalties
In six penalty shoot-outs in their history, the “Panzers” have only missed two, scoring 25 out of 27!Uli Stielike was the only German player to miss a penalty in a World Cup − semi-final shootout in 1982 against France.
Uli Hoeness missed a penalty kick in the 1976 European Championship for West Germany against Czechoslovakia.
Today, Lukas Podolsky gained his entry to this “elite club” by missing his penalty kick in the 60th minute, sending a weak shot to the left of Serbian goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, at the same time also missing to score a highly deserved equalizer for the Germans.
Spanish referee Alberto Undiano is a complete clown! - a true joker who handed out NINE yellow cards!
Miroslav Klose was sent off the field for running after Dejan Stankovic on the halfway line and missing a truly honest attempt to get his leg around the ball. His move ended up to be a clear foul, but like his first booking (he was booked in the 12th minute for a foul − which was an accidental tangle of legs − on Jovanovic), was nowhere close to a yellow card. Milan Jovanovic scored a minute later.
The Germans had a tougher game than they did against Australia on Sunday against a defensively well accomplished Serbian side that desperately was in need of points after loosing against Ghana in their opener. Even a draw against the Germans did not seem to be enough for them.
Sami Khedira, in stoppage time of the first half, hit the bar for Germany. Jovanovic (67. min) hit the post for Serbia.
Taking off Mesut Ozil, who was playing really well, was a strange Joachim Löw move and Germany, to be honest, did not have any fluency after that. Cacau, who came in for Ozil, was desperate and useless.
Stankovic’s ‘kick’ − in the 90+2 minute − to the bottom of a German player’s foot looked like a penalty.
10-men Germany finished the game with 51% possession over the Serbians (49%).
A sensational result (1-0) for the Serbian team at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, even if it was basically the result of a terrible refereeing decision, leaves Group D wide open. If Serbia beats Australia and Ghana either wins, or draws against the Australians, Germany will need to beat Ghana in the last Group match to avoid elimination in the first round −- for the first time in 72 years!
The Germans truly did not deserve to loose the game.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Day 7 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup - Mexico stun France
La Albiceleste, thanks to one of the best performances in this World Cup so far, beat South Korea 4-1 in the Soccer City Stadium of Johannesburg with Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scoring a hat-trick and Lionel Messi setting up three of the four goals for the Argentinians in moments of magic.
The South Koreans, after beating Greece with a speedy and determined performance in their first game, seemed to be "chasing shadows" against the stylish team of legend Diego Armando Maradona, which advanced to first place in Group B (three points ahead of South Korea and Greece).
In the other game of Group B, lucky Greece beat sloppy Nigeria 2:1 at the Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein, ending the Super Eagles' hopes to advance to the second stage of the Cup. Nigeria took the lead through Kali Uche's curling free-kick and things looked quite promising until the 33rd minute when 'moron' Sani Kaita was sent off with a straight red card for giving Greece's Vassilis Torosidis a horse kick in the thigh after the ball had rolled out of play.
Dimitrios Salpingidis leveled the score just before halftime. Nigeria spurned a great opportunity to take the lead in the second half but Greece dominated the most part of the second 45 minutes. Alexandros Tziolis took a shot to be blocked by Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama. The magical Jabulani fell just short in front of Vasileios Torosidis who "poked-in" the second Greek goal in the 71st minute.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Vincent Enyeama who made numerous heroic blocks throughout the game.
... AND, VIVA MEXICO !!! ... Raymond Domenech's Les Bleus performed so miserably against a superb team of Mexico that they failed to get a single shot on target in the second half at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. From the French player's body language one could read disinterest and selfishness. What a shame for the 1998 World Champions and 2006 Runners-Up.
Domenech's decision to bring in Andre-Pierre Gignac and Mathieu Valbuena in the second half - but keeping world-class striker and France's top goal striker of all time, Thierry Henry, on the bench for 90 minutes was the "Cherry on Top". The French "stars" totally lack the picture of being a 'team' in the first place.
Thumbs up for Mexican Coach Javier Aguirre who put together a sparkling Mexican 'team' mixing youngsters with experienced ones.
Javier Hernandez (the Little Pea), shortly after coming on for Efrain Juarez, did not miss his chance to show the world what he is capable of doing for Manchester United next season. And after Eric Abidal put down Pablo Barrera in the box causing a penalty kick, he opened the way for 37 year old Cuauhtemoc Blanco to be the first Mexican striker to score in three different world cups with a perfectly placed and precise shot into the lower left corner of the net.
Uruguay and Mexico are now first and second in Group A with France and South Africa being on the brink of elimination.
Day 7 of the 2010 World Cup ended with Greece earning a first-ever World Cup victory, Mexico beating France for the first time ever, and Gonzalo Higuain scoring this World Cup's first (and probably only) hat-trick.
The South Koreans, after beating Greece with a speedy and determined performance in their first game, seemed to be "chasing shadows" against the stylish team of legend Diego Armando Maradona, which advanced to first place in Group B (three points ahead of South Korea and Greece).
In the other game of Group B, lucky Greece beat sloppy Nigeria 2:1 at the Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein, ending the Super Eagles' hopes to advance to the second stage of the Cup. Nigeria took the lead through Kali Uche's curling free-kick and things looked quite promising until the 33rd minute when 'moron' Sani Kaita was sent off with a straight red card for giving Greece's Vassilis Torosidis a horse kick in the thigh after the ball had rolled out of play.
Dimitrios Salpingidis leveled the score just before halftime. Nigeria spurned a great opportunity to take the lead in the second half but Greece dominated the most part of the second 45 minutes. Alexandros Tziolis took a shot to be blocked by Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama. The magical Jabulani fell just short in front of Vasileios Torosidis who "poked-in" the second Greek goal in the 71st minute.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Vincent Enyeama who made numerous heroic blocks throughout the game.
... AND, VIVA MEXICO !!! ... Raymond Domenech's Les Bleus performed so miserably against a superb team of Mexico that they failed to get a single shot on target in the second half at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. From the French player's body language one could read disinterest and selfishness. What a shame for the 1998 World Champions and 2006 Runners-Up.
Domenech's decision to bring in Andre-Pierre Gignac and Mathieu Valbuena in the second half - but keeping world-class striker and France's top goal striker of all time, Thierry Henry, on the bench for 90 minutes was the "Cherry on Top". The French "stars" totally lack the picture of being a 'team' in the first place.
Thumbs up for Mexican Coach Javier Aguirre who put together a sparkling Mexican 'team' mixing youngsters with experienced ones.
Javier Hernandez (the Little Pea), shortly after coming on for Efrain Juarez, did not miss his chance to show the world what he is capable of doing for Manchester United next season. And after Eric Abidal put down Pablo Barrera in the box causing a penalty kick, he opened the way for 37 year old Cuauhtemoc Blanco to be the first Mexican striker to score in three different world cups with a perfectly placed and precise shot into the lower left corner of the net.
Uruguay and Mexico are now first and second in Group A with France and South Africa being on the brink of elimination.
Day 7 of the 2010 World Cup ended with Greece earning a first-ever World Cup victory, Mexico beating France for the first time ever, and Gonzalo Higuain scoring this World Cup's first (and probably only) hat-trick.
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