Scribblings of the Scribes of Sport: The World Is A Ball by John Doyle

The Scribblings of the Scribes of Sport book review series is back! Leave your own thoughts on the book in the comments below, or get in touch with me at andrew_bucholtz@hotmail.com if you have suggestions for other books for me to review!

The World Is A Ball: The Joy, Madness and Meaning of Soccer, by John Doyle

The World Cup is over, but soccer rolls on. North American soccer is in full swing, and things are looking good for Canadian teams at the moment, with Toronto FC finding success in MLS and Vancouver and Montreal both having solid USSF Division II campaigns. There have been plenty of interesting international friendlies, including the Kansas City Wizards' surprising win over Manchester United [The Telegraph] yesterday, and the English Premier League's set to kick off in just a few short weeks.

With soccer, and particularly with major international competitions, it's important to remember that it's about much more than just the results. Sure, we'll remember Spain's victory down the road, but we'll also remember individual moments such as Bastian Schweinsteiger's run through the Argentina team, Luis Suarez's memorable handball against Ghana, Robert Green's "Hand Of Clod" moment in England's opener against the U.S., the French team's mutiny falling out with Raymond Domenech. and Maicon's incredible goal from an impossible angle against North Korea:



Soccer's story goes beyond the field of play as well, though, and that's much of the focus of John Doyle's superlative book, The World Is A Ball. Doyle is an arts columnist for The Globe and Mail, focusing on television, but he's also written about soccer for them for much of the last decade. The book is primarily a chronicle of Doyle's adventures covering the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and the 2004 and 2008 European Championships, but it's a particularly good read because Doyle doesn't limit himself to the on-pitch action. He discusses the atmosphere in each host country, the various fans he encountered and the struggles he ran into with hotels and transportation. The differences between countries and how they embrace the tournament are particularly notable, especially in Doyle's account of the jointly-hosted 2002
World Cup, where the South Koreans got wrapped up in the tournament's excitement while the Japanese quietly waited for it to go away. Dutch, English, Italian and Brazilian fans all are featured prominently, and Doyle's writing gives us a great sense of how the beautiful game is seen so differently by each culture.

Doyle's tales of the various games also remain highly interesting even years after the fact, and I'd imagine part of that is because of scarcity. The scarcity of goals in soccer as compared to other sports tends to make many of the goals memorable, even those that lack aesthetic quality on their own. For me at least, it's far easier
to remember the notable moment of a 1-0 soccer game years after the fact than the crucial goal in a 5-4 hockey game, the most important play in a 28-21 football game or the key shot in a 102-100 basketball game. Those sports have their transcendent and memorable moments too, but not as many.

Scarcity also comes into play on the tournament level. Doyle's book covers almost a decade of soccer, but only four major tournaments (and the leadup to a fifth, this year's World Cup). With big tournaments only rolling around every two years, and the largest in the World Cup only coming every four years, each tournament becomes a massive experience in and of itself. Reading Doyle's book, I vividly remembered where I was for each tournament and for most of the individual games and goals as well. That's not the case for the NHL, MLB, NBA or NFL playoffs; each interest me while they're on, but only a few specific plays, games and even championships really stand out looking back. I think FIFA's been wise to keep their big tournaments so staggered; the qualification process is always intense and thorough, and there's always club soccer, so it's not like the sport stagnates in between big events, but around major tournaments, the interest rises to a fever pitch no other sport can match. That's a large part of what makes this book so compelling; it's not just a bland retelling of what happened, but rather a grand narrative looking at momentous events through prisms of culture, fandom and nationality.

Two sections of the book really stood out for me. The first is right near the beginning, where Doyle gets into the Mick McCarthy - Roy Keane feud that was such a big story at the 2002 World Cup. Doyle's Irish heritage and his journalistic background gives him a unique perspective on the issue, as he approaches it both from the standpoint of an Irish fan and from the position of a journalist who can see both sides. The second comes close to the end, where Doyle goes to Argentina to watch the team attempt to qualify under Diego Maradona. The stories he tells there are fascinating, and provide a lot of insight into Maradona's actions at this year's World Cup.

One minor quibble I have with Doyle's book is his tendency to complain about England. He's quite right that they're often overrated by many fans, commentators and pundits, but I think he goes too far the other way and passes them off as just another run-of-the-mill side. England had some tremendous players this decade, and they made the quarterfinals in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004.That's not great considering their talent, but it's certainly not bad either.

Apart from that, though, The World Is A Ball is a fascinating read. Reliving the tournaments and games is a lot of fun, but what really makes the book stand out is its accounts of visiting fans and the differing local cultures in each country. Doyle goes beyond the typical stereotypes to present detailed pictures such as the non-hooligan English supporters, the distinctions between former West German and East German cities, and how Switzerland and Austria handled Euro 2008 very differently. It's these vignettes that give the book its power and help it truly describe how a round world revolves around a simple game.

Earning the (re) cap: Spain - the Netherlands

Spain - the Netherlands
Score: 1-0, ESP
My prediction: 2-1, NED

From a strictly on-the-pitch perspective, the World Cup Final was rather a disappointment in my view. Different tactics appeal to different people, so it might have proved entertaining to some, but Spain and the Netherlands both opted for defence over attack, and the result was a game without a lot of the offensive play or scoring chances I tend to enjoy. Midfield play predominated, the yellow cards piled up and the game didn't really get anywhere during the 90 minutes of regulation time. The Netherlands probably had the best chances, but they came on the counterattack against the run of play and were thwarted relatively easily by Spanish keeper Iker Casillas.

Extra time saw much of the same old song and dance, but the game took a different turn when referee Howard Webb gave Dutch defender John Heitinga a second yellow card in the 109th minute. Spain picked up the pace with the man advantage, and they finally pulled ahead through Andres Iniesta's 116th minute goal. The Netherlands tried some last-ditch attacks, but they fell short and the Spanish came away with a 1-0 victory. It was probably deserved, as they controlled 57 per cent of the possession and had a 18-13 advantage in shots. Still, it would have been more convincing if they'd managed to pull off the win before the Dutch went down a man. In the end, though, it was a perfect win in terms of reflecting what the Spanish did all tournament; control the possession, prevent opposing chances and goals and take advantage of opposing mistakes.

Despite the lack of on-pitch excitement, the match remained suspenseful throughout thanks to its significance. As a soccer clash, it paled in comparison before the previous day's thrilling match between Uruguay and Germany, but this had much more on the line, which raised it to a similar or higher level. It also remained close throughout, which added to the tension. For me, it was far from the most interesting World Cup Final and also far from the best matches of this tournament, but the significance will make it memorable. In fact, it may be the perfect symbol of a tournament where parity was a key watchword and efficiency won out over entertainment.

WC Preview: Netherlands - Spain

I've been doing previews of every World Cup game in the last few rounds. Here's the conclusion of the series, on today's final between Spain and the Netherlands, which will be televised today at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) on CBC.

Spain:

Record:(W-L-D) 5-1-0

GF: 7

GA: 2

Top scorer: David Villa, five goals

The Netherlands:

Record: 6-0-0

GF: 12

GA: 5

Top scorer: Wesley Sneijder, five goals

Try your luck at sports betting!

This final should be interesting. It features two teams that haven't been overly dominant during this tournament, but they're the only ones still standing. The Netherlands have been purely efficient, winning all six of their matches, but they've had some close calls. Perhaps the closest came against Uruguay in the semifinals, where the South Americans came within one on a late goal and then had several chances to tie the match. However, the Dutch also only beat Brazil and Slovakia by one. They've played well and deserve to be here, but any of a number of different bounces could have ended their tournament.

One man is largely responsible for the Oranje's appearance on this most spectacular of stages, and his name is midfield virtuoso Wesley Sneijder. Sneijder is having a fantastic year, having already led Inter Milan to the UEFA Champions League title, and he could cap it off with a solid performance in this match. Sneijder has scored five out of the 12 Oranje goals himself and has set up countless others. Beyond him, though, the Dutch have struggled to find consistent scoring from their supporting cast; Arjen Robben has two goals, and no one else has more than one. If cries of "Hup Holland" are to be heard, Sneijder will likely have to come through with a big game for the Dutch.

Spain have also put up a string of one-goal victories, but many of theirs have perhaps been more dominant. Most impressive was their semifinal victory over Germany, where they controlled most of the possession and put up 13 shots while holding Die Mannschaft to just five. Of course, they were aided and abetted by Germany's decision to play conservatively, but they still deserved to come away with that victory. David Villa has had an extraordinary tournament for the Spaniards, racking up five of their seven goals. If he keeps this up, he might just be the new king of Spain.



Spain's real secret to victory has been the dominance of their midfield and defence, though. Iker Casillas has been rock-solid in goal, and Carlos Puyol, Gerard Pique, Joan Capdevilla and Sergio Ramos have done an excellent job in front of him. Their work has been greatly aided by the superlative play of the Spanish five-man midfield, including Xavi and Andres Iniesta, who have helped to control the ball for long stretches at a time. The Spanish have only allowed two goals in the entire tournament, which is incredibly impressive.

This match should be a bit of a clash of styles. The Netherlands haven't been as flamboyant as in previous tournaments, opting instead for a greater focus on efficiency and defending, but they still play a strong offensive game. I wouldn't imagine that they'd sit back and let the Spanish take the play to them. Spain's possession-based style has its admirers, including Brian Phillips of The Run Of Play, and there are good reasons to appreciate it. They move the ball around in midfield superbly well, and thus far, they've been able to capitalize on their limited offensive opportunitities. It's not one I particularly enjoy, though, so I'll be rooting for the Dutch. How this match plays out may depend on who scores first; if the Spanish get the first goal, they should be able to lock things down, but if the Dutch can score first, they could force Spain into a more open game. I think they might just be able to do it. Hopefully, this will be a great one to watch.

Prediction: The Netherlands 2, Spain 1

Earning the (re) cap: Germany - Uruguay

Germany - Uruguay
Score: 3-2, GER
My prediction: 3-2, GER

This one turned out to be just as spectacular as many imagined [The Globe and Mail. Both offences put on a show and produced one of the most entertaining matches of this World Cup [Glen Levy, TIME]. Thomas Mueller made a spectacular return from suspension, putting Die Mannschaft ahead 1-0 in the 19th minute. Uruguay again refused to give in after falling behind, though, and Edinson Cavani equalized in the 28th minute. The South Americans then took the lead six minutes after the half when Diego Forlan continued his brilliant World Cup, receiving a cross from Egídio Arevalo Rios and smashing a thunderous volley from 20 yards out into the corner of the net for one of the most unbelievable goals of the tournament.



It would have been all too easy for the Germans to get discouraged and fold after that spectacle. They're still a young team, and they had already acheived more at this World Cup than many had predicted. They refused to give in, though, and they obtained an equalizer just five minutes later from Marcell Jansen. Jansen made a superb run and headed a Jerome Boateng cross past Fernando Muslera. That seemed to inspire the Germans, and they poured the pressure on, but Uruguay's defence held firm until the 82nd minute when Sami Khedira put Germany ahead with another header. Uruguay had a spectacular chance at the death to tie it, but Forlan's superbly-taken free kick rang off the crossbar.

All in all, it was a brilliant game and one featuring two exciting sides. Both will be interesting to watch in the future. Germany's team is still very young, and they should be in great shape for Euro 2010 and the 2012 World Cup. Uruguay's players are a bit older, but their run in this tournament was truly inspiring, and they might just be able to shock the world again some day. Let's hope today's final lives up to the quality of yesterday's game.

WC Preview: Uruguay - Germany

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. Next up, the third-place match. Here's Uruguay - Germany, which will be televised at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 a.m. Eastern) on CBC tomorrow.

Uruguay:

Record:(W-L-D, regulation time) 3-1-2

GF: 9

GA: 5

Top scorer: Diego Forlan, four goals

Germany

Record: 4-2-0

GF: 13

GA: 3

Top scorers: Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose, four goals each

Try your luck at sports betting!

Normally, the third-place game in a major soccer tournament is more of a distraction than anything else. Many teams knocked out in the semifinals no longer care and turn in a mediocre effort in the consolation game. I don't think that's going to be the case tomorrow, though. First off, Germany and Uruguay both weren't expected to get this far by many, so it's not like they're horribly crushed by coming up short in the semis. They also both favour attacking football, more so than either the Dutch or the Spanish, so it's quite possible that tomorrow's game could provide a more offensively-minded matchup than Sunday's final.

Additionally, third place means something to both of these sides. For Uruguay, it would represent additional recognition of their amazing run at this tournament. For Germany, it's another notch in their successful decade, and it's a great starting point for their young team. There are personal triumphs at stake, too; Diego Forlan, Miroslav Klose and Thomas Mueller are all in contention for the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. All have four goals, one behind Spain's David Villa and the Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder. Mueller and Luis Suarez are both returning off suspension, so they'll be eager to put in a good showing. Moreover, Klose has 14 World Cup goals for his career, one goal back of Ronaldo's mark of 15. This may be his last World Cup hurrah, and it represents a great chance for him to make history.

Even beyond all those factors, though, you get the sense that these are two sides that play for the thrill of the game. They've put on some great shows so far in this tournament, and I'm expecting another one tomorrow. It should be a pretty even match as well, as both sides are loaded with attacking options. The German defence is a bit stronger, and I think that will be enough to give them the victory in the end, but it should be a tremendous match.

Prediction: Germany 3, Uruguay 2

Earning the (re)cap: WC semifinals

I'm bringing back the Earning the (re)cap series for the remainder of the World Cup. Here are quick breakdowns of the semifinal games. I'll do another breakdown of the third-place match Saturday evening and then recap the final on Monday. Each match will also be previewed the day before.

The Netherlands - Uruguay:
Score: 3-2, NED
My prediction: 2-1, NED

This match appeared like a possible blowout to some thanks to the talented Dutch and the absence of four Uruguayan starters, but it turned out to be an excellent clash. Uruguay was outgunned, but they played with plenty of heart and were right in the match throughout. The Netherlands took the lead early through a spectacular 18th-minute effort from Giovanni Van Bronkhorst [Stephen Brunt, The Globe and Mail], but the Uruguayans fought back and Diego Forlan continued his sensational play at this World Cup, scoring a brilliant equalizer just before halftime. If not for a disastrous five-minute stretch [George Johnson, Canwest News Service] where the Dutch notched two goals, the South Americans could have come away with this one.

Uruguay had chances even after that, but made some curious decisions; despite being down by two with 12 minutes left, Uruguay seemed hesitant to throw everyone into attack. In fact, they even took Forlan off in the 84th minute [Fifa.com]. Jack Kogod mentioned yesterday that this was likely due to injury, but the injury didn't sound too serious, and I'd rather keep my best player on the pitch at 80 per cent than replace him with a player like Sebastian Fernandez who has never scored an international goal. If I was the manager and wanted to bring Fernandez on, I'd have done so for a defender to throw more bodies into the attack. Still, Uruguay turned up the heat at the last minute and collected a stoppage time goal from Maximiliano Pereira. They kept the pressure on and had several chances to equalize at the death, but couldn't quite bury it. On the whole, it was a deserved win for the Dutch, who turned in a stellar performance, but the closeness of the match made me wonder what could have been. It was a tragic end to the magical run of the Uruguayans, who really didn't deserve all the guff they've been getting [Dave Warner, Dave's Football Blog] over Luis Suarez's handball against Ghana.

Germany - Spain:
Score: 1-0, ESP
My prediction: 3-1, GER

While we're talking about what could have been, let's examine Exhibit A. This match was brutally disappointing to me, and not just because I'm half-German, but even more because it saw the superbly exciting and offensively-minded Deutschlanders (13 goals in five matches) give in to the plodding style of play of the Iberians (six goals through five matches). What was hyped as a matchup worthy of a final turned into a rather dull affair, much as the Brazil-Portugal clash in the group stage did. This was still interesting to watch, but it was far from what it could have been.

The problem was that Germany tried to use the counterattacking strategy that paid off superbly against Argentina, but they did so too cautiously. They pulled too many men back, conceding too much possession and breaking too slowly on the counter. The Germans still defended effectively for much of the game, but they didn't often control the ball or create many chances, and you could sense that a Spanish goal was coming. Carlos Puyol finally notched one with a great header in the 73rd minute [Geoffrey York, The Globe and Mail], and even that failed to completely light a fire under the Germans. They put on some pressure towards the end, but were unable to equalize. The Spanish victory was deserved, but it wasn't particularly pretty.

Style isn't everything, of course, and CS Steiber wrote an excellent post on how both effectiveness and elegance have their own merits. I've got no issue with people who favour either argument, and in many cases, either philosophy can make sense. Unlike Brian Phillips, though, I'll be rooting for the Netherlands on Sunday. Their tactics are a considerable ways from the joy they have typically been to watch, but to me, they still represent a much more exciting side than the Spanish. What I really hope, though, is that both sides decide to go for it offensively and give us a World Cup Final to remember.

WC Preview: Spain - Germany

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. Here's one on the Spain-Germany semifinal, which will be televised today at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) on CBC.

Spain:

Record:(W-L-D) 4-1-0

GF: 6

GA: 2

Top scorer: David Villa, five goals

Germany

Record: 4-1-0

GF: 13

GA: 2

Top scorer: Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose, four goals each

Try your luck at sports betting!

This hotly-anticipated semifinal clash, a rematch of the Euro 2008 final, should be a great one. Spain entered the tournament as co-favourites with Brazil, but they got off to a slow start with a loss to Switzerland. They haven't been particularly impressive since then either, but they've gotten it done, winning their group at the last second and then beating Portugal and Paraguay to make it to the semifinals. They've turned in a solid team effort defensively, only conceding two goals in the entire tournament to date, and that's been a large part of their success. It's been mostly a one-man show offensively, though; David Villa has five of the Spaniards' six goals, while Andres Iniesta has the sixth.

The Germans have displayed a much more balanced offensive output thus far, and they're going to need that to continue to have success today. Thomas Mueller, their co-scoring leader with four goals, will miss today's match thanks to an accumulation of yellow cards. Miroslav Klose has also been superb for the Germans, though, collecting four goals in this year's tournament and 14 World Cup goals overall. He's now tied with West German legend Gerd Muller for second all-time on the World Cup goal-scoring list, behind only Ronaldo. The Germans have tons of offensive options beyond Klose as well, including Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Oezil. The revamping of their entire system Jurgen Klinsmann began has continued under Joachim Loew, and as Klinsmann writes, an offensive focus has been a huge part of that. The German side has been more impressive than Spain to date, particularly in their 4-0 quarterfinal destruction of Argentina. If the Germans can maintain that focus despite the loss of Mueller and continue to attack in numbers, this could be a great day for them.

Prediction: Germany 3, Spain 1

WC Preview: Netherlands - Uruguay

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. Next up, the semifinals. We'll start with the Netherlands - Uruguay, which will be televised at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 a.m. Eastern) on CBC today.

The Netherlands:

Record: 5-0-0

GF: 9

GA: 3

Top scorer: Wesley Sneijder, four goals

Uruguay:

Record:(W-L-D, regulation time) 3-0-2

GF: 7

GA: 2

Top scorer: Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan, three goals each

Try your luck at sports betting!

This should be a fantastic match. The Netherlands haven't made it to the semifinals since 1998, while Uruguay haven't reached this stage since 1970. They arrived here by very different paths as well. The Dutch played solid but unspectacular football in the group stage, winning all three of their matches against the unimposing likes of Cameroon, Japan and Denmark. It was a new approach from a side that had long favoured style over substance, producing spectacular highlight reels but less spectacular results. They continued that pattern in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over Slovakia, but it was tough to fancy them against the Brazilians in the quarterfinals. Their effective, if not effulgent, style paid benefits, though, and they dispatched one group of South Americans to earn a semifinal date with another side from the continent. Arjen Robben is probably the biggest star on the Dutch side, and he and Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder have been superb so far, but their victories so far have been more about cohesive defending and strong team play than outstanding individual performances, which would have been tough to predict before the World Cup began.

Uruguay's World Cup has perhaps been even more surprising. They wound in a very tough group with 2006 finalists France, ever-dangerous Mexico and hosts South Africa, and few favoured them to advance. Not only did they advance, they won the group after a draw with the Gauls and victories over the hosts and the CONCACAF representatives. They then knocked off South Korea in the Round of 16 before topping Ghana in the most bizarre game of this tournament so far, where star forward Luis Suarez saved the day with a last-second handball and his team came through on penalties. That handball has touched off debate around the world, including a great piece from Joe Posnanski, but for the moment, it's in the past. What's important is how the teams match up going into today's game.

Uruguay has an excellent squad, including Athletico Madrid (and former Manchester United) striker Diego Forlan, but they'll be missing four starters including Suarez [Paul James, The Globe and Mail, and the Dutch will be a tougher task than any side they've faced thus far. I'd love to see the South Americans continue their magical run and rekindle the glories of footballing days past, but all logic suggests that the Oranje Army will go marching on to the final.

Prediction: Netherlands 2, Uruguay 1

Earning the (re)cap: World Cup quarterfinals

I'm bringing back the Earning the (re)cap series for the remainder of the World Cup. Here are quick breakdowns of the quarterfinal games. I'll do another breakdown of the semifinal matches Wednesday evening and then recap the final on Monday. Each match will also be previewed the day before.

The Netherlands - Brazil
Score: 2-1, NED
My prediction: 2-1, BRA

I figured this would be a close one, but I wasn't expecting the Dutch to be able to come away with a win. It's interesting how this match turned out, though; it featured two sides that have historically been known more for their attacking efforts than their solid defence, but both Brazil under Dunga and the Netherlands under Bert van Marwijk have focused on improving their sides' defensive performances. As Richard Williams of The Guardian pointed out, it was largely that defensive intensity that allowed the Netherlands to come away with the win against Brazil. The South Americans dominated the early going and took the lead in the 10th minute from a Robinho goal that was brilliantly set up by Felipe Melo, but the Dutch were able to contain the damage and strike back in the second half. An own goal from Melo tied the score before Wesley Sneijder headed the Netherlands into the lead, and Melo soon doomed the Brazilians' chances of a comeback by being sent off [The Globe and Mail] for stamping on Arjen Robben. It wasn't a pretty win for the Dutch, but substance has taken them farther in this World Cup than style did over the last couple of decades.

Uruguay - Ghana
Score: 1-1, URU won on penalties
My prediction: 2-0, URU

This was the zaniest game of the World Cup so far, in my mind. Uruguay looked solidly dominant for most of the match, but conceded a goal just before the half [FIFA.com] on a curving 35-yard blast from Sulley Muntari. Diego Forlan struck back with a beautiful free kick in the 55th minute, and the Uruguayans had several good chances to take the lead, but the match almost ended with a Ghanaian victory. Ghana put on pressure in the dying moments of extra time and earned a free kick. That was sent in and punched clear by Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera, but he took himself out of the play in the process. The ball fell to Ghana's Stephen Appiah, who blasted a shot towards the empty net, but it was blocked on the line by a surprising source, Uruguay's star forward Luis Suarez. The ball then bounced to Dominic Adiyiah, whose header was headed into the empty net before Suarez reached up and swatted it with his hand, earning perhaps the smartest red card in World Cup history. Asamoah Gyan stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but smashed it off the crossbar, and Ghana went on to lose in the shootout. It was a bizarre result, but also a deserved one in my mind; Uruguay were the better team on the day. Thanks to losses by Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, the Uruguayans are now the sole surviving South American side. Not bad for a team that Peter Pattakos deservedly called "the Cleveland Browns of international football."

Argentina - Germany
Score: 4-0, GER
My prediction: 2-1, GER

This was a rarity for this tournament; a hyped matchup that lived up to its billing. I got up at 6:40 and ducked out of the campsite to a local bar to watch this, and it was well worth it. The score isn't entirely fair, as Argentina were in it for most of the match, but they were outclassed by the Germans. Argentina displayed brief flashes of brilliance, but they finally faced an opponent where talent alone would not get them through. This German side has plenty of talent of its own, especially with the likes of Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mezut Ozil. They defended clinically, denying Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez space to work, but they were even better in attack, especially on the counteroffensive. One of Schweinsteiger's runs through the Argentine defence evoked memories of Diego Maradona, who was less than amused on the sidelines as he watched his team get destroyed by Germany's superb talents. Questions can be raised about Maradona's management, for sure, and the Germans were certainly better prepared and better tactically. However, this isn't all Maradona's fault; to my mind, most of it's just that his squad ran into a better team.

Spain - Paraguay
Score: 1-0, ESP
My prediction: 3-0, ESP

This game featured an expected result, but it came in a rather unexpected way [Richard Farley, SB Nation]. The Spanish narrowly came out on top in an encounter that was much closer than many, including myself, expected. Both Spain and Paraguay had penalty kicks saved, which in itself is highly unusual, and both also had plenty of opportunities to score from the run of play. Paraguay's best chance may have been Roque Santa Cruz's late attempt to equalize, but they were very much in this game. Still, Spain came away with a deserved win considering the way they dominated the possession [Behind The Net. They haven't been overly impressive for much of this tournament, but they're through to the semifinals and they still have a chance to win it all. I doubt they'll be complaining too much, except maybe about the late Paraguayan boot to the head of Sergio Ramos [Carter Daly, Dirty Tackle]

WC Preview: Paraguay - Spain

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. First up, the quarterfinals. Here's a preview on Paraguay - Spain, which will be televised at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) tomorrow on CBC.

Paraguay:

Record:(W-L-D) 1-0-3 (one extra win on penalties)

GF: 3

GA: 1

Top scorer: Three players tied with one goal each

Spain:

Record: 3-0-1

GF: 5

GA: 2

Top scorer: David Villa, four goals

Try your luck at sports betting!

It's been a very curious World Cup so far for Paraguay. They've only won one game in regular time (a 2-0 victory over Slovakia), but they still claimed first place in Group F and knocked out Japan on penalties in the Round of 16. Their defence has been tremendous, only conceding one goal in four matches. Still, they've only scored three goals, and none of their players have more than one. Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz in particular has perhaps been the biggest disappointment; he's one of the few well-known Paraguayan players, but he's been held off the scoresheet so far. The Paraguay run has been fun, even if fan Larissa Riquelme has recieved more recognition than any of the guys on the pitch.

Paraguay may hit a Spanish wall, though. After a slow start to the tournament, Spain recovered to win their group, and they've looked in very solid form over the past couple of matches. They dominated their Round of 16 showdown against a talented, if underachieving Portugal, and the sheer amount of talent on their squad is staggering. David Villa has been perhaps the best striker in the World Cup so far, but they don't even have to lean on him too heavily with the likes of Fernando Torres, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas also available. The Spanish are also rock-solid at the back with Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol cleaning up things in front of Iker Casillas. Spain has been known to come up short in big matches in the past, and Paraguay certainly isn't going to roll over without a fight, but I think the Spanish will take this one.

Prediction: Spain 3, Paraguay 0

WC Preview: Argentina - Germany

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. First up, the quarterfinals. Here's one on Argentina-Germany, which will be televised tomorrow at 7 a.m. Pacific (10 a.m. Eastern) on CBC.

Argentina:

Record:(W-L-D) 4-0-0

GF: 10

GA: 2

Top scorer: Gonzalo Higuain, four goals

Germany

Record: 3-1-0

GF: 9

GA: 2

Top scorer: Thomas Mueller, three goals

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To me, this is the most exciting matchup of the quarterfinals. Argentina, Germany and Brazil have looked like the best sides of the tournament to me, so two of them facing off in the quarters is a tremendous prospect. There's also a good rivalry between the sides dating back to Germany's elimination of Argentina on penalties at this stage in the 2006 World Cup, and that appears to still be on the minds of all involved.

Argentina has been superb so far. Lionel Messi is leading them, and he's perhaps the one pre-tournament star that's lived up to his hype. He's certainly making a great claim to be the undisputed top player in the world. It hasn't been just him, though; Gonzalo Higuain has been a tremendous goal-poacher so far, and Carlos Tevez has shown his class once again. The Argentine defence has also been solid, only conceding two goals in four games.

Argentina hasn't faced an opponent in Germany's class, though, and they've run into very little adversity so far. By contrast, the Germans have already had their struggles, losing their second match to Serbia. They've overcome that in style, winning a tight final group match against a good Ghana team and then disposing of a very tough England side 4-1 in the Round of 16. This German side has proven able to attack and defend well, and their young players like Thomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski have been outstanding. Miroslav Klose and Phillip Lahm have added some veteran experience, and Joachim Loew has proven his mettle as a manager with superb tactical adjustments. In fact, it may be the coaching matchup that gives the Teutons their biggest edge in this one; I'd much rather have Loew pulling the strings than the absolutely insane Diego Maradona. This should be close, but I think Germany gets it done.

Prediction: Germany 2, Argentina 1

WC Preview: Uruguay - Ghana

I'm going to be doing previews of every World Cup game from here on in. First up, the quarterfinals. Here's a preview on Uruguay - Ghana, which will be televised at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) tomorrow on CBC.

Uruguay:

Record:(W-L-D) 3-0-1

GF: 6

GA: 1

Top scorer: Luis Suarez, three goals

Ghana:

Record: 2-1-1

GF: 4

GA: 3

Top scorer: Asamoah Gyan, three goals

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This should be an interesting clash. Joe Posnanski has a great piece on soccer in Uruguay, what it means to the nation, and its rise and fall over the years. It's well worth a read, and it illustrates just how special this Uruguay team's run so far has been. Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan have been in superb form, and Uruguay's looked like one of the most dangerous teams out there.

On paper, Ghana shouldn't pose too much of a threat. They're without their best player, Michael Essien, thanks to injury, and few saw them making it out of the group without him. This Ghana team has been very impressive though; they were in every game in the group stage, and their only loss came against the superb Germans. They beat a Serbian team that was difficult to break down and battled to a draw against Australia. Their most impressive win to date was over the U.S. in the Round of 16, though; they shouldn't have won that match on paper, but they were the better side on the day and they outlasted the talented Americans. Asamoah Gyan has been fantastic, and he's getting support from the rest of the team. I think their World Cup may come to an end here against Uruguay, but Ghana has proven very difficult to predict so far, and they may keep their miracle run alive.

Prediction: Uruguay 2, Ghana 0

Inter Milan and Panathaikos to play in Toronto

The World Cup is only on for a few more weeks, but there's going to be plenty of pretty exciting soccer in Toronto after that. In addition to the regular Toronto FC schedule and Manchester United - Celtic on July 16 [Noah Love, Posted Sports], it was announced earlier this week that The Score and Lexxec Corporation will be bringing UEFA Champions League winners Inter Milan to Toronto [The Score.com] to face Panathinaikos FC, who won the Greek Super League and the Greek Cup last season. The match will be at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday, August 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

This should be a tremendous fixture. Individual players who will participate can't be confirmed yet, but Inter can draw from a roster that includes Brazilian stars Julio Cesar and Lucio, Argentine striker Diego Milito, Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o and the Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder. Panathinaikos doesn't have quite as renowned of a lineup, but they're one of the most accomplished Greek sides and they do have some pretty impressive names on their roster, including French striker Djibril Cisse, Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva and Argentine winger Sebastian Leto. It should be well worth checking out.

Thanks to Jamie Uyeyama of Top Cheddar for the tip.

[Cross-posted to The 24th Minute]

World Cup: My thoughts so far

The 2010 World Cup has been fascinating to follow so far, with surprising underdogs, underachieving big names and refereeing controversies among many other elements. Here's a few quick thoughts on the tournament’s group stage and Round of 16 games to date, and what those matches might tell us about the rest of the tournament.

Group A: Winner: Uruguay, Runner-up: Mexico

This group was one of the most disappointing in terms of the quality of play, but it did offer some surprising results. Uruguay were in fine form throughout, collecting two wins and a draw, and Diego Forlan proved to be one of the best strikers in the tournament thus far, collecting two goals in the three group-stage games (two more than the man who took his place at Manchester United, the considerably more hyped Wayne Rooney). Group A was more notable for its failures, though, including the 2006 finalists France, who struggled to one point in three matches, and hosts South Africa, who turned in a better showing than expected en route to four points but still became the first host country to not make it out of group play. Mexico did about as expected, but weren't terribly impressive and only made it out of the group on goal differential. It's not particularly surprising that Uruguay advanced past South Korea in the Round of 16 Saturday, while Mexico were thumped by Argentina Sunday. Uruguay should be able to make their way to the semifinals past the overachieving Ghanaians on Friday, but the rest of this group has been written off, and deservedly so.

Group B: Winner: Argentina, Runner-up: South Korea

Argentina put on a clinic in this group, winning all three of their matches and scoring seven goals while only allowing one. While Diego Maradona may be insane, perhaps his insanity is perfect for this team, or perhaps they're just too talented to be dragged down by him. They haven't really faced any serious opposition yet, though, as South Korea, Greece and Nigeria all failed to put up much of a fight, and the Mexicans were underwhelming opponents in the Round of 16. Still, Argentina have been one of the most impressive sides so far, and their quarterfinal match with Germany should be one of the most anticipated of the tournament. The rest of the group was pretty much a write-off, though; Nigeria were ineffective without John Obi Mikel, Greece had their moments, but couldn't recapture their form of Euro 2004, and South Korea made it through basically by default before getting beaten by Uruguay in the Round of 16. That's a fair indictment of this group, which was always Argentina and everyone else.

Group C: Winner: USA, Runner-up: England

This group produced some of the most exciting action, largely because there wasn't much difference in quality between the U.S., England and Slovenia. Even Algeria found a way to gum up the works, holding the English to a 0-0 draw. The Americans and English made it through, which was probably deserved based on squad quality, but American progress only came thanks to a last-second strike from Landon Donovan. Second place was a somewhat harsh fate for the English, who only conceded a single goal in the group stage thanks to Robert Green's Hand Of Clod moment, but they were continually inept going forward and never lived up to their potential. They actually put up a decent fight against the fearsome Germans in the Round of 16, and might have been able to squeeze out a victory if the referee hadn't stupidly overlooked Frank Lampard's equalizer, but Germany was a much better side on paper and on the day and deserved to advance. Meanwhile, the Americans looked very strong at times in the group stage, but they were unable to take advantage of a more favourable Round of 16 matchup with Ghana, falling 2-1 thanks to an extra-time goal. Group C delivered more parity than quality, which produced excitement but not long tournament runs.

Group D: Winner: Germany, Runner-up: Ghana

This group also featured parity, but there was considerable high-quality action on display as well. Germany looked brilliant in their opening 4-0 thumping of a decent Australian team, but very vulnerable against the last-place Serbs. They recovered to beat Ghana in their final game and claim the group title. Serbia kept everything close with their defensive style, and did better against the Germans than anyone else, but they couldn't take advantage of the weaker teams. The Australians and Ghanians duked it out in the middle of the group, with both producing a win, a draw, and a loss, but Ghana made it through on goal differential thanks to the Australians' opening-match humiliation. Both Germany and Ghana put on solid displays in their Round of 16 matches, with the Germans dispatching England in style while the Ghanaians upset the favoured Americans, but both have tougher tasks ahead. Germany may be able to take down the high-flying Argentines, but that will be a difficult challenge. They look more likely to advance than Ghana, though, despite the latter's easier draw against Uruguay.

Group E: Winner: Netherlands, Runner-up: Japan

Group E featured another dominant performance, with the Netherlands claiming nine points from their three matches. The football on display wasn't as picturesque as the usual Dutch brand, though, especially during those moments when Arjen Robben was not featured. Still, the Dutch got it done in clinical fashion, something that they've occasionally missed in the past, and they used that same style to dispatch an overmatched Slovakia 2-1 in the Round of 16 this morning. Japan earned a deserved second-place finish with two wins and a loss, while the Danes couldn't find consistency and Cameroon imploded spectacularly. The Japanese will face Paraguay tomorrow in what should be a relatively even match, and they'll have a chance to continue Group E's success.

Group F: Winner: Paraguay, Runner-up: Slovakia

This was a curious group. On the surface, defending world champions Italy seemed sure to walk through this one despite several key personnel losses since the 2006 World Cup, but they stumbled to two draws and a loss and finished in last. New Zealand was at the other end of the spectrum, as their squad featuring amateurs, bankers and clubless players looked overmatched, but they piled up three draws and looked very solid in the process. The group wound up very even, and Paraguay claimed top spot with just five points, while Slovakia squeaked into second with four. The Slovaks fell to the Dutch today in an expected result, but Paraguay can carry the honour of Group F tomorrow against the Japanese.

Group G: Winner: Brazil, Runner-up: Portugal

On the surface, this looked like a traditional Group of Death, featuring three strong countries and a potential wildcard in the North Koreans. It didn't really play out that way, though; North Korea largely rolled over and played dead, and the Ivory Coast was much less impressive than predicted (partly thanks to an arm injury that limited Didier Drogba). Brazil put on an impressive clinic in their first two games and then held second-place Portugal to an effective draw in their final match. The Portuguese were less impressive (except for their 7-0 thrashing of North Korea), but were efficient and picked up second place without too much trouble. The Brazilians took down Chile relatively easily today, but Portugal face a tougher task against Spain. They certainly have a chance, though, and Group G could be well-represented in the remaining stages of this tournament.

Group H: Winner: Spain, Runner-up: Chile

The final standings in this group worked out as many might have predicted, with Spain finishing on top, Chile in second, the Swiss a close third and Honduras a distant fourth. The path to that point was interesting, though, with Chile leading most of the way through, the Swiss beating Spain and the Spaniards stealing first place in with a 2-1 victory over Chile in their final match. That victory may yet prove crucial to the tournament outcome, as Spain avoided the Brazil juggernaut in the Round of 16. They will still have to get by Portugal, but if they do, either Paraguay or Japan await in the quarterfinals, and the Spanish would be favoured against either. They have a long way to go, but a run to at least the semifinals may be in the cards for the Euro 2008 champions despite their slow start at this year’s World Cup.

Toronto F.C. - L.A. Galaxy live blog

After embarrassing 3-0 and 2-0 losses to the Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps in the past week, Toronto F.C. will be looking to rebound at home today against the L.A. Galaxy. They should have a good shot at it; they're still third in the Eastern Conference with 16 points, while the Galaxy are fifth in the Western Conference with 12 points and are missing their biggest stars (David Beckham and Landon Donovan) thanks to international duty. One advantage of Canada's failure to make it this far in World Cup qualifying is that TFC should have a reasonably intact lineup, as many of their international players are Canadians. They will be missing two regulars, Amado Guevara and Marvell Wynne, but those players are less essential to the TFC lineup than their missing counterparts from the Galaxy. Moreover, L.A. haven't won an away game in 12 months, a favourable omen for the Reds. Join me in the live blog below to find out if that streak will continue!