The three good thing about the Football World Cup Finals in Africa, were the other three Quarter Final Matches. After the sorry affair involving Uruguay and the deliberate hand ball and shameful celebrations; it was a pleasure to watch the skill and measured celebrations of the other six Quarter Finalists. Brazil went out 2-1 to the Netherlands. but were humble in defeat both on and off the field. The Brazilian players come and go yet again as true Ambassadors for their nation. Look on Uruguay, and learn. Germany crushed Argentina 4-0, but yet again the losing side had no complaints as they were beaten by athletes and not by a cheat. My favourite Quarter Final match in Africa, must be the game between Paraguay and Spain. I could write about the drama of Holland fighting back from being 1-0 down. I could write about the calm skill of Germany. An almost orchestrated skill, whereby each player understands their place on the pitch and the team moves in unison to fill the gaps and to make the play. Astonishingly fluent, and to me one of the best German Football Teams ever.
Indeed, if Carlsberg Managed Football Teams then this one would be theirs. But no, the Blog is about Africa, Ghana and all things Accra. I have artistic licence to write about the 2010 World Cup Finals as they are taking place in Africa. And for me, however fair, equitable, and humble the games were between the Netherlands and Brazil, and Germany and Argentina, the game that stands out was Paraguay and Spain. like the two other Quarter Finals that I refer to in this posting; there were no cheats. In many ways, there were also no great players. There certainly wasn't the Chess Mastery Fluency of Germany or the independent skill of players from Brazil and Argentina. No, this game was different because the 22 players were average. Well, if I am able to describe World Class athletes as average. But you know what I mean.
Both teams had chances and players from both teams unlike the Uruguayan Cheat refrained from cheating. One of the best examples of fair play emerging from this Quarter Final clash was the astonishing double penalty events of the second half. As a qualified Football Referee, it was nice to see a Spanish player penalised for a foul in the box during a corner kick. Paraguay will not complain about the subsequent spot kick and the inability of their player to score. It was fair, there was no certain goal before the foul and there was no goal afterwards. But what struck me most about that penalty; was the way in which the Spanish players rushed forward to gobble up the ball in the event of a save or deflection off the post or cross bar. They were lucky that I am not a World Class Referee as if I had been there, then the Paraguayan player would have taken the kick again.
Seconds later and the ball was at the other end of the pitch and Spain were quite rightly awarded a penalty. The Spanish play converted the spot kick and embarked on the customary celebrations when it dawned on him and others that the Referee was having none of it. The Spanish players had yet again encroached into the box in their mad rush to gobble up a deflected ball. The penalty was taken again and this time the 'heroic' (well you have to use that word once, don't you?) Paraguayan goal keeper made the save. 0-0 and that was fair. The point being that no one really complained, the athletes just got on with the game. Well done Paraguay and Spain, unlike the Uruguayan team you are a credit to your country and bring the correct values to Africa.
Oh the final score? 1-0 to Spain.
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