But it bucked trend toward conservative soccer strategy By Claude Iosso It was the World Cup final many of us wanted, and yet the experts feared it might be a cagey, even dull affair based on the trends. Instead, Argentina’s victory over France was so exciting, it’s been immediately recognized as the best final ever, …
Like the entire tournament it culminated, the World Cup final Sunday was a wild one, featuring an own goal, controversial use of video review and lots of scoring, with France defeating feisty Croatia, 4-2. What we may remember best though about this World Cup in the years to come is the emergence of French phenom …
The World Cup final between Germany and Argentina delivered much. The world’s best player on the biggest stage. A fearsome German side in a battle against an Argentine 11 who would not be intimidated. And a sublime goal by midfield wunderkind Mario Goetze to decide things. I watched with rapt attention and consternation, much as …
Pity Brazil, for the historic pasting by Germany and for the weight that was slowly crushing them throughout the tournament. They were a middling bunch asked by a desperate nation to sprint past cheetahs. According to the brackets I’ve collected, most people figured Germany could take Brazil even when Brazil was at full strength. While …
Yes, the Group of 16 games were all stemwinders, packed with drama to the end as scrappy underdogs repulsed the big boys time and again. The U.S. got the script too, pushing Belgium to extra time with a Herculean effort by goalkeeper Tim Howard. But I’m not satisfied. I expect the most skilled soccer teams …
Let me introduce you to my favorite hero of the World Cup so far — Bryan Ruiz, the cheerful captain of Costa Rica — who seems bent on proving nice guys can finish first. I had never heard of the sprightly midfielder before June. Fulham has been loaning him to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven most …
So I had Chile beating Brazil. It didn’t happen. The weight of 75 years of history and a poor nation’s passion for futbol finally crushed the lusty lads in red. Still, my skepticism about Brazil was confirmed. Neymar is awfully good, maybe even great, but his teammates are just good. Many start for top European …
Sure, it’s too bad the U.S. soccer team gave up a last-second goal to drop into a 2-2 tie with Portugal, but it’s not a major disaster. The Yanks’ chances of advancing to the knockout rounds of the World Cup are still pretty good, and they’ve played well enough so far to earn advancement. There’s …
Midway through the group stage of the World Cup in Brazil, the genuine contenders — and the hapless pretenders — are already emerging. Germany, Holland and France have all looked fearsome in the early going while Spain is suddenly yesterday’s news and England is doomed by a leaky defense. Argentina and Brazil, the front-runners from …
“How did you go bankrupt?” “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” I think this quote from Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” summarizes Spain’s swift demise in the World Cup. They were flattened by the Netherlands and Chile, unable to hoard the ball with their trademark stylish passing and too old and slow to keep up with …
From WSJ Online: “Sometimes the outcome of a game seems so improbable that it defies belief—or easy explanation. Take Super Bowl III (1969), in which the upstart New York Jets of the AFL beat the NFL’s seemingly unstoppable Baltimore Colts. To explain the Jets’ victory there was, among much else, the abysmal quarterbacking of the …