World Cup Day 16 – Suarez fires Uruguay into the quarters as USA head home

Posted by Kevin Breathnach on June 26, 2010 | No Comments

As the Irish know better than anyone, when a dubious goal knocks us out, we can console ourselves by murmuring amongst ourselves about injustice. But when you see your side knocked out by an extraordinary goal, there’s not even the consolation of the bad-beat story to tell. There’s nothing worse in football, a fact the South Koreans are becoming acquainted with this evening.

Their side performed admirably for most of their game against Uruguay, equalising late in the second-half having gone behind to an early Uruguay goal. But in the dying minutes of the game, in lashings of rain which forced many spectators to leave early, Uruguay forward Luis Suarez curled an Henryesque right-foot strike in from outside the area. The defending wasn’t bad. The keeper couldn’t have done anything about it. There wasn’t even a suggestion of offside. It was quite simply a brilliant goal about which South Korea fans will find little to complain.

All in all, the passage of Uruguay to the next round is probably best for the competition. Sure, there is a multitude of South American teams still in the competition. But Uruguay are an unknown entity to many. They play an attractive style of football, and are probably the most interesting team in the World Cup so far. Outsiders, true. But at 12/1, they look good value to win the tournament.

Elsewhere, the United States took on Ghana in a match Barack Obama, esteemed pundit, predicted the USA would win. Ghana had only scored two goals in the World Cup so far, none of which had come from open play. But in the first game to go to extra-time in this World Cup, Ghana won 2-1. Nice to see an African team going deep into this competition, but with their seeming impotent in front of goal, I can’t see them getting past the quarters. Barack Obama has yet to offer his mea culpa, and his in status as an internet tipster has diminished hugely.

Conclusions:

1. Luis Suarez will not be playing for Ajax next season.
2. FIFA didn’t properly consider the African winter when choosing the host country.
3. And finally, USA just weren’t good enough.

Feel free to share your views on today’s action by leaving a comment below.

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