Big Picture
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sport. Show all posts
Game Over
And like that!... it was over. The Big Picture has a collection of photos from the final days of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
Awards
While I (and the rest of South Africa) recover from my post-World Cup blues, other people are gathering their thoughts at the end of a low-expectation/high-delivery tournament. Football365 have some amusing awards to hand out, while Al Jazeera's Andy Richardson has some interesting observations in his own Top 10.
His Top Understatement:
"The Dutch guy I met who, along with about 40 other like-minded souls, had driven from Amsterdam to South Africa. "We hit a sand storm somewhere in Sudan, the windscreen fell out and the front of the car was buried in a dune. But the worst thing was knowing we were out of cigarettes."
His Top Understatement:
"The Dutch guy I met who, along with about 40 other like-minded souls, had driven from Amsterdam to South Africa. "We hit a sand storm somewhere in Sudan, the windscreen fell out and the front of the car was buried in a dune. But the worst thing was knowing we were out of cigarettes."
Neighbours
Following Brazil's World Cup elimination on Friday evening, only one thing could possibly make the samba nation's soccer fans feel better...
That is, if their bitter rivals Argentina could somehow be eliminated as well.
Here, for your amusement, is a screenshot of the front page of Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte after Argentina's 0-4 humiliation against the Germans on Saturday.
Even if you don't speak Portuguese, I think you'll get a sense of what the headline means.
That is, if their bitter rivals Argentina could somehow be eliminated as well.
Here, for your amusement, is a screenshot of the front page of Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte after Argentina's 0-4 humiliation against the Germans on Saturday.
Even if you don't speak Portuguese, I think you'll get a sense of what the headline means.
Start Your Engines
Check out this gallery of great motor-racing circuits, as seen from outer space, and as published on Wired.
Game Set Match
Presenting... The best summer/dance/tennis/Djokovic/Solveig/Bob Sinclair/Monfils/music-themed video you will ever see.
Instant Replay
There have been some crazy, crazy refereeing calls at this World Cup - as The Bleacher Report so wonderfully records in their list of the Top 10 Worst Referee's Calls So Far.
For something a little different (and because I kinda miss the writing I did for all those years at Sports Illustrated), allow me to present five of the biggest blown calls... with completely plausible alternate reality scenarios for each.
URUGUAY vs SOUTH AFRICA
Group A, Pretoria, 16 June
What happened:
With 10 minutes left and South Africa 1-0 down, Luis Suarez gets the ball in the South African penalty area and is tripped up by Bafana Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune. Khune is sent off, star midfielder Steven Pienaar is taken off to make way for the substitute keeper, and Uruguay score from the penalty spot. Fifteen minutes later, 5 minutes into injury time, Uruguay get a third goal to leave South Africa facing an early exit from the tournament. SA now need to beat France 4-0 in their final game, and hope Mexico lose to Uruguay.
What might've happened:
The referee sees that Suarez was in fact offside when he received the ball, and calls play back. He stops short of booking Suarez for an obvious dive. No foul, no red card, no penalty, no goal, no substitution and no fifth minute of added time means South Africa grind out a brave 1-0 defeat. That result leave them needing to beat France 2-0 in their final game, and hope for either Uruguay or Mexico to lose in their final clash. With France in turmoil SA win 3-0, with Khune keeping a clean sheet and Mphela springing the offside trap to score SA's third*. Uruguay's 1-0 win over Mexico means Uruguay and South Africa both comfortably qualify for the second round.
* In our world, his 37th-minute goal was harshly ruled offside.
+++
UNITED STATES vs SLOVENIA
Group C, Johannesburg, 18 June
What happened:
It's the biggest comeback since platform shoes as the United States recover from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 against the Slovenes. It could've been even better, though, as Maurice Edu has his late goal disallowed for... who knows? It wasn't offside, there wasn't a foul. Baffling decision.
What might've happened:
Edu's goal completes a dream 3-2 victory for the US, who now top the group with four points. England must beat Slovenia to qualify for the second round (which they do), but the Americans now only need a draw against Algeria in their last match. Neither side puts in any effort, and a dull 0-0 draw means our alternate reality is robbed of what happened in the real world: Landon Donovan's dramatic last-minute winner. So maybe these blown calls aren't such a bad thing after all...
+++
BRAZIL vs IVORY COAST
Group G, Soccer City, 20 June
What happened:
With Brazil already 1-0 up, Luis Fabiano receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area and juggles it once, twice over the heads of the defenders before spanking in a goal. Brazil go on to win 3-1, despite having Kaka controversially sent off late in the game.
What might've happened:
The ref spots the deliberate handball during Fabiano's juggling act, and disallows the goal. The Brazilians go on to win 2-1, but the referee - feeling bad about his tough but correct call on Fabiano - does not show Kaka that red card. Apart from that, nothing much changes.
+++
GERMANY vs ENGLAND
Round of 16, Bloemfontein, 27 June
What happened:
A shambolic England claw their way back from 2-0 down to 2-1, and just before half-time Frank Lampard's long-range shot hits the bar and bounces down a full two metres over the goal-line. For reasons known only to himself, the ref rules no goal. Germany go on to win 4-1, and England are eliminated.
What might've happened:
Lampard's goal levels the scores, and the sides go into the break tied at 2-2. England - who, as always, play on guts and confidence as opposed to any demonstrable skill - try a series of speculative shots from distance in the second half, but fail to hit the target. The scores remain tied at the end of 90 minutes, and a goalless extra time means the match goes to a penalty shootout. Özl, Müller, and Podolski all score from the spot for Germany, but none of Rooney (who's had a terrible tournament), Lampard (who missed a penalty in May's FA Cup Final) or Terry (who slips at just the wrong moment while taking his kick) manage to hit the target. The Germans win, inevitably, on penalties.
+++
ARGENTINA vs MEXICO
Round of 16, Soccer City, 27 June
What happened:
Carlos Tevez is about three or four metres offside when he scores Argentina's opener, but the ref signals a goal. Argentina win at a canter, 3-1, and Mexico are not at all pleased.
What might've happened:
Tevez's goal is disallowed. Mexico, unrattled, keep their cool for the next 10 minutes and don't gift Higuaín a second goal (unlike in our world). It takes a thunderbolt strike from Tevez to finally settle the match, which Argentina win 1-0. The score changes, but - as in the England match - the result remains the same.
For something a little different (and because I kinda miss the writing I did for all those years at Sports Illustrated), allow me to present five of the biggest blown calls... with completely plausible alternate reality scenarios for each.
URUGUAY vs SOUTH AFRICA
Group A, Pretoria, 16 June
What happened:
With 10 minutes left and South Africa 1-0 down, Luis Suarez gets the ball in the South African penalty area and is tripped up by Bafana Bafana keeper Itumeleng Khune. Khune is sent off, star midfielder Steven Pienaar is taken off to make way for the substitute keeper, and Uruguay score from the penalty spot. Fifteen minutes later, 5 minutes into injury time, Uruguay get a third goal to leave South Africa facing an early exit from the tournament. SA now need to beat France 4-0 in their final game, and hope Mexico lose to Uruguay.
What might've happened:
The referee sees that Suarez was in fact offside when he received the ball, and calls play back. He stops short of booking Suarez for an obvious dive. No foul, no red card, no penalty, no goal, no substitution and no fifth minute of added time means South Africa grind out a brave 1-0 defeat. That result leave them needing to beat France 2-0 in their final game, and hope for either Uruguay or Mexico to lose in their final clash. With France in turmoil SA win 3-0, with Khune keeping a clean sheet and Mphela springing the offside trap to score SA's third*. Uruguay's 1-0 win over Mexico means Uruguay and South Africa both comfortably qualify for the second round.
* In our world, his 37th-minute goal was harshly ruled offside.
+++
UNITED STATES vs SLOVENIA
Group C, Johannesburg, 18 June
What happened:
It's the biggest comeback since platform shoes as the United States recover from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 against the Slovenes. It could've been even better, though, as Maurice Edu has his late goal disallowed for... who knows? It wasn't offside, there wasn't a foul. Baffling decision.
What might've happened:
Edu's goal completes a dream 3-2 victory for the US, who now top the group with four points. England must beat Slovenia to qualify for the second round (which they do), but the Americans now only need a draw against Algeria in their last match. Neither side puts in any effort, and a dull 0-0 draw means our alternate reality is robbed of what happened in the real world: Landon Donovan's dramatic last-minute winner. So maybe these blown calls aren't such a bad thing after all...
+++
BRAZIL vs IVORY COAST
Group G, Soccer City, 20 June
What happened:
With Brazil already 1-0 up, Luis Fabiano receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area and juggles it once, twice over the heads of the defenders before spanking in a goal. Brazil go on to win 3-1, despite having Kaka controversially sent off late in the game.
What might've happened:
The ref spots the deliberate handball during Fabiano's juggling act, and disallows the goal. The Brazilians go on to win 2-1, but the referee - feeling bad about his tough but correct call on Fabiano - does not show Kaka that red card. Apart from that, nothing much changes.
+++
GERMANY vs ENGLAND
Round of 16, Bloemfontein, 27 June
What happened:
A shambolic England claw their way back from 2-0 down to 2-1, and just before half-time Frank Lampard's long-range shot hits the bar and bounces down a full two metres over the goal-line. For reasons known only to himself, the ref rules no goal. Germany go on to win 4-1, and England are eliminated.
What might've happened:
Lampard's goal levels the scores, and the sides go into the break tied at 2-2. England - who, as always, play on guts and confidence as opposed to any demonstrable skill - try a series of speculative shots from distance in the second half, but fail to hit the target. The scores remain tied at the end of 90 minutes, and a goalless extra time means the match goes to a penalty shootout. Özl, Müller, and Podolski all score from the spot for Germany, but none of Rooney (who's had a terrible tournament), Lampard (who missed a penalty in May's FA Cup Final) or Terry (who slips at just the wrong moment while taking his kick) manage to hit the target. The Germans win, inevitably, on penalties.
+++
ARGENTINA vs MEXICO
Round of 16, Soccer City, 27 June
What happened:
Carlos Tevez is about three or four metres offside when he scores Argentina's opener, but the ref signals a goal. Argentina win at a canter, 3-1, and Mexico are not at all pleased.
What might've happened:
Tevez's goal is disallowed. Mexico, unrattled, keep their cool for the next 10 minutes and don't gift Higuaín a second goal (unlike in our world). It takes a thunderbolt strike from Tevez to finally settle the match, which Argentina win 1-0. The score changes, but - as in the England match - the result remains the same.
Moments
Time magazine is running a video slideshow of its Top 10 Moments Of The World Cup So Far. It's very nice... but it's not my top 10.
Here's my (by no means complete) list, with links to the games:
1. Game 1:
Siphiwe Tshabalala's goal to open the tournament.
2. Game 3:
Gabriel Heinze's flying header against Nigeria.
3. Game 5:
Robert Green's unintentionally hilarious - and now world famous - howler against the USA.
4. Game 9:
Denmark defender Simon Poulsen's outrageous goal-saving overhead kick to save a goal against the Netherlands.
5. Game 9:
Denmark defender Simon Poulsen's horribly misdirected header a few moments earlier, which bounced in off team-mate Dan Agger's back to give the Netherlands the lead.
6. Game 14:
Nobodies North Korea almost holding Brazil to a draw.
7. Game 28:
Nobodies Italy holding New Zealand to a draw.
8. Game 30:
Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a fluke goal against North Korea... which is only a fluke until you realise it was one of seven goals his team scored in the game.
9. Game 34:
Universally despised French coach Raymond Domenech refusing to shake hands with South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira after their final Group A game. Domenech was still offended by something Parreira had said a couple of months ago about France not deserving their place at the World Cup because of that Thierry Henry handball incident... Somebody's going to have to tell Crazy Ray that if he doesn't like people who think that, he ain't going to be shaking many hands.
10. Game 38:
Landon Donovan's last-minute goal against Algeria. Drama, drama.
11. Game 47:
Spain's David Villa scoring into an open net against Chile... from, like, 35 yards out.
(And if you're wondering why my 10 goes up to 11, you've obviously never seen This Is Spinal Tap.)
Ayoba!
I still can't believe it's happening in my own country. The 2010 FIFA World Cup is now halfway in, and The Big Picture - as you'd expect - has a gallery up to mark the magnificent occasion!
Brazil vs Serbia
Genius soccer writers Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanksi have derived a formula to work out who will win and lose at this year's World Cup.
GD(ij) = 0.137 log (pop(i)/pop(j)) + 0.145 log (y(i)/y(j)) + 0.739 log (exp(i)/exp(j)) (+ 0.657 home advantage for games involving Bafana Bafana)
The good news is, South Africa will reach the second round. The bad news is, when they get there they'll lose to South Korea. The weird news is, Serbia will reach the Final.
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