Semi-Finals

Uruguay 2-3 Netherlands

Germany 0-1 Spain {Carlos Puyol}

*SOB!* Tell me about it.
Well done Germany, you're in the Loser's Final. Again.
Seriously, it is just awfully & tremendously sad.
My team will never be there!

Who wants Netherlands to be there?!

And Spain is wonderful, but they don't still stir my heart.
I cry more when Germany loses a Group match, then when Spain loses a Final.

The first final in history where either Brazil, Argentina, Italy or Germany are not in the final. :|

Anyway. Viva Espania!

And, I thought, since it was twenty years ago that Germany won the world cup, it would be so cool if they won this year, a few days before my twentieth. No such luck. They won the loser's final [as usual]. Sadly, Klose did not get to play, and get that goal, make him the top goal scorer in a world cup, along with L.Ronaldo, but he had a flu. Seriously.

They said it was a matter of national pride, which was not much, since they couldn't win a proper thing, ever. Winning the Loser's, which they did, as always, is not something very celebratory. Sami got the last goal, which was a nice touch, to end Germany's 2010 South Africa, World Cup.

You can't win next time, Ger, since it would spoil the Brazilian party.
And by the time you do win, poor ShwinsTiger would be playing with a walking stick.

Anyway. May Allah Almighty guide you all to the Straightest Path. Ameen!

Germany vs Argentina

3/7/10

Germany 4-0 Argentina

Goal Scorers: Muller, Klose [2], Friedrich

I'm still stunned. The Brazilian defeat might have been a smack, but the Argentinian one was like a punch.

I was crying and laughing, these two teams are my favourites, and I can never decide which one to support, but the way Argentina lost! Oh, it was disastrous. It was horrible. Brazil, Italy and France might have lost, but these Argentinians were absolutely lost on that field. It was as if there were only German players, and they were just there to beg the time go by.

The Germans defended and then they ran. Its extraordinary, watching Bayern Munich just before the Cup, and I would never have thought they would turn on the dazzle and come and win the World Cup. They have mastered most techniques, but the true success of their team lies in their unity. It is never about the one player, every single member plays his spectacular best, and that is coupled together to watch brilliance move on that field.

The Germans played a defensive game, which totally dismantled the Argentinian brains. It was as if their heads were scattered everywhere, and they were just running around trying to pick them up. They got close, they were kicked of. The broke, and they ran, and they scored. The defensive of the 'Blues' was seriously lacking. Look at all the goals, and you will see that their just entirely clever.

It's simple: we were tactically brilliant.

Manuel Neuer, Germany goalkeeper.

Hey, Germany is Argentina's nemesis. They just crumble when they even hear the name. Seeing how it went yesterday, I don't think Argentina will ever win a world cup again. They are not part of the greats. I want them there, I know they are supposed to be, but they can't fit in. Their unbelievably unlucky.  Its not meant to be for them. Perhaps they should take up some other occupation besides soccer? I do feel sorry for Maradona, I wish that they could have done better. Messi looked completely helpless, his expression neither pain nor sadness, but haunting. There he was, drowning in a sea of loss. Nothingness closing life.

The Germans came here to win, and they take it very seriously. Its work for them, a battle, strength. They don't forget their objective. Their not here to play. Lavish all the words of praise and glory upon them.  Their going to beat Spain by one thousand goals, and their going to win the cup. They are my very favourite European side. They rock! Go GERMANY!

I can't stop thinking about Argentina.
I feel like I'm mourning something real, solid in my hands.

Allah Knows.

Argentina-Germany comment

Argentina vs. Germany is a match where I just can’t take sides. I have never been able to choose between these two teams, their different but somehow always so interesting. The German team is my favourite, but Argentina has to be one of those teams that I admire much. Remember ’06? That quarter-final where it got to penalties and Michael Ballack took the most clinically correct one I had ever seen. That goal Germany scored from that set piece. I wanted Argentina to go through too.

The Argentinean elegance and skill that is coupled to make a smooth game, is something to watch with awe. The best member of the team is by far, Maradona. The guy is so cool, and exciting, he just rocks. I don’t know a few of the members, but Lionel Messi being the world’s best player, simply makes this team superbly dangerous. Their brilliant, but they do have this tendency to stop somewhere, I don’t know why.

 The German proficiency in making everything so very right, so clean and gorgeously controlled, is worth its own weight. Their young, I wish Klose could get those goals of his; it would be great if everything got proper, if they were a bit surer. I’m sure they could get through; I think they have a better chance than the Argentineans’ because of a solid history.

So, Diego Maradona's Albiceleste or Joachim Low's Nationalelf? Let’s wait and see.

Germany vs England

27/6/10 Free State

Germany 4-1 England [Really, it should have been 2]

Goal Scorers: Klose, Podolski, Muller [2] and Matt Upson [e] (sorry Frank Lampard)

The Germans annihilated the Brits. They were left floundering, dazedly watching as the Germans kicked them out of World Cup 2010. People should stop listening to the English media, and get realistic. Deutschland wins once again, they walk away proudly, saluting their soldiers. They are most electrifying team here, and I could just cheer on their energy. Their also a united side, so they trust each other to get ahead and that makes for much better soccer. It is noticeable when some teams are not gelling with each other, or when the popular players look out of place with their teammates. 

The huge story of course, is of the disallowed goal. Frank Lampard [who has an extraordinary IQ of 150] scored an apparent goal, which bounced neatly behind the line and was then picked up by the goalie and thrown out. The referee did not see it. The world was in an uproar. It should have been 2-2! Even the top guns got involved, and Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel apologized to the English prime minister for it. It was a most horrible, disastrous and downright outrageous mistake. Referee Jorge LARRIONDA (URU) should be taken to task.

Well, to be fair, everybody knows, disallowed goal or not, the better team won. Yay!

Everyone worked his socks off for everyone else, and we were all committed to the cause. That's what made the difference. Miroslav Klose, Germany forward

The Germans, true to their traditions, were committed to the cause. That is something to be wary off. The English did not even know which cause to commit to. 

Germany vs Ghana

23/6/10 Soccer City, Johannesburg

Stadium: an attendance of 83 000

Germany 1-0 Ghana

Goal Scorer: Mesut Ozil

It was one of the most tremendous soccer matches in this World Cup. It was worth watching, nail biting and it was also clean play, as the referee didn't feel the need to show us his evil side. 

I've watched three world cups properly, and I don't know why people keep saying the Germans only defend. These guys only play in the midfield. The Ghanaians definitely had one up on this young team, who kept losing the ball in the first half. It was almost 'oh no! please' soccer, where you keep shouting at the TV screen, because you're worried that they are going to lose. Ghana had enough chances, alright, they only needed a draw, but I was rather happy that they didn't get any goals in. They are a brilliant soccer team, and the better than all these other African sides.

You need fresh talent, and you also need experience. The Germans missed Klose, and I think they missed Ballack too. The rest of the team can be sprightly, but Muller was a bit unsteady and Ozil couldn't score sometimes. Philip Lahm is a leader by his never ending play, he is always dashing down to the front and made a prolific save. He is a person and a player of much merit.

Then, after almost an eternity, there was the Mesut Ozil goal. It was breathtaking. Brother, may Allah bless you. You are brilliant. It was as if the entire stadium sighed, both in raptures at the strike and in relief. You need to resilient to play the Ghanaians, because they are both strong and fast. Truth be told, the Germans could have lost. They barely scraped by. 

Well done to both teams.

Ghana will face the USA in the next round and Germany the English.

On the teams next clash with Deutschland, Frank Lampard said its "a huge glamour game".

Germany vs Serbia

Serbia vs. Germany

18/16/10

Weather: Sunny. 12’ degrees

Serbia 1-0 Germany

Goal Scorer: Milan Jovanovic

RED CARD: Miroslav Klose

Podolski missed a penalty. That is a fault but for a German it is a mighty offence. He should have had hat-ricks, the amount of times he got the ball sighing over either side of that horrible net. His knees were cracking with old age and then his legs turned to jelly. More than that, he could not get through the smog somewhere in his frontal lobe. It was tough, and it was torturous. The poor guy.

Then there is the felony of the match, of the day, Miroslav Klose’s red card. I wasn’t watching, turned around and there, Klose commanded off. If it were anyone else I would have believed it, but I’ve never thought of him as a wild wicked player. The referees should be shipped off to the gulag, a simple tackle does not deserve a yellow, and nobody needs to get a red card because the referee is insecure. The thing I most detest is when they flash that card they act like their doing the fans a favour.

After that they were like cats unravelling a ball of wool, and no matter where they ran and chewed, they could not coordinate. Serbia scored, and Germany remained defeated. Yes, the Serbs played well but Ghana beat them, judging by that the Klose-less team, need to play the way they did against Australia. I know they deserve a chance, but I don’t want to see Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia and Greece in the semi-finals.

Check out the hopeless defending by the Germans and Klose's two yellow cards:

Germany vs. Australia

Group D. Moses Mabida Stadium, Durban [this stadium is so pretty, it embodies the sea, swooping birds and the relaxed Durban atmosphere]

Germany 4-0 Australia

Goal Scorers: Podolski, Klose, Muller & Cacao

RED CARD: Tim Cahill

Germany played a sharply gorgeous game. Oh, I could watch it again, unlike the English game which made me rather dizzy. I was surprised when it finished, because it was so entirely enjoyable. 'We loved watching it' thought all the thousands of fans in Germany, South Africa and the rest of the world, besides the poor Aussies of course.

With a cool professionalism, a steady confidence, and knowing what they wanted to do, they played soccer. They are getting much better at being cool and easing up a bit on the cold front though I don’t think they might be trying out Mohawks or dreadlocks soon. They showed us how to neatly step away from the offside rule and control the game, cutting up the field into square set pieces, if you wanted to learn how to play; this was the match to watch.

The Germans planned their game, tried hard to implement it and succeeded well. They say a German can’t dribble but I think their imaginations, normally used for mechanical matters, are improving a bit more in the creative way. The young captain Philip Lahm, did a pretty good job. The guy was everywhere; defending goals, busy playing the midfield and encouraging on the players on in the front. Michael Ballack you are missed, but the team is doing quite well by itself.

From the past seven matches this was the first game that I caught almost all the names of the players. Alright, I knew quite a few of them, being a bit of a fan of the team, but they stood out by performing in each of their positions well. If anything, I can describe the game as played properly. They coordinate wonderfully too, and the commentator pointed out that young players, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira, looked like they had been part of the team for years. These two guys were superb, brothers, we’re proud of you, may Allah bless you.

The Australians played dirty. Alright, they couldn’t play, but it did not mean that there were yellow cards and all sorts of fouls going on. I’m not sure Tim Cahill’s red card was deserved though. That referee with his slicked back hair was very serious about upholding standards.

I did not have quite the expectation after seeing Bayern Munich’s performance in the Champion’s League final, though I'm thrilled that they seem to have recovered their form. Lucas Podolski hit that ball in so hard, the goalies hands cracked and the ball went in. Man, I thought of ’06 and all those goals. The Australians had the first chance, but they missed it, because there are invisible walls blocking the goals, or there is a mirror somewhere that catches their attention, or the vuvuzelas suddenly pierce the inner brain, so they kick it in the wrong direction. There has way too much of this lately, with South Africa being the first to show us. Klose couldn't do it either, what was it, the third time that he headed it in? Mesut also having a few tries at cracking it. Muller’s fantastic shot, Cacao’s easy kick, and I thought they might make it a few more.

It was a wicked game for the tree time world champions but one against a small side. I want to see what will happen when they play Ghana.