Review of Spain v Tunisia, as well as a preview to tonight's final round of games
Before the match, everyone quite rightly seemed to predict a Spain whitewash, after all this was the side that drawn against Saudi Arabia, who got beat by Ukraine 4-0 earlier, who in turn got beat by Spain 4-0. So we were set for a procession then, until Mnari had other ideas, tapping it in after Casillas had spilled an earlier shot. Uncharacteristic for the goalkeeper, but the Tunisians had something to defend on. Which they did very well for the rest of the half, and the game wasn't changed until two subsitutions at half time.
Enter Raul, talisman of Spain, as well as Cesc Fabregas, who at 18 looks to be a terrific prospect. Shame he's playing for arsenal. Fabregas especially turned the game in favour of the Spaniards, creating things for them, and testing the 40 year old Ali Boumnijel in goal. And it was his shot that Boumnijel failed to gather, and Raul prodded home from close range, to the relief of the Spaniards.
Then came an individual moment of brilliance, from none other than Fernando Torres, who had been playing quite poorly beforehand. He got the ball, Boumnijel went on walkabout, rounded him and with the outside of the boot, flicked it into the back of the unguarded net. Brilliant from the Atletico man, hopefully soon to be the Manchester United man.
He got a third from the penalty, but not before being denied by Boumnijel on a one on one, where he did probably everything right, getting height in the shot, but the keeper was equal to it. The penalty itself was not the best, but it managed to squirm under the goalkeeper's body.
Thus, the Spaniards are through to the second round, will face one of the distinctly unimpressive sides in Group G.
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Final round of matches
Group A
Nothing much to play for here, Germany and Ecuador are already through, and Costa Rica and Poland are pointless from 2 games. Germany and Ecuador will decide who faces England, and we will finally get a good chance to see how Ecuador performs against a half decent side, having seen them dispatch equally unimpressive Poland and Costa Rica. Those two will play for pride, and I fancy Poland to get their first points of this quite terrible campaign.
Group B
Slightly more to play for, as England will seal top spot of they avoid a defeat against the Swedes, who are not mathematically through yet. A 2-0 win for England, as well as a 1-0 win for Tnt, will leave both of those teams on equal footing on pretty much everything, goal difference, goals scored, head to head, as well as results against the other teams. So basically, Tnt need a win from anywhere to get them through, and hope Sweden lose by a big margin to England.
Enter Raul, talisman of Spain, as well as Cesc Fabregas, who at 18 looks to be a terrific prospect. Shame he's playing for arsenal. Fabregas especially turned the game in favour of the Spaniards, creating things for them, and testing the 40 year old Ali Boumnijel in goal. And it was his shot that Boumnijel failed to gather, and Raul prodded home from close range, to the relief of the Spaniards.
Then came an individual moment of brilliance, from none other than Fernando Torres, who had been playing quite poorly beforehand. He got the ball, Boumnijel went on walkabout, rounded him and with the outside of the boot, flicked it into the back of the unguarded net. Brilliant from the Atletico man, hopefully soon to be the Manchester United man.
He got a third from the penalty, but not before being denied by Boumnijel on a one on one, where he did probably everything right, getting height in the shot, but the keeper was equal to it. The penalty itself was not the best, but it managed to squirm under the goalkeeper's body.
Thus, the Spaniards are through to the second round, will face one of the distinctly unimpressive sides in Group G.
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Final round of matches
Group A
Nothing much to play for here, Germany and Ecuador are already through, and Costa Rica and Poland are pointless from 2 games. Germany and Ecuador will decide who faces England, and we will finally get a good chance to see how Ecuador performs against a half decent side, having seen them dispatch equally unimpressive Poland and Costa Rica. Those two will play for pride, and I fancy Poland to get their first points of this quite terrible campaign.
Group B
Slightly more to play for, as England will seal top spot of they avoid a defeat against the Swedes, who are not mathematically through yet. A 2-0 win for England, as well as a 1-0 win for Tnt, will leave both of those teams on equal footing on pretty much everything, goal difference, goals scored, head to head, as well as results against the other teams. So basically, Tnt need a win from anywhere to get them through, and hope Sweden lose by a big margin to England.
posted by Melvin at 6:35 PM
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