Trollheart

Day 13

Group G

Cameroon v Brazil (Result: 0-1; Cameroon go out)

Nobody had ever expected Brazil to have any trouble progressing, nor had they, while for Cameroon it was all or nothing - only a win would allow them to go further. Against a rampant Brazil, who never like to lose, even when it doesn’t mean anything, not the idea situation for the Africans. Unsurprisingly, all the play went the Brazilians’ way, Cameroon finding it hard to even get the ball in the first half, though they did manage to keep Brazil out, which was an achievement in itself. They even had a good shot in the last minutes of the first half but the keeper hacked it away.

Cameroon played much better in the second half, a few decent chances as Brazil seemed to take their hand off the throttle and ease back, though they came back into it from the 56th on, the keeper even spilling a shot but no goal for Brazil. Cameroon continued to threaten down their half, Brazil’s keeper quite busy, and with only one goal needed they eventually scored when it looked like they were going out. Brazil almost spoiled the party literally in the last minute but the ball bounced high and over the top, and Cameroon held on for a historic win. They were in touching distance now of the round of sixteen, but it all depended on the result of the other match in the group.

And here it is.

Serbia v Switzerland (Result:2-3; Switzerland go through )

Cameroon’s fate lay in the hands of both these teams. If Switzerland won, they would go through instead of Cameroon, but if Serbia won by at least two goals, they would be the ones to go through. A lot of other permutations, but I can’t be bothered. Look it up if you want. Basically, after their last-gasp win, Cameroon could still find themselves going home, depending on how this game ended. Three shots for the Swiss missed (sorry) but I can’t tell you at what time because yadda yadda yadda you know what I’m going to say. Serbia had a corner but didn’t score either. At this point, Cameroon must have been hoping it would keep going like this; a nil-nil draw would certainly send them through. But someone was bound to score, and it was Switzerland, no doubt prompting groans from the Cameroon team.

Then Serbia netted, and a draw, again, would have given Cameroon hope. Such a result would not help either of the teams playing though, and neither were likely to settle for that. It was Serbia who sent Cameroon hearts fluttering, scoring a second and now edging closer to qualification for the next round. Switzerland levelled it just before half-time, which would have made the Cameroon ECG calm down again for a while. Second half saw Switzerland take the lead, with little chance for the Africans now unless Serbia scored again, and the Swiss did not. A free for Switzerland almost saw them snuff out both Serbia and Cameroon’s hopes, but it went just wide, then in added time Serbia nearly did it, but the Swiss held on to go through, and break Cameroon hearts. And Serbian ones too.

Group H

Korea Republic v Portugal (Result: 2-1; Korea go through )

With Portugal already qualified, Korea needed a win to have any chance of getting through at all, and even then, that might not be enough, as they would need to depend on the other result in their group as Ghana took on Uruguay. Facing the mercurial Ronaldo was probably not a great factor for the Koreans, nor was the fact that again we have no times on screen, but at any rate Portugal scored in the first five minutes, I’m reliably informed. Not a good start for Korea, and surely made their job, if not impossible, much more improbable than it had seemed at the start. Portugal in fact had a record of their own to reach; they wanted to be the first team to win all matches in their group, and they weren’t about to take their foot off the gas here. Korea managed to get one back, but it was flagged offside,

A long free kick ended up as a corner for them and this time it was in, though this would not be enough for them to qualify as they had to win. Only the 27th minute, the announcer said, so time yet to capitalise on that one goal, that depending of course on Portugal not scoring again, which they seemed likely to do, never letting up on the pressure. Korea hung on though right to the death, however they had not added to their tally. Six minutes of extra time saw them finally achieve what might be the impossible and score in the dying minutes with a lovely breakaway after a Portuguese corner went nowhere. And that was it. Korea beat Portugal. Now they just had to see how the other game went; they’d done all they could do and it was out of their hands.

Ghana v Uruguay (Result:0-2; Both go out )

Ghana had to lose for Korea to go through, even a draw would be enough for the Africans to make it to the next stages. Uruguay needed a staggering three goals to make it, so this would be a real scrap, and Korea would be watching anxiously. In the 16th minute Ghana player sent sprawling in the box, a penalty resulting. Saved though, a bad penalty and Ghana must have thought luck was against them. Especially when they lost possession in the box in the 22nd and only just cut out the Uruguay shot, which was goal-bound. After such a scare though it wasn’t long, another three minutes, before the South Americans were netting their first goal in the tournament, followed quickly on 31 minutes by their second, a real class goal. Ghana’s heads surely dipping now.

Uruguay looked like they would get a penalty then in the second half, but the ref said no, even though it seemed a stonewall to everyone else, but no dice. One more goal was all they needed, so they must have been really annoyed. Into minute 80 and Ghana were surely out and Korea going through, but Uruguay still searching for that elusive and vital third goal. Another penalty shout for Uruguay in added time at the end of the match, and were they going to be cheated again? Seemed they were. Again, no penalty. Four minutes left of the extra time and Uruguay were pushing hard. A free in the dying seconds went straight into the keeper’s arms and it ended in misery for both sides.

Group G
1st: Brazil (6 points)
2nd: Switzerland (6 points)
3rd: Cameroon (4 points)
4th: Serbia (1 point)

Brazil and Switzerland go through; Cameroon and Serbia are out.

Group H
1st: Portugal (6 points)
2nd: Korea Republic (4 points)
3rd: Uruguay (4 points)
4th: Ghana (3 points)

Portugal and Korea go through; Uruguay and Ghana go out.

The Round of Sixteen

All groups finished now, all matches played, here’s how it shapes up for the next stage:

Netherlands v USA

England v Senegal

Argentina v Australia

Japan v Croatia

France v Poland

Morocco v Spain

Portugal v Switzerland

Brazil v Korea Republic

Tomorrow’s matches

Tomorrow sees the first of those matches in the round of sixteen, as four teams bid for a place in the quarter-finals:

Netherlands v USA

Argentina v Australia

I’ll have my Week 2 roundup tomorrow.

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