FIFA World Cup 2010 Commentary: Upsets, Shocking Results and Giant Killings
This World Cup has been one of the most tightly contested tournaments of all time. There have been very few games in which one side was completely dominated by the other; the Portugal and North Korea Group G game (where the Portugal side decimated North Korea with a 7-0 win) is one that stands out, but otherwise it has been pretty even.
Germany have so far scored four goals on three separate occasions, which would lead one to believe that they had a relatively easy run through the tournament but that is not true. Apart from the Australia game in the group stages, the other two foul goal hauls were both close games which ended up being high scoring right at the death. England had a goal disallowed and the Argentina game was much closer than it seemed.
Having said that, there have been some shocking results in the tournament. The most shocking, perhaps, was Spain's 0-1 defeat to Switzerland in their Group H encounter. Spain were the pre-tournament favourites and this result really shocked the world of football. It’s even more shocking since Switzerland didn't even manage to qualify for the next round. The match gives some indication as to how to stop the Spanish mid-fielders from taking control of the game, and the Dutch may find that information useful for the final in Johannesburg.
Another upset was the game between the Netherlands and Brazil. After taking the lead in the first half, no one could have predicted the turnaround put in place by the Dutch. It was especially unlikely due to the strength of the Brazilian team, particularly in defence, where the likes of Maicon, Lucio and Juan had been almost flawless up to that point. The 2-1 result meant that everyone had to take the Dutch very seriously; indeed, they have since made their way to the finals and would be worthy winners if they beat Spain too.
The Argentina vs Germany game was referred to as a real test of the young German side, who had made light work of the English in the previous round (with a 4-1 win). The Argentinean side had, perhaps, the best attacking options of any team in the tournament, and had headed into the match undefeated in the tournament, looking set to make their way to the final under the leadership of Diego Maradona. The match, though, shocked the fans and players alike, as the Germans ripped apart their Argentinean counterparts time and again and showed that the young side had a lot more maturity than they were given credit for. Clinical in attack, and shrewd in defence, the Germans ended up scoring 4 goals for the third time in the tournament, and making one of the favourites look very average in comparison indeed.
The Germans eventually bowed out to Spain in the semifinals, but their performance in the tournament will be remembered long after, as they were by far the most entertaining side at the World Cup and deserved to reach the final based on that alone. The final could create yet another upset as the Spain team are overwhelming favourites after being branded "The Masters of Football" by the German Coach Joachim Loew. The Netherlands will be looking to win their first ever World Cup and eliminate yet another 'giant' from the tournament to take the crown.
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