Brazil, you say? They know how to play football over there, don't they? But it's a long way for one so middle aged as I to travel.

So instead, I shall slouch into my leather armchair and view the tournament from this side of the Atlantic. I shall try and watch every game and will definitely make wildly inaccurate predictions too.

I do solemnly vow to give you a real sense of what it's like to not be at the World Cup. This is the blog where all the colour and atmosphere and passion of watching the world's greatest sporting tournament on a wall mounted widescreen really comes to life.

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

World Cup Quarter Finals predictions

So here's how I predicted the quarter finals would look before the tournament started:


BRAZIL v  URUGUAY

 FRANCE  v  GERMANY

 SPAIN  v  IVORY COAST

 ARGENTINA  v  BELGIUM
and here's the actual line up:

 BRAZIL v COLOMBIA
FRANCE v GERMANY
HOLLAND v COSTA RICA
ARGENTINA v BELGIUM

 That roar is the sound of my own trumpet being blown.  Two ties dead right, one totally wrong, the other half right. Costa Rica the wildest of wild cards. Colombia a tad fortunate to face a Suarez-less Uruguay. Holland benefitting from Spain's demise.  5 out of 8 right now.  So much better than last time.  

They Finished 9th: USA

There's a serious danger of soccer becoming more than just a minority sport in the States.Look at the support they got everywhere they played. Big numbers of passionate and loud travelling fans replete with flags and face paint, chants cheers and songs. Banners and banter. And look at their players. Never say die. No play acting. Plenty of skill too, unlucky to fall when they did as they could have gone further.

I predicted the USA would make it through their tricky group, so wasn't as surprised as many when they progressed. They are a top 16 team who always perform in the tournaments. And in Klinsmann they have a manager who knows what it takes to win these things.

So how about the USA v RUSSIA in the 2018 final in Moscow? Don't bet against it....

Round of 16: Belgium 2-1 USA (After Extra Time)

The game of the tournament so far, probably of the tournament full stop. The USA deserve so much credit for keeping going until the end. Bradley imperious. Howard like a wall of steel, the ball a magnet to him. Making the most saves in World Cup history. None shall pass. Even when the Belgians got a couple past him in extra time the States refused to lay down or roll over. They pulled one back and came so so close to levelling and taking it to penalties but it was not to be. Belgium go through but the USA's contribution to this classic will live long in the memory.

They Finished 10th: SWITZERLAND

Hitzfeld takes his leave from management having guided the Swiss as far as he could have realistically expected, and further than  I expected. Their FIFA ranking of sixth seems about right on this evidence, the Argentinians finding them tough opposition, nearly good enough to take them to the dreaded penalties. The Swiss remain, for me, Europe's unfashionable yet always more successful than England team.

Round of 16: Argentina 1-0 Switzerland (After Extra Time)

This was a bit of a stinker of a game by all accounts. Dull, uninspiring, a bit like the journey home from work I was embroiled in while the game was on.

 The Swiss would have loved the stalemate, not the stale smell on the public transport I was riding. The Argies would have been panicking, expected to cruise through this. But once again they struggled to put lesser opposition away. They've yet to thrash anyone. But Messi shone a little here, setting up the Di Maria winner to avoid the embarrassing lottery of penalties.

They Finished 11th: ALGERIA

And so the best African nation in the 2014 World Cup is...  Algeria! They flew the flag the longest for the continent, playing exciting football along the way, and nearly causing a shock by dispatching of the Germans.  They played as a team, bereft of stars, but full of passion and heart, so lacking from some of the established giants of European football. They took Germany to extra time, pulling one back after going two down a little too late to add to it. But I enjoyed watching them. Shame they couldn't fully avenge the disgrace of 82.

Round of 16: Germany 2-1 Algeria (After Extra Time)

This one really came to life in extra time when all three goals were scored. The Germans progress again as they always do. Failure from them is not making the final. This has to be a successful tourney for Algeria.  All the talk of revenge for 1982 when Algeria were denied progression in that year's tournament by a disgraceful arranged result between Austria and West Germany which saw both sides progress at the African's expense added spice to the occasion. And Algeria showed they deserved their place in this stage with exciting football. But they will go no further. 
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