With the group stages now over with, things are going to get a lot more intense. One poor ninety minutes and it could be all over for a nation, as Uruguay found our. For some, the margins are even finer. Chile had matched Brazil for one hundred and twenty minutes, only to be denied by the woodwork in extra time and the cruel fate that is the penalty shoot out. Pinilla's chance right at the end is something that will likely pass into Chilean folklore. Choosing to go for power over placement meant that his wild effort smacked against the bar rather than nestling into the back of the net. These are the decisions that shape the future and ultimately the destiny of the world cup itself.
Brazil march on - albeit unconvincingly - but there was nothing ambiguous about the other game last night. Without Suarez, Uruguay were poor, a shadow of the tenacious 2010 team. Having had difficulty in simply getting to Brazil, it was unlikely they would simply shake all of the cobwebs away but I did expect more from Cavani. Knowing that the emphasis was going to be on his shoulders, the PSG striker did little to showcase the immense talent that he has. In the coming months, with the suspension of their best player, Uruguay must regroup and try to rediscover whatever it is that has disappeared over the last four years.
La Celeste will be hoping to follow the lead of their last sixteen conquerors; Colombia have been magnificent in the absence of Falcao and for me the most consistently good team in this tournament. James Rodriguez has emerged onto the world stage and they will go into Friday's quarter final with Brazil full of confidence. If indeed injury robs Neymar of his starting place, the hosts could once again find themselves in a scrap to remain in the tournament that they will have felt was destined to be theirs from the very beginning.
No comments:
Post a Comment