On Day 20
YESTERDAY WAS THE day we learned who our final eight would be. And what a line up it is.
Oddly, all the group winners have progressed to the quarter-finals to set up four delicately-poised games this weekend. This tournament just keeps on giving doesn’t it?
But, to paraphrase Talking Heads… how did we get here?
Yesterday afternoon saw us witness one of the more low key games of the past month with Argentina taking on Switzerland. Nil-all after 90 mins, Lionel Messi ultimately created a chance for his El Clasico rival Angel di Maria and the Real Madrid midfielder slotted it away.
Later, normal service was resumed as we got back to the entertaining stuff. Again it was extra-time after Belgium and the US couldn’t score. But then we had three in 30 minutes.
Two down, the US pulled one back through German-born Justin Green and then peppered the Red Devils’ goal. Marc Wilmots’ side hung on in there though and march on to face Argentina on Saturday.
Winner
Lionel Messi’s Argentina are one of those heavyweights left in the last-eight who will now really fancy their chances. They never fired yesterday but managed to pull a win out of the bag when it looked like penalties were on the cards.
Loser
The USA captured the imagination of their own country and the football world as a whole but their adventure is over. They had chances to claim a famous comeback win or at least a shootout but a lack of quality, perhaps, cost them in the end. Good job, good effort from Klinsi and the guys though.
Joga Bonito
This didn’t result in a goal for the Americans but we just love a well-worked free kick routine.
https://vine.co/v/MFluOWhPP5Z
What we’ve got to look forward to today
Real life, silly! Go about your normal routine for today and tomorrow. There’s two rest days to endure til those mouth-watering quarter-finals.