Argentina Vs Germany --- End of the dreams

The day had come, the day to wear my Messi jersey with all high spirits and hopes that no matter what I gonna come back home with head held high.

This time Ankit and Abhishek had gone to Pune so had company of Akshay and Vikas.

Had expressed to so many of my friends face to face and online on facebook as well, everyone knew whom I am supporting, had changed my display pic to a cropped pic of me and Messi together and what not. Though Germany is my 2nd favorite team but my 2st favorite gotta won, I knew.

Same place after a week, FUEL – the Lounge.

Match starts and before we could get adjusted in our seats Germany’s Muller scores, simply WTF situation, 4 mins ??? like the fastest goal in this tournament. Screams and sighs in the house. The fans were almost equal for both the teams. The 1st half was almost equal possession by both teams equally trying for the goal, Argentina needing it most but they couldn’t.

2nd half begins and all I thought was of the match one day before when Holland was lagging with 0 – 1 but then beat Brazil by 2 – 1 in the end.

Alas! It was only the fantasy of Argentine fans cuz the reality was far much bitter than what they had ever imagined. In last 20 mins, Germany socres 3 more goal and Argentina none. Klose scored 2 and one more guy another. No sense in describing them cuz it anyways did not matter.

The time it was 0 – 2 still I was expecting the match to equal up but then the 3rd goal made it clear telling whose gonna win. The girl on next table started weeping like anything after it was scored. Other times it wud have amused me but not today :-(

Argentina was not having much possession in 2nd half and German’s counter attack no doubt was out of the world and they just did it. 4th goal was no surprise. They could have scored 5th as well if there were more 10 mins.

The day was bad, the feelings completely sad, the jersey life not more than 2 hours but I was somewhat glad that my 2nd fav team had won but again the loss of the most favorite team was not letting me smile.

Simply, end of the dreams.

Uruguay vs Ghana – amazingly exciting match.

To start with a confession, never knew any of their players.

But had to watch the watch, after all it was quarter finals. As far as I know Ghana being the only African nation to have reached till here, really appreciable and then Uruguay, winning world cup twice, long back in 1930 and 1950 is no more keeping their form. Anyways match for me was between not very good teams but obviously not bad teams as they have to be good to reach till here.

I did not see the entire match from start but Ghana scored 1st goal in the end of 1st half I remember and Uruguay managed to equal the scores in the 2nd half. The game ended 1 – 1 followed by 2 extra times of more 15 minutes each. But then the last min of 2nd ET was so amazing.

The Ghana player hit the ball from corner I guess which was then hit as header by Ghana guy and the keeper saved it, the ball fell on ground and Ghana guy kicked it this time hitting the man – Suarez’s feet and the ball bounces back and then one Ghana guy hits a header directly into the goal of Uruguay which gets missed by the goalkeeper but Suarez plays the role in the rush of blood and simply pushes the ball outside the goal with his both hands…that’s it…the guys appealed and won the penalty kick in the last few seconds of the match. Suarez did the extreme a player can do, a handball in penalty area simply getting a red card. The man is out of the match and Ghana one kick away from winning. But wait drama left, the Ghana guys Gyan takes the penalty kick and guess what, hits it out of the goal, not even on the goal, the keeper was not even needed infront of the goal…hehehe.

So the match now goes into penalty shootout.

1st goal scored by Uruguay, for Ghana see the courage, the same guy comes Gyan, but no mistake this time, he scored too.

2nd goal scored by both teams.

3rd goal scored by Uruguay but MISSED by Ghana…the captain Mensah kicking the ball the most lame way a footballer can do… like hitting something while strolling in the park…keeper saved it too easily.

4th goal guess what, saved by Ghana keeper … that means they still stood a chance, this goal need to be scored but then high class drama the goal was again saved by Uruguay keeper.

5th goal, Uruguay guy comes front to kick it and make into the semis or miss it by giving Ghana guys one more chance and no mistakes for him…he scores it thus letting Uruguay into the semifinals of the tournament after a long long time…the fans cheering and hugging each other and Ghana guys and fans both crying. Alas!! They could have been the 1st African country to make it to semifinals.

Anyways for people like me not supporting any country so seriously the match was unlimited fun.

Netherlands vs Brazil – End of the Champions

The match was scheduled at 7.30 pm and it’s the working hour.

I had gone to another office as a faculty for the training. Almost forgetting the game and when it struck it struck like a thunderbolt.

Brazil had scored a goal in the 1st half itself and then the man – Sneijder scored 2 goals in 15 mins. Oh man…futbol, futbol is really unpredictable, by the time I reached home the 5 times world champions were 5 mins away from getting eliminated from the tournament.

And then they tried everything but Holland was all ready to make it to the semis and they did.

Not to forget the Felipe Melo’s height of frustration when he stamped on Robben so fuckin intentionally, no wonder he got the red card.

So that was the end of the champions and dreams of so many supporters.

Germany vs England (Round of 16, pre quarters)

We had decided to watch it over the drinks in Fuel – The Lounger, just next to our place.

Since Ankit and Abhishek were supporting England, they had bought Rooney and Lampard jerseys respectively and I am an Argentina fan so I had bought Messi jersey (wasn’t wearing it then though).

I was supporting my 2nd favorite team Germany :-)

There were hardly 10 guys in the house supporting Germans, all were screaming for Englishmen with most of them in England jersey as well but then they had to know who is the Daddy :D

It was 1st goal scored by none other than Klose to have the upper hand, just a bunch of crowd cheering and then 2nd by Podolski I guess which made them scream again, the rest of the crowd disappointed but then just in short time the English guy (don’t know whom) scored and you see the crowd, screaming like England has lifted the trophy, I was almost deaf.

The second half was disheartening for the supporters, England supporters :P

Muller – the man scoring 2 goals within 10 mins you see, the score 4 – 1. Game over!

Yes there were few bad decisions by the referee specially the Lampard goal but then its futbol, referee is the most important person on the field ;-)

The day was over with two England jerseys ruined at our place with no life more than 2 hours.

**The night was Argentina vs Mexico with former defeating the latter by 3 – 1.

Futbol Fever

Too late to write this…hehe…the finals is on Sunday and the fever began almost a month back now.

So how much do I follow football? Not much to be honest but I do when I can and when I do then I do to my best.

The last posts in this label are during the 2008-2009 UEFA Champions League final I guess which was between Manchester United and Barcelona the latter winning the game. I was so happy cuz a year before to this Manchester United had won the cup defeating Chelsea the team I was supporting. It was this time I started liking Messi after his second half goal.

After that I didn’t follow the game much but then since it is 2010 FIFA World Cup, hardly anyone can be ignorant to the event. And since all roommates are following as well then it is fun to watch the match together at the apartment.

So it all began on 11th June, the event hosted in South Africa. We all didn’t miss the matches except the ones clashing with the office hours. Kept updating and searching the score for them as well when in office. It is good. People are talking about football and only football everywhere.

Discussion are now only about how that guys kicked and missed and tackled and scored and headers and Jabulani and vuvuzelas and bad referees and wins and losses and octopus paul and all and everything related to futbol and only football.

Wanted to write differently for few of the fabulous games we saw, the same day but again here is a proof of my laziness :-)

Anyways there are few matches I can’t stop myself from writing about, so will be making separate posts :D

3 cheers for Barca \m/ Don’t mess with Messi :D

Last night’s Champions League’s final match between Manchester United and Barcelona was one of the best CL’s finals. Not because the match went tough or it was a close shave but the loss of Man U made it really interesting.

As usual most of the crowd was supporting Man U and when Eto scored the 1st goal for Barca in 10’ the entire stadium went silent and you could feel how badly the people wanted Man U to win but this was surely not their day.

The Barca players were possessing the ball for most of the time and then the second goal by a baaap player Messi in 70’ shattered the dreams of all Man U supporters and obviously the team…but I was so happy to see this…it was revenge for me for last years same final match between Man U and Chelsea which was too exciting and the closest shave I would say but ending with Man U’s win.

But this time Barca has been crowned the new King and Man U’s reign is over.

3 cheers for Barca…

P.S. :- When Barca defeated Chelsea in semifinal I was really disappointed and wanted them to lose but more badly I wanted revenge for last year’s final :D

image courtesy: http://www1.uefa.com/

Holland vs Russia (Euro Cup 2008 3rd QF)

Few minutes back Russia got into the Semifinals of the Euro Cup 2008.
The match was really an exciting one.
Though not as exciting as last nite's match :-)

Netherlands has been the highest goal scorer in Euro Cup 2008 till today.
They have scored 9 goals in just 3 matches and won all of them.

But today in quarter final knock out match against Russia they didn’t do that well I guess.

1st half went without goals.
In second half Russia scored the 1st goal in 56’.
I watched match from 75’ (was out for some personal reason...came home at 1.30 am :-) )
When it was almost the end of the match, just before 4 minutes, Netherlands managed to equal up the match. A goal was scored at 86’.
All depressed Holland fans as if were celebrating their independence.
They were so damn disappointed and depressed just a minute ago and then suddenly this goal brought them to life.

The match equaled with 1 – 1 score and then began the extra time.
In 1st half of the extra time no goals.
Then in 2nd half at 112’ Russia did it.
What a goal it was…a shoot from near the corner just ahead of goal and then a winning touch by another to get the ball inside.
As if this was not enough just within 4 minutes Russia hit another goal at 116’.
This too was a fantastic goal.

Netherlands couldn’t do anything after that.
They knew their destiny.
The game was over.

Russia had knocked them out.

Russia defeated Netherlands by 3 – 1.
The only match Netherlands lost made them leave the cup.

Tomorrow is the last QF match between Spain and Italy…its gonna be a great fun too.
Let’s see what happens.

Gudnite …time to sleep…zzz

Croatia VS Turkey (Euro Cup 2008 2nd QF)

Its 3 am 21st June 2008.
One of the most dramatic football matches just ended.
Euro Cup 2008 2nd Quarter Final Match between Croatia and Turkey.

A total play of almost 125 mins.
The match ended as 0 – 0 in 90 mins.
Then began the extra time for 30 mins.
No goal in 1st half of extra time.
No goal till 118’.
And then in 119’ Croatia hit the goal. A pass from near the corner and then header to score the goal.
All Croatian fans were as happy as they should be.
And all Turkey fans were equally depressed.
Isn’t it fantastic to score the goal in the second last minute of the match and that too in the extra time?
Man what a match changing point it was.
Croatian players along with their coach were as if celebrating the Euro Cup Final Win.

And then it happened…Armageddon for them…Sky fell on them…Dreams Shattered…

In fuckin 120+2 min of match, last min of match, just within a min after Croatia scored goal…in extra time of extra time, Turkey scored a goal. A free kick for Turkey which came in D and them Semih hit it straight in the goal like a bullet.

It was so dramatic. Match equaled just in time…and literally just in time.

The complete scene reversed.
Turkey fans cheering up. Croatian fans tensed.

It was time for Penalties.
Croatia hit the 1st…SAVED by Turkey’s 35 yrs old goalkeeper.
Turkey hit the 1st…GOAL.

Croatia hit the 2nd…GOAL
Turkey hit the 2nd…GOAL

Croatia hit the 3rd…AGAIN SAVED
Turkey hit the 3rd…GOAL

Croatian player came for the 4th hit…If he doesn’t hit this as GOAL…Croatia is OUT.
Turkey goalkeeper…if he saves this one…Turkey is IN.

And then they WON…TURKEY…
The goal was saved.

Tears rolled over Croatian fans’ and players’ faces.
And all Turkey fans and players were enjoying.

Croatia didn’t lose a single game in Euro Cup 2008 before this.
But the only one it lost…dragged it out of the game.

A great match, it was.
Turkey defeated Croatia by 3 – 1 in Penalties.

Time to sleep…3.40 am