23rd November 2022
“Pedri dazzles. Germany humbled. Politics at the World Cup?”
World Cup Diaries: Day 4
Your Game 1 starter
MOROCCO 0
CROATIA 0
I expected more from the day’s opening game but it was the very epitome of the quaint old English expression of “a dog with fleas”. The post game statistics would show both teams having 7 shots off target and 2 on target but I only remember one threatening goal scoring chance for either side in a rather turgid struggle of a game and the third 0–0 draw in the past 4 games at this World Cup. The two really significant goal scoring chances fell to Nikola Vlašić of Croatia who saw his near post stab at goal smothered away by the Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou right on the cusp of half-time, and a stinging free-kick from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi on 64 minutes that forced Croatia goalkeeping custodian Dominik Livaković to beat away his fiercely struck drive at goal.
Sadly and rather disappointingly that was that, and a goal less draw that was thoroughly deserved by a Morocco team who will be rather more excited and content with their drawn point than a slow and ponderous Croatia of whom I expected more. Captained by the ageless and timeless Luka Modrić, he was the game’s guiding light in the fog of a boring sporting draw in the Qatar sunshine as he dropped deeper and deeper to get on the ball and influence his stodgy and uninspired team. Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech did likewise for Morocco in the first half but faded badly in the second, leaving your humble narrator in agreement with co-commentator John Hartson who lamented the Moroccan star man had disappeared from the game so much, he thought he’d been substituted!
Aside from marvelling at the footballing genius of 37 year old Luka Modrić, it was left to proud Welshman John Hartson to tell a familial tale of his Canadian grandparents and my appreciation of the no nonsense approach of the Argentinian referee to enliven today’s starter match of four. Yes things were so desperate, I was smiling at a random family tale whilst thinking the referee was having rather a good game!
Your main course of former champions (Part 1)
GERMANY 1 (Gündoğan 33)
JAPAN 2 (Doan 75, Asano 83)
In yesterday’s diary entry I posited the notion that Saudi Arabia’s 2–1 win over Argentina could be argued as perhaps the greatest ever shock result in a World Cup, and Japan’s victory today must therefore rank in the top 10 of all time. Japan have a far higher World Cup pedigree than Saudi Arabia but were still rank outsiders today and, like with Saudi Arabia yesterday, they rode their luck a little whilst interspersing this much needed gift from the sporting gods with hard work, energy and tenacity. It’s also arguable that both Argentina and Germany are declining giants living on their past triumphs but both of these shocks were from a 1–0 losing half-time position, two goals in quick fire succession, and a deserved reward for hanging in the game even whilst losing and still “ratting around” for loose balls to spring quick transitions and defence into attack at lightning pace.
All of which coalesced into a first half that was deadly dull either side of İlkay Gündoğan’s penalty that gave Germany their half-time lead and a first 45 minutes that extended further until his substitution early in the second half, and of a masterclass from the 32 year old German play maker. Everything flowed through Gündoğan, as it does so often for Manchester City in the Premier League and like for City, he orchestrated his team with his usual calm headed control in the centre of the game’s midfield. His mistake led to Japan scoring the game’s first “goal” (but Daizen Maeda strayed offside in his eagerness to score and was rightly penalised for offside), the German midfield maestro fired his team’s first real shot on goal after 28 minutes that seemed to ignite his team’s attacking intent, before the diminutive veteran scored from the penalty spot on 33 minutes after the Japanese goalkeeper Shūichi Gonda had clumsily fouled German left back David Raum.
If it was Gündoğan’s first half, it was shaping up to be 19 year old Jamal Musiala’s second half as he grasped the attacking mantle from his team mate and 13 years his senior, as he threatened to finally extinguish the Japanese flame with a second and decisive goal. Before their respective substitutions they combined brilliantly on the hour mark with Musiala setting Gündoğan free on the edge of the Japan penalty area before the veteran’s low skidding shot beat the flailing dive of Shūichi Gonda in the Japanese goal but kissed the outside of the post and away for a goal kick. Rather than a brilliantly conceived second and decisive goal, the score remained at just 1–0 and the 19 year old must now rue the chance he superbly created for himself just inside the second half, dancing his way past 4 maybe 5 Japanese defenders before blazing high and wide when a magical World Cup goal for the ages lay before him.
“JUST STICK IT IN THE NET!” cried Scotland legend Ally McCoist on co-commentary, a beautiful highlight of the World Cup so far as well as perfectly summarising the German quandary. They would soon rue these missed opportunities.
As both teams rotated and substituted their way through the latter part of the second half, Germany, like Argentina yesterday, would come to heavily regret not taking any number of goal scoring chances created and in a 8 minute spell late in the game, see their lead evaporate along with their chances of going deep in this tournament and make even qualification for the knock-out stages a difficult prospect ahead. Make no mistake, Japan, like Saudi Arabia yesterday, deserved their win thoroughly for their adventurous attitude in the first half to break quickly on the counter attack and pose an actual danger to the German rear guard, as well as their ability to stick with the overwhelming favourites in front of them and keep the game and score close.
An eight minute spell broke the Germans and the inspiration all came from the Japanese substitutes Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma, Ritsu Doan (who would score a scruffy but valuable equaliser on 75 minutes) and match winner Takuma Asano 8 minutes later. A long hopeful punt forward caught the German defence flat footed and Asano ran free before incredibly controlling the ball over his head and perfectly into his stride.
It’s a dreamlike piece of footballing skill.
Holding off the desperate challenge of German defender Nico Schlotterbeck, Asano, seemingly running out of room as his continuing run appeared to be taking him out of play, smashed an unstoppable shot past startled German goalkeeping legend Manuel Neuer at his near post and high into the roof of his net to seal yet another shock for the ages and annals of World Cup history.
Germany now face Spain on Sunday staring immediate elimination fully in the face.
Japan have created their own piece of World Cup history and deservedly so.
Your main course of former champions (Part 2)
SPAIN 7 (Olmo 11, Asensio 21, Torres 31, Torres 54, Gavi 74, Soler 90, Morata 90+2)
COSTA RICA 0
Mid-way through this horribly beautifully one-sided affair, Clive Tyldesley, a cherished TV commentator of many decades here in the UK, stated that Spain were playing “PlayStation Football” and clearly Clive has been reading my articles on Liverpool FC whereby I coined this phrase many a football match ago. Perhaps I should bill him for services rendered!
As expected, Spain were their magical selves and PlayStation Football or not, it was the tried and tested ticker-tacker, pass and move, see the ball pass the ball style of Spanish play that has seen a treble of Euro and World Cup winning championships in the past decade or so and Luis Enrique’s youthful and fledgling project may well take them close again this winter.
Costa Rica were dreadful with a capital D and equalled their own record from the 1990 World Cup by failing to have a single shot on the Spanish goal. Not one. Spain meanwhile conjured 17 shots on goal, 8 on target, 7 hit the back of the Costa Rican net and all the while they completed well over 4 times the amount of successful passes as the South Americans and controlled possession of the ball for a staggering 81% of the time. I could go on: the flick from 18 year old wunderkind Gavi for the first goal or the brilliant execution from the outside of his right boot for the game’s 5th goal on 74 minutes or more especially, the tenacity of players such as Ferran Torres and Alvaro Morata to score goals, and set free the weight of the albatross on every Spanish players shoulders and certainly their expected goal scorers.
But rather than waxing lyrically in this fashion, and in expectation of such an exhilarating and dominating performance from the Spanish team as a whole, I followed instead the individual fortunes of their otherworldly midfielder Pedri, and the 19 year old superstar was in perfect form as usual. I’ve long held a fondness for Pedri as he epitomises the Spanish “pivote” position in central midfield so expertly and for someone so young. Next to Sergio Busquets his club mate, national captain and 15 years his senior, he compliments his unfussy style of “water carrying” every successful team needs with a cool headed poise for a precision pass or incisive run into dangerous attacking positions.
Pedri glides around a football midfield with the air of a seasoned veteran rather than a teenager at a World Cup and it was his delicious curling pass on 5 minutes that presented the penalty area space that Dani Olmo should have exploited rather than screwing his volley badly wide. With pressure growing on the Costa Rica defence, Pedri combined with Busquets minutes later in a sweeping move that presented an instant shot for Marco Asensio that swerved inches wide, but the gifted teenager was central to the game’s second goal on 21 minutes as his simple pass to Jordi Alba resulted in an instant cross from his overlapping defensive team mate that saw Marco Asensio sweep home and past the outstretched dive of Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Pedri’s perfect performance was a cameo appearance in many ways but his 56 minutes of playing time were perfectly encapsulated up on the cusp of half-time as well as just minutes into the second half. 4 minutes into first half injury time he received a deft back heel from Busquets and running purposefully on goal he instead released Marco Asensio who blazed over the crossbar. Minutes inside the second half, Pedri was forced into perhaps his only defensive duty of the day as he broke up play on the edge of Spain’s penalty area but he didn’t stand and admire his team mates now breaking at pace and roaming forward in search of another goal. He joined the breakaway and was central to an ultimately wasteful chance on goal, but this kid is already a superstar who will, football gods willing, become a megastar in the coming years.
Your evening delight?
BELGIUM 1 (Batshuayi 44)
CANADA 0
Oh Canada!
How in the name of all football did you manage to lose this game?
Another of those clashes between the footballing Goliaths and a heavily underdog David, yet Canada played far better and more structured attacking football than either of this year’s current headline shockers of Japan or Saudi Arabia, but lacked that instinctive quality in front of goal and just a dash of lady luck too. Belgium won 1–0 through a 44th minute goal from Michy Batshuayi and their only player to register a shot on the Canadian goal in a first half his tired, old and leggy Belgian team were run absolutely ragged by a far more zestful, youthful and enthusiastic rank underdog. This is not hyperbole and neither is it to say that Belgium will qualify from the group but go no further as soon as they play an equally fast and attacking team in the knock-out stages. This Belgium team was a team for the ages that just fell short. This older team is their last hurrah and a hurrah that won’t last far into December.
Canada meanwhile pleasantly surprised me and if they can show the same resolve and attacking verve against Croatia on Sunday they stand a real chance of qualifying from the group by beating a poor Morocco in their final game. I’m cheering for you Canada. It was a tame and woeful penalty from Alphonso Davies but he ran himself into the ground and didn’t deserve to lose this evening. Neither did Junior Hoilett or Tajon Buchanan or playmaker Stephen Eustáquio. Led by their 39 year old captain Atiba Hutchinson, he didn’t deserve to lead a team to defeat after the defensive displays of Steven Vitoria or the roaming forward runs from his defensive right back Alistair Johnston.
Oh Canada. How could you lose this game this evening!
The statistics are as stark as they are eye watering.
Belgium: European Royalty, World Cup pedigree and a team of world superstars were reduced to just 3 shots on target and just 1 in a dogged second half display that ensured 3 vital points.
Canada: In their first World Cup for 36 years blew their royal footballing cousins away in the opening quarter of an hour, forcing a VAR approved penalty as well as 8 shots on goal in the opening 15 minutes and 13 by half-time. By full-time these statistics had rocketed to over 22 shots on goals but crucially only 3 on target and nothing as threatening or clinical or indeed easy as Alphonso Davies’ early penalty chance. In addition to the overwhelming statistics, a team steeped in World Cup success such as Belgium simply couldn’t cope with the pace of Hoilet or the guile of Jonathan David and barely troubled the Canadian goalkeeper Milan Borjan outside of the goal from Batshuayi.
Canada played high pressing fast football that left Belgium chasing shadows for large parts of the game before they simply ran of legs and steam in the game’s final 10 minutes. I’m cheering for you now Canada, and I hope this evening’s efforts in a losing cause don’t cost you in the final 2 group games.
Postscript
I live in somewhat of a bubble and steer clear of whatever passes for “The News” until the dust has settled so I have no idea what repercussions or backlashes have been forming on the back of the German team’s decision to take a unified silent stand before their game with Japan today. Barred from wearing a “One Love” armband in the spirit of unity and oneness against oppression and presumably further sanctions from FIFA if they did so, they instead chose this silenced protest and I’m categorically with them in full support.
But here’s the question or the elephant in the football stadium if you will:
Why can’t they speak?
Why can’t their goalkeeper, for just one example, state his views on anything he damn well pleases? It’s a simple question — why not? This article is already far too long and not a diary entry so let’s not get into the weeds here, but the simple and awkward question is why can’t any member of the German team, or any other team for that matter, show solidarity with a cause close to their heart and speak openly about it? Every footballer at this World Cup will have been interviewed hundreds and hundreds of times in their lives but they always, in the main, provide media trained, anodyne answers.
The why is easy to answer. Just look at Colin Kaepernick who “took the knee” way before it became fashionable, but it wasn’t for the right cause and so he was ostracised and his NFL career ended. Another NFL quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, was the blue eyed boy and heir apparent in the Hall of Fame to Brett Favre. But he refused the pandemic medication after proving his natural immunity after catching and recovering from the virus but that wasn’t enough. He had to comply or face ridicule and censure. His career continues whilst Kaepernick’s seemingly does not, but each were decried and outed for using their freedom of speech, bodily autonomy and highlighting the civil rights concerns they have as mere human beings. Look at the actors and actresses who’ve spoken out about the past two upside down years, or the basketball players and coaches that have railed against the perceived orthodoxy. Mocked. Ridiculed. Cheapened. Laughed at. All for challenging and taking a stand on human rights.
Novak Djokovic anyone?
I’m a dreamer, and I’m not the only one.
I’m also a realist that knows in his heart that no-one is going to dare step outside of the Establishment and established order and challenge their authoritarian stranglehold on a conformist, subjugated society.
“You’re free, to do as we tell you” as Bill Hicks once opined.
I’d love to hear players speaking out, but not just on the topics offered by the Establishment. The “One Love” motif is fantastic and unifying, but let’s drive the conversation past what the authoritarian bodies of control want us to debate and talk about, and dive headlong into the topics they dread the most.
Then we’ll see radical change.
“Pedri dazzles. Germany humbled. Politics at the World Cup?” can also be found cavorting and dancing across pages 23 through 34 of my first ever self-published book “Diary from the 2022 FIFA World Cup” and a book I’m immensely proud of. Here she is, accompanied by some promotional fluff and as with all of the books I’m proud to show off to you, all are FREE to read if you have an Amazon Kindle “Unlimited” package.
"Diary from the 2022 FIFA World Cup" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.
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