DAY 14 REVIEW

The biggest shock of World Cup history? It can’t be far off. Slovakia, in their first ever international tournament as an individual nation, sensationally knocked out World champions Italy in a pulsating contest in Johannesburg. It is certainly one of the greatest results in Slovakia’s sporting history, and ranks alongside the embarrassment by North Korea in 1966 as the worst moments in Italy’s football history. It will be even more painful for Marcelo Lippi and his players, as Paraguay and New Zealand’s 0-0 draw meant just a draw would have been good enough for the Azzurri. Slovakia was unrecognisable from the team who struggled against New Zealand and Paraguay, and Italy can have no complaints about the result. Italy-based playmaker Marek Hamsik mis-cued an early volley from the edge of the area, but the Eastern Europeans were deserving of their lead when it came after 25 minutes. An awful pass from Daniele de Rossi was easily intercepted by striker Juraj Kucak slipped an excellent ball through for talisman and captain Robert Vittek, and he finished with an excellent strike past Federico Marchetti into the bottom corner. The World champions reply was muted at best, with Vincenzo Iaquinta and Riccardo Montolivo missing the target. Captain Fabio Cannavaro, in an ignominious end to a glorious international career, was lucky not to finish his Azzurri career in even more shameful fashion as he escaped a yellow card for a needless foul on Hamsik when he had already been booked. Lippi had seen enough at half-time, and dragged off Domenico Criscito and Gennaro Gattuso to be replaced by Christian Maggio and Fabio Quagliarella. And without a quick reposte, the World Cup winning coach played his final card ten minutes into the second half, giving the great (but barely fit) Andrea Pirlo, such was his desperation. Italy were effectively playing with four up front, but still they could not break through the stubborn Slovakian defence, with the excellent Martin Skrtel sensationally clearing off the line from Quagliarella. This was to prove a key turning point, as Slovakia doubled their lead with 17 minutes remaining. Hamsik’s corner was half cleared by Giorgio Chiellini, but as he adjusted his position, Hamsik’s return ball allowed Vittek to nip in front of the Juventus defender and poke in at the near post. This left Italy with a mountain to climb, but they started that climb with nine minutes left. The impressive Quagliarella burst in from the right, and when his quick one-two with Iaquinta saw his resultant shot saved by Slovakian keeper Jan Mucha, Antonio di Natale tapped in the rebound. Ugly scenes followed as di Natale tried to retrieve the ball, with Mucha holding him up to waste as much time as was legally possible. Italy thought they had a priceless equaliser minutes later, as Quagliarella turned home di Natale’s left-wing cross, but he was denied by the linesman’s flag. It was not to be their day, as in the final minute, as substitute Kamil Kopunek sealed the win. A long throw caused yet more confusion between Cannavaro and Chiellini, and Kopunek raced throw to exquisitely lob Marchetti. But Italy was not going to give up their crown without a fight. In the second minute of stoppage time, we saw the best goal of a quite extraordinary game. A weak shot from Iaquinta rebounded to Quagliarella, and as he shaped to fire it towards goal, he adjusted and executed a brilliant chip which floated over Mucha and dipped in. And with the final seconds ticking away, Simone Pepe had a brilliant chance to save the World champions, but fired wide at the far post following a long throw. The best match of the tournament so far ended with wild Slovakian celebrations when confirmation of Paraguay’s draw with New Zealand had sent them through, and the debate will rage on about whether we have witnessed the worst defending champions in history. The French class of 2002 deserve an honorary mention here. And who said this World Cup was boring?!

The simultaneous match in Group F, Paraguay against New Zealand, was something of a non event in comparison. You could count the number of decent goalscoring chances on one hand, and New Zealand and their coach Ricki Herbert may be ruing not giving it a real go as they failed to seriously test Paraguay’s keeper Justo Villar. But three draws represents a decent performance for a country which still does not have its own professional league. The South Americans, on the other hand, can look forward to a second round meeting with either Denmark or Japan following an impressive group stage performance. Paraguay created their best opportunities in the second half, as they tested keeper Mark Paston with shots from Roque Santa Cruz and Edgar Benitez, and with a header from Cristian Riveros. But overall, both teams will probably be satisfied in the outcome, and Paraguay will fancy their chances of a first quarter-final appearance on the evidence so far.

The action in Group E was not quite so exhilarating, although Japan caused a minor upset by knocking out a highly-fancied Denmark team. It was a story of two first half free-kicks, as Japan thoroughly deserved their win to join neighbours South Korea in the second round. It will be the end of the road for a number of Denmark’s major players, including Jon Dahl Tomasson, Martin Jorgensen, Dennis Rommedahl and Jesper Gronkjaer, as far as major tournaments are concerned. Although Denmark started brightly, Japan took the lead with a sensational free-kick after 17 minutes, and Cristiano Ronaldo may have been green with envy. With the ball placed down by Keisuke Honda 35 yards out towards the right touchline, no-one in the ground thought the CSKA Moscow playmaker was going to shoot. But shoot he did, and he proceeded to get some outrageous dip and swerve on the ball as it nestled in the far corner of Thomas Sorensen’s goal. The Stoke keeper moved late, and will be unhappy with his role in the goal. Denmark was struggling to make any real impact on the game, and they were shocked on the half hour mark with another fabulous free-kick. This time, it was a big surprise that Honda stepped forward – but Japanese fans need not have worried. Yasuhito Endo stepped forward, and curled a sensationally shot around the wall and into the corner of the net. This sprung Danish coach Morten Olsen into action, with Jakob Poulsen replacing the ageing Martin Jorgensen after 35 minutes, but there was no noticeable improvement. Nicklas Bendtner, the Arsenal striker, certainly was not living up to his own personal billing of being ‘the best striker in the world’, as he enjoyed (if that’s the right word) an anonymous match. It was all Japan, and Yuichi Komano tested Sorensen from the edge of the area, as Japan’s hard work and harrying reduced them the Danes to hopeful long range efforts. Denmark came out early for the second half, but still they could not make an impression. Endo almost embarrassed Sorensen with a tame free-kick, but the veteran spilled his effort onto the post rather than into the net. Minutes later, the 1992 European champions had their best chance of the night – Nicklas Bendtner flicked on Lars Jacobsen’s long ball, but Japanese keeper Eiji Kawashima saved bravely at the feet of Tomasson. Olsen had seen enough, and made two attacking substitutions - Soren Larsen for Per Koldrup, and the highly-rated 18 year old Christian Eriksen for Thomas Kahlenburg. The youngster volleyed over, before Tomasson missed another good chance, as time was running out. Denmark probably knew it was not their day when a brilliant effort from Larsen cracked off the crossbar, but a minute later, a penalty gave them a glimmer of hope. Daniel Agger was pushed off in the penalty area, and although Tomasson’s initial effort was saved by Kawashima, the veteran followed in to scuff in his 52nd international goal. But there was to be no late rally, and Japan clinched their place in the second round three minutes from time, with a goal of real quality. Honda danced into the penalty area, bamboozled Agger with an outrageous Cruyff-turn, and unselfishly squared the ball for substitute Shinji Okazaki to tap into the empty net. Japan’s win sets up an intriguing second round encounter with Paraguay, and the certainty of having a first-time World Cup quarter finalist.

The other match in Group E was an entertaining encounter, without a great deal riding on the game – Cameroon knew it would be their final game of the tournament, while Holland were almost assured of topping the group. Robin van Persie, still waiting for his first goal of the tournament, fired straight at Cameroon keeper Hamidou Souleymanou, while Wesley Sneijder had a shot blocked and Dirk Kuyt fired wide when well placed. Jean Makoun went close for Cameroon, who was playing for pride, but Holland took the lead after 36 minutes. Van Persie played a lovely one-two, and evaded teammate Kuyt before slipping the ball through the legs of Hamidou. But Cameroon was keen to end their tournament on a high, with the experienced duo of Geremi and Samuel Eto’o trying to spur their team on. After the interval, van Persie continued his excellent game by stinging the palms of Hamidou after being sent through by Mark van Bommel, but the Arsenal striker was given a rest on the hour mark as he was replaced by Klaas Jan Huntelaar. After another chance for Eto’o, the Indomitable Lions saw their best chance of the night come and go. A glorious reverse pass from 18-year-old substitute Vincent Aboubakar, making a real impact, saw Makoun bring the best out of Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg, but they got the equaliser they deserved a minute later. A free-kick from Geremi struck the raised arm of van der Vaart in the wall, and Eto’o thumped home the resultant penalty. But the game was won by a moment of magic from Arjen Robben, who came on as a substitute for his first appearance of the World Cup following an ankle injury with 17 minutes remaining. Ten minutes, the Bayern Munich winger danced in from the right touchline, and although his curled effort smacked the inside of the post, fellow substitute Huntelaar tapped into the empty net. Holland joined Argentina in being the only nation to qualify with a 100% record so far, but you expect there is more to come from Bert van Marwijk’s side – they have been functional rather than sensationally, but the return of a fully fit Robben will be an undoubted plus.

PLAYER OF THE DAY – Robert Vittek.
The Slovakian captain is the most obvious choice, after his two goals helped his country cause a spectacular upset, and also made him the joint top scorer so far, with Gonzalo Higuain. Following a trying season, at Lille then Turkish side Ankaragucu, there was some debate over whether Vittek would even make the squad. But make it he did, and his two fabulous goals against Italy were his just rewards. But he also led by example and led from the front, dragging his team over the finishing line. In reality, any one of the Slovakian players could have won this accolade, likewise their Japanese counterparts.

GOAL OF THE DAY – Fabio Quagliarella.

There were plenty of candidates here too – either of the Japanese free-kicks, by Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo; the brilliant clinching chip by Kamil Kopunek for Slovakia; but none was better than Italy’s consolation, through Quagliarella. It could all have been so different if Simone Pepe had not wasted a glorious chance in the dying embers of the match. But the Napoli striker had given Pepe that opportunity to save the game minutes later, when the ball reached him 30 yards out. As he shaped to shoot, he adjusted his body to launch a glorious chip over keeper Jan Mucha. But it was too little, too late.

GAFFE OF THE DAY – Thomas Sorensen.

In a day awash with mistakes, there were plenty of potential winners here also – any of the Italian defence (notably Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Cannavaro) or Daniele de Rossi for his ‘hospital’ pass which led to Slovakia’s first goal. But after a catalogue of errors which ultimately led to his teams’ elimination, Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen gets the nod. He was woefully out of position for Honda’s admittedly brilliant free-kick, while for Endo’s effort, his wall was badly positioned. And the Stoke keeper’s evening almost went from bad to worse, as he allowed a tame free-kick from Endo to slip through his fingers, but he was saved by the post.

FANTASY TEAM

Wesley Sneijder contributed ten points, but mainly due to his role as captain. Marek Hamsik, the talented Slovakia playmaker, finally kick-started his World Cup in the country where he plays his football. After missing a couple of good opportunities, his excellent cross was turned in by Robert Vittek for their second goal. And Robin van Persie completed a good day for my team, scoring his first goal of the tournament.