World Cup - A review of the beautiful game.

The World Cup is over now and  for the winners Germany it is probably just sinking in what they have achieved. 

I thought the the some of the group games where fantastic and teams played without fear. 

One of the group games  I enjoyed watching was when France beat Switzerland by five goals to two and the French played amazing free flowing footballs. 

The game that I found most exciting was the Ghana versus Germany match and this match could have gone either way but ended up in the draw. 

However the match that almost put me sleep was Nigeria versus Iran was an incredibly boring match with both teams trying hard not to score....

So I thought the knock out games where going to be just as good and sadly it was not the case. The free flowing football had been replaced with edgy and defensive football. 

The stand out game of the knock out stages was Germany beating the host Brazil by seven goals to one. It was a little embarrassing to watch and this was compounded by the crying fans in the stadium. 

So the two most efficient and consistent teams of the tournament Germany and Argentina who made it to the final. 

However it was a little bit of a damp squib with little or no entertainment but the German team where the worthy winners. 

World Cup - Day fifteen

Day fifteen at the World Cup and Germany beat the USA by a goal to nil, however curtesy to other group results going their way USA where able to qualify for the knock out stages. 

In the other group game Portugal beat Ghana by two goals to one. This was tough match for both countries because result could have gone either way. 

However I was disappointed with the way the World Cup ended for Ghana. Two players sent home in disgrace and the others demanding their bonus. 

It has embarrassed Ghana and the focus should have been on how to beat Portugual. Hopefully these discpline and financial issues will not be repeated at the next World Cup. 

Elsewhere Algeria drew one all with Russia and with this win, Algeria qualified for the knock out stages.

Algeria where two of the only African countries to make it through to the knock out stages. Which is an amazing accomplishment for them. 

Now they face Germany in the knock out stages and this will probably see them bow out but it does not take away from there amazing achievements and they certainly have made Africa proud.  

World Cup - Day ten

Day ten of the World Cup and  Germany and Ghana drew two all and this was a match that could have gone either way. 

However at two goals to one to Ghana Andre Ayew had the chance to square the ball and make it three one. But he selfishly decided to take a shot which was saved by the German goalkeeper. 

I think this selfish act was quite costly as soon as Germans went down the other end they scored the equaliser and by the end Ghana was literally holding on to the draw. 

But not many people expected Ghana to even get a point and so to get a draw exceeded many people expectation and was a good result. 

Nigeria beat Bosina- Hercegovina by two goals to one and this was a good win for Nigeria and they now only need a point to qualify for the knock out stages.

Argentina beat Iran by one goal to nil and they literally scored the winner in stoppage time. This was a cruel blow to Iran who had where looking to get at least a point out of the game. 

However Iran are not out and if they win there next game against Bosnia Hercegovina and this could still go through.  

World Cup - Day five

Day five at the World Cup and USA beat Ghana by two goals to one and Ghana had an awful start as the USA scored in the first thirty seconds. 

Ghanaian team where on the back foot and finally equalised only for the USA to score from a corner four minutes later. 

For many Ghanaians this result would be hard to take and it is compounded by the fact that the team played well but could not win. 

The USA where very clinical and they did enough to win the match. They played exactly how there manager Jurgen Klinsman would them have wanted to play. 

Only the problem for the USA will be that they suffered injuries with key players and  this might affect them in their next game. 

Elsewhere Nigeria drew nil nil with Iran and it was a lacklustre match with both team not really going for it. 

However Iran will be very pleased with there one point and will be hoping they can build on this draw. 

World Cup preview

Ok I am a little late with my World Cup preview but it is better late than never..I haven't got World Cup fever yet but I am sure I will soon get it. 

The teams to watch this World Cup are Spain, Argentina, Italy, Germany and Brazil. Needless to say that they are all World Cup wiinners. 

These teams will be hard to beat with their experience of winning this plus some unbelievable players. 

Teams that I think have an outside chance of winning it our France and Portugual. France are former winners but I don't think they have the team to win it but I expect them to do reasonably well. 

I also think that realistically Ivory Coast might do reasonably well. I am hoping that both Ghana and England do well but it is going to be incredibly difficult for them. 

So it should a really interesting World Cup with lost of twists and turns, happiness and heartbreak and that is why it's called the beautiful game. 

World Cup - selected group review

The draw for Brazil 2014 took place yesterday and there where a few surprises. 

England are in a group with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica. It is going to be a tough World Cup for England as the draw has not been kind to them. 

It will be a a real uphill task to qualify for the next round. I think they will really struggle to get a win against any of these teams.

Ghana are also in a very very tough group with Germany, Portugal, USA. It is really hard to imagine Ghana topping this group. 

They better pray that they have all their players are fully fit to have any realistic chance of topping or winning this group.

Spain also in a tough group with Holland, Chile and Australia. It won't be easy but I can imagine Spain will make it to the knock out stages. 

After struggling to qualify for the Workf Cup France have somehow managed to be drawn into a reasonable group with Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras. I can imagine that they will make it to the knockout stages. 

Nigeria have drawn into a farely reasonable group with Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iran. I can see Nigeria qualifying for the knock stages.

 

World Cup round up - playoffs

Some of the World Cup playoffs took place last night and France beat Ukraine by three goals to nil.

It was a fantastic come back for the French as they had lost the first leg by two goals to nil.

I was relieved that Didier Deschamps left Oliver Giroud on the bench, as I think that technically Giroud would have been ineffective last night.

 

It is credit to Didier Deschamps that he went for more attacking line up which helped them to win the match and qualify for Brazil 2014.

Elsewhere Ghana qualified for their third successive World Cup and which means Ghana are now going to Brazil 2014.

World Cup - round up

World Cup qualification matches took place on Tuesday and England beat Poland two goals to nil.

I was surprised with the ease in which England beat Poland. However England  have a long way to go to before they can convince me that they are potential champions.

Elsewhere the reigning World and European champions, Spain, qualified after beating Georgia by two goals to nil.

Spain's team is stronger than ever and they even recently gave the Swansea City player Michu his first international call up. To me they are one of the teams to beat.

In the African qualification section, Ghana beat Egypt by six goal to one. This was an outstanding performance by Ghana.

It is not often that Ghana wins game with such an emphatic scoreline. I think that Michael Essien return to the team has boosted the midfield and made them more clinical in front the goal.

 It should hopefully mean that the away leg in Egypt will be a is just a formality and Ghana would hopefully have qualified for their World Cup.