June 20, 2018
Well, our two cents has to be worth something. Faced with so much uninformed commentary about Russia 2018 we are obliged to join the fray. After all, we do know a little about football.
Before we say another word, we must hail Mexico and their World Cup first game performance. They made us proud. Their composure and cleverness left the overconfident Germans in shock. Why the Germans thought the Mexicans could be trusted to counter attack harmlessly we may never know. Be we’re certain they won’t try that again.
Of course, Senegal gets a big up, too. They brought a wonderful African style of football, perhaps coming close to what we have seen a Cameroon team can do when in form. And their coach, Ailou Cisse, has become an Internet sensation, with his decisive fist pumps. The Lions of Teranga are the first African team to win in Russia, with Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco all failing to get three points in their first game.
Our region as a whole has not fared well, including Brazil. They never
commanded their game like true champions. Their forays into the Swiss half sometimes delighted, but they lacked structure when moving goal ward. Neymar was rather ineffective, and, lacking Pele’s and Maradonna’s robustness, he was prone on the field as often as he was vertical. If they show form in their second group game against Costa Rica, they may redeem themselves and become the first team from our region to make it to the next round. Unfortunately, it may be at the expense of another regional team.
Looking back, we can only say that Argentina has to stop choking; Peru put up a great fight but they threw it away with a missed penalty, like Argentina; Uruguay is looking good with six points under their belt; Russia is showing good form, having won their first two games; Spain is perhaps playing the best football we’ve seen so far although Ronaldo stopped them from getting three points. And although Portugal sent Morocco home, we heard someone say that the team looks like August Town FC plus CR7.