Category: Journal

The knockout rounds have arrived, and with them the thin margins that decide everything. Brazil edged Japan two to one, though the Samurai held the lead at the half hour and looked, for a while, as though they might keep it; in the end they could not. Germany and Paraguay could not be separated in…

The tournament has reached its middle stages, and today brought the round of 32: Canada against South Africa. In honesty it was a poor match, slow and shapeless, the sort that tests a supporter’s patience more than his nerves. It seemed bound for extra time and the lottery of penalties. Then, deep in added time,…

The group stage closed today, and I watched it go out on a full slate. England saw off Panama without trouble, two goals to nil, and Croatia edged Ghana by the same margin it always seems to take them, 2-1. Colombia and Portugal could not separate themselves and settled for a goalless draw. The day’s…

Another great day for World Cup football.

The group stage closed today, and the table sorted itself out in the usual mixture of justice and luck. Ecuador took Germany 2-1, a fine result that carried them through as the best of the third-placed sides, though Germany had long since secured the top of the group and lost nothing by it. Japan held…

A good day to follow the football. Mexico took Chequia three to nothing and finished the group with all three matches won, which I cannot remember them ever managing before. It bodes well. Elsewhere the day ran less kindly: South Africa edged Korea one to nil, and though I hope the Koreans still go through,…

A full slate of football, and the form of it told its own story. Portugal put five past Uzbekistan without breaking stride, while England and Ghana ground out a goalless draw that gave the doubters all the ammunition they needed. Croatia took their match one to nothing, though the result is not what stayed with…

A full slate of football today, and I gave myself over to it. Argentina dispatched Austria two to nothing, and Jordan went down narrowly to Algeria, a single goal the difference. France’s three to nothing over Iraq came only after a long thunderstorm held the match in abeyance, the kind of delay that tests a…

A full slate of football today, and I gave it most of my attention. Spain dispatched Saudi Arabia without mercy, four to nil, the kind of result that says more about the gap between sides than about either of them. Uruguay and Cape Verde traded blows to a two-all draw, the better story by far,…

A day of departures at the World Cup. The Netherlands put five past Sweden and conceded one in return, though the scoreline flattered no one in the end: Sweden survive to play another match. Germany got past the Ivory Coast by the odd goal, two to one, and Ecuador and Curaçao played out a goalless…