Making Their Case for Best in the World

Today was lined up as a great day of soccer with two high quality matches: England vs Germany and Mexico vs Argentina. The English side had played quite poorly in the group stages, but still had the talent to pose a real threat to the Germans, who had only dropped one game, the game in which they played with ten men for two-thirds of the time. With these two soccer powers meeting in the round of sixteen, it was somewhat surprising to think about one of them going home already. Still, only one could move on and it was time to find out who.


England vs Germany

The first fifteen or so minutes of the game were somewhat dull as each team was testing the other out, trying to find the best places to attack. As a result, possession was held pretty evenly, though Germany seemed to do slightly more with the ball rather than just hold onto it and knock it around. The only real chance of this early patient period was when Mesut Ozil was played through on a nice chip over the English back line. He was able to put a shot on goal from a poor angle, but keeper David James denied his attempt. This weakness to balls played over the top would come back to burn England in the 20th minute when Miroslav Klose somehow was able to split two defenders on a long ball forward by the keeper Manuel Neuer and then touch it past James for the first goal of the game. This was terrible, terrible marking by the English defenders but also a bad job by James staying rooted to the line and only coming out when it was too late. Even with the bad play by England, credit must be given to Klose for fighting through the defenders and finishing well.

England seemed to be lacking creativity throughout this match as they couldn't find a way through the German defense on most of their attacks. They almost looking confused and befuddled when they had the ball and tried to push everything through the middle rather than get the wings involved. Germany pushed their wingers into the play well and this was perhaps the reason England didn't get wide as much. In the 30th, Sami Khedira set up Thomas Muller with a nifty backheel and Muller played through to Ozil who tried to elevate the ball over James but couldn't clear the keeper. Germany was pushing to take further control of the game with their second goal and it came in the 32nd minute when Klose played a clever chip to work Muller in behind the defense. Rather than take the shot himself, Muller crossed to Lukas Podolski who got the ball onto his favored left foot and blasted the ball across the face of goal and off the back post and in. Fantastic finish from Podolski and excellent quick passing by Germany which has been their trademark in this tournament.

After this second goal, England seemed to come alive and actually play up to their potential. In the 35th, James Milner put in a nice cross to Frank Lampard at the near post, but Neuer was just barely able to get his arm up to deflect the shot away. Neuer was fantastic all game long, but even he couldn't stop England in the 37th minute when Steven Gerrard found Matthew Upson in the middle with a cross and Upson buried the header for England's first goal. By all accounts, they should have had their second in the very next minute when Lampard dipped a volley over the head of Neuer and off the underside of the crossbar and in. However, neither the referee nor his assistant saw the ball cross the line and when the ball bounced back up, it hit the crossbar and then came down again, but this time in front of the goal line. Since they didn't see the ball over the line initially, they were fooled by the path of the ball after that and no goal was awarded. This was a terrible miss by the officiating crew and it changed the entire complexion of the game. Rather than England being able to essentially reset the game by tying it up, they were instead still pushing from behind to catch the Germans and Germany was able to take advantage of that.

England was starting to finally get into an offensive rhythm at the end of the first half and they were able to carry that over into the second half as well as they tried to get level (again). In the 52nd, Lampard ambitiously lined up a free kick from far out on the right side and, to everyone's surprise but his own, put a rocket of a shot on goal that clanged off the crossbar. England kept pressing after that and were pressing again when they were finally undone by it. Off of a failed corner, Gareth Barry took a terrible touch on the ball to give it away to the Germans and all of the sudden, Germany was on the break as most of the English defenders were left in their offensive zone after coming up for the corner. Bastian Schweinsteiger took control of the breakout and brought it back to the middle before playing a pretty through ball that Muller buried in the back of the net. Excellent counter by the Germans but there were still mistakes by the English that allowed the goal to happen. Glen Johnson had a chance to tackle Schweinsteiger off the ball but pulled back in case he fouled him, which is actually what he should have done even if it earned him a card.. Then before Muller's shot, James guessed far post and started to fall that way, taking him completely out of position when Muller aimed a good, but savable shot at the near post. Germany made these arguments over who was to blame academic just three minutes later when Ozil beat Barry to a long ball down the left flank, carried the ball calmly into the box, and found a streaking Muller towards the back post and Muller made no mistake. Two daggers in the span of four minutes, and this game was over for England. Fantastic performance by Germany with sloppy defense by England, but it would still be nice to know how things would have gone if Lampard's goal had counted and England had tied things at 2-2 in the first half.

Germany 4 - 1 England


Mexico vs Argentina

Here was a chance for revenge for Mexico as Argentina knocked them out last tournament in the round of sixteen on Maxi Rodriguez's absurdly difficult side volley into the back corner of the goal. Coming into this match, it was hard to envision anyone beating Argentina however, as they had ran through their first three games with little difficulty and were an early favorite to take home the title of world champions. It was hard to see that early on though as Mexico had the best chances on goal and almost took the early lead. Carlos Salcido started things off in the 8th minute with a nice shot from distance that keeper Sergio Romero didn't seem to see until it was already past him. Luckily for Romero and Argentina, the shot struck the crossbar and the game stayed scoreless. The very next minute though, Andres Guardado took an outside of the foot shot that barely scooted past the left post. If this ball had been curling in rather than out, it would have ended up in the back of the net rather than bouncing off the placards beside the goal. Mexico was being denied goals at the very last stage whereas Argentina's attacks were missing that last touch or last dribble or last past that would put them through. Several times they had attempts blocked, or had their dribbling attackers closed off by Mexican defenders at the last minute. Tense times for both fans that made for an exciting early part of the match.

Things had just started to slow down due to the intense Mexican pressure keeping the Argentina attack from building, when Argentina broke through and got on the board first, albeit controversially. It's no surprise that it was Lionel Messi with the creativity to get things going as he slotted the ball through to Carlos Tevez who had his original chance stopped by keeper Oscar Perez. The ball dropped to Messi though and the superstar flipped the ball forward to Tevez who headed it in for the goal. The problem was that Tevez was obviously in an offside position and for some reason, the referee's assistant missed it. Really, this was an easy call as the official was in a perfect position to see Tevez but inexplicably kept the flag down. The referee conferred with his assistant as they were mobbed by Mexican players appealing for an offsides call, but the goal stood and Argentina was unfairly put up 1-0. It would soon be 2-0 in the 33rd minute when Mexican defender Ricardo Osorio badly misplayed the ball and left it for Gonzalo Higuain, who jumped at the chance. Higuain held off Osario on his back while cleverly touching the ball around Perez before finishing into the open goal. An unforgivable mistake by Osario, but a lovely bit of skill from Higuain to make the most of the opportunity. Argentina put down the pedal after this and Mexico was lucky to make it to the break only down by two goals.

That didn't last long, however, as a wonderful individual effort from Tevez put Argentina up 3-0. Tevez had his initial pass blocked, but the ball squirted out to his right and Tevez stepped into a rocket of a shot from around twenty-five yards out that Perez never had a chance at. The ball sailed into the right corner of the goal and Mexico looked to be heading home again to Argentina and again in the round of sixteen. They never gave up though and created opportunities going forward. Substitute Pablo Barrera made a nice run along the goal line in the 60th minute but put his shot into the side netting. Then in the 63rd, Javier Hernandez got open in the box for a header on goal but put it over the top instead of in the back of the net. This was a fantastic opportunity for Hernandez and one he absolutely had to do better with. He did better in the 71st minute when his quick turn beat his defender and his shot roofed the keeper at the near post to put Mexico on the board. Unfortunately for them, it was too little too late as Argentina won their fourth straight game and moved on to the quarterfinals.

Argentina 3 - 1 Mexico


Despite the lopsided final scores, both of these games were quite competitive for most of the time. Both Argentina and Germany were too much for their opponents however, and have perhaps been the most impressive teams in this tournament so far. Perennial powerhouse Brazil may have something to say about that tomorrow when they take on Chile in what could be a highly entertaining affair. Holland are no slouches either and they try to make quick work of defensive minded Slovakia and their talented striker Robert Vittek. Great elimination games today and I can only hope that tomorrow's will be up to snuff. Thank you all for reading and keep enjoying these matches.