Day 15. What happened today in Brazil.
Watching, and supporting the idea of, the World Cup is a moral dilemma,
with all the well reported issues in Brazil that need money more than
brand new stadiums. So does wanting Algeria to win make one an even more ethically inept person?
Algeria, the country and the regime, survived the Arab Spring by using a
tiny portion of it's vast oil wealth to keep the people happy for a
while. While appearing to be a little more democratic than Tunisia and
Libya, it is still a country run by a privileged inner circle, with
backing from the very powerful military. Today Algeria made history of a
completely different kind. They drew 1-1 with Russia to make it into
the second round of the World Cup for the first time. If we really want
to get into the existing political scenarios, it would be a tough choice
to choose between Russia and Algeria for who would be a better choice
to progress.
Hard as it is, and morally questionable, taking it
just as a football event it was a momentous occasion, and especially so
when you realize who Algeria play in the round of 16. Germany. Not the
same West Germany but close enough to the team that is the reason why
Fifa introduced the simultaneous match times for final group games after
1982. In that World Cup, after Algeria beat W Germany 2-1, the Germans
and Austrians knew that a 1-0 win for Germany would see both teams
qualify for the second round, as they knew the result of Algeria's final
game, played earlier. And, that is what happened. One goal scored and
an agreed non-aggression pact between the teams after that. And there
was nothing that Algeria could do. Except for waiting 32 years to get
revenge. I'm looking forward to this one.
Amongst the
intensity of the Algerians, players and fans, and the desperation of the
Russians I found time for a chuckle towards the end. As the ball went
out of play in front of the Algerian bench, one of the subs kicked it,
as commentators are wont to say, into row z, to the frustration of the
Russians who didn't have a second to spare. Over trotted Mr officious
referee, who found the offending sub, and brandished a yellow card in
his face for time wasting. Now, if that was the only ball they had I
would understand it because it would take a long time to find it and
throw it down from the top tier. However, Fifa provides what seems like a
constant supply of footballs and as soon as one goes out, another one
appears. By the time the referee had come over, identified the player,
shown him the yellow card and made note of his name, the Russians were
probably waiting to take the throw in with a new ball. So it is the
referee who should get a yellow card for wasting time.
At the
same time as Algeria-Russia, Belgium were beating South Korea 1-0,
despite playing all the second half with 10 players. This
two-matches-at-the-same-time thing presents a dilemma. Which to watch?
They both count. My decision was based on potential for excitement
(Belgium had played 2 very boring matches, Algeria had looked like the
version of Brazil that Brazil haven't found in their last match),
potential for wild supporters celebrating historical moment (definitely
Algeria) and potential for once almighty manager looking increasingly
desperate as his team struggles against supposedly inferior opposition
(only one candidate, Mr Cappello). The right choice was made.
In other happenings today, Germany beat USA 1-0 and thousands of
Americans celebrated a defeat because Portugal hadn't beaten Ghana by
enough goals. Apparently more Americans are now watching football than
baseball. I'm sure many of them were baffled by the above reasons for
celebrating but are doing it anyway, because it makes a nice change from
celebrating a team's win which could be one of over a 100 games played
in a season, many of which against the same opposition, and just as long
as they finish somewhere towards the top of the league still have a
chance of winning the whole thing in the post-season, even if they were
the worst of all those teams. Confused now? Yes, goal difference seems a
lot simpler, no?
Ghana ended with a defeat and without 2 of
their players who were sent home before playing Portugal because of an
argument with their coach and Ghanaian officials. I wonder if they met
the specially chartered plane from Ghana carrying their bonuses, in
cash, at the airport on their way out.
Tomorrow, they, and we,
rest. Enough time to digest what has happened over the last 15 days, and
to enjoy this moment one more time. Will revenge be sweet? Will revenge
happen? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJD79UQihZw
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