Soccer Kick-off (Episode 2)

The much awaited South Africa WC indeed a sensational event of the year. This time, the kick off was unique where South Africa is the all black host! There has been a lot said and written about Bafana Bafana, the South African national team, ahead of the World Cup. Given that the event is taking place there, this is not surprising. It would be interesting to see Bafana Bafana sail into the semifinals at least if not till finals! A great twist for this year world cup.

Friday's (11th June 2010) games showcased everything that makes international soccer maddening for worldwide to watch: dreadful officiating, lack of scoring, and annoyingly conservative strategy. To make things worse, the annoying vuvuzela noise which resembles like millions bees buzzing creates unconducive atmosphere for the players as well as spectators. I am rather disappointed on how most teams played in WC.When the footballers run onto the field, I don't see the fiery spirit in them. They were like, being told to win or to lose.I hope they could have played from their heart. . .and play for their countries and for the fans in reality.

Most of the countries started off their game nervously except Germany who brushed away Australia with a 4-0 win. Germany got down into the field like good ol' soldiers with resilience wrapped up in their sleeves which has their sights set on taking the trophy! Their spirit sends out alarming signal to the rest of the competitors. BEWARE, HERE WE COME!

Australia were brought down with a huge thud! I think they deserved to be taught a lesson for being big-mouth!I just hope they have learnt a lesson and What they should do is to start looking into their performance and brush up their skills and not their EGO. Australians by nature are not humble people, and maybe that is why I have no sympathy for them in this embarrassing defeat.

Day six of the World Cup registered a couple of startling results, the most brazen being the tournament’s first real big shock: Spain’s defeat at the hands of Switzerland. No-one would have expected Swiss to win and maybe even the Swiss battalion itself were left surprised. Still the victory cant be snatched away from Switzerland. La Furia Roja flair worth mentioning this time around with simply scoring by a margin greater than a single goal throughout the game. Above all, they put Germany to shame at semifinals. Germany was subdued throughout and it might have been because of their Paul 's predictions! Spain rocked the stadium with their attacking skills and on the whole they displayed the best team effort to put other 'top guns' to shame!

Although Brazil's initial triumph in early matches were consistent, I was not convinced that is the Brazil team I used to watch in previous WCup tournament! Brazil always has something to prove and I rhought this World Cup will be no different. Strong contenders, stylish play and masterminds in terms of tactics. BUT will they make it to the final this time around? I dont see the 'fire' in the eyes of the 5 time WC champions! Not anymore. Even with the finesse of Maicon and Fabiano, its merely hopeless.Samba game that we eagerly anticipated, now remains as fantasy.

However, having said that,let us look at Argentina. This is an experienced squad with their mission as the focal point, even with distractions, they can still perform. Strong looking argentina displayed optimistic journey to victory. With the likes of Messi and Tevez, who I believe are truly outstanding players, it was disappointing to see how they perform against some of the stronger teams.The Argentines, who progressed from the group stage in fine style and were quickly installed by many as the favourites to win the World Cup, had no answer to the efficiency of a German team who have shown great composure in their last few games and must now fancy their chances of winning the coveted trophy for a fourth time. Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup by Germany, who put on a class act to reach the semi-finals. It was a huge disappointment for me since they were my favourite team!

The WC has brought upon many surprises . It was so difficult to determine the outcomes and I think the best victory is yet to come! Keep your fingers crossed for the first ever Spain who have shown they can do something at the greatest tournament of all; they have shown they ARE someone.Oranje has also made it to the finals for first time ever. One will lift the World Cup trophy for the first time and join the seven other nations to win a world championship.

Cant wait for the best to emerge! Waka Waka Eh eh! This time is Africa

It’s time for World Cup 2010 (Episode 1)

Once in four years, the entire world has the fever, the most hyped ‘Soccer fever’. It’s here. After 4 years of waiting, it’s finally here again. This time in Africa! Our Maxis commercial ad bringing two celebrated world players, Lionel Messi and Frank Lampard envisaged standing at your doorstep whilst earnestly pleading is more than a gentle reminder every time it flashes across our TV screen! So much so that all football enthusiast were geared up for the sensational event of the year!!
Friday, June 11, 2010 began with aplomb. Let’s welcome back the biggest, most exciting, anticipated and dramatic event in the world… FIFA World Cup 2010, the event we have been waiting for so eagerly with myriad of electrifying matches, players’ dexterity in battle field, golden player stealing the limelight with their excellent finesse, tactical fixture, dribbling style and line of attacks across 34 teams ranging from invisible team up to top ‘guns’ which leaves us gasping for more. Every nook and corner, we catch glimpse of jerseys various preferable teams for sale (as in Argentina, Brazil, Germany & England). Billboards carrying the official ambassadors of world cup tournament, and indisputably star stoppers as Lionel Messi. Cafes and restaurants are jam-packed with football aficionados alike with their mug of teh tarik, coffee and yelling at the top of their voice ‘goal!!!’ if a goal is scored or followed by huge roar of disappointment if Jabulani ball decide to take a huge diversion and cause anxiety to all..Wakawaka Wakawaka ( Even laughter has been glorified with soccer spirit). All the countdowns and whatnots seem like a universal carnival! At least, I can proudly claim that our hearts and spirits are united in this soccer platform! Voila!
Now, all the rhetoric articulated above has stormed in and expected to last at least till the finals on 12th July 2010. I do like football but I am not really so obsessive till I stay up late night for all the matches. If there are real world cup fanatics, my apologies! Go ahead! Enjoy your World Cup. But frankly speaking, I have metamorphed into an ardent ethusiast of soccer! By no means, will I ever fail to keep informed on the up-to-the-minute information on soccer results, happenings in South Africa and what’s being said by officials, coaches and catch up with the players’ excerpt in media. And not to forget the show stopper, Paul the Octopus aka Oracle of Oberhausen for his famous predictions! Hahaha..Although I don’t have faith in such superstitions in this century, yet, it was fun to wait and find out the probability of Paul’s prediction! On top of it, it’s very silly for some fans to get mad at the poor cephalopod with caveat of making a dish out of it! Very amusing to me though it only reflects nothing but absurdity. Com’on folks, leave the mollusc alone. It was just picking its food, not a team to taste victory even though they are known as intelligent creature. Don’t corrupt them too for god sake! To me the oracle’s divination is bizarre but personally I feel soccer is becoming too superstitious these days. Soccer should not be admixed with ridiculous convictions and ruin the true fortitude.