World Cup, Volume 10

Sat Jun 21

An Irregular Series
The early on btw CHI and BRA has been an up and down affair.  Physical, demanding, difficult on the ref.  And now the news (to me) that every time CHI advances to the knockout stage in the World Cup, they get eliminated by BRA.

And BRA has scored first off of a corner!

BRA 1, CHI 0. 18 min gone.

CHI will still be attacking, but now possibly even more furiously.  (Why is it curiouser and curiouser but not furiouser and furiouser?  Just because of Alice in Wonderland?)

Not only are the knockout rounds generally better because of the skill level of every team, but these two teams specifically are very technically proficient individually and well organized at the team level.  This is a good fun attacking game to enjoy.

The crowd is awesomely pro-BRA.  Unsurprising, yet still impressive.  It gives a real sense of home field advantage and is spurring the BRA players on.

That Neymar is just so so fast when he wants to be.

I am not enjoying this Neymar diving experience.  I am enjoying the rest of his game.

The BRA side looks unhurried yet fast.  Elongated speed even.  CHI looks more frantic and choppy.  Either team can put it together to mount an attack at any moment, make no mistake about that.  The predominant characteristics of their offenses beyond "very skilled" vary, however.

AND ALEXIS SANCHEZ PUNISHES THE ERROR.

(The CHI fans are all cordoned off from the rest of the fans.  That has to be an intimidating experience.  They show no signs of being unenthused, however.)

1-1 32 min gone.

Madness in the attacking box for BRA as CHI cannot clear... and now a near-break for CHI... but not to be.

Neymar is so good guys.  He's got hops taboot.

WOAH!!  If CHI keeps pressing the backfield like this, BRA might well give then un regalo soon enough.  Almost like BRA can't believe CHI is pressing like that.

Hulk score by accident off of knee.
Hulk carded rather than scoring.

That CHI feller up high is quite excited.  That's like... NFL Defensive Back excitement.  CHI is getting into attack attack attack mode and realizing tha BRA is nothing too too special.  No reason for them not to press everyone and make them PROVE their abilities.  Yet again to make a frisbee analogy, it is like pressuring the openside throws of great throwers.  You're not looking for the handblock (though you'll take one) but rather you've making them execute at the highest level over and over again rather than letting them relax and complete passes.

That CHI attacking sequence was glorious.  That the BRA GK saved it?  great positioning and GK-level reaction speed.  You can't ask for more.

CHI generates another short field to attack by pressing the backs of BRA.

SANCHEZ got skills on display, yo.

Even this disjointed second half of play (as of 71min) has been enjoyable.

Jo probably shoulda scored on that perfect cross from HULK.

This CHI coach misordered his polo with little boy sized sleeves.

Excellent Hulk effort.  he looks fresh.  That hamstring injury from early in the tourney seems to have done him well.  Rest?

Hulk is still creating in this extra time.  And Neymar is still jumping way up over folks.

This could be a incredibly meaningful foul on Dani Alves now.  I assume it is for his silver hair.

Happy that Willian is coming on now in the extra extra time for BRA.  I think he's not getting enough time on this BRA squad in large part b/c I feel OScar is overrated.

And CHi could have won it there if not for that pesky crossbar!  Now BRA with a counter and corner.

Fucking PKs.

AAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAHHHH.  So much anticipation.


David Luiz buries it.  BRA 1, CHI 0.
#9 for CHI drives it into the GK.  BRA 1, CHI 0.
Willian for BRA misses wide.  BRA 1, CHI 0.

(on the town the beast is loose)

Alexis Sanchez gets stoned bt the GK.  BRA 1, CHI 0.!!!!!
#6 for BRA puts it through the GK hands.  BRA 2, CHI 0.
CHI #20 BURIES it.  BRA 2, CHI 1.
HULK gets blocked despite crushing!  BRA 2, CHI 1.!!!!!

HOLY CRAPTASTICALITY!

CHI #21 sends it home with just enough rise.  BRA 2, CHI 2. !
Now, the Neymar strikes...
Neymar of course uses his theatricality to send it home.  SO GOOD.  BRA 3, CHI 2.
Jara for CHI... bones it off of the post. Such pain.  Such remorse.

Unreal that penalties end 3-2.

This might be the kick in the ass that BRA needs to show their next level... If they have it at least.  I'm not sure that they do.  The rest of the draw should be so so so happy that CHI was matched up against BRA.  Had they not been, they would have eliminated some other country.

 This Is The World Cup.