World Cup Volume 7

Sat Jun 21-Sun Jun 22

An Irregular Series

BEL v RUS.

First look I've gotten at the Russians.  They look hard-working and fit.  Not sure that BEL will give them much of a chance with the ball over the game, as up to this point at the beginning of the game, BEL has dominated possession and while RUS has gotten one counterattack, they flubbed it horribly.

BEL seems content to rely on their long, largely veritical passing game.  Not vertical only going forward, but vertical going in both directions.  Counter this to the persistent swing 'round hte back that many teams do in the defensive half.

nice shot leading to a RUS corner... which nearly turns into a valid BEL counter... isntead, the ball goes OB on the RUS tackle.

WEll-developed BEL attack foiled at about  8 yards out by a solid mark iinterrupting the pass to Lukaku.

What a great last name "Lukaku" is.

Some nice combinmation play down the right side for RUS now leads to a RUS corner.  This has the feeling of a game which will see its first goal come on a messy corner or cross of some kind and then the tenor will change.  If BEL scores first, it might well be over.  if RU scores first, it might well make it more interesting.

OH!  and a perfect RU cross hits the forward in the head and doesn't get on goal!  That coulda been exactly the play!
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The second half has seen RUS using more aggressive overlapping runs on both sides and generating a few good looks at the goal, but no results.  The BEL side has been using energy, but it is unclear what the purpose has been.  Certainly both these teams will be happy to take the point and walk, but it doesn't seem that either is attempting to simply tamp down the opponent witout attacking.

Now!  Ahandball just outside the RUS penalty box!  BEL will get a free kick!

I've come to terms with the RUS jersey... but am reasonably certain that they just look way better up close than at distance.

NICE SHOT ON THE FREE KICK... But no!  The post!

And BEL attacks again only to be a step or two off!

BEL seem committed to attack for this stretch of game.  Not sure that it wil yield any goal, but it is high-pressure attacking right now with about 6 minites left.

Now Hazard is getting a shot off, which results in a BEL corner.  Now BEL offsides might end the attacking for a while with RUS in control of the ball.

And Origi... to HAZARD... BACK TO ORIGI FOR THE GOAL!!!  87minutes gone!!

Soccer, everybody!  Soccer!
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ALG is playing really very hard against KOR.  Attacking hard when KOR has the ball, and going forward without rushing when they possess it.
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Woah.  I was  obviously up late last night.  I woke back up this afternoon still in the first half and it was ALG 3, KOR 0.

Didn't even realize what was happening there.

Caught the majority of the second half, and KOR showed a lot of grit and skill., but ALG plus their insurance goal proved to be too much.

On to USA v POR.
Off to USA v POR.
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So that USA game was crazy crazy crazy.  It was awesome, andd it was terrible adn it was awesome all over again.  until it was awful all over again. IT was a ton of this that the other and then more of all.

USA looked to control the field for most of the encounter, but did not prevent from one-legged Ronaldo from being a force.

While there are a thousand things so say negatively about that last goal, there isn't much that truly matters.  That's soccer, eh?

On to 4 days of 2 games at a time twice per day.
I think I'll make it until the break on Friday. I think.