Chapter 95: Opening of the World Cup

Chapter 95: Opening of the World Cup

On June 11, 2010, the opening game of the World Cup in South Africa officially started. The first match was between the host South Africa and the strong enemy Mexico.

In the first half, the two sides scored a goalless draw. In the fifty-fifth minute of the second half, the South African team took the lead to break the deadlock. South African midfielder Chabalala scored the World Cup with a stunning long shot. 's first goal.

Mexico, which fell behind, fought back aggressively in the ensuing game and finally equalized the score with a header from Barcelona captain Marcos in the 73rd minute.

The score of 1:1 was maintained until the end of the game. This draw can also be called "unhappy", and the classic battle is far from enough.

The ambitious Mexican team was tied 1:1 by the host South African team. The plan to win three points before the game fell through.

In 2010, the Mexican team, where Aguirre replaced Eriksson, participated in a total of 12 games, with a record of 8 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. In the recent warm-up match, the world champion Italy team was beheaded with a score of 2:1. Under the horse, the Aztecs with high morale set foot on the land of Africa with great ambitions, and even shouted the slogan "Win the World Cup". According to common sense, the strength of the Mexican team is higher than that of the South African team, but no matter how strong it is, it will not escape the cycle of fate.

This is the fifth time in the history of Mexico to participate in the opening match of the World Cup. The previous four appearances in the first match of the World Cup have 3 losses and 1 draw. In 1930, when the World Cup was founded, France was honored to be selected as the representative of the opening match, in order to pay tribute to the French who founded this event. Regards Rimet.

The Gallic rooster gave way, but the Uruguayans also hospitablely sent Mexico as a sacrifice to the French as their opponent in the opening game. As a result, France won a big 4:1 victory.

In 1950, after the cease-fire of the Second World War, the World Cup returned to the big stage. The football kingdom Brazil played host, and naturally it was also a hit. So Mexico once again became a snack, with no power to fight back. In the end, it was defeated by 0:4. at the master's house.

In 1962, the World Cup continued to be held in South America, and the Chileans selected Mexico to the defending champion Brazil as a sacrifice in the opening match. A small 2:0 victory like a character, and finally successfully defended the title.

Although Mexico finally stopped the losing streak in the opening game in 1970 and drew with the powerful Soviet Union 0:0, it is inevitable to be regarded as the "lucky star" of the host or defending champion participating in the opening game.

Before the game, from Aguirre to captain Marcos, they all kept saying that they wanted to end the vicious circle of no win in the World Cup opening game, but the ending was "business as usual".

Although the Aztecs took the initiative in the first half, they gained momentum and failed to score. In the second half, they were "surprised" by South Africa and scored. After Marcos equalized the score, he was almost defeated by South Africa in stoppage time. Mexico Lucky not to lose.

In addition to factors such as the right time, place and people, the reason why the South African team was able to win this tie is also inseparable from the help of coach Pereira. Pereira led the team to participate in five World Cups before and won a total of With 13 victories, his experience has to some extent made up for the lack of strength in South Africa.

In the first game with Mexico, the Brazilian coach was in command from beginning to end, and South Africa was unbeaten in the end. Pereira led the team to participate in the World Cup with a winning rate as high as 60%. As long as he can lead South Africa to repeat this winning rate this time, he can qualify from the group stage and enter the top 16. Although Mexico coach Aguirre is participating in the World Cup for the second time, compared with Pereira, he is still a little immature.

Although the first game ended in a draw, there were still two goals. The second game, a contest between the two former world champions, gave the fans a drowsy and boring game.

During the game, Uruguayan player Lodeiro was sent off by the referee for a foul on French player Sarnia and accumulated two yellow cards. This was the first red card in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

But even so, the Gallic Roosters still failed to get off to a good start in their World Cup debut in South Africa. After a close 90-minute game, they drew 0-0 with the sent-off Uruguay team.

After the two World Cups in 2002 and 2006, the French team scored 0 goals in the first match of the third consecutive World Cup!

Coach Domenech was very frustrated at the press conference after the game, but he emphasized that what's the use of not grasping the opportunity?

The top scorer Benzema was abandoned, and Henry, the most experienced player in the World Cup, was thrown on the bench. Seeing that the favorite goalkeeper Govou missed the shot opportunity close at hand after the opening, who should Domenech feel sorry for?

France's downturn in the first match of the World Cup has become a tradition. In the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, the French team lacked Zidane and lost 0:1 to Senegal in the first match. In the end, they missed the group.

In the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the French team was drawn by Switzerland in the first game. It was Domenech who led the team to participate in the game.

In fact, before the start of this World Cup, the signs of the French team's weak attack were very obvious. Even in the warm-up match against the Chinese team at home, the big-name French team could not think of any decent way to attack and could only rely on Ribe Here personal breakthroughs come up with opportunities.

Facing Uruguay, which is obviously stronger in defense, the loss of the French striker is not surprising. Compared with the performance of the Chinese team, the performance of the French team's offensive line in this game is already considered good.

For the French team, the tragedy of zero goals in the first game is not limited to the World Cup. In the first round of the 2008 European Championship, the French team was also blocked by the Eastern European team Romania, and the final result was also 0:0.

Counting 2006 and 2010, Domenech alone created a goalless draw for the French team in three competitions. Is this a coincidence? Who would believe it.

In France's two World Cups and one European Championship, the responsibility for zero goals in the first round obviously cannot be attributed to Domenech, who is conservative in his bones. Instead, we should ask why such a player will have Henry, Anne The team of excellent forwards such as Erka and Benzema has become a head coach who is so difficult to even score a goal. Can they still stand firmly as the national team coach?

Emphasize the fact that this is no longer the original French team in 1998!

Twelve years ago, Jacquet had only parallel importers like Kivas and immature young players like Henry and Trezeguet, but under Domenech, he had Henry, Trezeguet, Anelka and Benzema .

But since he can replace Benzema with Gewu, he has to be prepared to bear the price of wasting the youth of a young shooter.

In this World Cup, the 31-year-old Gowuben was placed high hopes by Domenech, and inherited the No. 10 jersey left by two generations of masters, Platini and Zidane.

However, Ge Wu's poor performance in this game is not only completely unworthy of the No. 10 behind him, it can even be described as humiliating.

The disadvantage of Ge Wu's poor ability to grab points in the whole game was undoubtedly exposed, and he missed the must-go goal at the beginning of the game. Playing on the right side, but unable to improve the team's offense with passes and breakthroughs. The crosses lacked sights, and the threatening passes created were even zero. There were only a few successful dribbles. Of course, this data has There has been a certain improvement. In the previous warm-up matches of the French team, Govou did not even make a successful breakthrough. What's more, during the 85 minutes of Gewu's hard work on the court, he only contributed two poor shots, and none of them were on target.

Heroes and bears are often just a thought. I am afraid that this sentence is used to describe today's Ge Wu. Although the "Gallic Rooster" created several times as many opportunities as the opponent Uruguay in the whole game, they were all squandered one by one.

Especially at the beginning of the game, Govou, wearing the No. 10 jersey of the French team, found a chance to "go in with one touch" in front of the goal, but accidentally missed the ball. And he could have become the protagonist of today's game, scoring all three points for the French team and winning a good start, but in the end Govou chose another path.

At that time, when Ribery was unattended, a low and flat ball was passed to the goal. The ball arrived, and Ge Wu, who inserted it in time, needed to do at this time, just push the ball to break the deadlock. Rewrite the score.

It's a pity that he didn't hit the right position, but he could only watch the ball go out. Perhaps because of his self-confidence, Ge Wu disappeared on the court, and his chances of being photographed were few and far between.

In fact, Govou has always been a sluggish player in major competitions. Since 2008, the Lyon striker has not had a scoring record in the national team.

The lack of calmness in front of the goal and the low ability to resist pressure have caused Gewu to have no stable position in the national team. In the 2002 World Cup, the 23-year-old Govou was "abandoned" by the coach Le Maire and stayed in China. Four years later, in the World Cup in Germany, Govou was lucky enough to be replaced only because of Cisse's accidental injury. , Govou, who was at his peak, did not have any eye-catching performances. On the contrary, Govou, who is now 30 years old, was entrusted with important tasks by Domenech again, and even awarded the No. 10 jersey, which also reflected the French from another aspect. The talent in the team withered.

Since Zidane retired in the summer of Germany in 2006, the "Gallic Rooster" has not had a qualified successor, and this No. 10 jersey, which symbolizes honor and status, has also been transferred to Forber and Benzema successively. , Valbuena and Govou, but they are all useless people. It can be said that this No. 10 jersey has not yet found its real owner.

The two games in the first round of Group A of the World Cup in South Africa are all over. After two draws, the four teams are still at the same starting line.

On the first match day of the World Cup in South Africa, such a mediocre start really made the fans not expect that the qualifying situation of Group A has become complicated and confusing. To paraphrase a slogan: everything is possible.

Group A of the World Cup in South Africa is the most special of all eight groups because of the presence of the host South African team. If we only look at the strength and experience of the four teams, then France, Mexico and Uruguay are all above South Africa, and the two qualifying places will be more likely to come from France, Mexico and Ukraine. However, given the history of the World Cup, The host team has the practice of qualifying for the group without exception, and the situation of qualifying for this group will become complicated.

After the World Cup draw was announced at the end of last year, many experts and media believed that Group A might be the group with the most uncertain qualifications. After the first round, this view was confirmed.

In the standings of Group A, 4 teams share 1 point. South Africa and Mexico tied for the first place because of a goal, and France and Uruguay, which had a goalless draw, ranked third and fourth.

In fact, this does not have much reference value for analyzing the final qualifying situation. It is a pity that the French team still cannot win the Uruguay team in a situation where they have one more player and the overall offense is dominant. The current performance of this French team is really disappointing, and it is not easy to qualify in this state.

In the next round against the Mexican team, if the French team still cannot win, the qualifying situation in this group may become more chaotic.

On the other hand, the Uruguay team, although they did not win, drew with the French team at the last moment with one less player. This draw is completely acceptable to them.

In the first game, they played against France, the strongest opponent in the group, and then faced Mexico and South Africa. Uruguay's prospects for qualifying in the group are still relatively optimistic.

The hosts, South Africa and Mexico, have one game against France and one against Uruguay. Although the Mexican team has a slight advantage, the performance of the South African team in the opening game is also not to be underestimated.

In this group, the French team is still the most popular team to qualify. With Henry, Anelka, Ribery, Malouda and other talented players, the French team has strong strength and heritage. Once they adjust their status, It will explode with great power.

As for the other qualifying place in Group A, I really dare not jump to conclusions, because South Africa, Uruguay and Mexico all have enough confidence to compete for this place.

The first match day is over, and the next day will be Belgium's Group B, namely the Pampas Eagles Argentina face Korea Bangbang South Korea, and the European Red Devils Belgium face Africa Eagles Nigeria.

Argentina and the Bangbang team took the lead. In the end, Argentina defeated the South Korean team 4:1 and won a hearty victory. In this game, Argentina's number one star Messi was very active, and directly The one who killed his opponent was Higuain who performed a hat-trick.

In the 33rd minute of the game, Carlos Tevez changed the line and was tripped by the defender of the Korean team. Maxi Rodriguez cooperated with Messi's free kick near the corner flag area. Messi returned a pass and Maxi Rodriguez Gus kicked the ball to the back point, and Higuain's header bounced into the near corner.

In the 76th minute, Messi went straight through the middle, and Aguero knocked to the left in time. Messi broke into the left side of the penalty area. His left foot volleyed from a small angle and was blocked by the South Korean players. He made another shot and hit the bottom of the near post. Higuain, who has an extremely sensitive sense of smell, followed up in time and pushed the ball into the empty goal with his left foot.

In the 80th minute, Messi quickly took a free kick from the backcourt. Aguero dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and handed it to Higuain. Higuain hit Messi horizontally. Messi rubbed to the left side of the penalty area. In the middle of the pass, Higuain bounced off the ball and went straight into the lower left corner of the goal.

These three goals are Higuain's first three goals in the World Cup. The only one to score a hat-trick.

Higuain should feel very happy living in the Argentine team. He has seized so many scoring opportunities. If he continues to perform like this, Higuain can definitely become the top scorer in the World Cup. It depends on the face of the scoring maniac Degan.

The South Korean team only scored a face-saving goal by Li Qinglong. As for the forward Park Joo-young, whom Xu Dingmoo placed high hopes on, he dedicated a goal not long after the start of the game, but this goal Headed into his own goal.

Higuain scored a hat-trick and became the best player of the game, but the most shining star of the game was not him, nor the number one star Messi, but Maradona who stood on the long side in suits and ties.

Although he admits that he is not handsome in a suit with his current body shape and temperament, but in the game against the South Korean team, Maradona chose his light gray suit.

Maradona is still a stubborn person. Before the game, he stubbornly criticized Pele, Platini, and challenged the powerful. Why?

In the words Maradona himself once said: "I am the people's Maradona."

Therefore, before the start of the game against South Korea, when the fans played the Argentine flag with Maradona and Che Guevara on it, Maradona's serious face was filled with a dark smile, because Che Guevara was also his idol and belonged to the people.

Entering the stadium, Maradona held a newspaper in his hand. It was the number of the Argentine newspaper on the day his team won the World Cup in 1986. The headline read: "World Champion!"

In the locker room, Maradona took this newspaper to give Argentine players a "political lesson". Before that, he emphasized many times that this Argentina is similar to Argentina in 1986 in many ways.

Of course, whether it is really similar still needs to pass the test of actual combat, but what is certain is that compared with 24 years ago, Argentina still has Maradona, although he can only stand on the field and command now. Contest.

Maradona led Argentina to victory in his own way. He did not forget South Korea. In the World Cup in Mexico 24 years ago, Argentina encountered South Korea. Maradona was kicked down fiercely in the second half. The perpetrator was the current South Korean team leader Coach Xu Dingmao.

As it happened, Messi was knocked down by Korean players when he broke through the defense during the game. Maradona obviously remembered the scene 24 years ago. He immediately got up from the coaching bench and made angry gestures to the Korean coaching staff, mouthing He yelled to vent his dissatisfaction, Xu Dingmao was irritated by the "king of the ball", stood up to fight, and responded with color, the South Korean assistant coach joined the battle group, and Argentina and South Korea were fighting on and off the field for a while, all of which were "bye" Given by Maradona.

In the second half, after Higuain completed his hat-trick, South Korea had no hope of equalizing and Argentina was in sight. Maradona and his assistant coach hugged and celebrated, while Xu Dingmao looked helplessly at the center circle with his head drooping like a defeated rooster. .

When the whistle sounded at the end of the game, Maradona ran towards his disciples like a wild horse, hugging Demichelis, who made a big mistake in this game and caused a goal conceded, and did not forget to comfort the players when he won, Maradona Na is getting better and better, he walked to the South Korean coach's bench, and even looked at his opponent. Unfortunately, the Korean coaching staff didn't say anything.

However, Maradona did not need to seek comfort from his opponents. At the door of the locker room passage, he high-fived the players one by one to celebrate the victory, and finally walked into the locker room with Messi on his shoulders.

At this time, in the football city stadium, the Argentine flag with Maradona and Che Guevara on it was raised again, and the fans shouted "Diego, Argentina".

Yes, the biggest superstar of this World Cup has been born ahead of schedule. He is Diego Armando Maradona. Even if Degan plays, there is no way to compete with this old football king.

Argentina won and South Korea lost. When Digan and Park Ji-yeon talked on the phone, they could feel the little girl's disappointment. It should be said that the South Korean team scored a goal against Argentina, which is already very good.

Moreover, the South Korean team is definitely the most stable among the Asian teams in the recent World Cups. It has brought many breakthroughs. Although there were many controversies in certain games in 2002, being able to compete with world-class teams such as Italy, Spain and Germany to that level is also a height that Asian football has never reached for many years.

However, after losing to Argentina today, another vicious circle of the South Korean team continues, that is, in the history of the World Cup, they have never defeated any team from the Americas, even a team from Central and North America. Same.

Since the South Korean team lost 1:3 to Argentina in the World Cup in 1986, the South Korean team has opened up a 24-year record of unbeaten teams in the Americas.

Four years later in the World Cup in Italy, they lost to Uruguay 0:2. In 1994, South American underdog Bolivia also used 0:0 to get a point from Tai Chi Tiger. He was humiliated by the Mexicans when he broke the goal first. After the team's main force Ha Xizhou scored a goal, he immediately dyed red and completely ruined the team's victory. In 2002, the United States became the only opponent that South Korea could not beat in the group stage .

Coupled with today's loss to Argentina again, the South Korean team's record of fighting against American teams in the history of the World Cup finals has become 2 draws and 4 losses.

But in today's game, the South Korean team played very tenaciously, especially in the 1:2 stalemate stage, the South Korean team fought very hard, the space in the midfield was compressed very tightly, and they created several very good shooting opportunities. If one of them is grasped, I am afraid it will not be this score.

But Argentina is Argentina, and there are many talented players on the bench, any one of them can change the situation on the court if they play a little bit.

First of all, Tevez's performance is very good. He spared no effort to fight and bite. Most of the physical strength of the South Korean defender was consumed. When Maradona replaced Tevez with Aguero, the South Korean team's The attention was short-circuited, ignoring the effective marking of Aguero, thus opening the scoring channel for Messi, Aguero, and Higuain.

The passing line of the fourth ball is still Aguero, Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Higuain. This shows the key role of Aguero and Messi. This kind of attack is completely Barcelona-style attack , In a sense, Aguero may be more suitable for this tactical system than Wiz.

Argentina made a good start, and then it was Belgium's turn to play. The first opponent of the European Red Devils in this World Cup is Nigeria, the eagle from the African continent.

In this game, Belgian coach Antiiennis unexpectedly sent a brand new starting lineup. The goalkeeper turned out to be the teenager Courtois, the left back Lombarz in the defense line, and the veteran Van Buyten was not selected as the right back. The teenager Alderweireld was sent, and the central defender combination is still Kompany and Vermaelen.

In the midfield position, there is still a configuration of three midfielders, Fellaini, Nainggolan and Defour. In the position of the midfielder, the former main player Dembele sat on the bench and replaced him with France. Lille's teenager Hazard, on the forward line is the double center combination of Degan and Lukaku.

On the big stage of the World Cup, four young players in their teens were sent in the first game, which shows the courage of Antiiennis.

The starting goalkeeper for Nigeria is Enyeyama, and the defense line from right to left is Odia, Shitu, Yabo and Taiwo.

In the midfield, Haruna, Keita, Etuhu, and Obasi stand in parallel positions, and Obinna's partner Yakubu is on the front line.

The team's number one star, Kanu, sat on the bench. Compared with fighting on the field, the elderly Kanu sitting on the bench may have a greater effect on stabilizing the morale of the army.

The once star-studded African Eagles, the current lineup looks a bit civilian. Except for Yakubu, there are no other stars who can get it.

In contrast, although the average age of Belgium's starting lineup is young, but with the luxurious central axis of Digan, Fellaini and Kompany, people are unanimously optimistic that Belgium will finally win this game before the game starts. game wins.

There are still ten minutes before the start of the game. In the dressing room of the Belgian team, all the players are making the final preparations before the game, arranging the sneakers and shin pads, and then taking off the amulets, closing their eyes and praying devoutly.

Then it's Deegan's time!

"In this game, I have nothing to say, scored three points, and then competed with the Argentine for the first place in the group in the last game!"

As for the opponent in the second game, South Korea Bangbang, it was automatically ignored by Digan!