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June 16, 2006

FIFA World Cup 2006 : England Vs Trinidad & Tobago 
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Final score : England 2 Trinidad & Tobago 0.

It could have been England 8 and Trinidad & Tobago 1.

Why? I was complaining bitterly about Crouch's lousy performance and he was the one in the 83rd minute to broke the dead lock with an easy goal. If he can't get that in, please someone CROUCH him! Horrible player. Too tall, no strength, out of place and pace. How come strikers are so tall and so noticeable these days?

Then Steven Gerrard after many tried finally got one solid beautiful goal in in the 91st minute, 2 minutes before end time.

I tell you, I almost had a heart attack watching this game. I am not under any illusion that England will lift the world cup but I expected them to you know kick T&T's butts. The problem with T&T is not really about pace. They're quite good with counter attacks, they run fast, pass very good balls, strong in midfield, very strong in defence (the last 2 goals were probably because very few defenders were there since T&T was busy trying to break England's defence which was towards the end wobbly with the Goalkeeper constantly out of the box and defenders, as in lone defender Terry there) but T&T didn't have someone who can finish it, like put the goal in. That is why Czech Republic was so good; they had someone who can deliver, and someone who can finish it off.

England was desperate when Rooney came in, and his name was chanted by the many fans way before he walked into the field fit and ready. He got a few good chances but his presence there definitely lifted and boosted England's confidence and with a few addition of names I am not familiar with like I think Lennon who can outpace some defenders and deliver some good shots to the strikers, the game suddenly look lifted and faster rather than boring boring boring for the first half! I hope to see young ones in the next game. Owen to his credit did deliver some good shots, but couldn't net one in. That guy LAmpard had like at least 6 chances and he squandered all of them and I don't know why. Nerves? Heat? Or simply like Thierry Henry who can deliver the goods for his club but seems to be muted in the international games where and when it matters?

Anyway I can see why Rooney is hailed as a young star. He can definitely run and pass some really great passes.

But to me the 2nd man of the match was Beckham. You may hate his children, wife and what nots, today this man was examplary. Of course he missed some good shots, overdelivered the shots is how I will term them but where it matters, he delivered some shots with such precision, to have missed it was a sin and of course Owen, Lampard and Crouch missed some of the crucial ones. But where it matters, he gave such precised passes Crouch simply couldn't miss.

So yeah, the game came alive in the 83rd minute or so.

The man of the match was a defender called Terry. T&T should have scored one goal. The goalkeeper was out of the box, the striker of T&T was just inches away from the goal line, English Defenders were distracted and when the ball almost certainly passed that line, Terry was at the right place at the right time using his leg at the right exact moment to scoop the ball out just milimetres from passing the goal line. THAT was to me the best and most frightening moment.

I tell you. Never support any team in the world cup or you may have a heart attack watching them screw up a good game.

To their credit T&T really had a good fighting spirit and plenty of yellow card moments. The Japanese referee was quite annoying with the constant stopping but he was better than that I think that referee with too much hair gel which said NOTICE ME during the England Vs Paraguay match. That was horrible.

Ok, England can now lose the rest of the 2 group matches and still qualify. Phew! I turn my attention to Czech Republic now, and Spain, hoping they get into the next round.

By the way, poor Dwight Yorke. I think it was Gerrard who accidentally hit the ball on target at his ermmm family jewels? Anyway is this guy the one who fathered a child with that busty model Jordan?

So, how was your England Vs T&T match for you? Were you rooting for T&T? Did you expect 2 goals? I expected 1 only at best, a draw was my best bet. I am sure many betters were thrown into disarray with some results, Brazil for one, disappointing 1 - 0 against Croatia. Even the Croatians were wondering what happened? What good fortune has befallen them?

If you're not into football (or soccer in some countries) and if you have access to FIFA World Cup matches, my tip to you is to enjoy the game without knowing anything about it, walk into a decently crowded pub or mamak stall or whereever with a Plasma TV in a restaurant, don't take sides (or just take the side where most of the patrons are supporting to avoid being beaten to a pulp if you just so happen to scream happily when enemy scores) and just go with the flow. You will be sucked into the excitement of it all and before you know it, like the majority in the world where their own country is not playing in the World Cup, you too will be saying "I want Brazil to win" even if you don't know your Ronaldo to your Ronaldinho or Robinho or the difference between Cafu and Kaka or who the heck is Socrates or even Pele.

Enjoy the games.

PHEW!

2 COMMENTS

 sehseh writes ...

Like the rest of the world, I had a sleepless night - but not as an audience. The shouting and cheering going on is enough to bring the neighbourhood down :P

Anyway, have you read abt the news that RTM1 purposely scrambling its broadcast in Singapore? Our neighbours are complaining that they can't view free TV anymore. Well, at least after World Cup. Boo-hoo.

2:44 pm, June 16, 2006  

 Funn Lim writes ...

So loud the cheering? Can't help it I guessed, 83 minutes before something good. Too long a wait. I was told someone actually died watching the paraguay Vs England game!

Yes I have read about that. And they're complaining. Puh-leaseee can't their own Ch 5 or Ch 8 pay for their own transmission? I wholly support RTM's decision. But that would mean scrambled all the shows, not just football. Not that there's anything to see on RTM 1.

7:51 pm, June 16, 2006