Group A, two games on…
By Kunaal Khemlani
French fans were left hoping for a bit more va-va-voom from Anelka et al following the first round bore-draw
Two games on…
11th June
South Africa 1 – 1 Mexico
France 0 – 0 Uruguay
17th June
South Africa 0 – 3 Uruguay
France 0 – 2 Mexico
Having witnessed an uninspiring first round of matches, most notably accompanied by plentiful criticism of the French, fans were much looking forward to a more direct, purposeful second set of fixtures. Indeed we saw this from Uruguay and Mexico, who brought steel to add to their South American flair and in doing so produced two accomplished displays which put them in pole position to qualify. With the two sides now facing off against each other in a game where the pressure is on neither to win, a draw would see France fail to progress in a stunning anti-climax. South Africa will sense that an urgent performance could see them end with a victory.
Uruguay stepped up their attacking game, with the introduction of Edinson Cavani of Palermo seeing Diego Forlan drop in to a deeper role, where he ran the game like a dictator – playing short one-twos in the midfield, peeling off the full backs and moving infield, generally finding the opposition questioning who should mark him. His conversion of a penalty which he waited all of 5 minutes for, was indicative of his temperament and confirmed him as the man of the match for his second successive game. Oscar Tabarez’s team set the tone for the next game in the group… and another precise, deserving victory was delivered.
Forlan Celebrates his first goal
Perhaps less surprising than any of the results was Mexico’s comprehensive deconstruction of France, who must surely now be regarded as the poorest team in the tournament. Franck Ribery was truly awful in an unnatural position, perhaps even worse than he was in the first game, which is saying a lot. Nicolas Anelka was ineffective and Sidney Govou once more completely anonymous. The complete lack of urgency in their play was merely an on-field demonstration of the malaise surrounding the French camp. Perhaps there really isn’t a better word to describe it. Much has been said of the lack of unity and how the players have not forged an understanding with Raymond Domenech, with the post-match inquisition has doing little to dispel this ill-feeling; “We had good intentions but it didn’t work.”
The longest-serving French coach of all time, a master of no tournament but thankfully, a master of stating the obvious.
In keeping with a desire to end on a positive note, the Mexicans stepped in just where the Irish would have wanted them to – playing with a verve and control that suggested they were the superior team and prepared for the game knowing it. Their confidence was refreshing and their determination to carry the performance through to the last minute, equally so. Giovani Dos Santos, so often a dreadful disappointment in English football, looking as if he were on an academy player mistakenly thrown in to the deep end; looked as if he were indeed still too young to be playing but doing so with a guile and precision that should earn him a look-in at another good club. Spare a mention for Carlos Vela, who was substituted in the first half with what looked like a tournament-ending hamstring injury. Although Guardado or Barrera could be brought in, Vela is a favourite of coach Javier Aguirre and would be missed.
The introduction of Hernandez though, was the turning point. Just as the French looked like gaining momentum, troubling the Mexicans with crosses, the ineffective Franco was brought off for the livelier, quicker ‘Chicarito,’ giving his team a focal point to trouble the suspect pairing of Gallas and Abidal, neither of whom seemed to know who should be marking the lone striker. He took his goal wonderfully, and showed enough clever touches and runs to surely warrant his selection for the final game. The introduction of Cautehemoc Blanco also provided the composure and probing final-pass that was required to transform good possession into effective possession. His run up and finish for the penalty was as wonderful as it was bizarre and it was a special moment for the veteran to have his name on the score sheet in a victory that will rightfully be celebrated not just in Mexico but back in Dublin too.
Substitute Hernandez makes the breakthrough for Mexico and Ireland.
Certainly we hope that this second round of matches will continue to be much like what we have seen in the past day and less like the overly cautious, too-nervous-about-our-quality football that we have been ‘treated’ to so far. What we do know so far is that Group A has given us excitement from the underdog, the tournament’s best player so far… and it’s worst team.
