Thursday, June 10, 2010

Quarterfinals

  • Mexico 2-1 United States
  • Netherlands 3-1 Brazil
  • England 2-2 Argentina
  • Cameroon 1-3
In a cathartic win for 111 million of our friendly neighbors to the south and another 40 million or so immigrants and Americans of Mexican descent in the United States, El Tri avenge a bunch of things--their loss to the bullies from the north during the 2002 octovofinals; the ascension by the United States, at the expense of Mexico, to the top of CONCACAF; drunken idiot frat boys descending on Cancun every spring break; and general American haughtiness, condescension, and occasional belligerence toward Mexico--when Oguchi Onyewu, lacking match fitness, is finally betrayed by his tired legs in the 116th minute and is beaten to a head ball for the winning goal by Andres Guardado, the shortest man on the pitch. Meanwhile, the Brilliant Orange Total Footballers continue their brilliant, orange total football.

In the other half of the bracket, England goes through 4-2 on spot kicks to end decades of frustration and also decades of somehow always being cast as plucky underdogs despite inventing the sport and having the richest domestic league and many of the world's best players. Kind of like the Red Sox of international soccer. And, much like the Red Sox after 2004, they become insufferable immediately after the match, and the rest of the world starts rooting against them again. Which feels much better. Meanwhile, La Furia Roja continue their post-2006 roll, having lost only once now in their last 53 matches.

No comments: