World Cupdate

And we're back with Quarterfinals action today and tomorrow.  Eight comes come in, four will advance, four will go home.  Our first matchup today was arguably the most anticipated of the Quarterfinals, Netherlands at Brazil, two teams defined by their uniform colors.  The Oranje fronted a 4-2-3-1 formation led by the famed Robin Van Persie, while the Canarinhos (wearing blue today) mirrored that attack with Luis Fabiano at point.  In the early minutes, Brazil rocketed out of the gate to go straight on the attack, as injured Holland defender Mathjisen wasn't in the game.  The effect was immediate as one goal was waved off due to offisides in the first ten minutes...but the second Brazil shot at 10' counted, and Robinho had the Samba Kings up early.  Holland counterattacked forcing Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar into action, but he held his ground and the first half belonged to Brazil.  Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenberg was under total siege as the Canarinhos had their way with the cracks in Holland's dikes, but Holland's offense kept Brazil honest for the 35 minutes after Brazil's goal. However, that's all they could do as Brazil's midfield control drained the Dutch.  The second half amazingly had no subs over halftime, how would the Dutch adjust?  Sometimes all you need is a little luck, and that happened off a Dutch free kick at 53' that should have been easy only keeper Julio Cesar got blocked out by his own man Felipe Melo who knocked the ball back...into the net.  Holland's Wesley Sneijder suddenly became the hero of the hour with the equalizer.  Now both sides were playing hard as the happy, even cocky Brazilians got a quick and painful lesson in hubris.  Canarihnos manager Dunga moved to make some changes after that to power his squad home swapping Gilberto for Michel Bastos, but all that did was deflate the Samba Kings as Wesley Sneijder headed one in (without Melo's help) at 68'...and then Felipe Melo was tagged with a red card at 73', completing the Canarinho collapse.  Brazil threw bodies at the Dutch goal but all that did was allow the Oranje to counterattack and run out the clock, which they did perfectly.  Holland took the match 2-1, all but shocking the World Cup.

Needless to say, the entire continent of Africa was looking for a similar shocker as Uruguay and Ghana squared off in the late match.  Uruguay opted for a 4-4-2 strike with the  now-familiar combo of Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan up top, while the Black Stars went with their all-star Asamoah Gyan leading a 4-5-1 attack...not to mention thousands of vuvuzelas in the stands and all of Africa's hopes on their shoulders.  Uruguay controlled the half and looked well on their way towards winning this game with several near-misses that made Ghana look shaky, but the Black Stars found their footing and more importantly started playing their game, going on the attack late in the half.  The fastest team in the tournament absolutely stunned La Celeste as out of nowhere Ghana's Sully Muntari bangs out a 40-yarder only to curl it past keeper Nestor Muslera and it somehow ended up in the corner, seemingly willed into the net by the vuvuzelas.  Ghana led 1-0 at halftime and all of a sudden destiny looked like it was wearing red, gold and green.  The funny thing about destiny is that it can always change.  In the second half Diego Forlan blasted in his third goal of the cup at 55' off a free kick and Uruguay began to take command and control of the pitch as Ghana's confidence started to wear thin, but both teams started to wind it down and you had to wonder if Ghana's 120 minute match against the US was going to hurt them as we headed into extra time.  Uruguay had the confidence here but Ghana didn't let up their attack, swarming the ball and drawing strength from the African crowd.  They kept banging the ball in and both sides started to look more even as Uruguay wound down...but in the stoppage in the 2nd OT period, Ghana got what they needed with a golden penalty kick as Luis Suarez blocked Gyan shot with his hand in the box and got rightfully red carded for it. Asamoah Gyan stepped up with all of a continent on his back...and clanked it off the bar.  Off to penalty kicks we went, and while Gyan nailed his, two of his mates did not...and Uruguay won 4-2 in the shootout.  An absolute soul-breaker for the Ghanaian crew, but now Uruguay must face the Dutch without Diego Forlan...and that red card at the end may mean that Uruguay won this match but face near impossible odds in the Semifinals.