The Albicelestes’ poor form under Diego Maradona continues
Paraguay 1/ Argentina 0
While World Cup Qualification strugglers Portugal were given a boost with a 1-0 victory in Hungary last night, Argentina saw no such change in their fortunes. Following defeat in Paraguay, Diego Maradona’s side now find themselves in the fifth-place play-off spot in the South American qualification system that is pretty much designed to give them an easy ride.
Argentina have lost four of their last five qualification games, and slip-ups in the two remaining matches against Peru and Uruguay could mean they miss their first World Cup finals since 1970. Maradona, it seems, is dealing with the pressure with his own unique brand of panicked defiance:
“As long as I have a drop of blood left, I will fight to get Argentina qualified.
“We’re not out of the World Cup.
“I’m not afraid of criticism. I’m not afraid of anybody. I’m going to continue no matter who criticises me.”
Highlights of the best international game this weekend
The Spoiler’s decision to stay up until 3.30am on Sunday morning to watch Argentina’s highly anticipated clash with Brazil was a good one. Thanks to some unrelenting attacking football and a blatant disregard for defending on the part of both teams, the crucial World Cup qualifier turned out to be one of the best games we’ve seen in ages. Our highlight was Jesus Datolo’s superb long range effort (above), which ultimately failed to get Argentina back into a match where they were always second best.
Even though the South American World Cup qualification system is designed to virtually ensure Brazil and Argentina cruise through, the Albicelestes could slip out of the automatic qualification spots if they stuff it up against Paraguay on Wednesday. The Argentinean press has yet to turn on Diego Maradona (they were rather more concerned with why Leo Messi doesn’t play for his country like he plays for his club) but the hallowed coach could be knocked from his pedestal very shortly.
Check out extended highlights from Rosario after the jump…
Some more atrocious sporting violence from South America
Maybe it’s the altitude, or maybe it’s the mysterious inflatable tunnels that mysteriously lead into the ground, but something is riling up the blood of Bolivian footballers.
Blooming’s Sergio Jauregui was sent off in Sunday’s league match with Oriente Petrolero for his pushy retaliation to a perceived foul. This wasn’t all that Medina had stored up in his ‘hurt locker’ though, as he proceeded to deliver a brutal flying kung fu kick to the face of his enemy, leaving him unconscious.
Could you imagine the media outrage if this kind of thing happened in Europe? It would be, er, outrageous.
Spoiler bonus: More violent fun from Bolivia here and here
Probably the best U-14 football brawl you will see today
Approximately 100 per cent of football matches in South America feature an outbreak of violence, something that is apparently taught from a young age.
In this recent encounter between Boca Juniors and River Plate’s U-14 sides, a brawl was sparked when the ref awarded a late penalty. Boca’s coach Roberto Pompei interjected to show his disgust with the decision, and within seconds a massive ruck broke out.
Psychotic pitch invader throws cup tie into disarray
South America’s reputation as the global epicentre of football violence was bolstered yesterday thanks to an incident that occurred during the Copa Sudamericana match between Bolivia’s Blooming and Uruguay’s River Plate.
Shortly after River Plate capitalised on a hideous goalkeeping error [0.12 in the video], a knife-wielding fan ran onto the pitch and attacked River’s Henry Gimenez. Thankfully, the moronic supporter was subdued before he could get “stabby”, but the referee had no option but to abandon the game. Blooming fans weren’t particularly happy with this decision, and proceeded to pelt the pitch with missiles and flares.
The was the first leg of the cup tie, and it’s currently not known whether River will be allowed to advance directly to the next stage, or if the authorities will risk playing out the return leg.
The reaction of the American media to their national side ending Spain’s 35-game unbeaten streak may have been unbearable but it would have been just as bad - if not worse - over here if England had done it. The USA have made this pretty meaningless tournament worth watching and they will fancy their chances of winning it after seeing Brazil stumble past South Africa last night in the other semi-final. The bookies don’t though and some of the trends identified by our friends at chickendinner make it easy to see why:
1. Brazil have won 14 of their 15 matches against USA (one after extra-time). The USA’s one win over the holders came in the 1998 Gold Cup Final, with former Everton winger Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic scoring the winner.
2. USA haven’t scored against Brazil in three previous Confederations Cup meetings, with Dunga’s side beating them 1-0 in 1999 and 2003 and winning 3-0 against them last Thursday.
Who wants to see another South American football riot?
Our friends in South America tend to get an unfair wrap for their propensity to riot on the football field, but perhaps that’s because they do it so bloody often (evidence here, here, here and here). Over the weekend Bolivian champions Aurora played Wilsterman in an end of season tournament, during which a fist fight [2.30 in the video] saw a few of the players receive their marching orders. Wilsterman’s Eduardo Zenteno refused to leave the pitch, and a team of riot police escorted him from the field [5.00]. Clearly, Zenteno objected and a full scale brawl broke out, and police defended themselves from players’ karate kicks with pepper spray. Aurora keeper Silvio Dulcich even starts attacking the lawmen with a corner flag!
Amazingly, the ref chose not to banadon the game, but played after Wilsterman protested. Perhaps they shouldn’t have insisted so much, as Aurora came out 1-0 winners.
Our friends across the Atlantic and south of the equator love nothing better than combining football with pure unadulterated violence (evidence here, here, here and here), and this time the poilce have been careful to deliver an appropriate level of force to a troublesome fan.
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