World Cup Semifinal #2 Recap

Just like in Euro 2008, Spain proved to be just a bit superior to the Germans.  The Germans tried to play a slightly better version of the USA-Switzerland counter strategy against the Spanish.  While the Germans faced fewer heroics in front of the net by virtue of being firmer at the back, they also never seemed to have the energy to provide the moments of magic that the only two sides who have vanquished Spain had managed to find going towards the Spanish goal.

Jurgen Klinsmann believes that the Germans showed too much respect for the Spanish.  He mentioned very little things, like Toni Kroos taking his final shot with the inside of his foot instead of going for it with his laces.  Klinsmann makes a great point about the difference between mentality and strategy.  One can play loose and focused football and defensively at the same time.  The Germans ran into a team with no massive weaknesses to exploit, and the strengths of the Spanish simply kept them from creating too many chances.

As for the Spanish, everyone talks about the slick passing, and many people will now spend time writing about the “irony” of Spain scoring on a header from a corner kick.  Spain is not only a slick passing team.  They are a complete team.  They have top players at every possession.  Their players are not one-dimensional.  You could see this in the difference between Pedro and the rest of the Spanish team.  His break on the second goal was a “Tevez-esque” like run.  Full of speed and trickery, coming to nothing.  Whereas Tevez is a fixture for Argentina, Pedro got read the riot act by his teammates for his run.  The Spanish system does not permit one guy just running with the ball.  Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets were continuously poking and prodding the German defense, neither lacking urgency, nor excessively pressing the issue.  They can attack in so many different ways, and as it turns out, they ended up scoring because they even had variation in how they attacked corners.  They are relentless, not only physically, but mentally.

While it should not overwhelm the story of the Spanish triumph, I do wish to add a coda about the controversy at the end of the half.  Sergio Ramos absolutely fouled Mesut Ozil at the edge of the box, and it may have been a denial of a goal scoring opportunity.  In the United States we got the following stunning analysis of the foul call.

Efan Ekoku: “Mesut Ozil’s second touch was not great, therefore no foul.”  
Alexi Lalas: “Maybe that’s a foul normally, but not when Spain has had so much possession in the first half and not in the World Cup semis.”  
Steve McManaman: “I agree with Efan Ekoku.”  

The last one is definitely something that you never want to say.  Especially in this case.  I’m sorry, did I miss the part where fouls were contingent on the quality of Ozil’s first touch?  Which, by the way couldn’t have been too terrible since Ozil never took a second touch.  As for Alexi Lalas’s “analysis,” the less said about it, the better.

Here’s what happened from a defender’s point of view.  Ramos is trying to close down Ozil, who turned on his first touch and was heading towards goal.  The defender is reading a second dribble goalwards and playing that move.  But Ozil does something very mature.  He lets the ball run off his first touch.  He is looking to change the speed of his move.  Either to draw the foul or to keep his body moving at a speed where he can take a controlled, hard strike on goal.  Ramos never saw this move coming, and has overrun it.  He clatters Ozil on the edge of the box.  Again, not harping on the decision, but harping on the studio analysis of the incident.

Nevertheless, the story today is Spain.  The story tomorrow is about the irrelevance of the third place game.  The story Saturday will be the third place game.  Then, World Cup 2010 concludes with Spain-Holland.  Two matches left in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  Then we can start questioning Brazil’s preparations followed by a ringing, uncritical endorsement of how great a job they are doing 4 years from now!  Can’t wait!

Written By Steven Maloney (80 Posts) Steven Maloney is a regular contributor for Glorious Football. You can follow him on Twitter @stevenmaloney. Like Albert Camus, he fancies himself as having learned his morals "on the football pitch and in the theater." His football writing interests are in the institutional structures and strategies of world football, as well as the ways in which contemporary politics enters into the world of football and vice-versa. His most cherished memories of the game are of being in Holland for Euro 2000. In the interests of full disclosure, he supports Arsenal, the United States and DC United.

Tagged as: final, germany, semifinal, spain, world cup, World Cup 2010