Will we see an All Whites Haka? The World Cup will be richer for the experience.
I had been keen on seeing Bahrain qualify. Bahrain were the sort of quick counter-attacking outfit capable of the odd 3-2 upset.
New Zealand inspire less confidence as Giant Killers. But who knows? A Haka just before kick-off might be worth a buried chicken or two.
Author: David Patrick Lane
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Pinned in their Own Half
Belated respect to the All Whites. New Zealand represent!
Bahrain’s unexpected defeat leaves the Arab World with only one representative in South Africa. Sayef Mohammed Adnan’s penalty miss in Wellington will have done more than just dampen the spirits on the Emir’s beach. It invites a significant Arab cultural deficit extending well beyond Bahrain.
This may well go unnoticed or be easily forgotten by Arab scholars and Arab media busy with grim development statistics and wars or captivated by ceremonial comings and goings and fashionable American and European diplomats and stars. It should not.
(Davy expects African sides to edge traditional Latin and Continental powers, but fancies England for the Cup. Below he discusses the likely England squad, highlighting what he expects to be the historic contribution of England’s black players.)
To be King in Africa, a useful prerequisite is to be a Black Prince. Africans have high expectations in 2010. Prince Michael of Ghana is regal. Didier of Orange, deadly. Other African Princes will soon have noble claims.
European and Latin Princes will not relinquish supremacy easily. Castilian legions led by the Boy Prince Fernando occupy the high ground. The colours of the canary have been sighted. Animals grow restless at the approaching beat of the Samba. Caravans of dancing distractions cannot be far behind.
England’s Princes are now schooled in the Florentine art of obtaining and maintaining possession. Possession is power. The tongue and territory will be familiar. Their opponents fattened at the premier table.
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BLACK STARS WIN U20 WORLD CUP
History was made in Cairo tonight. Ghana won the U20 after an exciting penalty shoot out against Brazil. I was privileged to witness the first African team to win the U20 World Cup. Match report and analysis to follow.
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Qualify or Crucify
Croatia have qualified for three successive World Cups since Independence, reaching the Semi Final in 1998. It’s a remarkable record for a nation of 4 Million. It could be about to end.
Croatia may have been resurgent under Slaven Bilić, qualifying emphatically for the EURO 2008 tournament, pimping McClaren’s England along the way, but 2007-8 was a long time ago. Croatia seem not to have recovered from Eduardo’s broken leg and losing on penalties to Turkey in the EURO 2008 quarter final in Vienna.
Qualification is no longer in Croatia’s hands. Although Croatians can be quietly confident of England issuing a beating to Ukraine, Croatia may be less sure of themselves in their “must win” in Kazakhstan or advancing beyond the 2nd place playoff where they could face France, Germany or Russia, or even Bosnia-Herzegovina. The latter would be an intriguing fixture to say the least.
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Safari for Shevchenko?
(So to Group 6. Andorra and Kazakhstan will not feature here. Andorra belong in a preliminary stage, as discussed earlier. And Kazakhstan are better served keeping Australia company. Belarus will return as a more dangerous dark horse in qualification for Brazil 2014.)
Ukraine are two points behind Croatia, but have a game in hand and finish their campaign in Andorra. Pre-Capello conventional wisdom would have pointed to an already qualified England getting turned over in Dnepropetrovsk in October. An England win will not be the surprise it once would have been. Ukraine will probably have to rely on the Kazaks keeping the Croats quiet in Astana on October 14. Goal difference favours Ukraine.
Ukraine were the deeply disappointing dark horses of the last World Cup. Group results suggest Ukraine have regressed. Would you trust a Shevchenko retread for a South African safari?
Costa Rica have just fired their coach Rodrigo “La Bomba” Kenton Johnson.
Costa Rica were themselves bombing, failing to score in their last three World Cup qualifying games. “He was fired today. It still hasn’t been determined who will be named,” said Costa Rica FA, spokeswoman Gina Escobar.