The second round of the World Cup starts today, so it is a good time to relive the best moments. Here’s the five best goals for me (in no particular order:
1. First up is the strike by Simphiwe Tshabalala in South Africa’s opening match against Mexico, a game South Africa should have won. Given the state of African teams in the competition–only Ghana made it into the second round–its a good thing the tournament’s first goal was scored by a continental player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA0IzdTADdI&w=500&h=307
2. This is South America’s World Cup instead. All five representatives from that continent have qualified for the round of 16. And Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze’s headed goal–the only one of a match in which the Nigerian goalkeeper stopped everything else kicked his way–announced their dominance..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZuEe8zsFmc&w=500&h=307&rel=0
3. Maicon’s wonder goal for Brazil against North Korea from what appears to be an impossible angle. Did he mean it? Wow. (The commentator, in Arabic, in the clip below, is about to lose it.)
4. Keisuki Honda’s free kick goal for Japan in their final, and decisive group match against Denmark. There’s nothing wrong with the Jabulani ball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeGWNb7eIkU&w=500&h=307&rel=0
5. Finally, Landon Donavan’s goal for the USA in the extra time of a final must-win game against Algeria. At least now we’ll be spared endless replays of the disallowed goal against Slovenia and the jingoism that accompanies it. Actually, on second thought it has further stoked the nonsense on ESPN about how the USA will win the World Cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-XTDClCdCY&w=500&h=307
Honorable mentions: Germany’s Mezut Ozil against Ghana, Italy’s Fabio Quagliarella against Slovenia, and David Villa against Chile.