Augury

Warning, World Cup game spoilers below.

So today I watched the Germany vs. Argentina match. Nice match up, went into double overtime and then penalty kicks. One of the few games I’ve watched with no real gripes about calls. I didn’t really have a favorite in this match but it was pretty tense nonetheless.

Just now I got finished watching the England vs. Portugal match. Another game that went into double overtime and then into penalty kicks. I was rooting for England here, but when Rooney got red carded it was pretty unlikely they were going to pull out ahead — at least in regulation time. England had one or two good scoring opportunities but they couldn’t pull it off. Being a man down they were doing all they could just to avoid being trampled by Portugal.

I have to say though what really lost England this game was that they didn’t seem to have confidence in themselves. Lampard’s approach and kick was positively lethargic. The same can be said for Gerrard’s attempt. Though I’m sure if I were in the goal and not Ricardo these shots would have sailed into the net, the fact remains that their ponderous attacks pretty much telegraphed to the goalkeeper where they were going to put the ball — They didn’t have the drive, that craving to get a goal, so they flubbed it and lost their chance. Good game and well played.