The Eastern Wind and The Mount of Azzurri

Many great footballers retired without playing a single World Cup match due to their country of birth, their motherland not being able to qualify to the final rounds of the competition. Andrei Shevchenko, many thought would get into that list. But Sheva lead Ukraine to this wonderful tournament, the whole of Ukraine helped him in his dream, and that journey is still alive. After losing the opening match for four goals, not many teams can recover. But Ukrainians did, they won their next match by the same number of goals. It was a valiant walk into the second round. There they overcame the Swiss test in a nerve-cracking Penalty shootout and entered the Quarter-Finals. This story of incredible riposte is not much of a bolt from the blue, for those who know the nation’s history.

In the summer of 1942, a makeup side ‘Start’ comprising of stars from Kiev, mostly from Dynamo Club, was ordered to play Germany's Armed Forces All-Stars. The gaunt and fragile Kiev players fought their hearts out against the tough well-fed German soldiers against all the dubious fouls going unpunished by the referee and came back from being one goal behind to score twice before halftime. At the interval, an officer from the commandant's box visited the Kiev-stars locker rooms and ordered them to allow the Germans to win in the second half, or else they will be shot. But they responded by scoring three more goals to make it 5-1, by then the referee blew the whistle. The guards seized the Kiev players right there on the field, loaded them into a closed truck and took them off to ‘Baby Yar’, the mass grave. That is the spirit of Ukraine, being hailed as ‘The Battle of Death’.

Now they are up against another tough force, though not as brutal as the German Army of forties, but as strong in will, and as tidy in defence as a mountain. A group of men who are trying to forget a bagful of weirdoes: political hostility, conspiracy theories, false notions and fanatical offbeat, subornment and corruption, illicit gambling and deceitful liquidation. For some time, everything had some foul smell somewhere, when it comes to Italian football, drug abuse to fascist salute by a local hero at a Rome Derby. Currently, the biggest scandal in the history of the Italian game is making all the bulwarks come clattering down. In a nation “where the largest selling daily newspaper is dedicated almost entirely to football; where its former ruling party is named after a football chant; and where its former Prime Minister owns one of the league's most famous clubs”, as marked by a British journalist, the only hope is this trophy. After their slow start in the tournament, they have reached a stage where it is impossible for them to take a step backward. All the good they generated with win over Ghana was lost in a tense draw with the Americans, with three players being sent off in the game including the elbowing-act performed by hot young star De Rossi, and an own-goal. Italy had to win their final game against the Czechs, which they carried out with minimum fuss. Azzurri expectations rose again when they were fitted up against the inexperienced Socceroos, but it wasn’t a cakewalk. Again a player sent off and they had to pass an acid test. But just before the final whistle, a running defender fell in the opponent’s box, and the referee, who acted against them before, pointed to the spot. Stepped in, charismatic substitute Totti, and he made no mistake. Italy was in the last eight, and all other stories in the country have to stop now. Even the suicide attempt of a great friend of all Italian footballers should not shift the focus. In spite of all problems in the attack, the Italian defence has been rock-solid. Buffon is the best goalkeeper left in the tournament, and no opponent player has scored against him yet. The defence is marshalled by the leader Fabio Cannavaro, a real prince of goal-defiance, a player who protects his sod with all his blood and sweat executing his match-saving interceptions. Then there is the midfield shield in Pirlo, who is also a master of set-pieces along with the lion-hearted Gattuso. Even the most gifted strikers will have to tire to score against them. For many years, Italians with their Catennaccio, at times had forgotten to score, but always kept everything tight.

Now the Italians have to stop one man who used to score so freely in the Serie-A, the one who won many titles with Milan, 2004 ‘European Footballer of the Year’ award winner, ‘Hero of Ukraine’, Andrei Shevchenko. They call him ‘The Eastern Wind’. Will the giant trees of Azzurri get uprooted by this wind? Even stopping Sheva is not enough, then they have to score against an in-form Shovkovsky. All that seems to be very easy for all the pundits of the game, and most of the predictions go only in favour of Italians. Those calculations may come true, but things may go the other way, for ‘Unpredictability is the hallmark of this game’.

No Fear and True Nobility

“True nobility is exempt from fear”, are the words of William Shakespeare in King Henry VI. The two matches on the last day of the round of sixteen is much revolving around this saying. ‘The Black Stars’ are going to face the Samba music with the air of ‘No Fear’ while the second match between ‘La Furia Roja’ and ‘Les Bleus’ is much a matter of bearing out true nobility.

Starting with the case when a small start up franchise compete with an industrial giant to the sporting occasion when a weaker opponent meet up with a potential giant, the old Cliché David versus Goliath is used. This time, it has to be used, as Ghana are much an unknown team, playing in the grand competition for the first time whereas Brazil has been the rulers of world football and defending champions. The first round of matches has been very different for both the sides. Ghana after losing to Italy in their opening match 2-0 came back with the same score to defeat the Czech Republic to create the first major upset of the tournament. Then in the final game of the group stage, they went past America and historically marched into the second round. Brazil, who were criticised for playing ugly in the first two matches, came to full force against Japan in their last match, when they rested a few of their regulars. The opening match against Croatia could only be remembered for the Kaka goal. Against Australia, they played better but still weren’t at their best, still won convincingly 2-0. Ronaldo, as always, when failed to score in two consecutive matches was called overweight. Against Japan though, he found some form, and bagged a brace. The ones who stepped in for the day, all played exceptionally well to demonstrate the strength of the Brazilian bench. The only doubt was whether the bench is stronger than the usual starters. Brazil has a habit of taking their first round matches lightly, only because they are too strong for it. When they knew that they had to face not the Italians, not the Czechs, not even the Americans, but the surprise package of Ghana, they were a bit astonished. But they still believe Ghana cannot match the mighty Brazilians on any day in any areas of the field. But they also know that underestimating them won’t be a good idea. With Robinho picking up a slight knock in training, Adriano is now sure to start alongside Ronaldo. The genius of Ronaldinho has not yet been visible, but maybe this is the match he may make a definite impression on this tournament. Ghana, welcoming Muntari and Gyan Asamoah back into their starting line-up will be without the services of their Chelsea playmaker Michael Essien. Essien has been the heart and soul of the side, and has been the link between the defence and attack alongside their captain Appiah. Now Appiah has to do that role all alone, but he is not afraid of that prospect. That has been the stamp of this Ghanaian side, ‘No fear’.

The game between the two European heavyweights will be one of the most anticipated games of the second round. Though bearing the tag of long time underachievers, the Spanish have gone through their first round with relative ease. After their thumping 4-0 win over Ukraine, and then incredible come back against Tunisia, the coach wholly changed the starting line up against Saudi Arabia and still won the match, but with a single goal. France’s path was not that easy. After disappointing draws in their first two matches against Switzerland and South Korea, France had to win the final match against Togo with a score line of 2-0 to progress. That too, without their influential captain and arguably the best player of his generation Zidane, who was suspended from that game. Vieira took the armband and played his heart out, to open up the scoring and then create the second for Henry, and France did what was expected from them. Zidane could play another game. France may not have impressed everyone, but once into the knockout stage they are a team to beat. Spain, who have a very young side will be up against a very experienced (some say ageing) French side. On the day when the Spanish captain Raul turns 29, he wants his best friend Zidane to bid farewell to the game, by taking revenge of the penalty miss and loss of Euro 2000. If the Spanish are allowed to continue their fluent passing game, France will suffer heartache; hence they will be trying to break it down at any cost. It remains to be seen if Thierry Henry can get the better of Carles Puyol, which he failed to do in the Champions league final. Whatever be the outcome, the game will be another hard fought encounter for the last quarter-final berth.

As Ghana is hoping to create another upset, Brazil will be all set to avoid it. France and Spain will fight it out for a chance to meet either of them in the quarter finals. Anyway, by the end of the day, the last eight will be decided, and two more teams will have to pack their bags and go back home.