Spain Moves One Step Closer to Something Spectacular
If you didn’t watch Spain vs. Portugal, you missed something great. Yes, the normal time was pretty bad from both sides, Spain lacked it’s normail WOW factor, and Porgutal, well, you have to hand it to them, they created chances, put pressure on the ball, and did things that few other teams that played Spain ever will able to do. Overtime was MUCH better from Spain. That was the Spain we were used to seeing. Portugal had 0 chances on goal, Spain had over 6. Spain had 2 days less rest, but they looked like the better, more rested team. Neither team could find the goal.
The game went into a penalty shootout. The PK shootout is what I feel is the worst way to determine a winner. If a team has dominated all 120 minutes, now there is a 50-50 chance that they can win. It went from probably a 90+% chance to a 50%. Patricio saved the first PK from Xabi, then Casilla saved the second, Iniesta converted his, Pepe converted his, Pique converted his, Alves was walking up to take one, but Nani went instead and converted his, Ramos’ PK was a Pirlo(ish) PK and that was great, Alves then came back to take his and hit the crossbar, and Fabregas converted his PK to send Spain back to the final.
Where was Cristiano Ronaldo? Portugal’s most prolific player and best scorer did not even take one? A majority of the PK takers were defenders, where was he? Portgual should not have assumed he could take the winning PK. that decision I know Porgual will be regretting while Spain is celebrating going back to defend their title.
What I don’t understand is how people call Spain’s style of play, boring. That is just mindboggling. Spain does the unthinkable with the ball. No other team can create what Spain does. When the ball is at their feet, you don’t know what they’ll do. There could be 3 defenders on one player, and they’ll still weave their way out. They had over 2,000 passes completed going into the game, probably twice what all the other teams have. They pass and pass and pass, and when the opposition loses focus for one second, that’s when they find the little openings in the defense and become dangerous. People may think it get’s boring when Spain passes the ball, but that’s what Spain DOES, and it seems to be working.
dinasaurusrex 