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Vincent Enyeama wowed the global
football audience, as well as millions of Nigerian football fans, with
his all-yellow football apparel along with his numerous saves
throughout Nigeria’s unsuccessful run at the World Cup.

To the average football fan, the Israel
based goalkeeper was Nigeria’s best player at the World Cup so it may
come as a shock to them that someone else other than Enyeama was
actually the country’s best performer in South Africa, according to the
Castrol Performance Index, CPI, which FIFA is using to rate players in
this tournament.

While Enyeama earned a credible 7.11
rating on the CPI, Lukman Haruna, the previously unheralded midfielder
grabbed 7.81 points to rank as the country’s top performer.

In third place is one player a
cross-section of Nigerian football fans have blamed for the Super
Eagles’ loss to Greece, Sani Kaita who finished with a modest 6.26
rating followed by Taye Taiwo and the combative Dickson Etuhu, who
covered more distance than any other Nigerian player at the World Cup –
slightly over 29 kilometres.

Other players like Chidi Odiah, Chinedu
Obasi and Danny Shittu also earned ratings from the CPI but there was
no data available for the legendary Nwankwo Kanu, despite playing 57
minutes in the 2-2 draw against Korea Republic, as well as Yusuf Ayila
and the five unused players – John Utaka, Dele Adeleye, Brown Ideye,
Austin Ejide and Dele Aiyenugba.

What is the Castrol Index?

The Castrol
Performance Index is a ranking system sponsored by Castrol. The system
uses mathematical formulas which evaluate various player performance in
terms of how individual actions either assist or prevent goals.

The system takes into account the strength of the opposition and the time in a game the player’s actions occurred.

Developed in
conjunction with Arsenal manager and Castrol global ambassador Arsène
Wenger, every pass, tackle and move on the field is measured and
assessed to see if it has a positive or negative impact on a team’s
ability to score or concede a goal. As such, the Castrol Index is the
definitive system to objectively analyse and rank player performances
throughout the 2010 World Cup.

Lukman Haruna

Matches played: 2

Minutes played: 180

Goals scored: 0

Fouls committed: 4

Fouls suffered: 4

Total shots: 3

Shots on goal: 0

Total passes: 89

Passes completed: 66

Distance covered: 20.02 km

Castrol index: 7.81

Vincent Enyeama Matches played: 3

Minutes played: 270

Goals scored: 0

Fouls committed:1

Fouls suffered:1

Saves:20

Total passes:93

Passes completed: 53

Distance covered: 8.54 km

Castrol index: 7.11

Sani Kaita

Matches played: 2

Minutes played:123

Goals scored:0

Fouls committed:1

Fouls suffered:0

Total shots:2

Shots on goal: 0

Total passes:55

Passes completed: 38

Distance covered: 13.80 km

Castrol index:6.26

Taye Taiwo

Matches played:2

Minutes played:130

Goals scored:0

Fouls committed:1

Fouls suffered:1

Total shots:4

Shots on goal:1

Total passes:60

Passes completed: 35

Distance covered:

10.91km

Castrol index:

6.18

Dickson Etuhu

Matches played:

3 Minutes played:

270 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

5 Fouls suffered:

1 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

123 Passes completed: 96 Distance covered:

29.07 km Castrol index:

6.15

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Matches played:

3 Minutes played:

250 Goals scored:

1 Fouls committed:

9 Fouls suffered:

5 Total shots:

5 Shots on goal:

2 Total passes:

78 Passes completed: 40 Distance covered:

24.24 km Castrol index:

6.11

Chidi Odiah

Matches played:

3 Minutes played:

270 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

1 Fouls suffered:

1 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

150 Passes completed: 101 Distance covered:

26.00 km Castrol index:

5.40

Chinedu Obasi

Matches played:3

Minutes played:

194 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

6 Fouls suffered:

5 Total shots:

6 Shots on goal:

1 Total passes:

83 Passes completed: 59 Distance covered:

21.60 km Castrol index:

5.36

Danny Shittu

Matches played:3

Minutes played:

270 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

6 Fouls suffered:

0 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

74 Passes completed: 63 Distance covered:

24.19 km Castrol index:

5.30

Kalu Uche

Matches played:

3 Minutes played:

195 Goals scored:

2 Fouls committed:

1 Fouls suffered:

5 Total shots:

7 Shots on goal:

4 Total passes:

81 Passes completed: 61 Distance covered:

20.92 km Castrol index:

5.28

Obinna Nsofor

Matches played:

2 Minutes played:

72 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

0 Fouls suffered:

0 Total shots:

3 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

89 Passes completed: 66 Distance covered:

20.02 km Castrol index:

5.06

Obafemi Martins

Matches played:

2 Minutes played:

71 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

0 Fouls suffered:

2 Total shots:

2 Shots on goal:

1 Total passes:

21 Passes completed: 10 Distance covered: 8.07 km Castrol index:

4.89

Osaze Odemwingie

Matches played:

2 Minutes played:

76 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

2 Fouls suffered:

2 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

34 Passes completed: 20 Distance covered: 8.84 km Castrol index:

4.85

Joseph Yobo

Matches played:

3 Minutes played:

226

Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

1 Fouls suffered:

0 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

65 Passes completed: 39 Distance covered:

19.42 km Castrol index:

4.73

Rabiu Afolabi

Matches played:

2

Minutes played:

103

Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

0 Fouls suffered:

1 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

55 Passes completed: 39 Distance covered:

11.01 km Castrol index:

4.67

Uwa Echiejile

Matches played:

2 Minutes played:

66 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

1 Fouls suffered:

0 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

26 Passes completed: 14 Distance covered: 7.03 km Castrol index:

4.67

Yusuf Ayila

Matches played:

1 Minutes played:

90 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

5 Fouls suffered:

0 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

49 Passes completed: 36 Distance covered:

10.58 km Castrol index:

No data available

Nwankwo Kanu

Matches played:

1 Minutes played:

57 Goals scored:

0 Fouls committed:

1 Fouls suffered:

4 Total shots:

0 Shots on goal:

0 Total passes:

17 Passes completed: 13 Distance covered: 5.92 km Castrol index:

No data available

Dele Aiyenugba

Castrol index: No data available

Dele Adeleye

Castrol index:No data available

Austin Ejide

Castrol index: No data available

Brown Ideye

Castrol index: No data available

John Utaka Castrol index:

No data available

Matches Win: 0 Draw: 1 Loss: 2 Goals scored For:

3 Against:

5 Penalties:

1 Goals scored in
penalty area: 2 Goals conceded in penalty area: 3 Goals scored from
outside penalty area: 1 Goals conceded from outside penalty area: 2
Cards Yellow: 5 Red: 1 Top scorers Kalu Uche: 2 Yakubu Aiyegbeni: 1
Total shots Kalu Uche: 7 Chinedu Obasi: 6 Yakubu Aiyegbeni: 5 Taye
Taiwo: 4 Obafemi Martins:

2 Other statistics Assists:

1 Offsides:

1 Average ball possession rate: 44% Solo runs: 40 Deliveries in penalty area: 11 Clearances: 45 Clearances completed: 9 Saves:

21 Tackles:

21 Recovered balls: 17 Passes (Completion rate %) Total passes: 1180
Passes completed: 799 Passes completion rate: 67.71% Long passes: 247
Long passes completed: 104 Long passes completion rate: 42.11% Medium
passes: 663 Medium passes competed: 504 Medium passes completion rate:
76.02% Short passes: 270 Short passes completed: 191 Short passes
completion rate: 70.74% Crosses: 41 Crosses completed: 6 Crosses
completion rate: 14.63% Corners: 8 Corners completed: 6 Crosses
completion rate: 14.63% Top performers Chidi Odiah: 150 (67%) Dickson
Etuhu: 123 (78%) Vincent Enyeama: 93 (57%) Lukman Haruna: 89 (74%)
Chinedu Obasi: 83 (71%) Fouls Fouls committed: 45 Fouls suffered: 32
Top culprits Yakubu Aiyegbeni: 9 Chinedu Obasi: 6 Danny Shittu: 6
Dickson Etuhu: 5 Yusuf Ayila: 5

This column is
seriously tempted to join others in reacting to the shameful exit of
this great nation from the on-going FIFA 2010 World cup tournament, in
South Africa. I have received numerous text messages and phone calls,
asking why I have adopted the “silence” attitude to such an important
issue, affecting not only the psyche, but lives of several football
loving Nigerians.

My reasons are many
and very simple. One of them is that I have never been interested in
this particular edition of the FIFA World Cup tournament, for so many
mysterious reasons, unlike my participation in the France ‘98,
Korea/Japan in 2002 and Germany 2006. It seems very odd, but that is
the truth and I will explain in subsequent editions of this column.
Another reason has to do with FIFA and the issue of government’s
“interference.” Interference is a word which I think has been so glibly
used and I suspect abused, by the football fraternity called FIFA, not
the national federations. Hence, there are lots of very interesting
questions we are collating for FIFA to answer.

Now, to the
business of the day. I stated in last week’s column that there is the
urgent need for the Lagos State government to effect fundamental
structural changes designed to ensure genuine grass roots sports
development in this state. I also counselled that the time for such
changes – no matter how painful they may seem, is NOW. There is no
pyramid in this state with a football club, to which thousands of our
God-given young ones can aspire to be part of later in life. None. And
the reasons given by sports officials are, to say the least, absolutely
unacceptable and unprofessional.

Like many other
young boys, I grew up dreaming of playing for teams like Stationery
Stores, E.C.N., Ports Authority, Police (Machine) team, and the great
Railways football team, amongst several others, founded and based in
Lagos. I make bold to state that there is no football club in this
state today, with all the required paraphernalia like a club-house (not
a semi brothel, please), formation of other sports teams like basket
ball, tennis, etc, as part of the club; and a functional, credible and
transparent board of trustees. Not only that, there is even no football
team in this state, governed by a football-playing governor, with a
structure that can boast of well managed reserve teams, scientifically
equipped age-grade academies, with qualified coaches/trainers to manage
the academies.

Installing change

Wednesday May 12,
2010, marked the 20th anniversary of the commencement of a professional
football league in Nigeria, and by extension, Lagos State. The statute,
which established the Football Association put in place to administer
the football league, stipulated in part, that all the football teams
registering to participate in the league, had seven years to be
transformed into professional football clubs. This has unfortunately
not taken place in any state of the federation – including Lagos. This
is a travesty of the nobility of this beautiful game – one of the most
viable (if not the most viable) vocations on earth today. It should not
be like this in our own dearly beloved, Lagos, a state of excellence.
This must change. The labour of past heroes of this great state must
not be in vain.

Permit me to
repeat, for the sake of emphasis, that no matter how mundane or
pedestrian grassroots sports development may seem to many of our so –
called stakeholders, administrators, corporate organisations, and very
unfortunately, some media outfits, if we fail in Lagos state to
establish a culture of excellent sports development – with integrity as
the foundation, the systematic evolution of young sports persons,
through a very sound scientific and up-to-date technical approach,
needed to take sports to higher levels in this state and Nigeria, will
never be actualised.

How did the
infrastructure and structure that once made this state force to be
respected nationally and internationally, collapse so badly within the
last two decades, that even Lagosians are no longer confident our
sporting prowess. How did our slogan change from Eko for gold
(excellence, valour, leadership, triumph, etc), to Eko for show? Why
have we allowed mundane things like lust for money and power tussle
crowd out very relevant and progressive issues that are meant naturally
to add value to the present administration in the state? Why do many of
our sports executives – association chairpersons, committee presidents,
ex-this, ex-that and some people who claim to be friends of Governor
Fashola, perpetuate the myth that their presence is permanent?

Why are ideas
plagiarised and committed into the hands of cronies, who eventually
debase the value of such wonderful ideas, in an extremely unworthy
manner? These are questions begging for answers.

Really, an overhaul of mindset and structures is needed. The first
step is to change this laughable idea of placing sports at the local
government level under the supervision of the agriculture ministry.

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan suffered an
ankle injury in training on Monday and sat out most of a rigorous
two-hour session as Africa’s last hopes prepared for Friday’s World Cup
quarter-final.

“I felt a knock and it’s a bit swollen,
but I don’t think it’s too serious. By Friday I’ll be ready,” he told
reporters after a lengthy training session at Mogwase, near the team’s
Sun City base. Ghana play Uruguay on Friday at the Soccer City Stadium
in Johannesburg. Gyan sat with ice wrapped around his ankle and hobbled
away after the practice but was adamant he would be in the starting
line-up against Uruguay.

More injuries

Missing from the
session were captain, John Mensah; midfielder, Kevin-Prince Boateng;
and winger, Dede Ayew, who all picked up knocks in the weekend’s second
round win over the United States. Boateng has a hamstring injury, and
is doubtful for Friday; and Mensah suffers from persistent back
problems. Ayew is resting an ankle knock plus is suspended for the
upcoming clash. But central defender Isaac Vorsah, who has missed the
last two matches for the Black Stars at the tournament in South Africa,
participated throughout the training in the crisp night air at the
small rural stadium.

Gyan, who has scored three of Ghana’s four goals at the finals, said
reaching the last eight was a massive achievement for the Black Stars.
“We are so happy to have qualified, it was so important for Ghana and
the whole of Africa. We qualified for second round four years ago and
this time we’ve made it to the quarters.” It was Gyan’s spectacular
extra-time volley that proved the winner in the 2-1 victory over the
Americans at Rustenburg on Saturday. “The goal was one of the best of
my career. I was pushed from behind and I should have fallen down (to
claim a penalty) but I resisted and I made it happen.” Thoughts of
targeting the tournament’s top scorer award, however, were not on his
mind, he told Reuters. “I’m only thinking about helping my team to win.
The prize is not important; remember football is a collective game.” </

Argentina
goalkeeper, Sergio Romero, is likely to see more action in Saturday’s
quarter-final with Germany than he has in their World Cup matches so
far. Romero, who has conceded two goals in four wins, faces one of the
higher scoring attacks at the finals when they meet in a mouth-watering
clash in Cape Town. The giant 23-year-old knows he must also be
prepared for a penalty shootout which is how Germany eliminated
Argentina in Berlin at the same stage of the 2006 finals.

“We have been
studying the penalties of all players since the World Cup started
because we know that at any moment we might have to face one and you
need to know about the taker,” the 1.92-metre tall Romero said on
Tuesday. In the 2006 quarter-final shootout, Germany goalkeeper Jens
Lehmann benefitted from a crib sheet he had on him with details of
Argentina’s likely penalty takers. Germany won it 4-2. “It was a piece
of cunning by them for the goalkeeper to have a little paper tucked
away to know about the players who were going to shoot,” Romero told a
news conference. “I think that with the work we’re doing we’re ready
for any time in the match, during the 90 minutes or in penalties,” he
said after Monday’s practice at Argentina’s University of Pretoria base.

The threat

Romero said
Germany, who have scored nine goals to Argentina’s 10 in four matches,
have “great forwards and great fighters when they don’t have the ball.
“(Lukas) Podolski has a great shot from distance, he always sets up his
left foot to shoot, (Miroslav) Klose chases every ball, he doesn’t give
any up for lost, (Mesut) Ozil plays very well, he’s technical, they
have tall people who go to all the corners and free kicks.” Romero
believes he is playing behind a very strong defence but he needed left
back Gabriel Heinze’s two clearances off the line to avoid conceding
more goals against the Mexicans in their 3-1 win on Sunday.

“Only two or three balls reach me per match, not more than that, and
I think that means I have a good defence,” said the keeper with the
long ponytail who has won the World Youth Cup and Olympic soccer titles
with Argentina. Romero has been criticised for punching the ball away
at times rather than trying to catch it. “In a match you can’t run any
risks,” he said. “If you have to parry, you parry it, if you have to
catch it you catch it and I think that’s how a goalkeeper gives his
team mates confidence.”

The furore over
refereeing mistakes at the World Cup forced FIFA president Sepp Blatter
into an about-turn on Tuesday, reopening the debate on the use of
goalline technology.

The 74-year-old
Swiss president of world soccer’s governing body, who apologised on
Tuesday for the errors made by referees this week, has been a stubborn
opponent of technology for years.

He effectively
closed the door on further discussions about it three months ago at the
annual meeting of soccer’s law-making body, the International Football
Association Board (IFAB).

Although he has
again ruled out using video replays to help officials with decisions,
such as offsides, he said technology such as the Hawk-Eye system used
in tennis and cricket should be re-examined to determine if the ball
had crossed the line or not for a goal.

“It is obvious that
after the experiences so far at this World Cup, it would be a nonsense
not to reopen the file on goalline technology,” Blatter said at a
briefing with selected media on Tuesday.

He was referring
specifically to the incident in Sunday’s England-Germany match at
Bloemfontein when a shot from England midfielder Frank Lampard struck
the bar and bounced down well over the line when England, chasing a
comeback, were 2-1 down.

The goal was not given and Germany went on to win the second round match 4-1.

Although there was
a second controversial incident later in the day when Argentina scored
from an offside position against Mexico in a match they won 3-1,
Blatter emphasised no technology would be debated relating to video
evidence for offsides.

He said: “We will
look again at technology, goalline technology, at the business meeting
of the International Football Association Board in Cardiff, Wales, in
July.

“The only principle
we are going to bring back for discussion is goalline technology. For
situations like the Mexico game you don’t need technology.”

Open mind

Paul Hawkins, whose
Hawk-Eye Innovations company of Winchester, England, developed the
system, was keeping an open mind about Blatter’s comments.

Hawkins told
Reuters: “Mr Blatter has said this before and there have been other
changes of mind. All he said is that they will reopen the discussion,
they haven’t said they will change their minds.

“If they’re serious
about this then they’ll contact us and we’ll just wait to find out
whether this is just a little statement to defuse the current public
pressure.

“I have had my hopes dashed too many times in the past to get too
excited, but obviously we think we can help make football a better
game.” Only hours after Blatter spoke, World Cup referees said they
would welcome technology if it made their jobs easier and helped the
decision-making process.

In line with its
objective of matching football with education, Pepsi Football Academy,
Nigeria’s first and biggest football academy is set to send some of its
students on a two-year scholarship scheme programme at the Brooke House
College in the United Kingdom.

Ian Nelson,
consultant to the academy revealed that 124 students within the ages of
10 – 18 years were drawn from the Academy centres all over the nation,
and will be available for selection under the scholarship scheme.
According to Nelson, the scholarship scheme is aimed at giving the
students international exposure, and an opportunity to play football
and study at the same time. Kasimawo Laloko, the academy’s director
added that the selection is a dividend of years of collaboration
between Pepsi Football Academy and some institutions in the UK, Asia
and the Americas. According to him, no fewer than eight students of the
Pepsi Academy have benefited from such scholarship scheme in the last
four years.

The selection process

The selection
process, which began from Monday June 28 will run through Friday July
2, 2010 at the Abeokuta Grammar School playing turf where the Nigerian
kids will be vying for the limited opportunities for the scholarship.
Already a three-man team from Brooke House College, UK which comprises
Giles Williams, the director; Ben Watts, the manager; and Luke Maher,
the Academy coach has arrived Nigeria for the exercise. The newly
selected students will join the four who are already in Brooke House
College on a similar scholarship.

Commenting on the scholarship selection exercise, Nelson said “This
is Pepsi’s way of exposing the young lads at the academy to
international football and training conditions while providing them
opportunity to study and play football.” The Pepsi Academy had in
recent past organized exchange schemes for her students with such
prestigious clubs as Manchester United, Chelsea Football Club, and
Bolton Wanderers, all in the UK. The Academy has also help produce
players for the national team, with players like Mikel Obi and Chinedu
Obasi been some of the many products of the academy.

Paraguay beat Japan
on penalties to move into the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday after
the match had finished in a goalless stalemate after extra time.

Japan’s Yuichi
Komano hit the crossbar with his team’s third spot kick, the only one
missed in the first shootout of the finals. Paraguay, who become the
fourth South American team after Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, in the
last eight, will now meet Spain or Portugal after holding their nerve
to win the shootout 5-3. The South Americans had enjoyed more
possession during the 0-0 draw which had relatively few clear goal
chances at either end. A cagey opening brought few clear-cut chances
but the game sparked to life in the 20th minute, Eiji Kawashima saving
with his knee from Lucas Barrios, then Daisuke Matsui cracking the
Paraguay crossbar with a curling 25-metres effort.

An out-of-sorts
Honda had his first clear sight of goal in the 38th minute, striking
the ball first time with the outside of his favoured left foot just
past the post. Paraguay looked set to open the scoring 10 minutes into
the second half when Edgar Benitez broke into the left side of the
penalty area but his shot was deflected wide by Yuji Nakazawa. Japan,
who had torn Denmark apart in their final group game with some
delightful free-flowing soccer, struggled to maintain possession in the
second half and their trademark quick-fire counter-attacks fizzled in
the final third.

With the score tied at 0-0 after 90 minutes, Japan made a bright
start to extra time, Yoshito Okubo bearing down on the Paraguay defence
with a surging run from deep in his own half. Paraguay almost unlocked
the Japanese defence seven minutes into extra time when Claudio Morel
released substitute Valdez in the box but goalkeeper Kawashima got out
smartly to block. Paraguay’s Edgar Barreto had his head in his hands
moments later when the ball dropped to him in a crowded penalty area
but he could do no better than flick the ball over the bar.

The leadership of
the Nigeria Football Federation has apologised to Nigerians over the
poor performance of the Super Eagles at the World Cup in South Africa.

The decision to
tender an unreserved apology to the country was reached at the end of
an executive committee meeting of the federation in Abuja yesterday.

A communiqué issued at the end of deliberations read in part:

“The Executive
Committee tendered apology to the Federal Government and all football
-loving Nigerians for the early ouster of the Super Eagles from the
2010 FIFA World Cup finals, despite immense support by Mr. President
and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
(GCFR), and other well-meaning Nigerians.” The Eagles exited in the
first round of the tournament after losing to Argentina and Greece and
drawing its last group game against South Korea. It finished last in
the group with only one point and three goals to show for the nearly
one billion naira spent on their participation in the tournament.

Nigerians were united in their anger at the poor performance, prompting the apology from the NFF.

Other decisions
reached at the meeting and contained in the communiqué include the
decision to commence rebuilding the Eagles. The executive committee has
directed that the technical crew of the team, which for the time being
will be led by Austin Eguavoen in the absence of Lars Lagerback who is
on a two-week holiday, embark on “a highly rigorous technical process
of raising a new team to be dominated by the youth and home grown
talent”. The federation charged them to develop a long term programme
“that will give the new team adequate exposure and confidence ahead of
imminent qualifying competitions”.

Scrapping home-based Eagles

Another key decision taken by the NFF was the disbanding of the home-based Eagles.

According to the
communiqué: “There will be only one Super Eagles, with no foreign
-based or home -based appellations. Discipline will continue to be key
issue in Nigerian national team camps, national youth teams will be
exposed to more international tournaments and the senior teams will be
made to play more friendly games.” Other decisions reached at the
meeting also include the engagement of a highly -qualified Psychologist
for the national teams.

It also directed
the Secretariat to ensure that the national U-20 women’s team,
Falconets and the U-17 girls’ team, Flamingoes, prepare adequately for
upcoming FIFA championships. The Falconets will take part in the FIFA
U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany (13th July – 1st August) while
Flamingoes will participate in FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad
and Tobago (5th – 25th September, 2010).

It was also
resolved that bonuses paid to the players of the national women’s teams
(Super Falcons, Falconets, Flamingoes) be reviewed upwardly.

The Nelson Mandela
Bay in Port Elizabeth will today be the scene of an eagerly anticipated
battle between two of the 2010 World Cup’s talented sides.

Five-time
champions, Brazil, square up against the Orange men from the
Netherlands in the first quarter final encounter of the tournament.
Both sides are not new to each other, having met nine times before with
Brazil having a slight edge of three wins to the Netherland’s two.
Their last meeting at the World Cup took place 16 years ago during the
1994 edition, with Brazil running away with a 3-2 victory.

On a good day when
teams possessing the firepower and technical ability of both teams
play, sparks should fly. However, obsession with tactics, especially on
the part of the Brazilians, means fans may see a game shorn of flair
and creativity.

The South
Americans, noted for their fluid attacking style ,have for a long time
dating back to nearly two decades, opted for a hit and run approach.
Under Carlos Dunga in particular, the usually rampaging Brazilians are
content to lay back and allow their opponents have a go at them before
hitting them on the counter. That strategy has worked well for them in
this tournament, particularly in the game against Cote d ‘Ivoire, where
they clinically finished the exuberant Africans.

Robben inspiration

Against the
Netherlands, boosted by the return of Bayern Munich star, Arjen Robben,
their stingy defence is most likely to have a lot of work to do. The
Dutch, who beat hard fighting Slovakia in their round of 16 encounter,
will be relying on the guile of the former Chelsea FC star to unlock
the closely knit Brazilian defence. Robben, who sat out all his team’s
matches before the round of 16 clash, showed why coach Bert van Marwijk
and his crew had agonised over his absence, with a commanding display
against the Slovaks, which he capped with a beauty of a goal that must
rank as one of the best of the tournament.

Brazil coach,
Dunga, is mindful of the quality of his team’s next opponents: “Of the
European sides, the Netherlands are perhaps most similar to us South
Americans in terms of technical ability. They traditionally produce
teams that play nice football. They’re not a team that just defends or
one that plays a long-ball game. They’ve got very technical players and
we need to be ready for that.”

Playing with fire

Despite the quality
of players in their squad, the Dutch know it is an uphill task against
the sleek Brazilians parading former World Football of the Year, Kaka,
and rampaging Sevilla striker, Luis Fabiano, who has notched up three
goals so far in the tournament. Marwijk is wary of the threat posed by
the South Americans: “Brazil have six really impressive defensive
players and attackers who are capable of making a difference at any
moment. They’re a solid side.

“We’ve controlled the play in all our games so far; we’ve scored
seven goals and only conceded two and we’ve hardly been in any danger.
But I think that’s going to change when we meet Brazil.”

Germany captain
Philipp Lahm on Thursday fanned a war of words between his side and
rivals Argentina ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash, accusing
his opponents of being bad losers.

A day after Germany
midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger called the Argentines
“disrespectful”, his captain said they did not know how to deal with a
defeat.

“Bastian said what
he said. We know South Americans are impulsive and temperamental and
cannot lose,” said the usually soft-spoken Lahm.

“We will see on Saturday how they will lose and how they will behave after a defeat,” he said.

Germany beat
Argentina in the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals on penalties before a
violent brawl broke out at the end of the match, drawing in most
players and coaches from both teams with punches and kicks flying.

The two sides have
also met twice in a World Cup final, with Argentina winning their
second trophy in 1986 and Germany coming out on top in 1990 for their
third World Cup victory.

“We have to
concentrate on our football only,” said Lahm. “The South Americans are
temperamental. We know that and we will see how they will deal this
time with a defeat.” “It is time we beat a top team. Our young team has
to show that it can beat a top team like Argentina in 90 minutes,” Lahm
said.

Disrespectful

Schweinsteiger had
kicked off the unusual war of words on Wednesday saying Argentine
players were always trying to influence the referee to gain an unfair
advantage.

“It starts before
the match,” Schweinsteiger said. “If you see how they gesticulate, how
they try to influence the referee. That is not part of the game. That
is a lack of respect. They just are like that,” said Schweinsteiger.

Team manager Oliver Bierhoff, playing the role of a good cop, urged German players to forget the 2006 World Cup brawl.

“We should leave it
behind and keep a cool head and just concentrate on what we do best,”
he told reporters, sitting next to Lahm.

“I do not think it
will be a fiery game,” he said adding Germany were not overestimating
their abilities despite having played a good tournament so far.

“That is exactly the strength of the team. That they have a healthy
self-esteem. This enthusiasm around them will not carry them away
thinking they have reached their target.”