Suarez Controversy and More | World Cup 2014, June 24

No European side has ever won a World Cup in South America, and it would appear that history is becoming destiny as two more continental sides bowed out in yesterday’s group matches. England went with a whimper, drawing 0-0 in the dead rubber against Costa Rica, while Italy were denied in controversial fashion via a dire 0-1 loss to Uruguay. Elsewhere, Colombia secured first place in Group C with a 4-1 thumping of Japan, and Greece booked a booth in the round of 16 with a sensationally dour 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.

Another one bites the dust: Uruguay deny Italy

The headlines yesterday and today have been dominated by Luis Suarez’s oral fixation. The biting incident, however, was far from the only controversial aspect of Uruguay’s 1-0 victory over Italy.

To start with Suarez, the Uruguayan striker did not have his best game. He completed only a few forward passes; was dispossessed three times, successfully beating a defender only once; and then proceeded to collide teeth-first with Chiellini’s shoulder in full view of half a dozen cameras and countless viewers glued to the screen. Critically, one man not among those viewers was the beleaguered referee. Critical — and unfortunate for Italy; just minutes before the biting incident, the red card had come out for a reckless challenge in which Claudio Marchisio’s studs became intimately acquainted with Egidio Arevalo’s knee. His sending off reduced Italy to 10 in a moment where they could ill-afford it.

The result may have been altogether different, had Suarez been sent off. As it stands, he was not, and about a minute after the incident, Diego Godin scored the all-important goal to send Uruguay through to the round of 16.

“It didn’t seem like a red card offense,” was what Cesare Prandelli would say after the match. The disappointment was clear as he singled out the referee for sending Marchisio off and altering the tenor of what he believed had been a well-balanced match. “You work four years and then one red card can change everything.”

Hours after the defeat, Prandelli resigned, accepting responsibility for Italy’s early exit. While it is not incorrect that the manager should accept due blame, as his tactics left an awful lot to be desired — at the same time, Prandelli’s reactive, defensive-minded tactics had been more or less working. Italy only needed a draw to advance; Uruguay had barely gotten a shot on goal in the lead-up to Godin’s moment of heroism. Prandelli’s crime was that he gambled for the draw — and lost. But every tactical decision comes with its gamble. Oscar Tabarez might well have been condemned for fielding a volatile player like Suarez, had the situation blown up in Uruguay’s face. And it very nearly did, and perhaps should have, when the claws — or rather, teeth — came out.

We need to talk about Luis Suarez

In a World Cup marked by daily protests followed by heavy-handed police crackdowns; in an age of football where fans know very well the almost laughably villain-like truth about FIFA; in a era where football’s identity is at once celebrated and condemned on a global level like never before — we need to question what’s happening to the spirit of the sport.

Luis Suarez’s perennial acting out is a part of that question. As brilliant of a footballer as Suarez is, football is not so utilitarian as to be judged solely on goals and not on the manner in which they are achieved, or the character of the player who has contributed to their achievement. It is not simply a question of PR. It is a question of public discourse and opinion. If football has more value than that of entertainment, how does an act both violent and senseless — and, furthermore, one with absolutely no bearing upon how the game is to be played or the matter in which its motives are to be achieved — how does that reflect on those selfsame values football would claim to enshrine?

FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings on Suarez’s actions against Chiellini. Whether a ban is in the books, or whether FIFA will prove as toothless in enforcement as they are ruthless in endorsements — the decision could color not only Suarez’s and Uruguay’s World Cup, but the tenor of the tournament and all that it means.

Group C decided by dour defending and prodigal strikes

Colombia are looking extremely dangerous. Yesterday, despite fielding a starting XI that looked more like a Plan B than a winning strategy, Colombia demonstrated via a 4-1 victory over Japan that they are one of the sides to watch if not, indeed, to beat. The result will be a hard disappointment for Japan, who did dominate stretches of play, as when the Samurai Blues produced 8 shots on goal in the first half hour alone to Colombia’s measly one — but, unfortunately, Japan wasted all their chances, while Colombia made their one shot count. And despite equalizing just before the break, Japan failed to truly come to grips with the match after the restart. The desire was there, but the form was not.

In the other Group C match, Ivory Coast were done in by Greece’s dour defending. If parking the bus is an art, then Greece are its Picassos. After going 1-0 up courtesy of a Samaris goal, Greece deployed every outfield player behind the ball to squeeze the life out of Ivory Coast’s attack. The flow of play can be more or less summed up thus: both teams committed 10 men apiece to the Greeks’ half, where Ivory Coast would and fail to find a way through, before giving up the ball, and then it was a mad scramble from both sides to see who’d get to the Ivory Coast goal first. Greece were quick on the counter and efficient in front of goal. Bony equalized for Ivory Coast in the 74th minute, and a draw would have been enough — but a 93rd-minute plot twist undid the script, when Sio brought down Samaras in the box, and the 29-year-old striker stepped up to convert the penalty.

Uninspired England fail to find redemption

Let’s be honest: England’s 0-0 draw with Costa Rica was dire. Not dire in the way of a volatile, ill-tempered match that could just as soon break into a fistfight as a 4-3 free for all. It was dire in the way of this English side having scored just 5 goals in their last 8 World Cup matches, and never really looking like they were going to add to that tally in 90+ minutes against Costa Rica. Apart from Sturridge’s few wasted chances, it was a shockingly pedestrian match.

The maturity and the motivation didn’t seem to be there, and when that’s missing, it doesn’t matter how quality the players are. There are teams with lesser quality (Algeria, anyone?) and bigger goal hauls in this tournament. England might look into swapping some crown jewels (or crowned players) for just a few joules of the energy with which Costa Rica have played their football. At least then, they might be going home with more than just a measly point to their collective name.

It may be hyperbole, but one can’t help feel that England have not bowed out so much as snuck out during intermission. When the most interesting talking point of the afternoon was maybe the sardonic chorus of “Always look on the bright side of life” coming from the stiff-upper-lipped stands, you know you’ve got a problem.

Costa Rica emerge as champion of champions

A month ago, Costa Rica were considered the cannon fodder of a tough Group D, packed as it was with past World Cup winners. Today, they have emerged from a bloodbath worthy of G.R.R. Martin to be crowned the champions of champions, having polished off Uruguay and Italy with vigor before drawing England to secure the top spot. The best part, perhaps, is that this result is not altogether due to the other teams’ failings (though those are many). Costa Rica are playing some beautifully vibrant football, and in a tournament not lacking in uninspiring performances from early favorites, Los Ticos are keeping the magic of the World Cup alive. Pura Vida, indeed.

Suarez Controversy, Prandelli’s Gamble, Greece’s Defending | World Cup 2014

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