This is exactly how I pictured this game would turn out. I knew Uruguay would play bad. But when Uruguay plays it's worst, they always manage to somehow score and win.
(Copa America 83 final, 87 Semi final, 95 (Tournament lol), Recently Vs. Colombia, vs. Argentina)
I have to say that Australia really impressed me today. (Maybe my hopes were set too low) But they really prepared for this match (for like 3 years I think) and studied Uruguay very well (they prob knew that it would have been Us or Colombia 1 year ago).
But I was very happy that the game turned out peaceful. Uruguayans and Australians were constantly shaking hands (True sometimes they exploded at the ref), but besides that it was just a football game (Only when Aloisi fouled Carini did Dario have to go swear at him and Chenge?......well Chenge fights with everyone).
I was really glad to see Aloisi and Garcia hugging after the game (very good friends).
The Australians arrived peacefuly and it turns out some of their tabloids were wrong all along (I laughed when they showed mostly parents with little children walking towards the Centenario. The Aussies watching on TV must have been shocked! <probably expecting rabid fans carrying rocket launchers>
Funny part was when a bunch of drunk Aussies started running around Centenario carrying Kangaroo toys with some Uruguayans laughing in the background.
After all that happened with the media speculations and smack talk, everything was quickly forgotten on the field (Only time where im SURE that it was on purpose was when Chenge killed that Grilla guy who said he hoped Uruguay would lose the plain).
If any Aussie would have seen the Uruguayan transmition (on Gol TV) they were complementing the Aussie players everytime they did a good play.
Anyways on to the Game
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I saw the Game with Uruguayans and many neutral friends (Canadians and Scots) and they all agreed. The first 25 minutes was more for Australia (they played very well.......I think that they improved alot cause I dont think the 2001 team would have beaten that. Thank god WE improved alot since then too).
But the 2nd half.......Uruguay unzipped and let Australia have it. Even Hiddink's tactics couldnt stop Uruguay who was coming in from everywhere.
Recoba? WOW. He seemed even better than 4 years ago. Im sure the Aussies studied him but he literally is amazing. He WAS Uruguay for the first 20 minutes of the game (going through 2-3 defenders at once and running by like nothing)
The Captain shot was very funny (Viduka was 2X taller than the small Montero........yet Montero marked him INCREDIBLY <no surprise>)
The whole D was just amazing. Australia's main chances were the free kick (class shot btw from viduka and AMAZING save by Carini
) and some shots from outside (though they had a few). Though Carini seemed very alert in the down right shot that almost hit the post.
Lolo's standing ovasion almost made me cry (Imagine what he must have felt like!). He made Australia dance the whole 2nd half. (and how!)
Chenge actually dropped balls for Recoba really well and almost scored that goal but he happened to shoot it right at Swarzter.
His big moment came in the Recoba save....it was great. Him and Carini played great and were at their best today.
Who else? Men of Match- Garcia (Real Madrid president must have fainted watching that. Just wow.) .....Perez (another WOW)......Viduka (I think he did amazing)........Recoba.......Carini.....Swartzer (sp?) and.......Dario (scorer and also killed it)
In the 2nd half Diogo really did kill it.
Who sucked? Zalayeta (UGH) and Kewell (Aussies seem pretty furious about him too......but from what I read in some internet reports, he was considered of the best of the Aussies)
Thompson (Who is pretty much Chevanton but inexperienced) was great today (Except he seemed overwhelmed today.........I think coming from playing in the "A-League" and playing America Samoa in front of 4 ppl in the stadium to playing in the CENTENARIO was a huge mistake from Hiddink. He'd sometimes glance up and you could see he was nervous (after making 1-2 good runs he started missing easy passes and like giving it to no one many times)
1 more thing. Regardless that the Aussie defender blocked the ball with his hand in the beginning (and in the 2nd half). the Foul on Chenge was a definate penalty. Like wow.
But the Recoba one was a pure dive.
Anyways, If you would have asked me to skip the game and win 1-0 automatically I would have taken it. Sure we could have scored more, but it could have been worse. (The 4-2-1-3 seems to get us wins after we are dominated for most of the first half and then we start to play well. Thank god well never get to use it again).
Many Aussies are saying "see you in Sidney". I've heard that so many times that I dont even care anymore (Libertadores 2001 "See you in Colombia <America vs. Nacional?>".
While I will be sad if Uruguay doesnt go, Im so emotionally drained from this whole experience that Im willing to take a long vacation if it means my heart can have a rest.
Plus Ill be glad that we werent eliminated by Colombia or Chile and Ill be glad for the Aussies too (they seem like really cool people).
<Oh and Diego leaving broke my heart for the guy. He almost wanted to cry. But Dario surprised me. He did well.>
Good luck to both teams in the 2nd leg.
(thiking about it ....1-0 is 10000X better than a 2-1...IMO)