Belgium played well yesterday and deservingly they merit the victory. It is not an easy task for any team leave aside Brazil, to recover from such a lead especially when Belgium is not a minnow. No doubt it may not have the fabulous grandeur and rich tradition as a foot-balling nation in Europe and in the World but from what soccer they dished out yesterday, it really makes them the deserving winners. Brazil basking on its past glories though their team was very good yet they failed themselves and also to their supporters miserably.
The team that concedes two goals one after the other in the first session itself especially the mighty foot-balling powerhouse like Brazil has got no right to move further. The first goal was a self goal, I agree, but instead of bringing an equalizer, Brazil conceded yet one more goal which was so beautiful. It was one of the best goals scored so far in this tourney. It all happened because yesterday Brazil defense was in total disarray leaving big space empty especially from their left side.
Another main reason behind their defeat was that when they entered the field in the first session they look as if they are come to play a friendly game for the Carnival without indicating much of the seriousness normally they indicate. Marcelo was the main culprit in holding the ball in his possession for the longer period thereby alerting his opponents to fortify their citadel even though he played a leading role yesterday.
Neymar is also another culprit who failed miserably by conceding the ball to his opponents after unnecessarily trying to dribble past number of opponents when he could easily pass the ball to his colleague. Once he loses the ball to his opponents he is incapable to regain it whence he totally surrenders. He now looks to me immature to rise up to the occasion. Though Brazil lost to a better side yet with their exit much of the interest and charm existed in this tournament is gone. After all Brazil is Brazil with the fabulous tradition of rich soccer.
The second match between Uruguay and France was very nice where France to my astonishment played extremely well and rightly carried the day by demolishing not only the game plan of Uruguay but also their traditional roughness which is ingrained in the blood of South Americans. Earlier we saw how Columbia behaved on the field using rough tactics even using their heads to hit their opponents.
When I saw France yesterday it reminded me of their earlier foot-ballers like Platini, Guiress, Tigana and others who belonged to that golden era of French soccer. They will do very well in the next encounter because every time they take up the field they come up with improved performance and now they are already in that groove just like Italy was in 1982. That time the Italians came up like slaves when they started their campaign but while going home back they went like masters taking the World Cup along with them where Paolo Rossi was the hero not only of their team but of the entire tournament though just before the beginning of their journey he was discarded. Their national President Sandro Pertini gave them the Presidential welcome in his special Plane back to Italy. I think something similar will happen to France this time. They have a well balanced team in all the segments but not a single hero to turn into a zero ultimately. Their finishers mainly the trio of Rafael, Criezmann and youngster Mbappe are in devastating form that will make them unstoppable.
All the best for the above semi-finalists.
A.Veronica Fernandes.