Tag Archives: football

in english

FIFA date wrap-up


Finland 0-0 Spain
Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

Finland 0-0 Belgium

Finland has almost performed seppuku, with its hopes to qualify to the Euro 2008 needing nothing short of a miracle. Two goals were ruled out for offside, one correctly, the other not.

Mexico 2-2 Nigeria

The senior team played against the Africans in Ciudad Juárez, and after going down 1-0, they ended up tying 2-2. A very interesting game.

Finland 0-0 Spain

In the commemoration of the centennary of the Finnish Football Association, both teams played a rather passive game in rather cold conditions. Nothing to play for and Finland’s 4th 0-0 tie in a row.

Mexico 2-3 Guatemala

A wrestling rather than a football match, with 2 players per side sent off, and the under-23’s giving a not-so-nice year end’s present to Hugo Sánchez, Mexico coach.

in english

What a difference two weeks make!

I wrote before that Chivas sacked their previous coach "Chepo" de la Torre and put Efraín Flores in charge.  With the same men, my team has not lost a game since and just trashed Necaxa 5-1 last night.

Besides deciding to bring the game to the opposite team instead of playing only on the counter, he has shown great vision in giving more responsibility to youngster Sergio "Gauchito" Ávila.  The kid has answered with some great performances and determination to seize his opportunity.  Now let's hope he does what is expected of him as Sergio Santana hasn't been that good playing in the hole between the strikers.

in english

About time

Some of my readers may wonder why I haven't posted about Chivas, the football club I follow.  The reason is simple: there hasn't been much to post about.  After the end of last season, it was a him or me between the coach and "Bofo" Bautista, and the coach won.  However, the team played horribly and after a string of very bad, unsuccessful games, including a defeat last Wednesday agains DC United in the Copa Sudamericana, has meant that "Chepo" de la Torre has also been let go, even if he took the team to their first championship in 9 years last December.

The team obligingly won their first game under the new coach, against Veracruz.  However, I'm not sure if Sergio "El Gauchito" Ávila is ready to step in the shoes of "Bofo" day in and day out even if yesterday he proved he's definitely first team material.

in english

Copa América Roundup

Now that the Copa América finished with Brasil winning 3-0 over Argentina, we can safely say that effectivity won over beauty.  The Argentines had an excellent semi-finals game against Mexico, who had come from thrashing Paraguay 6-0, and had beaten Brazil and Ecuador and tied with Chile in the first round.

In the U-20's WC, the kids lost also against Argentina, this time in quarters.  Furthermore, in the Pan-American games, the women also lost against the albiceleste, this time in the group stage.  So, if you bet in a Mexico-Argentina game, don't say you don't have enough background =(.

A good summary can be found here, where they basically say what I was going to write about:  Mexican football has grown and most probably the third place won against Uruguay reflects its status in the continent, but is still missing the leap in quality that will let it win when it matters against the top teams.

in english

Football, like life, is full of surprises

You may have read that previously I was not very convinced about Hugo Sánchez’s handling of the Mexican National Team.  My suspicions were confirmed last Sunday when Mexico lost the final of the Gold Cup against the States (their second goal looks just like that Maxi Rodríguez goal from last summer).  Since the Copa América was just around the corner, the panorama couldn’t be bleaker, since Mexico had to play against Brazil and 5 starters were out: 3 because of fatigue, 2 by injury.

You can imagine my surprise this morning when I read that Mexico beat Brazil 2-0, even though more than half of the team was composed of usually bench players.  Nice performance. =D

Mexico – Brasil Copa America Resumen Goles

The only sad thing to read is that some sectors of the press say that the performance was better since those who were more identified with the previous Mexico coach and bitter Hugo Sánchez enemy Ricardo Lavolpe were not included in the squad.  I really hope that’s not the case.

in english

A year ago today…

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Mexico lost against Argentina in the World Cup.  Probably the best-played match in Mexican World Cup history, but it wasn’t enough in a very dramatic game.

Goles Argentina – México

After the game, I talked with an Argentine friend about his impressions of the match.  He agreed with me that the teams shouldn’t have met at that stage of the tournament, since Mexico should have won its group.

The current situation in the team is far from what was shown in that game.  Hugo Sánchez is now the coach, but in the end he still doesn’t seem to have much of an idea of what he wants to do with the team.  There have been some problems in the locker room and they have lost some matches that should have been won.  The only reason the team plays in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup tonight is because all the other teams in the region are worse than us, but of course if Mexico loses agains the U.S. there will be hell to pay.  I really hope he finds a way.

in english

FIFA date wrap-up

Mexico 0-1 Paraguay

Painful last-minute defeat at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City for el Tri.  The national team is usually next-to-invincible at the mythical venue of two World Cup finals.  Paraguay avenged losing to Mexico in Monterrey a couple of months back, and played their typical catenaccio style.  According to the press, the Mexican midfield quickly ran out of ideas, so they didn't create a lot of chances.  That the main starters didn't play this game didn't help, either.  The next match for Mexico will be this weekend at the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Cuba.

 

Finland 2-0 Belgium

The sinivalkoiset beat the Diables Rouges / Rode Duivels at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.  Both teams were trying to bounce back from a series of disappointing results, and Finland showed the goods.  The Finnish press were especially worried since stars Hyypiä and Litmanen were missing, but newcomers such as the Eremenko brothers showed their worth.  In Belgium, on the other hand, they are disappointed at the weakness of a team that has lost 5 straight matches.

in english

FIFA date wrap-up

Finland 0-2 Serbia

Horrible game by the sinivalkoiset.  Serbia deservedly won at the Finnair stadium.  Finland's midfield couldn't create any meaningful plays and resorted to that old trick of desperate teams: the long ball.  When your best hope of winning a Euro 2008 qualifier is an out of form 36-year old (regardless of whether his name is Jari Litmanen) you know you're in real trouble.

Belgium 1-2 Portugal

The third defeat in a row for the diables rouges means they are also out of contention for a spot at next summer's tournament.  Belgium visits Helsinki next Wednesday, where both teams will be thinking about the road to South Africa already as they have nothing to fight for.

Mexico 4-0 Iran

The Mexicans, playing without some of their key Europe-based players, beat comfortably an also incomplete Persian team at San Luis Potosí.  This match, in preparation for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Copa América, also served as the presentation with el Tri of Uruguayan-Mexican striker Nery Castillo with the team, putting an end to speculation that he could play for Greece (where he plays) or Uruguay (where he grew up) instead.

in english

Mexican league semifinals: Chivas 0(0)-(2)1 América

Chivas lost for the 3rd time this year against our most bitter enemy.  América's goalkeeper Ochoa has definitely developed, and this time around their tactical execution was much better than ours (that the refereeing was awful didn't help much).

Chiva Congelado suffers…

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In other news, Mexicans Ricardo Osorio and Pável Pardo have become Bundesliga Champions with Stuttgart.  They join the likes of Carlos Salcido, who just won the Eredivisie with PSV.  We hope that Rafael Márquez of Barcelona also wins, with three matches to go.