The Three Dads World Cup Wonderland

Well the last couple of nights have been highly unnerving. Last night I had a normal evening in. The night before I took the missus out. All highly regular and not a marathon football-fest in sight. Luckily, normal service is resumed this evening. As France and Germany played out the early part of their game I was on a boat drinking a few beers with a crowd of Germans. This was inevitably a very real threat to my immaculate 100% media silence record in the tournament to date. As the whoops and cheers rang across the deck, I knew of course that Germany had scored - and so it proved once I'd raced home and got the TiVo into action, Hummels glancing a very nice header, which of course sunk the French. I was disappointed with their efforts, their campaign ending in a whimper after such an explosive start. In truth the game was dull. The entertainment was seemingly all saved for the late game, which I am watching now. Two South American teams doing what they do best - gung-ho attack...

Consecutive nights of extra time, coupled with the natural build up of the TV viewer's equivalent of lactic acid have meant that I'm feeling slightly fatigued at the moment. Don't get me wrong, the football is just brilliant, but even I am looking forward to the 2 day break later in the week, and again on Sunday and Monday. The tournament catches me out like this every time with group stages and round of 16 both being massively intense; followed by a short break and all of a suddenly it is all over. This second round has been brilliant. When I left you in the last blog post, Mexico were looking good and were robbed at the death by two late goals, first by Sneijder (with an absolute thunderbolt) and then a cajunas penalty from the greatest player who never reached proper fame, Jan-Klaas Hunterlaar. He is such a clinical and consistent centre forward - just gutted not to have seen him in the Premier League. Costa Rica then played Greece and amazingly made the Quarter Fina...

Last night's games really lived up to their billing. Brazil and Chile was a great game - both teams going at it, the threat of goals ever-present and the threat of red cards also seemingly high. Chile looked the better team on balance, but the home advantage seemed to lift Brazil and they always carried a threat. The theme of course; one which is endemic across the tournament, is that neither defence looked very strong. In the end, the width of the post denied Chile in the shoot-out, as had the crossbar in the final minute of extra time. A really crappy way to go out of the tournament, but they can be proud of their efforts. Few will be disappointed to see Brazil still in the tournament, as things always go a bit flat once the hosts bow out. I'll also enjoy those anthems carrying on. If anything sums up England's utter failure in big competitions of late, it is the passionless mumblings we do in the anthems, which sets the tone for the game afterwards. The second game o...