Often when a team in a football match has one less person on the pitch, it's always the sign that the other team can work this to their advantage. Germany certainly knew how to work it out and maintained the 2-0 score to them when they were playing against Sweden (the Swedes were down to 10 men then).
I was watching the Italy-Australia match with my father last night (I supposed he watched the entire thing, because I watched till a bit of the second half before heading to bed) and when I woke up this morning, I saw the papers and it was a bye-bye for Australia. I was saying a 'Nooo.....' in my head, almost. Italy, though even down 10 men, they really went all the way to the end. I guess, Italy has gotten back what is theirs from four years ago when they faced Korea in the quarter-finals. Back then, Guus Hiddink was Korea's coach. So it's like World Cup 2002 being revisited. But this time, Italy had their 'revenge' four years on.
Now for this World Cup, we finally witnessed a penalty shoot-out. Not everyone likes it. Not even the ones who have to take it to decide whether they are in, or out. The very last resort in a knockout match of the World Cup. It's the case of the Switzerland-Ukraine match. I saw what my father wrote on the wallchart and when I turned on the TV and saw the results, it was right. Debutants Ukraine won on penalties (3-0 to them), and they will meet Italy in the quarter-finals.
Now it's up to debutant Ghana and see what they can do against Brazil in the match later on tonight here at the local time.
When one saw that debutant Ukraine can really hold the young Swiss squad (this squad is actually preparing for the next Euro 2008 when they co-host it with Austria) up till the penalty shoot-out, it's really something.
I don't know, maybe it's sentimental reasons I wanted Australia to advance after their round-of-16 and the same thing for Switzerland. The Hiddink factor is the reason for Australia's case, given how he really driven the Korean squad four years back to what not many can imagined - to the last four (only to be lost to the German squad then). Switzerland's case, it's mainly because...of the Social Studies classes on the case study of the country. I know...sigh.
But on a stage like this, there is no room for sentimental reasons. Always. Cruel, isn't it? But no choice.
