It's very tempting for me to say this - Happy days are here again!
Rarely in terms on the international football front, I am so happy. With the friendly between England and Germany had been over and done with, it's back to the Euro 2008 qualifiers once more. Oh, how I muttered a 'Yes!' and heaved a sigh of relief as of now, England's qualifying hopes are still alive. And with Germany almost practically 'smelling' the trip to their neighbours Austria and Switzerland already.
So while one of the most talked-about match (other than the England-Israel one) ended in a goaless draw at the San Siro where Italy and France met, there was already plenty of drama ahead and during the match. France coach Raymond Domenech had been banished to the stands by UEFA (for only that match where his assistant took over) for saying in a newspaper interview that when he still was in charge of France U-21s, there was talk of a referee being bribed in one of the matches. Then there was Italy's Marco Materazzi who revealed what prompted Zinedine Zidane to headbutt him in the World Cup final last year. The usual mind games did came along and during the match itself, plenty of action.
Whatever happened in Berlin last year, had sort of set the stage. But then again, Italy and France had already been drawn into the same Euro 2008 qualifying group even before the World Cup last year.
The Cure's Friday I'm In Love was ringing in my head as I was reading the various match reports which I had missed. Or maybe because I saw the results I wanted for England and Germany. Happy days! England need to beat Israel in order to have their qualification hopes alive (which they did: 3-0 and now, third in the qualifying group from the previous fourth), Germany...well, they have to maintain their lead in their group (Group D). After the other Group D qualifying matches which also happened yesterday, Germany is now five points clear.
I actually did woke up to watch the Wales-Germany match. I know, I should had watched the England one. In the poem which I had written on Friday (I had thought of a title - She Thought, She Wondered), there was this part - But she wondered if she had ever did enough to support England/When life is a little too much to bear for her sometimes... Actually given the England-Israel one started earlier than the Wales-Germany encounter, I should had forgo the latter but, I don't know.
She thought watching England in action means rallying the team on
I did went to bed early last night. I slept for almost four hours before my handphone alarm clock woke me up. It was then I hesitated for a moment before heading out of the room, heading to the toilet first to settle my 'business'. Then switching on the television quietly, I sat down on the sofa. It was almost 2.45am. And...what? Germany leading by a goal already? That was my immediate reaction when I saw the action on TV. I then realised I had almost missed 15 minutes of action. It's not really my fault (or maybe it's me) but then yesterday's Weekend TODAY and The Straits Times had two different timings - 2.25am and 2.55am respectively.
It then hit me (one very lost fan here) that Germany still remembers their attacking mentality! Why after the friendly against England at the Wembley, I had forgotten it all? But then at that time, it was England whom took the lead. Ha!
Oh, the memories. Millennium Stadium. Those past FA Cup and the League Cup finals which were held there. Early this morning as I was watching Wales taking on group leaders Germany over there in Cardiff, all those memories sort of returned. But only just. I did actually went to watch the sports news on Teletext on CNA (the match was on SuperSports Plus) for a while before returning to watch the match again. That was how I know England had won over Israel.
Near misses here and there, other than the eventual 2-0 scoreline for the visitors. And I will be a little weird for not admitting at times, I wanted to pity the Welsh for their near misses. Their qualification hopes are almost over even before the start of the match, and now with Germany collecting the three points once again, it's gone.
Germany now entertain Romania in a friendly in Cologne on Wednesday night, but if they beat their two main rivals, the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and the Czech Republic in Munich, next month they will be virtually guaranteed qualification. (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070909/tsp-fbl-eur2008-ger-wal-47c0590.html)
Now I am sweating over the England corner. One hurdle has been cleared. The next is even more tougher. Russia. They know their game. They won 3-0 over Macedonia. One more on Wednesday...another must-win for England. Fortress Wembley once more! I want to see the eventual fact that both of my favourite national teams enter Austria and Switzerland together next year.
