The business end of a World Cup rarely offers genuine surprises, but Wednesday night in Qatar produced one all the same. Spain, so often the architect...
The business end of a World Cup rarely offers genuine surprises, but Wednesday night in Qatar produced one all the same. Spain, so often the architects of their own frustration in major tournaments, played with a clarity and purpose that left France looking every bit a side that had run out of ideas. The 2. 0 scoreline flattered the French. In truth, it could have been more. France were listless. That is the kindest word for it. They sat in a passive low block, seemingly waiting for Spain to make a mistake that never came. But Spain did not just pass for the sake of it. They probed. They shifted the ball with ruthless tempo, dragging a rigid French midfield out of shape. The first goal arrived through a devastating moment of transitional play, a swift counterattack that exposed France's high full backs. The second was a piece of clinical finishing that capped a move built on twenty odd passes of sustained pressure. It was not just a victory. It was a statement. What now for France There will be questions about their tactical flexibility, or lack thereof. They looked one dimensional. Spain, by contrast, looked like a side that has finally found the balance between aesthetic possession and real, vertical threat. They are not just pretty. They are dangerous. And that brings us to the next act. England versus Argentina in a World Cup semi final. Just let that sink in for a moment. It is the kind of fixture that makes you forget about work, about sleep, about everything else. England have been efficient, solid, but there is a lingering sense that they have yet to face a side capable of truly punishing a lapse in concentration. Argentina, for all their stuttering start, have grown into the tournament like a side rediscovering its soul. They have Messi, of course, but that is only part of the story. They have a defensive structure now, a genuine tactical discipline. This is squeaky bum time. The margins are razor thin. One misplaced pass in midfield, one hesitation at the back, and the whole dream collapses. England will need to be sharper in possession than they were against the lower seeded sides. Argentina will need to manage the emotional weight of the occasion, something that has tripped them up before. GoalZaza will have full buildup coverage and live analysis as the drama unfolds. Do not miss a single minute of it.
