Early candidate for match of the tournament has to go to the Portugal-Mexico contest in Toronto Thursday night.
Here it is a day later and I'm still trying to catch my breath from all the action I witnessed from my comfy perch in the press box at BMO Field.
The game was touted as the marquee contest of the first round featuring two teams packed with creative superstars who are committed to playing attacking soccer.
They did not disappoint.
Toronto fans could hardly have any complaints about the contest they witnessed, with both sides playing at a break-neck pace. The ravenous crowd enjoyed every minute of the spectacle, serenading the young players with chants of "Ole" throughout the 90 minutes as the stadium heaved with electricity.
There were so many highlights to choose from but for me Giovanni dos Santos's run down the left wing with 10 minutes left in the first half was the highlight. The Mexican star took the ball and made a dynamite move to beat two Portugal defenders before playing a perfect pass into the middle.
If only Efrain Juarez could have controlled the ball and scored, instead of rushing his shot and misfiring.
The way Dos Santos earned the penalty call the led to the first goal was dubious - he went down far too easily for my liking - but knowing Portugal's penchant for diving, they could hardly complain.
Most comical moment of the night? About nine minutes after dos Santos's goal, Mexico appeared to score again but defender Hector Moreno clearly directed the ball in with his hand, prompting the crowd to chant "Diego, Diego" - a reference to Maradona's Hand of God goal at the 1986 World Cup.
Funny stuff.
Even though both teams played attacking soccer, Portugal manager Jose Couceiro was hounded by one reporter at the post-match new conference who kept asking him why the Portuguese team played so defensively.
Couceiro politely said he didn't think that was the case, but the reporter kept pressing. When the same reporter asked Mexican coach Jesus Ramirez what he thought of Portugal's defensive approach, Ramirez bluntly told the reporter he was out to lunch - which was my thought, exactly.
Anyway, a great game with plenty of action, goals and atmosphere.
What more could you want?
Comments
I was at the game, and no way that was penalty on dos Santos. He took a dive.
Posted by: Rui Toronto | July 6, 2007 02:51 PM
Dos Santos took a dive to earn that penalty shot. It's a shame he did that because he's such a great player.
Posted by: Luis Toronto | July 6, 2007 02:58 PM
A bunch of obnoxious Mexicans poured beer on the crowd after each of Mexican goal (legitimate and illegitimate)....other than that it was one of the finer games I've ever witnessed.
Posted by: Sergio Ruivo Toronto | July 6, 2007 03:45 PM
it was a close game but Mexico deserved the win,if you want to talk about acting your forwards fell in agonizing pain at the slightest touch ,it was a disgrace and some of your "fans" were pretty sore losers as well
Posted by: Luis Willis | July 6, 2007 06:18 PM
Without a doubt Team Mexico appears to be the only team which may give Chile a run for it's money. They play terrific football - and don't get snot nosed and petulant when things go wrong...............like Team Canada! But I am sure it's somebody else's fault...........
John F.H. Lupton, Alberta, Western Canada.
Posted by: John F.H. LUPTON | July 6, 2007 06:58 PM
Ref's bad call on the Dos Santos pirouette decided the game. With that said, it was an entertaining soccer fest that millions of soccer hungry fans in Canada crave, unfortunately it appears that the big cheeses haven't yet clued into the revenue possibilities. Instead they seem more interested in force-feeding basebell down our throats.
I would love to see Canadian soccer rise to that level that countries like Portugal have, but we need new blood in the admin side of the business. We need someone with vision, someone not afraid to take risks. When I think about incompetence I'm reminded of how Canadian Soccer let goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes who is now number 3 goalkeeper playing for Portugal slip through our fingers. Owen Hargreaves is another example on how to lose soccer stars. Come on boys get with the program, start working and soccer will work for you, it's the world's favourite sport and the revenue potential is big .... Wake Up!
Posted by: matt | July 6, 2007 07:29 PM
it wouldn't be a bad idea to introduce instant replay to review crucial calls such as penalty kicks, goals, and ejections. the diving and acting has gotten so bad it's ruining the game.
Posted by: alex toronto | July 8, 2007 04:25 PM
Where do Portuguese fans get off accusing Dos Santos of diving? tak a look at YOUR team! And you're right it wasn't a dive, he was being bear hugged by your defender! Lern to accept defeat for once and don't blame it on something else, You got outplyed and outscored by a better team PERIOD!
Posted by: carlos hamilton | July 8, 2007 05:26 PM
So it was a dive. Funny, this Renato just caused ANOTHER penalty doing exactly the same stuff. I pretty much doubt two referees can be wrong on the same item. Pulling jerseys is not allowed, better Portugal learn about it.
Posted by: Manuel Mendez Summerside | July 8, 2007 06:23 PM
So it was a dive. Funny, this Renato just caused ANOTHER penalty doing exactly the same stuff. I pretty much doubt two referees can be wrong on the same item. Pulling jerseys is not allowed, better Portugal learn about it.
Posted by: Manuel Mendez Summerside | July 8, 2007 06:24 PM
Argentina will go for the 6th tittle.
Posted by: Luis Windsor | July 8, 2007 07:19 PM
It's too bad England didn't make the World Cup. I would of loved to watch them exit the first round....like they usually do. What a horrible team they have.....not to mention their fans.
Posted by: Mike Toronto | July 9, 2007 01:20 PM
this message is for carlos hamilton, not sure if your referring to the dos santos dive vs portugal, perhaps you're thinking of a different match in which dos santos was bear hugged. Feel free to go to youtube and check out the reel for yourself. It's clear that dos santos was pushing the portuguese defender away from the ball and in true creative spirit, dove. As for your accusation that portuguese defender put a bear hug on your beloved dos santos, perhaps you should look up the meaning of the word.
One issue that I have with Soccer is excess in power is granted to those little men with the whistle. They have way too much power to decide games, we definitely need to bring soccer into the modern age and introduce video officiating in order to balance out their fallibility with these bad calls that decide games. end of.
Posted by: joe | July 9, 2007 04:18 PM