the World Cup Quarter Finals

So my interest, like many of you reading this, in this years 2014 Brazil World Cup is over.  My passport nation, my adopted nation, my financial nation…they have all gone, finished, kaput.  

So there I was beer in one hand (consolidating my loss (had Belgium in the Office sweep) at the hand of Argentina), while the pillow was in the other, starting to get that double image of footballers, footballs which normally results in that next stage, the Zzzzzzzz - BUT not on this occasion, No!  something happened in about the 92nd minute of the Costa Rica Holland match, an opportunity for Van Persie - he shoots, his shot, which hits the defenders foot, which then whacks onto his head, from which it smashes onto the bar, and out to a masse of players to create a “Scramble” moment when the ball shot around like a ping pong game.

That’s it, I was back on my arse drooling at the prospect of the minnows from Costa Rica pulling off a surprise win.  

That Keeper (Navas) from Costa Rica was again in tip top form as he produced amazing save after save…  Then, with about 5 minutes to go, they had their chance, a golden opportunity to win the game as Urena (I think that was his name.  He's the guy, a striker, who hadn't scored for over 2 years until he scored against Uruguay in the first game of this World Cup) burst through, one on one with the keeper.  Unfortunately for him, Costa Rica, me, the rest of the population who wasn’t dutch, he missed.  The keeper to be fair did a fine save.   That was it, we were into penalties.  The Dutch were ruthless, and also swapped their keeper just before the ref blew his whistle.  Master stroke some might say.  Me, I think he was a little on jammy side.  Penalties is 50/50 and the coin fell kindly for them. 

So there we have it, 4 giants of World football in the final four.  Only one hasn’t won this tournament before.  They (Netherlands) got to the final on the last occasion, only to fail at the last hurdle…will this time be their time.

• Brazil vs Germany  
• Argentina vs Netherlands

Previous Winners:

Brazil 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).  Have lost 2 finals (1950, 1998)

Germany 3 (1954, 1974, 1990). Lost 4 finals (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002)

Argentina 2 (1978, 1986) also lost 2 finals (1930, 1990)

Netherlands 0 (Losing finalists on 3 occasions, 1974, 1978, 2010)