Excellent first half performance by Pekerman's side - probably the best half of soccer that I have seen played by any team. I thought everyone played extremely well except for Kily. Riquelme was masterful throughout.
wonderful game this game was out of this world what a wonderful event when 2 world class rivals hook up to see who is #1.... EUROPE IS AFRAID OF ARGENTINA AND BRASIL!!! i doubt any UEFA WCQ had this excitement..
Indeed one of the best first halfs ever played !!!! We definitely have a team we can trust in Germany next year !!! I must disagree on Kily though -- It's true, he's not the same Kily as we're used to see, but that is also because Pekerman is playing differently than Bielsa. In the past he used to be the main left mid-field backed up by Sorin - now the game goes more through the center. But he has so much experience and strength - he gave it all attacking, and was back defending ... he was everywhere ... I would have liked to see Tevez come in earlier though - In my opinion, if Tevez and Zanetti had 15-20 min more, we would've seen 1 or 2 more goals. ARRIBA ARGENTINA !!!! QUE FELICIDAD ESTE PARTIDO !!!!!
It was a great party! That first half was unbelievable. The team looked like a symphony. There is a good discussion on the match in the Brazil forum, so I don't want to keep repeating all the same points, but obviousy we won the game in midfield, with our pressure. Sorin, Lucho, Mascherano were key as well as Heinze and Coloccini on defense to erase from the field the great Brazilian stars. On the other side, Brazil gave us spaces, and Riquelme and Saviola were inspired, while Crespo finished well. Obviously it is difficult to keep such intensity for the whole match, especially when the team is not working and training together. Some players tired, especially Lucho and Kili, and Brazil took a bit of advantage in the second half, although the outcome was never in doubt. Peckerman and the trainers have to make sure that when we go to the WC, the team can be ready physically and mentally to play the whole match the way they played last night in the first half. Then we have a shot to go all the way.
Yes, this is true ... But that's what the bench is for. If pekerman brings the right guys to Germany, and make the right decision when to do the substitutions, we not only have a shot, we WILL go all the way !!!!
Con un primero tiempo memorable, y un segundo con algo de sufrimiento, Argentina se dio un doble gusto en el Monumental: no sólo le ganó a Brasil, sino que lo goleó por 3-1 en la 15ª fecha de eliminatorias y se clasificó al Mundial de Alemania 2006. Argentina jugo un partido muy completo pero en el 2nd tiempo se quedo por el resultado. Pero mas que cualquier cosa ARgentina le gano en todos los lados a Brasil. Crespo, Saviola, Riquelme, y Macherano partidos completos. AGUANTE ARGENTINA QUE ESTAMOS EN EL MUNDIAL.
I watched the game via bittorent download. It was indeed classic as Bra. vs Arg. usually is. The midfield pressure in the first half worked for Argentina. Brazil had no response. In fact they were nervous and bewildered. Argentina had there way in the first half. Lots of incredible moves, accuracy, passing and scoring. What a show. The second half was a different story. It was all Brazil. Now that will be an interesting discussion. What happened? Brazil could have scored 3 goals easy if not for the terrible finishing and the good goal mouth defendibg by Argentina. Brazil have plyayers who cramble when the going gets tough under pressure, such as the Juve midfielder, God my mind just leaked. Can't remember his name. In any case what a show. I tell everyone this is the worlds ""Numero Uno"" rivalry.
First of all, a well-deserved win by Argentina, congratulations. For me, Mascherano was man-of-the-match. Saviola impressed me, taking advantage well of the space he found himself in and beating his opponents one-on-one. Riquelme was excellent and his goal was superb, taking advantage perfectly of the position he found himself in, directly in front of goal. What a shot. I'm glad we got a goal back, and while I kept cheering for a second there was always a feeling it wouldn't go in, especially after Adriano hit the post. Parreira needs to decide what to do about our inability to contian teams like Argentina - we couldn't contain you in Belo Horizonte either but we at least saw the ball more often and finished our chances. As far as I'm concerned, Gilberto Silva (instead of Emerson) might be the first step. Can't wait for the Confederations Cup. Argentina's group is much harder to predict and we may end up meeting in the semis - after all the German's are certainly going to expect to take first in their group. But who knows, a Brazil x Argentina final would be historic. Oh yeah, finally. You're rehearsed set plays were good, but I can't believe we fell for them twice!!!
adonde puedo bajar los goles del partido??? where can I download the goals from the game??? anyone????? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, no lo pude ver..... I HAVE TO SEE AT LEAST THE GOALS.... HEEEEELP!!!
Thanks, and welcome to our board. Yes, and when Brazil tried the exact same play off a corner kick, our defense read it perfectly. Those are the little things which can win matches. Hey, Ombak, maybe Brazil should have used the players we drafted. Luisao, Cicinho, Silva, Juninho. At least Cicinho would not have been caught helping Crespo stay onside as Cafu did on the first goal, because he usually doesn't come back to defend. Hopefully we'll get to play against at Confederations. But it won't be the same teams. No Lucho, Mascherano, Crespo or Ayala. Also no Pato, but that can be a good thing. And I bet Brazil will be missing some players too.
Good one. Well, it starts in one week, and barring any last-minute changes we'll have everyone except Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Cafu. We'll even have Luis~ao and Juninho available who were not available yesterday due to injury.
Hey Ombak, Is that a Sith Lord in your avatar? BTW everybody in the US, Telemundo will be showing this game on Sunday.
The game will be replayed on GolTV this evening (8PM Central in the US). This one is worth watching several times.
It's Parreira. He was putting on his raincoat's hood and I thought he looked very emperor/Darth Sidious-ish. So I made it my avatar and called him Darth Parreirus. Noone likes him in Brazil anyways... I do though. I just thought this was funny.
Thanks Boca Juniors and River Plate for produciing the best football players in the world. Oh, most importantly, thank you to Carlos Bianchi for producing the soon to be greatest all around player in the world Juan Roman Riquelme! I can't wait to see him at Athletico playing for his mentor! Dale Bo!
Finally the hangover is gone, I just put a bid on a house and it was accepted at the same time as the fianl whistle blew and Argentina won the match 3-1. Good game Argentina for 50 minutes looked the better squad, however as is the case with this team they need to learn to pace themselves better become more like Bilardo's philosophy of a fine tuned car and know when to let of the gas and when to step it up again. Good game in all
I thought I saw a report that he has "re-signed" with Villareal for next year, which I think is great. He and Forlan may just tear up the CL. Plus he does have a pretty good coach there already.
Re: Finally the hangover is gone, Interesting.....Argentina very played well, maybe they will make some noise next year in the WC. But you have to admit Roberto Carlos' FK goal was NUTS! I mean what a blast.
Just wanted to come by and make sure to congratulate you all on a deserved victory. We talked many moons ago about how JRR loss in form was probably the single most detrimental item to your NT. Now he's back playing with confidence, and things should be looking up. Hopefully WC '06 can have a Bra x Arg final. cheers
here's the review from Goal.com, for those of you that missed it: WCQ Conmebol Report: Regal Argentina Humiliate Brazil In Buenos Aires 6/9/2005 7:41:00 AM Argentina 3, Brazil 1: The lambskin was whipped off to reveal a hungry wolf as Argentina shrugged off predictions of a Nike ad exec’s wet dream win by a Ronaldinho Gaúcho-inspired Seleção in the very heartland of their southern rivals. Argentina gave a recital of good taste in front of a bumbling Brazil that self-destructed in under half an hour, leaving the hosts celebrating as if the World Cup itself had been won. Hernan Crespo got things off to an early start, aided and abetted by a creaky fellow Rossoneri Cafú that left the Argentinean number 9 onside to receive Riquelme’s neatly-threaded pass and leave Dida groping as the locals went wild with the fourth minute goal. Cafú added to Parreira’s worries by picking up a yellow card after a late challenge on Lucho. As the terraces begin a series of ‘Olé’s’ nerves chafed and Kily picked a fight with choirboy Kaká. The slippery pitch in the Monumental de Nuñez stadium sent a few players skidding wide of what could have been good chances; most of them local players. Riquelme continued surfing the wave that’s taking him back to Bianchi at Atlético Madrid, dribbling the appalling Roque Junior and blasting past a slow-mo Dida to ripple the top-left corner of the Brazilian net (18 min.) 2-0. Robinho tries to strike back but the inefficiency of the Canarinho attacks is the diametric opposite of the Albiceleste effectiveness. Brazil tried to get back at the half hour mark, although their attacking moves lacked that final precision pass or crucial dribble that would have been able to split the tight Argentinean formation open. After several parried attacks alternating between both sides Milan’s Crespo got his seventh goal of the WCQ with a precise 39th minute header after a Saviola cross was left unmolested by the horrific Roque Junior. The embarrassment raises tempers as Ronaldinho risks red, but gets yellow after slapping a time-wasting Sorín in a fit of pique. The second half saw Brazil evening things up; partly through a tardy realisation that they’d really buggered things up and were looking like world-class idiots, partly as the Argentineans put the brake on in an attempt to chill the game out until the final whistle gave them their win. Nevertheless it was Saviola who came close, Dida pulling off a redeeming save at close range. Roberto Carlos’ wounded pride stung him into action, his 71st minute rocket going past the local keeper after Mascherano upended Robinho’s substitute Renato. 3-1to a romping Albiceleste. Adriano had the comeback within his grasp in the 39th minute, but he whacks wide a long cross to the Argentine far post with a virtual open goal in front. Roque Junior made up for some of his gaffes by saving a Riquelme free kick over the goal line, and a largely inoperative Ronaldinho Gaúcho forced the local goalie to make a decisive save at the base of his right post. The hosts played out the remaining injury time to seal a revenge 3-1 (Brazil having beaten the Albiceleste by the same score in the first WCQ clash in Brazil). Carlos Alberto Parreira left the field accompanied by all the Brazilian players except Roberto Carlos, the coach with the facial expression of one whose finger has gone through the toilet paper. If recent claims were true and his tactics were based on ageing English theories then it was ‘Revenge of the Belgrano’ time as Argentina sunk a Brazil that deserved no less a drubbing. The ever-communicative number 6 came out with the usual platitudes about having to do better, but at least took it on the chin instead of skulking out. This result leaves Argentina qualified for the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, a fact attested to by the medal-winning local celebrations of a Pogoing Albiceleste that gave Brazil a refreshing lesson in humility, the will to win and decent passing. Brazil will have to wait at least until the next fixture – a September date that pits them at home to Chile – to start getting flustered about Visas and passports for the finals. Ronaldo must be feeling the bitter-sweet longing of fans that waxed lyrical about his previous goals against Argentina in the face of tonight’s gummily inoffensive attack. Brazil hopes some R&R will recharge their stars to put them out of unnecessary misery and get everybody raring to go in 2006 – perhaps a re-match in Germany?
I'm in and out watching the replay on Spanish-language TV. What the hell did Riquelme do with that ball out to Lucho before he (Riquelme) scored that blistering second goal? That whole sequence blew me away. Riquelme's flick looked like something out of a Seepak Takraw match! The ball looked like it was magnetized to his foot. Then that lashing shot just seconds later. That twenty-second sequence goes into the annual highlight reel. I've been a Riquelme fan since he played with Samuel, Palermo and the Schelotto brothers in the days when Angel, Aimar and Saviola were at River (pretty recently I know). Nothing makes me happier than to see everyone deserving on that list achieve fame wherever they achieved it, and especially Riquelme. His poise on the ball is the difference-maker.
Yesterday's match, here in the U.S. at least, is the reason why I follow the 'beautiful game' with passion and zeal. What an unbelievable showcasing of world class futbol !! The play that embodied this passion was Riquelme's incredible touches that led to the second goal. That back heel flick on the volley to his marking back only to re-receive the ball and blast a shot past Dida was just stupid, it was so good. Roberto Carlos's goal was strong as well. Keep these types of matches coming for decades !! Viva Argentina Futbol !!!