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World Cup 2014: Argentina Beats Netherlands on Penalties, Advancing to Final
New York Times ^ | 07/09/2014 | JERÉ LONGMAN

Posted on 07/09/2014 6:35:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — Regulation and extra time brought 120 minutes of scoreless exasperation in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday that was by turns tense, cautious, clumsy, gripping and stubbornly unyielding.

There was little space to move, few chances to score. Sometimes the match was as dreary as the misty evening chill. If it possessed any beauty, it was not in gracefulness but in stark, struggling exertion.

And finally, when grind and strain and labor could not bring a resolution, whimsy and caprice did. Argentina defeated the Netherlands by 4-2 on penalty kicks and advanced to Sunday’s final against Germany.

Sergio Romero, Argentina’s goalkeeper, was poised in the shootout, unsettling the Dutch on the very first kick. He dived to his left, parried a shot by defender Ron Vlaar and kissed his gloves. Later, Romero repelled a shot by Wesley Sneijder and pounded his chest.

For Argentina, Lionel Messi, Ezequiel Garay and Sergio Aguero confidently punched their shots into the net. The decisive attempt, by Maxi Rodriguez, was deflected, but it hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the net.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: argentina; netherlands; soccer; worldcup
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To: SeekAndFind

That game today was horrible. It was everything that is wrong with soccer. Almost no shots on goal.


21 posted on 07/09/2014 7:19:28 PM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: mikrofon
or set the ball on fire...
22 posted on 07/09/2014 7:30:33 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

HAHA!


23 posted on 07/09/2014 7:38:54 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: mikrofon

I feel the SAME way. There is something exciting about them ... but to play that long and it’s decided on 10 or less kicks. I say play sudden death.


24 posted on 07/09/2014 7:39:47 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: Chode

Oh that’s brilliant!


25 posted on 07/09/2014 7:40:33 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: RIghtwardHo
sure enough way to see which team wants to win more than the other... 8^)
26 posted on 07/09/2014 7:47:52 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: Chode

Here’s a novel shoot-out method to decide a game: Using only the Goalkeepers, let each of them alternate kicking the ball at the unguarded opponent’s goal from their own Penalty area – they can do a free kick from the turf or punt the ball, whatever they want. The only other provision is that their kick must first re-touch the ground in the opponent’s Penalty area (no “slow-roll” across the field). Take as many attempts as needed to determine the winner.


27 posted on 07/09/2014 7:55:46 PM PDT by mikrofon ('Kidding ... maybe not ;)
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To: SeekAndFind
Ha...modern soccer is for pansies.....

Here's medieval soccer ...still played out in England....

medieval soccer

28 posted on 07/09/2014 7:56:20 PM PDT by spokeshave (OMG.......Schadenfreude overload is not covered under Obamacare :-()
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To: mikrofon
that'd work...
29 posted on 07/09/2014 7:58:02 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: AppyPappy

The essence of the “beautiful game” is two strong teams trying to wear each other down and score goals.

Argentina and the Netherlands were poised, aggressive, graceful and dynamic. The 120 minutes of pure football in this semi-final was the most memorable World Cup game I’ve seen.

They gave the fans a real treat with superb play from both of them. Its been a great tournament the past month.

Now we all look forward to the final on Sunday. I predict Germany gets that fourth title!


30 posted on 07/09/2014 8:03:29 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Roman_War_Criminal

it must suck profoundly to be coach felipe..


31 posted on 07/09/2014 8:35:16 PM PDT by RitchieAprile
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To: goldstategop

its foot hockey in essence. at my lab in the breakroom theres ESPN and about a dozen people “getting sodas” so
its addictive among a lot of the tech workers.

sports are a funny thing, either people are wired to like a given sport, or they’re not.


32 posted on 07/09/2014 8:42:41 PM PDT by RitchieAprile
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To: goldstategop

Yeah, it was like watching a two hour minute porn movie where no one scores.
But I am looking forward to seeing the Deutschland blitzkrieg again. Those boys aren’t shy about putting the ball in the net.
The US held the Huns to, what, one goal? And with no wiffle bats or weeping at the end.


33 posted on 07/09/2014 8:47:56 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives)
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To: tumblindice

Our advantage is we play a respectable game - we lost by a hairbreadth to Belgium.

We’ve got a lot of good talent and we don’t rest on our past glories because we never had them. We’re quick to learn and develop our own content and style of play.

I’m not embarrassed to say we’re better than Brazil. And we’ll be back in Russia in 2018.


34 posted on 07/09/2014 9:07:57 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

There was too much “clear the ball out”


35 posted on 07/10/2014 5:04:57 AM PDT by AppyPappy
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To: bfh333

I like that. Sudden death in ice hockey is as heart stopping as anything in sports if you have a rooting interest of course.


36 posted on 07/10/2014 5:33:29 AM PDT by xp38
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To: SeekAndFind

VS.


37 posted on 07/10/2014 7:37:05 PM PDT by dfwgator
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