Spain Holland

I predicted this would be the final game before the tournament started. These are two good teams and deserve to be in the final. In my view, the Spanish achilles heel is their left back, Carpevilla, who has to face and cover the most dangerous Dutch player, Robben. I expect that the Dutch try to capitalize on that weakness and send many balls down the right wing.

But the game will come down to the play of Spain's Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa. Their short passing and penetrating runs, backed by the intelligent play of Xabi Alonso, will create nightmares for the Dutch midfield who are more physical and not as fast. The Dutch may get an early goal but I predict that Spain will score two goals and eventually win 2-1. I will be rooting for the Dutch but I think the Spaniards are just too good for Holland.

Benni and I will be on a traditional Turkish boat called a gulet sailing somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. We do not know at this point if there is a tv on the boat or whether we can dock to see the game. So there is a chance we'll miss the finals after having followed the tournament closely so far.

Semi Finals

Benni and I watched the semi-finals in the Cappadocia region in Turkey which is in the central part of the country. The landscape is highly unusual and this is where the early christians built underground cities to protect themselves from Roman persecutions.

The Holland-Uruguay game was a pretty good game. I had predicted 3-1 for Holland but the Uruguayans scored in injury time to make it 3-2. The Dutch are a very strong and well-balanced side. They have had some lucky breaks so perhaps this is the year they will go all the way.

The game between Spain and Germany was not as exciting as was expected. The Spaniards slowed down the game with the flurry of short passes that had the Germans playing catch up the whole game. It was a shame that Muller had to sit this one out because he would have opened up the game for Germany. Podolsky played in a defensive role and it was basically only Ozil how threatened the Spaniards up front. The Germans can be very happy with the tournament and be optimistic about their future.

Amazing Quarterfinals and Incredible Germans

The Quarterfinal matches were exciting and incredibly dramatic. It is a good thing that I do not suffer from a weak heart condition while watching the end of the Uruguay-Ghana game or Spain-Paraguay. The other two games were upsets even though I had predicted that the Dutch would prevail. I predicted three of the four matches correctly so I feel pretty good about myself.

The Germans proved me wrong, however. I should have listened to my cousin Gunnar Már who predicted that the Germans would go all the way this year. After seeing them dismantle both England and Argentina, I wonder how the German speed and counter-attack will match up against Spain, who possess the ball brilliantly and play back and forth. The Spanish are fairly slow at the back (Picque and Puyol are not the fastest) and the Spanish forwards (aside from Torres) are short and will struggle against the tall German defenders. That said, I think the Spaniards will frustrate the young German side. The Spaniards will be patient and nibble at the German defense and eventually find an opening. Torres is a shade of his former self and the Spaniards definitely need more of a presence in the middle. My prediction is a 1-0 Spanish victory.

I really do think that the referee should have allowed the Ghanaian goal against Uruguay. The ball was basically inside the goal when Suarez made the save with his hand. The Uruguayans unfairly benefitted from the play. Of course, Suarez did get the red card and will miss the game against Holland (he plays for Ajax in Holland so this would have been a great game for him to play). Therefore, Uruguay´s chances are quite slim. I predict a Holland victory 3-1.

Currently in Istanbul and have been enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of this charming city. Staying at a hotel in Taksim Square near the bustling Istiklal Street, which is a major shopping street. When we first walked down Istiklal, we thought that there was some major holiday or celebration because the streets were so crowded. But it was just a normal Friday afternoon. We also visited the Sultan Ahmed area and toured the Hagia Sophia. We watched the Germany Argentina game with a former Williams student Toygun Altintas, class of 2008, who is currently living in Turkey after finishing his masters degree from the University of Chicago.

Last Day in South Africa

Benni and I leave South Africa this afternoon. We have had a fantastic stay and a very memorable visit. I have been very impressed with what South Africa has to offer and would definitely come back if given the opportunity.

We leave for Istanbul and will spend the next two weeks in Turkey. I will continue blogging but the blog entries will be less frequent.