If you think of scintillating free kicks you think of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Daniel Alaves or Kaka. But none of these superstars have impressed from set-pieces so far. Instead, the unlikely free kick heroes have been two lesser known Japanese midfielders, Keisuke Honda and Asian player of 2010 Yasuhito Endo.
Both scored with curling free kicks, reminiscent of Zico or Rivelino at their best in Japan’s memorable 3-1 win over Denmark.
South Korea also scored off two free kicks against Nigeria, so Asian countries have used the dead ball situation most effectively in this World Cup. They did not keep complaining about the vagaries of the Jabulani ball but instead focused on getting their basics right.
In the 2010 World Cup both Japan and South Korea have defeated second rung European countries, Denmark 3-1 and Greece 2-0. Japan also tactically outwitted a leading Africa nation Cameroon. South Korea held Nigeria to a 2-2 draw.
Asia will thus have two representatives in the round of 16, compared to Africa’s one. In the first African World Cup, ironically Asian nations have fared better than the six African representatives. All these are indicators that Asian football is on the rise and may soon overtake Africa as the main challenger to European and South American supremacy.
As Franz Beckenbauer says the gap between the top Asian teams and leading European and South American teams is narrowing. sNow if Japan and South Korea can overcome two South America nations — Paraguay on June 29 and Uruguay on June 26 — and enter the quarter finals, then it can safely be said that Asian football has arrived.
Already this has become the World Cup of the sporting underdogs. For the first time both the holders (Italy) and runners up (France) have been eliminated in the group league stage. England are struggling to score goals as Wayne Rooney appears jaded and disgruntled by manager Fabio Capello’s strict regime. Hence England have come second in their group and set up an intriguing clash with Germany in the pre-quarters. It will be their fifth meeting in the World Cup finals, England winning the 1966 final but Germany won the 1970 quarter finals and 1990 semi finals and the match in 1982 ended in a draw.
With the favourite teams stumbling the possibility of four dream quarter finals has ended. The only intriguing quarterfinals possible now are Holland vs Brazil, a repeat of the 1994 World Cup clash, which Brazil won 3-2 and Argentina vs Germany or England.