The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; Holland 3-1 Tunisia.

Ibrahim Ayyub gives his opinion on what went right and what went wrong during Netherlands 3-1 win over Tunisia.

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Greetings from Mexico City again. The Oranje wrapped up the group stage with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tunisia to win their Group. Ending the group stage with back-to-back wins was great as they get ready for the knockout stages.

THE GOOD

No one can complain about slow starts concerning this Oranje team. It took the Oranje just seventeen minutes to be up 2-0 against Sweden. For an encore, it only took them seven minutes to go up 2-0 against Tunisia. Tunisia gifted the Oranje with an own goal courtesy of Skhiri in the third minute. Brian Brobbey then scored his third goal of the World Cup four minutes later. Perhaps Brobbey is answer to the prayers for a striker that the Oranje has sorely missed. His fine performances ensure that Weghorst and Depay are not the starting choice up front.

The Oranje concluded the group stage with ten goals and conceding four goals. Five different players scoring in three matchs is a welcomed sight. Another welcomed sight was seeing Justin Kluivert get his World Cup debut, and to remind us how time flies. It was nearly thirty years ago when Kluivert featured for the Oranje in the 1998 World Cup. It’s a nice way of bringing the past to the present involving father and son Oranje players. The last time this occurred was in 2014 with Daley Blind representing the Oranje after his father, Danny Blind, represented the Oranje in the 90s, as an unused substitute in both 1990 and 1994 World Cups, but he did feature in Euro 92 and 96.

THE BAD

Well, besides being told that the FIFA Fan Fest in Polanco, Mexico City was going to show the Holland Tunisia, and then ended up showing Japan v Sweden instead, so I had to watch the match at a Hooters, there were some negatives. Conceding a goal against the woeful Tunisian team is a minor complaint, but it was also not a ringing endorsement on the performance of the backline. That goal will serve as a reminder that this defense is still vulnerable. The Oranje failed to keep a clean sheet in all three group stage matches, and that should give something Koeman to work on and make the players know there’s still work to be done.

Furthermore, failing to score more goals after such a quick start was a bit disappointing. We got spoiled when we saw the Oranje score five times against Sweden, and a route seemed on the horizon against the hapless Tunisians. It doesn’t happen often that the Oranje blowout teams at the World Cup. The first route was a 4-1 victory over Bulgaria followed by a 4-0 victory against Argentina in 1974, a 5-1 victory against Austria in 1978, a 5-0 victory against South Korea in 1998, and a 5-1 victory against Spain in 2014. What matters is the win and the three points, but this was a wasted chance for players to score more goals and also entertain their fans.

THE UGLY

The Netherlands win Group F and what is their reward? A Round of 32 clash against Morocco. Talk about the luck of the draw. Other group winners such as Argentina got Cape Verde and England got Congo. Yet, the Oranje got Morocco who are one of the best teams from Africa, and semi-finalists from the last World Cup. That should be enough for the Oranje to not underestimate the Moroccans and take them seriously. If the Oranje advance, they then will face Canada. Hopefully Koeman and the leaders make sure that they do not look ahead to Canada

Unfortunately, the fact the Round of 32 match is to be played in Monterrey, Mexico is another disadvantage for the Oranje. Mexicans have not gotten over about the Arjen Robben penalty call during their Round of 16 elimination at the 2014 World Cup. The defeat resulted in the popular chant “¡No era penal!” (It wasn’t a penalty) based on the Robben penalty that still stings to this day with El Tri fans. Hopefully the Oranje faithful will pack the stadium in Monterrey and be loud, since it seems unlikely that home fans in attendance will be neutral during the match.  

The Other Mexican World Cup Curse.

Much has been made about Mexico’s Round of 16 Curse following their loss to Brazil in their Round of 16 clash during this World Cup.  However, many are not aware of another Mexico World Cup curse which has already claimed its victim.

Mexico has failed to advance to the “Octavos”, the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup in consecutive World Cups dating to 1994. Mexico has only reached the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup twice, in 1970 and in 1986 which was when Mexico were the hosts. This curse has spanned over three decades now. However, it appears many are not aware of another curse attached to Mexico and the World Cup. Every single team that has knocked out Mexico in the Round of 16 since World Cup 1994 has never gone on to lift the World Cup trophy.  

In 1994, Bulgaria eliminated Mexico in the Round of 16 stage and fell to Italy in the Semi-Finals. In 1998, Germany scored two unanswered goals to defeat Mexico 2-1 in their Round of 16 clash, only to fall to Croatia in the next round. In 2002, USA defeated Mexico 2-0 in the Round of 16 and then fell to Germany in the next round.  In 2006, Argentina defeated Mexico 2-1 in a thrilling Round of 16 encounter and then Argentina fell to Germany in the next round. In 2010, Argentina once again defeated Mexico 3-1 in their Round of 16 clash and then also fell to Germany in the next round. In 2014, Holland defeated Mexico 2-1 in the Round of 16 stage in dubious fashion before the Dutch fell to Argentina in the Semi-Finals.

Well, Brazil defeated Mexico 2-0 in this year’s Round of 16 clash and then bid farewell after their 2-1 defeat to Belgium yesterday in the Quarter-Finals. The curse of eliminating Mexico at this stage continues and this curse also applies to those who have eliminated Mexico in the Quarter-Finals too. In 1970, Mexico were defeated by Italy 4-1 and then lost to the great Brazil by the same score in the Final. In 1986, Mexico played West Germany to a scoreless draw before succumbing to their opponents in the a penalty shootout, and the West Germans fell to Argentina in the Final.

Perhaps countries may want to practice some black magic to avoid meeting Mexico in future World Cup knockout stages. The same holds true for teams grouped with Mexico at the group stage. Mexico have qualified for the World Cup sixteen times. Only two nations have won the World Cup after facing Mexico at the Group Stage; Brazil in 1962 and England in 1966. Sweden's elimination today just confirms the consequences of facing Mexico during the World Cup. Ultimately, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t when it comes to facing Mexico in the World Cup.

The World Cup Curse of Mexico:

1970: Mexico eliminated by Italy in Quarterfinals – Italy lost to Brazil in the Final.

1986: Mexico eliminated by West Germany in Quarterfinals – West Germany lost to Argentina in the Final.

1994: Mexico eliminated by Bulgaria in Round of 16 – Bulgaria lost to Italy in the Semi-Finals.

1998: Mexico eliminated by Germany in Round of 16 – Germany lost to Croatia in the Quarter-Finals.

2002: Mexico eliminated by USA in Round of 16 – USA lost to Germany in the Quarter-Finals.

2006: Mexico eliminated by Argentina in Round of 16 – Argentina lost to Germany in the Quarter-Finals.

2010: Mexico eliminated by Argentina in Round of 16 – Argentina lost to Germany in the Quarter-Finals.

2014: Mexico eliminated by Holland in Round of 16 – Holland lost to Argentina in Semi-Finals

2018: Mexico eliminated by Brazil in Round of 16 – Brazil lost to Belgium in Quarter-Finals.

Mexico’s World Cup Groups

1930: Mexico  Argentina Chile France.

1950: Mexico Brazil Yugoslavia Switzerland.

1954: Mexico Brazil Yugoslavia Switzerland.

1958: Mexico Sweden Wales Hungary.

1962: Mexico, Brazil* Spain Czechoslovakia.

1966: Mexico England* Uruguay France.

1970: Mexico USSR Belgium El Salvador.

1978: Mexico West Germany Poland Tunisia.

1986: Mexico Belgium Iraq Paraguay.

1994: Mexico Italy Ireland Norway.

1998: Mexico Holland Belgium South Korea.

2002: Mexico Italy Croatia Ecuador.

2006: Mexico Portugal Iran Angola.

2010: Mexico Uruguay France South Africa.

2014: Mexico Brazil Croatia Cameroon.

2018: Mexico German Sweden South Korea.

Blame the Federations and not FIFA.

Another unnecessary and poorly timed international fixture break was bestowed upon a few days ago. It was sandwiched in between league games. Of course, some of the matches were important such as the Asian World Cup Qualifiers but the rest were meaningless friendlies with a few memorable performances and inexcusable trips across the globe. Of course, FIFA picked this date but they should not bear the brunt of the blame. The blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the respective country’s federation.

The FIFA Virus reared its ugly head again a few days ago. Barça players had to play in meaningless friendlies which required them to play on a few days rest and training with their national teams coupled with flights across the Atlantic Ocean. Alexis Sanchez was the biggest FIFA Virus casualty when he suffered yet another injury that will keep him out up to four weeks. Barça players representing Spain flew all the way to Panama for a friendly while Dani Alves traveled to New York with Brazil to face Colombia. Messi traveled to Saudi Arabia to represent Argentina.

All the Barça players had to return and get ready for a match today.  Today! Not tomorrow, but today! So Barça players, and other club players too, had to return and get ready for another match on two day’s rest. I am sure that is exactly in the best interests of the players and the game. Many would love to spew venom at FIFA for such a meaningless decision to have International games played in such a manner but I don’t think they should bear the brunt of the blame.

They are not blameless either but I wouldn’t have objected if this window was used solely for Asian World Cup Qualifiers. However, since these games were scheduled on a Wednesday and not over a weekend, why did the rest of the world decide to schedule friendlies? This is why I place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the country’s federation. RFEF, Royal Spanish Football Federation, and other country’s federations decided to schedule the games. RFEF has been cashing on Spain’s success by scheduling them to play in friendlies in Argentina, Puerto Rico, and just recently Panama the past few years.

Countries do not have an obligation to schedule a friendly. FIFA only provides the window but the final decision lies with the Federations. Mexico, a side that is well known for playing way too many friendlies, did not participate in the glutton of friendlies on Wednesday. Obviously, the Mexican league playoffs played a part in that decision but they could have scheduled a friendly and fielded C team too. They did not! Therefore, it is possible to not see your country play a friendly on a day set aside for friendlies. So, the next time you complain about countries playing meaningless friendlies; don’t blame FIFA, but blame the Federation head honchos who decided to cash in and schedule the friendly.

CONCACAF Must Change.