World Cup 2010: Spain vs Portugal 1-0 29 June, Iker Casillas photos

Photos of Iker Casillas from Spain - Portugal game. Had an impression he was not as self-confident as usual. Hope he will be focused in Germany - Spain game.



















It was a foul on the goalkeeper. No refeere's whistle, strange.





It was not a good save. The ball slipped out of his hands.





However, Casillas was focused when he had to burst out of the goal to clear the ball before Simao snatched it.

















Portugal was close to score in this situation.

World Cup: Paraguay vs Spain 0-1, videos of Casillas's and Villar's penalty saves

Link to the videos:
Casillas saves a penalty,
Villar saves a penalty.

World Cup: Paraguay vs Spain 0-1, Casillas and Villar both saved a penalty!

Did anyone expect so even game? I though that Paraguay won't be an easy opponent, but I didn't suspect that Spain is going to have so much problems with attempts to shot on the goal.

The first half ended with a goalless draw, although Paraguay's goal was wrongly disallowed. It was not an offside. Another referee's mistake...

And the second... When it come to those situations with penalties. It was amazing! I was sure Casillas is going to save it. He saved penalties before, both in game and in penalty shootout. Didn't expect, however, that Villar will save a penalty too.





Both goalkeepers were lucky. Villar saved the re-take of a penalty, but it was almost scored, as he let the ball out of his hand. He clipped Fabregas who was first to reach the loose ball. Could be booked for that but refeere either haven't seen this or choose to not see it. Then Casillas in the last minutes of the match. He made a good save but bounced the ball straight on Paraguayan players foot. Amazingly he managed to save also the second shot.

This one time the stats didn't really show the effort of goalkeepers. 2 saves of Villar and 3 of Casillas but all of them were very good.

It was also interesting to see that both goalkeepers were the captains.

At ESPN page the both were named men of the match. Quote:

Men of the Match: Iker Casillas and Justo Villar - In a game devoid of much quality, both goalkeepers get an honourable mention. They both saved penalties to keep their respective teams in the match and the last time that happened was back in 1930 in a match between Argentina and Mexico.

Parguay did well on the World Cup. They showed more than Brazil and Argentina in their quarterfinals. The match with Japan might be boring, but the penalty shootout made up it. Now the thrilling second half in the quarterfinal. More matches like this!

Now Spain is going to face Germany in the semi-final. It won't be easy. It won't be easy at all.

Quim suffered an injury on training, ruled out for six month

What a fate! Quim has just signed up a contract with Braga. He would have a chance to be no. 1 in the goal, since Eduardo is most likely to left.

Unfortunately he suffered an injury on traning in Friday. A rupture of right Achilles tendon. A Bola reports that he has already been operated and discharged. The recovery, however, is going to last six months.

Considering the situation does Polish goalkeeper Białkowski has a chance to be Braga's no. 1?

World Cup: Germany vs Argentina 4-0 3 June 2010

Watching Germany vs Argentina now and have a dilemma... Would like Argentina to win but...

Neuer makes a really good impression on me. He was very good in England - Germany match. In first half of Argentina - Germany he did two important saves already. When he rushed towards the ball to catch it before Tevez and thrown himself on the ground... That was brave.

And Romero? He is going to be another goalkeeper deceived by Jambulani.

Edit: 4:0 for Germany... A slaughter. Didn't expect so high defeat of Argentina. Neuer did fine. 7 saves. Romero didn't had anything to say, really, left without the assist of the defenders... 2 saves in game, one was brilliant, when he bounced away ball coming from a cross.

World Cup: Uruguay vs Ghana (4) 1-1 (2) 2 June 2010, Fernando Muslera saves 2 penalties!

After an even game and 1-1 tie, the thrilling, dramatic ending. Lucky, lucky Uruguay. How can feel a player, who misses a penalty in 122' which would give his team a place in dreamed semi-final? Gyan's despair and happines of Muslera in this same time, who jumps up to touch the bar of the goal which saved Uruguay. Later, after the penalty shootout it was sad to see Gyan crying. He is not going to forget this easily.

Seems I have another favorite goalkeeper. Fernando Muslera saved 2 penalties! He read intentions of Ghana players well, throwing himself in the right direction every time. The first shot was perfect, unable to save. The second - he slighty touched the ball with tips of fingers. Third was weary weak and saves. Fourth was stronger but again Muslera guessed right!

Watch Uruguay - Ghana penalty shoot-out.

ESPN stats. 7 saves made by Kingson, who was not as self-confident and flawless as in the previous game with US. What had happened with him? After the lost goal he seemed to completely lose the focus. Muslera made 4 saves. In the dramatic ending he bounced the ball away, but it went straight to Ghana player. If not for Surez's hand it would end with goal. It was deliberated. What do you think about this?

Just noticed. Do they really see any difference between missed and saved penalty? It's always described missed, no matter if goalkeeper saves it or the player shots it over the goal. It's not like every goalkeeper has identical chances to save a penalty. Would he save a penalty if he did chose to throw himself always on the right? No. He read the intentions and was in right place when there was a possibility to make a save!

Eduardo transfer news

After the impressive performance on the World Cup Eduardo's transfer this summer is almost certain. Big European clubs, including Manchester United and Bayern Munich, are tracking the Portuguese goalkeeper.

Portuguese sources report that Braga set £10 million price for Eduardo's transfer.

World Cup 2010: goalkeepers ups and downs - summary after 1/8

Next teams said goodbye to the World Cup, others qualified to the next round. Time to do another summary. Seems that this time one goalkeeper qualifies to be put in the most of the categories...

In 8 matches 68 saves was made what gives 8,5 saves per every match.

Most saves overall



Eduardo made 9 saves in Spain - Portugal match, saving also his team from an ashaming defeat.

The second place belongs to Jan Mucha who made 7 saves in Slovakia - Netherlands game. Manuel Neuer (Germany), Eiji Kawashima (Japan) and Jung Sung-Ryong (South Korea) made 6 saves each.

Most conceded goals overall



James allowed 4 goals in England - Germany match. Could act better in at least two situations...

The last line of defence - best saves in a match



There can be only one choice: Eduardo in Spain - Portugal match. However, Kingson in Ghana - US match did very good and it had to come to penalty to defeat him.

The best save of a penalty



There were penalties, there were penalty shoot-out, but no sucessful penalty save... However, for the attitude I put here Villar (Paraguay). He looked so self-confident, so easy-going that it had to make Japanese players at least a bit more unsecure.

Clean sheets



Only two goalkeepers managed to keep clean sheet in this round: Julio Cesar of Brazil and Iker Casillas of Spain.

The best defence



I could put Eduardo also in this category, but Kingson also deserves to named here for his amazing 1 to 1 saves in Ghana - US match. Did this more than once. Impressive.

Good performance in the game



Manuel Neuer (Germany). His long pass was an assist for Klose who scored the opening goal.

A goal allowed in the most awkward way



Some things in football are certain. There are two goals and one ball, Germans are always winning in the end and English goalkeepers are English goalkeepers. Means far from being good. James managed somehow to keep 2 clean sheets in the group matches. Unfortunately for him in the match with Germany he commited all mistakes he shouldn't. He made an error when he was late with coming out of the goal when the first goal for Germany was scored but his third attempt of save was the most fatal. He pushed the ball into the net with his left elbow. A blunder, no doubt.

Most effort put in the match but it gave nothing



Jan Mucha made good saves in Slovakia - Netherlands match but all this effort were wasted by one mistake and misjuding the cross.

A goalkeeper who yelled the most at his defenders



Tim Howard in Ghana - US. The defenders, however, seemed to not communicate quite well among themselves and didn't help too much his goalkeeper.

The most lucky save



Eduardo again. Save of Llorente's shot.

A rare sight



Two goalkeepers in one penalty box. Richard Kingson and Tim Howard in Ghana - US game.

The most funny moment



Mexico - Argentina game. Some paper streamers thrown by fans had landed on the pitch. The commentator said "The service is removing the streamers now " and then the camera showed Mexican goalkeeper Oscar Perez doing the work insted of the service. A helpful goalie.

It could end up with a lost goal...



What is happening with Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas? He let the ball out of his hands way too often in Spanish - Portugal match. It could end up with losing the goal. He was, however, focused when he rushed out of the goal to clear the ball.

The goalkeeper who did fine although his team didn't made through



Eduardo (Portugal). Tim Howard (US) also did fine as well as Kawashima (Japan) and Mucha (Slovakia).

The saddest moment



Eduardo in despair after the lost match with Spain.

A nice gesture



Fellow goalkeepers Beto and Daniel Fernandes consoling Eduardo.

Video: Eduardo highlights in Spain - Portugal 1/8 finale match 1-0 29 June 2010