Short update

Haven't been updating this blog for a long time.

Sport events that happened lately:

Copa America final - quite happy that it was Urugway and Paraguay who made to the final, not Brazil and Argentina. The game was good. I think that Uruguay victory was deserved, they were the better team on the pitch. However, Paraguay showed that they can play too. Great performance of both goalkeepers, Muslera and Villar. Villar was chosen the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

68. Tour de Pologne - started on 31th of July, and finishes today. Again, amazing speed, some surprises and again I don't think that a Pole is going to win the race. However, they are trying to show their best on each stage. Today it's to be decided if Daniel Martin or Peter Sagan is going to win the whole race. Or perhaps someone else?

Copa America: Uruguay vs Argentina 1-1 (5-4)

I was silently rooting for Uruguay to win this game... and they did! They pass through the quarterfinal of Copa America and moved on to the semi final.

Muslera made 9 (!) saves in the game, and saved also a crucial penalty in the penalty shoot-out.

Video highlights of the game can be seen here: link.

And the video highlights of the penalty shoot-out here: link.

Now I wish Paraguay won with Brazil today ;)

World Cup 2010: Fernando Muslera photos in Uruguay - South Korea 2-1, 25 June 2010

World Cup 2010: Uruguay vs Germany 2-3 10 July

What a thrilling game! Germany team playing with reserves due to illnes and injuries which ruled out key players. Uruguay showing their best - playing till the last moment, and at some point even taking up the lead.

One of the heroes of yesterday's match was for sure German goalkeeper, Hans-Jeorg Butt. It was fourth cap for 36-years old, and the first one on the international stage. Late debut. He was third goalkeeper at Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002. Olivier Khan and Jens Lehmann were ahead of him. The both don't play with the team any more, but Butt didn't became the no. 1.

Germany struggled with problems with goalkeepers in qualifiers to World Cup 2010. Robert Enke was supposed to become the no. 1, but he died tragically in November 2009, committing sucide. Injury ruled out Rene Adler, who was another candidate. The no. 3, Manuel Neuer, become the first-choice.

In the the third-place play off Loew gave Butt a chance. It was not only his first cap on the World Cup but also his last and he helped his team to won the bronze medal. He made very good saves, and the lost goals were not his fault. I liked the most the save when he stoped Diego Forlan twice. Also very good one to one save of Cavani's shot. For sure this match will be a nice memory for him.



Well, now a bit about Muslera. To put it nicely, his perfromance was far for being good. I'm afraid few will remember his good performance in the group stage matches and his penalty saves in the quarterfinal with Ghana. He didn't looked best when Uruguay lost the first goal. He saved Schweinsteiger's shot form the distance, but the goal was scored on the retake. But then again, where the defenders were to support the goalie? How many times others goalkeepers were slippery when it come to stop Jambulani and the defernders were on the place to clear the ball?

The worst was yet to come. Muslera fatally misjudged the cross when the second goal for Germany was scored. A goalkeeper just cannot commit a mistakes like this, not on this stage. Well, Julio Cesar did the same in Brazil - Netherlands match, but it's Julio Cesar, he is one of the best anyway, and can be sure about his postition. Muslera is at the beginning of his career and I wonder if his fatal performance might cost him a place in the goal in the national team.

Well, going to follow Muslera in Lazio anyway ;)

According to ESPN stats Butt and Muslera made 4 saves each.



Hans-Jeorg Butt


















































Fernando Muslera

World Cup 2010: Uruguay vs Netherlands 2-3 6 July

Can't say that the goalkeepers were in the spotlight in this game.

Maarten Stekelenburg who had a fine performance on the tournament, didn't look too good in both lost goal. Forlan's shot was good and strong, but it could be saved. Stekelenburg slightly touched the ball, but I think he was late with that save. In 90' Maxi Pereira catched him off guard. A few more minutes and Uruguay could score third goal and make the result even ;)

Fernando Muslera didn't looked as self-confident as in Uruguay - Ghana game. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst shot was strong, fast and send precisely in the top right corner of the goal. Perhaps if Muslera started to move into that direction he could bounce the ball. But then again, it's easy to say when you see it in tv. Wesley Sneijder's goal shouldn't be count in I think, as Robin van Persie made an impression that he intends to touch the ball. Muslera had to stay on the line till the very last moment, keeping an eye on him. When Sneijder send the ball into the net it was too late for a sucessful save. Third goal - no chance to save it.

Stekelenburg and Muslera made 4 saves each.



Maarten Stekelenburg

























































Fernando Muslera

















































































Keep my fingers crossed for Uruguay in tomorrow's 3rd place match!