A date which will live in infamy to quote FDR. Ze Shermans beat EnGerLand four to three on penalties to send the English dreams crashing to the earth in flames, rather like a Messerschmidt downing a Lancaster bomber. A day in English football which shall always be remembered for the the tears of a clown moment as you can see here.
Gazza and Lineker
We now know that the Les Bleus await the winner of tonight's game and that will be an added incentive for EnGerLand to win, but we must not get ahead of ourselves here.
What stands in their way this time is Croatia, who have no real history with EnGerLand, not surprising since it has only been in existence since 1991. There is however one thing that we can not avoid despite wishing it had never happened. The one piece of footballing history that has been seared into folklore in that short period is one of the most bizarre own goals you will have ever seen in world football.
The type of goalkeeping error, we hope will not happen tonight.
Any golfer will tell you to replace your divets, or else.
How did EnGerLand get to be in this position? Not many people really believed that they would advance beyond a probable quarter final appearance against either the Samba Kings or the old nemesis, Ze Shermans when the draw for the tournamnet was originally made.
However, as we have all been witness to in this tournament, "It is a funny old game" as the great England striker Jimmy Greaves was fond of saying. An interesting aside on Greaves, (apart from that we share a birthday) He was the main striker for EnGerLand going into the 1966 world cup and played in the first three games. During the third game, he was badly fouled by some dirty froggie garcon, who raked his studs down Greaves leg to leave him needing fourteen stitches in the wound and putting him out of the team. His replacement was one Geoff Hurst and the rest as they say is history.
Anyway back to the matter in hand, EnGerLand found themselves facing IKEA in the quarter final and dismantled them in a style and a manner which EnGerLand fans found very, very disconcerting.
A number of you have contacted me asking why has there been no match report or reaction to that game and I have to apologize as I did write that I would publish one. However, for once I was just lost for words. EnGerLand do not win in that fashion. Where was the drama ? Where was the nail biting ? Where was the pulling ones hair out ? Where were the stupid mistakes ? Where was the shouting abuse at your screen, despite the obvious fact that the players can not hear you ?
This was an experience that I do not think I can recall having been through in the forty four years or so that I can remember watching EnGerLand in games that matter.
It seems I am not alone in this feeling judging by the pictures come out of old Blighty. Social Media is flooded with videos showing delirious fans breaking out into spontaneous singing and dancing, liberally aided with the odd bottle or ten of the amber nectar of course. One of my favourite is the residents of the quiet Shropshire town of Leek, marching down the high street to the strains of Vindaloo. Middle England epitomized.
The chap front and center looks like he likes a pie and pint.
The usually miserable English are just happy, as you have just seen. People are walking around with a permanent grin, even people who do not know anything about football are infected. Has anyone noticed apart from die hard tennis fans that Wimbledon is apparently in its second week? Did anyone notice that the foreign secretary resigned this week ?
Of course, this could all change in the bounce of a ball, but at the moment they are enjoying it while they can. Croatia should not be underestimated, firstly they have reached this point as have EnGerLand which has them level on points so to speak.
They have not looked that amazing in beating the Vikings and the Russian Bear on penalties in their last two games. However they were impressive in the group stages winning all three of their games.
They have some world class players especially in the form of Modric and Rakitic from Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.
I expect a cagey game, in their last two games Croatia have gone behind only to equalize almost immediately. If EnGerLand can get ahead and stay focused immediately after the goal, it will force the Croatians to change their game plan and I am not sure if they have a plan B, much as the root vegetables did not.
Two to watch
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| Man mountain maguire |
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| Mandzukic will be looking to get round the mountain |
EnGerLand always seem to find a way to disappoint when they are favourites, I do not think they are by the way, but a lot of people do. Anyway, EnGerLand to win but not before they put their fans through the grinder.
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