Monday, November 3, 2003, 08:18 p.m.
7 Saves!!!
Brilliant, brilliant game by
Madrid!!!
¡Siete paradas, Casillas! At the end of the game, he left the stadion followed by standing ovation from Madrid fans (some even bow) and everybody knows that’s saying something. (What d’you have to say now,
Dunar,
¿estupido pequeño?)
Of course, credits also went to
Athletic’s players who showed such a good challenge. They did great, dangerous attacks,
Tiko and that
Ishmael guy especially.
Desgraciadamente, sola no fortuna.
RCTI commentator
Yusuf Kurniawan added, “And of course, a special note should be added on Casillas’ brilliant performance...” I swear that’s the first time I smiled again this week! A true, sincere smile, if only a bit clownish.
On my own match’s log, there were indeed many notes about Iker’s saves, although coming from me it shouldn’t be taken seriously! After all I’m too big a fan of his =)
But I was nevertheless bewildered when they flashed it on the 35’ of first half:
Casillas, 4 paradas. I’d only counted 2, the other one though highly praised by the commentator was actually
Carlos’ good work. (Baldy darling!)
Other man of the match was, of course,
Ronaldo. I thought I was still sore about him leaving
Inter last year but it’s football after all, and you can’t help but warm up to the most detested player if said player consistently saves your fave. club.
His first goal, scored 33 mts into 1st half, was stunning. Bilbao’s goalkeeper either thought the shot was too weak to reach into his goal or that it was of poor aim.
The ball did go a bit weird, like the way it goes when a basketball player shoot a three-point: smooth, high curve. When it did score, the bewildered Athletic’s goalie and players even went up to the ref., asking if that was really a goal.
Next goal, 10 mts into 2nd half, was a classic Ronaldo. Shot from a very sharp angle and scored into the extreme corner of opposite side; with three Bilbao’s back players to pass beforehand.
¡Bravo, Ronnie!
On the 19, Madrid was given a “classic Becks” free kick, a shot just metres before the goal.
Beckham did take it and man, what a free kick.
And it was saved! High praise to Athletic’s goalie! Last time Becks executed such a good free kick was at the memorable match of last season’s
Champion League game between Madrid and
MU (he was still with MU then.)
Casillas didn’t even move! It was much too precise and too fast to save; Becks scored another goal for MU then though they still didn’t make it past Madrid.
24 mts into 2nd half Ronnie again got the ball and instead of his usual stunt of looking for a corner kick, he played it smoothly past at least two defenders and (this is the weird part) passed it on to
Figo, who casually tipped the ball home.
Ickle little Ronnie had grown up! Again, bravo.
I think the only dissatisfied Madrid player was
Zidane, he hardly got to play at all! He was given the yellow card minutes before the game’s over, frustrated as he was that he ended up abandoning his gentlemanly style and yelled at the ref.
All in all, it’s a great game. For a change, cameramen didn’t shoot much of Becks and focused instead on Ronnie and Iker. Bonus point, Iker threw his shirt to the spectators post-match – alas, he wore another shirt underneath!
He untucked the second shirt as he headed toward the exit and I was crooning, “Oh, take it off, take it off...” He seemed to be greeting a fellow player, grinning widely (which was unusual; he must be pretty satisfied) and I thought, ooh great, have him exchange shirts!
Just then, stupid
RCTI inserted the
La Liga logo and went back to local studio!!! Grr, murderous instinct awakened!
A murderous match in
Lega Calcio was broadcasted by SCTV. Competing for top post on temp. ranks,
Milan and
Juve played a lethal match. People were practically brawling!
I was ticked off pretty badly when
Trezeguet saw it fit to sink his elbow into
Simic’s face – and outraged when someone smacked
Pirlo’s head; he was already on all fours on the grass! On the other hand,
Tomasson showed his true Viking blood by throwing himself at anyone available. Finish him, Jon!
True sportmanship shown from Juve’s side was apparent only in
Buffon. Luv ya, Gigi!
Was glad that
mio Porto compañero Rui Costa was still lined up first in such an important match and even though he was later, much later, replaced by
Kaka, people gave standing ovation as he left the stadion. Viva Rui Costa!
(No
Pippo this week, apparently) >_<
Jon scored Milan’s only goal,
Sheva’s goal was denied for being offside and although goalie Dida had been his usual cool, brilliant self,
Marco DiVaio stunned him with a long-distance shot during 2nd half – thus making it a draw.
Die, Marco, die!!!
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