Semi-Finals

NED v URU

This was an intense match. If I were in the habit of biting my fingernails the fingers in my mouth would have been devoid of them. I attempted to get into Tonic, packed as could be (my own fault for running laaaaate), ran across the street to the Playwright Restaurant (ALSO full), and was told I could make a left, then a right, and I'd find a place to watch. The name of this place was Hurley's Saloon, and while it lacked the packed crowds and atmosphere of the previous two joints it was one of the more social experiences I'd had going solo. A couple of Dutch kids sat between an older couple and myself, and while I didn't so much speak with them (I don't even think they were old enough to drink! Who drinks iced tea at a football match!) I did chat with the male part of an Australian couple who hated Uruguay. No skin off my nose, we were in battle against them anyway. After half time a Swiss man sat next to me and asked how the first half went, I regaled the tale of van Bronckhorst scoring a magnificent goal 18 mins in, and the unfortunate circumstance of Forlan scoring a goal to tie the match at half time. It seemed an easy shot to block, we all saw it coming a mile away, but there wasn't enough defense. The swiss gentleman bought me a beer (and it wasn't my first by that point). I got pretty drunk, too drunk for my liking at 4 in the afternoon. And then Sneijder saved us at the 70th minute, and then we got a terrific third goal from Robben not three minutes later, and thank goodness for that because Uruguay got ANOTHER goal when Pareira scored in the 90th bloody minute into overtime, and the ball was trapped near the Dutch goal and we all held our breath that they wouldn't get another shot in. And they didn't. And all is right with the world. And Holland is in the finals! And we are moments away from a battle between Germany and Spain to find out who will go up against Holland in the final match on Sunday. Either team, I feel, will be an interesting match to watch. Both are powerhouses of football, neither have won the cup before, and both have an extensive history with The Netherlands that the final game is sure to be excellent. Of course, I want Spain to kick Germany's butt, because I think Holland will stand a better chance against them, but in my heart of hearts I do like Germany...can't help it. Maybe it's cause centuries and centuries ago my ancestors were German. Wir sind alle Deutschen! But I'm not so invested in any particular team for this game, because whoever wins I'll be rooting against on Sunday anyway. Hup Holland Hup!