iSporter Praneet Mhatre presents a report card of the top players in the Iberian Derby as he calls it or the Spain v Portugal last 16 encounter of the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Iberian Derby: The Report Card
Right from the day when this year's World Cup draw was announced, fans around the world had been looking forward to this game. We knew it all along that Spain and Portugal were going to clash in the pre-quarters and we all expected a thorough entertainer. Last night's action didn't quite live up to those expectations, but it was a good game of Football, with brilliant refereeing and both teams playing in the right spirit.
Spain were always going to be stronger than Portugal and in the end, they did just enough to advance to the last eight. Here's a look at some of the individual performances from last night and their relevance in the larger picture -
Joan Capdevila
He was Spain's savior last night. If it weren't for his timely challenges, the Portuguese would definitely have gotten their name on the score sheet. The stand out moment from last night's game for me was Capdevila's sensational block in the 88th minute. It was one of those rare defensive plays that can evoke a similar reaction as a nifty step over or a sublime back heel pass does. The Villareal fullback will have to continue his solid work at the back, especially with the prospect of a semi final encounter with Argentina and the most dangerous player in the world today - Lionel Messi.
Iker Casillas
Let's face it - Saint Iker did not look at his best during this year's La Liga campaign, but the Spanish captain is beginning to show why the likes of Pepe Reina and Victor Valdes are still sitting on the bench, their impressive club form notwithstanding. Except for an odd hiccup, which could very well have been caused by the Jabulani ball and its butterfly mind, the Spanish custodian was solid. He timed his charges to perfection and managed to keep the Portuguese attackers at bay. The captain will have to lead from the front in the remaining games as well.
Sergio Ramos
The former Sevilla prodigy often comes under attack for ignoring his defensive duties and leaving open spaces at the back. This tournament has been no exception and his manager is fully aware of that. But his explosive runs against Portugal were extremely impressive and he almost capped a brilliant move with a game clinching goal. Ramos is going to continue with his overly attacking ways; and that is the reason why his coordination with Gerard Pique is absolutely crucial. Whenever Ramos was caught out of place last night, Pique effortlessly shifted to a wider position and prevented any serious damage. As long as these two continue to link up in this manner, del Bosque has no reason to worry.
Fernando Torres
There has been a lot talk - should he start, should he come off the bench? But the man who matters the most has shown a lot belief in the Liverpool hit man. Torres looked dangerous early on, surprisingly playing with a lot of confidence. But once the Portuguese defense got settled, Torres hardly posed a threat to their goal. His form so far in this tournament suggests that he may be better off coming on as a substitute. But he is just too big a name and everyone, including his manager, seems to believe that - as the old cliché goes- he is just one goal away from coming back into his own. Well, I would concur with that!
Christiano Ronaldo
This was supposed to be an exclusively Spanish report card, but the piece would have looked incomplete had the world's most expensive player been kept out of it.
As usual- Ronaldo just didn't show up when his side needed him the most. As brilliant as his goalscoring form has been at the club level, he is yet to show the kind of class that separates legends from stars. When your team is desperately trying to score, you don't really want your best player to go down after a tackle and then just sit there sniveling like a little girl.
Ronaldo should take a lesson or two from the world's best (alas, not the most expensive!) player. Lionel Messi gets tackled as hard and as frequently as Ronaldo does, but not once will you see Messi react in the boorishly whining manner that Ronaldo has become notorious for.
Ronaldo's awful attempt in the 90th minute, and the boo's that followed, pretty much summed up the game and the tournament he has had.
David Villa
The less said about his exploits, the better! Let's not take anything away from Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol and other La Roja warriors. But Villa has been the difference between Spain and their opponents so far. And he is easily the strongest contender for both The Golden Boot and The Golden Ball at the moment!
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