While Brazil, in sweet comfort, shall be cruising to the quarter finals, destroying on its merry way Costa Rica, China, and Turkey, fate (the seeded draw of last December) has pitted its perennial rival, Argentina, in what will be, by all conventional standards, the group of death.
Indeed, Group F of the 2002 World Cup is like a mousetrap. No one is sure to come out alive. The two teams that will eventually fight their way out, will need eons to recuperate. It will force Argentina, England, Nigeria, and Sweden to play each other in the first tour.
The first three nations are reasonable favorites of the competition, and the Scandinavians are so unpredictable. You remember Denmark in 1992, don?t you? It is painful that two out of these four will be out by June 15. At the same time, everyone in Group B (Paraguay, Slovenia, Spain, and South Africa) hardly deserves to be there.
Argentina has an open account with Nigeria that beat it in the Atlanta Olympic final of 1996 to win the win the championship. Green Eagles, watch out!
By far, the most awaited of the 48 games of the first tour will be England-Argentina. Between these two major soccer nations, a long story is to be told. England invented the game; their team won the tournament at Wembley in 1966 (Banks, Moore, Charlton). Argentina won the Cup twice: 1978 (Kempes, Passarella), and in 1986 (Diego Armando Maradona).
But the account yet to be settled between the two nations has little to do with soccer. It all started in 1982 when the Argentine generals invaded the Malvinas (or Falklands), islands located off the coasts of Argentina, but belonging to the British crown. The forces of Her Majesty dislodged the disrespectful Latins in a matter of ten weeks.
The Argentines cried for revenge. But with the military might under the command of the Iron Lady, they had to recourse to the round ball. They waited until June 22, 1986 in Mexico City to beat the English team by 2-1, a harbinger or their final victory. That was ecstasy in Buenos Aires.
The English were frustrated. They bit their nails for 12 years, until July 4, 1998, when in France, they played Argentina in the round of 16. After a 120-minute game, the score was 2-2. Argentina won on penalties: 4-2. England lost again!
This time around, the subjects of Her Majesty want to repeat the Falklands war.
The battle is scheduled for June 7 at 8:30 p.m., Japan time. In the Eastern U.S and most of the Caribbean, it will be 7:30 Friday morning.
How are you going to explain your lateness to your boss when you reach your job at 11:00 a.m.? Don?t even try the doctor-sick-traffic-accident-grandma died-flat tire excuse. No one will believe you. Use my excuse: ?My apartment was flooded?? Everybody falls for it. Original!
http://www.jeanlouie.com/
(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Saturday, May 11, 2002)
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