Shakespeare likes the idea ‘All’s well that ends well’ so much that he wrote a play entitled so. Considering his view with proper respect we should conclude that it does not matter how many goals Brazil conceded but it really matters that they scored one in the last moment. But it is a matter of a huge disappointment that all the football fans have been making fun at Brazil. The situation is like the Bangla saying ‘Hati kadai porle chamchikao lathi mare (Even a bat kicks a fallen elephant)’.
Brazil were crestfallen. 1-7 has turned a new perspective like 9/11 globally and 16, 21, 52 and 71 in a Bangladesh perspective. Still Brazil is Brazil, only comparable to Germany but not to Argentina for sure,as far as the FIFA average ranking is concerned. You may look back in the world cup history if still in confusion. Though it may hurt the Argentine supporters emotionally but not reasonably. It is true that the result is not the only criterion. Every supporter is reasonable in terms of their support. It is their own consideration and ultimate choice like the Bangla saying ‘Jar noyone jare lage bhalo (Beauty is subject to variation from eye to eye.) which all it matters.
If the world is considered a stadium, it could not tolerate the weight of all Brazilian and Argentine fans put together. And the stadium itself would also have been ‘crestfallen’. Metaphorically speaking the similar situation befell Brazil at 7pm local time as they conceded 7 goals. Actually ‘Excess of anything is bad’. Similarly, both Brazil and Argentina have crossed the limit of their supporters. For example, in Facebook the popular personalities are added by their fans at random. At one point, they cannot accept the friend requests anymore after 5000 is reached. Similarly, the question is: Where isn’t the supporter? Children are born, grow up and follow their parents like religions at times.
The result can testify who can speak and who cannot. If you become speechless after hearing it, the speech test is positive for sure, no machine is required. The first few minutes Brazil played better than Germany until the 1st goal in 11th minute by German Thomas Muller immediately preceded by the 1st corner kick from Tony Kroos. Miroslav Klose scored the 2nd followed by Toni Kroos’3rd and 4th goals and then by German Sami Khedira in the 29th minute and, only then the goals stopped up to 68th minute. Every time many might have thought it the last but alas! And after a long gap came the 6th and 7th goals by Andre Schurrle in the 69th and 80th minutes. The situation is also like the child-births. One by one 7 daughters are born and the hope for a son is materialized by the birth of a son in the 7th time at last. Similarly, in the stoppage time Brazil scored their consolation goal.
Whatever the result was, Brazil and Germany are always two of the classic heavyweights in the arena of the world cups. It is unwise to forget the absence of Neymar who was diagnosed with a fractured vertebra and of Thiago Silva who accumulated two yellow cards earlier. What they could have done remain unanswered and shrouded with mystery. The other reason is the spectacular saves by German keeper Manuel Neuer.
Interestingly, Muller volleys in a perfect corner kick from Tony Kroos and the ball passed in the 11th minute both the keeper and the Brazilian defender Marcelo who was inside the goal-line like a cat was up in the tree in a difficult situation. In the 17th minute Philipp Lahm and Marcelo were entangled and then Brazil appealed for a penalty which was ruled out. The 2nd goal was also interesting. Miroslav Klose’s ball hit the keeper and came back to Klose who shot it again and put Germany up 2-0 in the 23rd minute. And in the next minute Toni Kroos received a wide-open cross and hit it beautifully by his left foot into the back of the net. Again after two minutes in the 26th minute Toni Kroos scored the 4th goal like ‘a bat kicks a fallen elephant’. And if the 4th goal comes in 26th minute, the 5th goal by Sami Khedira in 29th minute is quite reasonable like in “Ode to the West Wind” by Shelley ‘If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?’ There could have been the 6th goal some minutes later. The German could have shot straight to the goal but gave a cross and ultimately it was refused by the Brazilians.
The exotic expressions among the Brazilian supporters including the children and the women were quite remarkable and heart-rendering. The BBC reporting after the match was over was quite interesting. The BBC reporter was surrounded by German supporters grimacing, mocking, joking and moving around him while his reporting was going on. It was really a very enjoyable situation for the German fans and others. Whatever the intensity of the humiliation for Brazil was, Brazil and Germany are still the best so far as the FIFA average ranking is concerned. Besides, Brazil’s great miss to score once and the successful goal by Oscar in the last moment will remain astounding to the team and the viewers for ever.
Brazil were rather unlucky in this match mostly because almost all the attacks by Germany were successful. They had short cross-passes exactly to the Germans who also luckily netted the balls successfully. It is also true that Germany scored multiple goals in some other matches in the previous world cups. To lessen the blemish in the Brazilian history in this world cup against Germany, Brazil must do better in the next match for selecting the 3rd position against the team which would be defeated in tonight’s match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
The writer is Assistant Professor of English at Northern University Bangladesh.
BDST: 2157 HRS, JUL 09, 2014
