Was Maicon's Goal a Fluke?

Finally the world cup exploded with the talking point of the competition so far. I am referring to Maicon's goal in the game between Brazil and North Korea. Did Maicon mean it or was he just plain lucky? My response "Who Cares"? So much is often made of a player's intent in football forgetting the basic fact that football is an intuitive game. The best players are not necessarily the players with the know how but the players that have the courage and the intuition to try what they know. Maicon has a history of scoring some fantastic goals in Serie A and he has scored a similar goal against Portugal about 18 months ago. The Korean goalkeeper - RI Myong Guk in trying to preempt the cross left enough space for Maicon to hit what we call a "Banana Shot" in a Africa. This is the kind of goal that makes football the most popular sport in the world and makes Brazil such a joy to watch. It is only the technically gifted players that have the courage to try such outrageous things on the field. In the coming days, I expect to hear more about the effect of high altitude on the Jambulani ball etc. Jambulani or not, this is a goal worthy of winning any football match.

SLZ

2010 FIFA World Cup

Finally after years of anticipation, the 2010 world cup has finally kicked off in South Africa. Not a moment too soon I would say. As an ardent football fan and an African, I couldn't be prouder. I refused to engage in all the mumbo jumbo about whether South Africa deserve the world cup or if this is really what the country needs bearing in mind most of the locals can't afford to go to the games. My reason for being proud is nothing more than the fact that the game I love is being played by the world's best players on the continent where human beings originated from (another story for another day). I am especially proud of the joy in which the locals have taken to the event. I haven't seen any World cup in which the locals have made it known that they are happy to be hosting the world but then that is due to the nature of Africans. We celebrate everything, including death itself. Until the 2014 World cup in Brazil, this is the most interesting opening ceremony bar none. The music, the costumes, the people. South Africa is indeed a Rainbow Nation. Even the stadiums look better than most and the organizers have everything to be proud of. If I sound like I am gushing, remember I said at the beginning, I am a proud African. Over the next month I will be updating this blog with snippets from the world cup. Enjoy

SLZ