Balls Galore: USA can play, even if it is called SAAAR...KER!

What a way to do it in their game agains Portugal on Monday though – first they trailed, then they levelled, then they led and then, they almost gave it away.

For the non-football fans, it was the outcome of the third game on Sunday (in Brazil); and Monday (June 23 here in Malaysia) that left quite everybody agog. It drew with Portugal 2 – all.

This draw means the outcome of the US game against Germany (which already has 6 points from two games) will have a bearing on whether the Yanks get to play in the next round.

The psychological war has started, with the first salvo fired by US coach Juergen Klinsmann. He says the Germans were favoured to win as they have the cards stacked in their favour.

Firstly, the Germans played their second game a day earlier which means they have 24 hours more recuperative time. Further, Klinsmann added USA had to play their game in the Amazon which involved more travelling time, thus placing them at a distinct disadvantage.

As reward for having registered a win in its first game against Ghana, USA can afford to draw; and collect one point to ensure it; and the Germans make it through to the next round.

Both Portugal and Ghana will rue the day when they failed to appoint Klinsmann; when he was on the market, to become their coach/manager.

Anyone who subscribes to any sort of conspiracy theory will already be cooking scenarios surrounding a German national coaching an American team playing a German squad. A draw will no doubt be the best result for both teams – as it requires them to do no more than knock the ball about with no need for concerted exertions.

All the sweat will be broken by both Portugal and Ghana as they can only sit on the sidelines crying 'conspiracy!’ should the match end in a lame 0 – 0 draw.

How we came to this – the blame that is – squarely lies on the shoulders of both Portugal and Ghana. They did not play well enough in their openers to win, so their future is going to be in the hands; or at the feet of others!

Portugal may blame providence for all the doubts over the full fitness of their star player Christiano 'C7’ Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star was supposed to have single-handedly led his team from the front and win the cup for the Portuguese. That was precisely the trouble – even before he set foot on the pitch, attention was focussed so much on the state of his left knee that everyone else seemed inconsequential. Not that they minded – as they could go about their daily chore of training in between much lolling around the swimming pool ; and various other nocturnal diversions the steamy jungles of Rio had to offer; out of the spotlight.

In the event, C7 did take to the field on Sunday and played the full match against the USA. Indeed, he supplied the lethal cross which was delivered with unerring accuracy for Silvestre Varella to easily head home.

Alas this draw means it must beat Ghana to have any further part to play in the next round. But if USA and Germany play for a draw, then everyone else can pack up and leave – such are the simple permutations left for to contemplate.

As for Ghana, repercussion and possibly recriminations may come sooner rather than later as after two games, it is firmly rooted at the bottom of Group C with a draw and a defeat under their belt.

News has filtered back to the team that investigations are under way by the police over the activities of two men who are alleged to have had a hand in fixing matches. Ahhh...football and corruption, you can’t keep the issue out can you?

Apparently, the British news media claims to have uncovered a Ghanaian club official and a FIFA agent claiming he (or, maybe a she; as we strive to shun sexism); could arrange the rigging of matches involving the national team.

Just to calm the jitters currently that may affect the team’s morale in Brazil, the claim of ‘rig-a-bility’ did not involve any matches in the World Cup. Now that would be a bit a bit of a confidence booster for the embattled team then, wouldn’t it?

This brings into focus the huge disparity in riches and rewards that sort out the men from the boys, all now parading their ball-handling skills in Brazil.

Ronaldo is reputed to earn more than RM163 million a year. Argentinian `starlet’ Lionel Messi is on par, if not paid higher than him by Barcelona. Rooney and Gerrard, for all their `jaguh kampong under-achieving exploits’; earn just as much. They are among the highest paid in the British Premier League despite their woeful achievements ensuring England’s demise after just two games.

Contrast their pay packets against that of the distinctively poverty-stricken Cameroonians. Their players went on a mini-revolt on the eve of their departure for Brazil from the capital Yaounde as they disputed the size of their allowances. Their protestations of poverty and cries of’ “Please Sir, gimme moooore...!” paid off as they did indeed make it on the plane for Brazil.

Perhaps they should not have bothered to embark on the plane though. After two games, they are firmly rooted at the wrong end of their group. But you can’t really blame them – look up and you see the bums of Brazil, Mexico and Croatia filling the upper three tier.