The final members of the "Round of 16" were determined late yesterday but I've loved every moment, bar two, of this, the best World Cup I've ever seen. Both bad moments took place on Tuesday. First, that dog Suarez actually bit Giorgio Chielleni, stunning Italy long enough for Uruguay to score the winning goal, the Mouth of Luis outdoing Diego Maradona's infamous Hand of God; but Suarez didn't reign long as King of Rats.
That afternoon, the nastiest bit of cheating I've seen since a Republican Supreme Court stole the US presidential election for George W Bush in Florida took place in Greece v Cote D'Ivoire, in the form of a cynical dive in the penalty box from a Greek player no one should ever name. In the game's last seconds, the rat hit the ground, untouched by any African player, but fooling the referee. But for that thievery–and for the cheat's own cool head in turning his foul deed into 2�1 when he converted the penalty–Cote D'Ivoire would have drawn, and progressed, deservedly, for the first time, to the second round: that greasy firetrucker stole a country's history. I've been told that "experts" agree the penalty was "justifiable" but they must see it from a different angle from me; like one that says, "Black people should be at the back of the bus."
for your Free Trial of the Digital Guardian.
No payment details required, for your Free Trial.