And we’re out

November 18th, 2009 | by: Harun | Comments(4)

I’ll try and actually keep this short for once. Portugal will deservedly play at the World Cup in South Africa next year and I wish them the best of luck there. We were outplayed. The fundamental reason for our loss is that our opponents were a more complete team that tactically outmaneuvered us. Critical injuries, the circus taking place behind the scenes, bad luck and a few questionable decisions by the referee (e.g. the blatant foul on Dzeko immediately before the goal) all played a part, but none of them fully explain it. The Portuguese set up the barricades in the middle of the field, prepared for the counter-attack and dared our wing-backs to try and orchestrate a victory. They couldn’t. Our play inevitably degenerated into hoofing the ball up the field and hoping Dzeko would somehow latch on to it. The red wall stood firm and he didn’t. Our players showed incredible drive and determination for most of the match, but the Portuguese bode their time, finally capitalized on an opportunity against our undermanned defense and rode out the match to its then predictable conclusion.

The game was tough to watch, but the disappointment isn’t nearly as great as it was against Denmark. The frustration in the air was hard to miss (most notably with the primitive idiot who threw objects at the referee), but the hurt wasn’t quite as bitter as I had expected. The lack of players crying on the field at the end testifies to this. Perhaps it’s because this young generation realizes that several more opportunities to qualify lie before it. For those to be any more successful, however, changes need to be made – changes that will ensure the stability, order and organization necessary for a truly successful qualifying run. Ciro’s crazy train had its moments of magic, but it came grinding to a halt in exactly the way many of us feared it would. It leaves in its wake a deeply disappointed nation and a volatile situation in the FA that is once again on the verge of erupting. A smooth transition to the next phase of Bosnian football history seems increasingly unlikely, and so we’re left to wait and see what course things will take in the ensuing days and weeks.