This week’s football review: Australia, Bayern Munich and Equatorial Guinea
Good
After the heartbreak of four years ago in Qatar when they lost in extra-time to Japan, the hosts Australia won their first ever Asian Cup title. They beat South Korea 2-1 after extra time in thrilling fashion after the Koreans had equalised in the final minute of normal time. The heroes for the hosts were James Troisi who smashed home the winning goal in the final, while the other Australian scorer Massimo Luongo was both man of the match in the final and voted best player of the tournament – not bad for a player who plies his trade in the third tier of English football.
Bad
The second half of the Bundesliga season has started in dramatic fashion after the winter break with leaders Bayern MunichA yet to win after two games. First, they were thrashed 4-1 by second-place Wolfsburg – the leaders had only conceded four all season before this match – and then they followed this result up with a home draw against fourth-placed Schalke. Wolfsburg have reduced the gap at the top to 8 points so no need to panic for Bayern just yet!
Ugly
Ugly scenes at the end of the quarter-final of the African Cup of Nations between hosts Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia. The away side had taken the lead and looked certain to make the semi-final until the referee awarded a controversial penalty to the hosts which sent the game into extra time. Equatorial Guinea then went on to win 2-1 sparking violent scenes between both sets of players. The Mauritian referee has subsequently been banned for six months after his poor performance.
Vocabulary
in thrilling fashion: In an exciting manner
plies his trade: Plays (another phrase for works)
sparking violent scenes: Causing violence
subsequently: Since then