8 March 2010
Pop World Cup 2010: Group A – South Africa 3 – Uruguay 1
Hello there, due to Tom’s ridiculously busy life and burgeoning media profile (you’ve all read Shiny Shiny, right?), Tim and I will be taking over putting the PWC tracks up for the next few weeks.
We start the second round of matches with a scrap for group supremacy between South Africa and Uruguay. A win for either team here would almost guarantee them a place in the last sixteen, so Isabel and Jim will no doubt have been sweating over their seleção…
This match will end at midnight on March 14th* – for now, get voting.
*oops, gave you 8 days originally, will close on sunday night now
SOUTH AFRICA: Mapaputsi – “Izinja” The manager says – “Straight in and no messin’! Attack with men forward and leave “the dog”, our very tough defender, covering at the back.
Length: 4:13 Played: 424 
URUGUAY: Opa – “Botija de me Pais” The manager says: With 3 points in the bag we can afford to be a little more experimental this time round, so here’s Opa. The intro is creepy and great – it makes me think of funky little goblins chanting in a cave. The song proper is a gorgeously smooth bit of nu-candombe, with a chorus which has a touch of the Bee Gees about it. But those goblins keep coming back, and the song really takes off when they storm the mountain in the last minute or two – the final 20 seconds are UNDERWORLD TRIUMPHANT! (Um, I’ve no idea what the words are really about, sorry)
Length: 5:25 Played: 371
Group A Match 3: Which track did you prefer?
- South Africa: Mapaputsi (71%, 36 Votes)
- Uruguay: Opa (29%, 15 Votes)
Total Voters: 51
Poll closes: 14 March 2010 @ 11:58 pm
Loading ...Commentary Box Analysis: “Well Brian, two rather different tactics here, Uruguay are very laidback caressing the ball around not unlike a South American Steely Dan. But what’s that? Oh, even men with steel hearts love to see a dog on the pitch with the South Africans there. Could easily go either way this one…”
RESULT: Cote D’Ivoire 3 Portugal 1: Well It looks like the Portuguese tactics didn’t quite pay off here as CIV power past them. This is stunning play from the Ivory Coast though, fast, fluent, powerful and incessant. Ivory Coast continually cut out passes, and after 25 shots in the general direction of the goal finally a couple go in. the sheer loose energy of it is ridiculously good. No contest; Côte d’Ivoire just mop the field with their competition, and this from a man who’d be rooting for Portugal any other day.
Coming up: France and Mexico are both desperate for a win to avoid elimination. Even at this early stage Pop World Cup faces its first decider.
CarsmileSteve in FT • pwc10/pwc10 group A • 545 views
Bravo! This is terrific stuff from both teams. Uruguay appear to have found their feet at this level and are beginning to play a more adventurous game. They have the patience, touch and vision to pull it off too, and there are a couple of lovely little surprises here.
However they’ve had the misfortune to come up against a South Africa side in swaggering form, trying their hand at the formation that worked well for Basement Jaxx in their prime, that chewy bassline is an instant goal, and you can’t argue with a dog on the pitch. By the end, a Mexican wave is going up among the South African fans, who are olé!-ing every pass, but this is a game to be remembered.
Hurrah. The spirit of Saian Supa Crew lives on, kwaito-style!
I’m not dismissing Uruguay lightly, their atmospheric almost-gospel version of bossa nova starts laid back but acquires some teeth near the end. But South Africa have just produced the track of the tournament for me.
As SA’s chief scout I admit this wasn’t the top track I recommended but it’s performing very well on the pitch: that’s why I’m not in the dugout I guess. Respect to Uruguay though – some beguiling play there and they’re trying something a bit different.
(My scouting notebook, incidentally, is full of awed comments on the form of France and Mexico, based on a sneaky visit or two to their training camp: don’t miss tomorrow’s game!)
I’m a bit concerned that the South African frontman just wants to “spend money, eat cakes”. He’s leaving himself open to some derisive chanting from opposition fans there.
“He’s fat, he’s round, his dog is in the pound / Mapaputsi, Mapaputsi…”
I quite like the Uruguayan track, but the South African one is an absolute stormer – with home advantage, they may have a real chance of winning this competition with play like this.
I have to agree with the panel’s comments so far, Brian. Interesting tactics from Uruguay, but they’re no match for SA’s canine/bassline combo.
An improvement on their opening showings from both teams here (and RSA had already started pretty well). Am with the consensus here: URU is interesting and kinda beguiling in the way it combines bossa nova languidness with creeping menace, but RSA is just an unstoppable monster – not even because of the dog, but that steely beat.
The SA appear unassailable on this showing, with precise ball to foot passing leaving the opposition dazed and confused. Against another side Uruguay’s languid and adaptable style might have won the day but, although a late surge of energy towards the end might just net URG a goal, South Africa’s dogged determination and assertive movement should see them win easily.
@lonepilgrim – I assume that pun about the nature of South Africa’s determination was unintentional?
Bafana Bafana with an easy win, I reckon. Uruguay’s tactics are interesting, and against lesser opposition, might well have paid off. But the host nation are playing some stunning stuff.
@Ben – I make no bones about it – it was intentional
Wow, after the first 20 seconds I was worried that SA track might win even my vote. But I dunno…it doesn’t really go anywhere, does it? And it feels about 20bpm too slow as well. Meanwhile I’ve been living with the Opa song for a couple of weeks now and it really is a grower, which should mean a few more votes from those listeners who give the songs a chance to sink in before taking sides. For that reason, I’m still expecting a strong second half from my boys. It’s not over yet!
The way Uruguay build their moves slowly and carefully is a joy to behold. South Africa have a very strong tactic that they stick to rigidly and in most instances would serve them well but to me Uruguay are just about bossing this game.
A fantastic match overall though; the kind of game where I’d turn to my young son (if I had one) whilst watching and proclaim “Look son! THIS is REAL FOOTBALL.”
For the past 20 years, South Africa has been dominated as a side completely by players plucked from the Kwaito league, and a marvellous run they’ve had, too. I can’t blame them for sticking to to this selection strategy in this World Cup too, and it serves them well enough to win this game. But a word of warning: with Durban the only young and hungry team left in the Kwaito division, and all the others hopelessly aging and growing stale, there’s every chance in the world of this collapsing on its head soon. The competing house and hip-hop leagues are at full spring, and especially Pretoria and Soweto in the former are world-beating sides that should have their players featured here lest Bafana Bafana go home for an early shower.
Uruguay play a solid game, but South Africa really show their world-class pop skills here. Can they go all the way?
The South Africans roll along with play as round as the ball they strike. Hard to argue with, but I will, since the gentle variety of Uruguay has me hooked. South America for me.
SA have it. They have more teeth.
You have till midnight tonight to vote in this!
Uruguay’s very conventional slow-burn floor-filler is undeniably pretty: touches of Brazilian, Cuban, and Andean styles of play are a great way to accent a sentimentally nationalistic song. (Goblins? Not on my copy of the track.) But I cant help thinking of Gordy’s Dictum about pop football: the team that takes the opening play is the team that will take the day. If you’re not listening on headphones, half of Uruguay’s game may very well pass by unnoticed.
Meanwhile, the South African track is quite simply a banger. Two such clear victories in a row for the home team is starting to look like a rigged game; but impartial observers everywhere insist that the players are simply world-class.
Congrats to South Africa on a convincing win over strong opponents.
The SA manager is delighted, though no celebrations until we see the result of the France-Mexico game.