Pop World Cup 2010: Round of 16 Match 5 – Netherlands 3 Paraguay 1

As we move into the second half of the Round of 16, we come across a game which may not have been an obvious highlight but, for PWC followers, has an intrigue all of its own. Iain F’s Netherlands team have been winning friends and matches with their smooth, easy-on-the-ear play; Talia’s Paraguayans weaved an unpredictable path through their group, touching on hair metal and a memorable cover of “Umbrella”. Anything could happen…

This match closes at midnight on Sunday 9th May.

NETHERLANDS: The Opposites & Big2 – “Licht Uit” The Manager Says: “Since we got a couple of fluke goals in the match against Japan, we weren’t able to tell if our laidback Eurorap formation would have been enough to win by normal means or not. I stand by my faith in it, though, and believe that we have the players to pull it off!”

PARAGUAY: Lopez – “Donde” The Manager Says: “Something a bit different…

Playing against a top scoring country like the Netherlands could rattle a team, but we’re renewed and ready to fight another battle. This time we’re taking a risk and putting forward our most modern formation yet. ‘Donde’ lays a vintage vocal over a hip wriggling bassline as one of the first releases from Paraguayan funk / nu disco outfit Lopez.”

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Commentary Box Analysis Some strikers in the game of pop football have a deceptively languid style, and such players tend to divide fans’ – and pundits’ – opinions. The Netherlands have deployed two of these in one team, one of whom picks up the pace a little, later in the game. It’s a beguiling tactic, but will it be enough to win support from a Paraguay team with a strikingly fresh and youthful approach? The flashes of skill from the beligerent Paraguayan trombonist playing in the hole just behind the lone striker may be the key to their game.

Result! Round of Sixteen Match 1: Nigeria 3 – France 2 In a compelling game, both teams stuck to their principles in the belief that their approach had enough to overcome their opponents. It was a ding-dong battle, with goal and equaliser, goal and equaliser, until ultimately the Nigerians had the legs to run the full 90 minutes. It may well be looked back on as one of the games of the tournament, this one. “A very close thing for me – two excellent tracks. I listened a couple of times each, but the fun of the Nigerian track won out in the end for me.”;”This Poni Hoax track… AMAZING! Best thing I’ve heard in months!“;”The French striker slices through a seemingly strong Nigerian backline like so much beurre, the defenders not knowing whether to giggle at or be enchanted by her mannered moods“;”Awesome play from both teams there – but France just edges it for me because of that element of surprise, i thought i knew exactly where it was going from the first few beats but I was wrong – and delighted to be.“; “The French team played a game that’s so my style it could have been handmade in an atelier for me (it’s also totally a track that would call people ‘dollink’), but it does lack Nigeria’s call to the hips.”

Coming up Onwards into the bottom half of the Round of 16, as New Zealand, coached into funky form by Steve M, take on a Cameroon side managed by Weston, whose press conferences are always worth a look and whose teams are always strong.