LiveBlog: Mexico-Iran

Mexico wins it! After dragging for the first few minutes and looking a step slow against a pumped up Iran, Mexico came back to score first and took a 1-1 tie to the half. The second half was all Mexico as Iran looked like they were either gassed or playing for a tie. Goals by Omar Bravo and Antonio Naelson in the second half put Iran away. We’ve got 90 minutes of liveblogging and plenty of comments to read through for more information.

Full: Good result for Mexico in a game that could have turned ugly for them. It looked like Iran might run away with it until Mexico took over, scored first, settled down and then came out of the half in complete control.

87:21 Looks like John, our team blogger for Mexico called it. He predicted a 1-1 tie at the half and a 3-1 victory for Mexico. Check it out here.

83:46 The celebration has started for Mexico’s fans.

81:35 Iran seems to have regained a little spunk but I don’t think Mexico is going to let them anywhere near a goal.

78:45 Antonio Naelson heads in a cross to the left corner. Playing to tie is not working out for Iran.

78:40 GOAL MEXICO!

77:00 I am learning the German words for “huge mistake” watching these replays.

75:35 An Iran defender fails to clear the ball and loses control. Bravo with the goal. Mexico 2 Iran 1.

75:29 GOAL MEXICO!

72:11 Blogger Chris says this game reminds him of the siege of Carthage, where both sides tried to wait the other out. Correct his history if you can.

70:40 The shadow is 3/4 of the way across the field and both teams look like they’ve settled into a midfield game. I guess this is what happen when two teams from the sun have to play in the shade.

65:05 1-1 still but Iran doesn’t look like the same team. I’ve seen more inspiration at a cricket match in Nebraska.

64:07 A Mexico corner after the Iran goalie apparently just didn’t feel like going to get the ball. It was right in front of him.

61:11 Iran spends 30 consecutive seconds within striking distance but resorts to launching the ball into the stands instead of kicking it anywhere near the goal.

59:35 Omar Bravo with a decent acting job gets a (suprise!) free kick!

57:41 Iran resorts to taking down Rafael Marquez as he approaches the goal. Judges are split on whether it was a flop or not.

55:30 And I mean like Long Gone.

55:29 The assertion and confidence that Iran showed for the first few minutes of the game has disappeared.

54:05 Yellowcard for Javad Nekounam. I didn’t see anything. Score still 1-1.

53:26 Corner for Mexico. Corners are the new free kicks.

51:00 Francisco Fonseca in for Borgetti. The German kommentator is throwing around words like “superstar” that I can understand.

49:00 Replay of Iran losing the ball, I guess so they don’t have to show the major soul-patch of the Mexico coach. Looks like Borgetti is about to come off.

47:00 Iran loses the ball in the far corner, Mexico fails doesn’t get much of an advantage out of it.

45:40 World Cup Blog is watching the game on a different channel now, the shadow is just as bad despite better camera angles.

45:00 Couple of half-time subs for Mexico and we’re underway.

Half Time: Iran came out looking like they were going to run all over Mexico, keeping the ball at their end of the field for most of the first 10 minutes. Mexico came to life about 18 minutes in and scored first. Iran answered with a goal in the 35th minute.

44:59 The half ends one second early and both teams are off the field. Great half. Fast and furious action with fun to watch football.

43:28 Apparently this game is being played in Nurnberg. I feel like an idiot, ignore all that Wikipedia nonsense below.

40:52 Mexico is leading Iran 13-9 in fouls. If only it could be used as a tie breaker.

38:40 31.3 m free kick for Mexico. The shadow is slowly encroaching on midfield and suddenly that’s the most exciting action on the field. Both teams hoping to head into the half with a tie.

37:44 Looks like Mexico’s trying to slow the game down, holding back in their own territory.

35:10 Yahya Golmohammadi follows a header that would have been in if not for a spectacular save. 1-1.

35:02 GOAL IRAN!

33:00 Unnecesarily long slow motion replay of goal celebration, I’m not sure why it’s up there, I missed a bunch of the game looking for a follow up to the Wikipedia mexican stand-off information.

31:00 Ball possession shown to be at exactly 50-50. Not quite a Mexican stand-off but similar. Still 1-0.

29:58 Another Beckanbauer sighting. It’s really admirable of him to make the effort to travel to every game in his personal helicopter.

27:30 A Franco header to Bravo off a(nother) set piece. Iran defenders MIA.

27:00 GOAL MEXICO!

26:20 Another Mexico free kick with a camera angle that had me convinced the ball was headed toward the goal.

24:30 A Mexico corner in a game with more free kicks than corners so far.

23:16 Important game time information: according wikipedia, a Mexican stand off is when both sides are at an impasse, a dilemna that neither side can win. Why this information is included in the liveblog: the movie Munich is referenced as an example of a Mexican stand-off and this game is being played in Munich.

21:00 Mexico seems to be getting over their jet-lag and coming back to life. With the frantic pace this game is going to see some goals VERY soon.

18:00 I knew the first flop of the game wasn’t far behind. Classic plant and dive results in a Mexico free kick.

17:50 First yellowcard of the game. Gerardo Torrado makes gets solid contact with an Iran body. Suprising that the Card Count is outpacing the Flop Count.

16:01 The speed of this game is refreshing. Bravo gets undercut and lobs his free kick to the goalie. Even he didn’t think it had a chance.

14:45 An anonymous forward hiding in the shadow takes three Iran defenders but doesn’t really get a good look at the goal.

13:00 Free kick for Mexico. Honest effort but not really close.

10:50 Two CLOSE calls for Mexico, Iran gets a cross through and then a header goes wide right. I’m sticking by my Iran 3 Mexico 0 prediction.

8:00 Reports coming in that Mexico is significantly shorter than Iran as a team, they also seem to be significantly slower.

6:50 A phantom offsides call against Iran. They look strong, moving the ball more quickly than Mexico.

5:33 Rafael Marquez with the commanding tackle in the box. He got the ball first but I still yelled at the TV for a few seconds.

2:45 Mahdavikia with a long range shot, suprisingly close off the right post.

1:25 Iran’s keeping the ball in Mexico territory, play is hugging the close sideline in the shadow. Both teams look strong.

00:00 Iran looks sharp in their all red unis with white shoes. Mexico is invisible in the shadows.

Awkward exchange at midfield, Iran’s giving Mexico a hand-made rug, Mexico’s giving Iran a flag from a street vendor.

Beckanbauer sighting. He was at the Leipzig game an hour ago, the guy is amazing.

Very little shadow on the pitch, this IS a state of the art stadium.

Based on our pre-game comments, Mexico is actually the underdog. Any Mexico fans out there? From the looks of the pre game stadium shots they’ve got a major advantage in crowd support. A solid band of green is ringing the stadium.

We’re debating the art of the flop at World Cup Blog HQ and we’d like your thoughts. What would be the most effective dive deterrent? Video replays with post-game yellowcards? On field review? Backhanded slaps from a large woman?

Pregame: It is a hot day in Germany. Any predictions?

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