Football And Life II. Contributed by @Olawalium
I know the World Cup matches are shaping up really well now and I am particularly angry and sad about Nigeria’s match. I handled it poorly and I ran away from even chatting with people. I didn’t want to lash out. I just wanted to be alone and be there. I am better now, I slept it off hahaha.
That’s what I do. When things happen like that, I sleep it off and I push it out the next day. Life is too short to waste it on things that stress you. Hahaha.
Also, four matches were played again between France and Denmark, Australia and Peru, Nigeria and Argentina, then lastly Croatia and Iceland.
These matches were decisive matches and you can understand why everyone looked forward to it, particularly the one between Nigeria and Argentina.
France and Denmark happened to be the most boring match I have watched in recent times, that is just my opinion anyway. On the other hand, I understand why they played the way they did.
They both look set to qualify and they both needed a draw, and they played out for that, even resting some of their key players. It is a risk but then, life is a risk and it worked out perfectly well, rather than risk unnecessary injuries.
I was particularly surprised by Australia and Peru. I was expecting Australia to win and move to four points, hoping France beat Denmark, but then Peru hit the back of their net, twice. They won 2-0.
Iceland put up a fighting spirit, which has always been the hallmark of their outing in this tournament and they would have beat Croatia and have real hope of winning but it was not enough as Croatia bested them 2-1.
Nigeria vs Argentina was a spectacle filled with drama and it was a wonderful match. Nigeria gave a lot of fight with their resilience defending but a moment of relapse punished them and they lost.
When you play against Argentina or any big team for that matter, you only need half a chance to punish them. But then, Nigeria had two golden chances through Ighalo and he wasted them. That proved to be the hallmark of the downfall that was to come and it ultimately led to their exit.
You need to take your chances and that was what Rojo did, with that kind of opportunity.
In life, you need to take your chances. Life will present you with some opportunities but you have to be ready. You cannot expect everything to fall perfectly well for you. You cannot expect to see opportunities in crystal clear terms for you to spot them and take advantage. When being prepared meets with opportunity, then success happens.
Often times, we wait until all the conditions are perfect, but sometimes when life presents us with opportunities we should rather make that moment perfect. We have the capacity to turn things around and make imperfect situation(s) perfect, depending on how we handle it.
When a defining moment comes, define the moment or the moment defines you.
We need to dare more, risk more, take the extra steps more, and think faster even more. Life can give you countless opportunities, life can present you even with limited ones, but the ability to take chances, be available and to go all out, will determine our success or failure rate. Life will do what it can do, it is left for us how we respond to it.
Thank you for your time.
My pen doesn’t bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.
Still me,
My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
Olawalium; (Love’s chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor’s order.
The State serves to create the terms and conditions and the infrastructure that must be available so that its citizens have sufficient access to obtain their welfare. Understanding of the general welfare can be seen from the income level of a country and the economic distribution among the people.
When a person reaches prosperity, that's where his inner satisfaction arises and produces a happy state. That is why income factors are often used as key variables in the measurement methodology of happiness.
There are many stories that prove that football becomes an individual means to improve welfare. Before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi achieved success in the field of soccer sport, they are poor youth whose life is far from prosperous.
With what they have, it's hard to say that they are unhappy because of football. Instead, they will definitely be grateful to football. That's what Cristiano says: "without football, my life does not mean anything", which is so famous that the Amazon capitalized into a laptop protective sticker. That quote might be true. You can imagine what Cristiano is doing right now when football never existed on earth.
Watched the Nigeria and Argentina match yesterday and could admire the resilience the guys showed - every one of them. Argentina took a well deserved win at the end but just like life there were definitely more lessons to be learned than win and lose.
We need to take our chances to succeed. Not everything can be planned nor it can be controlled. The best we can do is to train to become the man who could succeed if given a chance. But even then we have to seize that 'chance' when it arrives.
Absolutely. We have to seize the chance and you use. We should never give up. Argentina pestered the defense and finally it caved in. Problems are like that, with more pressure, they sometimes give in. We should be more determined and also we should always take our chances. Life expects us to and that determines how far we can go.
Thanks a lot for that.
Thanks for the review bro...
The most disappointing match I've seen in this year tournament is that of Nigeria and Argentina, we had every opportunity to qualify, but we squandered them all.
If Musa should see one of the chances squandered by Ighalo, We might be telling another story now.
And again, that Marcos Rojo hand ball is a penalty as far as I am concerned, if we are to be the one committing such a foul, they would penalise us for it.
Well, overall, the guys played with their heart, and we must thank them for that, they make us proud.....
Absolutely. That was a handball. Only when decisions favour the big teams that is when you will see Fifa coming up with unrealistic stories about some rules that never existed before, it was so annoying. The referee didn't pick the handball, the ball fell to Ighalo and see how he wasted it. If he has scored even as it was a handball, it wouldn't have mattered and if they eventually pick it after he scored, it would still be good for us because i know Moses is good with penalties.
It was so disappointing to lose out knowing we had several opportunities.
Thanks a lot bro
This worldcup is just so annoying. How could Germany lose to South Korea in the last minute? Nigeria was supposed to have a penalty kick two different times but the referee overlooked all. Yesternight's gameplay isn't fair. They were utterly biased. Just like saying, FIFA: Football Isn't For Africans.
I'm so depressed and somehow losing interest in the matches. It's like politics is involved in this World Cup and we're just watching Elections in lieu of match.
Hahahahaha watching elections in lieu of match. I still wouldn't focus on the handball because if Ighalo had scored, it wouldn't have matter. I expected that any way since he left a competitive league to go to China. He is used to not doing so much. Really annoying.
Politics has always been involved in football, if not, Sane and Gotze should have been picked to go to World Cup for Germany. Benzema and Martial should have also gone to World Cup for France. Icardi should have been picked for Argentina but they left him behind. Ter Stegen should have played in goal for Germany instead of Neuer.
Politics everywhere.
Exactly. The problem with our players is they are just so concerned about money. Since China pays, they just troop in. They whole politics thing is just vexing. I'm sure Sane would be mocking Germany. SMH
Absolutely. Everyone keeps running off to China. I hope Argentina follows too, so Mauro Icardi can have a good laugh.
😁😁😁😁
True and very true @tobah. Beyond that there lots of foul blow given in favour of the Argentines towards the end of the game, as against fouls against super eagles. And such act can greatly demoralize the players. Nonetheless I am still green and white to the bone.
Me too! I like the courage of the players and I'm sure they won't be so much affected cos they aren't weeping boys. I'm with Naija no matter what. I just hope the coach won't be discharged...
That is one thing with the NFF...they lack patience. Others have been complaining about the coach but i admire his transparency. No one is perfect and i am sure he has also learned from this. I would love it if they keep him. It will bring stability to our young team.
True.
I honestly agree with you.
I was waiting for Argentine vs Nigeria to win if Argentina won. Arjentina won 2-1. If Arzentina could have scored more goals, then he could not give more to his mistakes.
If Ighalo had taken his chances, then Argentina would have been deflated and they would have conceded even more.
There are so much life's lessons to be learnt from this world cup and football generally.
I am learning by the day
I love how you ended it with those "lively living life's lessons" @olawalium
Thanks a lot brother and i am always happy to read from you and i am glad to hear your kind comment. It's a huge motivation for me.
Love that post you made earlier bro.
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There is always teams you feel sad to see them out at the group stage... This time I wouldn't shed my tears for anyone except for Senegal. Nigeria was fun to watch, but not enough killer instinct - meaning they would have imploded in the next round offering no real resistance - that's not what I'm looking for in a surprise team. Senegal, though, could have gone up to the quarterfinals, so I'm very sorry to see them out.