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Up for the Cup: Mark Bresciano on THAT pic - ’I did what any dad would do’; a tale of two goalkeepers; Marcelo’s ‘dive’

MARK Bresciano opens up on the image that has spread around the world, a tale of two goalkeepers, Marcelo’s dive and more in Up for the Cup.

6 min read
June 18, 2014 - 3:29PM
Australia V's Chile at Arena Pantanal, Group B in the 2014 World Cup, 13th June, Cuiaba, Brazil. Australia's Mark Bresciano comes out with a boy on crutches and help him tie up his shoe laces. Pic : George Salpigtidis
Australia V's Chile at Arena Pantanal, Group B in the 2014 World Cup, 13th June, Cuiaba, Brazil. Australia's Mark Bresciano comes out with a boy on crutches and help him tie up his shoe laces. Pic : George Salpigtidis

MARK Bresciano opens up on the image that has spread around the world, a tale of two goalkeepers, Marcelo’s dive and more.

It’s all here in our latest edition of Up for the Cup.

BRESCH ON THAT PIC:’ I DID WHAT ANY DAD WOULD DO’

MAYBE it’s because he has a parent’s eye for a potential hazard, but this was a moment that spoke eloquently of Mark Bresciano’s innate decency.

The Socceroo’s quiet gesture, combined with the instincts of a photographer, created an image that has spread virally around the world.

As the Socceroos walked out for Saturday’s World Cup clash with Chile, Bresciano noticed that the shoelaces of a young mascot, walking alongside him on crutches, had come undone.

Kneeling to tie them, his gesture was captured by News Ltd photographer George Salpigtidis, in a picture that has been reproduced endlessly on social media.

This image of Mark Bresciano tying up a young mascot’s shoelaces has gone viral. Picture: George Salpigtidis
This image of Mark Bresciano tying up a young mascot’s shoelaces has gone viral. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“It is always nice to have kids share that walk out because it is so special for them,” Bresciano said.

“The boy was a little slow walking out and I noticed his shoelace undone so I did what any parent would do, any player for that matter, I just helped him out and tied it back up.

“I had no idea the photo had been sent around the world but I’m just glad the boy had a good time.”

Salpigtidis said he got the shot by following his instinct, when usually he would be focusing on the team captain.

“I saw the boy was on crutches, and knowing Bresc to be a very humble individual, I just had a feeling something might happen,” he said.

“Not all footballers are like that. Usually you concentrate on someone like the captain, but I felt I had to keep watching Bresch.”

GRIM PIM SAYS AUSSIES HAVE NO CHANCE AGAINST DUTCH

Remember Pim Verbeek?

You know, the Dutch coach who guided the Socceroos to the last World Cup then set them up in a “defensive” formation in the opener against Germany.

The negative mindset backfired as Australia — featuring winger Richard Garcia in the unfamiliar role of lone striker — was hammered 4-0 by the rampant Germans in a performance that still gives Socceroos fans nightmares.

So Verbeek knows a thing or two about Socceroos smashings — and he reckons there’s another one on offing when Australia takes on the country of his birth on Thursday morning (AEST).

Ahmed Yussuf, writing on the Football central website, said that Verbeek told a Dutch TV station the Socceroos were no chance of scoring, would concede at least three goals, and also mocked the national anthem, which he famously sung on Fox Sports in 2009 when in the national job.

“Oh, (Holland) will win this game, not a single doubt,” Verbeek said.

“I don’t see any possibility that Australia will score a goal against the Netherlands.

“(Holland) should go for an extra attacker. We have to attack from the flanks, but also through the middle. (Australia are) so inexperienced at the back,” he said.

“They are very vulnerable at the back. So I think we’ll score at least three goals.”

Ex-Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek is tipping carnage for his old team against the Netherlands.
Ex-Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek is tipping carnage for his old team against the Netherlands.

PUNTERS AGREE WITH VERBEEK: ROOS FRIENDLESS IN BETTING

In possibly the first case of Australians agreeing with Pim Verbeek since that 2010 debacle, punters Down Under have also given the Socceroos no chance against the Dutch.

The Socceroos have ballooned out to their biggest ever price for a World Cup match. Ange Postecoglou’s side is paying a whopping $17 with online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au to win the Group B clash on Thursday morning (AEST).

The Netherlands, coming off their opening round 5-1 thrashing on world champions Spain, have been well fancied by Australian punters.

“Patriotism has gone out of the window for this one, all of the money is on the Netherlands with punters betting with their heads and not their hearts,” said sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson.

Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa dives to make a save against Brazil.
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa dives to make a save against Brazil.

WAS MEXICO GOALKEEPER’S SAVE BETTER THAN BANKS?

Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was the undoubted star of the day as he produced a string of stunning saves to clinch his side a 0-0 draw with hosts Brazil.

Much has been written about Ochoa in the wake of his superb man-of-the-match performance between the sticks in Fortaleza, which the man himself described as “the game of my life”.

The biggest talking point centred on the fact that the 28-year-old is a free agent, having seen his contract with French club AC Ajaccio expire.

Reports emerged in the moments after the match that Ochoa could be on the radar of English Premier League clubs.

Perhaps the biggest call was left to England’s The Daily Mail, which compared one of the diving deflections made by Ochoa to arguably the most famous save in World Cup history — England legend Gordon Banks denying Pele in 1970.

The Daily Mail compares Ochoa’s save to England legend Gordon Banks.
The Daily Mail compares Ochoa’s save to England legend Gordon Banks.

It turned out to be a tale of two goalkeepers today, with Russia’s gloveman producing the opposite of Ochoa’s heroics in his side’s later clash with South Korea.

Igor Akinfeev ensured his place on the World Cup highlights — well, lowlights really — reel with a shocker when he tried to catch a routine shot from Lee Keun-Ho, only to parry the ball into his own net.

Naturally, Akinfeev’s howler — and his reaction — a was given the Twitter treatment.

BRAZIL’S MARCELO COMES IN FOR MORE SOCIAL MEDIA TREATMENT

He scored an own goal in Brazil’s first game and it seems Marcelo can’t stay out of the headlines — for the wrong reasons.

The left-back came in for heavy criticism after appearing to make the most of contact from Mexico’s Raul Jimenez, and appealed theatrically to the referee for a penalty as he tumbled to the turf.

The whistleblower was having none of it, and fans vented their fury at Marcelo on social media — hopefully they steered clear of @Marcello, unlike last week.

But Marcelo was adamant after the match he should been awarded a spot kick.

“When I controlled the ball, he grabbed my shoulder. And if he pulled me inside the box, it was a penalty,” he said.

“He pulled me. If he hadn’t done that, I would’ve taken the ball. I would’ve made it to the ball and crossed it to one of my team mates.”

WARNING: FAN DIES FROM WORLD CUP SLEEP DEPRIVATION

A Chinese football fan has reportedly died after staying up for too many nights in a row to watch the World Cup.

A 39-year-old man, with the surname Zhou, from Shanghai, died on Sunday after staying up for three consecutive nights to follow the World Cup games, Shanghai Daily reported.

Zhou was watching the Uruguay and Costa Rica match when he collapsed at 3am.

Gao Liang, director of Shanghai No. 10 People’s hospital’s neurosurgery department, said Zhou had a history of high blood pressure and suffered a stroke caused by a brain haemorrhage.

Right, everyone, back to bed.

Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen will reportedly hand over the World Cup to the winning team.
Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen will reportedly hand over the World Cup to the winning team.

SUPERMODEL GISELE TO HAND OVER WORLD CUP TO WINNERS

There should be no need for extra motivation to win the World Cup — it’s already the biggest prize in sport.

But just in case, FIFA is set to make clinching the trophy even more appealing. How? By revealing that it will be handed over by Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen.

The Boston Globe reports that with Brazil president Dilma Rousseff hardly a popular figure at the moment, FIFA will turn to Bundchen for the all-important duty.

URUGUAYANS CAUGHT IN STICKY SITUATION AT AIRPORT

Uruguay’s 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica wasn’t the first loss they suffered at the World Cup.

It has emerged that Brazilian health authorities had earlier seized 39 kilograms of dulce de leche — a sweet, caramel-like confection made by slowly heating milk — from the team as it arrived for the tournament on June 9.

A spokesman for Brazil’s agriculture regulators’ union told AFP that the spread cannot be brought into the country without a document from health authorities, and will remain impounded at the airport in Belo Horizonte in until the Uruguayans reclaim it when they depart.

Originally published as Up for the Cup: Mark Bresciano on THAT pic - ’I did what any dad would do’; a tale of two goalkeepers; Marcelo’s ‘dive’

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