2014-07-09

【Aiden in English】

        The Netherlands have always played amazingly well. It is so good, but just not good enough. They have never won a title of the World Cup. However, would today be their chance to advance to the finals? Or will their opponent Argentina go on, and face the awaiting Germans? It all came down to this game.

        As soon as the game began, I knew there would be extra time. Both sides were pushing each other, but neither budges. It seemed as if two teams were just walking around with the ball, debating on what to do. And every time one team got an opportunity, a defender knocked the ball out just in time. The game appeared to be a tie, But this was the World Cup Semifinal, and there were no ties here. So finally, the game between Argentina and Netherlands was decided on a shootout or penalty kick.

        The shootout is about the goalies' mind. They must predict where the shot is going and dive for the ball. Argentine goalie was just a little better at predicting the ball than the Dutch. That's how Argentina beat the Netherlands in the end. It's the other part of soccer. The game is physical as well as mental.

【紅霞譯文】

        荷蘭隊一直發揮得非常好，好歸好，但尚沒好到不得了的地步。他們從未榮膺世界盃冠軍的稱號，不過今天他們是否能抓住機會進軍決賽？抑或其對手阿根廷隊勢不可擋，即將晉級與正在磨拳擦掌的德國隊相遇？鹿死誰手，且看眼下這場半決賽。

        比賽一開始，我心中不由得暗生預感，搞不好要有加時賽。雙方相互推搡，誰都不肯讓步，球被傳來傳去，絲毫沒有突破。每當一支球隊控球，另一支球隊立刻跑上去將球踢出場外，比方始終保持零比零，可這是世界盃半決賽，必須靠輸贏成敗論英雄。於是，比賽結束前阿根廷和荷蘭兩隊只能藉助罰點球來定奪勝負。

        點球其實考驗守門員的頭腦判斷力，他們必須事先預測來球方向，然後再去攔球，阿根廷守門員比荷蘭守門員的第六感官稍微好一點，這正是阿根廷隊打敗荷蘭隊的關鍵所在，同時也體現出足球比賽的另一特點，除了體力較量之外，精神方面的抗衡不容忽視。