Ronaldo Doesn't Miss PK- That's Bad

As the stakes get raised, the matches turn defensive and this was reminiscent of the World Cup 2010 final where Spain and Holland should've been a great match turned chippy with 13 yellow cards.  This was was just as chippy, with brief moments of flair, and 9 yellow cards and ended 0-0.  How bad?  Spain had just 2 shots on goal after 90 minutes.  Portugal none (like CZE in the quarters).  Spain did turn it up in the last 20 minutes of overtime and as things opened up and POR tired, Spain got 3 more shots on goal while Portugal managed two.  In the PSO, once again, the team who misses the first PK wins.  A great save on ESP's Xabi Alonso's attempt gave POR the advantage but ESP GK Iker Casillas came up big.  In fact, both GKs guessed correctly on five straight kicks (though the last three snuck by for goals).  It was a crossbar that doomed POR and Cesc Fábregas won it for ESP, 4-2, with Cristiano Ronaldo on the sidelines having not taken a kick (he would've been next).  It was a risky tactic that failed as taking it 1st (give team momentum and confidence) or 4th (almost always taken and likely a decider) seems like the sweet spot and as we saw here, you may not get to 5th.  Of course this didn't work for the LA Galaxy in the 2009 MLS Cup when goal scorers Landon Donovan (5th) and Edson Buddle (6th) both missed their kicks.  But I digress.  ESP will have a chance to be the first team to win 3 straight major titles.

Three were eliminated
with POR's loss as Sisyphus (only person to pick POR), Walleye, and BigRedMessi2 will ponder what might have been if Ronaldo was the 1st or 4th PK taker.  Luckily, or skillfully, Charles D still has Sisyphus13 and Eric F still has BigRedMessi1 alive.  Flying Elvi holds a 2-point lead over SalsaKing as they were 2 of 30 to pick ESP.  Blue Panther is no longer in last, but Mikenjo can overtake him if GER beats ITA.  SalsaKing is the first of our 2 finalists for the pool title.  Either Flying Elvi (GER) or Adivinanza (ITA) will join him.  As for any tiebreakers, zero goals were scored today in regulation and overtime so if you picked low, you're in good shape.  Two matches left.