Day 10 in 100 words or less If this was 2010 and Germany and Ghana had just played out the 2-2 draw that took place on Saturday then people would be talking about it as one of the greatest games in World Cup history. Ryan Grant Jersey . Of course it wasnt, although it was fantastic, but place that game around a long bunch of duds and that would have been the perception. Instead, it came in the midst of what is turning out to be the finest World Cup group stage ever. Typically, for Brazil 2014, the game wasnt even the main story on day 10, instead the little master took over that honour. Argentina 1-0 Iran Sometimes there just has to be a winner. Someone proved right even when it just seemed they were so wrong. You will have heard by now that Lionel Messi scored a dramatic injury time winner against Iran so you probably presume that the winner I am talking about is him. I am not. Heading into this World Cup the biggest storyline of all was "can the best player in the world carry Argentina to glory and become one of the greats?" For many it was nonsense, an obsession with an individual in a team sport who cannot possibly do it all himself. As the clock ticked past the ninety minute mark that crowd smiled. Resolute Iran had defended brilliantly. In a World Cup full of swashbuckling, quick, decisive finishing, it took a footballing minnow to give a masterclass in defending. Dont be fooled, they threatened to score also, but above anything else they made world class attacking stars look very ordinary. This included Messi. It was the perfect example of a game that laughed in the face of those who demanded the Barcelona star must carry his team. A game that required complete cohesion, partnerships on the field, combining to open up an opponent. A game that, late in the first half, saw Messi pick up the ball, look up and see 11 opponents in front of him... Iran did a great job with Messi, not only marking him tightly but being so disciplined with their shape and getting extra numbers that were ready if Messi cut in with his left. Messi from deep areas likes to glide from right to left but still the Iranians blocked that path. Last weekend Messi was able to score his goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina when that key area highlighted by the square (below) was open and not blocked with defenders... A 1-2 pass with Fernando Gago and suddenly Messi is into that space, shoots to the right of the goalkeeper for the game winner. And that was how he got his goal against Iran. With the game coming to a close, Iran got too deep, Messi got a one-on-one matchup with the defender and saw space to his left if he cut in... With 11 men behind the ball, but with that crucial narrow space opening up, Messi unleashed a brilliant strike to win it... Goals change perceptions as quickly as they change games. Suddenly Messi was doing what some had demanded. Carrying Argentina on his back to a victory. It was a wonderful World Cup moment, without question, but those demanding it, should be careful what they wish for. This is not Messi of 2010 and it is not even close. Yet. By not scoring, and therefore not having a moment, in South Africa Messis legacy was seen as tarnished for not performing at a World Cup. Now he looks tired and isnt quite at the same level, but scoring, everything seems to be fine again. It just goes to show you what a staggeringly misguided argument it was in the first place. Germany 2-2 Ghana There is no room for perfection in a World Cup like this. Germany, superior against Portugal, were clearly the most impressive team after the first round of games but it just wouldnt be Brazil 2014 if that was allowed to continue. Germany, much like Italy and Spain this week, spent some time in the heat of Brazil struggling to get back in a match. The big difference was they had a record breaker to bring off the bench. For the first time since 1994, the Germans trailed at the World Cup after leading and, stunned at 2-1, on came Miroslav Klose. Two minutes later he had them level, fittingly poaching at the backpost, equaling the Brazilian great Ronaldo with 15 World Cup goals. It was the fourth goal in a mad 20 minutes. Ghana had joined an ever-growing comeback club at this World Cup responding to a Mario Gotze opener with two excellent goals that highlighted some German weakness. Germanys weakness is their defence and they were easily outjumped by Andre Ayew to make it 1-1. The heat of Fortaleza certainly played a part but the tempo of their passing wasnt quick enough either and that showed when they turned the ball over on the second goal. Philipp Lahm has now had two opportunities to move back to right back in two games but so far Joachim Low has resisted. To get Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos together, bringing more pace and power to their midfield, Lahm may need to move back to defence. Nigeria 1-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina The African momentum continued into the evening game, which was another wide open, stretched affair. The game swung in the first half when Edin Dzeko was wrongly ruled offside after putting his team ahead. Soon after, Nigeria, a constant threat down the right side, opened the scoring when Emmanuel Emenike crossed for Peter Odemwingie to smash home. The Europeans were poor in the second half and didnt threaten enough until Vincent Enyeama produced a wonderful save with his legs in the dying moments. Seen as some as a dark horse heading in, the World Cup rookies are eliminated at the first fence. Another lesson that far too much emphasis can be placed on form from qualifying, which ended eight months ago. Man of the Day Nominees Ashkan Dejagah – Iran had many stars on this day but the Fulham man was incredibly lively when they countered and could have had a penalty when tripped by Pablo Zabaleta. Javad Nekounam – If Dejagah was the star going forward, his midfielder teammate was marvelous maintaining the shape and discipline of their back lines. Lionel Messi – It could have been a two yard tap-in and it still would have been a massive moment, given the timing of the goal, but in the end it was an absolutely stunning goal. Miroslav Klose – Any player who equals any stat held by the great Ronaldo is special. Emmanuel Emenike – It was a dominant display from the forward tearing apart Emir Spahic at the heart of the Bosnian defence. The winner... Lionel Messi – Who else? What comes next? Belgium vs. Russia (12pm/9am), South Korea vs. Algeria (3pm/noon), USA vs. Portugal (6pm/3pm). Burning question for Sunday Can the USA stop Joao Moutinho from dictating a game from midfield? Key stat of Day 10 Try this on your friends – what do Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Stoke City have in common? They are the three teams that have had players score past their club goalkeeper. Zinedine Zidane vs Iker Casillas (2006), Wesley Sneijder vs Julio Cesar (2010) and now Peter Odemwingie vs Asmir Begovic (2014). Dustin Hopkins Jersey . Thats when the eight-time champion revealed that a painful back is slowing his serves -- and, all in all, giving him more trouble than his opponents so far. Trent Murphy Jersey . - Andrew McCutchen went 4 for 5 and finished a home run short of a cycle, and Jordy Mercer drove in a career-high four runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-2 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. http://www.cheapredskinslockroom.com/AUTHENTIC-CLINTON-PORTIS-REDSKINS-JERSEY/ . Spieth again showed game well beyond his 20 years with a 9-under 63 on the North Course, giving him a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink going into the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open.LONDON, Ont. -- The Guelph Storm want to eliminate the real possibility that the London Knights could come back to haunt them at the Memorial Cup. The Ontario Hockey League champion Storm insist theyre the ones with ample motivation to beat the host Knights on Wednesday, even though Guelph is already assured of a berth in Sundays final with a 2-0 record. Londons motivation doesnt require explanation. At 0-2, they must win the final game of the preliminary round in order to get into a tiebreaker game Thursday. If they dont, the hosts will be eliminated by the same team that knocked them out of the OHL playoffs April 11. A change to the MasterCard Memorial Cup schedule has made the improbable more possible. A day of rest between the semifinal and the final was incorporated into the tournament in 2007. Thats helped teams that have had to take the long way to the title. Twice in the last five years, a team that opened with two losses ran the table to win the Cup: the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and the Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012. Both clubs staved off elimination in their final round-robin game, tiebreaker and semifinal en route to claiming the title. "Teams have done it and I think we have a team thats special like that and is able to achieve things like that," Knights captain Chris Tierney said. "Everyone is confident we can pull it off." Because of that extra day of rest, the bye to the final is not the nearly airtight advantage to winning the Cup it once was. Guelph doesnt want to face London on Sunday in their home rink riding the momentum of three wins in a row, including one against them. "We dont want to let these guys get back in the tournament and see them in the final if they get on a little roll here," Storm forward Zach Mitchell said. "Were going to try and put them out here. We dont want to let them hang around." The Storm relish having the upper hand against the Knights. London won the OHL championship in both 2013 and 2012, while Guelph was eliminated in the first round those years. "Back-to-back champions, you give a lot of beatings," Storm captain Matt Finn said. "The London Knights did that for a couple of years. "To be able to knock them out in the playoffs was great for us. To have a chance to knock them out of the Memorial Cup while theyre hosting is something we want to do because of the history." As explosive as the Storm are with 11 goals in two games, the Knights are also capable of pouring the puck into the net. Custom Washington Redskins Jerseys. London and Guelph both scored over 300 goals in the regular season. But the Knights have just two goals in two games and both were scored by defencemen. The Knights have been stopped on two penalty shots and are 0-for-8 on their power play. London has certainly had scoring chances, but havent yet recovered their touch around the net. "We looked at the first two games a little bit and we actually did outchance the teams in both games," forward Max Domi said. "It comes down to the details in terms of finishing around our own net, sharpening up our passes, making better decisions with the puck in terms of getting it in deep and being more disciplined. All that stuff kind of adds up to winning or losing hockey games." Theres also Londons unsettled goaltending situation. Anthony Stolarz was in net for the 1-0 loss to the Val-dOr Foreurs to open the tournament. He allowed three goals in two periods against the Edmonton Oil Kings, before he was replaced by Jake Patterson in a 5-2 loss. Head coach Dale Hunter had yet to inform his goalies Tuesday afternoon which would start in Wednesdays crucial game. Stolarz, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, opened last years Memorial Cup in Saskatoon, but Patterson was in net for the semifinal loss to the eventual champion Halifax Mooseheads. Londons lineup features seven forwards from the team that both lost 2-1 in overtime to host Shawinigan in the 2012 final and suffered last years semifinal loss. "Nobody wants to feel that again," Knights defenceman Zach Bell said. "Everybody wants to be able to play some more junior hockey. They dont want to end it on a bad note." The Storm ousted the Knights in the second round of playoffs in five games. Stolarz didnt play in the series because he was serving an eight-game suspension handed down in the first round. Guelph and London were 3-3 against each other in the regular season. In seven of their 11 meetings so far this season, the winner has scored six or more goals. The Storm are comfortable in the role of villain at Budweiser Gardens and are ready to embrace that again Wednesday. "This city doesnt like us too much, especially after knocking them out in the playoffs," Finn said. "Theyre going to be looking to get one back on us. We dont want to let them back in. Theyre a team that can put the puck in the net. We need to limit their chances offensively and frustrate them." Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '