Free kick, free throw, lucky punch

 

“Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser.”

— Vince Lombardi

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IT’S always hard to predict the outcome of any sports match especially if the rivalry is intense and both sides aren’t pushovers.

So many factors and circumstances can interfere and instantly change the entire picture in a dramatic fashion. 

What we normally expect doesn’t occur; sometimes it’s the total opposite of what everyone expects that happens.

A basketball match can be decided by a free throw or three-point shot in the dying seconds. A brawl in the ring can be won by a lucky punch.

A come-from-behind rally happens all the time and even the best team or individual athlete will always experience a Waterloo in the most painful moment.

In soccer, free kicks or penalty shootouts almost always abruptly end all doubts and arguments even if one team was losing during the entire match.

The France versus Argentina FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 championship duel at Lusail Stadium on December 18 won’t be an exemption. 

For sure there will be plenty of surprises, shockers, and heartaches.

France is looking to become the first back-to-back winner since Brazil accomplished the feat in 1958 and 1962 and reached the final despite injuries to some of their top players, including Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante.

 

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Argentina star and one of those admired by Pinoy fans, Lionel Messi, is one of the greatest players in soccer history and has won just about every award and trophy in the world–except for the World Cup. 

This will be Messi's fifth appearance in the tournament—likely his last —and helped his country reach the final in 2014, losing to Germany in extra time.

Argentina is a two-time champion, winning in 1978 as the host nation and 1986 in Mexico. This is the country's sixth overall appearance in the final, previously reaching the championship game in 1930, 1978, 1986, 1990 and 2014.

France, the defending champion, also won the World Cup as the host in 1998. This is the fourth appearance in the final for France, which lost to Italy in penalty kicks in 2006.

Again, we don’t pretend to be good in predictions; it will be anybody’s ballgame since both teams are really among those fancied to rule and reach the last four after the grueling elimination rounds.

Good luck to all the fans.

 

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LET'S EAT FISH: In a recent Swedish study of nearly 5,000 boys ages 15 to 18, those who ate fish frequently scored higher on intelligence tests. How much higher? Eating fish once a week was enough to boost scores by an average of 6 percent. Eating fish more than that resulted in nearly an 11 percent increase. Dr. Maria Aberg recommends fatty fish, like salmon, 2 to 3 times weekly.

HOW TO FIGHT TOO MUCH TEXTING: 1. Establish text-free zone. Kids often open up at the dinner table and in the car, so be sure to protect those precious places. Agree that texting is not allowed during mealtime or on drives to and from school and activities. 2. Let phones rest at night. 3. Be a role model.

HER NOSE AND HIS NOSE: Men may hope their cologne will mask underarm odor, but women aren't fooled, research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia found. While 6 of 32 scents tested disguised the smell of male BO from other men, none of the fragrances worked for women. To the showers, guys! (And don't forget the deodorant.)

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo.—Ed)