Earlier Brazil and Ghana had served up a game which was very easy on the eye, with the South Americans predictably outgunning Africa's sole survivors. Both nations have similar football philosophies, focussing more on the attacking side of things than on defensive practicalities, and it was Ghana's desire to push upfield which lost them the opening goal inside the first five minutes.
A pass from Ze Roberto sprung the offside trap, the fat bloke with the yellow boots raced clear and danced around the keeper to score. Like most folk, I sat back and expected a Brazilian goalfest and when Adriano went down in the box I thought it was curtains for Ghana. But the ref was having none of it, he booked Adriano for diving and, slowly but surely, it became clear the Ghanaians weren't prepared to roll over and play dead.
They had several opportunities but frustratingly tended to opt for taking one more touch instead of getting the shot away. Sulley Muntari impressed me throughout the tournament and they were so unlucky just before half-time when he floated over a corner, Mensah got in a header, it looked like a goal all the way, Dida was lost but the ball struck the keeper on his shins. Jammy sod!
Moments later, Ghana were again caught with too many men in the wrong place, Cafu broke clear on the right and crossed to Adriano who bundled the ball into the net from right under the crossbar. The striker was clearly a yard offside but, yet again, the match officials got it wrong and Ghana's World Cup campaign was effectively over. Understandably, coach Radomir Dujkovic had a word with referee Lubos Michel at the interval and the ref reacted in the only way he knows, he showed him a red card. Eejit!
To their great credit, they kept at it in the second half, again had a couple of half-chances but Brazil were never going to let them back into the game. Had Ghana managed to get a goal back, I'm convinced the holders had the ability to click into another gear to regain the initiative. Ultimately, Gyan got a second yellow card near the end, Ze Roberto again got the benefit of the doubt when he looked offside and he netted goal number three.
Brazil could then focus on their opponents for Saturday's quarter-final as France met Spain. Who knew what to expect from this one? France had been distinctly unimpressive in qualifying from their group, while Spain, having caught the eye in their opening games, had to shake off the burden of history and at long last produce the goods on the big stage.
The Spaniards hadn't bargained for Zidane rising to the occasion. A penalty against the run of play gave Spain the lead but ZZ looked to be in the mood and the equaliser was always on the cards. Ribery linked up with Vieira before the break to level the scores and suddenly France looked like the quality side we'd expected them to be.
Maybe it would have been different if Spain had held out until half-time. They managed to start the second half brightly but you just knew the French were biding their time. Vieira headed them into the lead in the 83rd minute then, with the Spanish chasing the equaliser, that man Zidane killed the game to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Brazil.
Come to think of it, all four ties have the potential to be classics. I can hardly wait!
LITTLE BOY BLUE