Already recognised one of the finest finishers in the game today, Diego Forlan has merely bolstered his reputation at South Africa 2010.
The Uruguay striker is the touchstone of a solid and tightly knit team that has surprised most observers by checking into the semi-finals, where they face the Netherlands. Forlan has made a huge contribution to that run, scoring three goals along with strike partner Luis Suarez, the last of them a swerving free-kick that brought the South Americans level against Ghana in last Friday’s quarter-final.
Breaking off from his preparations to face the Dutch, the free-scoring Forlan spoke exclusively to FIFA about their dramatic win over the Black Stars and his expectations for Tuesday’s big game.
FIFA: Diego, the Netherlands are up next. What lessons from the Ghana match can you take into the semi-final?
Diego Forlan: We started well and we had a definite gameplan. But then we began giving the ball away and tried to play them at their own game, which we shouldn’t have done. The good thing is we managed to pick ourselves up from their goal at the end of the first half. That was a real blow and it was good to fight back.
You were just a penalty kick away from going out in extra-time. What was going through your head then?
The idea of having worked so hard only to go out in the 120th minute was too much to bear. I buried my head in my shirt because I honestly thought we were out. Then, when I saw the ball hit the crossbar I couldn’t believe it, and even less so when I saw it drop behind the goal.
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