Finally, after three weeks of World Cup austerity, came a couple of games where the match was all that mattered. Until this point, aside from the good vibes of underdogs the Netherlands and Afghanistan knocking over a couple of established teams, we’ve heard fewer stories than talking points: what a result means, how it affects position on the table, how that table affects the tournament itself.
There have been individual performances but a lack of competitive tension, while home supporters are treated to the sight of India moving from city to city as a kind of travelling moral lesson, ritually spanking each opponent for the righteous enjoyment of the crowd.
