Episode 5 - Streaming is not hard to do right...

... but I imagine it's expensive.

When I discovered that the World Cup was only partially available on free to air TV and the full schedule being streamed by a telecommunications company I wasn't happy.

I was even less happy that although being a customer of this company and that almost all of their customers were eligible for that package for free I was not. Eventually, although being told I had to subscribe to a phone plan by their staff, I just bought the app and it seemed to work. Sadly in between rubbing themselves with all the money they're making they forgot to invest on the kind of infrastructure required to service a World Cup audience. I mean it's not as if this is an unknown tournament.. anyway the upshot is that the Serbia - Costa Rica game was initially unavailable and then unwatchable.

So I watched Masterchef instead. From what I understand I the loss wasn't too great this time, but surely someone can fix this, preferably by allowing FTA broadcast of all the games.

Thankfully Germany and Mexico were on proper TV, not this streaming rubbish. However I would gladly have missed parts of that game too. Mexico clearly had done their homework and concluded that Germany were susceptible to a speedy counter, most teams are I guess, and ensured they always left a man or three in an advanced role to take advantage when the opportunity presented itself. While both sides had ample opportunities to score it was Mexico who took the full toll of one of their chances.

Germany, who are keenly aware of this, face a team from group E in the next round if they make it through. It's safe to assume Brazil will win that group so a second placing will be a tough gig. So the determination to claw back the goal in the second half by Germany was entirely understandable. As was Mexico's determination not to relinquish it.

In the end that lone goal was enough to settle it, Germany succumbing to the holders curse. It remains to be seen if there is to be greater pain to be endured the way Spain did in 2014, Italy in 2010... Brazil in 2006 didn't do too badly but France in 2002... well there's a pattern. It was amusing to see the keeper up for the corner in the final seconds. Would have been cool if he'd scored. Unless you're a Mexican fan.

You never know, maybe Brazil want to avoid Germany too and will adjust their game accordingly.

So they drew Switzerland 1-1.