The two games at Old Trafford gave me an opportunity to see how the Nex 7 and the 18-200 would manage to capture some action at different iso's and in varying lighting conditions. I was most impressed with the EVF after normally using the optical finder on the D300. I had little trouble focusing using the continuous shooting mode and all images were shot as fine Jpegs. As my seat was at the back of the stand it was useful to have the excellent cropping power of the Nex 7.
United Arab Emirates v Uruguay 1-2 July 26th 2012
The photographers get ready
300mm 1/1250 f10 1600iso 70% crop
300mm 1/640 f9 12800iso - a few UAE fans
The teams enter the arena - 300mm 1/800 f10 1600iso
Senegal clear a free kick -
300mm 1/800 f10 1600iso 50% crop
Khalil is blocked off by Rolin -
300mm 1/640 f9 1600iso 100% crop
Rolin is given a yellow card - 300mm 1/640 f9 1600iso
The Senegal keeper under pressure-
300mm 1/ 1250 f10 1600iso 60% crop
Suarez who was booed almost every time he touched the ball on a run - 300mm 1/800 f10 1600iso 100% crop
Matar takes a great through ball and rounds the keeper to give UAE the lead after 22 minutes
172mm 1/1000 f10 1600iso 80% crop
Cavani shoots over - 300mm 1/640 f10 1600iso
Ramrez takes a free kick and scores to equalize for Uruguay on 42 minutes - 262mm 1/640 f9 1600 iso
..... and the ball runs to Suarez who passes to substitute Lodeiro who scores
94mm 1/640 f9 3200iso 40% crop
94mm 1/640 f9 3200iso 35% crop
223mm 1/500 f9 3200iso 125% crop
147mm 1/1250 f10 3200iso 45% crop
Sturridge on the ball -
271mm 1/800 f6.3 3200iso 75% crop
Team GB and Senegal take the field
300mm 1/500 f9 3200iso 45% crop
After 55 minutes a shot from Arevalo is saved by Khaseif for a corner which is not cleared....
Cavani just fails to score
The scorer celebrates with team mates
A shot from Rodriguez goes over the bar
A foul by Al-Kamali on Lodeiro causes a rumpus with everybody joining in -
300mm 1/1600 f10 6400iso 35% crop
300mm 1/1600 f10 6400iso 35% crop
180mm 1/1250 f10 6400iso 80% crop
The Stadium was less than half full for the first game and I was more than surprised to find that there were no programmes for sale in the ground itself and dismayed to learn that by the end of the first game they had run out of food in my stand ! Perhaps the organizers had forgotten to tell the caterers that there were two games on!!
The game itself was only average with little atmosphere . UAE were the better side in the first half but Uruguay dominated the second period after Lodeiro replaced Aguirregaray at half time.
Team Great Britain v Senegal 1-1 July 26th 2012
A cross from Cisse is about to be caught by Butland
135mm 1/640 f8 3200iso 60% crop
Following a corner an effort by Balde hits Bertrand
300mm 1/640 f9 3200iso
50% crop
On 20 minutes a free kick taken by Giggs was headed back by Richards to Bellamy who hit a right footer to give team GB the lead
69mm 1/640 f9 6400iso 65% crop
70mm 1/500 f9 6400iso 50% crop
Caulker blocks a shot -
286mm 1/640 f9 6400iso 60% crop
Rose defends well from Gueye -
286mm 1/640 f9 6400iso 60% crop
A very bad error by Butland gave Mane a chance which he missed - 300mm 1/500 f 6.3 3200 70% crop
Senegal concede a free kick and Cleverley and Zargo have a few words- 300mm 1/250 f6.3 3200iso 55% crop
Bellamy needs to get into the discussion
300mm1/400 f7 3200iso 60% crop
Just before half time Bellamy got booked!
300mm 1/500 f8 6400iso 45% crop
Rose heads a shot off the line -
112mm 1/200 f8 3200iso 35% crop
Bellamy is brought down by Cisse but no penalty
196mm 1/500 f8 6400iso
The referee goes across and within a few seconds players of both side gather for a meeting!
play is held up for several minutes but there is no penalty - 300mm 1/500 f 8 6400iso 50% crop
Richards clears - 180mm 1/320 f7.1 3200iso
Giggs clears from Diame - 300mm 1/320 f7.1 3200 100% crop
Bellamy leaves the pitch to huge applause -
at Old Trafford too! - 300mm 1/320 f7 3200iso 60% crop
With only 8 minutes to go Senegal broke away after a GB corner at the other end. A great through ball found Konate who scored the equalizer.
Gueye is given a yellow card for a foul on Cleverley
219mm 1/250 f6.3 3200iso 55% crop
From the free kick Richards dives to try and head the winner - 300mm 1/400 f6.3 3200iso 55% crop
By the time this game started the crowd had risen to 72,000 so there was more atmosphere than the earlier match .The game itself had dull periods so the Mexican Wave played its part in keeping fans awake! Bellamy had a good game for GB and I think Richards would be more useful at right back than in central defence. The referee let a lot of poor tackles go that would have deserved yellow cards in the Premiership so Pearce will be happy if everybody is fit for the next game. Overall a promising GB display with more to come - I hope.
