World Cup

After going scoreless in South Africa at World Cup 2010, it only took Lionel Messi 62 minutes in to Argentina’s first game in Brazil to get the monkey off of his back.  Messi doubled La Albiceleste lead, who had benefited from a Sead Kolasinac own goal in the 3rd minute, when he cut inside from the right and through the Bosnia-Herzegovina defense to beat goalie Asmir Begovic with a left footed effort from just out side the box.  In a game that was tightly contest through the midfield, the relief to Messi and his teammates was evident. Countless times throughout the years we have seen world class club players fail to find their form for the national team, and with Messi removing the doubt of his national team scoring slump early on in the tournament is a great sign for how far this team and their Fantastic Four can go.

Switzerland certainly knows how to make an entrance! After upsetting Spain 1-0 in their first game in South Africa, the Swiss once again delivered the fireworks in their opening fixture, using an injury time goal from Haris Seferovic to beat Ecuador 2-1 and claim their spot atop of the Group E standings, just behind Argentina on goal differential.  In one of the most exciting end to end finishes you will ever see in sports, a tackle by Valon Behrami in his own box snubbed out a potential game winning effort by Michael Arroyo and Ecuador and set the Swiss away. After a professional foul, a key play on  allowed the play to continue and Ricardo Rodriguez delivered in to the box where Seferovic slotted home, giving the Swiss a crucial three points and in a commanding spot to advance to the knockout stages.

With a 3-0 defeat of Honduras, France has officially put the nightmare of their 2010 campaign in South Africa in the rear view mirror. Even without Franck Ribery, France looked the threat from the start, coming close and hitting the bar twice on efforts from Blaise Matuidi  and Antoine Griezmann.  A chippy affair throuhgout, it was not until the end of the first half when Paul Pogba was taken down in the box by Wilson Palacios, a reckless challenge which earned the Honduran his second yellow card and a sending off, that France finally took full control as Karim Benzema converted from the spot. Down a man and facing a consistent onslaught from Les Blues, the outcome soon became a formality when Benzema’s effort hit off the post and off Honduran goalie Noel Valladares and then just over the line, providing goal line technology with its first decision of the tournament. Benzema tacked one more on in the 72nd minute and has France in line with Switzerland for a spot in the knockout round.

In what was supposed to be the game of the day, Germany rolled over a punchless Portugal side to take the top spot in Group G and establish themselves as one of the top title contenders in Brazil.  German manager Joachim Low again showed that he has the players at his disposal to utilize the False Number 9 formation while not sacrificing the attacking style of play that the Germans have become famous for since 2006, something that a number of teams, including defending World Cup champions Spain, have been unable to replicate.

Thomas Muller was the center of attention throughout the game, finishing with a hat trick and also proving the instigator in the red card that saw Pepe sent off.  It was his embellishment on an errant but intentional hand from Pepe that caused Muller to flop and Pepe to overact. as he is prone to do, with a headbutt leaving Serbian official Milorad Mazic no choice but to send him off.  At the time Portugal were already down 2-0 and chasing the game, and the red card simply confirmed the inevitable.

Portugal will now turn their attention to their weekend matchup with the United States, who defeated Ghana 2-1 thanks to a John Brooks header in the 86th minute.  Clint Dempsey had got the USA off to a dream start, scoring just 34 seconds in to the game in what was the sixth fastest goal in World Cup history.  Ghana managed to find their footing and they controlled the majority of the game from there on out, keeping the Yanks on their back foot but rarely threatening goalie Tim Howard until the 82nd minute when Andre Ayew beat Howard near post after a nice one two in the box.

Brooks header just minutes later, the first goal by an American substitute ever at the World Cup, means that Portugal will need to go for all three point in the heat and humidity of Manaus if they will want any chance of advancing past the group stages.  Both teams will enter without key players as Pepe will miss due to his red card suspension while Fábio Coentrão and Hugo Almeida will miss out through injury.  Jozy Altidore and possibly even central defender Matt Besler will miss out for the Americans with hamstring injuries and Clint Dempsey, while he may play, will do so through the pain after suffering a broken nose in the win over the Black Stars.

The most boring game of the day award goes to the matchup between Iran and Nigeria.  I wish I could say more about this game other than the 0-0 scoreline was the first draw of the tournament, but I dozed off a few minutes in to the game and didn’t wake up until the end.  It was just that exciting!  The future for both teams in Brazil doesn’t look too good, and both should be on their way back home in a weeks time.

Coming into Brazil 2014, Mexico manager Miguel Herrera had not settled on his first choice goalkeeper.  Waking up this morning I think he knows he made the right choice.  Guillermo Ochoa, who this time last week did not even know if we would be between the sticks for Mexico’s opening game against Cameroon, made six saves, several at point blank range, to earn El Tri a crucial point against heavily favored Brazil.

While the Mexicans held their own in the midfield and threatened Julio Cesar’s goal on several occasions, mainly offering efforts from distance, it was Ochoa’s heroics in net that guaranteed at least a point for the visitors.  In the 26th minute his full stretch save of a Neymar header took the ball off the line, and he held once again just before the half when Paulinho broke through following a set piece and saved one on one.  He denied Neymar again in the 69th minute and then dismissed any Brazilian hopes of grabbing all three points and a spot in the final sixteen when he kept out Thiago Silva’s bullet header in the 86th minute from inside the six yard box.

In the first game of the day, Belgium kicked off their much anticipated World Cup campaign with a thrilling come from behind 2-1 victory over Algeria.  The Rode Duivels fell behind after Jan Vertonghen conceded a penalty which Sofiane Feghouli converted in the 25th minute. As they pressed to get the equalizer, you could see the frustration beginning to build within the Belgium side.  It was not until the 70th minute that they finally broke through, when substitute Marouane Fellaini’s header drew them even.  The dam was now open and just ten minutes later another substitute, Dries Mertens, completed the comeback to secure all three points.

In the final game of the day, Russia overcame a huge goal keeping error to earn a point in a 1-1 draw with Korea Republic.  An even match throughout with chances created from both sides, the Taeguk Warriors broke through first when Lee Keun-Ho’s effort from just outside the box slipped through the hands of Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.  It stood to be an error of monumental proportions until Alexander Kerzhakov, the only player remaining from Russia’s last World Cup in 2002, equalized and saved Akinfeev and the Sbornaya.

The Russians and Belgium will now turn their attention to their marquee matchup this weekend, knowing that win will clinch their spot in the next round while El Tri will be tuned in for today’s Croatia v. Cameroon contest to see what result they must earn in their final group stage matchup against Croatia to secure safe passage to the knockout rounds.

Match-day 7 at World Cup 2014 gave us the first of  several moving days that we will have over the next week of the tournament, with teams booking their place in the round of sixteen and others having seen their hopes of glory dashed.  The Netherlands and Chile became the first teams to lock down a spot in the next round, while defending champions Spain will be heading home along with Australia and Cameroon.

Spain were unable to overcome first half goals from Eduardo Vargas  and Charles Aránguiz in their 2-0 defeat to Chile, failing for the second consecutive game to score a goal in open play and once again bringing their deficiencies in the final third to the forefront.  Many people will see this defeat and subsequent elimination as the end of an era for a national team that has dominated the world stage since 2008.  That may be the case for this particular core group of players, however the “tiki-taka” style that Spain have used to revolutionize the game simply needs to be tweaked, with an emphasis given to efficiency in the final third, and by no means disregarded.

Opposing coaches around the world, on both the national and club level, have been trying to devise a plan to defeat the possession based “tiki-taka” system, and after six years it is clear they have found a way to do so.  Now the  onus falls back on the Spanish national team and any team that employs a similar style of play to counter.  Changes will certainly be coming within the framework of the national team as they will now set their site on EURO 2016 qualification, with Vicente Del Bosque and a handful of veterans to be replaced by the next wave of young talent.

With a 3-2 defeat of Australia, the Netherlands have set up a final group stage match against Chile that will determine their seeding in the round of sixteen.  Arjen Robben put the Dutch ahead with a solo effort in the 20th minute, but Tim Cahill’s volley on what could be the goal of the tournament just a minute later leveled the score.  Mile Jedinak converted a penalty in the 54th minute which gave the underdog Socceroos the lead, but it was short lived as Robin van Persie, who will miss the Chile encounter due to yellow card accumulation, 58th minute goal leveled for the Dutch and a Memphis Depay strike from distance in the 68th minute guaranteed a spot for the Oranje in the next round.

Croatia kept their hopes of advancing to the next round alive with a resounding 4-0 defeat of Cameroon, who will be heading home after their final group stage game against Brazil.  The Indomitable Lions got off to a fast start and were controlling the game until a goal by Ivica Olic against the run of play gave the Vatreni an early lead.  After the goal they still offered several chances to level, however an Alex Song red card received for a moment of absolute absurdity when he delivered what best can be described as some sort of UFC elbow punch to the back of Mario Mandzukic, left them with ten men and long road back.  An early second half goal from Ivan Perisic and two more from Mandzukic means that Croatia’s final group stage game against Mexico will be do or die.  A win will see them through to the knockout stages but anything less and it will Mexico who takes of the two guaranteed spots.