And so the first knock-out round ends with Argentina knocking out Switzerland (who nearly equalized in the final minute) and Ottmar Hitzfeld, twice voted best world coach of the year, retires... but after guiding Switzerland to another level. In Salvador de Bahia, Belgium and the USA put on an excellent show, which Belgium won... just.
What a fantastic game of soccer between the USA and Belgium. Let there be no doubt: the USA, as I wrote two weeks ago, is finally a force in world soccer. From a wannabe troupe of thugs eight years ago, the USA transformed itself into a more balanced team in South Africa 2010 and in Brazil, presented itself as a team with the capacity to organize and reorganize, trying different tactical formations, evolving throughout the game, showing some excellent technical touches and playing as equals with national teams which have been part of the scenery in FIFA finals for decades.
The USA is no longer a laughing stock in international soccer and will garner the respect of the very best, I predict, for many years to come. In Brazil, Juergen Klinnsmann took the USA to the last 16. I predict that in 2018 in Russia, he or his successor will reach the semi-finals... unless political events overtake the sports show..
Congratulations to Klinnsmann, Vogts and company, and the US soccer team for some class soccer without the violence which marred its performances of yesteryear.
On another note, let us not underestimate the brilliant Belgium side which won the match with some splendid attacking soccer and a great team effort. Yet another fantastic game of soccer which left the fans sitting on the edge of their seats.
Argentina 1 Switzerland 0
(Full time 0-0)
(Extra time)
Di Maria 118
Argentina
Romero, Zabaleta, Rojo (Basanta), Mascherano, Fernández, Garay, Lavezzi (Palacio), Gago (Biglia), Higuaín, Messi, Di María
Coach: Alejandro SABELLA
Yellow card: Rojo, Garay, Di Maria
Switzerland
Benaglio, Lichtsteiner, Rodriguez, Behrami, Schär, Djourou, Xhaka (Fernandes), Inler, Drmic (Seferovic), Shaqiri, Mehmedi (Dzemaili)
Coach: Ottmar HITZFELD
Yellow card: Xhaka, Fernandes
Ball possession: Argentina 64% Switzerland 36%
Shots/on target: Argentina 29/8 Switzerland 15/4
Corners: Argentina 13 Switzerland 5
Fouls committed: Argentina 18 Switzerland 29
Belgium 2 USA 1
(Full time 0-0)
Extra time
De Bruyne 93 Green 107
Lukaku 105
Belgium
Courtois, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Witsel, van Buyten, Kompany, Mertens (Mirallas), Fellaini, Origi (Lukaku), De Bruyne, Hazard (Chadli)
Coach: Marc WILMOTS
Yellow card: Kompany
USA
Howard, Johnson (Yedlin), Beasley, Cameron, González, Besler, Zusi (Wondolowski), Jones, Dempsey, Bradley, Bedoya (Green)
Coach: Juergen KLINNSMANN
Yellow card: Cameron
Ball possession: Belgium 46% USA 54%
Shots/on target: Belgium 39/17 USA 17/5
Corners: Belgium 19 USA 4
Fouls committed: Belgium 27 USA 11
FIFA 2014: Brave African teams out
Nigeria fought hard against France but Benzema made the difference and the Eagles go home...together with Algeria which put on an excellent display of football against Germany. A truly amazing game of soccer for 120 minutes, a memorable day in the annals of the World Cup. Algeria, especially, will be remembered as a sensational team in FIFA 2014.
Germany 2 Algeria 1 (After 90 minutes 0-0)
Extra time: Djabou 120
Schürrle 92
Özil 119
Germany
Neuer, Mustafi (Khedira), Höwedes, Lahm, Mertesacker, Boateng, Schweinsteiger (Kramer), Kroos, Müller, Özil, Götze (Schürrle)
Coach: Joachim LOEW
Yellow card: Lahm
Algeria
M'Bolhi, Mandi, Ghoulam, Lacen, Belkalem, Halliche (Bougherra), Feghouli, Mostefa, Slimani, Taïder (Brahimi), Soudani (Djabou)
Coach: Vahid HALILHODZIC
Yellow card: Halliche
Ball possession: Germany 67% Algeria 33%
Shots/on target: Germany 28/14 Algeria 10/4
Corners: Germany 10 Algeria 4
Fouls committed: Germany 10 Algeria 20
France 2 Nigeria 0
Pogba 79
Yobo (o.g.) 90
France
Lloris, Debuchy, Evra, Cabaye, Varane, Koscielny, Pogba, Matuidi, Giroud (Griezmann), Valbuena (Sissoko), Benzema
Coach: Didier DESCHAMPS
Yellow card: Matuidi
Nigeria
Enyeama, Ambrose Emuobo, Oshaniwa, Mikel, Yobo, Omeruo, Odemwingie, Onazi Gabriel), Emenike, Moses (Nwofor), Musa
Coach: Stephen KESHI
Yellow card: -
Ball possession: France 53% Nigeria 47%
Shots/on target: France 13/5 Nigeria 9/2
Corners: France 12 Nigeria 9
Fouls committed: France 12 Nigeria 15
Knock-out phase: Costa Rica and Netherlands
Greece had never reached this stage of a World Cup and deserved to pass through, but it was not to be their day or that of their Portuguese coach, Fernando Santos. Costa Rica faces the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Netherlands 2 Mexico 1
Dos Santos 48
Sneijder 88
Huntelaar (pen) 90
The first half belonged to Mexico, and so did the second, until just after the goal, when Robben started spurring the Netherlands forward. Mexico dropped their arms, and allowed themselves to be overtaken in midfield. Despite the excellent intervention by Ochoa, the Netherlands proved too strong at the end of the game. The late rally knocks Mexico out. Netherlands face...
Netherlands
Cillessen, Verhaegh (Depay), Kuyt, Blind, Vlaar, de Vrij, de Jong (Martins Indi), Wijnaldum, Sneijder, van Persie (Huntelaar), Robben
Coach: Louis VAN GAAL
Yellow card:
Mexico
Ochoa, Aguilar, Layún, Moreno (Reyes), Márquez, Rodríguez, Herrera, Salcido, dos Santos (Aquino), Peralta (Hernández), Guardado
Coach: Miguel HERRERA
Yellow card: Aguilar, Márquez, Guardado
Ball possession: Netherlands 56% Mexico 44%
Shots/on target: Netherlands 13/4 Mexico 10/5
Corners: Netherlands 10 Mexico 2
Fouls committed: Netherlands 8 Mexico 12
Costa Rica 1 Greece 1
Ruiz 52 Papastathopoulos 90
90 minutes 1-1
Extra time: 1-1
Penalties: Costa Rica wins 5-3
Greece dominated the game, although Costa Rica put up a spirited performance. The goal from Sokratis Papastathopoulos right at the end of normal time was just desserts for a well-organised Greece, very well managed by the Portuguese coach Fernando Santos. Penalties... Costa Rica passes through to face the Netherlands.
Costa Rica
Navas, Gamboa (Acosta), Díaz Campbell, Umaña, Gonzalez, Duarte, Ruiz, Tejeda Valverde (Cubero), Campbell, Borges, Bolaños (Brenes)
Coach: Jorge Luís PINTO
Yellow cards: Navas, Duarte (2), Ruiz, Tejeda Valverde
Red card: Duarte
Greece
Karnezis, Torosidis, Holebas, Samaris (Mitroglou), Manolas, Papastathopoulos, Salpingidis (Gekas), Maniatis (Katsouranis), Samaras, Karagounis, Christodoulopoulos
Coach: Fernando SANTOS
Yellow card: Samaris, Manolas
Ball possession: Costa Rica 40% Greece 60%
Shots/on target: Costa Rica 7/1 Greece 23/8
Corners: Costa Rica 3 Greece 11
Fouls committed: Costa Rica 22 Greece 16
Scolari factor: Brazil classified
Luiz Felipe Scolari is one of the rarest soccer coaches on the planet: he dresses in sportswear instead of stupid suits and ties which have as much to do with soccer coaches as... never mind. Colombia also passes through, to face...Brazil.
Brazil 1 Chile 1
Jára 19 Sánchez 32
Extra time: No goals
Penalties
Brasil wins 3-2
Hulk had a perfectly valid goal considered invalid by the English referee Howard Webb, who confused his arm with his chest, with which Hulk had controlled the ball, and the referee disallowed the ensuing goal.
Brazil
Julio César, Dani Alves, Marcelo, Luiz Gustavo, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Hulk, Fernandinho (Ramires), Fred (Jô), Oscar (Willian), Neymar
Coach: Luiz Felipe SCOLARI
Yellow card: Luiz Gustavo, Hulk, Dani Alves, Jô
Chile
Bravo, Isla, Mena, Jara, Medel, Silva, Aránguiz, Díaz, Vidal (Pinilla), Sánchez, Vargas (Gutierrez)
Coach: Jorge SAMPAOLI
Yellow card: Mena, Silva, Pinilla
Ball possession: Brazil 48% Chile 52%
Shots/on target: Brazil 23/6 Chile 13/2
Corners: Brazil 9 Chile 5
Fouls committed: Brazil 28 Chile 23
Colombia 2 Uruguay 0
James 28 50
Colombia
Ospina, Zuñiga, Armero, Aguilar, Zapata, Yepes, Cuadrado (Guarín), Sánchez, Martínez, Gutiérrez (Mejía), Rodríguez (Ramos)
Coach: José PEKERMAN
Yellow card: Armero
Uruguay
Muslera, Maxi Pereira, Pereira (Ramírez), Cáceres, Godín, Giménez, González (Hernández), Arévalo Rios, Forlán (Stuani), Cavani, Rodríguez
Coach: Oscar Washington TABAREZ
Yellow card: Giménez
Ball possession: Colombia 51% Uruguay 49%
Shots/on target: Colombia 9/4 Uruguay 16/4
Corners: Colombia 3 Uruguay 5
Fouls committed: Colombia 19 Uruguay 17
Knock-out stage (Last 16)
Brazil 1 Chile 1 (3:2 pen)
Colombia 2 Uruguay 0
Goal scorers
Brazil: Jara
Chile: Sánchez
Colombia: James Rodríguez (2)
Uruguay: -
Netherlands: Sneijder, Huntelaar
Mexico: dos Santos
Costa Rica: Ruiz
Greece: Papastathopoulos
France: Pogba, Yobo (Nigeria: own goal)
Algeria: Djabou
Germany: Schürrle, Özil
Belgium: De Bruyne, Lukaku
USA: Green
Quarter-finals (Last 8)
Friday July 4
France v. Germany
Brazil v. Colombia
Saturday July 5
Netherlands v. Costa Rica
Argentina v. Belgium
France v. Nigeria
Switzerland v.Argentina
Belgium v. USA
Germany v. Algeria
Latin America: 7
North America: 1
Europe: 6
Africa: 2
Group Phase
http://english.pravda.ruhttps://english.pravda.ru/sports/127907-fifa_groups/
Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY
PRAVDA.Ru
(timothy.hinchey@gmail.com)