23 June 2014
CAMEROON 1 (Matip 26)
BRAZIL 4 (Neymar 17, Neymar 34, Fred 49, Fernandinho 84)
Moukandjo lost possession when failing to control a goalkick, Gustavo stripped him of the ball and centred for Neymar, 0-1. Brazil failed to clear their lines from a corner, Nyom fired in a centre, Luiz completely switched off and Matip tapped in the equaliser. It didn't take long for Brazil to restore their lead from, no surprise, another defensive mistake. Nyom headed a longball to Marcelo, he sent it straight back and with Nyom now out of position Neymar ran into the box, sidestepped N'Koulou and fired a shot into the left corner.
Fernandinho replaced the awful Paulinho at half time and had an immediate impact. He intercepted a poor clearing header, juggled the ball and played it wide to Luiz and Fred headed in his centre. More awful defending gift wrapped Brazil's fourth and ensured their goal difference would stave off Mexico for first place. A terrible first touch allowed Oscar to intercept Mbia, he passed to Fernandinho, he centred to Fred, Fred passed square to Oscar, Fernandinho gathered his lay off and stabbed the ball into the corner.
Paulinho is not getting back in this team and if Brazil have a midfield runner they'll be an entirely different proposition going forward. I doubt Chile's defence is upto to the task of stopping Brazil though it should be a wide open game.
Attendance : 69,112
Assists : Gustavo, Nyom, Marcelo, Luiz, Oscar
CROATIA 1 (Perisic 87)
MEXICO 3 (Marquez 72, Guardado 75, Hernandez 82)
Mexico cranked up the pressure in the second half. They were jobbed out of a penalty for handball and had a shot cleared off the line. Marquez headed them into the lead from a Herrera corner. Hernandez looked to play a one-two with Peralta but the Santos Laguna striker overhit his return pass, it didn't matter at Guardado arrived to smash the ball in at the back post. Croatia are significantly taller than Mexico but their set piece defending was an absolute travesty. Marquez flicked on a corner for Hernandez headed in his first goal of the tournament. A glorious back heel made the consolation goal for Perisic. Rakitic baited Rodriguez before playing in Perisic on the overlap and he beat Ochoa with a shot even he couldn't save. Rebic was sent off for going in studs up on Pena.
It's Mexico vs the Dutch in the next round. Mexico's defence has been excellent thus far though Ochoa will have to match his performance against Brazil for his side to have any hope of progressing.
Attendance : 41,212
Red Card : Rebic 89 (Croatia)
Assists : Herrera (ck), Peralta, Marquez, Rakitic
18 June 2014
CAMEROON 0
CROATIA 4 (Olic 11, Perisic 48, Mandzukic 61, Mandzukic 73)
N'Koulou half cleared a Srna cross, the ball broke to Perisic and he centred to the back post for Olic to tap in. Song was sent off for smashing an elbow into the back of Mandzukic as Perisic lead a counter attack and in doing so maintained one of the proud family traditions in being sent off in a World Cup match - uncle Rigobert saw red in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. The other proud family tradition is that they're both shite.
Itandje whacked a free kick straight to Perisic and he ran down the right flank, cut inside the box and from a tight angle slotted inside the right post. Excellent goal and deserved for an excellent performance. Mandzukic headed in Croatia's third from a corner, his first World Cup goal. His second followed soon after when he tapped in after Itandje spilled from Eduardo. The ridiculous Assou-Ekotto, who someone needs to pin down and shave, heabutted team-mate Moukandjo. Webo broke them up.
The greedy Cameroonian's got what they deserved, a thrashing and ignominious exit, hours after Eto'o, sporting his ludicrous centre parting, spoke about blackmail over their bonus payments. WANKER.
Attendance : 39,982
Red Card : Song 40 (Cameroon)
Assists : Perisic, n/a, Pranjic, n/a
17 June 2014
BRAZIL 0
OCHOA 0
Mexico are Brazil's bogey team, having beaten then 10 times in their last 14 meetings. Brazil were awful, Fred in particular and on the few occasions they created chances Ochoa was unbeatable. In the first half he scrambled across goal and made a sensational one handed save from a Neymar header that invoked Gordon Banks mythical save from Pele. In the second he made a great save with his left arm to deny Neymar and a point blank save to parry a Thiago Silva header. Thiago Silva should have been sent off for a two footed scissor foul on Hernandez, Hernandez didn't do him any favours by bizarrely springing to his feet and shaking his hand. Idiot. Mexico were lucky not to concede a penalty when Jimenez briefly grabbed Marcelo by the shoulder, Marcelo looked in the direction of a linesman as he dived. Amateur. That's not how to do it.
Brazil aren't going to win the World Cup playing like this. The biggest difference between their performances here and in the Confederations Cup are Paulinho and Fred. Last year Paulinho was off the charts, not only was he tremendous in stopping opposition midfields playing but he was a constant threat with his forward runs. If he keeps playing like this it cannot be long before Fernandinho is given a chance. Fred (pronounced Fredge and is married to a woman named PAT) turned in an even poorer display than Gerrard against Italy, that's how bad he was.
Attendance : 60,342
Assists : n/a
13 June 2014
MEXICO 1 (Peralta 61)
CAMEROON 0
Eto'o gave Cameroon a team-talk minutes before kick-off in a move clearly orchestrated for the cameras to show who really was in charge.
The officiating in this game was something else. The linesman clearly had it in for the Mexicans because he disallowed no less than three goals. Eto'o should have given Cameroon the lead after the first Dos Santos goal was chalked off but shot wide of the left post. The only chance a shockingly poor Cameroon side managed. Itandje saved from Dos Santos following a fine passing move but Peralta, who missed a one v one earlier, tapped in the rebound. Hernandez should have made it 2-0 in injury time but blazed over from six yards.
Attendance : 39,216
Assists : n/a
12 June 2014
BRAZIL 3 (Neymar 29, Neymar 71 Pen, Oscar 91)
CROATIA 1 (Marcelo 11 og)
Neymar eyed up Modric as they battled for a longball and jabbed and elbow into his face. Clear as day red card so of course Nishimura gave him yellow. Old man Olic ran unchallenged down the left, Thiago Silva guilty of failing to get tight with Dani Alves doing his usual non defending, Jelavic misskicked his excellent centre, Marcelo couldn't put on the breaks and ran the ball into his own net. Oscar managed to prod a ball through to Neymar as the Croats were snapping into tackles and his weak shot bounced in off the right post. Fred dived to win a penalty though Lovren did himself no favours by briefly grabbing him. Pletikosa got two hands on the ball but still couldn't keep it out of the net. Ramires went through the back of Rakitic but by now it was clear the Japanese ref was only going to blow one way and Oscar ran though before beating the abysmal Pletikosa with another shot any competent goalkeeper would have saved.
A lot has been made of the refereeing, the failure to send off Neymar, the weak penalty and ruling out what was a perfectly good Croatian goal for a foul on Julio Cesar. This should NOT come as any surprise to anyone who has watched a World Cup before. Any team that beats the hosts has to be perfect and fight against 12 men. I would be more concerned by Pletikosa's goalkeeping because he should have saved all of the goals, including the penalty. Even Nishimura didn't try as hard as him to help Brazil to a win. If he plays like that in the remaining games Croatia are in trouble and I don't buy they were robbed or impressive, I thought they were very average.
Attendance : 62,103
Assists : n/a, Oscar, Fred (won pen), Ramires