World Cup 2014 ITALY vs COSTA RICA 0-1 20/06/2014

 

Match Italy 0 - 1 Costa Rica

 

 Groupe D

Arena Pernambuco, Recife

 

Costa Rica

Bryan Ruiz  44'

Italy ( 4-5-1): Buffon; Chiellini, Barzagli, Paletta, Darmian; De Rossi, Verratti, Pirlo, Marchisio, Candreva; Balotelli.
 

Costa Rica ( 4-4-1-1): Navas; Gonzalez, Umana, Duarte, Gamboa; Bolanos, Diaz, Tejeda, Borges; Ruiz; Campbell.

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Spain's reign ends as Chile prove too hot to handle

 Holders Spain were eliminated from the World Cup on Wednesday when their 2-0 Group B defeat by Chile brought an end to one of the greatest dynasties of the modern game.

On the day when Spain's King Carlos also signed his abdication papers, Spain's footballers left their throne as goals from Eduardo Vargas after 20 minutes and Charles Aranguiz two minutes before halftime earned Chile a stunning victory.

They advanced to the last 16 along with the Netherlands and Australia go out with Spain.

The Dutch, who beat Spain 5-1, and Chile each have six points and they play each other in Sao Paulo next Monday. Spain face Australia in Curitiba bidding to avoid finishing bottom.

Spain became the third champions in the last four World Cups to be eliminated at the first hurdle and their departure will almost certainly end the long international careers of the ageing greats who won the 2008 European Championship and their first World Cup in South Africa four years ago.

Coach Vicente del Bosque is also unlikely to keep his job.

Chile, who had never beaten Spain in 10 previous meetings, looked sharp, composed and confident from the start and even faster and more fluid in the second half.

Although Spain's Xabi Alonso had a shot saved in the 15th minute, Chile took the lead five minutes later.

A counter-attack on the right set up Aranguiz to provide the cross for Vargas who danced around goalkeeper Iker Casillas before firing home with defender Sergio Ramos arriving too late to stop him.

Casillas, who had a poor game in Spain's mauling by the Dutch, was at fault for the second goal, punching an Alexis Sanchez free kick straight back to Aranguiz who swept the ball past Casillas with a spinning shot with the outside of his right foot.

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Costa Rica fight back to stun Uruguay 3-1

Two goals in four dramatic second-half minutes set lowly Costa Rica on their way to a deserved 3-1 victory over Uruguay on Saturday in the biggest upset of the World Cup so far.

The Uruguayans took the lead in the Group D clash thanks to a disputed Edinson Cavani penalty midway through the first half before the Central Americans turned the match on its head after the break.

Young striker Joel Campbell chested down a cross from the right and slammed a low shot past keeper Fernando Muslera after 54 minutes.

Then centre back Oscar Duarte gave Costa Rica the lead in the 57th minute with a brave diving header at the back post from a Christian Bolanos free kick.

Marco Urena completed the remarkable victory with a third in the 84th minute, silencing an army of sky blue-clad Uruguayan fans in Fortaleza's Castelao arena.

Uruguay's misery was compounded in stoppage time when their defender Maxi Pereira became the first man to be sent off at this World Cup.

It had all looked so different in the first half when Diego Lugano went down in the box under pressure from Costa Rica defender Junior Diaz as he tried to get on the end of a Diego Forlan free kick.

Diaz clearly had his arms around the waist of his opponent but even so the Uruguayan captain made a meal of the challenge.

Nevertheless, German referee Felix Brych pointed to the spot and Cavani slammed home the penalty.

Uruguay face England in their next group match while the jubilant Costa Ricans, who have only once made it out of the group stages at a World Cup, will take on Italy.

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Colombia's focus key in win over Greece - Pekerman

 Colombia kept their focus when the going got tough against Greece on Saturday, coach Jose Pekerman said, and got their reward with a 3-0 Group C victory on their return to the World Cup finals after a 16-year absence.

"It is a dream come true for me," the Argentine said after a flamboyant attacking display.

"We wanted to be focused, play inspiring football with good skills. My players met all the objectives we had set out and that is very positive for going forward in this competition.

"This is how we planned this match. Some things turned out the way we wanted, some things didn't, but we were extremely focused and showed that we are here to play a good World Cup."

The South Americans, one of the dark horses in this tournament after clinching second spot in the qualifiers, had to soak up considerable pressure after taking a fifth minute lead through Pablo Amero.

Even after going two behind to Teofilo Gutierrez's goal just before the hour the Greeks kept pushing forward and created plenty of chances before James Rodriguez scored a third in stoppage time.

"We could have kept our cool a bit more and defended a bit better," Pekerman told reporters. "But this result is really important if we want to remain in the tournament. We showed that even when it is hard we keep focused."

Pekerman said Colombia, who next play Ivory Coast and then take on Japan, had "waited a very long time to play in the World Cup".

"I tried to keep my players calm and inspire them because they are new to this.

"This win was very good for us because Greece are very experienced and at times there was a big difference between us and them because they were playing really well.

"What I have learned today is that we have to keep calm and believe in ourselves. Sometimes we did not react fast enough and Greece had several chances.

"But even when Greece were playing really well and we kept losing possession we still stuck to our strategy and our gameplan. All my players played the role they had to. They have done exactly what we expected of them," he said

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Germany vs Armenia 6-1 All Goals and Highlights Friendly Match 2014 | Wo...

Germany vs Armenia
Competition: International Friendly
Match date: 6 June 2014
Kick Off Time: 19:45 GMT
Venue: Coface Arena, Mainz 

 Germany put six past Armenia in the second half, but the game is marred by an ankle injury to Marco Reus that threatens his place at the World Cup.

Germany 6-1 Armenia (Friendly):

52' Andre Schuerrle 1-0 // 70' 1-1 (pen.) Henrik Mkhitaryan // 72' Lukas Podolski 2-1 // 73' Benedikt Hoewedes 3-1 // 76' Miroslav Klose 4-1 // 82' Mario Goetze 5-1 // 90' Mario Goetze 6-1

Germany Team Lineups:Germany starting 11: R. Weidenfeller, P. Lahm, P. Mertesacker, J. Boateng, B. Howedes, M. Hummels, S. Khedira, T. Kroos, M. Reus, T. Muller, A. Schurrle.

Germany Substitutes: L. Podolski, M. Ozil, B. Schweinsteiger, K. Grobkreutz, M. Klose, M. Götze, C. Kramer, E. Durm, J. Draxler, M. Ginter, R. Zieler, M. Neuer

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Gervinho and Drogba fire Ivory Coast to friendly win

Goals from Gervinho and Didier Drogba gave Ivory Coast a comfortable 2-1 win over El Salvador in a friendly in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday.

Ivory Coast, who will face Colombia, Greece and Japan in Group C at the World Cup, moved the ball with confidence and purpose and grabbed an early lead in the ninth minute.

Drogba, dropping deep, threaded the ball through to Gervinho who coolly rounded El Salvador keeper Derby Carrillo and slotted home.

The roles reversed for Ivory Coast's second goal, three minutes before the interval, when the impressive Gervinho burst down the left flank and crossed low to Drogba who slid the ball home.

With the game firmly in hand, Sabri Lamouchi's team were content to play possession football while El Salvador struggled to create chances.

It was not until the 73rd minute that Ivory Coast keeper Boubacar Barry was truly tested when Darwin Ceren unleashed a left foot drive which was pushed wide.

Two minutes later, El Salvador were awarded a penalty after Kolo Toure recklessly charged into Jonathan Aguilla as they challenged for a header and subsitute Arturo Alvarez converted the spot kick.

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Perisic double gives Croatia 2-1 win over Mali

 

Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic scored a goal in each half to give the Balkan country a 2-1 win over Mali in their home send-off to next month's World Cup in Brazil.

The Croatians, who will also meet Australia on Friday in Salvador before opening their Group A campaign against hosts Brazil in Sao Paulo on June 12, played at walking pace against the African side as coach Niko Kovac fielded a makeshift formation in front of 15,000 fans.

Left wing Perisic enjoyed one of his best international performances and fired Croatia ahead in the 15th minute, curling a superb shot with his weaker, right foot into the top left corner after a defence-splitting pass by Ivan Rakitic.

Perisic doubled the lead shortly after the hour when he stabbed home a Rakitic corner which was headed into his path by striker Ivica Olic before substitute Fantamady Diarra pulled one back for the visitors.

Croatia's influential playmaker Luka Modric, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid last Saturday, received a standing ovation when he came off the bench in the last 15 minutes.

"It was a good test against a physical opponent while our legs were a bit heavy after three weeks of hard training in the build-up," Perisic told Croatian television.

Kovac, who was expected to name his final squad later on Saturday, said: "We know what 23 players are going to Brazil."

"We are happy with result and commitment given that there are some weary legs out there.

"The first goal is exactly the kind of attacking we are looking for, a direct through ball leaving the scorer with a sitter.

"The movement of the ball wasn't quite as sharp as we would have liked but there is still enough time to add the finishing touches."

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Algeria sweep aside Armenia in festive atmosphere

 

Algeria belied their status as World Cup outsiders blasting three first-half goals on their way to a comprehensive 3-1 win over Armenia in a festive atmosphere in Sion on Saturday.

Around 12,000 drum-banging, chanting Algerian fans turned the tiny Tourbillon in the usually sleepy Swiss Alpine town into a cauldron, appearing to unnerve their opponents in the first half.

Essaid Belkalem, Nabil Ghilas and Islam Slimani scored before halftime as Algeria gave a performance which suggested they could more than hold their own against Belgium, Russia and South Korea in Group H at the Brazil finals.

Bathed in evening sunshine and surrounded by snow-capped peaks, the Tourbillon provided a stunning setting for a match which saw Leicester City midfielder Riyad Mahrez make an impressive debut for Algeria.

Defender Belkalem, who struggled to get playing time at Watford last season, put Algeria ahead in the 13th minute, turning the ball in from close range following a corner as Rafik Halliche's run distracted the defence.

The Fennec Foxes increased their lead nine minutes later when Mahrez slipped the ball to Ghilas on his right and the Porto player rifled an emphatic finish into the roof of the net.

Algeria continued to pull the Armenians apart with lots of neat moves from the midfield trio of Mehdi Lacen, Yacine Brahimi and Adlene Guedioura.

French-raised Brahimi, in particular, brought the crowd to their feet with his cheeky skills.

Slimani missed two chances to put Algeria ahead but the Sporting forward finally converted three minutes before halftime, heading in the rebound after Ghilas's header had struck the bar.

Armenia, 33rd in the FIFA rankings compared to Algeria's 25, pulled one back within a minute of the re-start when halftime substitute Artur Sarkisov burst clear and beat Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche with a low shot.

The game went off the boil in the second half although substitute El Arabi Soudani brought the crowd to their feet with a weaving run but was denied by Roman Berezovski's save.

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