India.


And a FIFA world rank system as well.

Final Scoreline for Match 15:




A story of two halves, really! Algeria were clearly the better side in the first half, after converting the penalty call in the 25th minute. The Belgians looked frustrated and demotivated, until a string of substitutions in the second half seemed to boost their morale. None better than Fellaini, the Manchester United midfielder, who thumped home the equaliser in the 70th minute. Belgium kept pressing again and again, and Mertens blasted in a high, curling winner from the edge of the box which had the keeper beaten high and dry.

And that was how the final scoreline stayed. Algeria might have been disappointed by the end-result, but Belgium did dominate the second half by quite some margin.


And now for the mouth-watering prospect of the day (night) - BRAZIL take on MEXICO!!

Final Scoreline for Match 16:




What a superbly contested draw!! Full marks to Mexico for stretching Brazil to the goalless draw for the whole duration of 90 minutes, and the hero of the match was undoubtedly Mexico's fantastic goalkeeper, Ochoa, who pulled off some of the most stunning saves you will ever see in soccer matches! If not for him, the score could have easily read 4-0 in Brazil's favor, or maybe more.

Brazil were disappointing. The opening match did bring their lacklustre approach to the fore despite their winning it, and this match only compounded it. The only two Brazilian players on the field with any intent, Dani Alves and Neymar, didn't get much support from the rest. It was a display of some fantastic soccer moments from Neymar, and some poor stuff from the rest.

In the end, Mexico will be delighted to have drawn with Brazil and share points. Brazil, by their high standards, should have won it. This was their first draw in group stages in WC Finals since 1978, and their recent run of 10 wins on the row finally comes to an end.

Final Scoreline for Match 17:




Reports say it was a dull match, and the Russian keeper blundered badly to hand Korea the lead. Thankfully, Russia equalised six minutes later and that's how the scoreline stayed at the end.

Both teams get 1 point each, in only the 3rd drawn tie of the first one-third of the group stage of the WC 2014.

Well, the first one-third of the WC 2014 has come to an end, and it has been a superb WC so far. Results in 14 out of the 17 matches mean it has been a keenly contested one between all teams, and only 2 matches have had reports of being dull draws.

Surprise results mean some pre-tournament favorites now have a really uphill task ahead of them to get to the next stage, while some heavyweights have really asserted their dominance over the rest. As for a few who have won with small margins, let's hope they are warming up to the task ahead.

A review of how the favorite teams are faring:-

Red Hot! - The Netherlands, Germany, France, Columbia.

Won but scope for improvement - Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Belgium, Mexico.

Taking their chances - Chile, Ivory Coast, Switzerland, USA, Costa Rica.

Lost but can still do well - England, Cameroon, Ghana, Japan, Ecuador, B&H, Algeria.

Uphill task ahead - Spain, Uruguay, Portugal, Croatia, Australia, Greece, Honduras, Nigeria, Iran, Russia, Korea Republic.

As it seems, Mexico will move into the 2nd round as the 2nd in Group A and that means Ochoa will be tested again with far tougher challenges against the Netherlands. Disappointed with both the team. The Mexicans should have at least make some attempts to enter into the Brazilian d-box & then make the shots on target, instead of taking those long-range shots that mostly missed the bar.

Final Scoreline for Match 18:




What a match!! Easily THE match of WC 2014 so far.

Both teams looked hungry, relentless and really eager to win, which made it 90 minutes of fantastic, breathless, attacking soccer. Where Australia dominated the first half for the most part, even when Robben gave Netherlands the lead in the 20th minute and almost within seconds Tim Cahill equalised, Netherlands shifted gears from the moment Australia went ahead through Jedinak's penalty kick and thumped two goals in equally emphatic fashion - one from Van Persie to equalise again 2-2, and then Memphis Depay's long ranger curled away from the Aussie keeper to thunder into the nets.

The last 25 minutes was a superb example of frentic soccer at it's finest. The scoreline could have read 3-2 in Australia's favor, before Netherlands went ahead 3-2 themselves. And at least 2 other chances by the Netherlands went goalless - once they missed a great opening right in front of goal, and one of their thundering shots was kept out by the Aussie keeper.

Final scoreline could have easily read 5-3 in Netherlands's favor, but as things stand, the Aussie boys get full marks and full brownie points for giving it their best shot, that too against one of the top teams in the world right now.

Now, all eyes are on the Spain vs Chile match. If Spain win, Australia still have a faint chance (they have to win against Spain). If Chile win, both Australia AND Spain get knocked out of WC 2014.

For a glance, it looked like Netherlands were playing against BRAZIL! ::smile::

Final Scoreline for Match 19:




For a team who were playing a must-win match, Spain made some errors right at the start - they persisted with Diego Costa when they needed Torres, and their overdependence on players like Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos and Costa proved to be their undoing. Playing an ageing side largely in the tournament, they were never a match for the younger, attacking and furious-for-a-win oppositions.

The first half itself started in some pace, but it was the Chileans who were at them from the beginning. The two goals in the first half demonstrated which team had come in with the intent to win - and that just about summed up Spain's game and attitude for the game. Passes given away, shots wide of goal, not converting easy chances, made them look completely jaded and demotivated. Too bad, because their fans hung on faithfully, somehow hoping for a Spanish miracle till the final minute of extra time.

A special mention must be made of the Chilean keeper, Bravo, who kept out at least 3-4 sureshot hits at his goal. The frustration built up continuously, and the Spaniards did themselves no favors by not converting much easier chances.

The World Cup Winners of 2010 have been knocked out, and they have taken the Socceroos with them as well.


R.I.P. Spain. Goodbye Australia. The first two casualties of the WC 2014.

What a surprise.

Not only is the first team out 2010 World cup Winners but also European cup Winners 2012.

I'm happy right now. :)

Final Scoreline for Match 20:




Must have been a kickass match for Croatia. Cameroon is now the 3rd side to have been KOed out of the WC.

Need to catch the replay later in the day.

Final Scoreline for Match 21:




Tell you what, the moment of the match was none of those 3 goals scored, but an inocuous-looking hit towards the Ivory Coast goal from the middle line by Quintero which almost, ALMOST converted into one of the most fantastic goals in soccer history, and which was stopped by the keeper very awkwardly.

Either way, the first half had little of note except for a horrid miss by Gutierrez in the 26th minute, which could quite possibly be one of the worst misses in soccer history. Even a little kid could have converted that chance!!

The second half became really hectic, with both sides going for bust. Quick goals by Colombia's youngsters set them to a 2-0 lead, before Gervinho got one back for Ivory Coast through a stunning display of soccer talent, beating the entire defense of Colombia single-handedly.

Unfortunately, a lot of ill-tempered clashes in the final 10 minutes (including added time) ate up the time of what could have been a great finish. As it stood, Colombia won and go top of the group.


And now for the humdinger of the day (night) - ENGLAND VS URUGUAY!!

Roooooney COME on!!!!

Final Scoreline for Match 22:




What a fantastic match!! Easily one of the best two matches the WC 2014 has provided so far, the other being the Netherlands vs Australia match last night.

And what a difference a world-class player can make for a team. After their shock defeat in the opener to Costa Rica, Uruguay desperately needed some encouragement and motivation - and nothing better than to get their best player off the injured bench and playing!! And what a fruitful decision it turned out to be.

It was a game full of chances, passes and close shaves, really. England came close to scoring twice in the first half itself, when Rooney's shots went very close over the bars (free kick) and thumped into the bars! Equally, Rodriguez's close ranger went inches over the bar, barely missing out! And finally in the 39th minute, Uruguay and Luis Suarez celebrated. Cavani's cross found him in perfect position to head the ball in. 1-0 Uruguay!

England pressed back really well during the second half, and were denied at least 3 times by fantastic saves by Muslera, Uruguay's keeper. But England and Rooney kept on and on, and finally were rewarded in the 75th minute. Rooney finally scored in the WC Finals for England, and what a crucial goal it was. 1-1.

As if that spurred Uruguay ahead, Suarez notched up a gear above and thumped in a second goal 10 minutes later. Uruguay were up 2-1, and although England tried their best in the final 10 minutes (including added time), they were simply not good enough to get the 2nd equaliser.

3 crucial points for Uruguay, none for England. All is not lost for them though - if Costa Rica defeats Italy, they still have a chance. If it turns out to be otherwise, England are out of WC 2014.

Final Scoreline for Match 23:




Both teams needed a win, and only managed through to a draw. It won't help either team's chances now.

Doesn't seem like Japan can beat Columbia which is in red-hot form, and Ivory Coast will clearly get the better of Greece.

Still, let's wait and see.

Final Scoreline for Match 24:




What a massive, massive upset!!

Before the match, the odds of winning for minnows Costa Rica over giants Italy might have been 90 to 1. As things finished in the end, they emerged as true giant-killers. Italy deserved to lose though - their play simply lacked the will to win. Their game was dreary and drab, bordering on boring. They never looked even at one instance of dominating the game. Instead it was the minnows who dominated both halves.

Balotelli's eye-rolling miss at the 32nd minute mark was basically the summation of Italy's game - in front of the open goal with even the keeper almost beaten, and he kicked the ball wide!

The 43rd minute saw another VERY controversial decision of this WC 2014, when the referee didn't award a penalty kick to Costa Rica despite a glaring foul by Italy's defenders on Campbell inside the penalty area. That egged the Costa Ricans so badly that they built up a near-perfect passing game and Ruiz thumped one home in the very next minute.

The refereeing in this WC has again fallen down to low standards, after a couple of decent matches in-between. A legitimate tackle by the Costa Rica defense saw the referee awarding Italy a non-deserving free kick. Thankfully no damages were done.

The second half proved to be more drab than the first. It seemed as if Italy has come to Brazil to enjoy a vacation, and not to play for wins. Costa Rica came close to scoring again, this time thwarted by Buffon's antics. But the minnows held on to their lead till the end, and ended up a much deserved winner than their gigantic opponents.

Italian football has really been a downer in recent times. If Italy gets knocked out soon, it won't be a surprise.

Still, credit where credit is due. Well done, Costa Rica!! You have really earned your reputation tonight of being true giant-killers. Two thumbs up!

Final Scoreline for Match 25:




Crushing win for France. Had to go to bed after the first half, when France were leading 3-0 and had the Swiss completely drilled through like Swiss cheese. Twin goals within 66 seconds started the fray, and the French just kept on pressing forward since then. Even when the Swiss keeper kept out a Benzema penalty kick (a surprising moment!), France got a 3rd goal 5 minutes before the first half's whistle.

I predicted more goals in the second half, and there were four more - 2 for France and 2 for the Swiss, who tried their best to get back some, but it was a classic case of too little, too late. The Swiss keeper must be commended for saving a lot of thundering French shots, else the scoreline could have been even worse.

France are peaking at the right time. They look hungry and ruthless, two qualities which should take them far in WC 2014. Watch out, other teams!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 26:




Ecuador needed this win, to keep their chances alive in the tournament. And their main forward, Enner Valencia, came to the party after they had conceded a goal in the 31st minute. A goal each in either half meant victory for their team, the first being a slider which beat the keeper, and the second a thundering header which netted home.

Even the fouls by Honduras couldn't keep them from smelling defeat yet again, and that is good because their team doesn't look talented in soccer, but talented at scoring fouls!!

Final Scoreline for Match 27:




All it took was one moment of Messi brilliance in added time to save Argentina the blushes from what would have been a disappointing draw.

Full marks to Iran for keeping Argentina out for the whole duration of 90 minutes, plus pressing down on them more than once to go close to scoring a goal themselves!! Clearly, they were the better team in the second half. Argentina by and large disappointed throughout the game, squandering many chances + hitting the ball wide of goal more than once. The collective Argentinian radar seemed to be off-radar for the duration of the game, until the first minute of added time when Messi unleashed a very special bit of Messi magic - hitting the ball from way out of the box and curling it inward towards the far corner of the post, beating the Iranian keeper by mere inches to net the winner.

But if Argentina disappoints like this, they might not go too far. Messi can't bail them out everytime like he did tonight. Time for them to do some introspection and get a bit more aggressive, rather than their lackadaisal approach for tonight's game.

Final Scoreline for Match 28:




Must have been one heck of a second half!

According to reports, Ghana could have easily upset the heavyweight team, if not for that spectacular equaliser by Miroslav Klose who came off the bench to score straightaway. The first half produced plenty of chances but no goals, and actually Ghana build up more pressure than Germany.

But all the action was in the second half. Germany went ahead in the 51st minute through a chancy header, but Ghana equalised merely 3 minutes later through Ayew's header as well. The shocking moment of the match came in the 63rd minute when Asamoah Gyan put Ghana ahead 2-1!! Klose was brought in the 69th minute through a late substitution, and that move paid off as he got the equaliser for Germany.

And so it stayed till the end. Ghana must be delighted to have drawn against one of the top teams of WC 2014, while Germany might be ruing of not being a bit more aggressive and pressing for the win. As it stands, all 4 teams in Group G are now under pressure to win their remaining matches.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 29:




Both teams needed a win badly, but it was Nigeria who came out on top. Reports say that the refereeing was again questionable in this match, since it disallowed a wonderful B&H goal in the beginning itself! There were plenty of shots on goal by both teams, but no cake. Nigeria held on to their solitary goal advantage till the end, and emerged the winner. 3 hard-earned points for them.

B&H are now KOed out of WC 2014.

Final Scoreline for Match 30:




87 minutes of dull, dreary soccer and just when one thinks that the match is destined to finish as a 0-0 draw, Origi punches a hole through the defence in front of goal and crosses one in. And that one goal helps Belgium scrape past Russia in a very dull contest.

After their inspiring first match win, Belgium looked flat and disinterested in this one. They have qualified for the Last 16 stage with this win, but need to really pull up their socks if they have to go further ahead.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

USA - Portugal 2-1

10 minutes remains.

I wanna see Ronaldo cry.::big grin::

Ronaldo didn't cry. I did.

2-2

Portugal managed to score with 15 seconds left of the match. That's just cruel.

::sad::

Final Scoreline for Match 31:




What a match! Algeria had already impressed in their opening encounter against Belgium, and this was the sort of performance they needed to further boost their morale and chances of getting into the next round.

Thundering goals in the first half itself saw them jump to a super-quick 3-0 lead, and although Korea got one back within 5 minutes of the second half, Brahimi's right-footer secured their 4th goal and the match, despite a second goal by Korea in the 72nd minute. Korea kept pressing through the remaining time, but couldn't have much luck.

If Algeria qualifies for the Round of 16, it will be their first ever shot at the knockout rounds.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 32:




Looked all over for Portugal until the final minute of added time, when Varela thundered in a header into the US goal to spare them the blushes and escape with a tied draw.

Portugal were off to a quick lead on a hot, humid afternoon - a defensive error helped Nani ease one in to make the scoreline 1-0, and which stayed so when the first half ended. US went on the aggressive in the second half, and were rewarded with goals from Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey, whose goal looked like sealing the match for the US and securing a Round-16 spot, until Cristiano Ronaldo's perfect pass found Varela's header in the dying moments of the match and levelled the score again.

Still, USA must be happy to have got a point, while Portugal's chances still hang on tenterhooks. They must win big in their final encounter

Two-thirds of the Group Stage of WC 2014 has been completed, and it continues it's superb run, with plenty of goals and very few scoreless draws.

Plenty of surprises have come in this round of matches, with some teams already having packed their bags and booked their tickets for their trip home. None more surprising than the defending champions, Spain, who looked completely out of sorts from their 2010 heydays. Another strong favorite exiting was England, who did very little to boost their chances in their two matches.

Let's see how the teams are performing:-

Red Hot! - The Netherlands, France, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica.

Winning, Need Improvement - Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Mexico, Nigeria, USA.

In Middle - Italy, Ecuador, Algeria, Ivory Coast.

Still A Chance - Uruguay, Portugal, Croatia, Switzerland, Ghana, Japan, Greece, Honduras, Iran, Russia, Korea Republic.

KNOCKED OUT - Spain, England, Cameroon, Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Australia - Spain & Netherlands - Chile

Cameroon - Brazil & Croatia - Mexico.

And the final leg of Round 1 starts from tonight! Hope to see all close & some exceptionally great matches ahead. Brazil really needs to improve a lot as they're going to face either Netherlands or Chile in the next round. Both the Dutch & Chileans already shown enough qualities to destroy Brazil's campaign for WC'2014!! Except the AUS - SPN match, hoping the rest 3 matches will be crackers & very competitive.

My favorite Uruguay is going to face ITALY in their final group (of Death!) match...and it'll be Live or Die game for them. From the track records, it seems Italy most probably will go for a draw & that will be enough for them (as they're having 0 goal difference, whereas Uruguay is on -1!!) to move into the next round. Hoping to see Suarez shines for another time & Cavani joins with him in their scorer list and take Uruguay into the 2nd round where they'll face lesser challenging teams like Colombia or Ivory Coast (neither able to impress me much).

Matches to watch for in the final leg


The last leg of the group stage will see 2 matches being played at the same time, so let's have a look at which ones we should end up watching:

Group B:
Chile VS Netherlands - Both through, but #1 & #2 in the group? Cracker.
Australia VS Spain - Both teams knocked out, playing for pride.

Group A:
Croatia VS Mexico - Whoever wins goes through. Cracker.
Brazil VS Cameroon - Cameroon already out, but Brazil won't want to lose.

Group D:
Italy VS Uruguay - Desperate for both, more for Uruguay. Cracker.
Costa Rica VS England - England already out, so inconsequential.

Group C:
Colombia VS Japan - Japan need to win, but Columbia look too strong.
Greece VS Ivory Coast - Winner moves to next round. Cracker.

Group F:
Bosnia&Herzegovina VS Iran - Iran would be desperate to win, B&H out.
Argentina VS Nigeria - Nigeria would press for a win. Cracker.

Group E:
Honduras VS Switzerland - Honduras have nothing to lose. Swiss need to win. Cracker.
France VS Ecuador - Not safe just yet for France. Ecuador would press for a win. Cracker.

Group G:
Ghana VS Portugal - Portugal need to win big, so does Ghana. Cracker.
Germany VS USA - Both teams not secure yet. Desperate times. Cracker.

Group H:
Algeria VS Russia - Algeria need to win, so does Russia. Cracker.
South Korea VS Belgium - Korea needs a win, but against Belgium? Doubtful.


Matches marked in BOLD and with "Cracker" are must-watches.

Final Scoreline for Match 33:




The first half was pretty much a stalemate, except for a wonderful run by Arjen Robben which culminated in a cross kick which went inches past the goal post, and Chile also came close to scoring as well. Neither team was overly aggressive, and just feeling out each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Robin Van Persie was not playing this match, since he was suspended due to two yellow cards in the earlier games.

It was Netherlands who shifted gears in the second half. They started pressing forward more, and were suitably rewarded late in the second half when Leroy Fer sent the ball in quite nicely to make it 1-0. The score was supposed to stay the same but substitute Memphis Depay and Arjen Robben had other ideas. A break from a Chilean corner kick had Robben speeding through towards the Chilean goal, and his perfect cross found the outstretched leg of Dupay, past the Chilean defense and the keeper. 2-0 Netherlands, and with only a minute or so of play left.

Netherlands win, and top Group B. Chile will have to be content with being #2, and might face Brazil in the Round of 16, if Brazil win their encounter against Cameroon.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 34:




Ah! This was how Spain used to play. Funny that all 3 goal scorers were not a part of the starting eleven in either of the first two matches which Spain lost and got knocked out of the World Cup. A class apart, David Villa and Fernando Torres have always been reliable performers, and it was surprising to see them warm the benches while Spain lost critical games. Torres & Villa should have been a part in the last game against Chile, at least.

Well, Spain will head back home with this consolation win, and wondering "What if...?" As for the Socceroos, they will leave Brazil licking their wounds and their heads held high. They played well and did their part in keeping Group B exciting.

Goodbye, both of you.

Final Scoreline for Match 35:




This was more of the Brazil of old - dominating all through the first half and then extending their lead to leave no chance of a comeback by the opposition.

While the hugely talented Neymar ensured a super-quick goal for the lead, Cameroon equalised soon after, making it a delectable contest. Neymar showed why he's so dangerous inside the box yet again by crossing in the nicely-fired pass, and Brazil headed into half-time leading 2-1. Almost as soon as the 2nd half started, Fred headed one in and Brazil were leading 3-1 quickly. Cameroon held on to their defenses while Brazil kept attacking, and substitute Luiz Roza hammered the final nail into Cameroon's coffin in the 84th minute.

Brazil win convincingly and by a big margin to emerge Group A winners, and head into the Round of 16 to face Chile.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 36:




Must-win match for both teams, although Mexico were sitting tight, even with a drawn result.

Croatia surprisingly were not that aggressive as they were in the previous game, and Mexico actually came close to scoring at least 3 times in the first half, one of which was a real thunderbolt of a shot which blasted back from the bar! Halftime score was 0-0, and it was a deadlock. Mexico again came out as the aggressor in the second half, and their persistence paid off as Croatia made some huge defensive lapses to allow the Mexicans not once but twice in quick succession to let them go 2-0 up very quickly. And when Hernandez headed the 3rd Mexican goal in, it was all over for Croatia. A feeble goal back didn't help much in the dying minutes, and neither did a red card which made Croatia go down to 10 men.

Mexico won convincingly and rightfully so, as clearly the better team of the contest. They move into the Round of 16, where they face the Netherlands.

hmmmm which shall I watch... England in a pride match v Costa Rica, or two sweaty semi clothed blond girls battling it out at Wimbeldon ::big grin:: choices, choices

Final Scoreline for Match 37:




As many as NINE changes in the England squad for this game, but none of them could find a single goal among them in the 90 minutes of match time. England had many chances of going ahead, but squandered them. Costa Rica on the other hand were happy enough to play out the draw. Having already qualified for the next round, all they needed was a point out of the game, really.

England were already out of the WC, and tonight they pack their bags. Costa Rica move into the Round of 16 as Group Winners, and deservedly so.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 38:




What an ill-tempered and controversial match this ended up being. Italy needed a draw and a point to move ahead, while Uruguay needed to win.

Seemed like the Italian coach had drilled the draw into his players' heads so badly that they did everything in their power to ensure the draw - defiantly defensive, fouls galore, kicks, slaps, elbows, shoulders, literally everything rained on the Uruguayans to keep them away from the Italian goal. The normally lightning-fast Balotelli was also very subdued, and a grossly unfair head-hit went unpunished as he got only a yellow card for it. Pirlo took a moment of the referee's concentration lapse in reverse-"slap"ping Luis Suarez which left the young talent literally stunned for a few minutes. Suarez was so frustrated that he went to headbutt a defender, and might have got his teeth involved as well. He was very, very lucky to escape that incident, because the referee didn't see it.

Anyway, Italy paid dearly for this very defiant foul-riddled defensive play, when Marchisio was red-carded for a horrible tackle in the 2nd half. Italy went down to 10 men, and as if that spurred Uruguay on, they started pressing forward and Godin headed in THE goal of his career in the 81st minute to give Uruguay the much-needed lead, and the eventual win.

Wrong tactics by the Azurri cost them the tournament. They should have gone for a win instead of being uber-defensive. As things stood in the end, Uruguay enter the Round of 16, breathing a huge sigh of relief, while Italy, angry and defiant at many decisions of the referee while being guilty of quite a few unpunished fouls themselves, will be packing their bags to catch a flight home.

Final Scoreline for Match 39:




Well, I was sleeping so can't comment on how the game actually was, but it must have been a scorcher for Colombia fans. Half-time ended at 1-1 so it was anybody's game, but it's evident that Colombia upped their play several notches and scored thrice in the second half to leave Japan reeling.

Japan are out of the WC, while Colombia storm into the Round of 16.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 40:




Absolute heart-break for Ivory Coast!

After the equalizer in the 74th minute, they must be really fancying a draw going into extra time after the full 90 minutes were over, until Greece was awarded a penalty kick and thundered in a last-gasp goal to snatch the win.

Until then, it was sure that the Ivory Coast boys will be through to the Round of 16, and Greece were on their way out. That one goal reversed the fortunes of either team. Now Greece go through to the R-16 stage, while Ivory Coast had to pack their bags.

It's pretty inevitable that Suarez will be banned from at least this major tournament and that's gonna be a big blow for Uruguay. It's really frustrating to lose such a talented striker for this sort of freaking-stupid kind of act in the field.::mad::

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps78596082.jpg


http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps31f91c6c.jpg

Final Scoreline for Match 41:




Iran needed to win, and win big, to equal Nigeria on points and have a better goal difference. Instead, it was Bosnia & Herzegovina who played the party spoilsport by being the aggressor throughout the game and keeping Iran on their toes.

First goal came in the 23rd minute and Iran went into the half-time break trailing 0-1, and when the second goal happened with a little over 30 minutes on the counter, Iran was all but out. They needed at least 4 goals, but were thwarted by the Bosnian defense. A very late Iranian goal seemed to down the deficit somehow, but the immediate Bosnian goal back within a minute sealed Iran's fate.

Consolation win for Bosnia & Herzegovina who were already out, and they take Iran home with them.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 42:




All Nigeria needed from their final match was a draw to keep Iran out, and the game started in spectacular fashion.

Lionel Messi thundered in a ball in the 3rd minute itself, and Nigeria's Musa pulled one back on the break in the 4th minute itself, both goals scored within 80 seconds of each other. It was the first time in World Cup history that both teams scored a goal each within the first 5 minutes, and so this match went down into the record books.

When Messi got another one in just seconds before the half time whistle, it seemed like the second half will have plenty of more action in store. Musa thundered one back into the Argentinian goal to make it 2-2, as both teams were not relenting even one bit from each other. Marcus Rojo headed in the 3rd for Argentina to take the lead again, and the attacking soccer by both teams continued till around the 60th minute. News of B&H leading 2-0 over Iran must have filtered down here then, because Lionel Messi was immediately substituted and Argentina looked like pulling their shutters down from then onwards. Nigeria kept at it for a while, but both teams looked content from the final result, and although it ended as a loss for Nigeria, both teams secured places in the Round of 16.

Spectacular match, if only the attacking had continued for the entire duration. Special mention must be made of the Nigerian keeper for keeping plenty of Argentinian thunders out, else the score would have been much worse than it actually ended with.

Finally Argentina found their toes and are looking ominous with Messi in really dangerous form. If they continue like this, they should be real contenders for the title.

Final Scoreline for Match 43:




Strangely, the French were very subdued in this game, compared to the sizzlers they dished out in their earlier two games. It was Ecuador who threatened many times to go into the lead and upset the heavyweights, until a Antonio Valencia red card stopped them dead in their tracks. France by and large dominated the midfield play, and also knocked on the goal's door a few times, but as they say, "close, but no cigar".

France through, Ecuador out.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 44:




Keep a huge tab on Xherdan Shaqiri, guys. The man has suddenly burst into red-hot form and might cause a few upsets in the elimination stage, if the Swiss are serious about going ahead. His thundering hat-trick of goals in this match ensured Switzerland went through to the Round of 16 on the strength of his brilliance alone.

Swizterland now face Argentina in the eliminator. Should be a real cracker of a game, with Shaqiri and Messi facing each other.

Seriously...do you really think so?? They played little better than those first 2 match but still not convincing enough to call them 'real contenders for the title', IMO. Like Belgium (H) & Colombia (C), they haven't been tested with some good & quality challenge from their opponents so far; whereas teams in Group A, B, D & G already played against far better teams in general in round 1. But yeah...they will able to manage a win against the Swiss, I think.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...psf8c9334b.jpg


Still funny. ::cool::

Final Scoreline for Match 45:




USA started this match needing only a draw to ensure their R16 spot, and even though they lost it 0-1, they still made it to the Round of 16.

Germany were their usual attacking self for the first 25-odd minutes, but resolute US defense saw them fall back and be content with possession and midfield play. The second half turned out to be more rewarding when Thomas Muller converted a brilliant pass to him into a clear goal, taking Germany ahead.

The US didn't press enough, and reports of Portugal leading Ghana by a slim margin made both teams play ultra-defensive till the final minutes. A few more chances by Germany weren't tried with conviction for converting, so the match stayed that way.

Germany win, and both teams move ahead to the Round of 16.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Final Scoreline for Match 46:




This was the more exciting contest of the two. Portugal needed to win big, and their fortunes depended more on the Germany-USA match than their own. The heavier defeat Germany inflicted on the USA, the better chances Portugal had of going through. A 4-goal difference was huge, such was the impact of their huge-margin opening loss to Germany.

Portugal pressed on right from the outset and were very aggressive, unsurprisingly given the task on hand. Cristiano Ronaldo's THREE fantastic chances for goal were thwarted by the Ghana keeper, else Portugal would have been 3-0 within the first 30 minutes already. As things stood, a blunder by the Ghana defense had Portugal in the lead, and that's how they went through to the half-time break.

But then came the stunner in the second half. Asamoah Gyan thundered in an equaliser in the 57th minute, which must have broken quite a few of the Portuguese fans' collective hearts. None more so than the keeper, who was replaced by another keeper, because he had become quite disconsolate for allowing the equaliser. Portugal attacked and attacked, but still they couldn't bring more goals to the table. A very late Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the 80th minute, his 50th goal for Portugal in international matches, awarded Portugal the win, but it just wasn't enough for them to go through.

Portugal won the battle, but lost the war. Both teams bow out of WC 2014.