2014 World Cup Semi-Finals – Europe vs South America

We’re down to the fianl four; Europe vs South America.

vs
Brazil vs Germany in Belo Horizonte.

Germany and Brazil have won eight World Cups between them but have only played each other once, in the Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup Final.

Germany lost to Brazil (0:2) in Yokohama.

Confederations Cup

Brazil came out victorious from the two meetings with Germany in the Confederations Cup:

(4:0) in the 1999 Guadalajara group stage;
(3:2) in the 2005 Nuremberg semi-final.

World Cup Winners:

Sweden 1958; Chile 1962; Mexico 1970; USA 1994; Korea-Japan 2002.

Switzerland 1954; West Germany 1974; Italy 1990.

The Match

Without Neymar and captain Thiago Silva, Brazil will need the home support more than ever. Germany are saying that they’re without Angela Merkul, who has a meeting with the Chinese, and Philipp Lahm needs to be in bed at ten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

vs
Netherlands vs Argentina in Sao Paulo.

Holland and Argentina have met each other four times at the World Cup Finals; with Argentina only winning once (3:1aet) in the Argentina 1978 World Cup Final.

Holland beat Argentina (4:0) in Gelsenkirchen at West Germany 1974; and (2:1) in the Marseilles quarter-final at France 1998.

Holland and Argentina drew (0:0) in the final Group C game at Germany 2006.

There was little to play for then, as both teams sat pretty at the top with six points, while Côte d’Ivoire and Serbia-Montenegro were equally pointless.

Argentina topped the group to meet Mexico in Leipzig; while Holland went on to lose against Portugal in Nürnberg. Argentina then lost to Germany on penalties in the Berlin quarter-final.

World Cup Winners:

Argentina 1978; Mexico 1986.

Runners-up: West Germany 1974; Argentina 1978; South Africa 2010.

The Match

Holland have had their moments and so have Argentina. In terms of support, this is almost a home game for Argentina.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2014 World Cup – Second Round Previews

Saturday, 28th June

Brazil vs Chile in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil and Chile have met three times at the World Cup Finals.

The first meeting was in the semi-final at Chile 1962. Brazil won (4:2) with Garrincha and Vava both scoring twice.

At France 1998, Brazil beat Chile (4:1), in Paris; where goals from two free-kicks and a penalty, in the first-half, gave Brazil a comfortable lead before the break.

At South Africa 2010, Brazil disposed of Chile (3:0) in Ellis Park, Johannesburg.

Colombia vs Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro.

Colombia and Uruguay have only met once at the World Cup Finals.

Although Uruguay won the Arica group game (2:1) at Chile 1962, both teams went out to USSR and Yugoslavia.

Sunday, 29th June

Netherlands vs Mexico in Fortaleza.

Holland and Mexico have only met once in a World Cup Finals; at France 1998.

The St. Etienne group game, on 25th June, ended in a (2:2) draw; meaning both teams qualified for the Second Round.

Holland went on to reach the semi-finals; where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

 

Costa Rica vs Greece in Recife.

Costa Rica and Greece have never met each other before in world football.

Costa Rica’s best World Cup performance was reaching the last 16 at Italia 1990; where they lost to Czechoslovakia (1:4) in Bari.

Greece have made it through to the Second Round, at the third attempt.

Monday, 30th June

France vs Nigeria  in Brasilia.

France and Nigeria have never met at a World Cup Finals although they did play a friendly match in 2009. Nigeria won the game (1:0) in Saint-Etienne.

 

Germany vs Algeria in Porto Alegre.

Algeria and West Germany met in the group stage of Spain 1982. Algeria won the match (2:1) in Gijon.

The two teams also played a friendly in Algiers, back in 1964. Algeria won that game too (2:0).

 

Tuesday, 1st July

Argentina vs Switzerland in Sao Paulo.

Argentina and Switzerland have only met once at a World Cup Finals, in the England 1966 group stage.

Argentina beat Switzerland (2:0) in Sheffield; then lost to eventual winners, England (0:1) in the quarter-final.

 

Belgium vs USA in Salvador.

Belgium and USA played each other in a group game at the first World Cup, in Uruguay 1930.

United States won that game (3:0) and qualifed for the semi-finals; where they lost miserably to Argentina (1:6).

If USA were to win this game, they could meet Argentina again.

Group A – Advantage Latin America

With the first two games played in Group A, it’s advantage Latin America.

Brazil and Mexico both came out of their opening games with a maximum three points, and the two will meet up in Fortaleza on Tuesday. while Cameroon and Croatia travel to Manaus.

To say the Amazon climate would benefit the West Africans is something of a cliche, as most of the Cameroon players are based in the Europe.

The opening two games at Brazil 2014 were not without controversy though.

In the opening game of the tournament, the soft penalty awarded to Brazil was hard on Croatia while Cameroon can thank the Colombian linesman for keeping their scoreline down; it should have been three.

These World Cup matches are so important that to let just one person with a flag or whistle be the all-deciding judge sometimes makes a mokery of the technology available to help judicate close calls in a fast-moving game.

If only football fans could be allowed to discuss the performance of players rather than the incompetence of officials.