Monday, June 16, 2014

World Cup Wrap up: First Weekend

World Cup Weekend Wrap-Up
                The 2014 started with a bit a controversy with Referee Yuushi Nishimura giving Brazil a questionable penalty and disallowing a Croatian Goal down. Seeing how much controversy this cup has had leading up to the event, to start with controversy is only fitting.

·      CONCACAF is 2-1:
o   The federation, or conference, that the U.S is in has always gotten a lot of criticism for being weak. When the draw for groups happened a few people, myself included, did not give the CONCACAF teams a very good chance. However after Mexico had two goals disallowed Oribe Peralta broke the deadlock against Cameroon. The next day Costa Rica faced South American Powerhouse Uruguay. Despite Uruguay going up early on a converted penalty by Edinson Cavani, Costa Rica came back in the second half, with a goal and assist from Joel Campbell. The Little Federation That Could may be in for big things in this tournament.

·      The Netherlands are still here:
o   After a horrible Euro 2012 campaign, the Dutch came back in a big way to start off the 2014 World Cup, with a 5-1 mugging over defending European and World Champions, Spain. Robin Van Persie had a highlight reel header, and Arjen Robben ran past Sergio Ramos and made Iker Casillas look absolutely ridiculous it seems this team maybe a front runner.

·         Defending Champions Spain are down:
o   Despite Spain being trounced by Holland in the first match, they were the dominate force in the first half, they still have some of the best players in the world, and they are still the defending champions. Spain are like the San Antonio Spurs, they are an old team with a system. The system failed them in the second half, but it was on display in the first. Does the system need tweaking? Yes. Is the system broken? No, we will see Spain in the round of 16.

·         When you get up from a foul and continue playing, good things happen.
o   That is what we saw at the end of the Switzerland and Ecuador match, words don’t do it justice. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=intl:1883794&startTime=00:42

·         England have a lot of work to do
o   England took a hard lose to Italy on Saturday, despite providing the assist to Daniel Sturridge to tie the game at 1, Wayne Rooney will get much of the blame. Much of the blame must also go the the England back line, sitting back and letting Andrea Pirlo dictate the pace is not the best game plan.


No comments: