Netherlands – Chile 2-0. As both of the teams
were already among the Play-off participants, the match was not expected to
turn into an exciting show. Both of the coaches were determined to fight for
the group winner’s title, though. Van Persie had collected two yellow cards in
the previous matches, so he had no right to appear on the pitch, and Vidal had
only one, so the coach Sampaoli would rather not risk. Especially the Juventus
midfielder was missed among the South Americans. As the Netherlands had chosen a
cautious tactics to
defend the first place,
Chile
was ought to be creative and break the well-organized Dutch defence. After 70
minutes of play Sampaoli decided to risk, substituting the defender Silva by an
attacking midfielder Valdivia. Van Gaal took the chance and introduced young
attack-minded midfielders Fer and
Memphis.
The Chilean substitutes didn’t help them, but both of the Dutch ones scored,
confirming a well-deserved tactical victory and a 100% result in group B.
Chile, lead by the elegant and hard-working Barcelona-man Alexis Sanchez, has
to settle with the second place.
Defence:
1,5 – 1
Midfield:
1,5 – 1
Attack: 1 –
1
Interplay:
1,5 – 1
TOTAL: 5,5
– 4
7. Sanchez (CHL) – 1,5
11. Robben (NED) – 1
21. Memphis (NED) – 0,5
2. Vlaar (NED) – 0,5
6. De Jong (NED) – 0,5
15. Kuyt (NED) – 0,5
Australia – Spain 0-3. The only match of the
2014 World Cup in Brazil,
the outcome of which would not change absolutely anything! Both of the teams
had lost their first two matches and had already booked tickets home. This was
the match, where
Spain
would officially leave the throne, which has to be taken by another team in
three weeks time. Vicente Del Bosque’s team became part of another unique
achievement: the Spaniards used three different kits in three matches of the
World Cup group stage. There were several changes in the starting line-up. The
team didn’t disappoint its fans any more. Iniesta, Ramos, Torres and Villa demonstrated
some nostalgic football at times, and scored some nice goals. This was the last
international match for David Villa, who scored a fantastic back-heel goal,
before being substituted and leaving the pitch in tears.
Australia
missed its leader Tim Cahill, who was under quarantine for collecting two
yellow cards in the previous matches. The team didn’t show anything special and
was unable to cope with the Spanish team trying to restore its pride. For the
third time in this tournament the team conceded three goals, but didn’t manage
to score this time.
Defence:
0,5 – 1,5
Midfield:
0,5 – 1,5
Attack: 0 –
1,5
Interplay:
0,5 – 1,5
TOTAL: 1,5
– 6
6. Iniesta
(ESP) – 1,5
9. Torres
(ESP) – 0,5
7. Villa
(ESP) – 0,5
Group B
1. Netherlands 9
points (+7 goal difference)
2. Chile
6 (+2)
----------
3. Spain 3 (-3)
4. Australia 0 (-6)
Cameroon – Brazil 1-4: The hosts had not
secured a Play-off place before this match, but losing to the worst team of the
tournament would be a non-sense. There was another, more important problem to
solve: Brazil
needed to show the country, that it was progressing. Hulk was back in the team
after missing the match against Mexico.
The team inspired by the incredible support of the yellow-shirted fans, started
aggressively and scored pretty early. But Cameroon was surprisingly back in
the match 9 minutes later. Joel Matip scored the first and only goal for Cameroon in
this World Cup. There was only one team on the pitch afterwards. All the
defensive mistakes were forgotten, as Neymar, Fred and Fernandinho made the
score 4-1. The team won the group, Neymar showed a brilliant game, but the
problem of wingbacks Dani Alves and Marcelo, whose main job is defending and
not attacking, grows bigger and bigger. Chile will be keen on using this
aspect in the next round.
Defence:
0,5 – 1
Midfiled: 1
– 1,5
Attack: 1 –
1,5
Interplay:
1 - 1,5
TOTAL: 3,5
– 5,5
10. Neymar
(BRA) – 1,5
4. David
Luiz (BRA) – 0,5
Croatia – Mexico 1-3: The Mexicans get better
and better match after match. In the final match for the Play-off tickets
Mexicans needed to hold Croatia.
A tie would do for the Aztecs. In fact, we saw the same scenario here as in the
earlier match between Netherlands
and Chile.
The team that needed a draw adopted a good defensive tactics, not letting the
opponent use attacking weapons. It is ironical, that teams, winning their final
match by exactly the same tactics will meet each other in the next round.
Miguel Herrera introduced the same line-up as in the previous two matches. The
accent was put on wingbacks Layun and Aguilar, who almost never attacked in
this match, attentively containing
Croatia’s dangerous wingers Olic
and Perisic. The six players responsible for the centre, including Modric’s and
Mandzukic’s zones, were also perfectly concentrated. That is why Croatians
never thrilled during the first half. The change of the course happened by the
60
th minute. Croatians had no time to wait, so Niko Kovac threw
Kovacic in instead of defender Vrsaljko. Herrera’s answer came immediately, as
he decided to test the duo Oribe Peralta- Javier Chicharito Hernandez. The two
would usually play instead of each other, making an attacking couple together
with Giovanni Dos Santos. In result of such rotations Croatians started to risk
and open more space for Mexicans to attack. The first scorer would surely win
the match in such circumstances. Mexicans came first. A corner kick found
captain Rafa Marquez’s head and the destiny of the match was clear. Mexicans
managed to score two more goals in the next 10 minutes.
Croatia got
famous for becoming the first team to score against Ochoa in this World Cup.
But the Mexican party had already started, thanks to Miguel Herrera’s great
tactical play.
Mexico,
traditional participant of the World Cup Play-offs, leaves yet another European
side with nothing in this World Cup.
Defence: 0,5 – 1,5
Midfield:
1- 1,5
Attack: 0,5
– 1,5
Interplay: 1
– 1,5
TOTAL: 3 –
6
15. Moreno (MEX) – 1,5
22. Aguilar
(MEX) - 0,5
4. R. Marquez
(MEX) - 0,5
6. Herrera (MEX)
- 0,5
7. Rakitic
(CRO) - 0,5
4. Perisic
(CRO) - 0,5
Group A
1. Brazil
7 (+5)
2. Mexico
7 (+3)
------
3. Croatia
3 (0)
4. Cameroon
0 (-8)
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