FIFA World Cup 2014: Analysis after the Round of 16

Argentina – Switzerland 0-0 (1-0 et): 3 minutes of football after 117 minutes of struggling sent Messi’s Argentina to the quarterfinals.

Defence: 1 – 1,5

Midfield: 1 – 1

Attack: 1 – 0,5

Interplay: 1 – 0,5

TOTAL: 4 – 3,5

1. Benaglio (SUI) – 2

20. Djourou (SUI) – 2

8. Inler (SUI) – 1,5
11.Behrami (SUI) – 1
10. Messi (ARG) – 1

16. Rojo (ARG) - 1

13. Rodriguez (SUI) – 1

22. Schaar (SUI) – 0,5
23. Shaqiri (SUI) – 0,5

7. Di Maria (ARG) – 0,5

Belgium – USA 0-0 (2-1 et): The incredible saves of Tim Howard weren’t enough for USA not to lose to Belgium.

Defence: 1,5 – 1

Midfield: 1,5 – 1

Attack: 1,5 – 1

Interplay: 1,5 – 1,5
TOTAL: 6 – 4,5

1. Howard (USA) - 2

7. De Bruyne (BEL) – 1,5

17. Origi (BEL) – 1,5

9. Lukaku (BEL) – 1

2. Yedlin (USA) - 1
11. Mirallas (BEL) – 0,5

1. Courtois (BEL) – 0,5

7. Beasley (USA) – 0,5

Only eight teams are left in the tournament – all of them
winners of their groups. All eight matches of the first Play-off round turned into some extremely stressful fights. The winner was not decided after 90 minutes in five of these matches, while two of them went into aftermatch penalty shoot-outs. No team scored more than two goals. Colombia and Costa Rica are newcomers in this stage of the World Cup quarterfinals. Former World champions Brazil, France, Germany and Argentina are still in the tournament, while Uruguay was the next former champion to leave the World Cup.

Half of the eight teams left come from Europe. Greece and Switzerland weren’t expected to reach heights in this World Cup and they were beaten in the Round of 16. Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium had difficulties, but were stronger than their opponents in the end of the day. France and Germany will meet each other in the quarterfinals. This means that Europe will be represented by minimum one and maximum three teams in the semi-finals.     

The number of South American teams in the World Cup was reduced into two, as Brazil and Colombia defeated Chile and Uruguay respectively. Argentina was the third team to appear in the quarterfinals. Minimum one and maximum two teams from this continent are going to be in the World Cup semi-finals. Either Brazilians or Colombians will have to leave the tournament after the first quarterfinal match on Saturday. Argentina will meet Belgium.

There is still a team from the Central and North America as late as World Cup quarterfinals. And it is not Mexico or USA, but Costa Rica. The other two were narrowly beaten by their opponents from Benelux.

The last two African teams had to leave Brazil after Nigeria lost to France, and Algeria was defeated by Germany.   

Most goals scored: Netherlands (12 goals)

Least goals scored: Cameroon, Honduras, Iran (1)

Most conceded: Cameroon, Australia (9)

Least conceded: Costa Rica, Belgium, Colombia, France (2)

Topscorer(s): James Rodriguez (COL) (5)

Most assists: Cuadrado (COL) (4)

Top three most beautiful goals:

3. Tim Cahill (AUS) Australia – Netherlands 2:3, 21’

2. Robin van Persie (NED) Spain – Netherlands 1:5, 44’

1. James Rodriguez (COL) Colombia – Uruguay 2:0, 28’

The best team of the round was Colombia, getting a mark of 6,5.

Overall, the best football of the tournament is played by three teams: France, Germany and Netherlands (all – 23,0).

The top 10:

1-3. France – 23,0
Germany – 23,0

Netherlands – 23,0

4. Colombia – 21,0

5-6. Argentina – 20,5

Mexico – 20,5

7-8. Chile – 20,0

Belgium – 20,0

9. Brazil – 19,0

10. Uruguay – 17,5

  

The team getting the lowest mark for the round is Costa Rica (3,0), which managed to qualify for the quarterfinals anyway.

 

The best players of the round were 10. James Rodriguez (COL), 23. Rais (ALG), 1. Benaglio, 20. Djourou (both - SUI), 1. Howard (USA) (all – 2,0).

The following players have earned the highest marks for their performances in the first four matches:

7. Sanchez (CHL) – 6,5

11. Robben (NED) – 5,5
10. Neymar (BRA) – 4,5
10. J. Rodriguez (COL) – 4,5

10. Benzema (FRA) – 4,0
10. Messi (ARG) – 4,0
1. Howard (USA) – 4,0

Chances to win the World Cup

1. BRA	22,97% (+3,8%)
2. ARG	21,37%(+4,06%)
3. GER	14,41%(+0,48%)
4. NED	13,15%(+0,37%)
5. COL	8,82%(+0,62%)
6. BEL	8,82%(+4,23%)
7. FRA	7,01%(+1,31%)
8. CRC	3,45%(+1,34%)