2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Official Book
10. Belgium – Algeria 2-1: A very slow start from Belgium, showing very simple football before the substitutes Fellaini and Mertens decide the destiny of the match. The three points are obtained, anyway. Algeria will look to wipe out either South Korea’s or Russia’s chances of advancement.
Defence: 1 - 1
Midfield: 1 - 1
Attack: 1 - 0
Interplay: 1 – 0,5
TOTAL: 4 – 2,5
8. Fellaini (BEL) – 0,5
14. Mertens (BEL) – 0,5
4. Kompany (BEL) – 0,5
7. De Bruyne (BEL) – 0,5
2. Bougherra (ALG) – 0,5
9. Russia – South Korea 1-1: One of the most
boring matches of the tournament, where none of the sides was eager to risk up until the final whistle. One of these two teams will most probably be out of the tournament in the end of the group stage.
Defence: 1 – 1
Midfield: 1 – 1
Attack: 0,5 – 0,5
Interplay: 1 – 1
TOTAL: 3,5 – 3,5
17. Lee (KOR) – 0,5
9. Son (KOR) – 0,5
10. Dzagoev (RUS) – 0,5
8. After the first round was played, the best teams are the Netherlands, Germany, both 7 points, and France, 6,5 points. All of them secured crashing victories over their first opponents. The worst performances were shown by Cameroon and Honduras, both getting only a point each out of 8.
The list of the best players starts with the four top players of European football, who all got 2 points for their play in the first round:
Mueller (GER)
Benzema (FRA)
Van Persie (NED)
Robben (NED)
The first round was not full of great goalkeeper performances. Three goalkeepers got 0,5 points:
Sirigu (ITA)
Valladares (HON)
Howard (USA)
Some of other interesting players of the first round were:
Candreva (ITA) – 1,5
Campbell (CRC) – 1,5
Rodriguez (COL) – 1,5
Pjanic (BIH) – 1,5
Kroos (GER) – 1,5
Mehrdad (IRI) – 1,5
Blind (NED) – 1
Vlaar (NED) – 1
The biggest disappointment of the tournament so far has been the performance of the African teams. Only Ivory Coast managed to win. Nigeria shared a point, while Cameroon, Ghana and Algeria lost their matches. None of the teams was able to show any creativity. Tactical understanding was on a very low level.
Asian teams earned two draws and lost twice.
Other than Honduras, the Central American teams won their matches, especially Costa Rica showing some great commitment.
South Americans, expected to be on top on their home soil, won 4 and lost 2.
And finally, 6 out of 13 European teams won their matches, 6 of them lost and only Russia earned a point. However, three matches consisted of two European sides, as Netherlands, Italy and Germany defeated Spain, England and Portugal. There are still two all-European clashes expected in the group stage, as Belgium will meet Russia and France will meet Switzerland.
7. Brazil – Mexico 0-0: A pretty entertaining goalless draw. Brazil was expected to show a much better performance than in the opener against Croatia, and Mexico had to confirm, that the first win over Cameroon was nothing but a deserved one. There were a lot of fouls during the whole match. The intense football was hiding the skills of Brazilian players. Neymar was closely marked and only managed to show a couple of fine moves. The injured Hulk never appeared on the pitch. He was substituted by Ramires to start the match, and then by Bernard, to start the second half. As for Mexico, Herrera’s side played well and was able to contain Brazil. The defenders, lead by the experienced Rafa Marquez and the extraordinary goalkeeper Ochoa, held another clean sheet. Mexicans were even trying to threaten Julio Cesar with countless long shots. In the end of the day, none of the teams deserved to score, but they didn’t deserve to concede either. Mexico’s Ochoa showed the best goalkeeper performance of this World Cup so far.
Defence: 1 – 1
Midfield: 1 – 1
Attack: 1,5 – 1
Interplay: 1 – 1,5
TOTAL: 4,5 – 4,5
13. Ochoa (MEX) – 2
10. Neymar (BRA) – 1
3. Thiago Silva (BRA) – 1
18. Guardado (MEX) – 1
6. H. Herrera (MEX) - 1
4. R. Marquez (MEX) - 1
15. Moreno (MEX) - 1
6. Australia was supposed to show everything the team was capable of in the first match against Chile. They lost that day, and now there are Netherlands waiting for them. Can they score another one in this tournament?
5. Louis van Gaal’s shocking Netherlands is expected to give the second concert in this World Cup. Apparently, winning the match against Australia should not be too difficult, but it will make them the first team to already qualify for the Play-offs, if the other match in the group ends in a draw. The world is looking forward to see the young Dutch talents support Robben, van Persie and Sneijder in another beautiful performance.
4. The defending World and European champions from Spain has had the worst possible start in this World Cup. The match against Chile is already similar to a Play-off for Del Bosque’s team. Depending on the first match of the group, a loss will most probably make Spaniards the first team to be thrown out of the tournament already after two matches. A draw will not be a good result either, as they already have a disastrous goal difference, and Chile will meet the unmotivated Dutch side in the last group match. The question of the day is: who will Del Bosque leave on the bench after the terrible second half in their first match?
3. After a good match against Australia, Chile is ready to take the next challenge, which is not going to be as easy as the first one. Is Alexis Sanchez able to surprise his Barcelona teammates and take the advantage of the wounded Spanish team?
2. It is already clear after the Brazil-Mexico match that the loser of the Cameroon-Croatia pair is going to be kicked out of the tournament. Cameroon was one of the worst teams of the first round. Eto’o will have to persuade his teammates to be livelier, if he doesn’t want to leave Brazil already next week. But even a victory doesn’t assume advancement for the Africans, as their last opponent of the group stage is scheduled to be Brazil.
1. Croatia has to recover after the defeat in the opening match. Mario Mandzukic is back and will have to grab at least a point for the Balkan side to have chances for advancement from the group stage. However, the difference between a draw and a win in this match might not be significant, as they have to beat Mexico in the last match, anyway.
The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Fact File
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