Bosnia and Herzegovina – Iran
3-1: Only Iran had chances to appear in the next round, however, the team had
to beat the Bosnians and Argentina
had to beat Nigeria
in the parallel match for this to happen. Carlos Queiroz didn’t change the
starting line-up, which got famous for its solid defensive work. The Asians
turned to be much weaker, when in need to take the initiative and create
chances. The defence was also harmed by a more attacking mentality. The result
was a quickly conceded goal, then another one later in the second half, and
then finally the third one right after Reza Ghoochannejhad, or simply Gucci,
as
he is called in England,
managed to score the only Iranian goal in this World Cup. Bosnians looked
pretty fine, on the other hand. Susic’s side had to restore its damaged pride,
and they enjoyed their last match of the first ever World Cup adventure. Dzeko,
Pjanic and friends had a really good match and didn’t let Iran to qualify.
Defence: 1
– 0,5
Midfield:
1,5 – 1
Attack: 1,5
– 0,5
Interplay:
1 – 0,5
TOTAL: 5 –
2,5
8. Pjanic
(BIH) – 1
11. Dzeko
(BIH) – 1
7. Besic
(BIH) – 0,5
14.
Andranik (IRI) – 0,5
Nigeria – Argentina 2-3: An entertaining
match, where both of the teams were almost sure of qualification, but used
their strongest starting line-ups. Argentina showed the football,
which is closer to what fans expect from the team. Alejandro Sabella’s team, a
big candidate to lift the trophy, goes hand in hand with the hosts Brazil. They do
improve their play match after match, showing some weaknesses in the defence,
while their leaders Messi and Neymar, two Barcelona-teammates, have already
scored 4 goals each. In this particular match against Nigeria the
Argentine side showed a better pace and understanding between Di Maria and
Messi. Aguero and Higuain are still falling back. The substitute Lavezzi was
brilliant, too. If not the Nigerian goalkeeper Enyeama, the score could have
been much more embarrassing for the African contenders. But Stephen Keshi’s
team was not just a spectator in this match, as the score suggests. Scoring
twice in the beginning of both halves, and looking for the third one in the
final part of match, Nigeria showed why exactly the team became the only team
from Africa to go further in the tournament so far. Emenike and Musa understood
each other better, and if it develops like this, France will have some trouble
containing these two. As for Enyeama, the last goalkeeper in the tournament to
concede a goal, he was the inspiration of the Nigerian team during the whole
group stage. He couldn’t do much not to concede the three goals scored by Messi
and Rojo, though.
Defence: 1
– 1
Midfield: 1
– 1,5
Attack: 1 –
2
Interplay:
1 – 2
TOTAL: 4 –
6,5
10. Messi
(ARG) – 1,5
22. Lavezzi
(ARG) – 1,5
7. Di Maria
(ARG) – 1,5
1. Enyeama
(NGA) – 1
7. Musa
(NGA) – 1
9. Emenike
(NGA) – 1
10. Mikel
(NGA) – 0,5
14. Mascherano
(ARG) – 0,5
1. Argentina 9
(+3)
2. Nigeria 4 (0)
----------
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 (0)
4. Iran 1
(-3)
Honduras – Switzerland 0-3: Both teams had
chances to qualify to the next round, but they not only had to do their best
and win the match, but also hope for a helping hand from France, the team they
both suffered from earlier in the tournament. After conceding 5 from France, the
defender Philippe Senderos was substituted by Fabian Schaer in the starting
line-up. The Swiss defence didn’t get better after this, but the team didn’t
concede, anyway. Honduras
turned to be unable to organize more than a couple of dangerous moves in front
of Benaglio’s goal. But Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team took its chances, as Xherdan
Shaqiri confirmed a fine hat-trick, scoring his first already after 5 minutes
of play. This was the first time in the tournament, where the Swiss midfielders
got more free space to operate, and hence, the many nice passes from behind, the
excellent cooperation between Shaqiri and the sole forward Drmic, who was back
in the starting line-up. Knowing that it is Argentina
waiting for them in the next round, Switzerland has to pay more
attention to cooperation both in the back and in front. Honduras is the first team from Central and North America to go home.
Defence:
0,5 – 1
Midfield:
0,5 – 1
Attack: 0,5
– 1,5
Interplay:
0,5 – 1
TOTAL: 2 –
4,5
23. Shaqiri
(SUI) – 1,5
19. Drmic
(SUI) – 1
8. Inler
(SUI) – 1
Ecuador – France 0-0: As Didier Deschamps was
sure of his team chances to qualify, the former World champions decided to
change half of his main starting line-up. Benzema was in, however, and was
never substituted. But the Real Madrid forward didn’t use his chance to reach
Neymar and Messi with the number of goals scored in this World Cup. The French
were the team more interested to score, although it was Ecuador that
needed to win the match. The South American team managed to hold a goalless draw
until the second half, where Reinaldo Rueda counted on risking and getting the
winning goal. But the things didn’t develop according to Rueda’s plan. First Ecuador’s captain Antonio Valencia got expulsed,
and afterwards Switzerland
scored the third goal to Honduras.
Scoring twice and not conceding was an
impossible mission for Ecuadorians to
complete. The second part of the mission was, however, easier, as they had the
fantastic goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez saving all the balls flying towards
his goal. Ecuador
became the first and only South American team to be sent home already after the
group stage.
Defence:
1,5 – 1,5
Midfield: 1
– 1
Attack: 0,5
– 1
Interplay:
0,5 – 1
TOTAL: 3,5 – 4,5
22. Dominguez (ECU) – 2
10. Benzema (FRA) – 0,5
3. Erazo (ECU) - 1,5
19. Pogba (FRA)
– 0,5
11. Griezmann
(FRA) – 0,5
13. E. Valencia (ECU) - 0,5
15. Sagna (FRA) - 0,5
21. Koscielny
(FRA) - 0,5
Group E
1. France 7 (+6)
2. Switzerland
6 (+1)
-----
3. Ecuador 3 (0)
4. Honduras 0 (-7)
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