Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Italy knocked out

GOAAALLLL!!! Captain Godin scores for Uruguay
Corner from the right and skipper Diego Godin rises highest among all the Uruguay players in the box, and it comes off the back of his shoulder — anything counts and he's wheeled away towards a sea of light blue. Balotelli is almost in tears.
80 minutes - Rooney attempts classy chip
He loves doing that doesn't he? The Manchester United and England frontman collects the ball on his chest, turns, takes on two defenders and shapes up for a piledriver before sending a deft chip towards goal which is tipped over. Corner comes to nothing.
65 minutes, Buffon to the rescue again
Suarez is through on goal and attempts to hit the ball with the outside of his foot, but Gigi Buffon has done his homework and goes down to save it low to his right. Brilliant save.
RED CARD - Marchisio sent off, 60 minutes
Tell you what, Italy are down to ten men after Marchisio makes a horrific challenge -- didn't go for the ball, went studs up and sees a straight red. Uruguay should capitalise now. Remember, Italy need at least a draw to go through to the last 16.
37 minutes - Sturridge heads over as England go close again
Corner comes in from the left and the ball bobs to Sturrdige who just heads it over. England look more assured now as Costa Rica withdraw into a counter-attacking strategy.
32 minutes - Buffon shows his class
Finally, Suarez has a chance -- the best chance of the match, thanks to a lovely one-two with Rodriguez. Two good saves by Buffon keeps the match in balance. The Italian goalkeeper is in good form. Italy still looking more composed on the ball though.
25 minutes - Balotelli to miss next Italy match
It's been a very cagey game. Pirlo has had the only chance of note in this match so far and Balotelli has got a yellow card which means he will miss Italy's next game. That, if they progress, could have a huge impact on their game plan.
22 minutes - Foster to the rescue
What a stunning freekick from Borges — its dipping and swerving and heading straight into the right corner but Foster has his spidey senses on and tips it onto the bar and out for a corner. Fine save, that.
11 minutes - Sturridge has first England attempt
England are clearly playing second fiddle to the Costa Ricans who have come out with an intent to win it seems. But England get ahead somehow and Sturridge finds a yard just outside the box -- and goes for the shot which is just wide. That should restore some confidence in this young England side.
Italy XI: Buffon, De Sciglio, Chiellini, Darmian, Marchisio, Balotelli, Barzagli, Immobile, Bonucci, Pirlo, Verratti
Uruguay XI: Muslera, Godin, Pereira, Rodriguez, Suarez, Gimenez, Lodeiro, Arevalo, Gonzalez, Cavani, Caceres
England XI: Foster, Cahill, Wilshere, Lampard, Sturridge, Smalling, Jones, Milner, Lallana, Barkley, Shaw
Costa Rica XI: Navas, Gonzalez, Borges, Duarte, Campbell, Ruiz, Brenes, Diaz, Gamboa, Tejeda, Miller
6.55 pm Thierry Henry's moustache dance
If Mexico coach Miguel Herrera is providing entertainment on field then the master of entertainment off it is Thierry Henry. Here he is performing a moustache dance.
5.15 pm: The amazing celebrations of Mexico coach Miguel Herrera
Mexico beat Croatia 3-1 in their final group game to make the round of 16 for the sixth straight World Cup. It took a while for the team to break through though but when they did, their coach could not contain himself.
Miguel Herrera is an expressive man. Getty Sports Images
Miguel Herrera is an expressive man. Getty Sports Images
Vines and gifs and photo posts have proliferated around the web as a result. The Wall Street Journal decided to name Herrera's various celebratory faces and poses. There is the Screaming First Pump, the Flapping Necktie Yell and the Walk like an Egyptian.
He isn't afraid of some bodily contact either:
Imagine what might happen if Mexico beats the Netherlands.
4.30 pm: England's fans stick with their team until the bitter end
You dream for years, you travel thousands of kilometres, you spend a fortune - and then you end up watching your humiliated team play a totally meaningless World Cup game.
So how does it feel for fans of eliminated England gathering in Belo Horizonte for their last match on Tuesday?
"It's obviously not ideal, is it? But you just have to make the best of it, and have some fun," said Ade Brandwood, 38, from Manchester, with friends in the Brazilian city for England's dead rubber Group D match against Costa Rica.
England fans are sticking around even though England is out of the tournament. Reuters
England fans are sticking around even though England is out of the tournament. Reuters
With the 'Three Lions' out after defeats to Italy and Uruguay - the first time they have fallen at the first stage since 1958 - many English have sold tickets, gone to sample the sights of Rio de Janeiro and elsewhere, or simply returned home.
Yet thousands of the hardiest were still gathering in Belo Horizonte, and putting their bravest face on it.
"Why would you go home if you've come all this way? You're hardly going to be happier back in England right now, are you?" added Brandwood, who has had his fair share of disappointments attending England's last four World Cups.
"I've saved up for four years, I got permission to be away from the missus and the kids. I'm not going to let it get spoiled now," added the fan, who has tickets for other games and plans to enjoy the rest of the tournament even without England.
The English players have looked disconsolate in their press conferences and training appearances since Luis Suarez shattered their dreams with a stunning winning goal for Uruguay in Sao Paulo that meant curtains for their World Cup campaign.
The stoic fans, though, seem to be getting over it.
FUN IN THE AMAZON
Even young Jack Thompson, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who had dreamed his 12th birthday on Tuesday would coincide with a glorious day for England, was not feeling down.
"I'm ok, it's all right, I'm still having a brilliant time," he said before heading out of his hotel for a day of sight-seeing in former mining town Belo Horizonte.
Manaus, in Brazil's Amazon region, was a particular high for English fans. Not the result there - England lost 2-1 to Italy - but the exotic wildlife nearby.
"It was incredible. I swam with pink dolphins. I climbed a tree to the top of the jungle. I fished a four-foot fish. And I saw a sloth, my favourite animal!" said Jack.
He and his dad Steve Thompson, 49, saw both England losses, the crushingly disappointing results at least offset by the fun they have been having on a father-and-son bonding tour.
"We're obviously disappointed with England but not devastated. It's not just about the football. We came to see Brazil and all the sights here," said Steve, who paid more than 4,000 pounds ($6,800) for the package in Brazil.
Reuters
4.00 pm: Fred scores a 'mustache goal' for Brazil
Brazil striker Fred got his first goal just in the whisker of time at the World Cup, scoring as the group stage was coming to an end. He's attributing the change in fortunes to the new mustache.
The much-criticized forward scored Brazil's third goal in a 4-1 win over Cameroon on Monday, helping his team reach the second round.
Fred found the net with a 49th-minute header after a left-flank cross by defender David Luiz. But the striker said there was more to it.
"As incredible as it seems, the ball came in hard and it ended up hitting my mustache," Fred said. "It was a mustache goal."
Teammate Neymar said he was the one who told Fred not to shave his upper lip, predicting it might turn things in his favor.
"I said, 'Come on, Fred, if you leave the mustache you are going to score, the mustache never fails,'" Neymar later explained. "After he scored I went to him and I said, 'See, I told you that it never fails.'"
Fans and local media had been loudly criticizing the Fluminense striker because of his poor performances at the World Cup.
"Thank God that ball went in," Fred said. "The critics were piling a heavy load on me. I just tried to stay calm. The squad was great with me, I need to thank everyone."
AP

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