Month: June 2014

Iberian Calamity

Two of the tournament’s most potent and experienced teams, Spain and Portugal, are effectively out of the World Cup after just two group matches, a scenario that no one would have predicted two weeks ago. How could this happen? Three…

Leo Lifts Argentina

It was a winning start for Argentina but their victory was not convincing even before a late Bosnia reply from Vedad Ibisevic. This was a scratchy, scrappy performance that raised more questions than it answered against a disciplined and technically…

Enter the Drogba

Didier Drogba came off the bench to inspire Ivory Coast to a 2-1 comeback victory over Japan in a World Cup Group C match on Saturday. Drogba, who had been carrying an injury, came on in the 62nd minute when…

Italy Outlasts England, Uruguay Crash

Italian experience overcame England’s youthful exuberance in an intriguing clash of styles at the World Cup on Saturday and in Group D’s other game tiny Costa Rica beat twice champions Uruguay in the tournament’s biggest upset so far. Later in…

World Cup Day Two Notes

* Mexico was denied two perfectly valid goals for off-sides, adding to the growing list of refereeing errors thus far. None of the errors seemed to be called with bad intent, but still … if Mexico will be eliminated on…

Furia Roja RIP

Spain’s shocking second half collapse against Holland marked the beginning of the end of its greatest generation. For almost a decade Spain dominated world football with a brand that delighted most and eventually annoyed some. Tikki Takka was never on…

Dive Said Fred, World Cup Saved

With twenty minutes to go in the World Cup opener, the entire tournament was in big trouble. With violent, disruptive protests and strikes preceding the game in Sao Paolo stealing the headlines, a disjointed and tired Brasil was searching chaotically,…