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Day 14 & 15 - A One Man Army
By Gabriel Cazotto
Who knew that on the fourteenth day of the World Cup; Italy, Spain and
England would already be eliminated. That Costa Rica would be classified and would make a quarterfinal match against Greece, where we
will have an unprecedented team in the quarterfinals.
Well, this has been the tune of the 2014 World Cup. And in all these days had surprises, the 14th day was...
Normal.
Earlier, Messi was Messi, unlike 2010, the excellent goalkeeper Enyeama failed to stop Lionel, who scored
two and took the top scorer position with Neymar. Again the Argentina defense disappointed and showed the weakness of the Buenos Aires
team. Just like Aguero and Higuaín the supporting roles far beyond what was expected of them. With speed, Ahmed Musa, a great winger of
CSKA scored 2, which could be 3 or 4 in the weak defense posted in Argentina sidelines with Zabaleta and Rojo. In the game's background,
the brave Bosnia won the less defensive Iran, since they needed to score two goals. The two were eliminated with the heads up out of the
World Cup.
The night again an ordinary day, the genius of Hitzfeld's Switzerland pitched his finger-trap Switzerland in
Honduras destroyed them. Primarily focused on Xherdan Shaqiri, an indomitable raging bull, a character who seems to have come out of the
Tolkien books, the Lord of the Rings due to height, extreme speed and massive physical strength.
In a Maracanã who had not seen France since 1977, they continued to not see. Les Bleus spared themselves clearly
because only a miracle would eliminated, the team played enough to hold the 0x0 and pas in first position. Highlighting the monumental
game of the Ecuadorian goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez who defended the possible and the impossible, known in the Andean lands as the
Ecuadorian Dida, named after the resemblance to the former Brazilian goalkeeper.
Man of the Matches
Lionel Messi - ARG
Edin Dzeko - BIH
Alexander Domínguez - ECU
Xherdan Shaqiri - SUI
In the Fifteenth day we saw what a single man can do. The U.S. was almost qualified at the 55th minute of the
second half against Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the best in the world, with less than 70% of his physical condition crossed, Varela
scored and Portugal breathed.
When the Quinas entered in Brasilia they needed the almost impossible 4x0 against Ghana and a German victory
by 1-0 against the US. Ronaldo was Ronaldo, and if he already accomplished something in the biggest stage, the best young player of 2006
(a award given to Podolski by poor FIFA politics due the anger of the English fans in a given application for his blink to the cameras in
Rooney sent off), in 2010 he was far short of what could make due the cowardly technique of Queiroz to defend themselves and bet on long
range kicks with the treacherous Jabulani. Today, Ronaldo was Ronaldo even failing to classify Portugal; today he entered the pantheon of
Gods. Ronaldo, the Madeira boy kid managed to have to him 6 clear chances to score 6! Scored one, in other the crossbar did not allow a
brilliant goal, two others, Dauda was genius by saving it, or perhaps Ronaldo 100% would score it and another in a penalty not given to
it (which was).
Ronaldo played like one man army-only. I, unlike many, disagree that Portugal is indeed a one-player team, IS
NOT; it is a good team and which in a good day can complicate any team. They have Pepe, note 8.0, there is a Coentrão (which injured
during the first game), note 8.5; There are the very good goalkeeper Beto, there is the fantastic appearance of William, one of those
defensive midfielders reminiscent of Patrick Vieira in style; There is also João Moutinho (yes he had a horrible season in the French
League and during the World Cup, but is a fantastic player) and Ronaldo there. But, I also agree, Ronaldo is not at the same level as
Portugal’s second best payer, if Pepe and Coentrão are they, with an 8 grade. Ronaldo is a 15 grade a 20 grade, is abysmal, not by
others, but by his geniuses. Therefore the expectation of being an army of one team only is wrong.
For the Portuguese it may have been a bitter taste, no doubt, as two years before they almost eliminated Spain
to make ??the final of the Euro. Bento can, however, be blame for not taking Quaresma to help Ronaldo, The Mustang is by far superior to
the others in technique and quality, you can also blame him for training in the cold of Campinas in and play the entire first round with
great heat and humidity; But he can not blame himself for the bad luck to fall in the real Group of Death, where any one of the four
teams would qualify in any group. And never blame the commander lieutenant Cristiano Ronaldo as today he gave the answer.
In a game more settled due the rain Germans won against this great U.S. team, which I dare to say is favorite
against the Belgians (which so far have not proved anything, have not played anything and had a very weak group), as shown by the bad
victory over Korea, who played better than the Devils.
The night then was marked by the Algerian miracle; Halihodzic gave a tactical node in Capello, the Fennecs
advance with a goal from Slimani; in a righteousness that comes over 30 years after the shame of 1982 with the Disgrace of Gijón with
Austria and…Germany. Where the Algerians can get revenge on Monday.
Man of the Matches:
Cristiano Ronaldo - POR
Thomas Müller - GER
Thibaut Courtois - BEL
Islam Slimani – ALG
Team of the First Round:
Navas; Johnson, Godín, Giménez, Layún; William, Aránguiz, James Rodríguez; Messi, Robben, Müller.
Coach: Jorge Luis Pinto.
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