Saturday, 5 July 2014

World Cup 2014 quarterfinal LIVE: Netherlands vs Costa Rica - Firstpost

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NETHERLANDS vs COSTA RICA: click here for the Live Match Centre


Netherlands XI: Cillessen; Kuyt, De Vrij, Vlaar, Martins Indi; Wijnaldum, Sneijder, Blind; Robben, Van Persie, Depay.


Costa Rica XI: Navas; Diaz, Gonzalez, Acosta, Umaña, Gamboa; Borges, Tejeda, Bolanos, Ruiz; Campbell



Argentina enter World Cup semifinal for the first time since 1990


Courtois curse remains for Messi, Belgium can't take last chances -- FT


Five minutes added on after regulation time and Belgium create a couple of half chances as Witsel takes a shot from long-range and Lukaku finds himself in the box, crosses low and sees it blocked brilliantly by Garay before it reaches Fellaini in the middle. Moments earlier, Messi was through one-on-one but Courtois rushes to thwart him. That means Messi is yet to beat Courtois in eight games. Doesn't matter though — Argentina are in the last four.



Two more offsides and a deflected shot for Belgium - 85 minutes


Fellaini gets the ball down off his chest and kicks it towards goal but it's blocked and he's been given offside too. Then De Bruyne hits another speculative effort from the right which takes a wicked deflection and almost diverts into the net. The ensuing corner runs away towards the left wing, where Lukaku is offside this time. That's six offsides for Belgium to Argentina's one.


And Hazard's off for Belgium - 75 minutes


Hazard never really got going in this tournament — and he's been taken off for Chadli. Dries Mertens and Lukaku have also been brought on as Wilmots goes for broke. Mertens gets a freekick on the left and goes for a low shot which fizzes wide.


Garay almost puts it into his own net, Belgium coming at Argentina now - 65 minutes


More open game now. Fellaini first fires his header over and then De Bruyne sends a stinging cross from the right which Garay attempts to clear and puts it into his own net. Romero is aware though and gets down in time to collect.



Higuain clatters the crossbar - 59 minutes


Higuain starts off on a run which lasts about 60-yards, a nutmeg on Kompany also included in it before his high shot rattles the woodwork. What a run, what a shot -- that could have been one of the goals of the World Cup.


Higuain almost scores, again! 53 minutes


Wilmots has been giving a stream of instructions to Romelu Lukaku on the touchline -- seems like the big striker will come on any time. On the pitch, Higuain gets space on the left and cuts in brilliantly before trying to curl in a shot from a tight angle from inside the box — it hits Vertonghen and almost deflects into the net. Moments late Lavezzi teases Alderweireld and flashes a cross across the goal-line.


Mirallas spurns best chance of the match - it's half-time now


Throw-in from the right is straight to Vertonghen whose cross finds Mirallas perfectly placed for a diving header — he goes for it, makes brilliant contact but puts it wide. Didn't even work the keeper and looks on in disbelief, what a chance!



Di Maria off injured, Messi hits freekick over - 40 minutes


Di Maria was hurt while taking that shot a few minutes ago (as explained below) and then hits the deck again without much contact, nodding his head as he's taken off for Enzo Perez. Messi is crowded out at the edge of the box a few minutes later and his freekick is over the wall and over the goal.


Messi sends Di Maria through, but Kompany is there to stop him - 32 minutes


No ricochets this time, just a beautifully weighted pass from Messi for Di Maria, who collects and sees Kompany shadow him throughout. He manages to cut in and shoot but the Belgian skipper gets a shoe in. Great defending.


KDB launches from 20 yards out! 27 minutes


De Bruyne has been Belgium's best player, carrying on from where he left off in the match against USA. He picks up the ball about 20 yards out, sees a slight opening and hits a toe-poke which isn't saved well, the rebound almost falling for Origi. Argentina escape though.



Belgium hardly threaten as Argentina settle down - 20 minutes


Belgium have got to get on the second ball. All they've done in attack is force weak clearances and if you're doing that, they need to get up close and press in the attacking third which hasn't happened. A couple of crosses have come in from the wings, but Argentina look comfortable and assured in possession.



GOAAAAALLLL! Higuain puts Argentina 1-0 up! 8 minutes


Fine work by Argentina to get the ball out of their defence and a pass from the left from Di Maria is actually towards Zabaleta but ricochets into Higuain's path. He doesn't wait, simply turns and instinctively shoots towards goal from the edge of the box and it's beaten Courtois!


Messi prizes open Belgian defence - 5 minutes


Messi collects the ball after a good spell for Belgium, runs away towards the left, suddenly turns and finds Lavezzi's run on the right with a fine pass. Lavezzi's ball in however, is weak, and calmly cleared away by Kompany.


STAT: Lionel Messi has not scored against Thibaut Courtois in their last seven meetings (club and country).



Belgium XI: Courtois, Alderweireld, Van Buyten, Kompany, Vertonghen, Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne, Mirallas, Hazard, Origi.


Argentina XI: Romero, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Garay, Basanta, Biglia, Mascherano, Di Maria, Lavezzi, Messi, Higuain.


7.15 pm: Chinese website sells 'Suarez bite' bottle openers


Chinese online stores are cheekily trying to cash in on Uruguay striker Luis Suarez's notorious bite of an opponent at the World Cup by selling bottle openers with his image.


Liverpool forward Suarez was given a four month ban from football for sinking his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during their final group match in Brazil last month.


He was also suspended for nine internationals and fined 100,000 Swiss francs (112,000 dollars) for what was his third offence of biting an opposition player.


Popular Chinese retail website Taobao has retailers offering bottle openers in a cartoon image of Suarez, looking angry with his mouth wide open, for 16.80 yuan ($2.70).


The China Daily newspaper reported that the products were proving popular.


"I came up with the idea the night I watched the game and saw the bite," Wang Lin, who owns an e-shop on Taobao.com, told the paper.


"It has been a good sales idea, the only problem being that the manufacturing process cannot keep up with demand," he added.


The bottle openers are not the first fun response to Suarez's bite -- an online Swedish sex shop unveiled a "Suarez nipple clamp" in the form of the footballer's head, teeth bared, for 33 euros ($45).


AFP


6.50 pm: Wonderful animation on Robben's diving


Well, Robben's got Costa Rica worried with his diving skills. Here is a wonderful animation on Robben's art of diving and what we can expect from him against Coast Rica. "It's like Total Football – except completely different."



6.20 pm: Costa Rica worried about Arjen Robben's dives


Costa Rica issued a plea to the referee on Friday to keep an eye on Arjen Robben's diving.


The Netherlands forward earned an injury-time penalty in the second round of the World Cup, giving his team a 2-1 win over Mexico. Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto is worried about more of the same when his team faces the Dutch in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Salvador.


"FIFA and referees, please watch out. That could be a crucial factor in the match," Pinto said. "This is very important, Robben's diving. ... That makes us worry a lot."


Throughout his career, the 30-year-old Robben has had a reputation for frequently falling and looking for a penalty or free kick. The Bayern Munich forward went down theatrically under a soft challenge late in the match against Mexico, but said the penalty was legitimate. He also said he dived in the first half.


"Robben is a great player, but he has this nasty reputation of frequently diving on the pitch," Pinto said, adding the Netherlands winger should be given a yellow card by referee Irmatov Ravshan if he dives.


"Well, that might be a logical solution," Pinto said. "He would start thinking about making another dive as he as he could leave the pitch with two yellow cards."


AP


5.45 pm: 25 of the best World Cup photos ever


The Guardian has come up with a beautiful gallery of 25 of the best World Cup photos. From the iconic picture of Diego Maradona taking on the entire Belgium team to Zinedine Zidane's reaction after the dramatic sending off in the World Cup 2006 final against Italy. Joys, sorrows, ecstasy, brilliance, agony, almost every emotion captured brilliantly in this slideshow. Click here to view this wonderful piece of work from The Guardian sports picture editor, Jonny Weeks.


5.30 pm: Lionel Messi wishes Neymar prompt recovery


Four-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi wished his Barcelona team-mate Neymar a quick recovery after the Brazil star Brazil suffered a fractured vertebrae ruling him out of the remainder of the World Cup.


"Neymar, I hope that you recover very quickly," wrote the Argentinian on his Facebook page alongside a photgraph of the two stars in their Barcelona shirts.


Neymar was carried off grimacing in agony after an aerial collision with Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga towards the end of the contest. The 22-year-old got a knee in the back.


"The exam showed he suffered a fracture of the third vertebrae" in his back, Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said.


AFP


5.00 pm: Argentina fans swamp Brazil's capital hoping for more Messi magic


Salivating over the prospect of a potential World Cup final against their hosts, thousands of Argentina fans have poured into Brazil's capital Brasilia for Saturday's quarter-final against Belgium.


To cope with the soccer 'invasion' by Brazil's "brother" nation and major rival authorities have fitted out Brasilia's parks with showers and loos, drinking water supplies and a giant screen.


The two South American giants still have work to do before they can dream of a first ever final meeting.


File picture of Lionel Messi. Reuters

File picture of Lionel Messi. Reuters



Brazil, shorn of their star player Neymar, have the small matter of a semi-final against Germany and Argentina need to get past Belgium, then either the Netherlands or Costa Rica.


But the very idea they might meet on July 13 in Rio's Maracana is already stoking passions.


"Argentina will get to the final and win the Cup," shouted Argentinian student Federico Brandolini, 23 -- who is staying with his 21-year-old Brazilian friend Moroni Chaves.


Chaves has a slightly different view.


"They think they're on their way to the final but Argentina won't get past Belgium and it will stop there for them.


"Brazil will be champions," he insisted, even with the loss of Neymar through injury and skipper Thiago Silva also due to miss the last four clash because of suspension.


"Argentina and Brasil consider each other as the cream of South American football and that fuels huge sporting rivalry," says Raul Bernal-Mezza, professor of international relations at Buenos Aires University, who has spent years in Brazil.


"All Argentinians want Brazil to lose and all Brazilians want Argentina to lose."


For Argentinian fans, "Messi is going to bag us the Cup; Maradona is greater than Pele," has been their constant refrain during this year's competition.


For the Belgian game, the Brasilia authorities have laid on a huge campsite in an exhibition park to the north of the city with space for the tens of thousands of fans who have made the trip.


AFP


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