> FIFA tells USSF to prepare for a 2022
re-vote and would look at it hard! 
Match 1: BRA v. CRO
Date: Thursday June 12, 2014
Venue: Arena Corinthians Sao
Paulo
PANDO! or GORDO? Pando! &
Gordo?
PANDO because it certainly wasn't boring, but GORDO because BRA
certainly looked beatable and would have no chance if the WC was played away
from BRA .. ..
A completely
deceiving 3-1 final score > A match that a thoroughly-vulnerable BRAZIL was
very lucky to win .. .. And, another strong lesson in that GOALKEEPER is the
most important position on the pitch .. ..
A shocked Arena
Corinthians saw CROATIA go up 1-0 in the 11th minute when ole vet IVICA OLIC
sent in a hard cross from L/Flank that bounced in off MARCELO who whiffed
initially .. .. Shortly after, the lights went off in half the stadium - an
omen?
NEYMAR equalized in the
27th minute when he was at the top of the 'D' and hit a L/Footed grounder that
was able to get under STIPE PLETIKOSA into the L/Right .. ..
The nimble, agile
OSCAR continued his fine match when he
snapped a pass from the R/Flank to FRED
who generously was awarded a PK when DEJAN LOVREN tapped him with his purse and
referee YUICHI NISHIMURA generously gave BRA the spot-kick .. .. At full-speed,
it might have looked that he was tugged down, but even if that happened, it was
awfully weak .. .. very bad call .. .. NEYMAR
then stroked the PK home > U/Left even though PLETIKOSA got both hands
to it .. ..
OSCAR then cemented the
win when he ran through the weary CRO defense on the Left and hit a hard,
R/Footed toe-poke > L/Left in stoppage time .. .. A third goal past a seemingly slow-reacting
PLETIKOSA .. .. He started the match off with a fine save but was very slow to
react to the three BRA netters .. ..
CRO could have
come away with all three points with some decent GK play and BRA was
underwhelming .. .. With NEYMAR nursing a gimpy ankle all week and the
half-speed preparation by BRA leading up to the opener, there's going to be a
sad evening for BRA somewhere during the Festival .. ..
BRA MoM: OSCAR (club:
Chelsea)
Mercurial 22YO was the hero of the 2011 U-20 WORLD CUP and was a worthy
inclusion to the senior side .. .. Surely not built like HULK, but was active,
nimble and agile all over the pitch and was able to dance through CRO and work
his way out of tackles .. .. His pass > FRED set up BRAs second goal and put
the match away in extra-time .. .. TERRIFIC!
CRO
MoM: LUKA
MODRIC (club: Real Madrid)
The 'Croatrian
Cruyff' pulled all the strings for CRO and displayed his terrific close-control
all match long .. .. Almost every CRO threat started at his feet .. .. Also
tracked back to help out and get stuck in when BRA attacked .. .. MODRICs
Grandfather was executed by Serb forces during the Balkan conflict .. ..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WIN OR GO HOME?
What
happens when you get to the 2014 World Cup for your first match .. ..
If you LOST your last Friendly
before your first Group Match = xW – xL – xD = x pts
If you WON your last Friendly
before your first Group Match = 1W – 1L – xD = 3 pts
If you DREW your last Friendly
before your first Group Match = xW – xD – xL = x pts
========================================================================
EXPERIENCE! Yeah, or neh?
How players do when they came to
BRA with 5 caps, or less .. ..
0W -- 0L
-- 0D
========================================================================
PANDO! or GORDO? SIDE OF THE TOURNAMENT
GK:
D:
M: NEYMAR (BRA) -- OSCAR (BRA) -- Luka MODRIC (CRO)
F:
Bench:
 |
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