World Cup: Di Maria in the 118th minute led Argentina to the quarterfinals!

Angel Di Maria beat the last referee’s whistle in extra time and a goal in 118 minutes led Argentina to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Brazil! South Americans are by “the muscle” defeated “watchmakers” regarding the bare striker of Real Madrid 1-0.

The chosen ones of  Alejandro Sabella had much luck on several occasions during the match, the last time two minutes after the goal when Blerim Dzemaili hit the post just four meters away from goal! The ball then bounced off the post from his leg and went just wide! Argentina will on July 5 at Basil meet with Belgium in the fight for the semi-finals.

Dzemaili will regret for a long time because of the missed opportunity at 120th minute, and the same feeling is being present at Xhaka and Drmic, who in the first half found in almost ideal conditions to checkmate Romero.

Argentine goalkeeper blocked the strong earthy punch of Xhake in 28th minute, and ten minutes later Drmic’s sudden situation “one on one” with Romero ended in a fiasco. Swiss striker rushed to finish it off, decided to lob, but he did it so badly that he practically threw the ball to Argentine ‘keeper.

Before and after that Argentinians were dominated in possession, but the players of Ottmar Hitzfeld were the one who were more dangerous because they performed great counterattack through vigorous Shaqiri.

The most intense pressure the Swiss suffered from 57 to 67 minutes. Benaglio was in great difficulty, Messi’s shot went just over the bar, and Higuain tried to reply, but the Swiss defense was impregnable. Last chance at a regular time for the goal had Messi. His sharp-earth though kick was tamed by the great Benaglio.

In overtime there was not much excitement until the last two minutes of the period of the game. Previously, the only shot in the goal was from di Maria in the 107th minute. Although his attempt was very good, Benaglio again pointed out great.

And when everyone expected penalties, Lichteiner blunder occurred on the right side, in the middle of Switzerland’s field. This was followed by prompt action, the ball is in the finals of the same came to Messi, he postponed it until Di Maria and Real Madrid striker very measured and precise shot on the ground to further the angle, ultimately checkmate the phenomenal Benaglio.

Last chance to get the goal  Swiss had in the 124th minute, when elusive Shaqiri forced a foul 18 meters from goal. The same player hit a shot, but hit the “living wall”, after which the judge Johanson whistled the end of the match.

 

Argentina – Switzerland 1:0

Stadium: Arena Sao Paulo

Attendance: 63,255

Referee: Jonas Eriksson

Scorers: Di Maria 118

Booked: Rojo – Xhaka, Fernandes

Argentina: Romero – Zabaleta, Fernandes, Garaj, Roho (of 105 Basanta) – Mascherano, Gago (of 106 Products) Di Maria – Messi, Lavezzi (74 ‘Palacio), Higuain.

Coach: Alejandro Sabelja.

Switzerland: Benaglio – Lichteiner, Duro, Sar, Rodriguez – Behrami, Inler – Mehmedi (of 113 Dzemaili), Xhaka(of 66 Fernandes), Shaqiri – Drmic (of 82 Seferovic).

Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld.

World Cup: The Swiss have nothing to lose against the Argentines, Belgians and Americans decide about the final “visa”

The others are two unknowns for the final of the World Cup in Brazil. About vacancies in the company of the top eight football teams decide Argentines and Swiss, and Americans and Belgians.

In the field the first exit Argentines and Swiss, from 6pm CET, and it is clear that the title of the absolute favorites are “gauchos”. Regardless of expectations to provide the placement continues after 90 minutes, coach Alejandro Sabella leaves nothing to chance.

– Players are informally kicked penalties in training, but it’s very different on the game in front of tens of thousands of spectators, especially in the encounter to survive at the World Cup – said Sabella and stressed the importance of Lionel Messi in the team.

– He is important for the team. Maradona was important in his time, and now is the same with Messi. Plays fantastic, as everyone expected. Sabella is going up against an experienced trainer of “wolfs” Ottmar Hitzfeld. – I am convinced that we will have a chance. We are the underdogs, but we have nothing to lose, and much we can get. We gotta pull history, and every player his own personal history … In one game, anything is possible – said Hitzfeld.

The match will be played at the stadium in Sao Paulo, and will judge Swede Jonas Eriksson. In the previous six games Argentines won four times, and the Swiss never. Draw was only two times.

In Salvador, four hours later, the forces will meet the United States and Belgium, and the main arbiter will be Algeria’s Djamel Hajmudi, and selector of “Yankee” Jurgen Klinsmann was not very thrilled about that.

– He is currently doing his job excellent, but I’m not happy. He is coming from a country which played in the same group with Belgium, and Algeria is a country that we have eliminated the previous world championships – said Klinsmann.

One of the major threats to the American goal could be and Eden Azar, midfielder of Chelsea. – I still haven’t played a good game on the World Cup, even if I had a few good moves that they decided something – said Azar, while coach Mark Vilmots said it was time – More on the World Cup did not play a great game, even if I had a few good moves that they decided something – said Azar, while coach Mark Vilmots said it was time Azar to take responsibility.

– I expect that Azar completely take control of the game and impose himself as a leader in the field – said Vilmots.

In the past five games, the tradition is on the “red devil”, with four wins and only one defeat.

World Cup: Enyeama from the colonel to the deceased, French in top eight

Two cross of Mathieu Valbuena, two goals and earned placement of France in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. “Tricolore” have won against Nigeria in the next round – 2:0. That the result was different in any case, Vincent Enyeama would be an absolute hero of the nation, thus, the goalkeeper who defended eight shots in goal, at least five of them where everybody’s already seen the ball in the net; capitulated twice, the first time after his own error, and it is expensive costing  for his national team.

After 19 minutes, the hair is practically divided Emenike from the goal. Specifically, the attacker of Fenerbahce hit  the net of Hugo Lloris, but unfortunately was a bit ahead of the defense “cock” when Ahmed Musa took advantage of Mathieu Debuchy and centered.

Just three minutes later, Vincent Enyeama has tame volley from 12 meters after hitting Paul Pogba, which has already seen naked by many. Enyeama showed himself as the ‘keeper who likes strong game in these moments.

The French were lining up chances in the second half. 65 minutes was playing when the “Eagles” had to extract the ball out of the net from the goal line , but after a corner kick in the 74th Benzema shot sharply, again a player of Nigerians pulled it away, to be followed by a forceful blow Joana Cabaye who was stopped by an obstacle on the way to goal of Enyeama.

79 minutes was playing when the Enyeama excelled again. With one hand he threw the ball to a corner kick after Karim Benzema. However, the subsequent error of the ‘keeper, which cost Enyeama and Nigeria lot. He ran after the kick in the corner, misjudged the ball, shifted his hand on the head of Paul Pogba, who has been relentless.

How good goalkeeper Enyeama is despite previous mistake, was demonstrated when Grizman remained in the rubble a few minutes later, but was again excelled ‘keeper of Lille. In injury time Joseph Jobo turned a Valbuena shot to his own goal and that was it as far as this match.  France will play the semi-finals with the Germans, who won Algeria 2-1.

FRANCE – NIGERIA 2:0

Scorers: Pogba 79, Jobo AG 90 +2

Stadium: “Nacional”

Referee: Mike Geiger (USA)

Booked: Matuidi (54)

 

World Cup: Navas saved a penalty to Gekas, Costa Rica in the historic quarter-finals!

After 120 minutes of great battle, extra time and penalties, eventually is known the fourth participant in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Brazil. It is Costa Rica’s national football team, which is better on penalties – defeated Greece 5-3 and went to the quarterfinals where they await the Netherlands! This is the biggest success in the history of Costa Rica to the World Cup. In regular play and after the extra time the winner was not been determined- 1:1.

Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Keylor Navas stopped the fourth penalty kick of the series Theofanis Gekas, and the experienced Michael Umana verified the visa for the next round!

Costa Rica was on the verge to make the most of their success in the history of international football, having up to 91st minutes of a minimum score against Greece in Recife bare great Bryan Ruiz. However, in injury time, “Helen” was annulled advantage of Costa Rica, scoring defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, when it was expected to provide participation opponent in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. After hitting of Gekas, Papastathopoulos placed it in a net and brought Greeks overtime. However, there were no more goals and the participant of quarterfinals deciding penalties … Then Keylor Navas stopped Gekas’ kick and made ​​history …

Now are known two pairs of quarterfinals. The first will play Brazil and Colombia (July 4th), and the second the Netherlands and Costa Rica (July 5).

COSTA RICA – Greece 1:1, 5:3 after penalty

stadium “Arena Permanbuko” in Recife.

Attendance: 41,242.

Judge: Benjamin Williams (Australia)

Scorers: Ruiz 53 – 90 Papastathopoulos +1.

Penalties: Borges, Ruiz, Gonzales, Campbell precision – Mitroglou, Hristodopulos, Holebas – precision, while Gekas’ shot defended by Navas.

Booked: Duarte, Tejeda, Granados, Ruiz Navas – Samaris, Manolas.

Red Cards: Duarte 66 – Fernando Santos.

COSTA RICA: Navas, Gamboa (of 77 Acosta), Duarte, zoom out, Diaz, Gonzalez, Ruiz, Borges, Tejeda (of 66 Kuber), Bolanjos (of 83 Brenes), Campbell. Coach: Jorge Luis Pinto.

GREECE: Karnezis, Holebas, Papastathopoulos, Manolas, Torosidis, Samaris (of 58 Mitroglou), Karagounis, Maniatis (of 78 Katsouranis), Hristodulopulos, Samaras, Salpingidis (Gekas of 69). Coach: Fernando Santos.

World Cup: Schneider and Huntelaar prevent Mexicans to celebrate, the Netherlands in the quarterfinals

Netherlands football players are came in the World Cup as world vice-champions from South Africa, and in Brazil provided the quarterfinals. “Tulips” in the middle of eighth-finals of this year’s championship won by Mexico 2-1 after a big turnaround.

Mexicans took an advantage by Giovanni dos Santos, 48 minutes match played in Fortaleza, to shift brought Wesley Schneider and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the 88th and the fourth minute of stoppage. Huntelaar scored from the penalty spot after a penalty which was extorted Arjen Robben. Before that, Robben was twice outside the penalty area, but referee Pedro Proenca nothing gave. To qualify for the semi-finals the team of Louis van Gala have to fight with Costa Rica.