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- Brazil v Croatia: World Cup 2014 live!
- Englands Joe Hart keeps feet on ground after recovery from bad patch
- Manaus stadium in frantic rush to be ready for England v Italy match
- Englands Danny Welbeck says he is fit for World Cup opener with Italy
- Everton secure Roberto Martínezs services for another five years
- Anti-World Cup protests in Brazilian cities mark countdown to kick-off
- Opening ceremony of World Cup 2014 in Brazil - in pictures
- Italy uncertainty as defensive flaws keep starting spots up for grabs
- Readers recommend: songs about narcissism
- World Cup 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo makes Portugal sweat after limping off
- World Cup 2014: Iker Casillas and Xavi live in hope of second trophy
- Italy will play on the floor against England despite poor Manaus pitch
- Argentinas defence will not be achilles heel, says Ezequiel Garay
- World Cup 2014: Brazil v Croatia in pictures
- Americans, what matters more to you: the World Cup or the Olympics?
- World Cup 2014 opening ceremony as it happened
- Aleksandar Kolarov signs new three-year deal with Manchester City
- World Cup 2014: Holland fan drives truck from San Francisco to Salvador
- Venue for Spain and Holland opener may not be finished for Friday
- World Cup referee error would boost TV replay idea, says FAs Alex Horne
- In Rio and Manaus Fifa's racketeers will show they are the only game in town
- Germanys Manuel Neuer will start against Portugal as shoulder recovers
- 292. Neymar
- Costa Rica coach: We respect England but they should know we can play
| Brazil v Croatia: World Cup 2014 live! Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:42 PM PDT
80 min: Croatia made another substitution a couple of minutes ago. Nikica Jelavic trooped off after a fairly quiet evening and was replaced by Ante Rebic, a whelpish centre-forward who plies his trade with Fiorentina in Serie A.
78 min: Neymar goes on a mazy run through the middle of the pitch to the edge of the Croatia penalty area and tries to pick out Fred with a killer-pass. It's intercepted. Moments previously, David Luiz had snuffed out a goal-threat from Ivan Perisic with an industrial challenge that took the Croatian winger out over the bye-line.
76 min: Oscar whips in as splendid cross from the right flank, which David Luiz heads wide at the far post. If the centre-half had left the ball, Neymar was roaring in behind him and in a much better position to rifle the ball home. Clambering to his feet, Luiz ruffles the hair of Neymar by way of apology.
73 min: Stipe Pletikosa will be devastated he didn't save that penalty. Neymar's run-up was stuttering and the goagoalkeeper did well to stand his ground and guess the right way. The right-footed shot, when it came, was the perfect height for a goalkeeper and despite guessing the right way and getting a strong hand on the ball, Pletikosa was left holding his head in frustration after failing to keep it out.
Brazil's best player scores, but only just. Pletikosa dived to his right and got both hands on the ball, but couldn't prevent it from going past him. That's shocking - he should have kept that out.
68 min: Dejan Lovren brings down Fred as he tried to turn in the penalty area. That's a poor decision - replays suggest the striker seems to have fallen over. Lovren gets booked.
66 min: Vedran Corluka concedes a free-kick about 25 yards out, more or less straight in front of goal, for fouling Neymar after gifting the Brazilian possession with a loose pass to Ivan Rakitic. The defender is booked for his troubles, taking a yellow card for the team with his damage-limiting late lunge.
65 min: Vrsaijko and Olic and combine well down the left wing, trying to create an opening. The ball's crossed to the left and Brazil win possession and embark on a counter attack.
64 min: Brazil substitution: Inter midfielder Hernanes comes on in place of Paulinho.
62 min: Modric, Srna and Perisic combine on the edge of the Brazil penalty area, but fail to find an opening under more relentless pressure from the apparently tireless Brazilians.
60 min: Croatia make their first substitution. Marcelo Brozovic on for his second international appearance. Mateo Kovacic makes way.
56 min: Luka Modric plays a long pass into space on the inside right for Ivica Olic to chase. The striker does exactly that and is tripped by Dani Alves as he makes his way towards the penalty area. Julio Cesar wins the ball and Alves escapes a red card for preventing what could have been interpreted as a clear goal-scoring opportunity. A replay shows he was ball-watching when he clipped Olic's trailing leg and didn't foul the player intentionally.
54 min: Croatia win a throw-in deep in Brazil territory. The bal's pinged to Modric in space outside the penalty area, but his attempts to advance are halted by Neymar. The ball finds its way back to Julio Cesar, who launches it down the field. Croatia will need to build from the back again.
52 min: Perisic plays the ball to Modric in midfield and the Real Madrid creator then plays it wide to Srna on the right. Rakitic and Koacic are then brought into play, but Croatia make no ground. Their players are given little or no time to settle on the ball and advance due to the energetic attention of assorted Brazilian scurriers who are hell-bent on closing them down at the earliest opportunities.
49 min: More Brazil pressure, with Hulk cutting in from the right and attempting to pick out Fred with a pass that Corluka is forced to hack clear. Hulk gestures to his team-mate to work harder to get into scoring positions. Fred's barely had a touch of the ball so far.
48 min: Dani Alves gets forward, bombing up the right touchline with the ball at his feet. He sends in a cross, which Lovren heads clear.
Second half: No changes to either line-up as Brazil get the second half party started. The opening 90 seconds of the half kind of sums up the match in microcosm, with Brazil pressing relentlessly and energetically, while Croatia sit back and attempt to build from the back under extreme pressure.
An email from Richard Sillett: "Really nice to see a World Cup ball that flies straight," he writes. "All these long passes and crosses we're seeing must have something to do with having properly tested equipment." I don't know about that - perhaps the players are better than all those charlatans we saw poncing around the fields of South Africa. Whatever about the Brazuca v the Jabulani - I'll tell you what I don't miss: vuvuzelas.
Fair point, well made ... @bglendenning If that was a red card Sergio Ramos would never finish a game.
An email from Philip West: "Neymar claimed to be unsighted in his yellow card incident but the replay showed that he clearly looked at Modric and then went in with an elbow to the throat," he says. Football, bloody hell.
I have just seen it again. Not a red card, in my opinion. I thought Neymar caught Modric in the throat with a raised forearm while the pair monitored the ball as it sailed overhead. A booking seemed fair enough to me.
An email from Matt Cast: "Nice strike from Neymar, problem is he shouldn't have been on the pitch to score it," he says. "That elbow was a clear red card." Ah, I don't know if I agree with that. I thought he had his arm in Modric's face, but that it wasn't thuggish use of the elbow. I'll need to see it again, but my first impression was that only a very fussy referee would have issued a red card for that offence.
Half-time: Having played two minutes of added time, the referee brings the first half of the opening game of Brazil 2014. It's been a fascinating, intriguing match, with the hosts going ahead through an own goal off the right foot of Marcelo, before equalising through a long-range left-to-right effort from Neymar that went in off the foot off the right upright.
44 min: Olic loses the ball in space about five yards outside his own penalty area, getting robbed by Neymar as he attempted to turn in possession. Neymar skips into the Croatia penalty area, but fails to capitalise on Olic's hideous error. The relieved striker is subsequently given a thoroughly deserved rollocking by several team-mates.
41 min: Rakitic brings down Neymar just outside the Croatia penalty area. The defensive wall is formed and the referee marks out the 10 yards between it and the wall with a white line from the magic disappearing spray he's carrying in a holster around his waist. Neymar takes the free-kick; a poor effort which goes wide off the head of Rakitic. Nothing comes from the ensuing corner.
39 min: A good tackle from Vrsaijko, who goes to ground in the box to dispossess Hulk and break up a promising Brazil attack.
39 min: Croatia win a throw-in deep in the Brazil half. Vrsaijko chucks the ball to Kovacic, from where it wends its way to Rakitic, who loses it again, gifting Brazil an opportunity to counter-attack.
35 min: That goal seems to have settled Brazilian nerves. They're controlling the game now, allowing Croatia a fair bit of possession but keeping them at arm's length for the time being.
31 min: As Brazil celebrated their equaliser over by the dug-out, Croatia staged a lengthy inquest into the woeful play that allowed their hosts to score. Rakitic was one of three or four Croatia players around the ball in midfield, who let - I think - Oscar rob possession and wriggle clear before feeding Neymar, who galloped 10 or 15 yards forward before unleashing his shot. He didn't strike the ball particularly powerfully, but his accuracy was unerring. Croatia will feel aggrieved that he was even on the pitch, as he could conceivably have been sent off for the offence against Modric a few moments previously.
Neymar restores parity for his team, winning the ball in midfield and surging forward before unleashing a low drive from distance. The ball fizzes through a pair of Croatian legs, beyond the outstretched fingertips of the diving Pletikosa and creeps just inside the right upright. It's all square in Sao Paulo.
26 min: Neymar picks up the first yellow card of the tournament for playing fast and loose with his arm or elbow in an aeriel tussle with Luka Modric, who goes to ground holding the back of his head. There's a mini-stramash involving about 10 players as assorted Croatians attempt to exact retribution after rushing to the defence of their midfielder.
23 min: Sloppy play from Rakitic in defence, who allows Neymar to jink his way around him down by the bye-line and then pull back a cross to the edge of the six-yard box. He fails to pick out a team-mate to fire the ball into the gaping goal, but the ball eventually finds its way to Oscar, who brings a decent save out of Pletikosa with a left-footed drive through a thicket of bodies from the edge of the penalty area.
19 min: Dani Alves crosses from the right touchline, down by the corner flag. Croatia skipper Dario Srna attempts to clear, but scuffs his effort out for a throw-in at the far side. Moments previously, Paulinho had brought a smart save out of Pltikosa with a fierce diagonal drive from about 12 yards after powering his way into the box.
19 min: Dani Alves, who is not having one of his better games in defence, attempts to usher the ball out of play, only for Perisic to nip in behind him and attempt to hook in a cross before the ball rolls out of play. His effort is successful, but there's nobody in a Croatia shirt around to capitalise on his endeavour. Shoddy defending from the Brazilian full-back there.
16 min: Oscar floats a wonderful cross from deep to the far post of Pletikosa's goal, but it's a mite too high for both Neymar and Fred, who both contort their bodies acrobatically in a bid to connect with the ball before it goes out of play.
15 min: Croatia continue to give Brazil plenty to think about. This time it's Mateo Kovacic who drives into space and plays the ball to Olic, the veteran who seems to be doing the work of two or three men in these early stages. He appears to be fouled on the edge of the penalty area, but the referee ignores his appeals for a free-kick and waves play on.
13 min: Well, well, well ... who saw this coming? And more importantly, how will Brazil and their supporters react. Marcelo was rather unlucky there - he was unsighted as the ball rolled his way in the wake of Jelavic's miscue and couldn't really do much about the ball clanging goalwards off his foot.
A disaster for Brazil, who go behind in the opening game of their own World Cup. Ivan Rakitic drove forward and played the ball wide to Olic, who drilled in a low cross from the flank. Nikica Jelavic scuffed his shot as he tried to get in front of Thiago Silva and the ball rolled on to the hapless Marcelo, who accidentally shinned it past the hopelessly wrong-footed Julio Cesar and into his own net.
10 min: A corner for Brazil, which Neymar takes from the left. THe referee orders it to be retaken after having words with several players for pushing and pulling in the penalty area as they awaited the delivery. Neymar sends the ball into the area for a second time and Ivan Perisic clears.
7 min: Ivica Olic goes close with the best chance of the match thus far. Leaping high at the far post to get on the end of a cross from the right from Ivan Perisic, he beats Dani Alves in the air and powersw a decent downward header narrowly wide of the upright. Good effort, although he probably should have scored.
6 min: The ball's sent into the mixer - an outswinger to the far post from Marcelo. Thiago Silva leaps highest and heads the ball back across the face of goal, where David Luiz gets a touch on it, but not enough of one to trouble Stipe Pleticosa in the Croatia goal.
5 min: Vedran Corluka concedes a free-kick in a dangerous position after bundling over Hulk. David Luiz and Thiago Silva arrive into the Croatia penalty area as Neymar and Marcelo stand over the ball out on the left touchline.
3 min: Brazil are dominating possession in the early stages, but Ivica Olic mugs Dani Alves in possession beats Thiago Silva and sends in a cross from deep on the left flank. David Luiz leaps to clear. A nervy moment for Brazil, there.
2 min: Dani Aves sends in his first cross of the tournament, galloping up the right wing and swinging the ball into the penalty area, where Dejan Lovren clears with a meaty header.
Brazil 2014 is underway. At long last, the time for waiting is over and the football has started. Croatia get the ball rolling at this tournament, kicking off and playing from right to left.
What's all this now? The players of both teams line up around the the edge of centre-circle as three children holding doves walk out to the centre-spot and release their birds into the evening air. Needless to say, this is a Fifa initiative. For the love of all that's good and holy, how much more of this guff must we put up with?
Not long now: With each player placing his right hand on the shoulder of the player in front of him, the footballers of Brazil march out alongside their Croatian counterparts in single file. The Japanese referee removes the match Brazuca from the Fifa-approved plinth and the teams line up either side of the match officials. Croatia's anthem is first up and the players, wearing their customare red and white checked shirts and white shorts. Brazil's anthem is next. Their players, kitted out in yellow shirts and blue shorts, belt it out. When the music stops, they and their supporters sing a second verse just to be on the safe side. Their rendition concludes with a frenzied roar from players and fans alike.
The teams are in the tunnel: If you took the ludicrous 2-1 against Brazil wearing yellow shirts in their opening game that was on offer from a certain bookmaker trying to drum up business, you can go and collect. I've just seen Marcelo zip up his blue tracksuit top and the shirt underneath it is reassuringly canary yellow.
A little over 10 minutes to go before kick-off: Why not test your knowledge on Brazil and Croatia with our fiendishly difficult quiz.
A minor scare there for Brazil: During the warm-up, Neymar turned on his left ankle and went to ground grimacing from the pain as a nation gasped in horror. A physio dutifully ran on to the pitch to look after him and he seems to be OK.
ITV's coverage: That's what I'm watching tonight. Adrian Chiles is anchoring it in a studio overlooking the Copacabana beach in Rio, in the company of French World Cup winner Patrick Vieira, Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and Lee Dixon. They're occasionally handing over to court jester Ian Wright, who is down on the beach with Glenn Hoddle and Gordon Strachan, both of whom are wearing sunglasses.
Team news we've pulled from the news wires. Brazil will begin the World Cup with the same starting lineup that won last year's Confederations Cup. Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa, Sime Vrsaljko, Darijo Srna, Dejan Lovren, Vedran Corluka, Ivan Rakitic, Nikica Jelavic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivica Olic, Mateo Kovacic.
I was sold a bit of a pup there. One of the team line-ups I plagiarised from Twitter had Marcelo Brozovic in the Croatia line-up, but I've just seen a photo of the official team-sheet and Mateo Kovacic is one of three playmakers in their midfield alongside Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic.
A century of the Seleçao This video stars Brazil striker Fred and Fernando Duarte of Football Weekly fame, among others, and is well worth five minutes and nine seconds of anyone's time. Enjoy.
Brazil: Cesar; Alves, Silva, Luiz, Marcelo; Paulinho, Gustavo; Hulk, Oscar, Neymar; Fred. Croatia: Pletikosa; Srna, Corluka, Lovren, Vrsaijko; Kovacic, Modric; Rakitic, Perisic, Olic; Jelavic.
Some pre-match reading. If you haven't yet been swept away by or submerged under the sheer volume of pre-tournament reading material, here's some pertinent bumf on various players from Brazil and Croatia to delve into before play gets under way this evening. There's a profile of Brazil defender Thiago Silva, some secrets behind the Brazil players, a profile of Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic and some fun facts and trivia regarding various Croatia players which can be found on our Fans Network.
The Brazil 2014 opening ceremony has just concluded. Jacob Steinberg attempted to make sense of it all in this live blog.
The Guardian World Cup Show is here: The very first episode is now available. Nat Coombs presents all of the news from the lead-up to the World Cup kick-off, in a show that also features footage off Jonathan Wilson moaning about how terrible everything is from a media centre in Brazil. Subscribe to the Guardian Football YouTube channel to catch all future episodes.
Croatia tactics: "There are few nations that love playmakers as much as Croatia," writes Michael in his pre-tournament assessment. "And national team coach Niko Kovac appears set to field three together in a highly creative midfield trio." Fitness permitting, the trio in question will be Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mateo Kovacic and their manager has already scoffed at the notion that his team will "park the bus" against Brazil or anyone else. Michael says Cratia will play a 4-2-3-1. although the midfield triangle could be flipped. He says their strength is that they can "dominate the ball against anyone", while their weakness is a "lack of pace and poor positioning at the back".
Brazil tactics: You can get the full low-down on what Guardian tactics expert Michael Cox expects from Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil in this tournament by clicking on this link, but in summary he says they're expected to win this tournament after two disappointing quarter-final exits in 2010 and 2006. If they are to do so, says Michael, it will be with the help of central midfielders that are "extremely basic and functional", full-backs that "bomb on" and attackers who "combine nicely". He goes on to say that this is "the most European side Brazil have ever taken to a World Cup: the shape is 4-2-3-1, the speed of transitions are very quick and the attackers work hard without the ball."
Croatia's national anthem: ABC frontman Martin Fry, who had a string of hits including Poison Arrow and the Look of Love back in the 1980s, did the honours for Croatia's anthem. Here's what he thought.
Trouble in São Paulo. Far be it from me to harsh everyone's buzz on such an exciting occasion, but it's been well-documented that the build-up to this tournament has been less than peachy and earlier today, police fired teargas and flash grenades at a group of the country's many anti-World Cup protestors who were attempting to block part of the main highway leading to the stadium where the opening match of the tournament is being staged. Shasta Darlington, CNN's Brazil bureau chief, was injured in the disturbance and suffered a suspected broken arm. Here's hoping she has a speedy recovery.
Coh-mooh es-tah, everybody?! After an often troubled gestation period of seven years, the World Cup is finally finally! upon us and before the evening is out, football fans everywhere will have inked the first of 64 different international football results on to their currently pristine Brazil 2014 wallcharts. The hosts take on Croatia at the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo to get the Brazuca quite literally rolling and we'll have plenty of build-up and team news in the countdown to the Brazil 2014 kick-off. In the meantime, I can think of no better scene-setter to get the blood racing than this splendid piece on the Copa das Copas by Barney Ronay, who is in São Paulo for The Guardian. Continue reading... |
| Englands Joe Hart keeps feet on ground after recovery from bad patch Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT Experiences of defeat by Italy at Euro 2012 and his subsequent loss of form has taught goalkeeper that sometimes my best isnt good enough Continue reading...  |
| Manaus stadium in frantic rush to be ready for England v Italy match Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT Groundstaff still treating pitch that is sandy, hard and dry Car park not fully sealed as construction continues The new Arena Amazônia appeared unprepared on Thursday night to stage its first event, just 24 hours before it hosts Englands opening World Cup fixture against Italy, with groundsmen still attempting to improve the state of the pitch and cosmetic work ongoing inside and outside the stadium. The Football Associations technical staff chose not to visit the ground on Thursday evening, after the teams four-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro, even though there have been admissions from the ground staff at the stadium that the pitch is not up to scratch. It was sandy, hard and dry despite a drenching from a lengthy rainstorm that had swept over the city the previous evening and a day of almost constant watering, with no prospect of much short-term improvement. Continue reading... |
| Englands Danny Welbeck says he is fit for World Cup opener with Italy Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:30 PM PDT Manchester United forward will train in Manaus on Friday Dutchman Björn Kuipers will referee England v Italy Continue reading...  |
| Everton secure Roberto Martínezs services for another five years Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:19 PM PDT Everton have rewarded Martínez for impressive first season I am delighted to have been given the opportunity Everton have moved quickly to reward Roberto Martínez for his impressive first season at Goodison Park by securing their manager on a new five-year contract. Martínez guided Everton to a fifth-place finish on 72 points, the clubs highest total in the Premier League era, while introducing a new style of adventurous play in his first campaign since replacing David Moyes. Continue reading... |
| Anti-World Cup protests in Brazilian cities mark countdown to kick-off Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:18 PM PDT Protesters in São Paulo try to block the road to the stadium while in Rio de Janeiro 1000 people march with 'Fifa go home' banners Continue reading...  |
| Opening ceremony of World Cup 2014 in Brazil - in pictures Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:05 PM PDT All the glitz and the glamour and some rather odd-looking walking vegetation at the opening ceremony of World Cup 2014 in São Paulo, Brazil Continue reading... |
| Italy uncertainty as defensive flaws keep starting spots up for grabs Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT World Cup-winning Italian side of 2006 was famed for frugality, but Englands first opponents are lacking in reliability at the back Continue reading...  |
| Readers recommend: songs about narcissism Posted: 12 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT Selfishness, self-interest or self-absorption, let's reflect on and name songs on inward-looking attitudes and the me, me, me  |
| World Cup 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo makes Portugal sweat after limping off Posted: 12 Jun 2014 01:19 PM PDT Concern grows after Real Madrid forward cuts short training Tendinitis in left knee thought to be cause of his discomfort Cristiano Ronaldo cut short a training session with Portugal on Thursday, and was forced to leave the field with an ice pack over his left knee indicating that his tendinitis may still be bothering the Real Madrid forward. Ronaldo trained with the rest of the team for about 15 to 20 minutes, doing physical exercises, but then did not take part in the rest of the session with full ball drills. Instead, the 29yearold stretched on his own and signed replica shirts for fans before going to sit on the bench. Continue reading... |
| World Cup 2014: Iker Casillas and Xavi live in hope of second trophy Posted: 12 Jun 2014 01:08 PM PDT Spains captain and vice-captain are ready for Holland 2010 World Cup winning pair have combined total of 286 caps Continue reading...  |
| Italy will play on the floor against England despite poor Manaus pitch Posted: 12 Jun 2014 01:07 PM PDT Long-ball route rejected even though surface likely to be bad Italy may be without the Milan defender Mattia De Sciglio Andrea Barzagli has said that Italy will do everything they can to keep the ball on the ground when they face England on Saturday, despite the poor state of the pitch in Manaus. The Italy defender, one of six Juventus players in the squad, admitted on Friday that Cesare Prandellis team would have little to gain from playing long balls in the heat. We have tried different ways of making life difficult for the English defence. Ball on the ground, always, never in the air, because our opponents are very strong in the air. The organisers will do everything they can to get the pitch in a good state. Continue reading... |
| Argentinas defence will not be achilles heel, says Ezequiel Garay Posted: 12 Jun 2014 12:58 PM PDT Lionel Messi will handle expectations says Lucas Biglia Argentina play Bosnia on Sunday in Group F opener Continue reading...  |
| World Cup 2014: Brazil v Croatia in pictures Posted: 12 Jun 2014 12:52 PM PDT All the best pictures from the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo where Brazil kick-off the 2014 World Cup against Croatia Continue reading...  |
| Posted: 12 Jun 2014 12:08 PM PDT |
| Americans, what matters more to you: the World Cup or the Olympics? Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:45 AM PDT We live in a nation-centric sports culture. This is a country that invented two sports that only we play. One has a World Series. The other stole the name of a sport that already existed. So let's put two events that the world loves head-to-head: both are meant to conjure national pride on the global stage. Both have us chanting U-S-A. Which do you like better? Continue reading...  |
| World Cup 2014 opening ceremony as it happened Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:42 AM PDT Relive the buildup to the first day of the World Cup in Brazil, including the opening ceremony Continue reading... |
| Aleksandar Kolarov signs new three-year deal with Manchester City Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:40 AM PDT 28-year-old Serbia defender joined club in 2010 I am very happy and very proud of this new contract Continue reading...  |
| World Cup 2014: Holland fan drives truck from San Francisco to Salvador Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:39 AM PDT Oude Kamphuis takes Chevrolet on a five-month journey Dutchman is mobbed by football fans and local children Continue reading...  |
| Venue for Spain and Holland opener may not be finished for Friday Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:36 AM PDT Clouds of dust envelop Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador  |
| World Cup referee error would boost TV replay idea, says FAs Alex Horne Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:23 AM PDT Sepp Blatter suggested managers could challenge decisions Im not a massive fan of interrupting a game, says Horne Continue reading...  |
| In Rio and Manaus Fifa's racketeers will show they are the only game in town Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:16 AM PDT The English FA should quit the thieves who run this obscene World Cup. But Blatter can relax: chauvinism will, as always, come first Continue reading...  |
| Germanys Manuel Neuer will start against Portugal as shoulder recovers Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:15 AM PDT No1 goalkeeper comes through training and is ready to go Philipp Lahm injury worries recede, but he will play in midfield Germanys first-choice goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, has recovered from a shoulder injury and will start Mondays match against Portugal after training with the team on Thursday, the coach, Joachim Löw, said. The injury situation is causing me less and less concern, a visibly relieved Löw said. Manuel Neuer took part in training today and he is ready to go on Monday. Continue reading... |
| Posted: 12 Jun 2014 11:00 AM PDT |
| Costa Rica coach: We respect England but they should know we can play Posted: 12 Jun 2014 10:53 AM PDT Los Ticos not fazed by facing three former world champions Uruguays Tabárez warns against complacency on Saturday The Costa Rica coach, Jorge Luis Pinto, has fired a warning to his countrys group D opponents England, Uruguay and Italy. Los Ticos, who resumed training on Tuesday within hours of arriving at their southern training camp in Santos, face Uruguay on Saturday and Pinto has arrived in Brazil in confident mood. Only eight countries have ever won the World Cup, and they include Costa Ricas three group opponents, but Pinto does not seem overly concerned. We respect England, Italy and Uruguay. But they should know that we can play football too, he said on Thursday. Continue reading... |
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