Sunday, June 29, 2014

2014 World Cup Round of 16…Day 2

Well, Chile didn't wind up winning the PKs like I wanted them to do, but that game wen't pretty much as I expected it to.

I can say the same for Colombia, as Uruguay looked impotent without Suarez (were you expecting Bokoils to say they had no bite) and Colombia eased out to a 2-0 victory.  The eyes of everyone that wants to see Brazil go down now turns to them.

Netherlands over Mexico - Mexico are that side that will almost always play up to the level of its opponent; it's the pride.  They were brave in the Brazil match and were motivated by all the shit Croatia talked before that match.  Don't they know that you never wind up a Mexican like that?  Once insulted, with the spirit and pride worked up, they will fight you to the death…ask Greg Haugen.

I presume the Netherlands are keeping quiet.  I also presume they will have too much firepower.  After two matches played with an attack of pride, the Mexicans will eventually succumb.

Costa Rica over Greece - this is as close to anybody's match as we'll have in this round.  It was said that only Greece could score only two goals in the group stage and still advance, but I was there in 1994 to see Italy do the same.  Granted, Italy did better than a defensive howler and a dubious Samaras penalty for its two.

Costa Rica, on the other hand, defeated Uruguay, albeit without Suarez and Italy.  They are not quite the darlings that Colombia are, but those are two significant scalps.  They've got Joel Campbell, who played his club ball in Greece this year and has stated that he will school his side on how the Greeks play- what…there is no game film- and how to break them down.  Huh?!?  What Greeks?  It's not like Olympiakos has any Greeks in the side.  He should be more concerned about not getting dragged into a patented Greece mudfight.

Regardless, while Greece's 3-0 thumping from Colombia doesn't look as bad, if the best they could manage was to just about defeat a uncharacteristically cautious Ivory Coast, they should not overcome any Costa Rican flair.

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