One of Brazil's top players, Neymar, elbowing, not called by the ref. Same Ref who red carded a Brazilian against Netherlands in 2010.
Posted on 06/13/2014 1:58:16 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Neymar saved Brazil's blushes as a controversial late penalty saw him strike a double to give the hosts a 3-1 win over Croatia.
The Barcelona forward converted a hotly disputed spot-kick 19 minutes from time after Fred tumbled under minimal contact from Dejan Lovren.
It capped a superb night for the 22-year-old on a personal level as he marked his 50th cap for his country by drilling in a low 25-yard effort just shy of the half hour after Niko Kovac's side had silenced a buoyant home crowd.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.eurosport.yahoo.com ...
That was the worst call I’ve ever seen in World Cup play. I feel bad for Croatia.
The star of the official tournament song We Are One (Ola Ola) emerged on stage at the opening ceremony in what can best be described as a pair of white pants he stole from his cohort Jennifer Lopez.
Interestingly, Lopez, aka J-Lo, wore a similar pair of high-waisted, stark white, ankle-baring chinos during her appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this week, where together with host Jimmy Fallon she performed the sketch ''Tight Pants''.
▶ We Are One (Stolen Mankle Pants, Ole Ola) Opening Ceremony Brazil World Cup 2014
Spain, the reigning world and European champions, meet Netherlands in a repeat of the 2010 final, one of three fixtures as the tournament gets into full swing.
Mexico v Cameroon
Spain v Netherlands
Chile v Australia
In one of the quirks of the draw for Brazil, Spain opens the defense of its title against the country it beat in the championship decider in Johannesburg four years ago.
But while Vicente Del Bosque's team has stuck to its attacking philosophy, Holland coach Louis van Gaal is packing his defense and hoping one of his three star forwards, Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben or Wesley Sneijder, can snatch a goal on the counterattack in their Group B opener at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.
A tasty rematch in 2014's first trio
13 June 2014 marks a first in FIFA World Cup™ history: the two finalists from the previous edition will go head-to-head in the group stage four years on. Reigning champions Spain go into the tournament having prolonged their stranglehold by defending their UEFA European Championship title at EURO 2012, where they beat Italy in the final. The Netherlands, on the other hand, suffered a hangover from their defeat in the South Africa 2010 showpiece and lost all three of their group fixtures at the EUROs, falling to Germany, Portugal and Denmark. However, having sailed through qualifying as usual, Arjen Robben and Co are out for revenge against La Roja.
▶ World Cup Team Profile: SPAIN - YouTube
▶ World Cup Team Profile: NETHERLANDS - YouTube
Cameroon also fluked into the Cup, after Togo lost points on a technicality. And the team has bickered with its administration over bonus money. The signs are not auspicious.
Epic Mexican commentator: "We love you forever and ever...God Bless America!" - YouTube
▶ World Cup Team Profile: MEXICO - YouTube
▶ World Cup Team Profile: CAMEROON - YouTube
Striker Eduardo Vargas and midfielder Arturo Vidal were joint top-scorers for Chile in the qualifiers with five apiece — Australia rely heavily for goals on veteran Tim Cahill, who holds the national record of 32 in 68 appearances.
Socceroos quietly hope to spring a World Cup surprise against Chile
Virtually everyone has written off the Socceroos, and every day a new global media outlet steps forward with a fresh, data-assisted spin on the near-impossibility of their task. But Ange Postecoglou will surely be hoping that the disjuncture between appearance and reality, magically at work in the city that fans out around the Arena Pantanal, will somehow rub off on this Australian team, so easily cast aside in the global consciousness as a cute and willing band of friendly no-hopers.
The Socceroos take to the field on Friday night (8am Saturday AEST) in hope more than anything else, but the hope comes with a decent foothold in reasoned expectation. Performances in the warm-up games have traced an encouraging arc of improvement, and the starting XI now has a pleasantly settled, familiar look to it.
▶ World Cup Team Profile: AUSTRALIA - YouTube
▶ World Cup Team Profile: CHILE - YouTube
Some commentators suggested that FIFA should use refs from the bigger leagues from Europe or S. America for the opening game. The J-League is not one of the world’s best.
One of Brazil's top players, Neymar, elbowing, not called by the ref. Same Ref who red carded a Brazilian against Netherlands in 2010.
Though I wouldn’t want to say “corrupt”, favoring one side is what sounds like what happened. Not strictly incompetence. Shoddy officiating has plagued the World Cups, discussed in yesterday’s thread.
In 2010, 4 refs sent home, 2 from Europe, 1 from South America, 1 from Africa.
“Four referees who found themselves at the centre of embarrassing World Cup blunders left for home on Tuesday after failing to make the shortlist for the remainder of the tournament.
Uruguay’s Jorge Larrionda, the man who missed Frank Lampard’s ‘goal’ in England’s 4-1 defeat to Germany, is on the hit-list.
Italian official Roberto Rosetti, who allowed Carlos Tevez’s header to stand despite the Argentinian striker being offside against Mexico, is also heading home.
France’s Stephane Lannoy and Koman Coulibaly of Mali also missed out on the list of 19 referees released by FIFA to officiate from the quarter-finals onwards.”
http://www.soccernews.com/lampard-blunder-referee-goes-home/40663/
Filled out a spreadsheet in a contest about 10 days ago, so not as good as when you can change your mind at the last moment.
I predicted Mexico/Cameroon and Netherlands/Spain to draw, Chile to win.
Mejicanos al grito de la guerra, da da da da da, un soldado en cada hijo que dio,
si un ememigo extrano....
BEEF JERKY TIME! Go Cameroon!
Mexico is outplaying Cameroon big time, so far, but still 0-0.
Mexico got screwed.
Mexico got screwed.
________________________________
Maybe, but it’s only an fricken game. Meanwhile we are being royally screwed by Mexico.
Fmex
I’m tracking how many goals are scored by club team. So far:
Barcelona 2 (Neymar)
Chelsea 1 (Oscar)
Real Madrid -1 (Marcelo)
Mexico disallowed goals. When one checks neutral forums, it’s apparent they think it’s a bad call or 2, linesman could have been overruled in 2nd goal, went off some say a Cameroon player’s head.
Jay Demerit and the other guy, forget his name said as much on ESPN. This officiating... can’t believe they can’t get this right. That’s the big knock on soccer but it is usually quite a bit less in the Premier League. This is atrocious.
Poor guy...what a start to his World Cup.
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