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Posted on 06/17/2014 10:58:24 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Monday night's World Cup match between the U.S. and Ghana drew 15.9 million viewers total between the two channels carrying the game, ESPN and Univision, according to preliminary overnight Nielsen ratings. The figure set World Cup viewership records for both networks.
The ratings trounced the audience for the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup finals on Friday, which attracted 6 million TV viewers. Perhaps more surprising, the viewership numbers for the soccer game had an admirable showing against Sunday's National Basketball Association finals game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat, which attracted 17.9 million viewers.
Tweet volume in the U.S before and after John Brooks' game-winner for #USMNT .
While I've never loved the game, it is easy to see why the appeal is growing. There are very few stoppages of play. No huddles like in football. No continual stopping the clock for free throws. No waiting for something to happen like in baseball.
In my small southern town, football is still king, but baseball is dying. It's hard for Little League to put together enough teams. Soccer, on the other hand, is HUGE. Lots of kids play.
Off topic: when I lived in Maryland, lacrosse was a big sport. I've never understood why that hasn't become a more popular sport in the South.
Guillermo Ochoa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Poll - FIFA World Cup: Is Guillermo Ochoa’s save the greatest ever?If you watched the Brazil-Mexico match, one moment stands out.
Guillermo Ochoa’s magnificent save on Neymar kept Brazil off the scoresheet.
The 28-year-old goalkeeper for Mexico’s national team wowed spectators when he made six saves during the match against Brazil, refusing to let star player Neymar -– or anyone else on Brazil’s team for that matter -– score.
It was an amazing performance by Ochoa, who came up big time and time again for coach Miguel Herrera’s team.
Guillermo Ochoa memes sweep the internet after Mexico goalkeeper thwarts Brazil
More like "the Mexican Tomaszewski".*
*Old school England fans will get it.
Gordie Banks on Pele is the greatest save ever.
Brazil 0:0 Mexico Match Highlights
World Cup 2014: Guillermo Ochoa heroics for Mexico deny Brazil
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa sensationally kept Brazil at bay to earn Mexico a 0-0 draw in World Cup Group A in Fortaleza on Tuesday.
Brazil and Barcelona star Neymar twice came closest to breaking the deadlock in each half but both times was thwarted by point blank saves by man-of-the-match Ochoa.
World goes berserk for incredible ‘six-fingered’ goalkeeper Ochoa
Cue praise from the social media brigade:
LoL!
Ochoa said: "No doubts it was the greatest game of my life, it's not easy to have a performance like this against the home team.
“Neymar’s header was the most complicated save.
"We knew it was going to be a difficult match. Brazil is always tough and in their home stadium," he added.
“We knew they would give twice the effort but it is good point for us and good for us in this group."
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brazil | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 2. | Mexico | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
| 3. | Cameroon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4. | Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
| 2. | Chile | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3. | Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4. | Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Colombia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2. | Côte d'Ivoire | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3. | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4. | Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Costa Rica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2. | Italy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3. | England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4. | Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2. | Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3. | Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4. | Honduras | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 2. | Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3. | Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4. | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
| 2. | USA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3. | Ghana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4. | Portugal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Belgium | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 2. | Russia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3. | Korea Republic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4. | Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
"What is important now is three points. First we have to recover and then put the focus on the next game against Russia. We will be looking to continue to build on this momentum."
Belgium 2:1 Algeria Match Highlights
(I like Australia, but they have little business being in the World Cup. Holland OTOH, can go far in this tourney)
The Zenit St Petersburg striker was brought on after rival substitute Lee Keun-Ho put South Korea ahead with a shot that Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev disastrously parried over his head into the net.
The result left both countries trailing Belgium who head the Group H table after beating Algeria 2-1 earlier.
Russia, who host the 2018 finals, were looking to make an impact in their landmark return.
Russia 1:1 Korea Republic Match Highlights
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