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Brazil are going to win the World Cup!
Don't think there's much to say to this other than that the only reason Brazil got the one goal is because Özil missed a big opportunity to get the 8th goal. If Germany plays like this on Sunday they'll take any team to the cleaners. Although Brazil were poor, I mean really poor, this was an outstanding performance that should have made both Netherlands and Argentina go "Oh fuck..."
COME ON DEUTSCHLAND!
COME ON DEUTSCHLAND!
Sarcastic Coffee Aficionado
this says my view .....
Go Netherlands .... Go Dutchboys .... take Argentina down so it can be a Germany vs Netherlands final!!
Go Netherlands .... Go Dutchboys .... take Argentina down so it can be a Germany vs Netherlands final!!
Big-haired Bitch/Personality Hire
LOL.
"What is the quality of your intent?" - Thurgood Marshall
Story Verifier
Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'having a Brazilian'.
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
Scarlet Seductress
I love that people kept uploading clips of the game to Pornhub. But did they put them under "gangbang" or "amateurs"?
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by VanGogh
this says my view .....
Go Netherlands .... Go Dutchboys .... take Argentina down so it can be a Germany vs Netherlands final!!
As long as they can stifle Messi, they stand a good chance.
I think Germany would be happier playing Argentina in the final.
Head Penguin
I actually saw this match. I felt sorry for all the people who were in tears in the crowd. It's only a game!!!
A steamy lesbian three way
Quote by LittleLuce
Brazil 1 Germany 7
Well if I didn't have to get up for work so early I'd write a lot more but really this match can be summed up in just a few words.......
Brazil were as poor as Germany were good.
[img][/img]
Brazil were awful, just looked amateurish!
Hope. You had a great trip too sweetie!!
Advanced Wordsmith
As expected the Netherlands chokes again! 
Sarcastic Coffee Aficionado
as the shoot out continued .....
Damnnnnn ..... but it should still be great .... Germany vs Argentina final
Damnnnnn ..... but it should still be great .... Germany vs Argentina final
Quote by mr_canuck
As expected the Netherlands chokes again!
And thank goodness for that. Bar the 5-1 victory over Spain they have been utter shite the entire tournament. This have to be one of the most boring games of the world cup. I don't really think we can say good job defence, because considering the attacking qualities of both sides there should have been more goals. If Argentina doesn't step it up they're gonna find Germany very difficult. And with Thiago Silva back organising the Brazillian back four I think Brazil could very well beat Netherlands too.
Sarcastic Coffee Aficionado
Quote by elitfromnorth
And thank goodness for that. Bar the 5-1 victory over Spain they have been utter shite the entire tournament. This have to be one of the most boring games of the world cup. I don't really think we can say good job defence, because considering the attacking qualities of both sides there should have been more goals. If Argentina doesn't step it up they're gonna find Germany very difficult. And with Thiago Silva back organising the Brazillian back four I think Brazil could very well beat Netherlands too.
I agree that is was very boring .... quiet .... yawn
jezus, Elit .... Brazil to beat the Netherlands??
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
Germany - Argentina
There will be a lot of distant family members cheering for both sides ;)
There will be a lot of distant family members cheering for both sides ;)
=== Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER ===
Active Ink Slinger
Well, I hate to say I told you so but this is what I said on 10th June…
Just ignore the rest of the rubbish I came out with.
Quote by overmykneenow
So yeah - likely semis are Brazil v Germany and Spain v Argentina - don't be surprised if that gives a Germany v Argentina final.
My head says Argentina.
Just ignore the rest of the rubbish I came out with.
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.
Why not read some stories instead
NEW! Want a quick read for your coffee break? Why not try this... Flash Erotica: Scrubber
Why not read some stories instead
NEW! Want a quick read for your coffee break? Why not try this... Flash Erotica: Scrubber
Quote by Femalemedic
Brazil were awful, just looked amateurish!
Hope. You had a great trip too sweetie!!
Hi Morag.......
I hope you're well beautiful girl. Thank you for the wishes and yes I had the most wonderful and hard working week - it was a shame to come home and leave my brother there.
Holland 0 Argentina 0 (Argentina win 4-2 on penalties)
Well both teams started slowly, continued slowly and erm........ finished slowly! We were so well treated with the excitement in the other semi-final that this one probably seemed more dire than it was. To me it seemed like a match between two teams that were too afraid to lose. To be honest the most excitement came with the penalty shootout.
Considering how many quality players were on show here I was surprised at how little either keeper had to do throughout the 120 minutes of open play. Both teams had players to unlock this match and once the penalties were done and dusted - I bet the Dutch will have looked back and wished that they had made more of their open play. With Argentina winning the shots stats by 6 shots to Hollands 5 - it's quite simply appalling for two such high class sides, especially considering that Germany scored more goals against Brazil than either Holland or Argentina managed shots in the match!
Germany Vs Argentina
Last Sunday I forecast a Germany -Argentina final and by pure fluke I was right. Out of all the top teams - Germany are the only ones that just don't rely on any one player. They are so workmanlike that any player that gets injured is replaced by another of the same calibre. They don't get carried away when they're scoring either, they keep their game plan going and become merciless in their mission as Brazil found out.
The final this Sunday is all set to be a cracker and the key to Germany winning it will be once again, keeping Messi quiet as they did Christiano Ronaldo when they played Portugal.
The key to Argentina winning it will be to take and keep possession away from Germany and just maybe not relying so heavily on Mr Messi. At this point Argentina have a real incentive to go and win this tournament as Brazil will be wallowing in either third or fourth place after Saturday's match and to win the tournament in their arch rivals back yard would be a real kick in the maracas for the Brazilians.
I have to say that I think Germany are my favourites for this one. When a team has a star player like Messi, Ronaldo, Van Persie, Robben or Neymar then you know who you'll have to snuff out, but with Germany, their goals come from so many different players, you have your work cut out because their movement and passing is the best that I've seen in this tournament.
Quote by VanGogh
I agree that is was very boring .... quiet .... yawn
jezus, Elit .... Brazil to beat the Netherlands??
Thiago Silva is back in defence for Brazil. He has been one of the best center backs in the world cup and add a Brazil that will need to come back and will want to give the fans something. They'll be lethal as long as they don't play Fred up front.
As for the final, Argentina cannot and should not win. It will be a disgrace for entertaining football if they win. Secondly, they're heavily reliant on Di Maria to produce something from the wing. The fact that he sat out the semi final with an injury tells me that if he plays tomorrow then he'll not be 100%. Add that Hummels just played the first half against Brazil and will be fresh, Boateng being Solid and Lahm being his usual self then you have a defence that will work hard and has the highest quality in the cup I don't think Argentina will be able to create much. They might be able to hold the ball, but Germany will press them high and stress them, and given Argentina doesn't have the most reliable defence(bar Mascherano and Zabaleta) then there can easily be mistakes. And with so many quality attacking midfielders we could be in for a memorable final.
Brazil 0 Netherlands 2
Half-time
Since going two down, Brazil seems to have pulled themselves together since looking like taking another beating in the early stages. A number of good crosses which were well defended by Holland only needed a touch from a Brazilian head to reduce the deficit. I feel there will be more goals to come and maybe one for Brazil in the 2nd half, but one thing's for sure........ Brazil have been terrible.
Half-time
Since going two down, Brazil seems to have pulled themselves together since looking like taking another beating in the early stages. A number of good crosses which were well defended by Holland only needed a touch from a Brazilian head to reduce the deficit. I feel there will be more goals to come and maybe one for Brazil in the 2nd half, but one thing's for sure........ Brazil have been terrible.
Quote by LittleLuce
Brazil 0 Netherlands 1
Three minutes played and Holland go 1-0 up through a penalty after Robben was brought down in the box. It was a definite red card but the referee bottled it. Van Persie puts the penalty away and Brazil in trouble again.
Was a red card, but not a penalty. Infringement started and ended on the outside of the box. No chance that's a penalty. Add that de Guseman was in offside as he recieved the ball before he hit the ball in on Luis' head Netherlands got two goals that should have been disallowed. Add to Oscar being wrongfully booked for diving for what was a CLEAR penalty. Brasil has been horrendous, but not as terrible as the referee. Congratulations, Netherlands. Whatever you payed the ref it turned out to be enough.
Brazil 0 Netherlands 3
3rd and final goal goes to Holland in the 91st minute with 3rd place is secured for the Dutch and their manager Louis Van Gaal in his last game with the national side. The Brazilian fans are booing again and Luis Felipe Scolari who has a meeting with the Brazilian FA tonight has also probably had his last game with his squad after this dismal set of performances.
Congratulations to the Dutch.
3rd and final goal goes to Holland in the 91st minute with 3rd place is secured for the Dutch and their manager Louis Van Gaal in his last game with the national side. The Brazilian fans are booing again and Luis Felipe Scolari who has a meeting with the Brazilian FA tonight has also probably had his last game with his squad after this dismal set of performances.
Congratulations to the Dutch.
Chuckanator
Nope! Germany will
I've just published chapter seven of Undercovers Detective. I would love your feedback on this story. I'm planning on ten chapters at least. If you haven't read one yet, I've included links. I hope you like them.
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/undercovers-detective-chapter-7.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/undercovers-detective-chapter-6.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective-chapter-5.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/first-time/underdovers-detective-chapter-4.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/undercovers-detective-chapter-3.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective-chapter-two.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/undercovers-detective-chapter-7.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/undercovers-detective-chapter-6.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective-chapter-5.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/first-time/underdovers-detective-chapter-4.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/seduction/undercovers-detective-chapter-3.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective-chapter-two.aspx
https://www.lushstories.com/stories/love-stories/undercovers-detective.aspx
Quote by elitfromnorth
Was a red card, but not a penalty. Infringement started and ended on the outside of the box. No chance that's a penalty. Add that de Guseman was in offside as he recieved the ball before he hit the ball in on Luis' head Netherlands got two goals that should have been disallowed. Add to Oscar being wrongfully booked for diving for what was a CLEAR penalty. Brasil has been horrendous, but not as terrible as the referee. Congratulations, Netherlands. Whatever you payed the ref it turned out to be enough.
It was a close call for the penalty but no it wasn't a penalty as the image below shows. When you watch the video it's not so clear as Thiago Silva doesn't let go of Robben until they are virtually on the 18 yard line (or 16 459.2 millimetres for those who prefer metric! lol) so the referee could be forgiven for giving it - it happened so quickly.
Thiago Silva shouldn't have left it so late to let go of Robben - it was poor timing. The penalty at the time would probably have been a better option for Brazil than a sending off anyway as they were having enough trouble playing with eleven men!
I don't think the referee was all that bad - not the best but not the worst either and if players like Robben stopped diving then the referees would be able to do their job better anyway - players in all competitions just have themselves to blame. Yes I too thought that Brazil should have had a penalty - the Referee got that one wrong clearly but at the same time you can see in the replays that Oscar started to dive before any contact was made and that I believe that was why no penalty was given and his only reward was a yellow card.
It certainly comes to something when a team of Brazil's outstanding calibre need to start diving to get anything out of a game.
Referees have the right to punish players who dive to try and earn a penalty, but until Saturday, not a single yellow card had been shown in the 62 games completed so far. It’s easy to criticize players who fall easily looking for a call (like Arjen Robben, who publicly apologized for diving against Mexico), but referees deserve some of the criticism as well. If no referee is willing to take action to punish diving, there’s no reason for players to stop doing it.
World Cup Roundup.
Well here we are at the end of yet another World Cup Finals tournament. It was exactly a month yesterday that Brazil played the opening match of the tournament against Croatia and when a tournament of this length takes place and then finishes - you realise how quickly time passes.
Okay so lets look back over the past four weeks at a tournament that has to be one of the best that has taken place over the last thirty years. I know that I have not experienced most of the others but I have watched a lot of footage courtesy of my Dad and his DVD's and videos as well as online articles. I'm also a big Tottenham Hotspur fan who goes to see them play every now and then. I also go to see my local team - Colchester United as they are lower league and need the attendance money more than Tottenham do!
Right lets start with.......
Group A.
Brazil as host nation got us started with a 3-1 win over Croatia. Brazil I thought struggled and were barely worth the three points and Croatia will have felt a little hard done by. This vein of form continued throughout the group stage for Brazil but they finished the group unbeaten.
Croatia had a poor tournament and never really got off the starting blocks. Their only win was a four goal drubbing of Cameroon and even then that had it's moments of controversy
Mexico finished 2nd in the group which surprised me and a few others as I expected Croatia to finish 2nd, but to their credit the Mexicans were a tough outfit and deserved their place in the knockout stages.
Cameroon were classed as the whipping boys and lived up to their status finishing bottom without any points and a -8 goal difference. Their tournament never came together and was marred by violence on the pitch.
Group B
This was a tough group and I felt sorry for Australia who had a mountainous of a task ahead of them. The Netherlands topped the group with a maximum 9 points hammering one of the tournaments favourites - Spain 5-1 in the process and it could have been so much more.
Chile looked a class outfit and took 2nd place. They played and beat England in a friendly at Wembley some moths ago and we could see then how good the Chileans looked.
Spain - one of the tournaments favourites and current champions took a pounding in their fist game, a beating in their second game but picked up their only three points after beating a beleaguered Australia in their final match.
Australia as I said have my sympathy for being drawn in a group like this. They put up a good fight and lost narrowly to the Dutch in a very even match, but bottom they finished without any points and a -6 goal difference.
Group C
Colombia won this group with a maximum nine points. It was what I expected as I felt none of the other teams really had a lot to offer as a challenge to them.
Greece were the surprise team finishing 2nd, I thought Ivory coast were going to take it, but Greece played a heck of a final game against Ivory Coast to secure a place in the last 16.
Ivory coast were perhaps a little disappointing and with Drogba being the age that he is, they were less of a challenge compared to past tournaments.
Japan finished bottom and they too may well have been disappointed as this was a group that was always going to be won by Colombia but any of the other three teams could have qualified with a bit of effort. The 2nd place really went to "the best of the worst" teams.
Group D
Well this was not going to be an easy group for Italy, England or Uruguay but most people seem to offer the opinion that England and Italy were the teams to go through with Uruguay to finish third and Costa Rica beaten badly at the bottom! Well how wrong could this go?
Well in reality Italy and England finished in the bottom two with the whipping boys from the coffee plantation winning the group unbeaten on seven points, while Uruguay and every dentists favourite Suarez went through in second place.
Group E
France and Switzerland were the favourites to qualify from this group and in that order they did. France topped the group unbeaten while Switzerland's points drop was a defeat to France.
Ecuador and Honduras provided stiff opposition in pre-tournament friendlies against England and Ecuador got themselves four points but Honduras finished bottom of the group without any points and a seven goal deficit.
Group F
Well in this group I was expecting Argentina and Bosnia Herzegovina to qualify. Argentina for obvious reasons but Bosnia because this was there first finals and second because they played so well to get to the finals. Argentina finished top and started by narrowly beating Bosnia by an own goal, but the surprise for me was Nigeria taking that second spot. Of course it was a tight group with Nigeria going through with only four points.
Bosnia finished third on three points and will have been bitterly disappointed to not have played as they did to reach the finals. There was nothing to choose between the teams when they lost to Argentina - just an own goal but they played erratically against the Nigerians with Edin Dzeko having eight shots in the match without scoring, and ended up losing 1-0.
Iran finished bottom of the group with one point and a -3 goal difference but there was no shame to be had there especially as they tested Argentina to the full.
Group G
Germany started their finals by hammering Portugal who looked like they relied far too much on one player - Christiano Ronaldo. The Germans snuffed out his danger and the Portuguese were left with nothing to offer. Germany topped the group on seven points while second favourites Portugal dropped more points and went home early on goal average.
The USA deservedly went through with a better goal difference than Portugal and proved that the sport is coming along nicely in their country.
Ghana propped up the group and got a wonderful 2-2 draw against the Germans but were unable to pick up anything from their other two games.
Group H
Belgium came into these finals well rated and topped the group with maximum points - there's nothing more I can say about them.
I expected Russia to take one of the top two places but instead it was taken by the hard working Algerians who while I found them thoroughly un-entertaining, they grafted for their place in the last sixteen and they deserved it.
South Korea were the darlings of the finals a couple of tournaments ago but now seem out of quality players as they sat bottom of the group. I'm not saying that they are a quality side but they do give a lot of entertainment with their attacking play and long range shots - but neither were really evident here.
The last 16
Well Brazil continued to struggle with their performance in their last 16 match against Chile and there was nothing to choose between the teams as the game went to penalties. They were also, I have to say....... some of the worst penalties that I've ever seen taken!
Brazil won the shootout 3-2 but it could have been so different for the Chileans when with ten minutes of normal time left Chile hit the bar with a shot from just outside the area.
Colombia comfortably took out Uruguay who were once again without Suarez and were once again - nothing without him. When will he ever learn that every time he loses control of his temper - the team he plays for suffers.
Netherlands had a tough match against Mexico going a goal down just after half-time and looked like going out of the tournament. But in the 88th minute they fond an equaliser and three minutes later, one of the tournaments talking points came about when Arjen Robben dived to get a penalty in the 94th minute which gave Holland a 2-1 victory leaving Mexican hearts broken.
Costa Rica - the whipping boys who won their group to reach the last 16 but needed a penalty shootout to get past Greece with the score at 1-1 after 120 minutes of play. Costa Rica won the shootout 5-3.
Germany had a hard fought 2-1 victory over an Algerian team that looked to have one of the best defences of the tournament.
France made hard work of Nigeria scoring twice in the last eleven minutes to reach the Quarter-Finals. A brave effort by Nigeria but it was a tall order to beat France.
Belgium continued to impress with an extra-time victory over the USA. With the score at 1-1 after ninety minutes Belgium crafted their winner in the 107th minute to beat a defiant USA side that had put a good effort into this match which was very open for the most part.
I have to say that Belgium really impressed me in this match and thoroughly deserved to go through. Unlucky USA but you were second best here.
Argentina against Switzerland and another extra-time match with Argentina getting the winning goal in the 188th minute. Switzerland had their chances but really Argentina were too strong for Switzerland and just maybe they were hoping for penalties.
Quarter Finals
Brazil 2 Colombia 1
This is where you think that things are going to get tight, and you'd be right. Brazil had to fight their way past Colombia in a fairly even game that saw Neymar badly injured and out of football for up to three months - an injury that would impact on Brazil's World Cup.
An early goal for Brazil scored in the seventh minute did nothing to settle their nerves as Colombia stayed in the game until the 68th minute when Brazil made it 2-0. Colombia kept plugging away and were rewarded for their efforts when they were awarded a penalty and James Rodríguez converted. Colombia won a succession of corners in the last ten minutes but Brazil kept the lead for their place in the semi-finals.
France 0 Germany 1
Germany became the first nation to reach four consecutive World Cup semi-finals after this narrow win over France. This was another very even game that was won by Germany with a goal in the 12th minute. The French had the better of the game and the most shots, but Germany are a workmanlike side and very difficult to score against and beat. A semi-final place for them as the French Bow out.
Netherlands 0 Costa Rica 0 Netherlands win 4-3 on penalties.
Netherlands manager Louis Van Gaal really is a brilliant tactician bringing off his goalkeeper to let Tim Krul face the penalties where he saved two. This was such a one sided game I couldn't believe it went to penalties but well done to Costa Rica for getting this far - definitely one of the teams of the tournament. Maybe the failure to take enough of their created chances is why Holland didn't progress to the final with this being their second goaless draw in a row.
Argentina 1 Belgium 0
Argentina reached their first World Cup semi-final since finishing as runners-up in 1990 with victory over Belgium. It was another game that was settled by an early goal in the eighth minute of the game. The game itself was almost neck and neck with little to choose between the sides, and one goal was always going to settle this match.
Belgium were fantastic in this tournament but in the knockout stages only one team can go through and narrowly it was Argentina, although it has to be said that Belgium were the better side.
Semi-finals.
Brazil 1 Germany 7
Every time I look at this scoreline it seems so unreal, like a dream. I can remember Germany scoring five times in the space of about twenty first half minutes. The Germans just kept on scoring, again and again. I can remember the face of a Brazilian girl, her hand over her mouth - how can this be happening must have been what was going through her mind.
Even 5-0 up when the Germans left the field they were expressionless, not celebrating, clinical yet respectful. There to do a job they came out again and continued to score. Brazil had made two changes at half time and to be honest it wouldn't have mattered if they had made eleven changes.
Brazil themselves, although having reached the semi-finals were a poor team. Bland and ordinary looking, not like how a host nation should play - not like how Brazil should play, but if there was one match where they needed to step up a gear - Germany was always going to be it.
Unfortunately Brazil's last match had left them without two of their most influential players as well as their only real goal scorer as Fred and Hulk have been largely inconspicuous . The score of 1 - 7 didn't flatter the Germans, if anything it flattered the Brazilians
Netherlands 0 Argentina 0 Argentina win 4-2 on penalties
Seven of the 14 knockout games at this tournament have gone to extra time, the most since 1990 and this game with so many top players just disappointed. After the Brazil - Germany match of which we were spoilt for action, reaction and goals, this match had little or none.
The two teams produced just fifteen shots in one hundred and twenty minutes of football and this was clearly a match between two teams who were desperate not to lose rather than determined to win. Tim Krul did not take his place in goal this time and Argentina ran out 4-2 penalty winners of which the shootout was the only excitement in a dire game.
3rd place play-off
Brazil 0 Netherlands 3
Another dire performance by the host nation and the final nail in the coffin for Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Dutch went two goals up early on - in fact they went two goals up quicker than Germany did and at that point I thought we were in for another Brazilian shocker.
Holland took the lead through a disputed penalty when Robben dived into the penalty area when the foul took place outside. Thiago Silva shoud have been sent off for the foul but was yellow carded instead and at that time I thought a penalty was preferable to a sending off for Brazil.
In the second half Brazil had steadied their ship and started to respond to the task that the Dutch had set them and should have had a penalty themselves if Oscar hadn't been so theatrical when he was brought down - instead he was rewarded with a yellow card. Brazil continued to push until Holland sealed the game with their third goal in the 91st minute.
The World Cup Final
Germany 1 Argentina 0
A difficult and tight game with very few goal scoring opportunities. This also looked like a game that neither team wanted to lose and if Gonzalo Higuain hadn't wasted Argentina's best chance in the first half, a one on one with Neuer - then we would probably have had a much more open game.
Well, neither team made that many chances, Messi missed a good opportunity on his favoured left foot and Germany hit the post. Romero made a couple of smart saves in the Argentine goal but the real quality of the winning goal came midway through the second half of extra time. just as we were braced for a penalty shootout, from 22 year old Mario Goetze.
Goetze came on as a second half substitute, a bright young talent and although his winning goal wasn't goal of the tournament - it certainly was one of the best and well worthy of winning any final. He will remember it all his life.
Argentina will have hated to lose this final in their old adversaries back yard and this was probably the only thing that the Brazilian fans had to cheer about.
Well that's it from me, this has been one of the best tournaments ever and the best that I have seen in my short life. I'm sorry I disappeared half-way through but commitment are commitments. I'd also just like to thank all those who contributed to Nicola's World Cup thread.
All my love.......
Lucy xxxx
Well here we are at the end of yet another World Cup Finals tournament. It was exactly a month yesterday that Brazil played the opening match of the tournament against Croatia and when a tournament of this length takes place and then finishes - you realise how quickly time passes.
Okay so lets look back over the past four weeks at a tournament that has to be one of the best that has taken place over the last thirty years. I know that I have not experienced most of the others but I have watched a lot of footage courtesy of my Dad and his DVD's and videos as well as online articles. I'm also a big Tottenham Hotspur fan who goes to see them play every now and then. I also go to see my local team - Colchester United as they are lower league and need the attendance money more than Tottenham do!
Right lets start with.......
Group A.
Brazil as host nation got us started with a 3-1 win over Croatia. Brazil I thought struggled and were barely worth the three points and Croatia will have felt a little hard done by. This vein of form continued throughout the group stage for Brazil but they finished the group unbeaten.
Croatia had a poor tournament and never really got off the starting blocks. Their only win was a four goal drubbing of Cameroon and even then that had it's moments of controversy
Mexico finished 2nd in the group which surprised me and a few others as I expected Croatia to finish 2nd, but to their credit the Mexicans were a tough outfit and deserved their place in the knockout stages.
Cameroon were classed as the whipping boys and lived up to their status finishing bottom without any points and a -8 goal difference. Their tournament never came together and was marred by violence on the pitch.
Group B
This was a tough group and I felt sorry for Australia who had a mountainous of a task ahead of them. The Netherlands topped the group with a maximum 9 points hammering one of the tournaments favourites - Spain 5-1 in the process and it could have been so much more.
Chile looked a class outfit and took 2nd place. They played and beat England in a friendly at Wembley some moths ago and we could see then how good the Chileans looked.
Spain - one of the tournaments favourites and current champions took a pounding in their fist game, a beating in their second game but picked up their only three points after beating a beleaguered Australia in their final match.
Australia as I said have my sympathy for being drawn in a group like this. They put up a good fight and lost narrowly to the Dutch in a very even match, but bottom they finished without any points and a -6 goal difference.
Group C
Colombia won this group with a maximum nine points. It was what I expected as I felt none of the other teams really had a lot to offer as a challenge to them.
Greece were the surprise team finishing 2nd, I thought Ivory coast were going to take it, but Greece played a heck of a final game against Ivory Coast to secure a place in the last 16.
Ivory coast were perhaps a little disappointing and with Drogba being the age that he is, they were less of a challenge compared to past tournaments.
Japan finished bottom and they too may well have been disappointed as this was a group that was always going to be won by Colombia but any of the other three teams could have qualified with a bit of effort. The 2nd place really went to "the best of the worst" teams.
Group D
Well this was not going to be an easy group for Italy, England or Uruguay but most people seem to offer the opinion that England and Italy were the teams to go through with Uruguay to finish third and Costa Rica beaten badly at the bottom! Well how wrong could this go?
Well in reality Italy and England finished in the bottom two with the whipping boys from the coffee plantation winning the group unbeaten on seven points, while Uruguay and every dentists favourite Suarez went through in second place.
Group E
France and Switzerland were the favourites to qualify from this group and in that order they did. France topped the group unbeaten while Switzerland's points drop was a defeat to France.
Ecuador and Honduras provided stiff opposition in pre-tournament friendlies against England and Ecuador got themselves four points but Honduras finished bottom of the group without any points and a seven goal deficit.
Group F
Well in this group I was expecting Argentina and Bosnia Herzegovina to qualify. Argentina for obvious reasons but Bosnia because this was there first finals and second because they played so well to get to the finals. Argentina finished top and started by narrowly beating Bosnia by an own goal, but the surprise for me was Nigeria taking that second spot. Of course it was a tight group with Nigeria going through with only four points.
Bosnia finished third on three points and will have been bitterly disappointed to not have played as they did to reach the finals. There was nothing to choose between the teams when they lost to Argentina - just an own goal but they played erratically against the Nigerians with Edin Dzeko having eight shots in the match without scoring, and ended up losing 1-0.
Iran finished bottom of the group with one point and a -3 goal difference but there was no shame to be had there especially as they tested Argentina to the full.
Group G
Germany started their finals by hammering Portugal who looked like they relied far too much on one player - Christiano Ronaldo. The Germans snuffed out his danger and the Portuguese were left with nothing to offer. Germany topped the group on seven points while second favourites Portugal dropped more points and went home early on goal average.
The USA deservedly went through with a better goal difference than Portugal and proved that the sport is coming along nicely in their country.
Ghana propped up the group and got a wonderful 2-2 draw against the Germans but were unable to pick up anything from their other two games.
Group H
Belgium came into these finals well rated and topped the group with maximum points - there's nothing more I can say about them.
I expected Russia to take one of the top two places but instead it was taken by the hard working Algerians who while I found them thoroughly un-entertaining, they grafted for their place in the last sixteen and they deserved it.
South Korea were the darlings of the finals a couple of tournaments ago but now seem out of quality players as they sat bottom of the group. I'm not saying that they are a quality side but they do give a lot of entertainment with their attacking play and long range shots - but neither were really evident here.
The last 16
Well Brazil continued to struggle with their performance in their last 16 match against Chile and there was nothing to choose between the teams as the game went to penalties. They were also, I have to say....... some of the worst penalties that I've ever seen taken!
Brazil won the shootout 3-2 but it could have been so different for the Chileans when with ten minutes of normal time left Chile hit the bar with a shot from just outside the area.
Colombia comfortably took out Uruguay who were once again without Suarez and were once again - nothing without him. When will he ever learn that every time he loses control of his temper - the team he plays for suffers.
Netherlands had a tough match against Mexico going a goal down just after half-time and looked like going out of the tournament. But in the 88th minute they fond an equaliser and three minutes later, one of the tournaments talking points came about when Arjen Robben dived to get a penalty in the 94th minute which gave Holland a 2-1 victory leaving Mexican hearts broken.
Costa Rica - the whipping boys who won their group to reach the last 16 but needed a penalty shootout to get past Greece with the score at 1-1 after 120 minutes of play. Costa Rica won the shootout 5-3.
Germany had a hard fought 2-1 victory over an Algerian team that looked to have one of the best defences of the tournament.
France made hard work of Nigeria scoring twice in the last eleven minutes to reach the Quarter-Finals. A brave effort by Nigeria but it was a tall order to beat France.
Belgium continued to impress with an extra-time victory over the USA. With the score at 1-1 after ninety minutes Belgium crafted their winner in the 107th minute to beat a defiant USA side that had put a good effort into this match which was very open for the most part.
I have to say that Belgium really impressed me in this match and thoroughly deserved to go through. Unlucky USA but you were second best here.
Argentina against Switzerland and another extra-time match with Argentina getting the winning goal in the 188th minute. Switzerland had their chances but really Argentina were too strong for Switzerland and just maybe they were hoping for penalties.
Quarter Finals
Brazil 2 Colombia 1
This is where you think that things are going to get tight, and you'd be right. Brazil had to fight their way past Colombia in a fairly even game that saw Neymar badly injured and out of football for up to three months - an injury that would impact on Brazil's World Cup.
An early goal for Brazil scored in the seventh minute did nothing to settle their nerves as Colombia stayed in the game until the 68th minute when Brazil made it 2-0. Colombia kept plugging away and were rewarded for their efforts when they were awarded a penalty and James Rodríguez converted. Colombia won a succession of corners in the last ten minutes but Brazil kept the lead for their place in the semi-finals.
France 0 Germany 1
Germany became the first nation to reach four consecutive World Cup semi-finals after this narrow win over France. This was another very even game that was won by Germany with a goal in the 12th minute. The French had the better of the game and the most shots, but Germany are a workmanlike side and very difficult to score against and beat. A semi-final place for them as the French Bow out.
Netherlands 0 Costa Rica 0 Netherlands win 4-3 on penalties.
Netherlands manager Louis Van Gaal really is a brilliant tactician bringing off his goalkeeper to let Tim Krul face the penalties where he saved two. This was such a one sided game I couldn't believe it went to penalties but well done to Costa Rica for getting this far - definitely one of the teams of the tournament. Maybe the failure to take enough of their created chances is why Holland didn't progress to the final with this being their second goaless draw in a row.
Argentina 1 Belgium 0
Argentina reached their first World Cup semi-final since finishing as runners-up in 1990 with victory over Belgium. It was another game that was settled by an early goal in the eighth minute of the game. The game itself was almost neck and neck with little to choose between the sides, and one goal was always going to settle this match.
Belgium were fantastic in this tournament but in the knockout stages only one team can go through and narrowly it was Argentina, although it has to be said that Belgium were the better side.
Semi-finals.
Brazil 1 Germany 7
Every time I look at this scoreline it seems so unreal, like a dream. I can remember Germany scoring five times in the space of about twenty first half minutes. The Germans just kept on scoring, again and again. I can remember the face of a Brazilian girl, her hand over her mouth - how can this be happening must have been what was going through her mind.
Even 5-0 up when the Germans left the field they were expressionless, not celebrating, clinical yet respectful. There to do a job they came out again and continued to score. Brazil had made two changes at half time and to be honest it wouldn't have mattered if they had made eleven changes.
Brazil themselves, although having reached the semi-finals were a poor team. Bland and ordinary looking, not like how a host nation should play - not like how Brazil should play, but if there was one match where they needed to step up a gear - Germany was always going to be it.
Unfortunately Brazil's last match had left them without two of their most influential players as well as their only real goal scorer as Fred and Hulk have been largely inconspicuous . The score of 1 - 7 didn't flatter the Germans, if anything it flattered the Brazilians
Netherlands 0 Argentina 0 Argentina win 4-2 on penalties
Seven of the 14 knockout games at this tournament have gone to extra time, the most since 1990 and this game with so many top players just disappointed. After the Brazil - Germany match of which we were spoilt for action, reaction and goals, this match had little or none.
The two teams produced just fifteen shots in one hundred and twenty minutes of football and this was clearly a match between two teams who were desperate not to lose rather than determined to win. Tim Krul did not take his place in goal this time and Argentina ran out 4-2 penalty winners of which the shootout was the only excitement in a dire game.
3rd place play-off
Brazil 0 Netherlands 3
Another dire performance by the host nation and the final nail in the coffin for Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Dutch went two goals up early on - in fact they went two goals up quicker than Germany did and at that point I thought we were in for another Brazilian shocker.
Holland took the lead through a disputed penalty when Robben dived into the penalty area when the foul took place outside. Thiago Silva shoud have been sent off for the foul but was yellow carded instead and at that time I thought a penalty was preferable to a sending off for Brazil.
In the second half Brazil had steadied their ship and started to respond to the task that the Dutch had set them and should have had a penalty themselves if Oscar hadn't been so theatrical when he was brought down - instead he was rewarded with a yellow card. Brazil continued to push until Holland sealed the game with their third goal in the 91st minute.
The World Cup Final
Germany 1 Argentina 0
A difficult and tight game with very few goal scoring opportunities. This also looked like a game that neither team wanted to lose and if Gonzalo Higuain hadn't wasted Argentina's best chance in the first half, a one on one with Neuer - then we would probably have had a much more open game.
Well, neither team made that many chances, Messi missed a good opportunity on his favoured left foot and Germany hit the post. Romero made a couple of smart saves in the Argentine goal but the real quality of the winning goal came midway through the second half of extra time. just as we were braced for a penalty shootout, from 22 year old Mario Goetze.
Goetze came on as a second half substitute, a bright young talent and although his winning goal wasn't goal of the tournament - it certainly was one of the best and well worthy of winning any final. He will remember it all his life.
Argentina will have hated to lose this final in their old adversaries back yard and this was probably the only thing that the Brazilian fans had to cheer about.
Well that's it from me, this has been one of the best tournaments ever and the best that I have seen in my short life. I'm sorry I disappeared half-way through but commitment are commitments. I'd also just like to thank all those who contributed to Nicola's World Cup thread.
All my love.......
Lucy xxxx