FIFA World Cup coverage.

[DrLeftover]

That was the Brazilian team we have been waiting to see.

Complete with a "will he live or just be paralyzed for the rest of his life" suspected FLOP by Neymar with a couple of minutes of regular time left. (He may, might be, could be, really injured, but, as is the way with these guys and hype from the coaches/media, we won't know for sure until he misses the next game.)

Columbia made a game out of it in the second half, but Brazil owned the field.

As for the officiating.... well, it was a little weird, but no moreso than it has been for most of the Cup.

One Half of the Semi's is set with the Host Country meeting Germany, who earlier either choked the French offense down to nothing, or maybe it was the French who choked..... to decide who played for the CUP.

 

[DrLeftover]

Argentina looked like Argentina....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Spy3Nd2D6w

No, not that.

They looked like the football team that hasn't done better than fifth in twenty years and feels the CUP is their birthright.

Belgium, for their part. Played hard. Not well, but hard.

And it wasn't enough.

Argentina is in the Semi.

 

[DrLeftover]

I am seriously impressed with Costa Rica, and very disappointed with the Dutch.

This would appear to be a case where a Good Team (CRC) played above their level, and what could have been a Very Good Team (NED) played down.

Which means that it was all terribly exciting, but in the end, it came down to a 0 - 0 tie after two full hours of play.

The Netherlands are through on Penalty Kicks, but to say they deserve the trip to the Semis is overstating the matter.

 

[cynosure.x]

Belgium didn't play like they did against the US. Shame, because it could've been a great game to watch but it wasn't. As soon as the goal was made by Argentina, I knew it was over. Oh well.

 

[DrLeftover]

Today: Germany and Brazil.

Tomorrow: Netherlands and Argentina.

It could be an all Europe final, but the Desk does not expect the Netherlands team that ended up sneaking by on penalty kicks to beat the Argentines. Now, having said that, if the Dutch team that beat all comers before that in the tournament shows up, then they could make a game of it and have a chance of winning.

We could say essentially the same thing about the other game as well. Germany could beat Brazil, IF Brazil shows up flat-footed and clueless, AND, we have to add, the officials let them play. Brazil can be a good team, we've only seen flashes of that up to now, but one of those flashes was just the other day.

The favorite going to this Sunday's final has to be the team that plays the best game, and escapes without major injuries or red cards.

Now, as for Neymar and the Desk's dismissal of the Brazilian's injury. Let's see if he is suited up for the game before we draw any conclusions.

 

[DrLeftover]

OK, NOW I believe that Neymar is really hurt.

He is nowhere around the stadium and is said to have left for the team's training facility.

TheMediaDesk.com and all associated with it wish Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior a speedy and full recovery.

And we will also extend a bit of advice: "take it easy on the flopping when you come back, OK buddy?"

 

[DrLeftover]

Halftime.

Brazil has been totally hapless, and completely out classed, playing like a gaggle of US Congressmen with hangovers.

They are down by FIVE.

And they are lucky they are only behind by that many.

 

[cynosure.x]

Down by six now. Brazil isn't into it. I wish it would've been a better game.

 

[DrLeftover]

Down by six now. Brazil isn't into it. I wish it would've been a better game.

It got even worse, and the final score has NOTHING to do with just how pathetic Brazil looked today. They Were Horrid.

 

[Fatal Dawn]

I just saw this too. Brazil's defense was poor and I expected a much better matchup. Too bad there's no mercy rule in football; I felt really bad for Brazil.

 

[DrLeftover]

Brazil was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

not just the team, but the entire country!

But now we all have to move on and see what happens today.

 

[DrLeftover]

According to various sports books, the Argentines are the betting favorites to beat the Netherlands and then to win the cup.

Unfortunately for them, the Dutch may not be a pushover.

By the numbers, this SHOULD be a good game.

And remember, many of the pros picked Brazil to stomp the Germans, and we all know how that worked out.

 

[Jasper]

I'm glad De Jong is back in the Dutch lineup. Maybe it's a little too early, let's hope it turns out good.

De Jong is the right man to stop Messi

 

[DrLeftover]

By about the 60th minute it was obvious that NEITHER of these teams wanted to win and end up playing Germany on Sunday.

But, in the end, after 120 minutes of game play and then Penalty Shots, that the Dutch were better at losing and taking a shot at Third Place than Argentina.

The final is a flat-footed Argentina against the team that Blew Out the host nation Sunday in the Final.

The Consolation game is Saturday and features the bumbling winos from Brazil against the drunken prom dates from the Netherlands.

 

[DrLeftover]

Today for their THIRD PLACE game, Brazil has replaced Half of their starters on the field with bench warmers.

Maybe they should have considered that last week.

 

[DrLeftover]

Halftime in the Championship Game.

Very dramatic. Very competitive.

0 - 0

I've seen this movie.

 

[DrLeftover]

Germany waited until Extra Time to get lucky.

But that's when it counted, and that's what paid off in the long run.

Argentina played one hell of a game, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

Both sides were defensively awesome, but one LUCKY shot by the "krauts" paid off and they go home with the trophy, and "best player in the world" Lionel Messi goes home without the trophy.

1 - 0 in favor of Germany.

 

[Jasper]

Germany winning the world cup is very VERY well deserved. Overall they were simply the best. It was a terribly boring game though.

It's a shame the Netherlands didn't get to the finals, they deserved it more than Argentinia. I don't get why Messi won the Golden Boot for best player though. I think he got it just for being Messi...

I would give it to either Müller, Robben or James.

 

[DrLeftover]

Politics. That's all.

FIFA had to throw South America some sort of bone once Brazil got done stinking up the field.

 

[Jasper]

The FIFA had all the facts with the Castrol-index though, what makes their decisions even more doubtful; http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/castrol-index/
I don't see Messi in any of the stats.


Here's their World Cup 2014 top team. Who do you think should be on the top team? Who shouldn't?
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/statistics/castrol-index/top11.html