Croatia 4 - Cameroon 0

Photo by Clive Mason

Croatia and Cameroon faced off in Manaus, both knowing that a loss would end their chances of winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup.  Cameroon started the match more brightly, but it was just a matter of time before Croatia settled themselves and took over. Just after the tenth minute, Croatia found an early lead. Mario Mandzukic (pictured red), back from suspension, chested a ball to Ivan Perisic, who then smartly plays across the Cameroonian goal away from the goalkeeper so that Ivica Olic could slide and tap in for the opening goal ahead of his trailing marker Stephan Mbia. The lead nearly doubled when Perisic redirected a loose ball on frame, but Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje used his body to make the initial save and Eyong Enoh cleared the ball off the line to prevent the goal. In a bizarre play, Alexandre Song was running behind Mandzukic and then punched downward upon Mandzukic's back. Song was given a straight red card, leaving the Indomitable Lions down a goal and down a man from minute 40. Croatia took a 1-0 advantage with them into their dressing room.

Two minutes after the restart, the lead was doubled. A weak clearance by Itandje was picked off by Perisic at midfield. Perisic outran substitute right back Dany Nounkeu to get into the box and fire away for a 2-0 lead. A couple minutes later, Sammir picked off a ball at midfield and then sprang Mandzukic for a one-on-one with Itandje, but his lift shot sailed wide. A long Benoit Assou-Ekotto cross lead to a Nounkeu volley attempt from seven yards out, but the strike flew away off frame. Just beyond the hour mark, Danijel Pranjic hit an outswinging corner kick, and Mandzukic ran unimpeded beyond two markers (including Eric Choupo-Moting) to rise up and head it home for a three-goal lead. A shot from Eduardo was saved by Itandje, but the soft rebound was swept into the goal by Mandzukic for the fourth Croatian goal of the night. Croatia blew a couple good chances to add to the scoreline in the final ten minutes, probably due to lack of true motivation to further demoralize their opponents. With two minutes left in the match, an Assou-Ekotto cross found Pierre Webo inside the box. Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa read the header off the bounce and then leapt to tip it off the crossbar. Croatia win the match 4-0.  This result eliminates Cameroon from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Croatia need a victory against Mexico in their final group game in order to advance to the knockout stage.

Brasil 4 pts +2
Mexico 4 pts +1
Croatia 3 pts +1
Cameroon OUT

Goals
Croatia
Ivica Olic 11
Ivan Perisic 48
Mario Mandzukic 61, 73

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1892742/three-points-croatia-crush-cameroon
http://soccer.si.com/planet-futbol/2014/06/18/croatia-cameroon-world-cup-commentary-recap-group-a
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/19/world-cup-2014-group-stage-day-seven/ (Daily Summary)

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186453/index.html

Mexico 0 - Brasil 0

Photo by Buda Mendes

Brasil hosted Mexico in Fortaleza in the first match between two sides that had already debuted at Brasil 2014. Oddly enough, the site was the same one used in Brasil's 2-0 victory over Mexico in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Brasil had the first truly threatening drive forward just over a dozen minutes into the battle, but a blocked shot from Mexican defender Hector Moreno followed immediately by a strong tackle by fellow defender Francisco Rodriguez set the defensive tone for the afternoon. Midway through the first half, Mexico were enjoying better offensive possession than were Brasil. Oribe Peralta nearly dribbled through three defenders in the box. Hector Herrera was next to try his luck, and he drove a ball from distance that sailed over the Brazilian crossbar with help from a touch by Brasil goalkeeper Julio Cesar. It would be Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, though, who would provide a candidate for save of the tournament. Dani Alves swung in a beautiful cross to the back post. Neymar (pictured, yellow) rose to power a furious header just inside the back post, but a miraculous horizontal flight from Ochoa allowed him to palm the ball around his post. Brazilian forward Fred won a header off a corner kick, but he added no power to match his accuracy so Ochoa made the catch easily. Andres Guardado used some fancy dribbling to get into space up the right side of Brasil's defense, and his pass set up a one-time shot form distance by Jose Vasquez that tailed just wide of frame at the last moment. With only a couple minutes left in the half, Brasil defeated Mexico's offside trap on a free kick. However, Ochoa again was able to come off his line quickly to block an open toe-poke shot from Paulinho and keep the teams level on the scoreboard. The first half ended with no goals having been scored.

Early in the second period, substitute Bernard dribbled into the Mexican box and hit a pass across the face of goal, but Rodriguez was there to knock the ball away for a corner at the back post. Mexico continued to be dangerous in this half, with Vasquez and Hector Herrera both firing driven balls just over the crossbar. Neymar nearly grabbed the opening goal (again), but Ochoa made a reaction save from less than five yards away to deny him yet again. With less than five minutes to play, a Neymar free kick found an open Thiago Silva inside the six-yard box, but he directed his header straight into Ochoa, who made his sixth and final save of the night. In the final minute of regulation, Andres Guardado (pictured, red) sent another Mexican shot just over the bar. In stoppage time, Cesar saved a Raul Jimenez bouncer that Jimenez had struck off the half-volley. Ochoa led Mexico to a famous result as the teams tie 0-0.

Brasil 4 pts +2
Mexico 4 pts +1
Cameroon 0 pts -1
Croatia 0 pts -2

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/1889294/mexico-hail-our-saviour-goalkeeper-guillermo-Ochoa
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/17/brazil-mexico-world-cup-three-thoughts-ochoa-neymar-fred?eref=sihp
http://www.espnfc.us/team/mexico/203/blog/post/1889221/mexico-grades-a-hard-earned-point
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/story/1875845/brazil-and-mexico-play-out-goalless-draw-in-world-cups-group-a

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186509/index.html

Mexico 1 - Cameroon 0

Photo by Julian Finney

Rainy Natal was the site for the first match of three on this day. The two less heralded teams from Group A were facing off as Cameroon took on Mexico. Both teams were lackluster in qualifying. Cameroon likely were the tenth or eleventh best side in Africa, but they navigated a soft draw to make it to Brasil 2014. Mexico stumbled often at home but won an intercontinental playoff.

On this afternoon, Mexico took the game to Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions had all but one man behind the ball to defend from the opening whistle and still Mexico stretched them easily via flank play. Hector Herrera whipped in an unguarded cross, and Giovanni Dos Santos beat the offside trap to smash home the opening goal off a beautiful volleyed finish. Somehow, the assistant referee decided to make the wrong call and raise his flag, so Mexico were not credited for the score. Cameroon finally started establishing a rhythm after the quarter hour mark. A sneaky dribbling move up the left sideline by Cameroon left back Benoit Assou-Ekotto left Francisco Rodriguez in his wake. A low cross was hit first-time by Samuel Eto'o, whose shot grazed the outside of the near post. Etc. Eric Choupo-Moting was held down and pushed to the ground by Mexico centerback Hector Moreno as he tried to head off a corner, yet no penalty kick was given. In yet another controversial decision, Dos Santos again had a goal taken off the board for offsides. This time, he was ruled offside when Choupo-Moting deflected a Mexican corner kick backwards into his path just before his headed finish. The referee decided to continue his poor performance, failing to produce a yellow card to Cameroon's Stephane Mbia even though he extended his arm through Andres Guardado's face. The teams went into their dressing rooms after a puzzling 0-0 half.

Mexico were in with a chance early in the half. Dos Santos toe-poked a through ball to Oribe Peralta, but an oncoming Cameroon goalkeeper Charles Itandje came out to make the sliding block. At the hour mark, Mexico finally were allowed to have a goalstand. Cameroon's centerbacks split apart so wide that the entire half circle was open, and Hector Herrera rolled a simple through ball into the gaping hole. Itandje made the initial save on Dos Santos, but Peralta was there to clean up the mess and put Mexico ahead 1-0. Jose Vasquez had a fantastic game at defensive midfield for Mexico, completing over fifty passes with nary a turnover. However, in stoppage time, Vasquez's turnover at the top of the box led to a quick cross in from Assou-Ekotto. Benjamin Moukandjo headed at the top corner, but a flying catch by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa preserved the lead. Mexico right back Miguel Layun ran all the way up the pitch and stripped Dany Nounkeu (pictured, yellow) in possession. His cross found a wide-open Javier Hernandez, but Hernandez could not manufacture a goal with his knee. Mexico hang on to win 1-0 in a match where they scored three legitimate goals.

Brasil 3 pts +2
Mexico 3 pts +1
Cameroon 0 pts -1
Croatia 0 pts -2

Goals
Mexico
Oribe Peralta 61

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/team/mexico/203/blog/post/1879363/ramos-mexico-beat-the-odds
http://www.espnfc.us/team/mexico/203/blog/post/1878170/carlisle-three-points-from-el-tris-win

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186492/index.html

Brasil 3 - Croatia 1

Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff

Finally, in the 821th match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, tournament finals hosts Brasil made their long-awaited debut in the tournament. They opened the final stage at home to Croatia in Sao Paulo amid protests that were sweeping the country. Mario Mandzukic was suspended for the first match, and still the visitors came out in an attacking formation. The side had been directed to attack the space behind Brasil's overlapping fullbacks, and boy did Croatia do this well at the start of the match. Ivica Olic (pictured, red) was giving freedom to roam down the left sideline, let vacant but the forward runs of right back Dani Alves (pictured, yellow), and he had meters of open space before him as he whipped in a cross. Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic nodded the cross just off frame to let Brasil off the hook early on. Olic continued to probe, and he hit a low cross into the box. Jelavic tipped the ball ever so slightly, and Brasil defender Marcelo had no time to get out of the way of the ball, leading to an own goal. The home crowd was stunned to silence, but the dormant Brazilian attack finally awoke. Neymar, poised to be the breakout star of the tournament in attack for Brasil, took the ball up the sideline from the right flank and pushed the ball to the top of the box. From there, Oscar banged a curling ball at the far post from twenty yards out, but an unsighted Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa made a diving stop to his right. Neymar took a yellow card before the half hour mark for a backhanded slap to the face of Luka Modric as they fought to win a header. However, two minutes later, Neymar was given too much space on a run up the center of the pitch, and Croatia were made to pay. Neymar hit a left-footed roller that banked in off the post past a slow-reacting Pletikosa to even the score. The sides went into halftime all square at one goal apiece.

Croatia left their magical attack somewhere in the locker room, for they certainly did not bring it with them onto the pitch for the second half. Brasil were a more relaxed, patient side in the second period. Brasil were drawing fouls in the final third, and it seemed inevitable that they would cash in eventually. Fred flopped in the penalty area, drawing a weak penalty kick for Brasil under minimal contact from Croatia centerback Dejan Lovren. Neymar converted for a 2-1 lead. Croatia had appeared to tie the game late in the match, but Olic was ruled to have fouled Brasil goalkeeper Julio Cesar, causing him to drop the ball that was later scrambled into the goal by Croatia. Modric then shot from distance, but Brasil goalkeeper Julio Cesar fell back to his right to make the parry to safety despite having leaned the wrong way with the shot. Cesa made another save from distance off an Ivan Perisic shot. Croatia looked as dangerous as they did to begin the match at the tail end, but they had to push numbers up field to search for the draw. In stoppage time, Ivan Rakitic was caught in possession by a tackle from late Brasil substitute Ramires. Oscar picked up the loose ball and scored off a slow-rolling toe-poke strike from outside the box, somehow bamboozling Pletikosa to make the final scoreline extremely flattering to the hosts. Brasil win 3-1 and jump to the top of Group A.

Goals
Brasil
Neymar 29, 71 PK
Oscar 90+1

Croatia
Marcelo 11 (OG)

Match Reports:
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/13/world-cup-2014-day-1/
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/match/383303/brazil-croatia/report
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/12/brazil-croatia-world-cup-three-thoughts-neymar
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1875415/three-points-brazil-vs-Croatia
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/12/brazil-croatia-world-cup-2014-group-a-match-report

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186456/index.html