Costa Rica 1 - Italy 0

Photo by Laurence Griffiths

Costa Rica and Italy were battling for the lead in Group D as they took to the pitch in Recife this afternoon. The Ticos showed that they were not looking merely to get a result against the favored Azzurri. Celso Borges missed a header chance from a Costa Rican corner kick, but that was just a precursor of greater things to come. Andrea Pirlo, the Italian midfield maestro, sent a pass from six yards into his own half all the way upfield to Mario Balotelli, who then missed his chip over Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas wide of frame. Balotelli had a shot from twenty-four yards out later on that was saved by Navas. With ten minutes left in the half, Costa Rica took over. Cristian Bolaños was able to convert a tackle by his teammate Michal Umaña into a shot on goal, but Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saved his curling effort. Bryan Ruiz nearly provided perfect service to Ticos centerback Oscar Duarte, but Duarte's attempted backward flick-on header sailed just over the Italian crossbar. Costa Rica really should have been awarded a penalty soon thereafter. Italian centerback Giorgio Chiellini missed a catch, allowing Joel Campbell to latch onto the ball in the box. Chiellini was faked out by a Campbell move, but the referee did not punish his foul on Campbell. With one minute left in the first half, Costa Rica made their pressure pay off. Fullback Junior Diaz sent a beautiful ball to the far post where only Ruiz could reach it. Ruiz's header was powered home for the 1-0 lead Costa Rica would take into their locker room.

Italian fullback Matteo Darmian cut in from a run down the flank and beat two defenders, but Navas tipped his shot over the bar. Three minutes after that, Navas had to punch away a Pirlo free kick. From then on, nothing much happened. Italy were caught offsides a few more times on the way to being called for that infraction eleven separate times throughout the match. Marcos Ureña came on as a late substitute for Costa Rica. He manufactured a late one-on-one opportunity, but Chiellini came up with the better of that exchange. Costa Rica were simply spectacular defensively in the second half. The Ticos hold on and win 2-1, advancing to the knockout stages and eliminating England in the process.

Costa Rica IN 6 pts +3
Italy 3 pts 0
Uruguay 3 pts -1
England OUT

Goals
Costa Rica
Bryan Ruiz 44

Match Reports:

Highlights:

Uruguay 2 - England 1

Photo by Jamie Squire

England and Uruguay were looking for the first points at Brasil 2014 as they met today in Sao Paulo. The teams started slowly, but it would be the Three Lions with the first dangerous chance. Wayne Rooney stood over an English free kick and bent it just by the intersection of the crossbar and the far post. From there, the game opened up. Uruguayan winger Cristian Rodriguez hit an extremely powerful shot from the top of the penalty area that zoomed just over the crossbar with backspin. England nearly had the opening goal over a short free kick from the left flank. Captain Steven Gerrard chipped a perfect ball to the back post, but Rooney's point-blank header went up and into the crossbar before cruelly bouncing out. Uruguay centerback Diego Godin could have perhaps been sent of the pitch for a second yellow card as he committed a foul as he was being driven by on the right flank, but the referee gave him a reprieve. Uruguay found themselves with a counterattacking chance later in the half. Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani received the ball in the attacking third, and he chipped an absolutely brilliant ball that evaded the leaping head of English centerback Phil Jagielka as gravity brought it back to Earth just slowly enough for striker Luis Suarez  (pictured, blue) to run under it and head the ball back across the goal and into the net. Perfect pass, perfect header, 1-0 Uruguay. Rooney tried to level the affair with a good through ball to Daniel Sturridge, but his shot to the near post has saved by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Uruguay led 1-0 at intermission.

Suarez used an early corner kick to shoot directly on frame, nearly catching England goalkeeper Joe Hart and punishing him for refusing to station a man at his near post on an inswinging corner kick. Hart desperately dove into his own goalmouth, but he kept the ball out of his goal. A Nicolas Lodeiro through ball put Cavani in with a chance, but Cavani dragged the chance wide. From then on, England really bossed the game. They had the vast majority of possession in this match and passed both more voluminously and more accurately than did La Celeste. Rooney grabbed hold of a loose ball from eight yards out, but he only managed to drive the ball straight into the goalkeeper's body. On a scary play, Uruguayan winger Alvaro Pereira took a knee to the head, but he remained in the game after a short stoppage. English right back Glen Johnson was the impetus for the equalizing goal. He drove around Godin and then split two defenders at the right edge of the box. Johnson laid off a gorgeous ball for Rooney, who tapped in for 1-1. England looked likelier to win the match. Leighton Baines found Sturridge with a ball into the area, but his turnaround was easily blocked by Muslera. Rather undeservedly, Uruguay snatched a lead on a fast counter. A long ball was flicked on from near midfield by Cavani. Suarez ran onto the ball in the attacking third and finished by crushing a ball into the net. Uruguay hold on to win 2-1, pushing England to the brink of elimination and reviving their own hopes of advancing in the process.

Costa Rica 3 pts +2
Italy 3 pts +1
Uruguay 3 pts -1
England 0 pts -2

Goals
Uruguay
Luis Suarez 39, 85

England
Wayne Rooney 75

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/world-cup-central/59/post/1896076/suarezs-heroics-reflected-uruguays-performance----resilient-to-the-end
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/19/luis-suarez-world-cup-uruguay-england-wayne-rooney
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1896090/suarez-and-cavani-work-their-magic
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/story/1896046/luis-suarez-calls-uruguays-world-cup-win-over-england-one-of-the-best-games-ive-played

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186486/index.html

Italy 2 - England 1

Photo by Adam Pretty

England faced off against Italy in the Amazonian city of Manaus. England started off much more brightly. Raheem Sterling as given way too much time by Italian left back Giorgio Chiellini, but his well-hit shot sailed just wide of the post. A couple minutes later, Jordan Henderson was firing from distance off the half-volley, but Italian goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu was able to keep it out of his net. A few minutes after that, Italian centerback Gabriel Paletta gave a pass away from the half circle straight to Danny Welbeck, but Welbeck fired well wide. England clearly had the upper hand, but they could not manufacture a goal from their early superiority. Italy's inexperienced back four was being tested early and often. Welbeck sent a roller across the six-yard box with Sterling looming for the tap-in. Andrea Barzagli had to go for the sliding tackle facing his own goal, and he just narrowly avoided an own goal on his clearance. On a corner kick, Italy rolled the ball out to the top of the box. Andrea Pirlo dummied over the ball, leaving Claudio Marchisio wide open from distance. He smacked the ball through four English defenders, including through one's legs, to put Italy ahead 1-0. England struck back immediately. Wayne Rooney ran up the left side of the box and then played a beautiful one-bounce pass, allowing Sterling to kick the ball in from four yards away without breaking stride to level the affair at one goal apiece. Italy nearly had their second goal in stoppage time. Mario Balotelli (pictured, blue) dragged England goalkeeper Joe Hart (pictured, yellow) wide and then chipped Hart when he refused to rop back and cover his line. Luckily for the Three Lions, centerback Phil Jagielka was able to clear the danger off the line with his head. The first period ended 1-1.

Welbeck continued his brilliant play after the second half whistle. He hit a curling shot that forced a diving block from Sirigu. Italy somehow shook off another slow start to a half, this time more quickly. Antonio Candreva bamboozled English left back Leighton Baineswith a faked cross, allowing him to cut back and drive by him before playing a perfect cross just beyond the far post to a place where only Balotelli could reach the ball. His header was pure, and Italy were ahead 2-1. Baines nearly equalized off a curling shot from the top of the box, but Sirigu again was ready to parry the ball to safety. A frustrated England produced little else of note for the remainder of the match. Pirlo nearly cored on a knuckling swerving free kick, but the crossbar denied him. Hart was relieved for he had completely misread the shot. Italy escape with a 2-1 victory.

Costa Rica 3 pts +2
Italy 3 pts +1
England 0 pts -1
Uruguay 0 pts -2

Goals
Italy
Claudio Marchisio
Mario Balotelli

England
Daniel Sturridge

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/fifa-world-cup/4/blog/post/1882019/three-points-by-john-brewin-on-italy-2-1-win-over-England
http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol/2014/06/14/italy-england-world-cup-three-thoughts-pirlo-rooney-buffon-balotelli?eref=sihp
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/world-cup-central/59/post/1881900/italys-andrea-pirlo-brilliant-against-england-in-world-cup

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186513/index.html

Costa Rica 3 - Uruguay 1

Photo by Jamie McDonald

The affair between Costa Rica and Uruguay in Fortaleza was played at a quite relaxed pace in the early going. Both sides were missing big players in this match through injury. Uruguay were without forward Luis Suarez; Costa Rica lacked strker Alvaro Saborio and left back Bryan Oviedo. Neither side was managing any sort of offense aside from set pieces in the earl stages of the match. Midway through the period, Uruguay capitalized on a set piece to snatch the lead. Junior Diaz was whistled for hugging Diego Lugano inside the penalty box as Lugano tried to leap for a header on a set piece. Uruguay converted the penalty kick to give Uruguay the opening goal. That goal appeared to open up the game as both teams looked more willing to attack. Ticos forward Joel Campbell (pictured, white) found himself with time and space to fire from distance, but his missile just flew wide of target. A Costa Rican corner kick from late in the half was allowed to bounce in the six-yard box, but Giancarlo Gonzalez was unable to put a head on the bounce. Uruguay nearly pulled a miraculous second moments later when Diego Forlan's effort on goal took a heavy deflection and looped toward the top corner. Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas sprinted and leapt with his right arm over his left shoulder to tip the ball away at the final moment. Uruguay led 1-0 at intermission.

A Cristian Bolaños free kick nearly the impetus for the equalizer. He found Oscar Duarte at the far pot, but Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera had the near post covered. Duarte skied the rebound well off frame. Pure hustle created the equalizer for Costa Rica moments later. Cristian Gamboa sprinted to the endline to prevent a goal kick and managed to whip in a fast cross. Campbell ended up with the ball in the box with no defenders in his area, so he decided to strike the ball into the net for 1-1.  Three minutes later, yet another set piece came Costa Rica's way, and they finally made good on this type of chance. Oscar Duarte bravely dove with his head to get a touch ahead of Cristian Stuani's outstretched foot. Duarte's header was brilliant, and it found the side netting at the far post to give the Ticos a 2-1 lead. Campbell hit another missile just wide of target, and suddenly Uruguay looked very much like the inferior side. A quickly chipped cross in from Cebolla? found Cavani ten yards out, but Navas made a diving save to parry the ball to safety. Campbell decided to cement his place as man of the match. With under ten minutes to go, he pushed a through ball in from the right flank. Recent substitute Marcos Ureña ran onto the ball, and with no help coming, he decided to go for the sharp-angled rolling shot. He executed it to perfection, avoiding the slide tackle of the goalkeeper as he pushed into the vacant net for a 3-1 lead. In stoppage time, Maxi Pereira drew the first red card of the tournament for clipping Campbell in frustration. Costa Rica win 3-1 after completely outclassing Uruguay in the second half.

Goals
Costa Rica
Joel Campbell 54
Oscar Duarte 57
Marcos Ureña 84

Uruguay
Edinson Cavani 24 PK

Match Reports:
http://www.espnfc.us/team/costa-rica/214/blog/post/1882888/costa-ricas-success-against-uruguay-only-one-step-in-right-direction
http://www.espnfc.us/blog/the-match/60/post/1881614/uruguay-loss-means-they-must-win-their-next-two-world-cup-games

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186489/index.html