World Cup Tourists Take Selfies With Toothy Suarez

Soccer fans from Finland and the U.S. pretend that Uruguay's soccer striker Luis Suarez is biting them

A U.S. soccer fan pretends that Uruguay's soccer striker Luis Suarez is biting him

A U.S. soccer fan pretends that Uruguay's soccer striker Luis Suarez is biting him

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It was a learning curve

  Luiz Gustavo.

Midfielder Luiz Gustavo, who has been one of Brazil’s star performers at the World Cup, said on Wednesday that leaving German giant Bayern Munich and moving to Wolfsburg was “a learning curve”.

“A lot of good things happened at Bayern which I have remembered, as well as some bad things which force you to learn and evolve,” said the 26-year-old at a press conference on Wednesday.

“Leaving that club was not an easy moment, but it was the start of a learning curve and I have come out of it even stronger.” Luiz Gustavo arrived at Bayern from Bundesliga rival Hoffenheim in January 2011 and enjoyed a successful two-and-a-half years in Bavaria.

Last summer, when Pep Guardiola replaced Jupp Heynckes as coach at the Allianz Arena, he was allowed to leave for 2009 German champion Wolfsburg.

“Everyone has their own opinion,” he said of Guardiola’s decision to let him go. “But I am very happy today.”

Having started all of Brazil's World Cup games to date, Gustavo is again set to have a key role to play in Luiz Felipe Scolari's side in Saturday's last-16 tie against Chile in Belo Horizonte.

However, it remains to be seen who will start alongside him in central midfield at the Mineirao.

Paulinho started in all of Brazil's three Group A matches with Felipe Scolari declaring that he had “blind faith” in the Tottenham Hotspur player before Monday’s 4-1 win against Cameroon in Brasilia.

Luis Suarez Barred 9 Games and 4 Months in Biting Incident

Luis Suarez holds his teeth after running into Italy's Giorgio Chiellini

 

Luis Suarez, the enigmatic striker from Uruguay, was barred for nine games and suspended from all soccer-related activities for four months after he was accused of biting an opponent that marred his team's 1-0 World Cup victory over Italy, FIFA officials announced Thursday. Suarez, who was suspended twice previously for biting opponents during league games in the Netherlands and England, will miss the rest of the World Cup and the start of the English Premier League season.
Suarez's suspension is the harshest penalty for on-field action in World Cup history, surpassing the eight-game ban imposed on Mauro Tassotti of Italy in 1994 after he broke an opponent's nose with a vicious elbow.
"Such behavior cannot be tolerated on any football pitch, and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field," Claudio Sulser, the chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.
Suarez's latest incident happened near the end of a match Tuesday in which Uruguay and Italy both struggled to generate many attacking chances. Ten minutes before the end of the game, with the score tied, 0-0, Suarez ran into the penalty area and collided with Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. Suarez appeared to drop his face into Chiellini's shoulder, and Chiellini immediately recoiled as both players fell to the ground.
Chiellini pulled his shirt collar to the side and tried to show the referee bite marks on his shoulder while Suarez rolled on the ground, seemingly feigning a painful injury.
Afterward, Chiellini condemned Suarez for what he said was a painful chomp. "Suarez is a sneak," Chiellini said. "I'd love to see if FIFA has the courage to use video evidence against him."
Suarez denied that he bit Chiellini - he said he ran into his shoulder and "nothing more" - but FIFA announced late Tuesday that its disciplinary panel would open an investigation into the incident and would use all resources, including video replays, to make its decision.
While Uruguay's coach, Oscar Tabarez, and some of Suarez's teammates staunchly defended him, reaction from soccer officials around the world seemed to indicate little patience with Suarez considering his previous history.
Suarez was barred for seven games in 2010 after biting an opponent while playing for the Dutch team Ajax; that earned him the nickname Cannibal of Ajax from a Dutch newspaper. Suarez then moved to the English club Liverpool and, in 2013, was caught on video biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. He was suspended for 10 games.
The FIFA disciplinary committee has broad authority to consider any evidence, including Suarez's two past biting incidents, and determine any punishment.
Suarez and Uruguay's soccer federation were given a deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday to present their position on the matter and any evidence.

Ronaldo to the rescue for U.S ..Germany beat the U.S. 1-0 in their Group G match Thursday.

Germany's Benedikt Hoewedes, left, and United States' Jermaine Jones go for a header during the group G World Cup soccer match between the USA and Germany ‹› Germany beat the U.S. 1-0 in their Group G match Thursday. But the Americans made it through the Group of Death anyway because Cristiano Ronaldo put in a late goal against Ghana for a 2-1 Portugal victory.The Americans' likely opponent next week is Belgium, which has already secured a spot out of Group H. The final Group H games are Friday. Belgium will win the group with a win or draw against South Korea, or a loss combined with a loss or draw by Algeria against Russia. It will finish second in the group with a loss combined with an Algeria win over Russia. There were many empty seats in the Arena Pernambuco when the match kicked off but fans streamed in during the first half, apparently delayed by traffic jams as torrential rain flooded parts of this northeastern Brazilian city. Germany was quicker off the mark and Tim Howard intercepted a low cross from Lukas Podolski before Michael Bradley made a good clearance and Omar Gonzales defended well to deny Thomas Mueller a shot from close range. Howard's 103th cap was a record for a U.S. goalkeeper and he did well to stop Mesut Ozil's shot in the 35th minute.

Portugal defeat Ghana 2-1

Cristiano Ronaldo made it 2-1 to Portugal but the win was not enough to see his nation reach the round of 16
Ghana pay for past sins
A news conference on Wednesday included revelations about millions of dollars in cash being flown in to unpaid players, and then came Thursday morning's breaking news on the suspension of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari after in-fighting.
Africa has suffered in Brazil. Cameroon were pathetic, Ivory Coast failed yet again to break their round of 16 duck, while Ghana, despite featuring in two of the tournament's classics -- versus USA and Germany -- failed to match their achievements in 2010 (quarterfinals), or even 2006 (round of 16), for that matter.

 Ghana FA suspends Boateng, Muntari
The real damage was done in losing to Team USA; the profligate finishing, the hopeless marking that let in John Brooks to score. All after total domination of possession. That late Miroslav Klose strike when leading Germany was even more costly, perhaps, though a draw was the right result in Fortaleza.
In Brasilia, they were spirited -- too strong-arm for Ronaldo's liking at times, he took a hell of a buffeting -- yet the same problems were their undoing. They were often on the edge of the Portuguese 18-yard box, but that was where the move broke down. Overhit crosses, shots from silly angles and decent Portuguese defending were their downfall. As they pushed towards the end of the first half, Christian Atsu was hugely wasteful when Andre Ayew was in free space.
Gyan's goal had looked to open an escape path, before familiar problems closed off the route.

Chile leads Spain 2-0 at halftime at World Cup.

 Chile's Eduardo Vargas celebrates scoring the opening goal during the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile

The Chilean team line up for the national anthem before the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Spanish team line up for a group photo before the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and Chile at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Netherlands vs Australia.Dutch Rally to Thwart Australia

                          Netherlands  3 - Australia 2

The Netherlands' Arjen Robben takes a free kick. Credit William West/Agence France-Presse

Brazil Memphis Depay scored a late clincher as Netherlands withstood Australia’s unsettling challenge in a 3-2 comeback win in Group B on Wednesday to move to the verge of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

Netherlands followed its 5-1 rout of defending champion Spain with a closer-than-expected win against Australia, which is almost surely out of contention after two defeats.

Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie, who each scored twice against Spain, added to their tallies before and after Australia’s goals. The substitute Depay scored the winner in the 68th.

After a quiet start the game burst to life in the 20th minute when Robben collected the ball near midfield, sped through a hole in the Australian midfield and shot powerfully past the outstretched left foot of Mathew Ryan.

Ronaldo gets the ice treatment with Portugal

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Cristiano Ronaldo needed an ice pack for his troublesome left knee during a training session on Wednesday, as Portugal prepared for its World Cup match against the United States.

Though his knee had been bandaged in previous training sessions, Ronaldo started without one Wednesday.
After some light work with the rest of the first team, followed by some stretching, the world player of the year had the knee ice-packed.
Ronaldo was doubtful to play before Portugal's opening 4-0 defeat by Germany, but said before the game he was "100 percent fit".

Cristiano Ronaldo declares himself ready to play.

Ronaldo says has recovered from the left-knee injury that has bothered him recently.
Ronaldo tells reporters he would be "the first" to tell the coach if he was unable to play.
The Portugal star and FIFA player of the year was seen earlier this week walking away from practice with ice bags on his knee. He wore a bandage on the knee during Sunday's practice at the venue of the match, the Arena Fonte Nova.

World Cup : France vs. Honduras.

Karim Benzema of France controls the ball against Roger Espinoza (L) and Emilio Izaguirre of Honduras during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group E match between France and Honduras

Mathieu Debuchy of France challenges Roger Espinoza of Honduras during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group E match between France and Honduras

France’s Karim Benzema (10) scores the opening goal from a penalty spot during the group E World Cup soccer match between France and Honduras

 

 

A general view of the arena during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group C match between Colombia and Greece at Estadio Mineirao

Colombia’s Juan Zuniga, Greece’s Giorgos Samaras battle for the ball during the group C World Cup soccer match between Colombia and Greece

Greece’s forward Georgios Samaras (R) vies with Colombia’s midfielder Abel Aguilar

Greece’s forward Georgios Samaras (R) vies with Colombia’s midfielder Abel Aguilar (L) during a Group C football match between Colombia and Greece at the Mineirao Arena.

Goal by Pablo Armero of Colombia between Colombia and Greece

Goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis of Greece fails to save a shot by Pablo Armero of Colombia for his teams first goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group C match between Colombia and Greece.

visualisation of the Colombian team

You're welcome.

Colombia v Greece, World Cup 2014.....FULL TIME..

Pablo Armero's second ever goal for Colombia. The defender, who was on loan from Napoli to West Ham for the latter part of this season, knows how to mark them too.

Colombia 3.. : Greece 0

20'mins GOAL..........by Pablo Armero..
58 mins GOAL. COLOMBIA. A poor corner from James Rodriguez is converted after great work from Aguilar. Gutierrez, who was picked ahead of two other fancied strikers, can't miss and doesn't. They try the cute celebration again, but it doesn't come off this time. Gary Linekar obviously cursed it.
90+2 GOAL. COLOMBIA. Finally, James Rodriguez gets his goal. Danger man Cuadrado thunders through the Greek midfield, it falls for J-Rod, who finishes with a quite sumptuous right-foot strike. Best goal of the game by a mile.
90 mins Only three minutes of added time. Thank God.
 

Colombia Takes 1-0 Lead Over Greece in World Cup 1st-Round Match

Pablo Armero’s deflected shot gave Colombia a 1-0 lead in its opening round World Cup match with Greece in Brazil.
The defender’s shot went off a Greek player and into the goal in the fifth minute in Belo Horizonte.
There are four games today, with Colombia taking on Greece and Ivory Coast meeting Japan in Group C matches. In Group D, Uruguay faces Costa Rica and England plays Italy.
Two teams from each group advance to the round of 16, with the winner of Group C playing Group D’s runnerup, and the Group D champion playing the second-placed Group C team.
Yesterday, Chile beat Australia 3-1, and the Netherlands rallied from a goal down to maul defending champion Spain a 5-1 in Group B games.
In a group A match, Mexico beat Cameroon 1-0 on Oribe Peralta’s second-half goal. Brazil, the host and record five-time champions, beat Croatia 3-1 in the other Group A game

Mikel:Hoping For Nigeria To Have A Good Tournament

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel says the Super Eagles are in Brazil to erase their dismal performance at the last two editions of the World Cup.
It would be recalled that the Super Eagles standout player pulled out of the last tournament staged in South Africa after failing to recover from injury.
''This is my first World Cup. I want to make sure we achieve something coming here. We don't just want to come and make up the numbers, we want to do well.
"I have to make sure I lead by example. We are all driving in the same direction. We all know what we want and hopefully we will have a good tournament,'' he told AFP.
After the Super Eagles won the African Cup of Nations for a third time last year, they must meet expectations of majority of the fans, who expect them to qualify for the knock out round for a start.
Mikel said: ''We know we're the African champions and people expect us to do well, to represent the African continent.
''That's a bit more extra pressure but it's pressure that we love. We love to be African champions."
"We're doing well; we're doing everything we can. We're preparing well. Today the result in Spain against the Netherlands shows anything is possible so we have to make sure we approach games seriously and play well.''
In their first match of the tournament on June 16, Nigeria will trade tackles with Iran in Curitiba.

Events...Brazil(PREVIEW)

Netherlands, Spain look to next match at World Cup

Spain's goalkeeper Iker Casillas rests on his knees in dejection as Netherlands' Arjen Robben celebrates after scoring followed by Netherlands' Wesley Sneijder during the group B World Cup soccer match between Spain and the Netherlands at the Arena Ponte Nova in Salvador, Brazil, Friday, June 13, 2014.

Rio Ferdinand with Brazilian kids answering their questions .