Broad Street Believers

This post will be updated as Group B progresses.  Man, it is hard to not use “game,” “team,” or “field,” but I’m doing my best…

Group B Preview (Australia, Chile, Netherlands, Spain)
Group B is one of the toughest groups out there – and is probably the toughest group if you only count the top 3 teams.  “The Group of Death” (Group G) has 4 quality sides, which makes it tougher, but I might argue that this group has a better 1-2-3.  First of all, they boast the world’s #1 in Spain.  And, it’s a ranking that is well-deserved, as the Spaniards on in the midst of the greatest run in international soccer history, having won the past two Euro titles and the 2010 World Cup.  And, who do they get in their very first game of this World Cup?  None other than the sidethey had to beat to win that 2010 World Cup, Netherlands.  The Dutch are back, though aging, and will be a tough out.  This group also boasts Chile (and my favorite soccer player – for no real reason – Alexis Sanchez).  The Chileans are going to be a tough out, as well, so the Dutch better be careful.  Australia might be the ultimate also-ran in this tournament and the best bet to leave Brazil without a single point.  In the end, I don’t think anyone in this group will beat Spain or lose to Australia, so the final qualifying spot from this group will come down to the final day’s Chile-Netherlands match.  It is important for these two sides to stay close to Spain and blow out the Aussies because the leader in the tiebreaker heading into that match will have the huge advantage of only needing a draw.

6/13, 3:00 – Netherlands vs. Spain
It only took until the third match of the tournament for us to see a rematch of the 2010 World Cup final.  While still supremely talented, the Dutch may have missed their best chance four years ago because these four years probably took more out of them than it did the Spanish side.  This great era of Dutch soccer, unfortunately, coincided with the best era of soccer we may have ever seen – this Spanish dominance.  And, as much as I love the Dutch people (and their soccer team), I am enthralled by the precision with which the Spaniards play this game.  When they are on their best form, they put the “beautiful” in the beautiful game.

Netherlands 5 – Spain 1
Yes, you read that right.  The Spanish side, which gave up two goals during the ENTIRE 2010 World Cup, gave up 5 in their opener against the Netherlands.  For the first 20 minutes, they looked pretty solid, even taking a 1-0 lead.  They looked like a slightly less crisp version of the championship squad, but with an added huge presence in the middle.  But, then two INCREDIBLE services by some guy named Daley Blind.  I have never heard of that guy and I sure don’t know the game very well at all, but from my untrained eye, that dude put together one of the best matches I have seen in my limited soccer watching experience.  But, no matter why it happened, that just happened.  The world’s #1, the defending champs, just got plastered in a group that does not give you a whole lot of margin for error – for several reasons.  First of all, the 4-goal defeat means that Spain essentially MUST beat both Australia (no problem) and Chile (big problem).  Any draw now probably eliminates the champs.  But, the second big fallout from this result is that they need a lot of help now in order to win this group, and a second-place finish probably means a date with Brazil in the Round of 16.  This was a potential Cup-changing result on the second day.

6/13, 6:00 – Australia vs. Chile
The Aussies are probably heading home without a point, but it is not because they are the worst side in this tournament.  It has everything to do with the fact that they are in a group that has three sides that are vastly superior and rarely ever lose (or even draw) to sides like Australia.  Chile is on that level now and would be devastated to come away with anything but a resounding victory.  In fact, they should probably be thinking about running it up because goal differential may really come into play with the way the schedule looks for Group B.

Chile 3 – Australia 1
Nothing all that surprising at all from this result, as the Chileans simply took care of business, led by the man – Alexis Sanchez (that dude is awesome).  The were done no favors with their draw and are almost assuredly heading for 3 straight Ls and a trip home.

Day One Recap
Well, is there anything else to talk about other than the SHOCKING 5-1 Dutch win over the champs?  It is not incredibly surprising that they won, considering there is a ton of talent and pride on that Dutch side, but the manner in which they simply dominated the Spaniards was shocking.  The 4-goal differential is gigantic, too, and because of that, you can make the case that the Chileans benefited almost as much from that result as the Dutch did.  Now, it is almost assured that Chile – regardless of their result against the Netherlands – only needs a draw with Spain to move on.  Unless, of course, the Spanish can drop a half-dozen on the Aussies.  In either case, this group just got real interesting and this day’s results are going to have major implications on the tournament going forward.  Hey, even the Brazilians were affected because the World’s #1 just came very much into play as a potential Round of 16 opponent for the host nation.

6/18, noon – Australia vs. Netherlands
Well, if the Dutch can drop a 5-spot on the world’s #1 team, I can’t imagine what they can do against the Socceroos.  I know, different day, different match, so don’t expect another 5 goals.  But, you can expect a decisive victory here for the Dutch.  The Socceroos are just overmatched in this group.

Netherlands 3 – Australia 2
A match that was supposed to be lopsided and boring actually turned out to be incredibly hard-fought and flat-out thrilling.  When the Dutch opened the scoring with another Arjen Robben goal at the 20-minute mark, it looked like it might be the end of the interest in this game, but a mere :70 seconds later, Tim Cahill (who is pretty amazing, by the way) put in one of the best goals I have ever seen to even the scoring.  Then, early in the second half, the Aussies actually took the lead on a PK, and things kind of got nuts.  But, the Dutch responded two minutes later with a Robin Van Persie goal and then a couple minutes after that sunk the game-winner from distance.  It was a very inspired performance by the Socceroos, but the Dutch officially punched their ticket to the knockout stage.  They hold the slimest of goal differential margins over Chile, so they only need a draw in their final match to win the group and avoid Brazil.

6/18, 3:00 – Chile vs. Spain
This is going to be a GREAT match.  The Spanish are trying to regroup from the drubbing by the Dutch, while Chile is possible ready to establish themselves in this tournament, coming off a ho-hum victory over Australia.  Because of the big Spanish loss, the Chileans may be quite alright with a draw here, giving then an inside track to get out of this really tough group.   My favorite international player, Alexis Sanchez, scored early against the Aussies and will look to expose the age of the Spanish back line.  But, let’s not forget that this Spanish side is the best in the world, and they now have their backs against the wall.  And, the Spanish have Australia to finish the group and 6 points has never not qualified for the knockout stage, so a win today should get the world’s #1 through.  Then again, the conditions are ripe for the first ever 6-point team to be left out and with a -4 goal differential, Spain would be the one.  Oh, and if Spain should lose today (which is certainly possible), they would be officially eliminated (assuming the Dutch at least draw with Australia).  This should be REALLY good.

Chile 2 – Spain 0
Wow!  The #1 team in the world and defending world champs are gone – just like that.  They were actually the very first team to be officially eliminated from the competition after a lackluster, shoddy performance against Chile.  Taking nothing away from the Chileans, though, who looked excellent and have officially moved through to the knockout stage for the second straight Cup.  The story, however, has to be all about Spain and their ignominious exit from this tournament.  They just looked awful – honestly.  There is nothing that can change the greatest run in international soccer history, but this was a stunningly sudden end to that run.  As for Chile, they are good enough to really make some noise here, though they need to beat the Netherlands in their final match to win the group and avoid their arch-nemesis Brazil.

Day Two Recap
Just another day at the World Cup, as the #1 team in the world is eliminated, and another legit title contender needs everything they can muster to get by an under-talented Australia side.  Chile, who handled Australia easily and then took it to a desperate Spanish side, seems more than ready for the big stage.  And, they will need to be, as they now have a date with the Netherlands with all of Group B on the line.  As you may or may not have heard, Spain is done.  Wow…just wow!

6/23, noon – Australia vs. Spain
6/23, noon – Chile vs. Netherlands
While these matches will be played simultaneously, there is really only one that matters.  Spain is – kind of – playing for pride, even though they really don’t have any left and can’t really gain any back by beating Australia.  That match is simply to see just how much of a train wreck this Spanish World Cup can become.  Australia – as they showed against the Dutch – is not on the elite level, but is not a total rollover.  I could see the Aussies winning this match.  But that doesn’t really matter.  The big one here is Chile-Netherlands.  The Netherlands only need a draw here, but they will be without their goal-scoring star, Robin Van Persie.  Chile has looked really good in two matches and are already accustomed to an attacking style, so they will have no problem going for the win.  This could be a really exciting game that, despite both teams having already qualified, should be heated and with a lot at stake.  Basically, these two sides are playing to avoid the host Brazilians in the Round of 16.  The winner of this group would get either Croatia or Mexico, while second-place would get Brazil.

Spain 3 – Australia 0
Netherlands 2 – Chile 0
The Dutch complete a rather impressive sweep of Group B and were probably the most dominant side in group play.  They still have not done enough for me to put them on the same level as Brazil, Germany, or Argentina, in terms of title contenders, but they certainly have been more impressive than any of those three so far.  The strange thing is that they seemed to sweep this group in the opposite fashion as expected.  Their most difficult match was against Australia, while their seemingly easiest match was against Spain.  Yesterday, against Chile, they just looked the better side, even without the great RVP.  The Chileans, despite this loss, have to be feeling good about getting through a group that also included the two finalists from the last World Cup.  The only problem is that since they finished second, they will get a Brazilian side that they can just never seem to beat – and who never loses on their home soil.  The Dutch came out and took this one, avoiding Brazil and setting themselves up with a much easier match against Mexico.  As for the other match of the day, the Spanish second-team played for pride and got some back, easily handling the Aussies, 3-0.

Group B Final Recap
1. Netherlands – The Dutch sweep the group, putting in the most dominant group stage performance of this year’s Cup.  Then again, Argentina was the most dominant in the 2010 World Cup’s group stage, and they got slaughtered in the quarterfinals by Germany.  This year’s Dutch team has a lot of experience, but also a lot of youthful vigor.  They are deep and talented and play very well together.  They have a world-class striker (RVP), a world-class creator (Arjen Robben, still), and a very solid back line.  Like I said above, I still think that Brazil, Argentina, and Germany are at least a half-step above the Netherlands right now, but they have played their way into the title conversation.  Now, they get a Mexico side that is dangerous, but certainly not incredibly scary.  Then (looking way ahead), in the quarters, they are likely to have either Costa Rica or Cote d’Ivoire.  There is a clear path for the Dutch to roll into the semis.

(INTERESTING NOTE:  I was thinking about how the Dutch were 3-0 in group stage in 2010, so I did a little research and found that the Netherlands has not lost a group stage match at the World Cup in MY LIFETIME!  They were 3-0 this year and in 2010.  They were 2-0-1 in 2006, moving on behind Argentina in their group.  They missed the Cup in 2002.  They won their group in both 1998 (1-0-2) and 1994 (2-0-1).  In 1990, they drew all 3 group stage matches and moved on through.  And, they missed the Cup in both 1986 and 1982.  On June 11, 1978, the lost 3-2 to Scotland in the final match of group play, but still qualified behind Peru.  In fact, digging some more, I found that the Netherlands has NEVER been eliminated in the group stage in any World Cup for which they have qualified.  I feel like this is a stat we would have been bombarded with if soccer was big in this country, but I had to go through all the WC Wikipedia pages to figure that out.  Where’s ESPN Stats & Info on international soccer???) 

2. Chile – Ever since my deep dive into international soccer, I have really loved this Chile side.  Maybe it is their all-out attacking style.  Maybe it’s…never mind, it’s DEFINITELY their all-out attacking style and probably nothing else.  They were stifled by the Dutch on Monday, but still got through a very tough group and into the knockout stage for the second straight Cup.  The problem is – for the second straight Cup – they will meet the one side they probably wanted to meet least of all, Brazil.  Their fellow South Americans have dominated Chile since the invention of the sport, eliminating them in 3 previous Cups, including the 2010 Round of 16.  I am not sure this year will be any different, but the match will be fun to watch, regardless.

3. Spain – The End of an Era.  And, it was a great one.  The Era that indoctrinated me to the “beautiful game.”  These players grew up playing together since adolescence and accomplished more than any other national soccer program has ever accomplished.  But, it is over.  The swan song on Monday was nice, as they trounced Australia and got goals from Villa and Torres and some brilliant midfield play from Iniesta.  But, it wasn’t to be this year.  And, while we lament what could have been, let us actually think about how this may have been as much a product of a really tough group as anything else.  They lost in disappointing fashion, but they lost to an elite Netherlands side and a possibly-elite Chile side before handling Australia with ease.  You mean if they switched places with Belgium or Colombia or Argentina or even Brazil or Switzerland, they wouldn’t still be going through?  I certainly think so.  They just got placed in one of the two or three groups that had enough firepower to expose them.  I am not saying that if they were in Group H, they would have won another Cup, I am just saying that we might be talking about their tough quarterfinal loss to Argentina instead of the conversation being about how a great era has come CRASHING DOWN RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES.  You soccer fans are so dramatic…which is one of the reasons I love your sport…haha!

4. Australia – The Aussies got – as easily predicted – ousted without a point.  They acquitted themselves well, though, particularly in that match versus the Netherlands.  The Socceroos just didn’t have the firepower to compete in such a difficult group.  You can’t say that this was a disappointing Cup for the Socceroos, despite a 0-point performance.

So, four years (and two kids) ago, I was able to preview and review every single match of the 2010 World Cup (and it was all done in a mere THIRTY THOUSAND WORDS as the early games were even cut off…what, who reads 30,000 words of anything let alone soccer commentary from a guy that thinks these are all “games” played by “teams” on “fields?”).  It seems a much more daunting task this time around, but, hey why not give it a shot, right?  Anyway, here we go.  This post will be updated as Group A develops.

Group A Preview (Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, Mexico)
So, here we go with the 2014 World Cup – the greatest sporting event in the world (or, at least on par with the NCAA Tournament, which happens every year, so it is slightly less exciting to lead up to).  Group A – as the alphabet suggests – is our kickoff group and has our host nation, Brazil.  The #3 team in the world, playing at home, is the odds-on favorite to win the title, though I believe that Germany and Argentina might be better picks.  Either way, the Brazilians have a group that, on their home soil, they should absolutely win.  Croatia is probably the best bet (and my pick) as the other qualifier from this group, though Mexico, depite their qualification struggles, could challenge for that qualification spot.  While I will be rooting hard for all African teams, especially Cameroon, I really don’t see them challenging for a qualification spot, though they might decide it because I think they could draw with Mexico, which would give Croatia a big edge.  The way I see it playing out is Brazil going 3-0, Croatia beating Cameroon, while Mexico only draws with Cameroon.  That means that, on the final day of the group, Croatia would only need a draw with Mexico to move on, while the Mexicans would have to beat the Croats, which I don’t see happening, so I’ll take Brazil and Croatia to move on out of Group A.

The interesting thing to note here is that Group B has Spain, so if, for whatever reason, either Brazil or Spain somehow finish second in their respective groups, these two powerhouses will play in the Round of 16.  So, winning this group is very important for Brazil if they want to avoid facing Spain immediately in the knockout stage.

6/12, 4:00 – Brazil vs. Croatia
The host country – as tradition holds – opens the tournament with the stage to themselves, as they open with Croatia.  This first match for the home team is probably the one with the largest advantage.  The home team not only gets a huge jolt from the craziness of the home fans watching their team for the first time in World Cup play, but it also is the first match the visiting team will play under these specific conditions.  This is a great matchup for the home team to get with their largest advantage because this figures to be the toughest group test the Brazilians will face.  Croatia is a very solid team that – under neutral conditions – might be a sleeper pick to win this group.  They will be very lucky to come away with even 1 point, though, under these conditions.  Look for the Brazilians to make a statement early.

Brazil 3 – Croatia 1
While we are comparing this sporting event to the NCAA Tournament, we might as well use the ole phrase “survive and advance” because that is what our tournament hosts did in their opening match.  They were significantly outplayed for the first 25 minutes and trailed 1-0.  But, they picked up the equalizer from Neymar at 29 minutes, which seemed to calm their nerves and reminded them that it’s just another match – not a World Cup opener on their home soil.  They pretty much dominated the rest of the game, which makes the events that led to this victory a little easier to swallow.  They scored the game-winner (Neymar again) on a penalty kick resulting from an incredibly awful foul call in the penalty area.  Then, they played some atrocious defense in the final 5 minutes and got really lucky not to give up a late equalizer before scoring a late goal from Oscar that was just a result of the entire Croatian team attacking.  In the end, the better overall side and the better side on this day won the match, but it was not anything resembling the “beautiful game” that Team Brazil usually produces.  A performance like today is likely to send them packing once we hit the knockout phase.  Fortunately, they did just get a W in their most difficult group match.  As for Croatia, they looked good and had chances, but did come away with an L.  They will have to regroup and get ready for Cameroon on Wednesday.

6/13, noon – Cameroon vs. Mexico
This could be a very important game for Croatia, as well.  I think that the Cameroonians will probably not factor into the qualifying from this group, but they definitely could rise up and steal a draw from either Mexico or Croatia, in which case that would be a huge advantage for the other side.  It will be interesting to see just what kind of form Mexico is in after a really shaky qualifying campaign.  Even a loss here for the Mexicans is not completely out of the question and would be devastating.

Mexico 1 – Cameroon 0
Another match, another refereeing controversy (apparently, while watching soccer, and only while watching soccer, it’s pronounced con-TROV-ersy)…or two.  But, fortunately for the refereeing community and those of us who prefer watching sports not talking heads spout off about sports, the questionable referee calls (which cost Mexico TWO goals in the first half) didn’t matter in the final result, just the final score, as the Mexicans proved a far superior side.  Cameroon, while definitely the superior athletes on the pitch, were overmatched in class.

Day One Recap
The favorites of the group, Brazil, got a nice (potentially referee-aided) victory over maybe their toughest opponent, while Mexico avoided what would have been a tough draw to swallow.  In the end, nothing has really changed here, as Brazil is still the clear favorite to win the group, while the Croatia-Mexico match should decide the second qualifier.

6/17, 3:00 – Brazil vs. Mexico
The two unimpressive winners on Day One of this group will face off in the first match of the second round of Cup play.  Brazil had a controversial win over Croatia, while the Mexicans dominated an over-matched Cameroon, but only scored once.  The winner of this match will clinch the group, while a draw here probably favors Brazil, who is only staring at a date with Cameroon in the final round.  That being said, Mexico would probably be happy with a draw, which would mean that they only need a draw with Croatia to move on through.  The Croats are clearly rooting for the home side here, as a Mexican win would be a big blow to Croatia’s chances of moving through.

Brazil 0 – Mexico 0
To all those Ugly Americans who think that soccer isn’t exciting because no one ever scores, I give you this one.  The best match I have seen all tournament was a nil-nil draw.  This was up-and-down with attacking and free-flowing play for 90 straight minutes.  The Brazilians dominated for the first 30 minutes, but the Mexicans then looked like the better side for a solid 20-25 minutes.  The end of the game was played more in Mexico’s end, but they held up.  And, their goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa, was INCREDIBLE.  I have no idea if he is any good or not, but that was literally the best match I have ever seen a keeper play.  He was EVERYWHERE.  It was simply a fantastic match, and I gained a ton of newfound respect for the Mexicans and now cannot wait for their win-and-you’re-in match with Croatia.  While Brazil probably should have won this match, I am sure they are content with their point in advance of a match with a hapless Cameroonian squad.   They should take care of business against the Africans and win this group.

6/18, 6:00 – Cameroon vs. Croatia
The Croats feel robbed in their opening match with Brazil, but they need to get it together because they still hold their fate in their hands, and they should have plenty to get past the Indomitable Lions, who were thoroughly dominated by Mexico in their first match.  Anything but 3 points here for Croatia would be crushing.  And, while a draw would probably mean that Cameroon played well, the Lions are staring at Brazil in the final round, so they really need 3 here or their tournament is pretty much over.

Croatia 4 – Cameroon 0
In easily the most embarrassing performance of this year’s Cup, the Cameroonians got absolutely hammered – mostly by their own doing, picking up an insanely idiotic red card near the end of the first half.  They were already down 1-0, and they did not look like they were going to really threaten the Croats, but to flat-out punch a dude in the back is one of the dumbest things I have seen a professional athlete do.  It was embarrassing to all of us who root for Cameroon.  It is time to just bow out of this tournament now because the match with Brazil might get ugly.  As I have been saying all week now, Croatia’s match with Mexico should be the decider on who moves on to the knockout round.  And, with the way these two sides have been playing, I am even more excited for this match.  It might be the highlight of the final round of matches.

Day Two Recap
The best match of the tournament so far gave us a 0-0 draw between Brazil and Mexico.  It also set up a possibility for Brazil to be eliminated.  Well, not really.  Cameroon has been – BY FAR – the worst side in this tournament and Brazil still has them left, only needing a draw to get through.  A win for Brazil over Cameroon will give them the Group A title and a date with the second-place side from Group B in the Round of 16.  As for Croatia, they did win 4-0 and looked great, but that was more of a terrible performance by the Cameroonians.  I still believe them to be the better side than Mexico, but they will have to beat the Mexicans to qualify, since they lost to Brazil and Mexico got a draw.

6/23, 4:00 – Brazil vs. Cameroon
6/23, 4:00 – Croatia vs. Mexico
In a (fantastic) change that is only in its third World Cup, the final matches of group play are played simultaneously, so as to try and keep all matches as relevant as possible.  Both of Monday’s groups (Group A & B) would not really matter either way, as the sides playing for positioning all play each other.  Brazil should easily get past Cameroon, which would clinch the group win for them.  And, then the second spot will be decided on the pitch in the other match.  Mexico, sitting on 4 points, only needs a draw against Croatia, who is sitting on 3.  Both sides are coming off VERY impressive performances and should be ready to go.  The Croatian attack looks fierce, while the Mexican goalkeeper put in probably the best performance I have ever seen.  Though, as Doogan notes, he is not exactly in high regard internationally, so it may have just been the game of his life.  This Croatia-Mexico match might be my most anticipate matches of the third round.  I like the Croats to get the win, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mexico sneak through.  The winner of the second spot is looking at a date with the Chile-Netherlands winner of Group B.

Brazil 4 – Cameroon 1
Mexico 3 – Croatia 1
Well, the Mexico-Croatia match lived up to the hype in intrigue and excitement, even if the play was a bit sloppy at times.  The intensity was at a real peak level for the entirety of the match, and there was an up-and-down, wide open style that led to some really exciting stuff.  The Mexican defense continued to be inpenetrable, though, even by the potent Croatian attack.  The Mexican offense, however, looked a bit stymied, having only scored one goal in the first 250+ minutes of WC play this year.  But, finally Rafa Marquez (who was incredible all match) put in a ridiculous header to put the Mexicanos up 1-0 and the flood gates opened.  Mexico scored twice more actually opening up the possibility of winning the group before allowing their first goal of the tournament late, sending them to a second-place finish.  Brazil did what they needed to do in handling a bad Cameroonian side, 4-1, clinching the Group A title.

Group A Final Recap
1. Brazil – The host nation took care of business in somewhat unimpressive fashion.  But, no matter how they got here, they got here as A1.  And, while they didn’t look that good, they did beat a solid Croatia side, 3-1, and pounded a not solid Cameroon side 4-1, with a well-played 0-0 draw with Mexico in between.  The pre-tournament favorites are alive and well into the Round of 16 for a date with an inter-continental rival, Chile, whom they have dominated for generations.

2. Mexico – Gotta think that this has already been a success for a side that barely even qualified.  Then again, their first two goals of this tournament against Cameroon were contraversially disallowed.  If both of those had been properly allowed, Mexico may have won the group and gotten to avoid the side that has probably been the most impressive thus far, the Netherlands, in the Round of 16.  That being said, I am not ruling out a Mexican upset there.

3. Croatia – Heartbreak for the Croats, who may end up being one of the more impressive sides not to qualify out of group play.  They nearly got an impossible draw against the host nation in the tournament opener (and probably should have), then pounded Cameroon, before a hard-fought loss to Mexico.  This can’t be a happy ending for fans of Team Croatia.

4. Cameroon – The single-worst team in the tournament, start to finish, will almost certainly end up by the Indomitable Lions, who didn’t just look domitable, but rather pathetic, at times.  Giving up 4 goals each in their final two matches and just flat-out giving up is not a good sign for the future of one of the continent’s better programs, historically.