WC 2014 Knockout - QF ARG vs BEL, CRC vs NED

[Sohel]

We played our best, most organized, balanced and attractive soccer against Ghana. Things got a little sloppy against Portugal but I'd say we were still good to watch even from a non-American perspective. It was all Germany in game 3 and pretty much all Belgium in the game that knocked us out of the tournament. Howard kept the score close.

I suppose it's all academic at this point, but I fail to see the wisdom of playing Cameron at all despite his costly turnovers and not playing Brooks. Why did Yedlin not start from the beginning? Why didn't Gonzalez, arguably our best defender alongside Brooks? Also, why no Julian Green despite the costly absence of Jozy Altidore? And what the eff is this fascination with playing Michael Bradley in a creative role when his holding ability makes him better suited to hang back whilst Jones, someone with both skill and ideas, was held back? I love what Klinsmann did with selecting the squad, and the "play to win" attitude more obvious in the first two games, but his tactical decisions left me disappointed.

Anyway, on to 2018. This has been a great tournament for our region with Mexico and USA coming close to making the quarterfinals. Too bad Honduras never recovered from early disaster but they too are a good side. I'll be rooting for Los Ticos to make it to the final from this bracket, and Brazil from the other one.

[Sohel]

Messi can be double or triple teamed and Di Maria can be kept around the periphery, as long as you retain your structure and stay strong on the ball. We've seen that happen against the Swiss. Kompany and company are defensively solid. The Belgians are a far quicker and technically more proficient side with some excellent players. Argentine defense will have a tough time dealing with Hazard and Fellaini threading passes to Origi and Lukaku. I think Belgium will upset Argentina unless Higuain does justice to his formidable talent in this tournament. Rojo will be sorely missed at both ends of the field.

[Tigers_eye]

Originally Posted by Sohel
Messi can be double or triple teamed and Di Maria can be kept around the periphery, as long as you retain your structure and stay strong on the ball. We've seen that happen against the Swiss. Kompany and company are defensively solid. The Belgians are a far quicker and technically more proficient side with some excellent players. Argentine defense will have a tough time dealing with Hazard and Fellaini threading passes to Origi and Lukaku. I think Belgium will upset Argentina unless Higuain does justice to his formidable talent in this tournament. Rojo will be sorely missed at both ends of the field.

The problem with the Belgians are they are thin on the bench. A key injury or card can change the whole game.

[Ajfar]

Originally Posted by Sohel

Anyway, on to 2018. This has been a great tournament for our region with Mexico and USA coming close to making the quarterfinals. Too bad Honduras never recovered from early disaster but they too are a good side. I'll be rooting for Los Ticos to make it to the final from this bracket, and Brazil from the other one.

Heading into 2018, we should be one of the favorites to get out of our group regardless of who else is in our group. By 2018, guys like Julien Green, Deandre Yedlin, John Brooks, Aron Johannsson will have more experience under their belt and will be the core of this team. Josy still has a lot of time left in his hand. We also have a really talented 17 year old kid, Gedion Zelalem. Born in Germany to Ethopian parents, but grew up in US before scouted by Arsenal. I think he will end up playing for America. Klinsman will stay our coach. Beside the coach of the national team, US Soccer also gave Jurgen a director position, he is implementing a lot of youth programs through out the country to spread the game. From this point on I can only see us going up.

[Dilscoop]

This US squad reminds me of our old BD team (or a better version of it) from a decade ago, the team that I had started following. No superstars, no big names, no real world class athletes but lot of heart and passion. BD lost so many close well fought games because of the gap in talent. Now, team is loaded with talents and couple of well recognized stars but no heart or passion. Only difference is USSF will only grow big while BCB will stay the same.

[al-Sagar]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
The problem with the Belgians are they are thin on the bench. A key injury or card can change the whole game.

Beligians are not thin on bench ..... they have a vey effective bench.

[al-Sagar]

Attention Modz: can u delete the teams that are knocked out from the title.

My Proposal:

WC 2014 Knockout (Quarter Finals) - BEL vs ARG, CRC vs NED

[reverse_swing]

Originally Posted by al-Sagar
Beligians are not thin on bench ..... they have a vey effective bench.

Agree. I guess Mijan bhai was joking! Belgium have lots of firepower in reserve than others. The individual quality available to Wilmots from the bench is hard to match. You got players like Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen, Kevin Mirallas, Nicolas Lombaerts and Adnan Januzaj on the bench, This new generation of Belgium have very good talent, but don't have the good experience at the highest level.

[Tigers_eye]

Originally Posted by reverse_swing
Agree. I guess Mijan bhai was joking! Belgium have lots of firepower in reserve than others. The individual quality available to Wilmots from the bench is hard to match. You got players like Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen, Kevin Mirallas, Nicolas Lombaerts and Adnan Januzaj on the bench, This new generation of Belgium have very good talent, but don't have the good experience at the highest level.

Plus I read it somewhere saying the bench is not proven (defense). One key injury can change the structure of the team. I did not follow Belgium's qualification. Last game showed they are relentless. I find their goalie as an huge advantage for being 6' 6" in the penalty shootouts.

[BengaliPagol]

Having Mignolet as your backup keeper to Courtois shows how much depth Belgium have.

[SS]

Messi will win it for Argentina but Belgium will fight.

[shaad]

Messi will have to pull something out of the hat. I suspect that this time (not necessarily in this match) the streak of only S. Americans winning the WC on this continent might be broken.

[Ajfar]

Neymar out of the world cup with fractured vertebra. This might just be it for Brazil. I don't know how they are going to get past Germany without Neymar and Thiago Silva. Without Neymar, we don't have any scoring threat what so ever. Fred hasn't done a single thing in this world cup except scoring that one easy goal. Oscar's been missing since that one good game against Croatia.

[BengaliPagol]

I've been rooting for Belgium this whole tournament. I really hope they stand up and really show what they are capable of in this match. Hazard hasn't been at his best and hopefully he plays to his potential in the next game.

[SS]

feel really sorry for Neymar...first i thought it was small injury but his vertebra is fructured.

[One World]

Holland 3 - CRC 1
ARG 3 - BEL 4 TB

[al-Sagar]

khela besh bessh jome uthbe

[al-Sagar]

World Cup 2014: Belgium urged to 'write history' against Argentina

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has called on his players to make history on Saturday as they attempt to reach their first World Cup semi-final since 1986.

The Red Devils face Argentina in the quarter-finals in Brasilia (17:00 BST).

The last time Belgium reached the last four they lost to a team inspired by Diego Maradona, but Wilmots wants his side to play attacking football despite the threat posed by Lionel Messi.

"We can write history," Wilmots said. "We're going to play our own game."

FULL STORY

[al-Sagar]

World Cup 2014: Arjen Robben diving worries Costa Rica coach

Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto says Netherlands winger Arjen Robben must be punished if he dives during Saturday's World Cup quarter-final in Salvador.

Robben, 30, apologised for diving in the last-16 win over Mexico.

"I would like to ask Fifa and the referees to watch Robben," said Pinto. "We're really worried about his diving. He has admitted doing it."

Asked if Robben should be sent off if he dives, Pinto said: "That may be the most logical solution."

Full Story

[al-Sagar]

TEAM NEWS

Netherlands midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong will miss the remainder of the tournament with a groin injury.

Wesley Sneijder has been nursing a slight back strain picked up in the win over Mexico and will be assessed.

Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas should be fit despite missing training earlier in the week with a shoulder injury.

The Central Americans have defensive problems, with Oscar Duarte banned and Roy Miller out with a foot problem.

[al-Sagar]

Head-to-head

•This is the first ever meeting between the Netherlands and Costa Rica.


Netherlands

•The Netherlands have won 10 of their last 11 World Cup matches, the exception being their defeat in the final to Spain four years ago.
•Louis van Gaal's side have scored an unrivalled 12 goals at this World Cup prior to the quarter-finals. Seven of their 12 goals have come from different players.
•They have won the last four World Cup matches in which they have fallen behind (inside 90 minutes).
•The Dutch have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 World Cup knockout games, last doing so against the Republic of Ireland in 1994.
•Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie combined for six of the Netherlands' eight goals across the first two matches but have since failed to find the net.
•Wesley Sneijder has played in a Dutch record 15 World Cup games. He has scored five goals in his last five World Cup knockout matches.


Costs Rica

•Costa Rica are unbeaten in four World Cup games for the very first time (W2, D2).
•They are the first CONCACAF country to reach the quarter-finals since the USA in 2002.
•Costa Rica have conceded the joint-fewest goals (two) at the World Cup.
•The Ticos' have met European opposition on nine previous occasions at World Cup finals (W3, D2, L4). Their only win in the last seven came against Italy earlier in this tournament.
•Jorge Luis Pinto's side have been behind for just 30 minutes in Brazil: against Uruguay in their opening Group D match.
•Keylor Navas has saved 87.5% of the shots he has faced so far, making 14 saves (not including penalties).
•Bryan Ruiz scored with Costa Rica's only shot on target against Greece.

[al-Sagar]

TEAM NEWS


Argentina left-back Marcos Rojo serves a one-game ban, with Jose Basanta expected to deputise for him.

Sergio Aguero has returned to light training following a thigh problem but is unlikely to start, while Rodrigo Palacio could replace Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Belgium welcome back midfielder Steven Defour, who has completed a one-game suspension following his red card against South Korea.

Thomas Vermaelen should be available after a hamstring problem.

[al-Sagar]

MATCH FACTS


Head-to-head

•Argentina have won three of their previous four encounters with Belgium.
•The two World Cup meetings have produced a win apiece.
•Belgium won 1-0 in a group game at Barcelona's Camp Nou at the 1982 World Cup. Four years later Argentina won a semi-final 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
•That match at Mexico '86 is the most recent game between the sides.


Argentina

•Argentina have been eliminated in their last three World Cup quarter-finals. They lost to Germany in 2010 and Netherlands in 1998, also bowing out to the Germans in 2006 after a penalty shoot-out.
•Excluding shoot-outs, Argentina have not won a World Cup quarter-final since defeating England 2-1 in 1986.
•They have averaged 64.3% possession so far at this tournament, the highest ratio of any side prior to the quarter-finals.
•Lionel Messi has scored or assisted five of Argentina's seven goals at the 2014 World Cup. Three of his four goals have been scored from outside the penalty area.
•Argentina are unbeaten in the last 25 games in which Messi has featured (W18, D7).
•Victory against the Swiss in the last round was the first World Cup match Argentina have won in the month of July since beating the same opponents in 1966 (excludes penalty shoot-outs).


Belgium

•This is only the second time Belgium have reached the World Cup quarter-finals. They beat Spain on penalties to advance to the last four in 1986 after a 1-1 draw in Puebla.
•The Belgians have had more shots at this World Cup (83, including blocked efforts) than any other side prior to the quarter-finals.
•All six of their goals in Brazil have been scored from the 70th minute onwards, with four of those strikes netted by substitutes.
•Belgium are unbeaten in the 21 games in which goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has played for them.

[Sohel]

The Belgians are organized, skilled, and full of serious depth and flair. They'll be dealing with a team completely depended on one player, albeit the best in the world, and a mediocre defense made worse by the suspension of Rojo. Di Maria has had a decent Wold Cup but will need to do better. Higuain hasn't and finds himself in a now-or-never situation. If the Belgians can stay poised around Messi and finish their chances, they should send Argentina packing and may even make it to the final. They know this.

Los Ticos need to play their natural game but turn it up a notch to beat the Dutch, a team that always seems to find a way to win. Won't be easy for our fellow CONCACAF member but Ruiz, Campbell and company know that they must beat the best to be the best.

I'll be rooting for Belgium and Costa Rica tonight.

[Sohel]

I don't know why the Belgians can't play both Origi and Lukaku.