Mario Goetze’s goal in extra time clinched the 2014 FIFA World Cup for the Germans, netting them their fourth trophy, putting them level with Italy and just one behind Brazil.
For the many Brazilians inside the Maracana, there was satisfaction that their neighbours and arch rivals hadn’t managed to get their hands on the coveted trophy, an achievement that would have certainly rubbed salt into their wounds after having witnessed their own team getting dumped out of the tournament in acrimonious fashion.
Argentina had a fine run to the final. They started off slowly and barring the games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Belgium, they were truly pushed to the limits in each of their games. But they held their own and managed to get the job done, getting over their opponents to eventually make it to the grand finale. The 2014 run to the final was a rather unconventional one for the Argentines. Unlike in the past, this campaign wasn’t highlighted by superb, silken attacking play that their opponents found too much to handle.
True, Argentina had in their ranks, and as captain, arguably the best player in the world in Lionel Messi. He did win the Golden Ball, which was FIFA’s way of pandering to popular opinion and ensuring their commercial interests. But Messi wasn’t even the best player on his team. While he did show his class in leading the way in the group stages, as the tournament progressed, Argentina became more effective than effervescent. Mascherano wasn’t captain but led from the front
And the leader of this effective pack and Argentina’s MVP during the tournament was Javier Mascherano, who truly had a spectacular World Cup for the Albiceleste. Messi wore the armband, but Mascherano was the vocal leader on the pitch, marshaling the troops, and helping keep the Argentine unit tight and compact. He was, in fact, the incumbent before Alejandro Sabella handed the captaincy to Messi, so the midfielder was just continuing on in his leadership role sans the armband.
Having been witness to watching the midfield enforcer play centre-back for Barcelona the last few seasons, it was an absolute joy to watch Mascherano at this World Cup operating in his favoured deep-lying midfielder role. His marking, tackling and retrieval of the ball were all superb and his distribution once he obtained possession was fantastic, in a throwback to his Liverpool days and his initial years at Barcelona. Acting as the pivot, he helped protect Martin Demichelis, a pronounced liability at the back at club level the last season, and Ezequiel Garay, not the quickest of defenders.
He was crucial in keeping the Argentines organized and disciplined while defending, an aspect that their neighbours Brazil ended up paying a heavy price for not addressing. For long the shortcoming of South American teams, even the best of them, Mascherano ensured that it would not be their Achilles heel this time around.
Mascherano was amongst the leaders in tackles, balls recovered and distance covered among midfielders at Brazil 2014. And while it was his possibly game-saving tackle against Arjen Robben in the semi-finals that made people look up and take notice, efforts like those were what Mascherano routinely put out through the course of the tournament.
After conceding two goals against Nigeria in their final group game, Argentina went three full games without conceding another, only to be breached by Gӧtze’s superbly taken volley in the summit clash. And while he was excellent throughout the tournament, he reserved his finest showing for the semis and the final. While everybody spoke about how well Nigel de Jong man-marked Messi in the semi-finals, Mascherano’s equally lock-in defence against Robben and Wesley Sneijder was overlooked.
In fact, as the match wore on, and the Dutch began to enjoy possession and embarked on a late charge, it was Mascherano who the entire Argentine team suddenly looked up to. And in the team huddle before extra time and penalties, it was once again Mascherano, and not Messi, who was giving the team talk, motivating and inspiring his troops.
Javier Mascherano of Argentina challenges Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final
The unsung hero – recognized by his opponents
Going into the final, Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger singled out Mascherano’s importance to the Argentine side calling him “the leader of a pack of wolves”. And Germany found it tough to get past that wolfpack in the final as Mascherano went toe-to-toe with perhaps the best midfield pairing in the competition in Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos.
He may not be the big, bad wolf, but through his performances at Brazil 2014, the diminutive Argentine’s reputation as one of the best holding midfielders in the world has been restored. He led his side to their first final in 24 years, and they came close, really close.
But the loss in the final notwithstanding, when the dust settles around the 20th FIFA World Cup, and people begin to look back at the names that stood out, the names that shone the brightest, most of the talk may still revolve around Messi, but Mascherano’s huge contribution to the cause will not be lost on them.
Brazil national side fail to live up to the expectations of the home fans as Germany thrash them 7-1 in the semi-final.
This past Tuesday in Belo Horizonte, time seemed to stand still during the 90 minutes of football in the first semi-final between Brazil and Germany.
For 90 minutes, all those who watched went through emotions that you would associate more with being at the cinemas and amphitheatres. For 90 minutes, people’s thoughts were suspended, for from the outside looking in, it bore no evidence of a sporting contest, least of all a FIFA World Cup semi-final between two giants of the game.
While the rain came down hard as the match wore on, the tears came down harder on the cheeks of many Brazilian supporters in the stadium who just found it all a little too much to stomach. Overwhelmed they were and awash with misery at watching their heroes fall apart like a deck of cards.
As the first goal went in, when Thomas Müller found himself completely unmarked to head home, the entire Brazilian team took a deep breath knowing that they now had to put up a masterful effort to come back in this one without their two best players. Hope, while having taken a hit, was still intact. When the second one went in, and in the manner in which it did, that hope was shattered. The young team out on the pitch began to see its World Cup dream slip away.
And in thinking about that dream slipping away, they let in a third, fourth and fifth. In a span of six extremely long minutes, Brazil’s players suddenly found their dream turned into a nightmare, a real live one, and one in which they were very much awake. Their thoughts must have shifted to the vultures that would circle around them after the match, the memories that would haunt them for years on end and a public that would be merciless and unforgiving during their entire lifetime for having brought on this shame to the country’s football and its people.
It was the day Brazil stood still and let time and Germany just waft past them. The scenes witnessed that evening were just some of the most poignant ones seen in recent times.
A modern day sporting tragedy
In an era far removed from Greek tragedies, Brazil’s national football team became the centrepiece in this modern day sporting tragedy, one that can claim to rival Greek tragedies of yore from Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.
As much as word may be out that Germany were clearly far superior and that Brazil were destined to fail, let’s get things straight, events like Tuesday are freak results; they come along rarely. Brazil aren’t that bad and Germany aren’t that good, period. Five of the seven goals conceded were gifts presented to the Germans in an unexpected show of hospitality from the hosts, the nature of which were so welcoming that even a side like San Marino would have pumped in a few goals.
What we witnessed was amongst the most spectacular unravelling ever seen in recent times in sport. Brazil’s footballers just imploded on the pitch against the more seasoned Germans and the result wasn’t pretty.
Pressure can undo so many good things. When you play under pressure, you pretty much stop playing, focussing instead on how best not to mess things up. Brazil were under pressure right from the moment the tournament got underway and that is precisely why they’ve flattered to deceive right through.
A year ago, this team became overwhelming favourites to clinch their sixth World Cup after putting in a masterful run to win the Confederations Cup at home. It is not for nothing that the favourites going into a World Cup have never won; in Brazil’s case, the euphoria and the pressure was just so much more considering them being the hosts and considering the painful memories from 1950 that the country wanted this team to banish.
Brazil’s unconvincing road to the semis
A team cannot go from being world-beaters to being on the wrong end of a 7-1 score line in a jiffy. The truth is Brazil have hardly got out of third gear at this World Cup due to a combination of their own anxiety and how well their opponents have played. Unconvincing is the word that can best be described to sum up how they’ve performed right through, from their opener against Croatia right upto squeaking past Chile and holding off Colombia.
They sparked in fits and spurts and managed to get the job done in order to progress. But then, such an approach can only take you that far, and when you go up against an elite team such as Germany, you have got to be better prepared. Driven by a fear of failure all along, the focus has to been to somehow get the win, while sacrificing all else for the ultimate glory.
Trouble with that approach, sadly, is you tend to not have a fall back option. Brazil right through the tournament exhibited a distinct lack of a clear strategy or game plan. Hence, the reliance on Neymar; hence, the sweaty foreheads and palms when he went down after being kneed in the back by Colombia’s Juan Zuniga.
“We missed you skipper”
Without Neymar, they were going to struggle offensively, but Thiago Silva’s absence at the heart of the defence was always going to have more severe implications, though no one could have quite predicted the scale of damage that was eventually inflicted. Their captain has been immense for them in this tournament and in my opinion has been more crucial to the team than Neymar. I say so because, once you gloss over the goals and attractive play that the Samba boys displayed en route to the semi-final, their progress was more a grit-and-grind display, of overcoming opponents rather than overpowering them. And at the heart of it all was the man from PSG.
Brazil’s Thiago Silva (R) consoles David Luiz
Strong rear-guard action was required in every game that Brazil played – against Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia – and Silva stepped up to the plate magnificently every single time. His marshalling of the defence was superb to watch as he kept his teammates focussed and was always proactive, shouting out instructions and keeping his team huddled together. His presence makes David Luiz play better and that recklessness in his game is hardly seen when Silva is around.
He wasn’t around on Tuesday in the semi-final, wasn’t around to rally his troops when they were shooting themselves in the foot, wasn’t around to bring about a sense of calm to the back four in particular and the team in general. For four of the seven goals conceded, Brazil even had numbers back, only they weren’t really marking anyone, just marking space. A fine leader of men, the only one perhaps in this team, he was sorely missed out on the pitch that evening.
Brazil didn’t lack talent, they lacked experience
This team that played as such an effective unit with so much cohesion and unity in winning the Confederations Cup also played with a great degree of freedom at that event. An uninhibited approach allowed them to play their games at their full potential knowing full well that the event was but a precursor, a warm up, to the big event a year away. Failure to win it would not be the end of the world. In 2014, at the showpiece event though, the stakes were much higher, and Brazil crumbled.
All those saying that is the worst ever generation of Brazilian players to ever play for the Selecao could not be farther from the truth. Brazil’s remarkable self-combustion came not due to a lack of talent, but due to a lack of maturity and experience. This squad was simply too young and too inexperienced to handle itself when backed into a corner.
Of the four semi-finalists this year, Brazil clearly was the odd man out, for every other team had a solid core of five to six veteran pros with plenty of experience behind them. Argentina’s entire team boasts of players that have now been playing for years in the top leagues in Europe and South America with plenty of caps under their belt; Germany has a strong veteran core of Philip Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Per Mertesacker and Miroslav Klose to look to for leadership and even their younger players have a World Cup under their belt already; the Netherlands likewise have Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel de Jong and Dirk Kuyt. All of them big-match players, all of them seasoned professionals capable of handling themselves well in high-pressure situations.
Contrast that with Brazil and you find no one of note barring Julio Cesar and Dani Alves. Even their captain, Thiago Silva, is an amateur when compared to those leading the other three semi-finalists.
‘Big Phil’ fails to provide the major lift
This team is no doubt talented; the trouble is they have hardly been able to will themselves to play anywhere close to their best. That’s why the blame, entirely, must go to the coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, for this acrimonious debacle.
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had no answers to Germany’s onslaught
Scolari’s missteps began from the day when the squad was announced. He opted for caution over flamboyance when he selected a gut of defensive-minded midfielders in the squad and left out players such as Lucas Moura. During the whole tournament, he seemed to be unable to influence the game during periods when his side were under pressure. His substitutions seemed to follow a preset order rather than being influenced by how the game was going. Tactically, he was outsmarted by almost every single opposing coach, including that of Cameroon. Perhaps the most shocking decision of all was him deciding to play Maicon in the right-back position against Germany. Who was he kidding?
Dani Alves may have been sub-par for much of the tournament and his benching in the quarter-final against Colombia may have been to send a strong message to him, but not playing your best right-back against a team like Germany is asking for trouble. Even more so when you’ve already been forced to include Dante in central defence thanks to Silva’s absence. Both Maicon and Dante let the team down massively. Maicon has been washed up for some time now; he is backup at AS Roma for a reason.
Road to redemption
There are some clear problems with this team, like the need for a good centre-forward. The other main issue they will have to address by the time the Copa America comes around and subsequently the next World Cup, is the right-back and the goalkeeper positions. Julio Cesar could be playing in his last World Cup and Alves may not be around too when the next one comes around.
This team is extremely young and culling the entire lot in favour of other alternatives would be too harsh a decision. Each of these players have exhibited considerable potential at club level and together as a team to be kept in the mix for upcoming tournaments. A knee-jerk reaction is the easy way out, but not the right one at this point. Ensuring continuity is a key part of squad building. Barring a coaching change, the players have to be given more time. They just have to look at the team that butchered them in the semi-final to understand that.
This German team’s road to the final began eight years ago, in similar conditions at home, where they fell to wily Italian team in the semis. That squad headed by Jürgen Klinnsmann and the subsequent one in 2010 bore much resemblance in that they all had a young core of players. With greater experience and maturity, they are now once more in the final, 12 years after they made the final in 2002 at Korea/Japan. And redemption is a great motivator to help inspire a bunch of players out of a funk after such a heavy defeat.
That road to redemption begins later tonight when they take on the Netherlands in their country’s capital in the third-place playoff. While no team really likes to play this particular match in a World Cup, for Brazil it provides an immediate opportunity to redeem themselves in the eyes of their country mates, and more importantly to help them believe in themselves once again.
It definitely is a game that Brazil need more than the Dutch, considering their rather narrow, gut-wrenching defeat to the Argentines in the second semi-final.
The original tragedies from the Greeks were aimed at depicting actions that were so complete and noble, that through trial and tribulation, the emotions of the audience were to be transformed from pity and fear to compassion and other pleasurable emotions resulting in a catharsis of the troubled soul. A similar renewal and restoration process lies in front of the current Selecao crop for they would like to wind up affairs at their home World Cup on a high and provide their fans with a sense of belief and hope that they can and will be back with a bang the next time around.
Two European and two South American teams have made it into the final four of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Going into the final week of action, it is the hosts Brazil, their fierce rivals Argentina and European powerhouses Germany and the Netherlands who are still left standing with a chance to compete for the top prize.
For two of them in particular, the Germans and the Dutch, it is a repeat of what they managed to do at the last edition in South Africa. They have managed to make the semis at the World Cup finals for two successive editions now; quite an achievement.
As far as Germany are concerned, Die Mannschaft are the most consistent national team in football. Forget back-to-back semis, this is the fourth consecutive time that Germany have made it to the final four since the 2002 edition in Korea-Japan. The Germans don’t do upsets, they don’t do group stage eliminations, they don’t do hype. They just methodically go about conducting their business and get to the final week of competitions going down only to the eventual champion in most cases. Their presence in the latter stages is almost a given.
For the Dutch, after the disappointment of not qualifying in 2002 and the fractious exit in 2006 at the hands of Portugal, it marks a welcome return to a place where Dutch football believes it truly belongs – the journey from being merely a pretender to now being a contender.
Spain and Uruguay were guilty of relying a little too heavily on the same squad that earned them success back in 2010. Trouble was, some of those players were no longer at their peak and had slowed down over the years. As a result, players in form and performing well at club level were overlooked in favour of the established names. Spain may have brought in new players into the squad, but the starting eleven bore few changes to the core from the 2010 World Cup. The defending champions also failed to address their defensive woes and were forced to pay a heavy price.
Uruguay too relied too heavily on the old guard and that in turn increased their dependence on Luis Suarez. They suffered from a severe lack of mobility in their play, and their defeat in the opener actually forced Coach Oscar Tabarez’s hand to give the newer guys a run.
Germany’s squad is more mature now
One might argue that Germany have much the same players, just like Spain. True, but there is one key difference; Germany’s core is now actually in their prime. From the time of the 2008 Euros and the 2010 World Cup, these players are more mature and more experienced and have all tasted plenty of success playing for their respective clubs. Captain Philip Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger are now the seasoned pros in the setup with a wealth of experience behind them.
Germany have made it to their fourth consecutive World Cup semi-final
And while the squad might look the same, Joachim Loew has made minor tweaks in personnel as well as tactics. The Germans don’t ever single out one man to be the key guy in the team; it is almost always a team effort. Four years ago, this was Mesut Ӧzil’s team, but it no longer is. Toni Kroos has taken over that mantle now and with Thomas Müller playing up front, there is more dynamism in this German side.
Germany’s defence isn’t the greatest either, not when you have Jerome Boateng and Per Mertesacker playing together, or Holger Badstuber. As shown from Mertesacker’s improved performances at Arsenal, he needs a partner who is quick on the ground. And Germany have plugged that gap with Mats Hummels now in the mix. Germany look a more solid team with any combination of Boateng or Mertesacker with Hummels.
For the Dutch, it’s out with the old and in with the new
There’s never been any doubt about the talent in the Dutch ranks, but there was always that sense of disappointment about how they could never get their act together to win a major tournament. It has been a tumultuous journey for the Dutchmen the last four years from the highs of reaching the final in South Africa in 2010 to the lows of losing all three matches and being eliminated in the group stages of Euro 2012.
Since then, with Louis Van Gaal back in his second stint as Netherlands manager, the Dutch have begun the climb out of those dark hallways. They were the first team to qualify for the World Cup from Europe, scoring prolifically and without losing a single game. They too have learnt from past endeavours and changed elements of the team that cost them dear at recent tournaments.
They culled the entire defensive line; not one member from the defensive unit that went to South Africa has travelled to Brazil, and only Ron Vlaar survives from the squad that was dumped out acrimoniously at the Euros. In their places are young defenders picked out from the Dutch Eredivisie, confident in their stride, emboldened by success enjoyed domestically.
It’s back-to-back semi-finals for the Oranje.
Only five veteran players have been retained by Van Gaal – Robin van Persie (now the captain), Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel De Jong and Dirk Kuyt.
The attacking trio of van Persie, Robben and Sneijder combine to make one of the top offensive threats going forward. In fact, barring Sneijder, the other two members of that trio have actually gotten better since the last World Cup and have enjoyed much success playing for their clubs; Van Gaal has made absolutely the right call to retain them to provide this otherwise young team with some veteran leadership. And while Sneijder’s stock may not have improved like the others, he is still one of the best midfielders in the world in delivering killer passes and from dead ball situations.
Dirk Kuyt is an absolute professional, and hence is a great footballer to have in the squad. To add, his versatility (he can play wing-back, full-back, midfield, winger, forward) gives the Dutch team options. De Jong provides the steel in midfield and is still a great asset to have for his ability to break up play and retrieve the football from the opposition.
And the young players chosen in the squad, extensively from the Eredivisie, have provided some much needed freshness and have come into the tournament on the backs of extremely successful seasons. Van Gaal has picked exclusively from the top two sides in the Dutch league last season – Ajax and Feyenoord – and PSV who finished fourth.
Goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, defenders Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were all part of Ajax’s title winning team. Defenders Bruno Martins Indi, Stefan de Vrij, Daryl Janmaat and Terence Kongolo and midifielder Jordy Clasie formed a part of Feyenoord’s fine team that finished second. And forward Memphis Depay and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum were chosen from PSV. The reliance on players from the local Dutch league who have played with and against their teammates has brought in that familiarity and has helped the team work better as a team.
And the importance of confidence cannot be overstated; Van Gaal has picked winners in his squad. With winning comes mental toughness and fortitude and these young Dutch youngsters displayed that in spades in tight games against Chile, Mexico and Costa Rica in the lead up to the semi-finals.
South American obstacles in the way
Germany and the Netherlands now have South American opposition standing in their way, two favourites nonetheless, in Brazil and Argentina respectively. It is not only a clash of continents, but also a clash of styles. Traditionally even the best of South American teams have come undone when they’ve gone up against strong European teams who outsmart them tactically and rely on their organization and strong game plan to counter the flair of the South Americans.
Just ask Argentina who were thumped by Germany in 2010 and edged out in 2006 before that. Ask Brazil who were outwitted in 2010 by the Dutch and in 2006 by France. The two teams will have a point to prove over the next two days.
However, the Germans and the Dutch are well equipped to cope with them as always. The familiarity of the local conditions and home support will be one huge advantage for the South Americans, but you can bet on the two European teams to provide more than just a stern challenge. If Brazil and Argentina are to have that dream final on Sunday at the Maracana they will have to overcome their stiffest tests of the tournament so far, for they are going up against two of the most well drilled sides in this year’s tournament.
All the preparations for crazy parties on the beaches in anticipation of a Brazil-Argentina clash should be put on hold for there is a very real possibility that the meeting of arch-rivals in the final could just be between two European neighbours instead of two South American ones.
Brazil’s players line-up during the penalty shootout with (from left) Thiago Silva, Luiz Gustavo and Neymar in prayer
“If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. - John 14:14”
The whole of Brazil seemed to have asked for the win yesterday!
It was a day that could have seen a huge backlash, not just against their team, but also the government, FIFA and the ongoing World Cup on the whole. In the end Brazil’s national football team, the Selecao, made it through to the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but only just.
The last time Brazil hosted a World Cup, they left the tournament embarrassed after having been upset by Uruguay at the Maracana and thus being devoid of championship glory. That was 64 years ago; there was almost a new painful memory for Brazilian fans to remember down the years at Belo Horizonte yesterday.
The venue apart, yesterday’s game mirrored the ‘Maracanazzo’ to a great degree; a potent South American foe standing in the home team’s way; an early goal for the home team to send their fans into a frenzy; an opponent that equalized and grew stronger as the match went on. Almost everything, except that Chile didn’t quite manage to turn it around completely and deliver the final knockout punch; and that was in no part down to Brazil picking up their level of play. Chile were just plain unlucky.
Brazil’s progress into the last eight came thanks to a more than generous helping of good fortune and the heroics of their goalkeeper, 34-year-old Julio Cesar, more than anything else. That and perhaps a powerful belief in prayer that delivered them away from a personal tragedy and a lifetime of scrutiny and grief that would have accompanied it.
In terms of drama, excitement, nervousness, anxiety and tension, this game helped kick-start the knockout phase on a rollicking note. This is what one expects as the tournament progresses – better teams, tighter matches – but sadly the Brazilian team came very under-prepared.
Coming into this clash, Brazil had sparked in fits and spurts through their group games to emerge from Group A as winners ahead of Mexico. They were a little lucky to emerge with all three points against Croatia, were frustrated in their game against the Mexicans where they were held to a goalless draw, before beating an insipid, and already eliminated, Cameroon side in the final game. While they didn’t lose a match, none of the games, barring the second half against Cameroon, were a breeze. Defensively, they looked tacky and vulnerable and going forward, they did score seven goals, but they struggled for rhythm and leaned heavily on young Neymar’s shoulders.
Chile had come through Group B as runners-up, pushing aside world champions Spain in the process. Their opening two victories against Australia and Spain were the result of a cohesive unit working diligently towards a well-prepared strategy and game plan. Their master class against Spain was particularly impressive. They failed to score and were beaten in their final game against the Netherlands, but they controlled a large portion of that game, and would have been kicking themselves for not getting a goal before the late Dutch charge.
Chile have had their campaign ended by Brazil every single time they have reached the knockout stage. Yesterday was a chance to put aside all that hurt from years past, and Chile were in many ways perfectly equipped to take Brazil out this time.
Luiz Felipe Scolari is a great motivator, very good at managing personnel and getting the best out of a talented bunch of players; what he’s not is tactically astute. And once his opposite number yesterday, Jorge Sampaoli, managed to break through Scolari’s Plan A, Brazil were in trouble. Chile stick the fork in Brazil’s plans
Brazil lined up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation with Neymar, Oscar and Hulk supporting troubled striker Fred. Chile opted to go with what appeared to be a 3-4-1-2 with Francisco Silva, Gary Medel and Gonzalo Jara forming a three-man defensive net at the back.
Brazil’s starting line-up
A great deal of how well the current Brazilian team plays on a given day is determined by how well their full-backs play. Dani Alves and Marcelo were anything but impressive, and Chile’s 3-man backline was specifically in place to take advantage of this. Alves, in particular, probably had one of the worst games of his career.
Chile’s starting line-up
Brazil started off brightly, but Chile had anticipated just that and were prepared to take a few punches early on although they would have preferred not conceding a goal. Alves and Marcelo bombing forward with Hulk and Oscar going out wide to help the forwards, Brazil looked threatening. But Chile’s 3-man backline meant Mauricio Isla and Eugenio Mena played as wingbacks, and what they did is leave very little margin for error for Brazil’s full-backs in the eventuality of them conceding possession. And it worked; despite being on the front foot, Alves and Marcelo were dispossessed rather easily on a few possessions to set up quick counters where Chile wound up against just the two central defenders and either Luiz Gustavo or Fernandinho helping.
That early pattern of play seemed to make both of Brazil’s full-backs adopt a more cautious approach. With the full-backs now not being as aggressive, Chile ventured to establish control of the midfield with Isla and Mena now able to move a little forward themselves and press higher up the pitch. This also ended up severing Brazil’s frontline from the rest of the team, leaving Hulk, Neymar and Fred on their own up front. And Chile had the 3-man defensive cover capable of dealing with them.
Scolari plumped for Fernandinho instead of Paulinho to partner his defensive plug in Gustavo. But playing Fernandinho means a lack of creativity in an already workmanlike midfield and more pressure on the likes of Neymar and Hulk to create attacks. Paulinho may have been off-colour in the group games, but he provides a thrust from midfield which Fernandinho doesn’t and this played into Chile’s hands.
Getting nothing from their full-backs, Brazil tried to go through the middle, using their trickery and bag of skills. But they went up against a red Chilean wall, which repelled everything through the sheer numbers that they could get back to gridlock the home team. In the second half, there was one period of play, where Chile did this so effectively that Brazil couldn’t get past the halfway line.
Neymar’s brilliantly taken goals were one reason why Brazil managed to come through Group A as winners. And Sampaoli was all too aware of this and entrusted Silva with keeping a close eye on Brazil’s boy-wonder. He wasn’t afforded space, and almost every single time he got the ball, there were about three Chilean defenders around him. The wingback system meant only one of Chile’s back three had to guard Neymar with either of the full-backs or central midfielders in Aranguiz or Diaz stepping in to help out Silva with Neymar.
With nothing going their way, the team discombobulated, their stars kept quiet, and their defence under attack, a sense of panic gripped the Selecao; the lack of tactical adjustments from Scolari only adding to it. Alexis and Diaz shine for Chile
For Chile, Marcelo Diaz in midfield had a brilliant game. His use of the ball was simply superb to watch, always picking out a player in space and being patient with the ball, drawing the Brazilian defence out, before playing the ball forward into Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez. Along with Charles Aranguiz, he put in a dominant midfield display to leave the Brazilians short-changed for offense.
Alexis Sanchez was simply brilliant for Chile
Alexis had a phenomenal game, leading the Chilean line beautifully. He did everything the Brazilian forwards didn’t – held up the ball superbly bringing his other teammates into play, drew the defenders away to make space for his teammates to run into, and when needed went at the defenders and left them in a heap with his dribbling and ball control.
Chile executed their strategy superbly and what was even more remarkable was their composure in possession. They were constructing attacks wonderfully while Brazil were resigned to punting hopeful balls in the direction of Neymar and Hulk with a “Hail Mary” attached to it.
The high number of fouls and scrappy nature of the contest also played perfectly to Chile’s advantage with Brazil prevented from getting into any sort of rhythm.
Everything that Chile did well, Brazil didn’t. Where do you start? How about the centre-forward position? Brazil – No teammwork, no direction
Fred looks woefully out of touch and also extremely lethargic. He is clearly not the same player who was in rich form about the same time last year during the Confederations Cup. His replacement, Jo, didn’t exactly inspire any sort of confidence either. So the hosts have a major problem there.
In the second half, for about a 15-20 minute period after Jo’s introduction, all Brazil did was lump balls forward from defence to Jo’s head. Admittedly, the strategy was aimed at taking advantage of the visible lack of height in Chile’s back three. But Jo isn’t Miroslav Klose, to be able to get the ball down himself; and even if it was about getting knockdowns for the others to latch onto, they seemed to be forgetting that Brazil’s front three were up against Chile’s effectively 5-man backline with the wingbacks joining in. With such a mismatch, there was no way that strategy was going to pay off.
Brazil forward Jo was left visibly frustrated and tired by his team’s long ball approach
Also, another worrying element was how Jo, after the initial attempts, was pleading with his teammates not to put long balls in as it wasn’t getting them anywhere and more importantly, robbing Jo of energy which could have been better put to use. Even Scolari was imploring his team to stop this from the sidelines, but to no avail.
Brazil displayed no teamwork yesterday and often resembled a bunch of headless chickens just trying to force their way through with no real thought process to their play. Their passing and decision-making was poor, they lacked vision and once Plan A went out the window, they didn’t have a set strategy, and seemed to be clutching at straws.
Neymar may be the best player in the team, but too many times he tried to take on one too many defenders one-on-one and ended up getting dispossessed. Him and his teammates’ flicks, tricks, shimmies, back-heels, the lot weren’t coming off and they got frustrated. In trying to bamboozle their defenders, they forgot the basic elements, which was to keep it simple unlock a sound defence by moving the ball around. They lacked composure on the ball. They need to realize that as they go deeper into the tournament, they are not going to be able to beat teams with just their bag of tricks; that has been the reason strong European teams have been able to pick them apart so efficiently since time immemorial.
Brazil also lacked a dominant midfielder who could put his foot on the ball and set the tempo. That’s where Hernanes can be useful and he wasn’t employed yesterday. Another decision that could come back to haunt Scolari is the absence of Lucas Moura. The PSG man is a supremely gifted winger and has the ability to unlock defences when he plays out wide on the wing with his pace and crossing ability. He was present in the Confederations Cup, but is missing from the squad here. And apart from Willian, Brazil don’t have anyone who can play in that position. Spain didn’t call up Jesus Navas and look how it cost them! Brazil can expect more such tests ahead
Brazil were given a huge scare yesterday and the road only gets tougher for them from here. They cannot just rely on their talent-laden team to pull through for them without a more dynamic game plan and tactical adjustments in response to their opponents’ moves. Scolari had this to say after the game: “They’re a very organised team with a good tactical system and fine players. Every credit to Chile but this penalty shootout win says a lot about us and about our desire to progress. The players can have a break now and, as they recover, we’ll have a look at how we won, go through all the tricky situations we were in and a whole lot of other details. The idea is to build on this. When you win like this you come out stronger. We’re going to tell them that so they can appreciate what they’ve done.”
The experienced triumvirate of (from left) Scolari, Flavio Teixeira and Carlos Alberto Parreira have a job on their hands
When they rummage through their efforts of this game, they will find that they were hugely fortunate to come through and they that didn’t respond very favourably when backed into a corner. But yes, sometimes a tough win is what a team needs, and in a month-long tournament it is about peaking at the right time.
Their campaign for a sixth World Cup is currently riddled with many loopholes that need plugging. They have a very experienced coaching unit which should help them with that and an inspiring captain who did his best to rein his troops in while being perilously close to falling over the edge. Brazil, for sure, can only get better from here.
Chile have entertained us all during their stay and exit having taken Brazil all the way to the doors of their deepest and darkest fears and coming within a goalpost of knocking them out. Sampaoli and his men can take great pride in that once they recover from the emotional blow of the loss.
Luis Suarez in celebration after he scored the winner for Uruguay against England
For yet another FIFA World Cup, England’s campaign came crashing down rather prematurely, much earlier than it probably ever has in history, after Costa Rica’s impressive win over Italy yesterday. While that result might have officially consigned the English to an early flight back home, in all fairness it was over two nights ago, when their campaign was shot down by the man they call El Pistolero.
Luis Suarez, forced to watch his team’s painful opening round defeat to the Costa Ricans from the bench, was back in the mix of things, starting for Uruguay in this massive game against England. From his reactions following Uruguay’s unravelling against Costa Rica, you could make out that he wanted in. He wanted to be a part of the action, wanted to be able to help out his side in the middle, instead of being a passive onlooker from the sidelines.
For the game against England, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez was always going to pick Suarez. If he ever had the slightest doubts about whether to include his star man in the team to face the English earlier, those doubts were certainly dispelled after the opening game shock. Uruguay had to respond and they needed their talismanic striker for without him they had looked very pedestrian in their loss to the Costa Ricans.
England manager Roy Hodgson stated after the game that he felt that his team controlled Suarez reasonably well. He could not have been more delusional.Suarez was just one man, but his heralded a return of confidence for a squad of 23 and an entire South American nation. Many English ‘pundits’ and analysts said one man’s return would cause no significant upswing in Uruguay’s fortunes. But they were forgetting, that the “one man” in question was Suarez.
Sure, Suarez did not put in a performance that ripped the spine out of England’s footballers. He did not run roughshod over Hodgson’s team. He did not single-handedly will his Uruguayan team to victory. He did not make England’s defenders tremble at the knees with his pace and movement and trickery. But what he did do is have THE most telling contribution in a match that was decided on fine margins. And that is what you ultimately expect from a star player, reportedly still a week away from being back to 100% after his knee surgery.
Bang… bang…
Two clear goal scoring opportunities… two goals…
Three points for Uruguay and England’s chances of progress up in smoke.
It was Suarez’s talent that left its stamp on the game. He was, by a long shot, the single, most talented player on the pitch out of all the players who stepped onto the field that night in Sao Paulo. Suarez is right up there with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi amongst the best attackers in the world. And for Uruguay, just as for Liverpool, he has become a key cog, one without which their effectiveness takes quite a beating. He was the top scorer in the CONMEBOL qualifying section, his 11 goals a large part of why Uruguay made it to Brazil 2014 in the first place.
And the emotion of the moment flooded through for Suarez as he realized that he had made it back and made it good for his team, the ultimate service rendered and all the faith in him repaid.
The effect that his presence had on his teammates was there for everyone to see too. Along with the much needed personnel change that Tabarez commissioned, Uruguay played with renewed energy, and above all, belief, that if they kept their end of the bargain in their respective roles, their star striker would provide the finishing touches that would lead them to a much needed bounce-back victory.
Uruguay did not do a drastic Jekyll to Hyde transformation with Suarez’s return, but they did play more solidly and strove to eliminate some of the mistakes they made in their opener. Overall, there was a collective spirit that seemed to be coursing through the team inspired by their lead striker’s return to the fold and a desperation brought about by their earlier unexpected loss. Alvaro Pereira, though foolish to ignore his doctor’s advice and get back to playing after a concussion, exemplified that with a burning desire to be there for his team.
England knew what they were going to deal with; many in their team have been sparring with Suarez for more than three seasons now in the English Premier League to not know. Suarez was definitely going to have an impact on this game in some way, and there was nothing they could do about it. Well, apart from affording him even more help with defensive lapses that once again helped them shoot themselves in the foot.
When you prepare to go head to head with one of the best players in the world, albeit even if not at full tilt, you simply cannot afford the kind of glaring defensive errors we saw from England to creep into your game.
A lack of pace and anticipation in England’s backline was exposed in both goals they conceded. From their failure to put Edinson Cavani under more pressure even when they had the three on two numbers advantage for the first, to Gary Cahill simply failing to anticipate the trajectory and path the ball would take after it flicked off Steven Gerrard’s head for the second, the Three Lions displayed a lack of basic defensive nous when faced up against one of the premier attackers in world football. And it cost them dear.
What was also glaring was the absence of that one true superstar on their side who could have such a telling impact on the game. And no, Wayne Rooney no longer fits in that category. These are questions for England to probe as they will now look forward to qualification for Euro 2016.
Suarez and his Uruguayan teammates are overjoyed after beating England as they hoist the striker on their shoulders in celebration
As for unfinished business in Group D, Uruguay still look a side well off the pace from the team that marched to finish fourth at the last edition in South Africa. There is more bite to them going forward with Suarez in the team, but they will need another strong-willed and solid performance in their do or die final round clash against the more seasoned Italians in Natal.
But in Luis Suarez, they have a player who they can fully bank on for providing them with a decisive advantage when the situation calls for it. They have in their ranks a top, top player who is amongst the best in the game at the moment. And in situations like this, in the biggest games, on the biggest of stages, Suarez’s presence provides Uruguay with the much needed reassurance and that most important of four letter words – HOPE – of progressing deeper at these 2014 World Cup finals.
Uruguay move to the shootout in Natal with their sharpshooter’s barrels still smoking from his twin strikes that sunk England.
A few newspaper headlines after Spain’s heavy loss to the Dutch in their opening game
The word out on the streets (not just those in Brazil) is that World Cup 2014 is turning out to be the best ever in the history of the event. We’re just six days in and there have already been so many memorable moments that it has outshone some of its predecessors. There has been the notable emphasis on attack by almost all teams, with caution being thrown to the wind and teams not settling for comfortable draws early on, England not lumping long balls forward for a change...
That in turn has led to a glut of goals, the key fuel that keeps interest levels going at such a massive event, especially when fans have to stay up long into the night in most parts of the world. But, over and above those, there have been the upsets, the results that send audiences into a frenzy and those that initiate arguments and counter-arguments that run for days after the actual result. And unfortunately for Spain and Uruguay, they have been the victims of those upsets at Brazil 2014.
How did this happen? Both of the results were inconceivable before the tournament began. However, a closer look suggests that perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised at what transpired in Salvador and Fortaleza last week. Perhaps Spain’s drubbing at the hands of the Dutch and Uruguay’s insipid display against a spirited Costa Rica side was in the works even before they stepped onto the pitch?
Spain and Uruguay were two of the final four at the last edition in South Africa in 2010; Spain the victors while Uruguay finished a very impressive fourth. But both these teams seem to have overlooked a key aspect in their preparations for this World Cup, something that the other two from the final four in South Africa (Netherlands and Germany) seem to have taken note of and duly addressed.
Both of these teams have carried with them excess baggage from the previous World Cup and it is hurting them. Spain
World and European champions Spain were spoilt for choice in terms of talent, not just in picking a 23-man squad, but also a provisional 30-man squad for that matter. The squad has some visible new faces, but the team that took to the field against the Netherlands resembled much the same to the one from four years ago.
There were four notable changes from the team that started the final at the previous edition – Diego Costa was employed as the lone striker up front in place of David Villa, Jordi Alba took up the left-back role, previously donned by the ultra-solid Joan Capdevila, David Silva came into the starting line-up in place of Pedro Rodriguez and Sergio Ramos moved to centre-back, from his erstwhile right-back position, taking over from Carles Puyol.
The old adage is to not fix something that isn’t broke, but while the Spanish squad and system wasn’t exactly broken, there were some tweaks that were necessary. One important thing to always look at is the stage at which a particular player’s career lifecycle lies.
Xavi and Xabi Alonso together in midfield was problem number one for Spain. While Xavi’s short-passing keeps things ticking over and Alonso’s ranging aerials open the game up when it becomes congested in midfield, the duo together are slow and as such, liable to be neutralized by a midfield high on energy and industry. Xavi is into the twilight years of a very successful career and Alonso too cannot hold a midfield on his own.
Diego Costa, after his fantastic season and allegiance switch to Spain, was going to be the first-choice striker. Plus, he offered something different from their previous two forward line leaders in good heading ability along with a knack for hassling opposing defenders.
However, Costa hasn’t exactly had the best of time in the last one-and-a-half months or so prior to the tournament, with the injury he suffered and the resultant rustiness. He looked very off the pace against the Dutch despite winning the penalty for Spain’s goal. But playing him was the right thing to do; what wasn’t was picking able alternatives.
Villa showed this season that he still has plenty of game left in him, but he is the kind of striker known more for his runs behind the defence and predatory instincts. Torres, a favourite of Coach Vicente Del Bosque, expectedly made the plane to Brazil, but in terms of his career graph, he is a player who has fallen way off the charts; his glaring miss during the game, further evidence of this.
Fernando Llorente, picked for South Africa, was overlooked this time, largely due to his marginalized role at Juventus. But he should have ideally made the trip for he offers something different to Torres and Villa.
Arjen Robben (centre) of the Netherlands attacking with the ball, watched by Spain defenders Sergio Ramos (left) and Gerard Pique
In defence, the combination of Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique at the back was run ragged by the Dutch offense. Pique is a defender who gets more credit than necessary; while he may be good in the air and at set pieces, he struggles mightily against pacy forwards for he can’t keep up with them in foot-speed. He has the turning radius of a truck which allows attackers to twist him one way and then the other, eventually putting him off balance and leaving him out of position. And him going up against one of the world’s premier attackers in Arjen Robben was always going to yield only one result – disaster.
Watching Robben go at him was like watching a hot knife cut through butter, like a nightmarish re-run for Spanish fans of when Bayern Munich dismantled Barcelona, when Robben had put Pique to the sword as in Salvador. Having seen how this particular matchup played out in the past, it was surprising that Del Bosque didn’t opt for more cover, perhaps with the use of Javi Martinez.
Ramos to his credit was often found making some last ditch interceptions, without which, the score-line could have been worse for the champs. But Ramos too in the past couple of seasons has been undone when the opponents have attacked him with high pace and a bullish centre forward. Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund, twice in two seasons, took Ramos’ Real Madrid defence to the cleaners. But the difference lay in that Ramos had Pepe, a mobile central defensive partner, to help him out at Real, which isn’t the case at national level.
The decline has continued with captain and keeper Iker Casillas as well, one noticed by Jose Mourinho, enough to convince him to drop Casillas. For all the ire that he earned at the hands of the Spanish press for that, he must feel vindicated now.
Spain keeper Iker Casillas after his calamitous error led to Robin van Persie’s second goal
To go with that, Spain’s phenomenal run in world football also coincided with a successful period for Barcelona domestically and in Europe, a team whose players have come to form the core of the Spanish side. But since their second Euro success, the Catalan giants have found their dominance challenged and a system to combat their effective “tiki-taka” has been unearthed by more than one manager.
And that system has been beaten with the use of a directness in attack coupled with pace and shackling of the midfield engine room, where Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets operate; the very same elements that Louis Van Gaal employed with his Dutch side. Spain’s midfield quartet are no longer the all-conquering force that they used to be and with the defeats they’ve suffered in the last few years, so has their confidence. Uruguay
Shifting the spotlight to South America and a very similar situation prevails with Uruguay. The squad almost resembles a carbon copy of the one that travelled to South Africa four years ago with a few exceptions. Oscar Tabarez and the Uruguayans have again erred along the same lines, much like Spain have. Diego Forlan is no longer the force he once was; going into the 2010 edition, Forlan was at the peak of his powers, amongst the top forwards in the game, plundering and setting up goals for Atletico Madrid. And he led the line beautifully for the South Americans, proving to be a key cog in their fourth place finish.
He is now 35 years old, and while age doesn’t necessarily always diminish a player’s capabilities, as exemplified by the peerless Andrea Pirlo, in Forlan’s case it has. He now plays for Cerezo Osaka and is nowhere near the levels he was at previously.
Luis Suarez watched on from the bench as Uruguay lost their opener 1-3 to Costa Rica in Fortaleza
Edinson Cavani found himself isolated and frustrated with a lack of service from his midfield and the second striker in Forlan. The midfield that started the game, as Tabarez played a 4-4-2, comprised of Arevalo Rios, Walter Gargano, Cristian Rodriguez and Christian Stuani, and they were utterly listless, offering hardly any incisiveness in attack.
And with forwards who struggled to create openings by themselves, the absence of Luis Suarez was all the more debilitating. In their previous campaign, despite the three-pronged attack up front it was the solidity of their midfield and defence that propelled a good portion of their success, as Cavani and Suarez at the time had still not peaked.
Their midfield was held together by the veteran Diego Perez while Alvaro Pereira provided some much needed thrust with his runs from midfield. And in defence, the two Diegos – Godin and Lugano – were watertight. Lugano, another one who is now 35, is no longer the rock in defence he once was and while Godin is right up there among the top three central defenders in the world, his captain and partner in that area makes far too many mistakes these days.
These problems just didn’t explode in their faces in the first match against Costa Rica. They plagued the team right through its qualification campaign, one of the reasons why they struggled before eventually finishing fifth and making it through the playoffs. Uruguay relied heavily on Suarez’s proficiency in front of goal and the striker’s 11 goals (he was top-scorer in the CONMEBOL qualifiers) got his team into fifth place.
Another key stat was that while Uruguay scored 25 goals, they conceded an equal number, making for a goal difference of zero; the lowest among all qualifiers from South America.
Oscar Tabarez has some tough decisions to make
No one knows why Tabarez didn’t employ either of Alvaro Pereira or Gaston Ramirez in the opener against Costa Rica. Was he resting his key players ahead of the clashes against England and Italy? If that was the case, was Tabarez underestimating the Costa Ricans? The most damning stat from that game was that a defender had the most number of passes (67); that happened to be their left-back Martin Caceres, who to his credit, was the most hardworking player on the day for the South American giants and did his best to spark his team’s attack. Maxi Pereira had the second-highest (65) indicating Uruguay’s reliance on their full-backs when in possession. There are still two games to go – Chile and England loom
While things didn’t exactly go right for these two teams, there is still time for them to set it right. Spain take on Chile in their second game later tonight, in what is a must-win encounter, with Chile having won their opener. It is a rematch from the last World Cup where the two teams met in the group stage with Spain coming out 2-1 winners. The defending champions have the personnel necessary to give their team a different look.
Del Bosque might consider switching to his forward-less line-up that worked so well at the Euros, employing Cesc Fabregas as the advanced man. Also Juanfran for Azpilicueta at right-back may be a move worth considering for the Atletico Madrid man is sounder defensively and is a smart operator in being able to bomb forward in support of his teammates. Also, the younger Koke to partner Xabi Alonso in midfield while withdrawing Xavi, is a move that could be on the cards as Del Bosque has not shied away from making changes in the past.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has not been afraid to change things up in the past
For Uruguay, Suarez in all likelihood will take to the field against England tomorrow night and that should give his compatriots a huge shot in the arm along with some much needed motivation. Elsewhere, Tabarez has to consider making a change in his midfield too. Either of Stuani or Rodriguez will make way for Suarez, but the coach might as well replace the remaining one also with someone like Ramirez or Alvaro Pereira.
It has been one loss only for both these teams; just three points surrendered. Both have two matches remaining to right their ship in time before the opportunity to get to the knockout rounds slips away from their grasp. They have made similar mistakes to past champions in France (2002) and Italy (2010) in failing to refresh their squads and believing that continuity will ensure success.
However, they must not continue with that beaten path but rather make smart adjustments because otherwise they will suffer the same fate as France and Italy and be heading home by the time the Round of 16 comes along. They will both face opponents playing a brand of football suited to exploiting their weaknesses, but with the right adjustments, they can overcome the challenge.
All of the footballing world’s eyes will be on them to see if they can do just that and pick themselves up from the early punches that they have taken at Brazil 2014. Two nations in particular will watch on with expectant eyes.
