2014 Fifa World Cup: Quarterfinals

[tennisville]

Argentina through , their defense held up against the golden generation of Belgium football

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

The Dutch had a bunch of chances, hit the post a couple times but could not score in regulation. OT about to start. RVP does not look sharp today at all.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Interesting. The Dutch are changing the goalie right at the 120th minute, to bring in Krule, who is somewhat of a penalty expert. Still, if I am the goalie who sweated for 120 minutes and do not get to experience the penalty shots, I would be a tad upset.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Krul does it for the Dutch and their penalty nightmares are over. Krul saves 2. Dutch do not miss any. Cillessen was as happy as anyone, so I guess he knew if it came to penalties, he was going to be substituted. Still, extremely risky move me thinks.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Interesting. The Dutch are changing the goalie right at the 120th minute, to bring in Krule, who is somewhat of a penalty expert. Still, if I am the goalie who sweated for 120 minutes and do not get to experience the penalty shots, I would be a tad upset.

Apparently, it was not a last minute decision. But a well planned and predetermined move
as Krul was 2 inches taller and specialist in this.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Interesting. The Dutch are changing the goalie right at the 120th minute, to bring in Krule, who is somewhat of a penalty expert. Still, if I am the goalie who sweated for 120 minutes and do not get to experience the penalty shots, I would be a tad upset.

Apparently, it was not a last minute decision. But a well planned and predetermined move
as Krul was 2 inches taller and specialist in this.

Man , I have been watching this sport for so long, I have never seen a move like this. It is risky on so many levels, but hey, they pulled it off. What can you say?

 

[Moxie]

Interesting. The Dutch are changing the goalie right at the 120th minute, to bring in Krule, who is somewhat of a penalty expert. Still, if I am the goalie who sweated for 120 minutes and do not get to experience the penalty shots, I would be a tad upset.

Apparently, it was not a last minute decision. But a well planned and predetermined move
as Krul was 2 inches taller and specialist in this.

Man , I have been watching this sport for so long, I have never seen a move like this. It is risky on so many levels, but hey, they pulled it off. What can you say?

I'm no expert at football by a long stretch, but I was surprised by that. Good tactical move, since it worked. I was so pleased for Costa Rica that they held off Netherlands through all regular time. They're out, but heads held high.

 

[tennisville]

to be fair the match was boring , I dozed off in the first half because of how the Dutch were playing,ie just passing in thier own half . I really hope Argentina beats them otherwise the final will be extremely boring

 

[Kieran]

I didn't watch this match either. Of the quarter-finals I saw, Argentina looked to be okay in spurts, Brazil were awful and helped again by the ref, and Germany were less than I expected - with France getting a dose of the 1870's and surrendering to the Germans - yet again - without much battle....

 

[tennisville]

I didn't watch this match either. Of the quarter-finals I saw, Argentina looked to be okay in spurts, Brazil were awful and helped again by the ref, and Germany were less than I expected - with France getting a dose of the 1870's and surrendering to the Germans - yet again - without much battle....

the referees are horrible in this world cup. Football has become really violent with Neymar paying a penalty for that

Argentina actually got a great test and showed us how good their defense is. At the start of the event many people felt their defense was poor. I always maintained that Argentina would be a good side if either Di Maria/Higuan played well along with Messi. Brazil just scraped through in that wrestling match but to be fair they were better

 

[Denis]

to be fair the match was boring , I dozed off in the first half because of how the Dutch were playing,ie just passing in thier own half . I really hope Argentina beats them otherwise the final will be extremely boring

Uhm, first of all, the match was not boring, there was a huge intensity in it, the Costa Ricans fighting with the few means they had and the Dutch playing some really offensive football. It's hard to score goals against a team that is in full cattenacio-mode. Yet, the Dutch deservedly won.

Btw the Dutch are anything but boring. They have scored the most goals of any team this world cup... Are you Spanish or something?

 

[Moxie]

to be fair the match was boring , I dozed off in the first half because of how the Dutch were playing,ie just passing in thier own half . I really hope Argentina beats them otherwise the final will be extremely boring

Uhm, first of all, the match was not boring, there was a huge intensity in it, the Costa Ricans fighting with the few means they had and the Dutch playing some really offensive football. It's hard to score goals against a team that is in full cattenacio-mode. Yet, the Dutch deservedly won.

Btw the Dutch are anything but boring. They have scored the most goals of any team this world cup... Are you Spanish or something?

I thought that match was intense and involving, too. And, me, I am practically Spanish, so no need to slag the Spanish, or their supporters, eh?

 

[tennisville]

to be fair the match was boring , I dozed off in the first half because of how the Dutch were playing,ie just passing in thier own half . I really hope Argentina beats them otherwise the final will be extremely boring

Uhm, first of all, the match was not boring, there was a huge intensity in it, the Costa Ricans fighting with the few means they had and the Dutch playing some really offensive football. It's hard to score goals against a team that is in full cattenacio-mode. Yet, the Dutch deservedly won.

Btw the Dutch are anything but boring. They have scored the most goals of any team this world cup... Are you Spanish or something?

I said in the first half around the 20 minute mark when the Dutch were just passing in their own half and not going forward. If thats not boring I dont know what is

I agree the Dutch can play some wonderful football like their matches against Spain and Australia but against the teams in the knockout stages , they are just playing rough and also only passing without taking the chances from the first whistle. Thats what I dont want to see in the world cup final

I want the teams to start attacking from the first whistle. And no I am not Spanish

 

[Kieran]

Well, the Dutch scored five in their first match - an incredible effort - so this has obviously bolstered their scoring total significantly, but they haven't been great otherwise. I thought they were fortunate against an ordinary Mexican team, and obviously couldn't break down Costa Roca, who were stretched to their limits in the quarters.

This World Cup hasn't given us a single side that you could say were a "great". It's been entertaining, but more so because of the occasion, than the football. My fear is that it'll stutter over the line with the semis and final. I'd love to see it explode with great football from here on in, but I don't think so.

Two or three players stand out, and Robben, the dirty cheat, is one of them. Messi, obviously, is making a huge impact, and Neymar - though he was fading in his last two matches - is going to be a huge loss for Brazil. He was always trying, always honest...

 

[shawnbm]

Argentina against the Netherlands is going to be a fantastic battle! I plan on leaving work early for that one.

 

[Denis]

Well, the Dutch scored five in their first match - an incredible effort - so this has obviously bolstered their scoring total significantly, but they haven't been great otherwise. I thought they were fortunate against an ordinary Mexican team, and obviously couldn't break down Costa Roca, who were stretched to their limits in the quarters.

This World Cup hasn't given us a single side that you could say were a "great". It's been entertaining, but more so because of the occasion, than the football. My fear is that it'll stutter over the line with the semis and final. I'd love to see it explode with great football from here on in, but I don't think so.

Two or three players stand out, and Robben, the dirty cheat, is one of them. Messi, obviously, is making a huge impact, and Neymar - though he was fading in his last two matches - is going to be a huge loss for Brazil. He was always trying, always honest...

I don't think you really understand football, or ever played it. Robben is one of the most fouled players in the game. He gets kicked, stept on his toes, pulled down more than any other player except maybe Neymar or Messi. He does fall dramatically, but that doesn't mean that he isn't fouled against. And it happens a LOT. Since there is no video ref, players like Robben (and Neymar) have instinctively developed a signalling mechanism to make it plain to the ref that they are getting fouled against. The 'drama' you would not see in American football has a purpose.

And yes, he has dived a couple of times in the past, but no more than any other striker. It's part of the game, which we can get rid off only through video refereeing. It's to his own disadvantage, actually, as the Costa Ricans were constantly saying he was diving while committing fouls. Is that fair play too? Or asking for yellow cards as your beloved hispanic teams do all the time?

Also the 2-1 against Messico was a clear penalty. Marquez stepped on his foot on purpose. Watch the replay.

 

[Kieran]

Wow, touchy. Are you Dutch, or something?

Robben's a cheat. He admitted it too. You don't have a problem with this?

 

[Denis]

Wow, touchy. You're not Dutch, are you?

Robben's a cheat. He admitted it too. You don't have a problem with this?

:-/:cover

Nah not really, the real cheat is Rafa, you know that! :

 

[Kieran]

Talking about genuinely great sportsmen, Alfredo di Stefano died this weekend, a legend of the game. I'm sure they'll wear black armbands for the semis. He never played in the World Cup, for either of his countries, but he's a man who reckoned to be among the very greatest who ever played the game. 88 years old - he died eating lunch in a restaurant near the Bernebeu Stadium...