Brazil wary of Chile threat (TSN 1050, TSN 690, TSN 1200, TEAM 1410) South American rivals Brazil and Chile open up the second round of the World Cup at
the Estadio Mineirao on Saturday in an intriguing contest. It is also a matchup
that Brazil head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes will be a serious test for
his side. "If I could choose another opponent, I would," Scolari said a few days
ago when asked about playing Chile. "I think theyre the trickiest side we could
have been drawn against. They have everything." Chile advanced to the knockout
round from a difficult Group B that included the Netherlands, Spain and
Australia. La Roja started its tournament with wins over Australia and Spain to
book a place in the next round before sitting a few key players in the group
finale against the Netherlands, which topped Chile, 2-0, to win the group. One
of the players that Chile head coach Jorge Sampaoli decided to rest against the
Dutch was midfielder Arturo Vidal, who underwent knee surgery prior to the start
of the tournament and who is expected to come straight back into the lineup
against the hosts on Saturday. Vidal, along with Alexis Sanchez and Charles
Aranguiz, will provide the biggest offensive threats for Chile, which will hope
to exploit a Brazil back line that tends to get forward a lot and could be
susceptible to counter attacks. As expected, Brazil finished atop Group A after
wins over Croatia and Cameroon and a 0-0 draw with Mexico. The Selecao netted
seven goals in three group-stage matches, including four from star forward
Neymar, despite not appearing to hit top gear. Now, Scolari knows his team must
take its play to the next level to get past a tough Chile side. "I hope that
Chile dont qualify for the last 16," the coach said back in December after the
draw for the World Cup. "I would prefer to face any other side. They are
intelligent and their style of play doesnt suit us. It would be better to play
against a European team." Scolari didnt get his wish, but his team may be able
to exploit a height advantage against Chile to get to the quarterfinals. Against
Australia in the group stage, Chiles shorter defenders struggled to cope with
the aerial threat of Tim Cahill, while the Dutch scored on a header from Leroy
Fer in the second half of the group finale to take the lead. Brazil should be a
real threat from any set-piece opportunity in the attacking third with players
like Fred, David Luiz and Thiago Silva able to get on the other end of crosses.
Neymar has been as good as advertised so far, while Brazils threat in the air
will also pose a stiff challenge for the Chileans. A win for Chile would give
the club its first berth in the quarterfinals at a World Cup since 1962, and
Sanchez is confident that his side will make history. "We have respect for them
[Brazil] but I think we are going to beat them," he said. "We came to this World
Cup to make history. We beat the world champions and, although we had a slip-up
against Holland, we are going out to try and win the Cup." Colombia squares off
with Suarez-less Uruguay (TSN 1050, TSN 1200, TEAM 1410) Uruguay has attracted
plenty of attention at the 2014 World Cup, and not always for the right reasons,
but the team will attempt to put its distractions aside against an impressive
Colombia outfit at the Maracana on Saturday in the round of 16. Uruguay forward
Luis Suarez has been a lightning rod for attention in Brazil, first sitting out
his teams 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica after knee surgery, and then making a
triumphant return against England that saw him score twice in a 2-1 Uruguay win.
But the Liverpool striker stunned the soccer world by biting Italian defender
Giorgio Chiellini in the second half of Uruguays 1-0 win in the group-stage
finale to book a place in the second round. Suarez was not punished on the
field, but FIFAs Disciplinary Committee came down hard on him after reviewing
the incident, banning Suarez for nine international matches and from all
football-related activity for four months. The loss of Suarez will put added
pressure on forward Edinson Cavani, whose only goal so far in the tournament was
a penalty kick in the opening match. Veteran Diego Forlan is expected to come in
for Suarez, but this team has so far looked like a much different side with
Suarez in the lineup than without him. Uruguay needed a win over Italy in its
final Group D match to advance, and it wasnt Suarez who provided the difference,
rather it was defender Diego Godin. The Atletico Madrid man scored the goal that
clinched La Liga for his side in the final game of the season in May, while he
also put Atletico ahead with a goal in the Champions League final. And he popped
up once again to head home the winning goal against Italy in the final 10
minutes. "We didnt make it easy for ourselves, starting the way we did, and it
was a miracle that we pulled it off in the end," Godin said of his team finally
securing a place in the knockout round. "Now we can start thinking about the
last 16, but no further. We respect everyone but fear no one." Godin will need
to be on top of his game defensively if Uruguay is to reach the quarterfinals
because his team is coming up against a Colombia side that has been one of the
most impressive at the tournament so far. The Colombians won all three of their
group-stage matches by a combined score of 9-2, with midfielder James Rodriguez
turning in an especially impressive performance. The 22-year-old Monaco man has
netted three goals with three assists so far, and along with Juan Cuadrado,
Teofilo Gutierrez and Jackson Martinez, Godin and Uruguay will have their hands
full. Colombia has also enjoyed some incredibly vocal support from its fans,
making its three group matches feel like home games according to 21-year-old
midfielder Juan Quintero. "Its like were playing in Barranquilla," Quintero said
of the support Colombia has received. "The fans are 100 percent behind us and
that makes us feel great. Were playing for our people and we want to make them
as happy as we can." A win over Uruguay on Saturday would no doubt please
Colombian supporters, especially since it would mark the first time that
Colombia has ever advanced to the quarterfinals at a World Cup. GOMEL, Belarus
-- Franck Ribery scored twice as France beat Belarus 4-2 in a 2014 World Cup
qualifier on Tuesday to make sure of finishing at least second in Group I.
Belarus defender Egor Filipenko headed in a corner from Timofei Kalachev in the
32nd minute before France levelled in the 47th with a penalty from Ribery.
Kalachev made it 2-1 with a long-range strike in the 57th but Ribery converted a
cross from Mathieu Valbuena to equalize in the 64th. Substitute Samir Nasri gave
France the lead in the 70th and Paul Pogba scored from close range to seal the
win in the 73rd. France overcame a poor first half and two blunders from
goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to remain second in the group before its final qualifier
next month against Finland. It is level on 14 points with leader Spain, which
has played one game less. The top teams in each group automatically qualify for
the World Cup while eight of the nine second-placed teams go into the playoffs
in November. Finland beat Georgia 1-0 in the groups other match to stay third on
nine points. Roman Eremenko scored the winning goal in the 74th with a penalty.
"It was a weird match, especially in the first half," Ribery told Frances TF1
television. "I think we have a good team, but we must play more relaxed and not
put pressure on ourselves. Some players in the squad are young. We must play and
have fun like we did in the second half." After a disappointing goalless draw
with Georgia on Friday, France coach Didier Deschamps showed his patience had
limits by benching Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who had not scored in his
last 15 games with the national team. Midfielders Pogba and Blaise Matuidi were
back in the starting lineup after missing the Georgia match because of
suspension. However, Frances passing game still lacked the fluidity needed to
trouble Belarus. The hosts created the first chance of the match in the seventh
minute when Sergei Balanovich took a pass from Anton Putilo to fire wide from a
tight angle. Belarus capitalized onn Pogbas indecision and a handling mistake
from Lloris to open the scoring from a corner in the 32nd.dddddddddddd.
Filipenko outjumped Pogba for a bouncing header that Lloris could only palm into
his own net. France needed 34 minutes to test Belarus goalkeeper Sergei Veremko
for the first time of the match. Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud headed a free
kick from Valbuena but Veremko made the save. "Because of the importance of the
match, I think there was a bit of tension in our game," Deschamps said. "The
desire was so strong that it was a bit messy." Named best player in Europe by
UEFA, Ribery was doubtful for the match because of a buttock injury. Ribery had
very little impact in the first half but he helped France get back in the game
with a run after the break. Veremko brought the Bayern Munich winger down in the
46th and Ribery wrongfooted the Belarus goalkeeper with a low strike from the
penalty spot. That goal ended a five-match scoring drought for France, the worst
one in its history. France then had a short spell of domination with a
long-range attempt from Valbuena in the 52nd, palmed away by Veremko, and an
off-target effort from Ribery in the 54th. Just when France seemed to be in
control, Belarus took advantage of a counterattack led by Aleksandr Hleb to
recapture the lead. From the right flank, Kalachev curled in a shot that Lloris
diverted into his own net in the 57th. However, France quickly replied with
three goals in a 10-minute span. Ribery sprinted at the far post to tap in a
pass from Valbuena. Nasri then came off the bench in the 61st to replace Dimitri
Payet and scored with a low drive from 25 yards (meters). Pogba made amends for
his defensive mistake on the opener with a late goal. The Belarus defence failed
to clear a cross from Valbuena and the Juventus midfielder pounced on the loose
ball to net from close range. Spain did not play a qualifier on Tuesday but it
will host Belarus and Georgia in October while France will take on Finland.
Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '
