7 thrilling very last sixteen ties, as nicely as Argentina vs. Switzerland, have now been played, and just 8 contenders stay to lift the 2014 FIFA Planet Cup in Rio de Janeiro on July thirteenth. Despite loads of scares and a handful of penalty shoot-outs together the way, the eight team winners emerged unscathed from their ties to complete a mouth-watering quarter final line-up that sees four matches which could go both way. It truly is a difficult one to call, then, but we have experimented with to do it anyway.
8) Costa Rica
They have completed incredibly properly to reach this stage, but Costa Rica find themselves as the rank outsiders in the quarter finals and only 1 of 3 groups to have produced this stage who have in no way won the competition in the past.
The Costa Ricans had been less convincing from Greece in the last sixteen, albeit hampered by a crimson card and regrettable to concede an damage time equaliser, but they held their nerve brilliantly in what was an absurdly large good quality penalty shoot-out.
Joel Campbell, even so, appeared completely shot by the finish of the match and Costa Rica will need him to be at full physical fitness if they are to have any likelihood of pulling off one more shock in opposition to The Netherlands.
seven) Belgium
The 2nd interval of extra-time in Belgium’s narrow 2-1 earn more than the Usa in the very last sixteen will, for me at least, continue to be as 1 of the tournament’s enduring images – an absurd see-sawing took area as beforehand rampant Belgium all of a sudden lost all strength, perception and shape, by some means clinging on in opposition to a rampant Usa facet who appeared to be in the same predicament just moments later on.
The recreation was, nonetheless, the initial time in the event that this potentially thrilling younger Belgian facet have dazzled in any way, with only American goalkeeper Tim Howard stopping them from progressing fairly easily.
Supervisor Marc Wilmots was as soon as once more ready to modify the recreation soon after substitutes Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas created all the big difference, but we have arrived at a phase the place he need to commence to get his starting line-ups right if the Pink Devils are to defeat the likes of Argentina.
6) Colombia
There is an argument that Colombia have been the best staff in the event, allow alone down in sixth, but it is hard to escape the emotion that Jose Pekerman and his staff are approaching their defining moment.
If they are able to defeat Brazil, exhibiting the thrilling, lightning fast counter-attacking soccer that they have completed so much in the match, then they have to be considered as real contenders. If James Rodriguez puts in a fifth successive gorgeous Globe Cup efficiency then he must be considered as one particular of world football’s authentic superstars.
These, even so, stay as maybes. As extraordinary as Colombia have been, they are nevertheless to conquer any person notably impressive by themselves, which is why the Brazil match is so intriguing. On the two teams’ performances so much then Colombia are more than capable, but can they take care of the psychological force of enjoying the hosts following successive video games that may possibly as properly have been performed in Bogota?
5) Germany
Germany are one more group who have progressed fairly comfortably to the quarter last, with out at any time approaching a degree of overall performance that would justify describing them as convincing.
The background of the Globe Cup is, of program, not devoid of illustrations of teams who have absent on to get the match or, at the very least, make it through to the previous 4, regardless of not hitting anything like their stride until the quarter or even semi last.
Joachim Low is a supervisor who does, nonetheless, continue to give the impact of a guy who has simply messed close to with items also considerably, arriving at a stage in which no one truly understands what kind of technique Germany are meant to be actively playing.
Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze have been both, after once again, peripheral towards Algeria in the previous sixteen, but the performances of Thomas Muller continue to indicate that Germany keep a constant objective threat. A better group may possibly also be capable to exploit their painfully gradual defence taking part in an absurdly high line, with Manuel Neuer saving them by a make a difference of milliseconds on instances towards the North Africans.
4) The Netherlands
The Netherlands’ performances at this Entire world Cup are challenging to analyse – but it really is challenging to argue with a staff who have received four out of 4 to make it to the quarter finals.
Given that eviscerating Spain in the initial game and, in performing so, producing probably the overall performance of the match, the Dutch look to have regressed relatively, even with Louis van Gaal’s tactical tweaks pulling it out of the bag from Chile and latterly Mexico.
Costa Rica is a kind quarter last attract and the Dutch will count on to be in the semi-finals but, with both Brazil or Colombia lying in wait around, I am not confident that their energetic but positionally indisciplined defence would not be led a merry dance by somebody like Neymar or James Rodriguez.
three) Argentina
It’s all extremely well relying on the very best participant in the world, but even when your talisman is Lionel Messi it is dangerous to be underperforming as a crew to the extent that Argentina are.
The former’s profitable aim against Switzerland apart, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Ezequiel Lavezzi have contributed nearly practically nothing between them, regardless of currently being developed up as the ideal supporting solid for Messi’s prodigious talent.
Sabella’s group have been lucky to face four basically flawed teams in succession, one thing which they could once once more reward from against an unconvincing Belgium side in the quarter finals – but proper now it is quite hard to see them beating France, or even Germany, if they do make it via.
two) Brazil
There are loads of completely very good factors for placing Luiz Felipe Scolari’s underwhelming Brazil group lower down this list, but portion of me is certain that the Selecao have their ‘what if?’ moment.
When Mauricio Pinilla crashed the ball towards the bar in the 119th moment of the very last sixteen clash against Chile, the country collectively held its breath, the 23 customers of Scolari’s squad were millimetres absent from turning into footballing pariahs in their very own country, failing to make the quarter ultimate on house turf.
Football has a amusing practice of immortalising these moments by the events that appear following them – and it is not a enormous extend to see that strike of the crossbar and subsequent penalty victory in Belo Horizonte getting one of the defining moments of a Brazil World Cup victory.
They unquestionably have to boost, even so, with Paulinho, Hulk and Fred nonetheless seeming to just take a lot more absent from the staff than they bring to it and Oscar discovering himself horribly out of sort. Over to you, Neymar.
1) France
It may possibly seem a surprise to a lot of, but Didier Deschamps’ France crew have been the closest that this World Cup has to a crew convincing enough both in their performances and the likelihood of them truly successful the tournament.
From the very first two video games, when they methodically dismantled Honduras and Switzerland, the French have appeared like legitimate contenders to choose up only their next Globe Cup title.
A insipid – draw from Ecuador in their ultimate sport was notable only for its irrelevance, but the French were back again on form to see off Nigeria in the previous sixteen once Deschamps manufactured the determination to transfer prime scorer Karim Benzema upfront.
It is honest to propose that France are yet to confront a truly globe course team, but on recent sort it is difficult to see past them beating Germany in their impending quarter closing and firmly establishing by themselves as prospective winners.
Electrical power Rating The Planet Cup Quarter Finalists
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