Belgium to win today! Have money on this so I hope so.

Me too, putting a couple of quid on Lukaku to bag the golden boot as we speak.

I've been hearing around here that the ref in the Mexico-Cameroon game was paid off to have Mexico lose. Obviously that didn't happen. Anyone else hear this?

After 1-1, I was kind of hoping it stays that way so that Algeria gets a point.

 

but then again Belgium,s second goal was great!!

 

1st half was boring. between the 70th and the 85th minute was the most action i think, basically between the 2 Belgian goals (in the 70th and 80th minute).

Hats off to the Japanese fans, who apparently took part in a mass litter clean-up just minutes after watching their team lose to Ivory Coast the other night.

 

 

gotta love the Japanese culture.  Makes me miss my days working in Tokyo.

wow Brazil really attacking the first half, malchance they didn't score! Mexico also had some good shots but not as many and not on point like Brazil's.

 

Go Neymar!!!!!!!!

Relief for Belgium, it looked like they were going to be in for a frustrating evening for quite some time, but they got there in the end against a well-drilled and workmanlike Algerian side. I'll never understand why David Moyes insisted on trying to convert Fellaini into a ball-playing midfielder last year, in doing so he took away everything that was good about him. As a round peg in a round hole, he still looks great. Second goal by Mertens was a cracker too.

 

I can't believe we're into the second round of group games already. Time flies when you're watching good football.

Mexico has done a great job. Very impressed with them today! Brazil should have gotten more yellow cards IMO. Seemed a little one sided.

Wow,wonderful game,wonderful Mexico, seems they'll go far in this CUP,with amazing goalkeeper(he was chosen to be best player for today's match),amazing defence,good attackers,while Brazilian had big shortage in attackers skills,as I said before,that's not Brazil I know,and if it wasn't Nishimura there,they wouldn't win Croatia.

 

Good referee,I don't know if he's fair himself,or he had instructions to be strict,and not compliment after that opening scandalous refereeing.

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Though I was rooting for Algeria,but ,TBH,I was amazed by Belgium team (I think this is my 1st ever watch for a match for Belgium),they really worked hard and I like how high spirits,how insistance to make up for the loss that players showed,they didn't give up for a second and they deserved the win,   Good goalkeeper and defence for Algeria,though but really not attackers or middle pitch players or even wingers in Algerian team,I don't remember seeing Belgium goolkeeper  except 2 times in the whole match.

 

Hats off to the Japanese fans, who apparently took part in a mass litter clean-up just minutes after watching their team lose to Ivory Coast the other night.

 

 

gotta love the Japanese culture.  Makes me miss my days working in Tokyo.

 

 

They also  cheer for their team so politely,that's not weird,I always hear about Japanese fans that they are so organised,polite and always leave their place clean after matches.

 

 Also South Korean are very good,,polite fans,they also helped clean their places in their first game at the CUP.

 

 

Good example to be followed by other countries' fans.

I feel pretty bad for Igor Akinfeev. That goal will haunt him for the rest of his life.

No goals for Brazil and Mexico?! But still it was a good game.

I went to bed but was the 3rd game interesting? How did the Russians play?

People will be looking to buy Mexicos keeper in the transfer window that's for sure! So glad they held off against brazil.

Wonder if Spain can turn their tournament around today.

So relieved we won. Mertens should start every game, he always brings a spark whenever he starts/comes on.

Also, young Origi made Lukaku look ordinary by comparison in his short half hour cameo!

Fellaini proving that he still has value to any manager who uses him to his strengths.

As far as goalless draws go, Brazil-Mexico was pretty good. A great team performance by the Mexicans, matched only by a referee who didn't take any nonsense and let the game flow. Brazil are simply carrying too many passengers at the moment - you have to question Scolari's judgement, not only in persisting with Fred up front, but also in playing Paulinho, Luis Gustavo and Ramires as his midfield trio, a combination that would have made even Dunga cringe.
 
Capello will probably be having horrible flashbacks of South Africa today, Akinfeev's blunder was eerily reminiscent of Rob Green in England's opening game four years ago. Bizarrely, it'd now be entirely possible for Russia to follow this result with a goalless draw against Algeria, before getting knocked out by Germany. Best keep an eye on Kerzhakov in case he starts insulting the Russian supporters while walking off the pitch.

Ochoa's Wikipedia page updated shortly after last night's game.

 

I went to bed but was the 3rd game interesting? How did the Russians play?

Unfortunately, they're nowhere near as good a watch as they were four years ago. Capello has them playing conservatively and with very little imagination, although there was a marginal improvement towards the end when Kerzhakov and Dzagoev came on. Particularly Dzagoev, who if I'm not mistaken was Russia's best player at Euro 2012.

Thanks ^ for the recap.

And lol at the Wiki statement.

Holland vs Australia was out of this world!!!!

 

I was so impressed by the Aussies, what attacks, what a goal by Cahill, amazing!!!! Happy for the Dutch of course,but damn, beating Australia was much much harder than beating the Euro and World champion- Spain!!!

 

This is why this game is great, so beautiful, you just never know what will happen. Never underestimate any team.

What a cracking, spirited performance by Australia, topped off by the best goal of the tournament so far. Dutch complacency may have been a factor, but they still pushed Holland much harder than anyone would have believed possible. Can't help but wonder how they might have done in a slightly less horrendous group.

 

Things going from bad to worse for Spain, Chile are all over them like a rash. Not only are the new, direct elements of the way they're playing not working, they're even floundering when they try to revert to the old tiki-taka style.

What a waste.  Spain with a roster full of superstars goes down in flames and will be one of the first teams eliminated from the Cup.