World Cup 2014 – Group B Update

With a review of the critical second round of games from Group B, our correspondent Paul Price looks at both games and how things stand for all four nations involved.

Netherlands 3-2 Australia

• Estadio Jose Pinheiro Borda, Porto Alegre – Attendence 42,877
• Referee – Djamel Haimoudi
• Netherland goals – Robben (20), van Persie (58), Depay (68)
• Australia goals – Cahill (21), Jedinak (54 pen)
• Bookings – Cahill, van Persie

The scene was set in Porto Alegre for a crunch game between the Netherlands and Australia in a key game in Group B.

The Netherlands were odds on favourites to progress and overcome the the Socceroos following a great performance and 5-1 score-line against reigning champions Spain in their previous game.

The game got off to a relatively quiet start with neither side really imposing themselves. This was surely playing into the hands of the Aussies as the longer this went on then, the more frustrated the Dutch would get.

Australia’s stubborn resolve was however broken after twenty minutes as the Australian defence got very out of shape and opened up as the surging Robben picked up the ball near the half-way line. He blasted through the defence before shooting powerfully across the goal and past the outstretched left foot of Mathew Ryan in the Aussie goal.

The goal was surely to signal the opening of the flood-gates for the rampant Oranje and perhaps an expected scoreline similar to the one they got in the first game.

However, literally within a minute the ball was at the other end of the pitch as McGowan sent a long cross to the edge of the eighteen yard box towards the awaiting Cahill. What followed was an equaliser of real class as the volley was hit with ferocity and flew above the keeper, off the underside of the bar and into the Netherlands goal.

Australia visibly gained in confidence and even had the audacity to take the game to the Dutch with a couple of great attempts that could have seen them go in ahead at the break.

After the break, the Netherlands changed formation from the 5-3-2 that worked so well against Spain and adopted a 4-3-3 which looked to be having some impact. This was until the ball was handled in the Dutch box by Janmaat and a penalty was awarded to the Aussies which looked like an incredibly harsh decision as it was clearly ball to hand and at real pace.

The awesome Australian captain Mile Jedinak then took his place in the history books by becoming the first Crystal Palace player to score at a World Cup. With over half hour of the game reminaing, Australia leading 2-1 and all to play for.

Just four minutes later Robin van Persie added to his two goals scored against Spain with a well taken shot into the roof of the net. It was now two all with Australia having the next big chance when they nearly took the lead again when the ball flew across the defence only to be softly chested to the grateful Dutch keeper.

In the blink of an eye, Dutch substitute Depay fired low and past the Socceroo’s keeper from distance to secure the three points and place the Netherlands at the top of the group.

It was an entertaining game. The Socceroos really gave their much fancied opponents a run for their money. There were two key yellow cards that will see Robin van Persie and Tim Cahill miss the final group games. Luckily for them it will not have an impact on who progresses from the group.

Unfortunately for Australia, it was a game of missed chances that could have seen them grab what would have been an unexpected win or at the very least, a draw.

Chile 2-0 Spain

• Maracana, Rio de Janeiro – Attendence 74,101
• Referee – Mark Geiger
• Chile goals – Vargas (19), Aranguiz (43)
• Bookings – Alonso, Mena, Vidal

After the walloping given out by the Dutch in the first game, the watching world probably expected the Spanish to come out with fire in the bellies as reigning champions.

The question was around whether Spain could lift their game and put the nightmare of the massive defeat behind them or whether it really did batter their confidence.

The Spanish looked incredibly nervous in the opening exchanges as though the writing was on the wall. But this was Vincente del Bosque’s highly successful side that had dominated for years and surely they would overcome their opponents and take the group to it’s last game as a qualification decider.

The Maracana Stadium was bouncing from before the kick-off with excited and noisy Chileans who ended up probably being a factor in this match with their support from the stands.

As mentioned in my group preview before the competition, Chile were a force to be reckoned with, one of my tournament dark horses and this game was as expected to be the key game that would decide the qualifiers.

Spain had to win to stand any chance of progressing but it was Chile that looked to impress early on. A great chance for Gonzalo Jara of Chile went wide. An excellent opportunity followed for the highly rated Xabi Alonso but his shot was saved with one hand by Bravo in the Chile goal.

 

Shortly after Alonso’s chance, the ball was passed to Vargas who coolly went around Casillas before slotting it home. On the stroke of half time Casillas only managed to fist Sanchez’s free-kick away into the path of Aranguiz who confidently toe-poked past the stranded keeper to put Chile two up at the break.

The second half was not as good as the first with Chile unable to kill the game off and Spain not being able to threaten with any real effect. Not until the last ten minutes in fact and a Cazorla free-kick did show a little menace but it was well saved by the Chilean keeper. Prior to this, Spain had been poor and not taken chances from Costa and the best one falling to Busquets who simply should have done better with his opportunity.

The Spanish were in a place they had not been in for a while with their heads down, confidence and swagger gone. As the full time whistle blew they left the pitch in a state of shock having suffered the humiliation of being knocked out after two games as reigning champions.

Both Italy and France have been knocked out as reigning champions in previous World Cups but Spain had now set a new unenviable record.

Looking Ahead

Although little to play for in the shape of who progresses from the Group with Chile and Netherlands securing their spots, there is a still pride to be fought for and also avoidance of the hosts Brazil.

This is despite the fact that Brazil actually look far from their best and with either Mexico or Croatia going for second place as formidable opponents. The final set of games in the group are between Australia and Spain and the Netherlands and Chile and both kick off at the same time.

The Netherlands versus Chile game is bound to have a bit of a competition based around who will secure top spot but the expectation is that both squads will be trying to keep their best players fit for the second round and likely to take their chances with who they get drawn against.

In the other game we could potentially see Spain again beaten but this time by the unfancied but fighting Australians. With confidence so low and little to play for then perhaps Spain may even go home on the wrong side of three defeats, no points and potentially having only scoring one goal.

As It Stands