Group A - BRA | CRO | MEX | CMR

saying the Hulk 'wasn't incredible today' won me over

Best call I've heard so far is "Referinho had a great game for Brazil".

Agree. He speaks well, tends to have good knowledge, and don't make many fuck up.

Why do they only have 1 commentator? and not the 2?

Why do they only have 1 commentator? and not the 2?

That guy has always preferred to be on his own. He does a good job of it. 2nd commentators usually do nothing but annoy me anyway, so I find it refreshing. 

I've always enjoyed Helm's commentary at tournaments. He's interesting to listen to and genuinely seems to have done his research about the teams, no matter how obscure they may be.

Oceania at the World Cup:

Tahitian fourth official at Mexico v Cameroons match this am:

GROUP A, Match 2
13 June 2014, 18:00 CET
Estadio das Dunas, Natal

MEXICO - CAMEROON
Referee: Wilmar ROLDÁN (COL)
Assistant Referee 1: Humberto CLAVIJO (COL)
Assistant Referee 2: Eduardo DÍAZ (COL)
Fourth Official: Norbert HAUATA (TAH)
Standby Assistant Referee: Aden Marwa RANGE (KEN)
FIFA Referee Assessor:
Blog Referee Observer: Chefren (ITA)

One, potentially two, Mexican goals ruled out for offside

Well, sadly, those two goals could hurt us at the end, they could be the difference in advancing or not.

Did Mexico have anyone in the starting 11 who didn't play in the qualifying vs NZ?

               Ochoa
     "Maza" Rafa  Moreno
Aguilar                           Layún
                Vazquez
       Herrera     Guardado
            Gio
                 Peralta

5 (all them playing in Europe) weren't called against NZ: Ochoa, Moreno, Herrera, Guardado & GDS.

Chicharito also came on as a sub.

Hope Brazil demolish Mexico tomorrow.

Juan José Vazquez was not called against NZ either, I thought he was... so, from the starting line up, 6 didn't play against NZ.

LOL... I hope we upset you. :D

Performance of the tournament so far by the Mexican keeper imo. Outstanding clean sheet.

Has really opened up the group. If Croatia get the win against Cameroon you have 3 teams needing a win to guarantee their progress. ( sure draw would do for Mexico and brazil but they are finer details we needn't worry about )

Sorry ajc I know time has elapsed since this game but had to comment on one thing here...

The oscar goal was a long way out and not a hard shot, but those are the most clever and difficult shots in my opinion - he went early to surprise the keeper and toe-poked with no backlift, I doubt there'd be a keeper in the world who would've got to that.  I just about messed myself with the quality of that shot, purely instinctive intelligence, only the best footballers can pull that stuff out in big moments like that. Oscar went up massively in my books after watching that game. He's been decent for Chelsea but that was just next-level.

Pressure is getting to Brazil. Even with refs tongues up their arses, they are failing to flatter. Unless they really start to kick into gear soon i can see them missing out on the semis, let alone the final.

First game I've missed unfortunately. Been watching the first 2 games before work each day but had to leave early today so had to record this one to watch after but of course people were talking about it in the office so just watched the highlights when I got home instead of the whole game knowing the result. Incredible save from that Neymar header. One of the best I've ever seen, up there with Seaman against Sheffield United.

If it wasn't for the ref in the first game Brazil could be in real trouble now. Going to be very interesting if Croatia win in the morning.

No worries. Having been a keeper myself for about 15 years one of the first things you are taught is to stay on your toes and take a sidestep to launch/spring yourself into the dive. For both the first and third goals he sort of collapsed flat footed from a stationary position which is poor technique. We'll never know of course, and the shots were well placed but in my opinion better technique would have at least got him closer. 

I feel it's a pretty average Brazil side on a par with the 1994 one or the 1990 one.

The 1994 one did win the World Cup but played some pretty pragmatic football without much flair (apart from Romario) and aren't much respected apparently in Brazil for having deserted the beloved "jogo bonito."

Not one of the great sides like the 1982 one (or the 1958, 1962 and 1970 sides).

Could well lose to one of the better Euro sides or say Argentina in subsequent rounds.

Neymar hasn't exactly set the world on fire yet - though it's only after two games. To me, hasn't shown he's as good as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo or Romario yet (what to speak of Pele, Garrincha, Zico, Socrates etc.). A good but not great player...

Think Neymar needs a good striker to play off. When he's making all these runs and it's only Fred up their, he can't do it all on his own.

No wonder Barcelona want rid of Song. What a joke. There were rumours that Utd were keen. I bet that has stuffed that up. Did not want him anyway.

Why does this commentator keep harping on about Croatia needing a superior goal difference? They have to play Mexico who have 4 points. Only a win will suffice. Goal dif will play no part in Croatias progress to the round of 16

Must be getting confused with my sweepstakes, which has a booby prize for the team which ends with the worst overall goal difference. With Brazil yet to play, Cameroon are looking good to take that one out at this stage.

What if Cameroon beat Brazil and Croatia draw with Mexico?

That will never happen.Cameroon are a rabble.

I suppose that's theoretically possible. But yeah Cameroon are pants.

As a unit perhaps but they have one or two  excellent players. Also with that idiot Song getting sent off would not helped the cause.

It's the same old story with African sides though, a lot of the best players in the world are African - but collectively their sides consistently under achieve at the World Cup. Ivory Coast are looking most likely to progress, but were lucky to take 3 points against Japan. I would've rated Ghana's chances too if they didn't lose to USA, but with Portugal and Germany to come they now have no chance.

I think they need to be taken down a peg to 4.5 spots and give the other half to Oceania :)

I wonder what Scott Chipperfield would say.

Croatia - Mexico will be a fun match... for neutrals... I'll be freakin' nervous. >_<

Great games this morning

That Mexico game was great.

Not for El Gap it wasn't.

Once again Mexico makes it, I have never seen Mexico not to advance from a group stage (I born in 1991), yet, sadly, I have never see them advance further either... lol... and well, against Netherlands it will be really hard to advance.

One of the best so far I reckon. Loved it.

I loved Guardado's celebration, Kovac said we would be shaking out knees against them...