Only group H is missing, the one with Belgium, Russia, Algeria and South Korea, and then all 32 national teams will have made their debut at the Brazilian World Cup. The first round of matches will end today, with Belgium-Algeria at 18pm and Russia-South Korea at midnight, while the hosts Brazil against Mexico at 21pm will open the second round of these elimination rounds. Yesterday, on the other hand, the two matches of group G and the second match of group F, that of Argentina, were played. In group G, the 4-0 victory over Portugal by Germany confirms that the Germans, despite not having their brightest star of last season, Marco Reus (who was injured a few days before the start of the event), are among the most authoritative candidates for the final victory (and it doesn't matter that they haven't won anything since the 1996 European Championship), while the Lusitanians remain one of the great unfinished teams of the last decade, a formation for which it is not even enough to have the strongest player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo (among other things recovering from a physical problem), who too often is asked to solve everything on his own, but who in the national team is more often than not decisive compared to when he plays for his club. For the Germans, in their XNUMXth match at the World Cup (none like them), a hat-trick from Muller (but the protagonist of the simulation on Pepe's sending off) and a goal from Hummels, seventh consecutive winning debut and unbridled joy from Chancellor Merkel in the stands.
Usual good offensive game to which Germany has accustomed us in recent years, with the various Gotze, Ozil, Muller and Schurrle to act as protagonists, and with Klose who will have to wait for his opportunity to reach Ronaldo (the Phenomenon) at the record level of 15 goals in World Cup history. The only note is the position of captain Lahm, proposed like Guardiola to Bayern also by Loew in the middle of the field, but given the great abundance of quality players in that area, it would be more congenial to bring back on the wing as a full-back, instead of one of the two adapted defenders, a role he has held throughout his career in a splendid way. All easy, therefore, for the Germans, but facilitated in their task by the referee's absurd decision to kick Pepe out (certainly not the most responsible and lucid player on certain occasions, but who in this case paid for his fame) in the 37th minute of the first half, with still almost an hour to play, transformed into a catwalk for the opponents. It cannot be said that this decision has distorted the continuation of the match, as Germany were already solidly ahead 2-0, but in 2014 and with all the technology available it would be time to start disqualifying (or sending off, if the referee , perhaps helped, realizes it at the moment on the field) even the players who simulate, both of having received a non-existent blow, but also those, even worse, who bring their hands to their faces as if they had received a punch from Mike Tyson, while the replay shows a slight touch but at chest height (as in the specific case of Muller, against whom Pepe then made a mistake by going head to head annoyed by the German's scene). It would really be appropriate to start severely punishing these dramas, of all kinds, and perhaps, by dint of disqualification matches, in a few years we will be able to see games in which players think twice, and maybe three times, to faint ridiculous for contacts that in other contexts would only tickle them.
That said, for Portugal, which will not have Pepe for at least a couple of rounds, the usual feeling of seeing a group of good players, perhaps even excellent ones, but light years away from forming a solid and concrete team that can reach the end of this type of demonstration. Probably the right train passed about ten years ago, with a generation of champions who stopped at the 2000 European Championships in the extra time of the semifinal against France, then winners of the tournament, and above all four years later, losing sensationally in the final with Greece in the home edition, today the hope is that Cristiano Ronaldo will take the team on his shoulders and drag his teammates along with his plays and goals, something that the number 7 can easily start doing from the next match. Challenge that will be against the United States, who overcame Ghana 2-1 in the night, avenging the last two encounters against the Africans, who had always beaten them both at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with the same score. For Klinsmann's formation, encouraged before the match by President Obama's tweet, a goal by Dempsey, no longer very young but certainly still the best of his, after only 30" (one of the fastest goals in World Cup history, the most still remains that of Hakan Sukur in the third-place match in 2002 in South Korea between his Turkey and the hosts) and decisive header by defensive giant Brooks in the last minutes, after equalizing for the Ghanaians shortly before Andre Ayew. For the African Black Stars, a lot of disappointment and yet another rejection in front of the international stage, there are good players, like the Juventus player Asamoah or the Ayew brothers, but others, like Essien, are no longer able to make the contribution they were a few years ago. what is certain is that their too often confusing game still keeps them far from being able to really compete with the European powers. Both Ghana and the USA, however, cannot worry Portugal, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo were to turn on, so second place behind Germany should not escape the Lusitanians.
Very little, but it was to be expected, it was also seen in the match between Iran and Nigeria, a 0-0 which was the first draw of these World Cups after 12 games and will have made the fortune of the many bettors who by law large numbers will have bet precisely on this statistic, perhaps accompanying the "x" sign with an "under", given the characteristics of these two formations and how they arrived in Brazil. In fact, Iran had proved to be the best defense during the Asian qualifiers (and their attack certainly can't be scary), while Nigeria, despite qualifying, had been one of the worst attacks with only seven goals scored (despite having their best and famous elements, such as Ameobi from Newcastle, Moses from Chelsea last season on loan at Liverpool or Amenike the Turkish champion with Fenerbahce). Definitely the worst match of the tournament so far, so far instead characterized by games full of goals, which certainly satisfies the Iranians more, who in their fourth participation in the final phase of the World Cup get their third draw (the first and so far the only success against the United States in France '98), while for the Nigerians, who to understand their number 10 is ball retriever Obi Mikel and in the middle of the field the one with the most quality is Onazi from Lazio, the splendor and enthusiasm of the 90s, and the speech made for Ghana is worth a bit. With Argentina who, even without impressing, should finish top of the group, having seen the level of Iran and Nigeria, second place should be within reach of Bosnia, who if they play as they know shouldn't have too much trouble overcoming both the opponents. After seeing last night's match, for Dzeko, Pjanic and all of Bosnia it seems more and more concrete the passage of the round immediately in the historic first participation in a World Cup.
Brazil is back on the field tonight at 21, on stage in Fortaleza against Mexico (who narrowly beat Cameroon in the first match), with the possibility of already mortgaging the first place in the group and trying to scare the other contenders for victory the final. Mexico seen in the first meeting does not seem able to spoil the plans of the landlords and a success should emerge for the green-and-gold without too many worries, unlike the debut against Croatia, but Brazil is asked to start showing us on the field that football, if not spectacular, at least better, which was not seen five days ago. It won't be the best Selecao in history, but he doesn't lack great talented players, in all areas of the pitch, and the fact of playing at home puts Neymar and his teammates as the favorites to go all the way, but the opening match is been anything but convincing and if it hadn't been for the referee Nishimura's gift perhaps Brazil would only have one point like the excellent Croatia at this time and would face tonight's match with a completely different spirit. Speaking of the scandalous penalty awarded to the Brazilians (and thanks to which the next day all the front pages of the world celebrated Neymar's brace), in recent days we had to read Blatter's ridiculous and embarrassing statements, while yesterday in the press conference of the on the eve of tonight's match, the Brazilian coach Scolari replied angrily to the umpteenth question regarding that episode. Well, it must be accepted that the referee is human and can make mistakes (even if in some cases it is objectively difficult), but that after those who suffer the wrong must also feel made fun of seems frankly too much, admitting a mistake that the whole world has seen or a lucky episode does not change the result of that game and the points in the standings remain those, why not admit it, quietly?
