The World Cup's Host Secures Its Place As Leader Against Cameroon

The World Cup's Host Secures Its Place As Leader Against Cameroon

Expecting Saturday's Match Against Chile

David Luiz celebrating Fred's Goal with Neymar, Luiz Gustavo and Marcelo

Pre-tournament favorite Brazil beat Cameroon 4-1 here Monday to claim the top spot in Group A of the 2014 World Cup.

FC Barcelona Neymar contributed two goals as Brazil finished the group stage with seven out of nine possible points.

Mexico likewise netted seven points, but the Brazilians won the group based on goal differential.

The World Cup's Host Secures Its Place As Leader Against Cameroon

Brazil got off to a furious start in front of the 70,000 people packed into Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium, but eased off the gas within minutes, creating an opening for the nothing-to-lose African side.

Yet amid the Cameroonians' offensive flurry, Oscar broke away down the left side and spotted Neymar standing alone in front of the net.

Up 1-0 in the 17th minute after the first of Neymar's two goals, the Brazilians relaxed again and Cameroon began pressing.

Thiago Silva had to be alert to stop Nyom's centering pass from landing in the net and the ensuing corner kick set up a header by Matip that hit the post.

With Brazil in disarray, Nyom eluded Daniel Alves and connected with Matip, who was not to be denied a second time.

Host Secures Its Place Against Cameroon

Matip's tally in the 26th minute - Cameroon's first of the 2014 competition - concentrated Brazil's attention and it took Neymar less than 10 minutes to score his second of the contest and put the South Americans ahead for good.

The Brazilians showed greater energy in the second half.

Fred scored just four minutes into the half to make it 3-1 and Cameroon's heart wasn't enough to make up for their technical deficiencies.

As Leader Against Cameroon The World Cup's Host Secures Its Place 

Fernandinho delivered the final blow with a goal in the 84th minute.

Brazil will face Chile in the first match of the knockout stage.

With Great Counterattacking Plays The Dutch Made Perfect Score Against Chile

There are only four days at any World Cup when it's possible for teams to play with their fates already decided, when a side can know before kickoff whether it will be heading home or sticking around.

Monday, when the Netherlands faced Chile in São Paulo, was the first of them here in Brazil.

And while a 2-0 victory for the Dutch didn't send Chile packing, it did condemn La Roja to a likely knockout-round matchup with Brazil for the second time in two World Cups. Brazil would top Group A by beating Cameroon later in the day.

The reward for the Netherlands' pair of late goals will be facing Group A's runner-up: Mexico. The result was entirely unaffected by Group B's other game—Spain beat Australia 3-0—since both sides were already eliminated.

"We are not really busy with that at the moment," said Netherlands winger Arjen Robben, who captained the side in place of the suspended Robin van Persie. "I think we have to enjoy this evening. We've won the game. We've done our job."

So much of the Dutch soccer tradition is built around keeping the ball, but the Oranje have taken the opposite approach with a counterattacking style—much to the chagrin of many fans back home before the tournament. But it's hard to argue with the results of coach Louis van Gaal's new system, which he only implemented in the past month. The Dutch are the first team at the tournament to qualify with the maximum nine points.

"This is the proof. We're not giving away very much and we're always creating," van Gaal said in Dutch. "And for a coach, it's nice to see that it's producing results. If that was not the case, you would have chopped off my head."

Still, even by those standards, van Gaal felt that his side surrendered too much possession throughout this dull game—Chile held the ball for more than twice as long as the Netherlands.

The difference came with a pair of second half substitutes. Leroy Fer of Norwich City put the Netherlands in front after 77 minutes with his first touch of the game, a header from a corner kick. Memphis Depay, a 20-year-old forward from PSV Eindhoven, made it 2-0 after he was teed up by Robben.

"We have analyzed this," van Gaal said. "Chile always gives you more space in the last 15 minutes."

Mexico Beats Croatia And Makes Its Place As Group A's 2nd Awaiting For Netherlands

All of the scoring came in the second half here Monday as Mexico defeated Croatia 3-1 to grab the second World Cup knockout stage berth from Group A.

The result left Mexico with seven points, the same as Brazil, but the host nation took first place in the group thanks to a larger goal differential.

"El Tri," whose next opponent will be Group B winner Holland, have advanced to the second round of every World Cup competition going back to 1994.

The Mexicans found the going rough in the first half on Monday, confronted by a tenacious Croatian side that clogged the middle of the field while launching offensive forays down the flanks.

When El Tri crossed the midfield line, they were confronted by a defensive wall that left shots from distance as the only option.

Rafael Marquez broke the scoreless tie in the 72nd minute, scoring with a header off a corner kick, and Andres Guardado doubled Mexico's lead just three minutes later.

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored for Mexico at the 82nd-minute mark, followed by Ivan Perisic's consolation goal for Croatia in the 87th minute.

Suárez Makes Heroic Victory For Uruguay Meanwhile Costa Rica Surprises Italy And Qualifies First!

Just weeks after undergoing knee surgery, Luis Suarez scored both of Uruguay's goals here Thursday in a 2-1 victory over England.

The result leaves Uruguay with three points after two matches and a chance of advancing to the knockout stage.

The "dual of the desperate" between England and Uruguay unfolded in front of 62,572 spectators - including some 20,000 Uruguayans - at São Paulo's Arena Corinthians.

England had the better of the play for long periods in the first half, but were unable to finish.

The best chance belonged to Wayne Rooney, an accomplished scorer for Manchester United in the Premier League and England international since 2006 who came into Thursday's contest with no goals in World Cup play.

Rooney's thundering shot after teammate Danny Welbeck was fouled sailed less than three feet over the top of the net.

 Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge also had opportunities, yet it was Uruguay who struck first, on Suarez's header in the 39th minute off a beautiful ball from Edinson Cavani.

The South Americans dominated for the first 20 minutes or so of the second half, though to no avail, as both Suarez and Cavani squandered chances to double the lead.

England regrouped and began applying pressure. Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera needed cat-like reflexes to turn aside a point-blank shot from Rooney.

 The Man United stalwart would get another chance, however, and this time, he made no mistake, hammering the ball past Muslera at the 75-minute mark.

The sides traded blows, but the English had the edge and Muslera was tested by a shot from Sturridge, Suarez's Liverpool teammate and partner in the Premier League's most potent offensive.

Who else but Suarez to deliver the win for Uruguay, taking advantage of a defensive miscue to make it 2-1 in the 85th minute

Costa Rica followed up its surprise win over Uruguay with another World Cup stunner on Friday, beating four-time champion Italy 1-0 to secure a spot in the next round and eliminate England in the process.

Costa Rica captain Bryan Ruiz gave his side the lead in the 44th minute, heading in off the underside of the crossbar following a cross from Junior Diaz. Goal-line technology was used to show that the ball bounced down and in after hitting the bar.

There was a frenetic end to the first half, as moments before Ruiz’s goal Costa Rica had a penalty appeal waved away when striker Joel Campbell was bundled over by Giorgio Chiellini.

Costa Rica leads Group D with six points, while Italy and Uruguay have three each before Tuesday’s showdown. England has zero points after losing to Italy and Uruguay.

So after entering the tournament as an expected underdog in a group featuring three former world champions, Costa Rica is now on top.

“Maybe there are a lot of people who didn’t have faith in us because we were in the ‘Group of Death.’ But the dead are the other ones and we’re going to the next round,” Ruiz said.

Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto was on the same wavelength.

“We have played a historic team. They’re really good,” he said. “They have wonderful players so, of course, we feel really proud. Our team feels proud, our country feels proud. We want to go even farther.”