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WORLD CUP: FRANCE TAKE ON NIGERIA IN THE ROUND OF 16

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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> France are hot
favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup when they tackle
Nigeria in their round of 16 clash at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia on
Monday.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Didier Deschamps’
side, who lifted the World Cup on home soil back in 1998, impressed as they
topped Group E with comprehensive and goal-laden victories over Honduras and
Switzerland before drawing 0-0 with Ecuador.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nigeria, meanwhile,
finished second in Group F behind Argentina and are targeting their first-ever
World Cup quarter-final berth in their first knockout match since 1998.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Deschamps made a
number of changes for the Ecuador clash and is expected to recall some key
players, with Yohan Cabaye set to return from suspension in place of Morgan
Schneiderlin.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #000002; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opta facts</span></div>
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<span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">        
</span></span></span><span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This will be only the second international meeting between
France and Nigeria. The Super Eagles won the previous meeting 1-0 in
Saint-Etienne back in June 2009.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">        
</span></span></span><span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">France have lost two of their last three World Cup matches
against African nations (2002 v Senegal and 2010 v South Africa). They beat
Togo between these two defeats, in 2006.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">        
</span></span></span><span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Super Eagles are aiming to become just the fourth African
side to make the quarter finals of a World Cup tournament (after Cameroon in
1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #E8ECEF; margin-left: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 12.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">        
</span></span></span><span style="color: #383c3f; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the last five occasions that France have progressed past
round one in the World Cup, they have reached the semi-final stage (1958, 1982,
1986, 1998 and 2006).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Defender Mamadou
Sakho is a doubt due to the thigh injury which forced him off in the 61st
minute of their final group game, meaning Laurent Koscielny and Raphael Varane
could start in central defence.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moussa Sissoko
could start ahead of Paul Pogba, Mathieu Valbuena is set to return after being
rested, while Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann are battling to start up
front alongside Golden Boot hopeful Karim Benzema.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arsenal defender
Koscielny is keen to play down France’s hopes of global glory in Brazil,
particularly as Deschamps’ side had to overturn a 2-0 first leg play-off defeat
against Ukraine just to qualify.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said: "The
first objective was to get through the group phase. Now it's to go as far as
possible.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"We are
competitors and we are ambitious, but we know that we have opponents against us
and that we might lose.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"We're aware
of our qualities. Something changed after the Ukraine game, but anything is
possible in a knockout match and for the moment we're only focusing on the last
16."</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moses</span></b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nigeria coach
Stephen Keshi will hope to have Chelsea’s Victor Moses available again after he
returned to training with the squad on Saturday following the muscle complaint
that kept him out of the 3-2 defeat by Argentina.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keshi’s only
confirmed absentee is winger Michael Babatunde, who sustained a fractured wrist
after being struck by Ogenyi Onazi’s shot in their final Group E fixture.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Joseph Yobo</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nigeria captain
Joseph Yobo will earn his 101st cap when he leads his side out against France,
and having just faced Argentina ace Lionel Messi, he claims that they will not
fear Monday’s opponents.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He told fifa.com:
"We won the Africa Cup of Nations, booked our place in the World Cup
without any trouble and now we've qualified for the second round. It's not
often that I've experienced so many pieces of good news in a row.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That shows you
we're improving. This team is young, but it's growing fast and learning
quickly. We're taking confidence from our campaign so that it can help us in
our next match.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"We've just
played against the best forward in the world, so we're ready to measure
ourselves against anybody.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I don't see
what we should be afraid of. I believe in this team, and I think we can do
it."</span></div>
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WORLD CUP: FRANCE TAKE ON NIGERIA IN THE ROUND OF 16

France are hot favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the World Cup when they tackle Nigeria in their round of 16 clash at t...

WORLD CUP: COSTA RICA PREVAIL IN SHOOT-OUT WITH GREECE TO MAKE QUARTER-FINALS

Unknown 0 2:51 AM

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8PksvwZ71n5e_RYlneipTGFKSygl3Eh2tIYrg3abbIgD83fOQM21sm4F9vEnzSm2MLTXFcmtyiRevdHDE-5dsXe_QXN6-w9pz3Rqxi-qlqlRfq9r7Ul7WB1iM4CTqnqWfAT5SID14gGu/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Bryan-Ruiz-cele_3165564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8PksvwZ71n5e_RYlneipTGFKSygl3Eh2tIYrg3abbIgD83fOQM21sm4F9vEnzSm2MLTXFcmtyiRevdHDE-5dsXe_QXN6-w9pz3Rqxi-qlqlRfq9r7Ul7WB1iM4CTqnqWfAT5SID14gGu/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Bryan-Ruiz-cele_3165564.jpg" /></a></div>

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<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Costa
Rica booked a World Cup quarter-final date with Holland as they held on with 10
men to see off Greece 5-3 on penalties.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
keenly-contested last-16 encounter in Recife ended 1-1, with Bryan Ruiz’s
opener cancelled out by Sokratis Papastathopoulous in second-half
stoppage-time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An
extra 30 minutes failed to deliver another goal, despite Costa Rica playing
close to an hour at a numerical disadvantage following the dismissal of Oscar
Duarte, and the contest was settled with a test of nerve from 12 yards out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj983LTrVJ9cOziYtazzq8mdPWCzm0WStdy8PT9UVxeljJUHYSKQf1_1GwcJhs5PoBG1P4jUtOjFmG0zjpIt1qKqLA0vk2XqwexSF3ZobvuRkr0D7LA1wKUYnN2E53h9rh9GjgqjxQP51/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Oscar-Duarte-re_3165571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj983LTrVJ9cOziYtazzq8mdPWCzm0WStdy8PT9UVxeljJUHYSKQf1_1GwcJhs5PoBG1P4jUtOjFmG0zjpIt1qKqLA0vk2XqwexSF3ZobvuRkr0D7LA1wKUYnN2E53h9rh9GjgqjxQP51/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Oscar-Duarte-re_3165571.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oscar
Duarte: Picked up two yellow cards</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
took 52 minutes for the deadlock to be broken in normal time, with Christian
Bolanos cutting back to the edge of the box for Ruiz to sweep into the bottom
corner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Costa
Rica, who had overcome Uruguay and Italy en route to the second round, found
themselves in dreamland, but their night took a turn for the worse on 66
minutes as Duarte picked up a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Jose
Holebas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jorge
Luis Pinto’s men were always holding on from that point and they fell
agonisingly short inside 90 minutes as Papastathopoulous found himself in the
right place to bundle home in the dying seconds as Keylor Navas parried an
effort from substitute Theofanis Gekas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greece
had the better of the chances to win the game inside the distance from there,
most notably through Kostas Mitroglou, but spot-kicks were to decide the
outcome and Navas became a national hero as he saved from Gekas and Michael
Umana stroked home the match-winner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN37vJrK0hzP_wrt1o14-T1vRkTPQ6KQVsTCcpwTZOPST8HNLIcVYFuXOIrFo1OCTrSiFi519DCtCBvmoml23UkzxFTt28q9DAC_wAhwmjzR-DOce9yT5XNwD6PPu7tQ9o4c18KKBKIp9/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Sokratis-Papast_3165575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN37vJrK0hzP_wrt1o14-T1vRkTPQ6KQVsTCcpwTZOPST8HNLIcVYFuXOIrFo1OCTrSiFi519DCtCBvmoml23UkzxFTt28q9DAC_wAhwmjzR-DOce9yT5XNwD6PPu7tQ9o4c18KKBKIp9/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Sokratis-Papast_3165575.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sokratis
Papastathopoulous: Dramatic late strike</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was an exciting end to a scrappy match in which the only moment of note in the
opening 20 minutes was a left-footed drive from the recalled Cristian Bolanos
that flew just over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greece
were enjoying the lion's share of chances but were looking susceptible
defensively at times, with skipper Giorgos Karagounis avoiding a penalty more
through luck than judgement when catching Joel Campbell on the edge of the box.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
looked like a penalty on first glance but referee Ben Williams was right
adjudge the foul to have taken place just outside the area, with the resulting
free-kick coming to nothing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Veteran
Karagounis tried his luck from distance when Greece returned to the attack - a
chance Navas dealt with easily, before having to be at his best to keep the
scores level in the 37th minute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meeting
a fine left-wing Jose Holebas cross, Salpingidis looked certain to score from
close range only for the Costa Rica goalkeeper to stop the goal-bound strike
with his right leg.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0y4VcuBcxC8TzPFLt2lqDiqgaJ-ZndwmSTV2PCIButH3LCVAtbxTaGtor_kZ_-UBkF_b2jFWQDHaNEkoLzA-SH70gP-3T0YZbeUakJR_mtQCsEjCL08-v4Gq8-k7zqA3TiaToYPBHp1X/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Keylor-Navas-sa_3165590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0y4VcuBcxC8TzPFLt2lqDiqgaJ-ZndwmSTV2PCIButH3LCVAtbxTaGtor_kZ_-UBkF_b2jFWQDHaNEkoLzA-SH70gP-3T0YZbeUakJR_mtQCsEjCL08-v4Gq8-k7zqA3TiaToYPBHp1X/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Keylor-Navas-sa_3165590.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keylor
Navas: Crucial save from the spot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Duarte
joined Andreas Samaris in the referee's notebook just before the half-time
whistle went, with the locals letting their displeasure at the lack of quality
known.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Los
Ticos failed to conjure a single shot on target in the opening period but
changed that just seven minutes after the restart, breaking the deadlock in the
process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bolanos
pulled the ball back from the left into the path of Ruiz, who was afforded too
much time to coolly roll home a first-time left-footed strike, which trickled
past Orestis Karnezis.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was a fine placed effort and Costa Rica should have had the chance to double
their advantage moments later when Vasilis Torosidis turned away a cross with
his hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Substitute
Oscar Granado was booked for his remonstrations as tensions rose, with Costa
Rica reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when Duarte picked up a needless
second booking for tripping Holebas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Georgios
Samaras flashed a header wide almost immediately before Navas flapped at his
looped ball as Greece upped the ante.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSs6N6WWZWq41JeTkeVsjQJyI0ExkHyVsDC2hJYsEn8z-1jymIoJlO_e6th-r1OudpIbRfcFZxtdZUqvnlBXwsEW1Lmddeir06-vzZpvkIRobLKYovSMyLDKzioHTm8pBDj07cm5ooAjB7/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Michael-Umana-w_3165591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSs6N6WWZWq41JeTkeVsjQJyI0ExkHyVsDC2hJYsEn8z-1jymIoJlO_e6th-r1OudpIbRfcFZxtdZUqvnlBXwsEW1Lmddeir06-vzZpvkIRobLKYovSMyLDKzioHTm8pBDj07cm5ooAjB7/s1600/Costa-Rica-v-Greece-World-Cup-Michael-Umana-w_3165591.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Michael
Umana: Stroked home the winning spot-kick</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Substitute
Gekas turned wide, Kostas Manolas headed over and Karagounis wasted a free-kick
as the game looked to have got away from them, only for Papastathopoulos to net
a stoppage-time leveller.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
the ball fired into the box, Gekas saw a snapshot parried by Navas and the ball
fell kindly for the centre-back to fire home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was the first time the Costa Rica goalkeeper had been beaten from open play in Brazil
and he had to be at his best to stop Greece doing so again moments later,
tipping over a powerful header from substitute Mitroglou.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Fulham striker failed to get a telling touch to beat Navas again as extra-time
began, before an unsighted Gekas directed wide and Konstantinos Katsouranis had
a close-range effort blocked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Randall
Brenes came close for Costa Rica at the start of the second period of extra
time in which Lazaros Christodoulopoulos stung the palms of Navas, who then
denied Mitroglou at the death as the match went to penalties.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greece
coach Santos was sent to the stands before the spot-kicks began, with every one
finding the net until Navas denied Gekas with Greece's fourth of the night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
gave Umana the opportunity to secure victory, which he duly did by firing the
ball into the top right-hand corner.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>

WORLD CUP: COSTA RICA PREVAIL IN SHOOT-OUT WITH GREECE TO MAKE QUARTER-FINALS

Costa Rica booked a World Cup quarter-final date with Holland as they held on with 10 men to see off Greece 5-3 on penalties. A keen...

WORLD CUP: HOLLAND DEFEAT MEXICO WITH TWO LATE GOALS TO REACH QUARTER-FINALS

Unknown 0 2:35 AM

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6if-BK9M7sXpyyChLvictb043vwriUMlz2ooAJKEzhCgEcWptppvzSSEUmr5X3RPCyhz9QfJ24DlFrolESVzjf2mszFiif0-2yU-fmp_8QV69GC_ONeX_XfXjPpx-Fn_c6v3JI50Hhan/s1600/football-2014-fifa-world-cup-fifa-world-cup-2014-world-cup-fifa-world-cup-holland_3165493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6if-BK9M7sXpyyChLvictb043vwriUMlz2ooAJKEzhCgEcWptppvzSSEUmr5X3RPCyhz9QfJ24DlFrolESVzjf2mszFiif0-2yU-fmp_8QV69GC_ONeX_XfXjPpx-Fn_c6v3JI50Hhan/s1600/football-2014-fifa-world-cup-fifa-world-cup-2014-world-cup-fifa-world-cup-holland_3165493.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />

<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Holland
staged a remarkable recovery to defeat Mexico 2-1 as last-gasp goals from
Wesley Sneijder and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar sent them through to the World Cup
quarter-finals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Louis
van Gaal’s side looked to be down and out in the searing heat of Fortaleza
after Giovani dos Santos had fired Mexico into a 48th-minute lead and
goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa continued his heroics as the last line of defence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But
the European nation dragged themselves level in the 88th minute as Sneijder
lashed home a venomous strike from the edge of the box and then went ahead from
the penalty spot in the fourth minute of added time after Arjen Robben was
felled in the box by Mexico captain Rafael Marquez, with substitute Huntelaar
calmly sending Ochoa the wrong way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wesley
Sneijder equalises for Holland</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Van
Gaal, who will take over as Manchester United boss once Holland's World Cup
campaign comes to an end, demonstrated he is happy to make the big calls in the
key games, as he withdrew skipper Robin van Persie 14 minutes from time at the
Estadio Castelao for match-winner Huntelaar.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Holland
were forced into a very early change in only the ninth minute as Nigel De Jong
limped out of the action to be replaced by Bruno Martins Indi, before Robben’s
incredibly hopeful appeals for a penalty were waved away when his attempted
cross struck Marquez from point-blank range.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mexico
then ramped up the pressure and Hector Herrera was inches away from breaking
the deadlock after being set up by Oribe Peralta on the edge of the box, with
his slightly scuffed effort rolling just beyond a remarkably calm Jasper
Cillessen’s post.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
players take on fluids</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cooling
break</span></b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Herrera
felt he should have been awarded a spot-kick after being caught in the head by
the raised boot of Ron Vlaar with Stefan de Vrij’s studs also flying in as the
Mexico man looked to head on in the area, but Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca
awarded only a corner.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cillessen
was called into action again to palm away a long-range strike from Carlos
Salcido, before a rare touch for the returning Van Persie saw him bring down a
ball over the top before firing wildly off target.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
the first official 'cooling break' to allow both teams to take on some
much-needed fluids, Dos Santos forced Cillessen into a decent save at his near
post as the ball bobbled through to him somewhat fortuitously off the knee of
Andres Guardado following an excellent flick from Peralta.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Marquez
gifted possession to Van Persie in added time at the end of the first half but
recovered to regain the ball with a very questionable challenge on Robben,
which left Hector Moreno needing to be stretchered away after being caught in
the tangle of legs in the box. Diego Reyes replaced Moreno for the second half.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Giovani
dos Santos gave Mexico the lead</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
deadlock was broken in the 48th minute with a moment of sheer class from Dos
Santos. The former Tottenham man chested down a loose ball well outside the
Dutch area and then unleashed a half-volley as the ball sat up, his shot flying
beyond the despairing dive of Cillessen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Dutch goalkeeper was called into action again to gather a curling effort from
Peralta, before his opposite number Ochoa produced yet another breath-taking
save to keep his side in front.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clumsy
tackle</span></b><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ochoa,
the hero of Mexico’s 0-0 draw with Brazil, somehow palmed De Vrij’s volley from
inside the six-yard box away from the centre of the goal and onto the outside
of the post after Robben’s corner from the left was met firmly by the defender.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Van
Gaal’s side were now pushing hard for a leveller, with Sneijder seeing a shot
from the edge of the box deflected narrowly wide, and the Galatasaray man was
then just inches away from connecting with Robben’s cute cross from the left.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Guillermo
Ochoa saves from Stefan de Vrij</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Peralta
had the ball in the net for Mexico, but the whistle had already gone for
offside, before Robben went to ground under a challenge from Miguel Layun, only
for Proenca to again remain unmoved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Bayern Munich man stayed on his feet after hurdling a clumsy tackle from
Marquez with 15 minutes to go but could not beat Ochoa as the goalkeeper
blocked his effort from an angle with his feet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ochoa
somehow blocked substitute Huntelaar’s close-range volley with time running
out, although the offside flag had already been raised, but he could do nothing
when Sneijder unleashed an unstoppable strike from the edge of the area after
Mexico could not clear from a corner.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And
in the fourth of six minutes of added time, Robben finally caused Proenca to
point to the spot when he threw himself to the floor after his foot was caught
by Marquez, allowing Huntelaar to step up and show nerves of steel to send
Ochoa the wrong way from the penalty spot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Papyrus; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Holland
will now return to Salvador - where they thrashed holders Spain 5-1 in their
tournament opener - to face Costa Rica or Greece in the quarter-finals next
Saturday.</span></div>
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WORLD CUP: HOLLAND DEFEAT MEXICO WITH TWO LATE GOALS TO REACH QUARTER-FINALS

Holland staged a remarkable recovery to defeat Mexico 2-1 as last-gasp goals from Wesley Sneijder and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar sent them t...