The opening games of the second round of the FIFA World Cup have certainly set the bar very high. Well done Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay.
Well, perhaps not so much Uruguay, but you get the picture.
In yesterday’s post I reflected on how my pre-tournament picks Brazil came up against my dark horses Chile and in the end it needed a penalty shootout to separate them.
I was particularly impressed by Chile who stuck to their game plan, continuing to pass their way out of trouble and cause Brazil problems, even after they had gone 1-0 down.
They got their rewards when slack defending was punished by Alexis Sánchez.
Both sides tired towards the end of 90 minutes and extra time wasn’t much of a spectacle although Chile had the best chance to win it right at the death.
The frame of the goal denied them, as it would in the shootout and Brazil, mercifully perhaps for the tournament as a whole and an expectant nation, progress.
But, Brazil are beatable and with Neymar nursing an injury, they are vulnerable.
And if Colombia play as well as they did last night when the two sides meet on Friday, it could be another fine game.
For all that Uruguay missed Luis Suárez, he wouldn’t have been able to much about the Colombia goals, both of them good enough to grace any stage.
And would he have found a way past Colombia keeper David Ospina, who put in an inspired performance? Possibly not.
If James Rodríguez’ first goal was a stunning piece of individual skill, his second was a wonderfully well-worked team goal, culminating in a clever header across goal from Juan Cuadrado which set Rodrigues up to make the game safe.
Cue predictable puns using ‘Sit Down’ and ‘Come Home’, two of James’ (the band) biggest hits.
But why did nobody try to use ‘Goal Goal Goal’ or something like ‘Uruguay ‘Runaground’ by James with Suarez ‘Not There’?
I could go on. And this is the page to use if you want to be really clever if he scores again: http://oneofthethree.co.uk/jamesdiscography.htm
So to today’s games which see the Netherlands take on Mexico and Costa Rica play Greece.
Netherlands were one of just four teams to win all three group games, thrashing Spain, seeing off Chile and beating Australia.
Mexico, however, held Brazil to a 0-0 draw on their way through, so this will be no easy task for the Dutch.
I do, however, expect them to come through. It might need extra time as Mexico will not be easy to break down and have goals in them as well.
Costa Rica-Greece is one of those ties that on paper, doesn’t appeal very much, but it could go either way. We could see a drab 0-0 draw as both sides, knowing this may be their only chance of reaching a quarter-final in a generation or more, play cagily, and we end up with a penalty shootout.
Alternatively, we could get an open game as both sides feel they have nothing to lose.
Given the group performances, I would make Costa Rica narrow favourites but only just.