Brazil 2014 memorable moments
BRAZIL IMPLODES: Germany skewering Brazil with five
goals in 19 minutes in their semifinal was the football
equivalent of the scene in "Bambi" when a hunter kills the
fawn's mother. Watching such a tragedy befall the five-time
champion at its home World Cup became difficult even for
some German fans, who later said they just wanted the
torturing of Brazil to stop.
Uruguay's forward Luis Suarez reacts during a Group D
football match between Italy and Uruguay at the Dunas
Arena in Natal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 24,
2014. Uruguay won 1-0. AFP PHOTO/ DANIEL GARCIA
Second-half substitute Andre Schuerrle had other ideas,
scoring two more for a record-breaking 7-1 trauma for the
football superpower that gave the world Pele. By the end,
the overwhelmingly Brazilian crowd in Belo Horizonte's
Mineirao stadium feted German touches of the ball with
shouts of "Ole!"
It was surreal, and one of the biggest shocks in World Cup
history.
HUNGRY FOR ITALIAN: Luis Suarez likes a varied diet.
Having previously been banned for biting a Dutch player
(Otman Bakkal) and a Serbian (Branislav Ivanovic), Suarez
seemingly hankered for Italian at this World Cup. Sinking
teeth into the shoulder of Giorgio Chiellini in a group-stage
game led to a four-month ban from all football for the
Uruguay striker. Deprived of his goals, Uruguay crashed out
of the first of the knockout rounds.
Initially, Suarez professed innocence. He returned home to
an outpouring of support. Uruguay's president, Jose
Mujica, was highly critical of FIFA. Suarez then did a U-turn
and apologized to Chiellini for the bite seen on TVs and
talked about around the world.
Social media wits and marketers made hay. A photo of a
chocolate bar with a Suarez hashtag and the words "more
satisfying than Italian" got more than 48,000 mentions on
Twitter.
COSTA RICA'S KRUL FATE: With the Netherlands and Costa
Rica scoreless after 120 minutes, Dutch coach Louis van
Gaal made an astounding call in the final seconds of their
quarterfinal: He replaced his first-choice goalkeeper with
his understudy, Tim Krul. Taller, with a longer reach and
prepped for this eventuality, Krul then saved Costa Rica's
second and fifth penalties in the ensuing shootout, and
guessed the correct way on all five.
The masterstroke made Van Gaal look like a football genius,
whetting the appetite of fans of Manchester United, his
next stop as coach.
ROBIN FLIES LIKE BATMAN: James Rodriguez' volleyed goal
for Colombia against Uruguay, controlling the ball with his
chest, letting it drop and then hammering in with his left
foot, all while turning to face goal, was poetry, the timing
exquisite. It will be many fans' goal of the tournament.
But Robin van Persie's diving header that foretold the
demise of reigning world champion Spain was spectacular,
too. He launched himself horizontally into the air to get his
head to a long pass from left back Daley Blind, sending the
ball arching over stranded Spain goalkeeper and captain,
Iker Casillas.
"A great goal, I have to be fair," Van Persie said. "It must be
the goal of my career."
Spain never recovered, booking early passage home by
losing that match 5-1, and its next game to Chile.
goals in 19 minutes in their semifinal was the football
equivalent of the scene in "Bambi" when a hunter kills the
fawn's mother. Watching such a tragedy befall the five-time
champion at its home World Cup became difficult even for
some German fans, who later said they just wanted the
torturing of Brazil to stop.
Uruguay's forward Luis Suarez reacts during a Group D
football match between Italy and Uruguay at the Dunas
Arena in Natal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 24,
2014. Uruguay won 1-0. AFP PHOTO/ DANIEL GARCIA
Second-half substitute Andre Schuerrle had other ideas,
scoring two more for a record-breaking 7-1 trauma for the
football superpower that gave the world Pele. By the end,
the overwhelmingly Brazilian crowd in Belo Horizonte's
Mineirao stadium feted German touches of the ball with
shouts of "Ole!"
It was surreal, and one of the biggest shocks in World Cup
history.
HUNGRY FOR ITALIAN: Luis Suarez likes a varied diet.
Having previously been banned for biting a Dutch player
(Otman Bakkal) and a Serbian (Branislav Ivanovic), Suarez
seemingly hankered for Italian at this World Cup. Sinking
teeth into the shoulder of Giorgio Chiellini in a group-stage
game led to a four-month ban from all football for the
Uruguay striker. Deprived of his goals, Uruguay crashed out
of the first of the knockout rounds.
Initially, Suarez professed innocence. He returned home to
an outpouring of support. Uruguay's president, Jose
Mujica, was highly critical of FIFA. Suarez then did a U-turn
and apologized to Chiellini for the bite seen on TVs and
talked about around the world.
Social media wits and marketers made hay. A photo of a
chocolate bar with a Suarez hashtag and the words "more
satisfying than Italian" got more than 48,000 mentions on
Twitter.
COSTA RICA'S KRUL FATE: With the Netherlands and Costa
Rica scoreless after 120 minutes, Dutch coach Louis van
Gaal made an astounding call in the final seconds of their
quarterfinal: He replaced his first-choice goalkeeper with
his understudy, Tim Krul. Taller, with a longer reach and
prepped for this eventuality, Krul then saved Costa Rica's
second and fifth penalties in the ensuing shootout, and
guessed the correct way on all five.
The masterstroke made Van Gaal look like a football genius,
whetting the appetite of fans of Manchester United, his
next stop as coach.
ROBIN FLIES LIKE BATMAN: James Rodriguez' volleyed goal
for Colombia against Uruguay, controlling the ball with his
chest, letting it drop and then hammering in with his left
foot, all while turning to face goal, was poetry, the timing
exquisite. It will be many fans' goal of the tournament.
But Robin van Persie's diving header that foretold the
demise of reigning world champion Spain was spectacular,
too. He launched himself horizontally into the air to get his
head to a long pass from left back Daley Blind, sending the
ball arching over stranded Spain goalkeeper and captain,
Iker Casillas.
"A great goal, I have to be fair," Van Persie said. "It must be
the goal of my career."
Spain never recovered, booking early passage home by
losing that match 5-1, and its next game to Chile.
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