Brazil V Colombia World Cup 2014

Brazil V Colombia Fifa World Cup 2014

After match synopsis in red!!

Beers: Quarter Finals Beer World Cup:

http://thisdrinkinglife.com/world-cup-beer-2014-quarter-finals/

Who is set to win the battle of the beers? Nomande came second in their group to the Australian beer VB, but did beat Skol Lager of Brazil to make the last eight, while Kirin Ichiban came first in a close enough Group C and beat Imperial Beer of Costa Rica to make it to the last eight. Who will quench the thirst, set the mood, get me in the right spirit? Click on picture for a preview of the beers. Get the beer result after, much after!

Kirin Ichiban V Nomade Scotch Ale: 0-1 to Nomade. Looked good, nice fruity and malty aroma, with a taste that was of a sweet malty flavor with notes of grapes and smoked malts. The expected aftertaste wasn’t overwhelming, and the flavours kicked in near the end. It wins out as it was a stronger drink with stronger tastes. Kirin is a nice light pale lager that goes down easy and smooth. On pouring, the appearance was of a pale yellow colour with a very big creamy head that lingers for some time, and leaves a bit of lacing on the glass. Had a nice look to it. Kirin also had a sweet smell of a light grain and malt aroma. The taste also had some initial sweetness followed by a very enjoyable bitter aftertaste of hops, kind of creamy. Tastes of hay, wheat, and light floral hops. A good clean, crisp beer, smooth, I liked it. Nice but its the quarter finals and I go for the ale this time around, the stronger the drink and alcohol content the better chance of progression at this stage of my competition!

PreGame:

Brazil are unbeaten in 41 successive home matches, with their last defeat coming against Paraguay way way back in August 2002. Will that record be broken today? It is hard to say. Colombia have looked amazing so far, but its really difficult to discount Brazil. On home turf, with Neymar, with the crowd behind them, they will always be difficult to beat.

Against Chile I actually thought they played well for long periods of the game. They neutralised a very attack minded Chile team, and with a bit more luck they could have won the game without it having to go to penalties. Having said that though, they were within a few inches of going out, and also Julio Cesar had to pull of some good saves to keep them in the tournament, not least his penalty save. To come out of that game was a big plus in my book for Brazil, and they overcame that Chilean hurdle with their heads held high.

The team look shattered though, emotionally drained. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has even had to asked a sport psychologist for help, to calm their nerves and get them in tune. You can see it when the national anthems ring out. The Brazilians sing it with gusto but it also appears to affect them as they their mind isn’t totally fit for a game of football. And the pressure of penalties in the last game, with the whole of Brazil looking on, wow! But I guess they must have had time now to get their shit together. You would hope so.

A lot of players dramatically improved their performances against Chile. David Luiz, got the goal, but his overall game was commendable. And Marcelo was darting forward at all times, searching for a way through, and I love his never give up attitude. A trier. While the same can be said about Hulk, who took on the task of getting the winning goal against Chile, and was a tad unlucky with the disallowed goal, he also never gave up.

Neymar had an alright game by his standards, but to be fair to him was marked very tightly by Silva who held him up a few times, and also thwarted a few of his shots on goals, getting his neck, legs, body in the way in his battles with Neymar. Neymar did have those chances though, so it will be interesting to see how he does today against a very similar defence in Colombia.

Fred was still rubbish though. And if he gets a world cup medal I don’t think I will ever watch football again! So Brazil could win today, but they will once again put their supporters through the mill, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this game went to penalties again.

Colombia have reached the last eight for the first time in their history by playing attractive attack minded football, showing great skill, scoring brilliant well worked goals, and generally making as many friends along the way as possible. All positive, take a note Greece, Russia and Switzerland, this is how football should be played.

In the last 16 , James Rodriguez showed an amazing piece of skill and vision, volleying a peach of a goal in the first half to put Colombia in the driving seat against a spirited Uruguay. A superb team move for the second goal crowned off a brilliant night of football for the Los Cafeteros. James Rodriguez is now the current top scorer of this years World Cup with five goals, and looks like he also might get the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament. That would be an amazing achievement for a player on a team that many didn’t give much thought to pre competition. His magnificent first will be talked for many a year to come, while his second, which was as equally great, showed that Colombia play as a team, all pulling in the right direction. All throughout the game, Zuñiga and Cuadrado were particularly dangerous down the wings, and Rodriguez kept up the pressure in the middle of the park. They have the players that can cause Brazil serious problems today.

But its not just the strikers and midfielders we should talk about. They also have a mean defence overlooked by a top class goalie, David Ospina, who looks to be another top keeper at this years World Cup to look out for. Safe hands should be his nickname.

I grew up watching Valderama, Rincon and that crazy keeper Higuita play in Colombian teams of the past that had great skill but just never really did it on the World Stage. Even Pele famously predicted a World Cup victory for them back in 1994. So it’s fantastic to see, finally, we have a Colombian team that is going to be pretty hard to knock out of this years World Cup. All in Brazil’s court now to see have they got what it takes to dislodge the Colombians as everybody’s new favourite South American team. Hosts against the most exciting team in the World Cup. Neymar versus Rodriguez. A place in the last four of the World Cup beckons. Cant wait!

But I will leave you with a word of warning my Colombian friends. Colombia have NEVER beaten Brazil on Brazilian soil. (Penalties it is so!)

In an extremely physical encounter Brazil came out victorious, but not without consequences. They have lost Neymar, who was cynically kneed in the back by Juan Zuniga, and so will miss the rest of the tournament. And Thigao Silva picked up another yellow card that will leave him out of the semis against Germany. Two players that will be sorely missed for Brazil.

That game itself wasn’t the prettiest but a lot of credit must go to Brazil for taking it on to the Colombians from the very start. People expected Colombia to do the early pressing, but in fact it was all Brazil who were attacking early on.

They scored a very early goal from a Neymar corner that was allowed to drift to the back post where Thiago Silva followed it up and scored an easy enough tap in. Brilliant start for Brazil.

Colombia came back and Cuadadro thought he had scored when he whipped in a shot that was only inches wide. Close

Hulk then went up the other end and forced a great save from the Colombian keeper Ospina who had to be alert a few times to stop the left footer, also pulling off a nice save against Oscar.

Brazil had most of the chances and play, but occasionally Colombia broke with pace, and when James Rodríguez glided past four Brazilians effortlessly passing to Cuadrado, suddenly it was a 3 v 1 situation, but the chance was fluffed. Bad play by Cuadrado, who didn’t live up to his equal billing with Rodriguez, and was overall very disappointing on the night.

One thing that was starting to emerge was the constant fouling and how the referee was letting a lot of cynical challenges and fouls go unpunished, from both teams, but mainly by Brazil. James Rodriguez was particularly getting very rough treatment from the Brazilian defence, and Paulinho was lucky to still be on the pitch after a few shocking tackles that at least deserved a yellow. Amazing to think he survived the whole game without picking up a single card!

The highlight of the first half for me was when David Luiz went on a mazy run. Well I say run but it was more like a jog, at half pace, as he managed to get by a few Colombians and take the ball deep into the oppositions half. Luiz had another cracking game to remember, huge effort and determination at all times.

Colombia had a goal by Yepes’ correctly ruled out for offside, but it was close, and they were very unlucky not to get back into the game.

But then Brazil got their second when David Luiz struck a superb 25-yard free-kick that left Ospina with no chance as it flew high with speed to his left. It was what Luiz deserved for all his endeavor in the game. This was his chance to shine and bask in the glory.

Colombia did get back into the game. Rodriguez managed to avert the tackles and brilliantly passed to Carlos Bacca in the box who was eventually taken down by Julio Cesar. From the ensuing penalty Rodriguez’s cored his sixth goal of the tournament to set up a tense final ten minutes of the game for Brazil to hang on.

And they did, just about, but as mentioned without Neymar on the pitch, who had to leave in a stretcher. So when Colombia talk about the tackles of Brazil perhaps they could also show some humility and admit that at least none of their team had to go to casualty with a serious back problem. Yes the referee was lax all game, but they let it affect them too much, and overall Brazil did enough to win the game as they had shown more heart and creativity to come out on top. Hard luck Colombia, thanks for the goals and the memories, but it just wasn’t to be.

Next up for Brazil is a clash with Germany, the first real test they will have in this tournament. Gone are the South American teams that play to a predictable pace and are manageable. Lets see how Brazil do against a German team that can boss the midfield, and will be more than a physical match for any shenanigans that Scolari might have in mind. Muller excepted, he has a soft head.

Music to get you in the mood

The Monas V Chico Science