FIFA World Cup underdog team Costa Rica beat Greece in a penalty shoot-out on Sunday.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup is proving to be one of the most shocking tournaments to date, and anticipation couldn’t be higher after a weekend of dramatic matches.
The last 16 are halfway through, with two games left on June 30 and two on July 1. Currently the strongest teams are France, Germany, Holland and Argentina, who have yet to play.
On June 29, Costa Rica surprised the world winning 5-3 against Greece. Their unexpected win has qualified Costa Rica for the quarterfinals for the first time in history. Greece lost to Costa Rica in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw.
Michael Umana of Costa Rica shoots and scores
Costa Rica’s Bryan Ruiz scored the opening goal in Costa Rica’s game against Greece; but it was their goalkeeper Keylor Navas who proved to be the hero with his stunning stops as the match went to a penalty shootout after Sokratis Papastathopoulos’s last-minute equalizer. Joel Campbell, Costa Rica’s star striker, is making headlines for his relentlessness and impressive plays as a forward.
Netherlands startled the crowds with a 2-1 win over Mexico on the June 29 as well, giving them a place in the World Cup quarterfinals. Wesley Sneijder scored yesterday in the final moment for Netherlands to tie up the game, followed by Klaas Jan Huntelaar scoring a penalty goal after Arjen Robben was fouled in the penalty area, leading to a 2-1 win for the Dutch over Mexico.
Arjen Robben of the Netherlands celebrates
For 88 minutes, Mexico were revelling in the possibility of causing one of the biggest upsets of World Cup 2014 by beating the Netherlands. But three decisions completely changed the match and the Los Manitos ended up losing 1-2, eliminated from the last 16 for the fifth World Cup in a row.
Colombia managed to beat Uruguay 2-0, despite their lead scorer Radamel Falcao unable to play due to an injury. 22-year-old James Rodriguez from Columbia is this year’s golden boy, having scored a shocking opening goal after 28 minutes. After 50 minutes, Rodriguez became the tournament’s top scorer with five goals in four games, securing Colombia a spot for the quarterfinals.
Greece forward Kostas Mitroglou has been saying his goodbyes, and that includes a more permanent farewell to Giorgos Karagounis, who has retired from international football after Greece's exit yesterday.
June 28, saw a brilliant win from Brazil, leaving Chile behind 3-2. Neymar, Brazil’s star player, has been under pressure to win Brazil their sixth World Cup on home soil; yet he managed to deliver once again while playing a supporting role for Júlio César, the highlight of the game. Cesar saved two of Chile’s penalties, securing Brazil a spot for the quarterfinals.
Excitement is high to watch France vs Nigeria; Germany vs Algeria on June 30, with United States vs Belgium and Argentina vs Switzerland competing on July 1. See the full schedule here.
Featured image: Costa Rica players celebrate the win after a penalty shootout during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Round of 16 match between Costa Rica and Greece
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