England, Uruguay already under pressure
Print Edition
ENGLAND knew surviving a group with two other former World Cup champions would be tough, but the team never expected to be trailing Costa Rica after the opening games.
The small Central American nation with a minor World Cup pedigree came from behind to shock 2010 semifinalist Uruguay 3-1. Then Mario Balotelli scored the decider for Italy in a 2-1 win over England.
If anything, it showed the value of special players. While Italy thrived with Balotelli on the pitch, Uruguay suffered with Luis Suarez sitting on the bench with a bad knee.
Uruguay was powerless for the last hour of the match against an underdog without marquee players, but with no fear of playing against traditional powers.
“What we take into the next games is confidence,” said Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto.
For a third straight day, the World Cup in Brazil lived up to its samba billing as goals kept pouring in, with Colombia punishing Greece 3-0. Ivory Coast scored twice in two minutes to rally to 2-1 win over Japan and a share of the lead in Group C.
The leaden 30 degrees Celsius heat in Manaus was supposed to stifle play, but Italy and England produced a display of attacking and tactical football.
Wily Andrea Pirlo, at 35, set up the first goal with a deft step-over to give Claudio Marchisio room for a long-range shot. In injury time, when younger players had already come down with cramps, Pirlo sent a swerving free kick that hit the bar.
Balotelli undid the equalizer from Daniel Sturridge with a 50th-minute header. Earlier, he almost scored from an extreme angle, getting the ball past goalie Joe Hart only to see Phil Jagielka head it off the line.
“We take our hats off to their skill,” England coach Roy Hodgson said.
Italy now faces Costa Rica in its next match with another victory likely assuring its progress.
“We won but now let’s keep our feet on the ground otherwise we’re not going anywhere,” said Balotelli.
After the Netherlands 5-1 rout of defending champion Spain on Friday, it was another day of football at its best.
Teams from the Americas are 5-1, with victories for Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Costa Rica and Mexico. Uruguay’s loss to Costa Rica is the only defeat for a team from this side of the globe.
Even though Costa Rica had looked strong in qualifying, few expected a victory over Uruguay, especially after Edinson Cavani scored the opening penalty.
Spirit of 1990
Costa Rica then conjured up the spirit of 1990, when it upset Sweden and Scotland to reach the second round in its first World Cup. Joel Campbell tied the game in the 54th and Oscar Duarte scored on a diving header just three minutes later. Substitute Marcos Urena added the third with six minutes left.
Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball as best player four years ago, but at 35, he was a shadow of his former self and was replaced as Uruguay went looking for a way back into the game. But no one could step up to take over from the injured Suarez.
Ivory Coast also had a hurting star. But when the Africans were down 0-1 against Japan, Didier Drogba, 36, came off the bench and inspired an immediate turnaround. Defender Serge Aurier twice made curling crosses to set up Wilfried Bony and Gervinho for scores.
Compare that to Colombia, which showed off its new generation, when all thought the nation would fizzle after its star Radamel Falcao had to withdraw with an injured knee.
With Falcao in the stands, Colombians were cheering 22-year-old playmaker James Rodriguez, who led his team and scored the third goal, sealing his nation’s first World Cup victory in 16 years.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
