We are just four days into the tournament, but there has been no shortage of talking points at Brazil 2014 both on and off the pitch.
Authentic Case Keenum Jersey . The goals have been flowing with 37 scored through the first 11 matches, making it the highest scoring World Cup since 1958. Here are the top five things that caught my attention in the tournament so far. 1. Pain for Spain There really was no bigger story for me during the opening days of the tournament than the remarkable fall of the defending Champions Spain at the hands of the Netherlands. It wasnt just the size of the win by the Dutch in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup Final, it was the manner of the victory that shook the soccer world. Four goals is the biggest margin of defeat for a defending Champion in World Cup history. From Robin Van Persies stunning diving header, to Arjen Robbens exceptional two-goal performance it was an incredible, clinical display from the Netherlands, and they could have finished with more goals. All of this came after Spain had taken the lead, and almost went 2-0 up just before RVPs equalizer. However, as impressive as the Dutch were, much of the surprise was about how Spain crumbled. In the second half, the defending World and European Champions looked anything but. The performance of the normally reliable Iker Casillas was just one black mark on a bad afternoon at the office for the Spaniards, and a late miss from close range by Fernando Torres summed up a bleak afternoon. Spain lost their first match in 2010 and went on to win the World Cup. It will be fascinating to see how they respond this time around. 2. Magical Messi There was much talk heading into the tournament about Lionel Messis status as one of the true soccer greats. Can he be on a pedestal alongside the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona if he doesnt win a World Cup? Messi showed on Sunday night what we have seen many times before for Barcelona. Whatever the game, whoever is around him, he has the ability to single-handedly influence the outcome. Argentina were not at their best against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and neither was Messi, but with his team holding a slender one goal advantage against the World Cup newcomers, Messi scored a fantastic goal, leaving defenders trailing in his wake. It was a piece of individual brilliance that provided a spark needed by his team. Whether Messi wins the tournament or not is irrelevant to me - he has already shown plenty for both club and country to be classed as one of the Worlds elite players of all time. 3. Young Lions I didnt expect much from England heading into the tournament, but I was pleasantly surprised by their performance in the 2-1 defeat to Italy on Saturday night. With young attacking flair, they looked dangerous going forward, and despite losing the match showed there is much to look forward to in the future. Raheem Sterling certainly repaid the faith shown by England boss Roy Hodgson with the Liverpool teenager putting in an excellent performance. One of the big debates afterwards was the performance of Wayne Rooney. He missed an excellent chance with England down 2-1 but struggled to influence the game from an unfamiliar position wide on the left. If England are to be successful, they need to get the best out of Rooney, and Im not sure that position will enable that to happen. With Costa Ricas surprise victory over Uruguay, it leaves the group wide open. Italy will be favourites to advance in first place. England will need to tighten up defensively but if they can produce similar attack-minded performances in their next two matches, I think they have a good chance to advance. 4. Croatia Robbed After all the build up to the World Cup, when the action finally began, it was a massive letdown that the post-game talking point was about refereeing and a controversial penalty. Neymar and Oscar produced star performances as the host nation got off to a winning start, but the game really turned Brazils way when Dejan Lovren was judged to have fouled Fred in the box. It should never have been a penalty. The contact was minimal, and Fred flopped like an Olympic diver, but Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura pointed to the spot and the penalty gave Brazil the lead they needed to settle some nerves. It was a very poor decision, but fortunately in the days that followed, the action has been so good that the officials have not been the centre if attention. However, Croatian fans will find it difficult to forgive and forget as they were in the game until the referee changed the course of the match. 5. Ouch! Poor old Gary Lewin. Immediately after Daniel Sturridge scored Englands levelling goal in the first half against Italy on Saturday night, cameras zoomed in on the touch line near the England bench. A crowd of people, including medics, were huddled around someone who was lying flat out on the floor. At first there was confusion. Who was it? What had gone wrong? Turns out the man down injured was actually the England physio! Gary Lewin had hurt himself while celebrating Englands goal. He jumped up, landed on a water bottle and dislocated his ankle. It was an embarrassing situation at the time, but it will leave Lewin with a good story in years to come of how he injured himself during a World Cup match and had to be stretchered off! Roy Hodgson confirmed the injury after the match and also that Lewins World Cup is over. A disappointing end for the physio, but at least he will have expert help on hand throughout his recovery.
Authentic Keishawn Bierria Jersey . The team announced that it exercised the options on 15 players including goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crepeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W.
Authentic Royce Freeman Jersey . But back-up Peter Budaj has put up two wins and an overtime loss while starting three games in four nights since Price went down with a suspected groin injury.MINNEAPOLIS - The action at the Redskins-Vikings game started Sunday morning outside the stadium in Minnesota, as a crowd estimated by organizers around 5,000 rallied against Washingtons divisive nickname.The event began with a march through the University of Minnesota campus to TCF Bank Stadium, where Native American leaders, local politicians, former sports stars and other speakers voiced their disdain for Redskins owner Dan Snyder and his refusal to change the nickname theyve derided as derogatory and racist.With many of the attendees wearing colorful, traditional Native American clothing and more holding signs, the gathering was by far the stiffest resistance for a Redskins road game and the latest push in a nationwide campaign that has cranked up over the last year. Some people wore burgundy T-shirts with gold lettering, mimicking the teams logo with the words Rethink and Rename instead of Redskins.Were not mascots! said former Vikings strong safety Joey Browner, one of 29 speakers who took the microphone on a lawn just steps from the stadium entrances.Browner, who is part Native American, wore a black Vikings cap with a feather sticking up out of it.As a former player I feel really sad right now. ... This is still standing in front of us, said Browner, a six-time Pro Bowl pick, who called the nickname a bullying tactic.The university co-ordinated logistics for the march and rally and organized programs on campus all week for awareness, discussion and education related to the nickname issue. One of the many institutions to call for a riddance of the Redskins name, the university, lacked the legal or contractual authority under the stadium use agreement with the Vikings to prevent the Redskins from playing there.The university pressed the Vikings to remove references to the nickname and logo during thhe game, but the team deferred to NFL policy.
Authentic Sam Jones Jersey. The Vikings have said theyve recognized the sensitivity of the issue and have maintained ongoing and respectful dialogue on the matter with Minnesotas significant Native American communities, citing strong and positive relationships with those groups.We respect and support our local community voices having an opportunity to be heard on this issue, the Vikings said in a statement earlier this week.The NFL didnt immediately respond for comment on the protest. Commissioner Roger Goodell said earlier this year the nickname has been presented in a way that honours Native Americans.According to organizer Lonny Leitner, a pro-Redskins rally of about 400 people, mostly Native Americans, also took place on campus a couple of blocks away. Signs like Native and proud to be a Redskin were present.According to results of an Associated Press-GfK poll last January, Snyder has support from the majority of the public. Among adults surveyed, 83 per cent said the Redskins should not have to change their nickname.Radio and television ads criticizing the nickname were rolled out in the Twin Cities market leading up to the game, and the city of Minneapolis to Hennepin County passed resolutions that called for a change of the nickname. Plenty of prominent Minnesota Democrats either spoke or attended the rally, from members of Congress in Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum to state legislators to Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges.The two-hour series of speeches was a peaceful gathering, including folk music and Native American dancers.As the rally got going, a group paraded along the sidewalk between the stadium and the stage, chanting: Hey, hey, ho, ho, this racist name has got to go!___AP NFL websites:
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