Netherlands trash defending champions
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A brilliant header by Netherlands captain Robin van Persie to help his team exert revenge on defending champions Spain was the highlight of Day Two at the 2014 FIFA World Cup being played in Brazil.
According to Mashable.com, the 2010 Finals rematch at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador between Spain and the Netherlands, Spain won by a single scrappy goal, but this time could only manage a penalty in the first half to take the lead.
However, on the stroke of half time, the Dutch almost literally threw themselves back into the game with a goal that will go down as one of the best ever in world cup history. The memorable goal belonged to Robin van Persie, who got behind the Spanish defence and pulled off a leaping header following a 50-yard pass leaving keeper Iker Casillas flat-footed and giving him the new nickname, ‘The Flying Dutchman’.
Two goals from Arjen Robben, another from Stefan de Vrij and a van Persie second in the second half led the charge for the 2010 Runners-up in a shock defeat for the defending champions.
Yesterday (Jun. 13), the day’s action began with Mexico defeating Cameroon 1-nil in a rain affected game
Despite Cameroon’s resistance, the media house reported that they battled bravely against a team that was clearly more talented, and Mexico was unlucky with a couple of harsh calls on would-be goals in the first half.
Mexico's Oribe Peralta finally opened the scoring early in the second half but Cameroon kept fighting till the end.
Cameroon were extremely unlucky not to claw one goal back in the 90th minute when the African side forced the best save of the tournament so far from Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa.
In the day’s final game at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá, Australia was downed by Chile.
The media outlet reported that the Socceroos, as the Aussie team is known, are ranked so lowly by FIFA as to make Cameroon look like three-time winners. Still they threw everything they had at the superior South American side.
It wasn't nearly enough in the first 15 minutes when Chilean superstar Alexis Sanchez and his teammate Jorge Valdivia made short work of the Australian defence. The game looked destined to be a blowout when they took an early 2-nil lead, but the Socceroos refused to be rattled and 20 minutes later veteran Tim Cahill headed in a cracking goal to get on back.
Australia, despite several opportunities, were defeated 3-1 to a Chilean side which are deemed to be a dark horse in the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup continues today with four games, and the headline match being England versus Italy at 6:00 p.m.
