World Cup Vol 2.

an Irregular Series.

Croatia starts aggressive.  Gets a shot on goal.

Brazil now in charge.  Charging ahead.

Croata gets a turn and charges ahead, getting a solid cross... but to no one.

Now some back and forth into a wide Brazilian free kick.

Across, a couple of BRA headers... no goal.

Modric creates a shot for another cross... tight header... woah.  Almost Croatian lead.

Another dangerous cross...
OWN GOAL!.

Brazil down.  0-1, 11th minute.  woah.

Both teams now agitated.  Aggressive.

Croatia has a religious goalkeeper?  Could this end up like the Stanley Cup?  Hot GK wins?

More breakdowns in the back for Brazil, and then a brilliant cross which BRA cannot finish.  This could be the World Cup recotrd breaker for BRA like 2014 MLU play was to the Boston Whitecaps.

Oh.  I assume some oh you know that whole MLU thing.  YOu may not.

Back to the footy.

Much more confidence and excellence from Brasil Now.

STill dangerous CRO attacking.  They get to the endlines, and make dangerous crosses back.  They attack as you advance up the field.

NEYMAR.

This is going to be a great World Cup.

Nice size-difference subsitution putting #20 in for HULK.

These teams are showing the sort of timidity that I expect tosee challenged by USMNT.

TERRIBLE DIVE rewarded for Brazil!

PK Time.  Neymar again?
Nice quick rythhmdance attack, NM,Jr.

GK prolly shoulda grabbed that with one of hte both hands he hit it with.

It is certainly not beyond CRO to score again before this ends though.

Nice advantage playon there... nice... goal!! for CRO!

Oh.. no... i'm not sure what the call here is... ? Announcers are saying for something on the GK?  Boo.   Bad call ref.  Long-standing soccer tradition, I know... but bad call.

And a well executed goal to finish 'em from Oscar.  That's one hell of a toe poke, Oscar.

BRA 3 CRO 1.

BRA still attacking... FRED pulls up lame... They looks like they may yet pay for these 3 points with blood.

Now cramping?  these guys conna get the LEbron tratment for cramps?

CRO will probably score some goals this tourney.  They get balls into the box.  They got jobbed on that penalty.  Neymar is very sprightly yet powerful.

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This show is now like 300 miles away from the game?  Ohright, BRA is a big place.

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Now today I look forward to every single game.  The centerpiece is clearly
       
          SPA     v NET
          Spain      Netherlands
          Espana    Nederlands
          ESP     v NED
       
  Two nations of footballing idealists.  There are egos galore, and skill which justifies it.  But how will it shake out this time as each team will truly debut themselves after their last battle?  Quick aggressive passing and forceful recovery versus longer range-slicing passing and the holding ability and SNEIJDER AND ARJEN AND RVP (the last of whom I intensely dislike despite his ability).

  Not to be underestimated is the opener of
          Mexico v Cameroon
          MEX    v CAM
       
  There hould be a basic contrast of styles which is appealing in the World Cup, a well as two teams full of aspiration at this point in play.

  And we finish with the always aggressive
            Chile v Australia
           CHI   v AUS

  Australia is always a hard team to predict for me in any international sport.  They just have athletes down under and any given generation in any given sport that has a group of particularly talented and dedicated big people is dangerous.  This works in American Sport as well.  The issues for each preventing soccer from dominating are country-based football variants, other professional field sports leagues, and whatever else.
  Chile has always been  team which plays to score.  They will do whatever they need to do and do it aggressively.  This should be a telling match for both teams.

  There are no take-backs or do overs at the World Cup.

  But there IS extended "Advantage, play-on..."

  On to the soccer-watching.