ROSARIO -- It was the perfect way for a city and a country to celebrate its Independence Day. After two tense, scoreless hours, the catharsis came for Argentina as they outlasted the Netherlands on a 9 de Julio that will be remembered for decades to come and advanced to the World Cup final for the first time in over two...
BUENOS AIRES -- I have never felt the release of so much pent-up energy as I did when thousands of Argentinians exulted in the stoppage-time goal bent by prodigal son Lionel Messi into the far post past Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi at the Plaza San Martin on Saturday afternoon. For the first 90 minutes, chance after chance...
Greece pushed forward throughout the match. There were moments when it seemed like the Greeks were about to turn the tide and claw back into their World Cup opener. But they went lead-footed as Colombia found goal after goal in a 3-0 victory in their first match of Group C play on Saturday.
Pablo Armero connected first, just...
As we approach the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, the Sports Unbiased Crew will be releasing guides to help make better sense of what you watch as the world's best soccer players converge on Brazil this summer. Check in regularly as we preview the eight groups, 32 teams, and key players that will play an integral role...
As we approach the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, the Sports Unbiased Crew will be releasing guides to help make better sense of what you watch as the world's best soccer players converge on Brazil this summer. Check in regularly as we preview the eight groups, 32 teams, and key players that will play an integral role...
In a rematch of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, Spain started strong but fell apart in the second half of a 5-1 drubbing against the Netherlands in Salvador. Once again, there was an early question about the officiating, though a decisive victor would ultimately emerge-- just not the team everyone might have expected.
Spain went...
For a long while in rainy Natal, it seemed as though the officials were once again conspiring to decide a World Cup result. Yesterday it was a suspicious penalty awarded to Brazil and a phantom foul that called back an equalizer; today it was not one, but two, dubious offsides calls that negated two Mexico goals. Had Oribe Peralta...
As we approach the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, the Sports Unbiased Crew will be releasing guides to help make better sense of what you watch as the world's best soccer players converge on Brazil this summer. Check in regularly as we preview the eight groups, 32 teams, and key players that will play an integral role...
This FIFA World Cup campaign is supposed to be a triumphal march to a sixth world title for the home side. 11 minutes into Brazil's opening match on Thursday against Croatia, it started with a nightmare. Brazil fell behind early as Marcelo tapped a cross from Ivica Olic past Julio Cesar and into his own net, putting Croatia...
As we approach the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 12, the Sports Unbiased Crew will be releasing guides to help make better sense of what you watch as the world's best soccer players converge on Brazil this summer. Check in regularly as we preview the eight groups, 32 teams, and key players that will play an integral role...
