Campus Maximus » and shoot. Future captain and star for Mexico

Day 12 in 100 words or less The group stages turned the corner and entered the final stretch on Monday. Suddenly there was a different vibe in the air in Brazil. A wind of caution and a realization that one moment could be the difference in staying or flying home. The games were more timid but there were still plenty of enormous talking points. Mexico 3-1 Croatia Nine months is a long time. Just ask a pregnant lady. Yet, apparently, we were told, it wasnt enough to change the fortunes of Mexican soccer. It was the late summer of 2013 and in a crucial World Cup qualifier, Mexico travelled to Columbus to take on their despised rivals, USA. The Mexicans needed it more but they were pathetic. Two goals in the second half didnt tell the entire story, the visitors were battered. The next act has been a story already told many times. Mexico didnt back into Brazil, they lay down on the ground and USA, Graham Zusi in particularly, dragged them there. They were supposed to still be a shambles, given little chance to progress. Suddenly two games in, they were excellent but the goal had not been accomplished. It was time for Croatia. It was time for the Herrera and Herrera show. Mexico had at least been as good as Brazil over the first two games and on Monday, after all three teams had played each other, it was clear that El Tri were indeed the most in-form team during group play. The standings didnt reflect that, after all Mexico were denied two goals against Cameroon which cost them the goal difference tie-breaker, but this team defended better than Brazil, countered better and, Cameroon aside, finished better than them, too. The latter was cemented with three precise finishes on Monday, killing off Niko Kovacs side with an arrogance that had been lacking for too long in Mexican football. The scenes to follow were in complete contrast to nine months earlier. A disjointed bunch had become a united force. Strike rivals Oribe Peralta and Javier Hernandez embraced, the newly formed brilliant back three high-fived and Paul Aguilar sprinted towards his coach and dived into his arms. Herrera fell immediately on to the floor but he didnt care how it looked. Mexico had turned it around, led by a true midfield maestro in Hector Herrera who did it all. The World Cup has unearthed some truly wonderful young stars and on a day when captain marvellous Rafa Marquez made history, Herreras heroics shouldnt go unnoticed. In a group with Paulinho, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, he was, without question, the best midfielder during group A play in Brazil. Brazil 4-1 Cameroon Some of it was all too easy to predict. Neymar got his goals, Cameroons defence was suspect and the scoreline reflected a rout in Brasilia. And then there was the bit that few saw coming. Three weeks today, this team plans on showing the World Cup to the people of Brazil. In the tournaments first two weeks, they have done nothing to show why they deserve it. The key sixth man in a formation (in front of a back four and holder) has been important in this tournament and in Paulinho, Brazil have an out-of-sorts player. Luiz Felipe Scolari told anyone willing to listen that he cared little for club form but his loyalty will be tested now with the Spurs man. Fernandinho, who replaced him and scored, is likely to come in for the game against Chile. There will be no replacing Marcelo and David Luiz, however. The defensive pair may send Thiago Silva to the hospital soon. The PSG defender is a wonderful player but how much longer can he continue to do three jobs? Fred got his goal, which shouldnt have counted, but remains a problem up front, Oscar and Hulk disappear out of games, too. World Cup winners have started slower before but the hosts have no more time for mistakes. Netherlands 2-0 Chile It is fitting that the finest player, to date, at the counter attacking World Cup, is one of the worlds best in transition. Arjen Robben skippered his side to glory on Monday, in a game that just may have huge consequences later in the tournament. It was a game that requires few words but which leads to many significant storylines heading into the knockout stage. Chile, who look like potential World Champions for parts of two games, never replicated their tempo and pressing that left opponents stunned. It was a pedestrian performance that now hands them Brazil in the last 16. Brazil. The same opponent who got in their way the last two times they have made it past the group stages. It is a matchup that terrifies Chile and it should based on how they played on Monday without Arturo Vidal. Brazil, too, however, will be terrified. They wanted no part of Chile this early. The Dutch, meanwhile, march on. Mexico will be tough but is very winnable as is a likely quarterfinal tie against one of Ivory Coast, Greece or Costa Rica. Dont look now but Louis van Gaals men have suddenly become real contenders. Spain 3-0 Australia It had a feeling like a testimonial match. David Villa scored and later left the game in tears as his international career closed. The strikers position in the squad should have been questioned but no one will question his position amongst the greats on this special team. Without him, they would not have been World Champions. The majestic Andres Iniesta got his 100th cap and gave us another glimpse at greatness with a sublime pass for Fernando Torres to score. There were hugs all around at the final whistle and they will continue into Tuesday when Spain fly home to Madrid. They leave Brazil a broken team, full of superstars of yesterday but the next time they fly to a World Cup you can guarantee they will be one of the favourites once again. Man of the day Nominees Andres Iniesta - what a pass, what a player. Please give us one more World Cup. Arjen Robben - amazing to think the once petulant winger is now a mature, all-around star leading his nation. Rafa Marquez - the captain always finds a way to get in the headlines and his header sent Mexico on their way. Hector Herrera - he can pass, tackle, run, take set pieces and shoot. Future captain and star for Mexico. Neymar - the Golden boot could be on for Mr Box Office after a brilliant brace against Cameroon. The winner Rafa Marquez - has now scored in three World Cups for Mexico and led their defence brilliantly against Croatia. Maza Rodriguez and Hector Moreno are far better having the captain beside them. Whats next? Italy vs Uruguay and Costa Rica vs England (Noon/9am). Japan vs Colombia and Greece vs Ivory Coast (4pm/1pm) Burning question for tomorrow Can Mario Balotelli produce a consistent performance and be as clinical as his Uruguayan strike opponents? Stat of Day 12 Neymar scored the tournaments 100th goal when he opened the scoring against Cameroon. Cheap Basketball Shoes For Sale . -- Jonas Hiller is cautiously confident he has kicked his vertigo. Cheap Basketball Shoes Au . The unrestricted free agent agreed to terms with the club on Thursday on a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000. http://www.wholesalebasketballshoesaustralia.com/.C. - The Panthers will be without starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei for Saturday nights NFC divisional playoff game against Seattle after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his foot. Cheap Basketball Shoes Australia . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. Cheap Basketball Shoes Online . Jannero Pargo scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help the Charlotte Bobcats erase a 21-point deficit and rally for an 83-76 preseason victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open on Friday night in her first match in more than a month, falling 6-0, 7-6 (2) to American Lauren Davis. Azarenka, from Belarus, had been sidelined since the Australian Open because of a left foot injury that required her to wear a boot for several weeks. The two-time Australian Open champion, hampered by nerve damage between her toes, limped visibly at times, had trouble serving, fell to her knees several times, broke a racket after double-faulting to fall behind 4-3 in the second set, and fought back tears. "Basically, all I had was my fighting spirit," Azarenka said. "When Im on the court I try to give as much as I can, even on one leg. I try to do my best in tough situations. Thats part of our job." She isnt sure if shell try to play in the Sony Open in Florida in 10 days. "I want to be pain-free because its not to the most fun to be out there like that," Azarenka said. Most of the other second-round matches were routine. Second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland got it started by beating qualifier Heather Watson of Britain 6-4, 6-3. Later in the day session, No. 6 Simona Halep, No. 7 Jelana Jankovic, No. 9 Sara Errani and No. 10 Caroline Wozniacki were straight-set winners. Two-time tournament champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, seeded 29th, fell to American Varvara Lepchenko, 6-3, 6-2. No. 18 Eugenie Bouchard of Montreal downed Chinas Shuai Peng 6-2, 6-2, and Toronto-born Sharon Fichman fell to Italys Sara Errani 6-1, 6-1. Meanwhile, with the men finishing their first round, Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, the 2008 Olympic doubles gold medallists for Switzerland, teamed up again for a 6-2, 6-7 (4), (10-6) victory over Rohan Bopanna of Inndia and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan in a match played in the new 8,000-seat Stadium 2.dddddddddddd "I dont know if it was sold out, but it felt like very, very full," said Federer, a four-time singles champion at Indian Wells. "Youre not probably going to achieve that on centre court (where capacity is 16,100) for a doubles. But that was a perfect setup, a feeling, and we can thank the tournament and (owner) Larry Ellison for building such a court so quickly. "Its nice to see the game grow and seeing people coming out and enjoying it. Its great. I really had a great time out there with Stan today." Wawrinka is the Australian Open champion. "It took me time to realize really what I did in Australian Open," said Wawrinka, who is the No. 3 seed and could meet No. 7 Federer in the quarterfinals and top-seeded Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. "Still when Im saying that I won a Grand Slam its still strange for me, but thats why it was good to be home during three weeks. It was good to be with the family, to take more time for myself. Wawrinkas second-round opponent will be Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, and Federer will open his title bid against French qualifier Paul-Henry Mathieu. Wawrinka and Federer both will play Saturday afternoon. In other first-round doubles action, Americans Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears downed Fichman and her American partner Megan Moulton-Levy 7-6 (4), 6-2. Spaniards David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco defeated Vernon, B.C., native Vasek Pospisil and his partner Pablo Andujar of Spain 7-6 (4), 6-3. On Saturday night, Nadal will take on Radek Stepanek. Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro, Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are the other top-10 players competing in doubles. ' ' '