Plenty of games to pore over yesterday and in the upcoming week as team make their final preparations.
Yesterday's Results
Iran tied Angola 1-1 in Hartberg, Austria
I try to stress results in these games aren't critical, it's more about the direction your team is taking. Things are getting critical now for Iran, who have just 1 goal in pre-tournament games, picking up 3 draws against competition below what they'll be up against in Brazil. Further, captain Javad Nekounam went down in the game with an injury and did not continue. These games are about building momentum for a run in the tournament itself, Iran has to be on the brink of demoralization though at this point.
Switzerland defeated Jamaica 1-0 in Lucerne
A Swiss side missing half of its starters opened slowly against Jamaica, and despite close to 30 shots at goal, only found victory in the 84th minute when substitute Josip Drmic flicked the ball past the Jamaican goalkeeper in the box. The goal staked Drmic's claim to a starting spot for Brazil. While impressive in qualifying, the Swiss struggled at times to manufacture goals, and Drmic's was his 3rd in 2 games for Switzerland this year.
England defeated Peru 3-0 in London
England manager Roy Hodgson couldn't be bothered to rest players, sending out a 4-2-3-1 lineup that will look very much (if not exactly) like their opening lineup against Italy in 2 weeks. Looking to face a South American opponent with Uruguay and Costa Rica in their group, England found themselves up against 5 defenders and a holding midfielder and struggled early on to break down the Peruvian defence. A magnificent goal from Daniel Sturridge opened the scoring and a pair of second-half goals off corner kicks led England to victory. Biggest concern for England will be their back line, which was susceptible to lightning-quick runs when Peru did get forward.
Spain defeated Bolivia 2-0 in Sevilla
Also known as the quest for anyone to play striker for Spain. Expected to be the central forward for months, Diego Costa's struggle to return from injury continue as he sat out against Bolivia. With a number of options on the bench, it was Fernando Torres who was given the opportunity, and while converting a penalty kick, provided little in the way of other threatening chances.
Biggest surprise came after the game when coach Vicente del Bosque named his squad which included Diego Costa but did not include central forwards Alvaro Negredo or Fernando Llorente. Expected to be potential replacements for Costa, the move suggests Spain is proceeding in one of 2 ways. Either they feel Costa will fit or that Torres or David Villa can contribute, despite being considered past their best playing days. Or, Spain may decide to go with 6 midfielders as they have done in the past, and rely on their creative attacking midfielders to come up with goals without a centtral target man.
Uruguay defeated Northern Ireland 1-0 in Montevideo
In a game that saw Uruguay passing the ball around a tightly packed Northern Ireland defence, the only takeaway is Uruguay really needs Luis Suarez back from knee surgery in time for the tournament. The 2010 semifinalists are simply a different team with Suarez upfront. Playing as a lone striker, Edinson Cavani had opportunities to finish, but Suarez's flare and creativity make everyone on his team better, and that spark was missing in this game.
Bosnia/Herzegovina def. Ivory Coast 2-1 in St. Louis, MO, USA
The only match between 2 Cup teams on the day, Bosnia continued to roll and show why they are considered one of the dark horse teams to make a run in Brazil. Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko led Bosnia in goals through qualifying, and scored both the goals for the Balkan nation in this one. While Bosnia is known for their goal-scoring ability, they also showed they were able to keep up with the speedy Ivory Coast midfielders and forwards, one of the concerns about the team. For Ivory Coast, not much to take away from with several players being rested and up against an elite striker like Dzeko. Didier Drogba's injury time goal showed the 36-year old captain can still be a force in Brazil.
Chile defeated Egypt 3-2 in Santiago
Never a dull moment when Chile takes the field, as a pair of defensive lapses put them behind 2-0 in a matter of minutes. As the flow of the game opened up though, Chile showed they can score at will, and led by Barcelona forward Alexis Sanchez's 3 assists, worked their way back to a victory, showcasing impressive resiliency in the process. Will be interested to see if Chile adjust their formation at all in group play. Sending out an attacking 3-4-3 as expected left them vulnerable on the iwings, something Spain and Netherlands will both be able to take advantage of.
Today's Games
May 31st
Viewing recommendations: Anything from 2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Ghana's showing against Netherlands will be the closest thing to a barometer for how they might handle their nightmare group. Italy open their pre-tournament games in England against a similar Irish squad. And Portugal gets a crack at the vaunted Greek defence, minus Cristiano Ronaldo who is recovering from injury.
Croatia defeated Mali 2-1 in Osijek, Croatia
Russia tied Norway 1-1 in Oslo, Norway
Algeria defeated Armenia 3-1 in Sion, Switzerland
Netherlands defeated Ghana 1-0 in Rotterdam
Portugal tied Greece 0-0 in Lisbon
Italy tied Ireland 0-0 in London, England
Mexico defeats Ecuador 3-1 in Arlington, TX, USA
Colombia tied Senegal 2-2 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
June 1st
USA vs. Turkey at 2:00 p.m. in Harrison, NJ, USA
Germany vs. Cameroon at 2:30 p.m. in Monchengladbach
Belgium vs. Sweden at 2:30 p.m. in Solna, Sweden
France vs. Paraguay at 3:00 p.m. in Nice
Honduras vs. Israel at 8:00 p.m. in Houston, TX, USA
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