England team's second defeat in a row marks 8th day of FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil

England team's second defeat in a row became the main event of the eighth day of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil. In a Second Series match of the Group Round, England bowed to Uruguay (1-2), thereby almost losing chances to qualify for a playoff.

 

Both teams had lost in the starting matches of Group D. While England's defeat by Italians (1-2) cannot be referred to as a surprise, the Uruguayans' setback in a match against Costa Rica (1-2) was one of the main sensations of the tournament. So, both teams need only to win in playing against each other.

The score was opened in the 38th minute by Luis Suarez who was on the field from the first minutes of the match. Following an inspired pass from Edison Cawani, the Liverpool forward needed only to send a header into the goal cage corner that was opposite Joe Hart, 1-0.

At the beginning of the second half of the match the Uruguayans had several scoring opportunities but they lacked accuracy in the concluding phase of attacks. The England side fully intercepted the initiative by the middle of the second half and, in result, succeeded in scoring. Glen Johnson brilliantly outperformed several players, entered the penalty area, kicked a shootout to Wayne Rooney, after which the famous English forward opened, at last, the score of his goals at World Cup Finals by a kick from a distance of three meters. The match, it seemed, was drawing to a draw but the Uruguayans' good counterattack yielded fruit. Luis Suarez responded to the goal-keeper's pass, entered the penalty area of the English side and made a powerful shot at the goal 2-1. This outcome put in jeopardy England's further participation in playoffs.

 

Several hours prior to the match in Sao Paulo, the fans of the England aggregate were attacked by a criminal gang. According to eyewitness accounts, the bandits hurled an explosive substance at a group of English fans. Ten Englishmen were hospitalized but, on the whole, no one was seriously injured as a result. Police arrested 15 people who made the attack.

 

The leaders of Group C, Colombia and Cote d'Ivoire, met in a second match. The going was vivid. The Colombians' edge was not obvious but still they managed to score twice.

The main events in the match occurred in the second half when, within ten minutes, the ball was netted three times in the opposing goal cages. Scorers of the winning side were James Rodriguez (in the 64th minute) and Juan Quintero (70). A reply goal was scored by Gervinho (73).

Japan and Greece met in the concluding match of the day in Group C. Both teams had suffered a fiasco at the start of the tournament. The Europeans conceded to the Colombians (0-3) and the Asian team lost to the Ivorians (1-2).

The teams failed to gladden the hearts of fans by scoring goals. The first half proceeded, on the whole, without dangerous moments. Now and then, the teams penetrated the penalty area, bringing their attacks to aimed shots at the goal. A large number of fouls 21 by the two teams were the peculiarity of the first 45 minutes. An overt rudeness resulted in the removal of the captain of the Greek team from the field. In the 38th minute Constantinos Catsouranis was shown a yellow card for the second time for frustrating a Japanese attack.

 

In the second half, the pattern of the game did not change. The going by Greeks was more active despite their playing in a minority. By the middle of the second half the Japanese intercepted the initiative and made several dangerous attacks. The most realistic chance to score was in the 69th minute. A cross kick was followed by a shootout to the right flank but Okubo failed to hit an empty corner of the goalcage, kicking too high. The concluding phase of the game did not abound in dangerous moments either. In result, the teams failed to open the score in the end. This outcome enabled Colombia, which has six points to its credits, to qualify for the Round of 16 ahead of time.

 

On Thursday, an important statement was made by Ralph Mutschke, FIFA Director for Safety, who pointed out that the Organization would reconsider requirements for the safety of stadiums in Brazil. At the same time he preferred softening the impression of the incident involving Chilean fans at the Maracana Stadium by saying that the unrest staged by Chilean team's fans at the press centre of the stadium give rise to a feeling of awkwardness. Mutschke said the duty of FIFA is to protect journalists, who have arrived in Brazil to cover the Mundiale, and to ensure safety for all the fans.

 

On Wednesday, a group of Chilean fans lacking tickets sought to force their way to the grandstands of the Maracana Stadium prior to the Spain vs. Chile match. In the process, about 100 people broke through the barriers and ran into the stadium's press center where, in an attempt to find a way to the grandstand, they overturned furniture and even smashed the glass of entrance doors. The stadium's private guards had to call in police who blocked the breakers of the rules and detained them. According to a report by Federal police, 85 foreigners, detained for rampaging at the stadium, were ordered to leave Brazil within 72 hours, otherwise they would be deported forcibly.