2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Germany
Germany faced tournament hosts Brazil in their semi-final game, on 8 July in Belo Horizonte. In a result described by BBC Sport's Phil McNulty in 2019 as "a drama ... that will never be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it", Germany won the game 7–1, inflicting Brazil's first competitive defeat at home for 39 years. They took the lead on 10 minutes, when Müller scored from a corner, unmarked by any Brazil players.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Germany
They doubled their lead on 22 minutes through Klose, with his record-breaking 16th World Cup goal, before Kroos made it 3–0 on 25 minutes with a left-footed volley. Kroos scored again 179 seconds later, from an assist by Sami Khedira, before Khedira himself scored to make it 5–0 at half time. Schürrle scored twice in the second half to make it 7–0, before Oscar scored Brazil's sole goal shortly before the end. Simon Burnton of The Guardian later described Germany's play as being "of a savagery unwitnessed against significant opposition in the tournament's history". Germany progressed to their eighth final, 24 years after their last and their first since German reunification.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Argentina were drawn in Group F, alongside Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria. Their opening game took place on 15 June 2014 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who were making their World Cup debut. It was the first game of the tournament at the Maracanã Stadium. Argentina took the lead on 3 minutes, when Bosnian defender Sead Kolašinac scored an own goal after a free kick by Lionel Messi had been flicked on by Marcos Rojo. In the second half, Messi scored himself to double Argentina's lead with a powerful shot following a one-two with Gonzalo Higuaín.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Vedad Ibišević scored for Bosnia and Herzegovina with 6 minutes remaining, but Argentina held on for a 2–1 win. Their second game was against Iran at the Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte on 21 June. Barney Ronay of The Guardian described Iran as producing a "stirring performance against an Argentina team of all the attacking talents", and the match remained goalless until the 90th minute.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
It was Argentina who took the win in injury time, however, when Messi scored a left-footed shot into the corner from outside the penalty area to seal qualification for the next round with a game to spare. Their final group game was on 25 June, against Nigeria in Porto Alegre. Messi gave Argentina the lead on 3 minutes, scoring on the rebound after Ángel Di María's shot hit the goalpost.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Ahmed Musa equalised for Nigeria a minute later with a right-footed curling shot, before Messi gave Argentina the lead again with a free kick from 25 yards (23 m) out shortly before half time. Musa equalised once again 2 minutes into the second half, hitting the ball past goalkeeper Sergio Romero after a one-two with Emmanuel Emenike, but Rojo scored with his knee 3 minutes later to seal a 3–2 win and first place in the final group table.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Argentina's round-of-16 opponents were Switzerland, on 1 July at the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo. Argentina had the majority of the possession during the game, but BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko labelled their play "unconvincing", citing their failure to break down a Switzerland side who were playing defensively. There were no goals during normal time, and it remained 0–0 until 2 minutes before the end of extra time when Messi set up Di María to score the winner past Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Substitute Blerim Džemaili almost equalised for Switzerland immediately afterwards with a shot that hit the goalpost, but Argentina held on for a 1–0 win. Their quarter-final was against Belgium at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília on 5 July. Argentina scored the only goal of the game on 8 minutes through Higuaín, who scored from the edge of the penalty area after Di María's pass was deflected off Belgium's Jan Vertonghen. Argentina played the Netherlands in the semi-final on 9 July.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
There were no goals in the game, in either normal time or extra time, in what McNulty described as "120 tedious ... minutes that were in stark contrast to the spectacular shock" of the previous day's semi-final between Brazil and Germany. Ron Vlaar of the Netherlands took the first penalty, a low shot to the right, which was saved by Romero. The next three kicks, by Messi, Arjen Robben and Ezequiel Garay, were all scored, before Romero made another save, diving to his right to keep out a high penalty from Wesley Sneijder.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Route to the final, Argentina
Sergio Agüero, Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodríguez all scored their penalties, giving Argentina a 4–2 shoot-out win. The press in Argentina called Romero's two saves the "hands of God", a reference to the "hand of God" goal scored by Diego Maradona in 1986. Argentina progressed to their fifth final, which was also their first since 1990.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Pre-match
Nicola Rizzoli, from Italy, was named as the referee of the final, together with fellow Italians Renato Faverani and Andrea Stefani as the assistant referees, and Carlos Vera and Christian Lescano from Ecuador as the fourth and fifth officials. Earlier in the 2014 World Cup, Rizzoli took charge of the Spain–Netherlands and Nigeria–Argentina matches in the group stage, and the Argentina–Belgium quarter-final. He had previously taken charge of the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final and the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final. He was also one of the referees at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He became the third Italian referee to take charge of a World Cup final, after Sergio Gonella in 1978 and Pierluigi Collina in 2002.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Pre-match
A closing ceremony for the World Cup took place about an hour and forty minutes before the final. A performance of two acts, the ceremony lasted about 20 minutes. The first act featured 22 samba dancers and a host of other performers, with 32 of the dancers wearing dresses decorated in the colours of the each of the participating teams. The second act featured musical performances headlined by Colombian singer Shakira, and included singers Carlinhos Brown, Wyclef Jean, Alexandre Pires and Ivete Sangalo as well as guitarist Carlos Santana. Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen and Carles Puyol, a member of Spain's winning team in 2010, unveiled the FIFA World Cup Trophy.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Pre-match
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was present at the final, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin, whose country hosted the next World Cup, and Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa, the previous hosts. Representing the finalists, German president Joachim Gauck and chancellor Angela Merkel were in attendance, although Argentina's president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner could not attend because of both her grandson's birthday and a case of pharyngo-laryngitis. Other world leaders present included Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Ali Bongo Ondimba  of Gabon and Antigua and Barbuda's Gaston Browne.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Pre-match
Several celebrities and athletes also attended the final, including Rihanna, Daniel Craig, Mick Jagger, Ashton Kutcher, David Beckham, Tom Brady, Olivier Dacourt, LeBron James, and Christian Vieri. Former World Cup winners like Fabio Cannavaro, Lothar Matthäus, Daniel Passarella, Marco Materazzi and Pelé were present as well. Brazilian spectators at the game were largely supportive of the Germans as a result of the Argentina–Brazil football rivalry, despite their team's heavy semi-final loss.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Pre-match
Germany were forced to make a late change to their line-up when Khedira sustained a calf injury during the warm-up prior to the match. He was replaced in the line-up by Christoph Kramer, with Germany's team otherwise unchanged from that which started in their win over Brazil in the semi-final. Argentina began the match with the identical team to that which started their semi-final against the Netherlands.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, First half
Germany kicked off the match at 4 pm local time (7 pm UTC) in temperatures of 23 °C (73 °F) with 65% humidity, in front of a crowd of 74,738 and an estimated global television audience of 1.013 billion. The weather at Santos Dumont Airport, 6.5 kilometres (4 mi) from the stadium, was recorded as fair at the time of kick-off, becoming partly cloudy later in the evening. Germany won a free kick 3 minutes into the game, when Rojo fouled Müller around 25 yards (23 m) from the Argentina goal.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, First half
The free kick was hit straight at the wall, and Argentina launched a counterattack from the rebound. Pablo Zabaleta ran with the ball down the right before passing to Higuaín on the edge of the penalty area. He took a shot from a narrow angle, but the ball went wide of Neuer's left-hand goalpost. On 9 minutes, Messi outpaced Hummels on the Argentina right and ran into the penalty area. He attempted to find Ezequiel Lavezzi from the byline but Schweinsteiger reached it first and cleared.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, First half
Germany had considerably more of the early possession, but a German defensive error on 20 minutes gave Argentina what Jerry Hinnen of CBS Sports called "the best opportunity for either side" thus far. Kroos miscued a header, which left Higuaín one-on-one with Neuer, but the latter's shot from the edge of the penalty area went wide of the goal. On 23 minutes, Klose had a chance to score when the ball reached him following a cross by Philipp Lahm, but Zabaleta dispossessed him before he could shoot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, First half
In the 30th minute, Lavezzi found space for Argentina on the right and crossed into the penalty area. Higuaín collected the ball and slotted it past Neuer into the goal. He celebrated for several seconds, but the strike was disallowed as he had been in an offside position. Germany made a substitution shortly afterwards, taking off Kramer as a result of a head injury he had sustained 14 minutes previously. He was replaced by Schürrle.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, First half
Höwedes received a yellow card on 33 minutes for a tackle which connected with Zabaleta's shins, before Messi had a 20-yard (18 m) shot blocked by Schweinsteiger. A minute later, Germany launched an attack down the left through Müller, who passed to Schürrle. He hit a shot towards the top left of the goal, but Romero did a full-stretch dive to save it, despite having his eyeline blocked by Özil. Messi then had another opportunity, running with the ball into the Germany penalty area and kicking the ball towards goal. Jérôme Boateng prevented Argentina taking the lead with a goal-line clearance. Shortly before half time, Höwedes received a Kroos corner in the penalty area, in what reporters for UEFA called the "best chance of the half", but his headed shot struck the goalpost and it remained 0–0 at half time.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Second half
Argentina began the second half with Agüero on the field in place of Lavezzi. Higuaín had a shot in the first minute of the half after running down the right wing, but it went wide of Neuer's goal. Messi then had an opportunity to score when he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper a minute later, but his low shot on goal also went wide. Argentina had more possession than Germany in the opening 10 minutes of the half, and they had another chance on 50 minutes when Higuaín received a ball just inside the penalty area.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Second half
He missed the ball with his attempted shot, however. Klose had Germany's first shot on goal of the second half on 59 minutes but his shot lacked power and was caught by Romero. Argentina had an opportunity to score through a Martín Demichelis header four minutes later, but Klose intercepted to send it behind. Shortly afterwards, Javier Mascherano brought down Klose after losing the ball to him, and was booked. His team-mate Agüero  was also booked a minute later for a foul on Schweinsteiger. Midway through the second half, The Guardian's Scott Murray commented that while the first half had been "goalless and brilliant", the second was "goalless and ... well, not so much", although he noted that it remained an open game.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Second half
Germany had a chance on 71 minutes, with Müller, Schürrle and Özil all involved in a build up which Murray described as "tiki-taka", but when Müller eventually reached the penalty area with only Romero to beat, he failed to control the ball properly and the goalkeeper claimed it. Messi had a shot on 75 minutes, following a run across the edge of the German penalty area, which he attempted to curl into the top left-hand corner of the goal. It missed the target, however.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Second half
Germany appealed for a penalty with 10 minutes remaining, after a tussle close to the Argentina goalpost following a Lahm cross, but the referee awarded a goal kick to Argentina. Kroos then had a chance for Germany following a lay-off pass by Özil, but he again missed the target. Both sides made substitutions in the final 5 minutes – Fernando Gago replacing Enzo Pérez for Argentina, while Götze came on for Klose for Germany. This represented Klose's last appearance for Germany, and he remains as of 2021 the most prolific goalscorer for any country in World Cup history. The final remained goalless after 90 minutes, and extra time was played.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Extra time
Early in the first half of extra time, Schürrle received a pass in front of goal from Götze, but his close-range shot was stopped by Romero. This was followed by a break upfield by Messi and Agüero with only two defenders covering, but Boateng was able to intercept and clear the danger. Five minutes later, a lob by Rodrigo Palacio over Neuer went just wide after the forward jumped on a mistake by Hummels in the German penalty area.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Extra time
At the halfway point in extra time, Murray wrote that Argentina were "offering very little up front" and speculated that many of the players might be "thinking about penalties already". Alan Tyers of The Daily Telegraph noted that Messi did not "look quite the ticket" and that he had not been playing well since half time. In the second half of extra time, Germany broke the deadlock when Götze scored in the 113th minute.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Extra time
Schürrle raced past two defenders on the left before crossing into the penalty area, where Götze controlled the ball on his chest and then volleyed left-footed into the net. Müller had a chance to double Germany's lead shortly afterward when he dribbled past two defenders, but his shot across the net was too wide. Late in extra time, Messi had an opportunity to equalise from a free kick within goal-scoring distance, but his attempt flew high over the crossbar. That proved to be the last action of the game as the final whistle was blown, confirming Germany's 1–0 victory.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Match, Details
Assistant referees:Renato Faverani (Italy)Andrea Stefani (Italy)Fourth official:Carlos Vera (Ecuador)Fifth official:Christian Lescano (Ecuador)


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
Germany's victory marked the first World Cup win by a European team in the Americas, but it was also the third successive European triumph after Italy and Spain's wins in 2006 and 2010. President Rousseff of Brazil delivered the trophy to German captain Philipp Lahm during the awards ceremony on the stands. Alongside her during the trophy handover was FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The goalscorer Götze was named as the official man of the match for the final, despite playing only the last two minutes of normal time and thirty minutes of extra time. Messi was awarded the Golden Ball, FIFA's award for whom they considered the tournament's best player, while Neuer was given the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
Joachim Löw, the manager of Germany, labelled his side's win as the culmination of a project which had begun ten years previously under his predecessor Jürgen Klinsmann. Speaking after the game, Löw said: "We’d not made this ultimate step before, but champions do what they will do. This team has developed a spirit which is unbelievable." His Argentine counterpart, Alejandro Sabella, praised his players, describing them as "warriors", and felt that they had been unlucky to lose.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
He said that his team had had the better chances "but we didn’t take them, and we only had to last another five minutes or so to reach penalties. The pain is immense." Götze expressed a sense of disbelief at his scoring of the winning goal, having not had the opportunity to play for much of the tournament. He said: "You score the goal and you don’t really know what’s happening. It hasn’t been a simple tournament, or year, for me and I owe a lot to my family and my girlfriend who always believed in me. But a dream became reality here."


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
The German press praised the team for their overall performance in the tournament, contrasting it with the team's poor form a decade earlier. Christian Gödecke, writing in Der Spiegel wrote "Now Germany is world champion, and German football is barely recognisable. It’s the perfect mix of virtue and magic, of hurrah and heave ho."


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
Writers in the Süddeutsche Zeitung described the final as a "fitting punchline" to the tournament, while noting that "There won’t be debates like there were in Rome in 1990, when the penalty that Andreas Brehme netted for the 1–0 victory was controversial and triggered conspiracy theories against Fifa amongst the Argentinians". In Argentina, the press were downbeat but also indicated their pride in the team's achievement, with many newspapers featuring a front-page picture of Messi after the match. Newspaper Clarín lamented the team's missed chances and their denied penalty appeal.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
Ezequiel Fernández Moores of La Nacion thought Germany the deserved winners, however, and thought the referee correct in denying Higuaín's penalty appeal. The host country's rivalry with Argentina continued to feature in the Brazilian press after the game, with sports daily Lance! using the headline "Tell Me How You Feel Now" in response to Argentine mocking of Brazil throughout the tournament. Speaking on his TV show, Maradona responded to this by contrasting Argentina's one-goal defeat to the 7–1 loss suffered by Brazil. A photograph by Chinese photographer Bao Tailiang of the Chengdu Economic Daily, showing Messi staring at the World Cup Trophy after Argentina's defeat, won the Sports Singles award at the 2015 World Press Photo of the Year contest.


2014 FIFA World Cup Final, Post-match
Germany's next major tournament was UEFA Euro 2016, in which they reached the semi-final before losing 2–0 to France. At the subsequent 2018 World Cup in Russia, Germany failed to advance from the group phase, finishing bottom of their group behind Sweden, Mexico and South Korea. secured only one win at the tournament, over Sweden, while losing to Mexico and South Korea, and became the third successive World Cup holders to be eliminated without reaching the knock-outs. Argentina's next major tournament was the 2015 Copa América, where they reached the final but were defeated by Chile in a penalty shoot-out. In the 2018 World Cup, they advanced from their group in second place behind Croatia, before being beaten in the round of 16 by France.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A
The 32 teams at the 2014 FIFA World Cup were split into eight groups of four, labelled A–H. Group A comprised Brazil, Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. The first match was played on 12 June 2014, with the last two played concurrently on 23 June. The top two teams, Brazil and Mexico, advanced to the round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Croatia
The two teams had met in two previous matches, including in the 2006 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 1–0. Croatia forward Mario Mandžukić was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's final qualifier against Iceland.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Croatia
Croatia opened the scoring through a Marcelo own goal, as the ball bounced off him into the net after Nikica Jelavić deflected Ivica Olić's cross. Neymar equalised for the hosts with a 25-yard (23 m) shot after receiving a pass from Oscar. In the second half, Brazil took the lead with Neymar's penalty after Dejan Lovren was controversially judged to have fouled Fred in the penalty area. Croatia had a potential equaliser disallowed, after a foul was again controversially called on the Brazilian goalkeeper, Júlio César. In added time, Oscar sealed the win, toe-poking the third goal for Brazil from 22 yards (20 m) after receiving a pass from Ramires.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Croatia
Post-match, FIFA referees chief Massimo Busacca defended the officials for awarding the penalty and insisted there had been some contact between Lovren and Fred, even if it was minimal. However, former top-level FIFA referee Markus Merk criticised FIFA for having Yuichi Nishimura as the referee in the opening match, labelling the refereeing in the match as "embarrassing".


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Croatia
The game was notable for a number of pioneering events. This was the first occasion in FIFA World Cup history on which an own goal (which was also the first ever own goal scored by Brazil in World Cup finals) opened scoring in the tournament. As the first game played at this World Cup, the match also saw the first use of vanishing spray to mark free kick spots, and the advent of goal-line technology, two innovations introduced during the tournament.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Croatia
Assistant referees:Toru Sagara (Japan)Toshiyuki Nagi (Japan)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Mexico vs Cameroon
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1993, won by Mexico 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Mexico vs Cameroon
Mexico's Giovani dos Santos had two goals disallowed for offside in the first half. However, replays showed that he was in line with the last defender for the first case, whilst the ball came from a Cameroon player for the second. In the second half, dos Santos had a shot saved by the Cameroon goalkeeper, Charles Itandje, but the ball rebounded into the path of Oribe Peralta, who slotted the ball into the empty net with his left foot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Mexico vs Cameroon
Mexico captain Rafael Márquez made history by becoming the first player to captain his nation in four different World Cups. Samuel Eto'o also appeared in his fourth World Cup, joining fellow Cameroonians Jacques Songo'o and Rigobert Song as the only African players to have achieved the feat.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Mexico vs Cameroon
Assistant referees:Humberto Clavijo (Colombia)Eduardo Díaz (Colombia)Fourth official:Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)Fifth official:Aden Marwa (Kenya)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Mexico
The two teams had met in 38 previous matches, including three times in the FIFA World Cup group stage, all won by Brazil (1950: 4–0; 1954: 5–0; 1962: 2–0). Their most recent meeting was in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Brazil 2–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Mexico
Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made four outstanding saves to deny Brazil. In the first half, he saved a header from Neymar tight to his right to push the ball around the post, and blocked a close-range effort from Paulinho. In the second half, he saved a low shot from Neymar and a late point-blank header from Thiago Silva.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Mexico
This was the first time since the 1970 FIFA World Cup that the host team drew 0–0 in the group stage. Mexico became the first team from outside UEFA or CONMEBOL to take a point from Brazil in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Brazil vs Mexico
Assistant referees:Bahattin Duran (Turkey)Tarık Ongun (Turkey)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Croatia
In a match where both teams needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, Croatia opened scoring when Ivica Olić scored from close range from Ivan Perišić's pass. Just before half time, Cameroon was reduced to 10 men when Alex Song was dismissed for an off the ball incident with Mario Mandžukić. Perišić scored at the beginning of the second half when he intercepted Cameroonian goalkeeper Charles Itandje's goal kick and ran 50 yards before slotting in at the near post. Mandžukić scored the last two goals, the first a header from Danijel Pranjić's corner and the second a tap in after Itandje parried Eduardo's shot into his path. The result confirmed Cameroon's elimination from the tournament.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Croatia
In a case of infighting, Cameroonian defender Benoît Assou-Ekotto was caught on camera head-butting teammate Benjamin Moukandjo. Song later apologised to Mandžukić and his country for his ejection, while Cameroonian coach Volker Finke said he was very disappointed with their performance.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Croatia
On 1 July 2014, Cameroon officials announced that they had opened an investigation on claims that seven of the Cameroon's players were involved in fixing the result. However, FIFA said there was no evidence that there were any match fixing in any of Cameroon's matches.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Croatia
Olić, who previously scored a goal in the 2002 World Cup, became the second player to have a 12-year gap between World Cup goals, after Michael Laudrup in 1986 and 1998. Mandžukić became the first Croatian player to score a brace in a World Cup game. The 4–0 scoreline was also the biggest win by Croatia in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Croatia
Assistant referees:Bertino Cunha (Portugal)Tiago Trigo (Portugal)Fourth official:Walter López (Guatemala)Fifth official:Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Brazil
The two teams had met in four previous matches, including in the 1994 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 3–0. Their most recent meeting was in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Cameroon 1–0. Cameroon midfielder Alex Song was suspended for the match (first match of a three-match ban), after being sent off in the previous match against Croatia.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Brazil
Brazil, where a draw would guarantee their qualification to the knockout stage, opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Luiz Gustavo crossed from the left for Neymar to beat the goalkeeper with a first time low side-footed finish to the corner. Already-eliminated Cameroon equalised when Allan Nyom beat Dani Alves on the left before crossing for Joël Matip to finish from close range. Neymar put Brazil back in front when he collected the ball from Marcelo and ran at goal before finishing with a low right foot shot that wrong footed the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Brazil
In the second half David Luiz crossed from the left for Fred to extend Brazil's lead with a close range header before half-time substitute Fernandinho completed the scoring when he collected a pass from Oscar before finishing with a low right footed shot. The result assured that Brazil pipped Mexico on goal difference to qualify to the knockout stage as group winners.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Brazil
The match was Brazil's 100th in the World Cup, and they followed Germany (which played their 100th match in their first game of the 2014 World Cup) to become the second team to reach the milestone.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Cameroon vs Brazil
Assistant referees:Mathias Klasenius (Sweden)Daniel Wärnmark (Sweden)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Croatia vs Mexico
The two teams had met in three previous matches, including in the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Mexico 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Croatia vs Mexico
Coming into the final round of matches, Croatia needed to win to guarantee qualification to the knockout stage regardless of the result of Cameroon vs Brazil, while Mexico only needed a draw to do so. The game was goalless for the first 70 minutes, until a Héctor Herrera corner to the back post allowed Rafael Márquez to score from a header, outleaping the Croatian defenders. With Croatia progressing only by way of a win, they were caught out on a break a short time later where Andrés Guardado scored after receiving a pass from Oribe Peralta.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Croatia vs Mexico
Mexico scored their third goal when Márquez flicked on Guardado's corner with substitute Javier Hernández scoring at the back post. Ivan Perišić scored in his second consecutive World Cup match after a neat back pass from Ivan Rakitić to get a consolation goal for Croatia in the closing minutes of the game, before Croatia's Ante Rebić was sent off for a foul on Carlos Peña. Mexico qualified as group runners-up (behind Brazil on goal difference) on virtue of the win, while Croatia were eliminated.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Croatia vs Mexico
With his goal, Márquez joined Cuauhtémoc Blanco as the only Mexican player to score in three World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group A, Matches, Croatia vs Mexico
Assistant referees:Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)Fourth official:Néant Alioum (Cameroon)Fifth official:Djibril Camara (Senegal)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B
Group B of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Spain, the Netherlands, Chile, and Australia. This group contained the finalists of the previous World Cup in 2010: Spain (reigning champion) and the Netherlands (runners-up). Play began on 13 June and ended on 23 June 2014. The Netherlands and Chile progressed to the knockout stage, while Australia and Spain were eliminated after suffering two defeats in their opening two matches. Chile was eliminated by Brazil in the second round after penalties, while the Netherlands made their way to the semi-finals in which they lost to Argentina on penalties. The third place match was won by the Netherlands with a convincing 3–0 victory against Brazil.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
The two teams had met in 9 previous matches, including in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, won by Spain 1–0 after extra time. This was the first time in the FIFA World Cup that the previous finalists met in the group stage.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
Halfway into the first half, the referee judged that Diego Costa caught a trailing leg from Stefan de Vrij's attempted tackle. Xabi Alonso scored the penalty kick for Spain, shooting into the bottom-right corner with his right foot, putting them into the lead. They were unable to keep the lead until half time though, with Robin van Persie scoring a 15-yard diving looping header after a long ball from Daley Blind from the left after he spotted Iker Casillas slightly off his line.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
In the second half, Blind assisted another goal for Netherlands, this time setting up Arjen Robben who controlled the pass before coming inside to finish with his left foot from ten yards out. Twelve minutes later, Netherlands scored again, as De Vrij headed the ball in from a tight angle from a Wesley Sneijder free kick on the left. Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas protested that he had been fouled by Van Persie, but the goal was allowed to stand and Casillas received a yellow card for his protest.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
Not long after this, a backpass from Sergio Ramos was miscontrolled by Casillas with his left leg, resulting in Van Persie gathering the ball and scoring into an empty net for his second goal of the game. The fifth goal for Netherlands was a solo effort from Robben. Having received the ball near the halfway line from a Wesley Sneijder pass, he outran Ramos, Jordi Alba and Casillas, before slotting the ball into the net from 10 yards out with his left foot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
The 5–1 scoreline was the biggest loss margin for a defending champion in the FIFA World Cup, and also Spain's second biggest loss in the World Cup after their 6–1 thrashing against Brazil in 1950. With their goals, Van Persie and Robben became the first Dutch players to score in three World Cups. Casillas and Xavi joined Andoni Zubizarreta as the only Spanish players to appear in four World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Netherlands
Assistant referees:Renato Faverani (Italy)Andrea Stefani (Italy)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Chile vs Australia
The two teams had met in five previous matches, including in the 1974 FIFA World Cup group stage, a 0–0 draw.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Chile vs Australia
Chile took a 2–0 lead within the first 15 minutes. First, Alexis Sánchez controlled an Eduardo Vargas header in the penalty area to slot home. Two minutes later, Jorge Valdivia's shot from a Sánchez pass doubled the lead. Australia pulled one back through a Tim Cahill header from a cross by Ivan Franjic before half time.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Chile vs Australia
Australia could not find the equaliser in the second half, and in stoppage time, Chilean substitute Jean Beausejour converted the rebound after Mauricio Pinilla's shot was saved by Mathew Ryan.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Chile vs Australia
With their respective goals, Cahill became the first Australian player to score in three World Cups, while Beausejour became the first Chilean player to score in two World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Chile vs Australia
Assistant referees:Songuifolo Yeo (Ivory Coast)Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)Fourth official:Roberto Moreno (Panama)Fifth official:Eric Boria (United States)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Netherlands
The two teams had met in three previous matches, all in friendlies, most recently in 2009.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Netherlands
The Netherlands took the lead after Arjen Robben collected a Daley Blind headed pass at the halfway line, burst into the penalty area and scored with a low shot to the goalkeepers left. Soon after the restart, Australia equalised through Tim Cahill's left-foot volley into the goal from the underside of the bar from Ryan McGowan's cross. Australia took the lead in the second half with Mile Jedinak's penalty, awarded for a handball by Daryl Janmaat, but Robin van Persie equalised after he received substitute Memphis Depay's pass and scored. Ten minutes later, Memphis Depay received a pass from Jonathan de Guzmán and his long range effort beat Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Netherlands
With his goal Depay became the youngest ever Dutch scorer in the World Cup at the age of 20.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Netherlands
Assistant referees:Rédouane Achik (Morocco)Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)Fourth official:Bakary Gassama (Gambia)Fifth official:Evarist Menkouande (Cameroon)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Chile
The two teams had met in ten previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup group stage, both won by Spain (1950: 2–0; 2010: 2–1).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Chile
Chile opened the scoring when Charles Aránguiz squared a pass to Eduardo Vargas to score home in the penalty area. Near the end of the first half Alexis Sánchez's free kick was parried by Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas to Aránguiz who put in the rebound. Spain, which needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, had its best chance in the second half which fell to Sergio Busquets, but he missed from close range. Spain's loss confirmed the qualification of both Chile and the Netherlands into the knockout stage, and eliminated both Spain and Australia.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Chile
Spain became the fifth defending champions to be knocked out in the group stage.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Spain vs Chile
Assistant referees:Sean Hurd (United States)Joe Fletcher (Canada)Fourth official:Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain)Fifth official:Yaser Tulefat (Bahrain)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Spain
The two teams had never met before. Australia forward Tim Cahill was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Spain
In a match between two already-eliminated teams, Spain went in front in the 36th minute after Andrés Iniesta threaded a pass down the right to overlapping full-back Juanfran, who then crossed the ball low to David Villa to finish with a back flick of his right foot low to the net.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Spain
In the second half, Fernando Torres scored Spain's second with a low finish from the left of the penalty area after a pass from Iniesta, before substitute Juan Mata, receiving a pass from Cesc Fàbregas, scored from the right of the penalty area with a low shot between the goalkeeper's legs.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Spain
Villa's goal was his ninth career World Cup goal. Already Spain's record World Cup goalscorer, he also joined Fernando Hierro, Raúl and Julio Salinas as Spanish players who had scored in three World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Australia vs Spain
Assistant referees:Yaser Tulefat (Bahrain)Ebrahim Saleh (Bahrain)Fourth official:Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)Fifth official:Aden Marwa (Kenya)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Netherlands vs Chile
The two teams had never met before. Netherlands forward Robin van Persie was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Netherlands vs Chile
With both teams already assured of qualifying for the knockout stage after their first two matches, this match would decide which team would win the group: the Netherlands needed only a draw while Chile needed a win. The Netherlands went in front in the 77th minute with a header from six yards by substitute Leroy Fer after a Daryl Janmaat cross from the right. Another substitute Memphis Depay got the second in injury time, when he scored from close range after Arjen Robben had made a run down the left before crossing from the byline. With this win the Netherlands won Group B with a perfect record of three wins out of three, while Chile finished as group runners-up.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group B, Matches, Netherlands vs Chile
Assistant referees:Evarist Menkouande (Cameroon)Felicien Kabanda (Rwanda)Fourth official:Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)Fifth official:William Torres (El Salvador)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C
Group C of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, and Japan. Play began on 14 June and ended on 24 June 2014. The top two teams, Colombia and Greece, advanced to the round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Greece
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1994, where Colombia won 2–0. Colombia midfielder Fredy Guarín was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's final qualifier against Paraguay.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Greece
Colombia took the lead within five minutes, Juan Cuadrado's cutback was converted by Pablo Armero via a deflection off Greek defender Kostas Manolas. Colombia extended the lead in the second half, when Abel Aguilar flicked on a corner kick from James Rodríguez and Teófilo Gutiérrez scored from close range. Greece's best chance fell to Theofanis Gekas, who headed against the bar. In stoppage time, Cuadrado set up James to complete the scoring with a low shot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Greece
The 3–0 scoreline was Colombia's biggest win to date in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Greece
Assistant referees:Mark Hurd (United States)Joe Fletcher (Canada)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Ivory Coast vs Japan
The two teams had met in three previous matches, all in friendlies, most recently in 2010.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Ivory Coast vs Japan
Japan took the lead in the first half, when Keisuke Honda collected a pass from Yuto Nagatomo after a quick throw-in to strike home with his left foot high into the net.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Ivory Coast vs Japan
However, Ivory Coast came back with two goals in two minutes in the second half, first Wilfried Bony headed in from Serge Aurier's cross from the right from six yards, followed by a Gervinho header from six yards from another cross from Aurier on the right.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Ivory Coast vs Japan
With his goal, Honda became the first Japanese player to score in two World Cups, and also claimed sole possession of being the top Japanese scorer in World Cup history with three total goals.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Ivory Coast vs Japan
Assistant referees:Carlos Astroza (Chile)Sergio Román (Chile)Fourth official:Néant Alioum (Cameroon)Fifth official:Djibril Camara (Senegal)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Ivory Coast
After a goalless first half, Colombia scored first when James Rodríguez headed in Juan Cuadrado's corner. The lead was extended six minutes later when Ivory Coast was caught in possession, and Teófilo Gutiérrez released substitute Juan Quintero to score. Ivory Coast reduced the deficit through Gervinho, who received a pass from Arthur Boka in the left wing, dribbled past three Colombian players and shot home.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Ivory Coast
The second goal of the tournament by James allowed him to join Bernardo Redín and Adolfo Valencia as the only Colombian players to score more than one goal in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Colombia vs Ivory Coast
Assistant referees:Michael Mullarkey (England)Darren Cann (England)Fourth official:Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru)Fifth official:Rodney Aquino (Paraguay)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Greece
The two teams had met in one previous match, in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Japan 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Greece
Greece was reduced to ten men in the first half when Kostas Katsouranis was booked twice in eleven minutes. In the second half, Greece had a Theofanis Gekas header saved, while Japan, which needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, had chances to score through Yoshito Ōkubo and Atsuto Uchida, but the game finished goalless. The result ensured Colombia's qualification to the knockout stage, their first since 1990.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Greece
This was the first clean sheet kept by Greece in World Cup history.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Greece
Assistant referees:William Torres (El Salvador)Juan Zumba (El Salvador)Fourth official:Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)Fifth official:Aden Marwa (Kenya)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
The two teams had met in two previous matches, most recently in a friendly in 2007, and also in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Colombia 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
Colombia took the lead mid-way through the first half, with Juan Cuadrado taking a penalty kick, shooting low down the middle after Japan centre back Yasuyuki Konno fouled Colombia striker Adrián Ramos in the box. Japan then equalised through Shinji Okazaki's headed goal from a cross from Keisuke Honda on the right in first half stoppage time.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
Colombia's James Rodríguez was introduced after the half time break, and was credited for providing two assists for two goals scored by Jackson Martínez, on 55 minutes when he shot low to the net with his left foot, and 82 minutes when he curled the ball in from the right of the penalty area with his left foot, before finishing off the scoring with a strike of his own, assisted by Ramos, where he beat the last man before clipping the ball over the goalkeeper.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
Colombia, which had already qualified for the knockout stage and would do so as group winners if either they didn't lose this match or Ivory Coast did not beat Greece in the other match, finished as group winners with a perfect record of three wins out of three, while Japan, which had to win the match to have any chance to qualify, were eliminated.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
Faryd Mondragón became the oldest player to make an appearance in the history of the World Cup, at the age of 43 years, 3 days, when he came on for the last five minutes of the match, breaking the record of Roger Milla, who played at the 1994 World Cup at the age of 42. He also set the record for the longest time between World Cup appearances as 15 years and 363 days had passed since his last versus England at the 1998 World Cup, breaking Alfred Bickel's record of 12 years and 13 days between appearances (1938–1950).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Japan vs Colombia
Assistant referees:Bertino Cunha (Portugal)Tiago Trigo (Portugal)Fourth official:Roberto Moreno (Panama)Fifth official:Eric Boria (United States)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Greece vs Ivory Coast
The two teams had never met before. Greece midfielder Kostas Katsouranis (red card in previous match) and Ivory Coast defender Didier Zokora (accumulation of yellow cards) were suspended for the match.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Greece vs Ivory Coast
Greece, which had to win to have any chance to qualify for the knockout stage, went in front in the 42nd minute after Cheick Tioté's defensive mistake allowed substitute Andreas Samaris to steal the ball, play a one-two with Georgios Samaras, and run in on goal before shooting past the goalkeeper with his right foot. In the second half, substitute Wilfried Bony equalised with a low right foot finish after Gervinho's pass from the left.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Greece vs Ivory Coast
As Japan were losing to Colombia in the other match played at the same time, Ivory Coast only required a point to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time. The game looked to be heading for a draw, until Greece won a penalty in injury time when Giovanni Sio tripped Samaras as he was about to strike the ball, and Samaras scored the penalty hitting the ball to the goalkeeper's left. The win meant Greece finished as the group runners-up, and put them into the knockout stage for the first time in its World Cup history (after unsuccessful campaigns in 1994 and 2010), while Ivory Coast were eliminated in the group stage for the third tournament in a row.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group C, Matches, Greece vs Ivory Coast
Assistant referees:Christian Lescano (Ecuador)Byron Romero (Ecuador)Fourth official:Sandro Ricci (Brazil)Fifth official:Emerson de Carvalho (Brazil)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D
2014 FIFA World Cup Group D consisted of Uruguay, Costa Rica, England and Italy. This was the only group to contain more than one previous winner of the World Cup, with only Costa Rica not having won a previous tournament. It was also the only group with three top 10 FIFA World Ranking teams as of October 2013 (ranking date for final draw) and at the start of the competition. Play began on 14 June and ended on 24 June 2014.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D
Costa Rica topped the group undefeated, despite being considered underdogs and expected to finish last in a group containing three former winners of the competition. Two of them, England and Italy, were eliminated, while the third, Uruguay, advanced in second place.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs Costa Rica
The two teams had met in 10 previous matches, most recently in 2009 in the CONCACAF – CONMEBOL play-off, won by Uruguay 2–1 on aggregate to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs Costa Rica
Uruguay led the game 1–0 at half time, through an Edinson Cavani penalty after Diego Lugano was pulled down in the box by Júnior Díaz. Keylor Navas prevented Uruguay's lead from doubling by tipping over Diego Forlán's shot. In the second half, Joel Campbell equalised with a low shot to the right corner when the ball fell to him in the box after a deep cross from Cristian Gamboa on the right. Soon afterwards, Costa Rica went into the lead when Óscar Duarte scored with a low diving header to the right corner after a free kick from Christian Bolaños. A pass from Campbell allowed substitute Marco Ureña to make it 3–1 with a low shot from a tight angle on the right, and in injury time Maxi Pereira was given a straight red card for a kick at Campbell.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs Costa Rica
It was the first time Costa Rica scored three goals in a World Cup match, and also the first time that Uruguay lost to a non-South American or non-European country in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs Costa Rica
Assistant referees:Mark Borsch (Germany)Stefan Lupp (Germany)Fourth official:Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru)Fifth official:Rodney Aquino (Paraguay)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, England vs Italy
The two teams had met in 24 previous matches, including in the 1990 FIFA World Cup third place match, won by Italy 2–1. Their most recent competitive meeting was in the UEFA Euro 2012 quarter-finals, won by Italy on penalties after a scoreless draw.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, England vs Italy
Italy went ahead first, when from a short corner, Andrea Pirlo dummied Marco Verratti's pass, and Claudio Marchisio scored with a low right footed shot from outside the penalty box. England quickly equalised through a close-range Daniel Sturridge goal from a Wayne Rooney cross from the left. The scores were level at 1–1 at half time, but Mario Balotelli headed Italy's winner from close range five minutes after play resumed from a cross by Antonio Candreva on the right.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, England vs Italy
The England physiotherapist Gary Lewin was stretchered off with a dislocated ankle suffered in the celebrations for England's goal, which ruled him out for the rest of the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, England vs Italy
Assistant referees:Sander van Roekel (Netherlands)Erwin Zeinstra (Netherlands)Fourth official:Walter López (Guatemala)Fifth official:Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs England
The two teams had met in ten previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup (1954, quarter-finals: Uruguay 4–2 England; 1966, group stage: Uruguay 0–0 England). Uruguay defender Maxi Pereira was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's match against Costa Rica.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs England
Uruguay took the lead in the first half, the goal headed in by Luis Suárez from a cross by Edinson Cavani on the left. England equalised in the second half, when Wayne Rooney scored his first World Cup goal with a tap-in from a cross by Glen Johnson from the right. Suárez later secured Uruguay's victory, receiving the ball from goalkeeper Fernando Muslera's clearance which flicked off Steven Gerrard, and shot home his second goal of the match powerfully with his right foot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs England
This was the first time that England lost three World Cup matches in a row, dating back to England's loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Uruguay vs England
Assistant referees:Roberto Alonso (Spain)Juan Carlos Yuste (Spain)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Costa Rica
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1994.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Costa Rica
Mario Balotelli had Italy's best chance in the first half, lobbing the ball wide from inside the penalty area. Late in the first half, Joel Campbell had a clear penalty appeal denied, but Costa Rica nevertheless took the lead within a minute, as Júnior Díaz crossed from the left for Bryan Ruiz to head the ball onto the crossbar and over the line from close range. Costa Rica was able to hold on for the win in the second half, ensuring their qualification for the knockout stage, their first since 1990, while simultaneously ensuring England's group stage exit, their first since 1958.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Costa Rica
Costa Rica became the second country to beat two World Cup champions in the group stage of one tournament, the other being Denmark, who had done it twice in 1986 (Uruguay and West Germany) and 2002 (Uruguay and France). Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon appeared in his fourth World Cup (he was also in the squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but did not appear in any match), the fifth Italian player to do so.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Costa Rica
Assistant referees:Carlos Astroza (Chile)Sergio Román (Chile)Fourth official:Néant Alioum (Cameroon)Fifth official:Djibril Camara (Senegal)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay
The two teams had met in eight previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup (1970, group stage: Italy 0–0 Uruguay; 1990, round of 16: Italy 2–0 Uruguay). Their most recent meeting was in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup third place match, won by Italy 3–2 on penalties (2–2 draw after extra time).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay
After a goalless first half, Italy were reduced to 10 men in the second half when Claudio Marchisio was sent off for a studs-up challenge on Egidio Arévalo. The only goal of the game came when Uruguay's Gastón Ramírez delivered a corner from the right which Diego Godín rose to head with the ball going in off his back. Uruguay's win qualified them for the knockout stage as the group runners-up, and eliminated Italy from the tournament; this marked the second consecutive time that Italy had been eliminated at the group stage.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay, Suárez bite
Around the 79th minute, Uruguay forward Luis Suárez bit the left shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. Chiellini showed the bite marks to Mexican referee Marco Rodríguez, who missed the incident. As the Italian players protested to the referee for not penalising Suárez, Uruguay won a corner and Godín scored. In the 84th minute, a member of the Italian coaching staff was dismissed from the bench by the referee after an altercation with his Uruguayan counterparts. After the biting incident, Suárez claimed that he "had contact with [Chiellini's] shoulder, nothing more" and that "these things happen".


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay, Suárez bite
On the same day of the match, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Suárez regarding the biting incident. During the proceedings, FIFA confirmed that Suárez's previous two bans due to biting incidents (seven games for biting Otman Bakkal while playing for Ajax and 10 games for biting Branislav Ivanović while playing for Liverpool) would be taken into account. Two days after the match, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee banned Suárez for nine international matches, effective immediately, meaning he would take no further part in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay, Suárez bite
It was the longest such ban in World Cup history, exceeding the eight-match ban handed to Italy's Mauro Tassotti for breaking the nose of Spain's Luis Enrique at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. He was also banned from taking part in any football-related activity (including entering any stadium) for four months and fined CHF100,000 (approx. £65,700/€82,000/US$119,000). The verdict would not prevent Suárez from transferring to another club. Suárez later admitted that he had bitten Chiellini and formally apologised, while writing that the "physical result of a bite" occurred in a collision with Chiellini. On 3 July, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) appealed against the decision to FIFA, but it was rejected on 10 July. After an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Suárez was later allowed to participate in training and friendly matches with new club Barcelona.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Italy vs Uruguay, Suárez bite
Assistant referees:Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)Marcos Quintero (Mexico)Fourth official:Mark Geiger (United States)Fifth official:Mark Hurd (United States)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Costa Rica vs England
As England could no longer advance to the knockout stage, their manager Roy Hodgson made nine changes to the starting line-up with Frank Lampard captaining the side. The match finished goalless, and the draw was enough to confirm Costa Rica, which had already sealed their place in the knockout stage, as the group winners with seven points after three matches.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Costa Rica vs England
This was England's 11th goalless draw in World Cup history, more than any other team.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group D, Matches, Costa Rica vs England
Assistant referees:Rédouane Achik (Morocco)Abdelhak Etchiali (Algeria)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E
Group E of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Switzerland, Ecuador, France, and Honduras. Play began on 15 June and ended on 25 June 2014. The top two teams, France and Switzerland, advanced to the round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs Ecuador
Ecuador took the lead in the first half when Walter Ayoví's free kick was headed in by Enner Valencia. Switzerland equalised early in the second half from another set-piece, Ricardo Rodríguez's corner kick headed in by half-time substitute Admir Mehmedi. The winning goal of the match was scored by another substitute Haris Seferovic in the 93rd minute of the game with just 20 seconds remaining in injury time. A Swiss breakaway started in their own penalty area when Valon Behrami won the ball, and finished by Seferovic converting Rodríguez's cross.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs Ecuador
This was Switzerland's first World Cup win over South American opposition in six attempts.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs Ecuador
Assistant referees:Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)Bahadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
The match started without the national anthems being played before the kick-off, which FIFA later said was due to an audio system malfunction. France took the lead in the first half on a penalty kick converted by Karim Benzema, which was awarded on a foul by Wilson Palacios on Paul Pogba, for which Palacios received his second yellow card and was sent off. An own goal by Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares early in the second half gave France a two-goal lead.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
Benzema's shot rebounded off the post and then hit Valladares, and despite his effort to scoop it clear, the ball was indicated by goal-line technology to have crossed the line and the goal was awarded. France completed the scoring when Benzema scored his second goal, as he blasted in the rebound after Mathieu Debuchy's shot was inadvertently blocked by Patrice Evra and fell to him in the penalty area.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
The second goal was the first time that a goal was awarded in the World Cup with the support of goal-line technology. There was some confusion when the animated replay of the goal was shown in the stadium, however, as when the ball first hit the post, causing "NO GOAL" to correctly flash onto screens in the stadium, it then hit Valladares and crossed the line, producing "GOAL" on the screen.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
The initial flash of "NO GOAL" drew boos from fans, caused a commotion among the managers and players on the sideline, and led to confusion even from the BBC's experienced television commentator Jonathan Pearce, who required his colleague Martin Keown to explain the incident to him. In response to the confusion, FIFA promised to review how the replays are shown in the future for similar incidents.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
Stretching back to their last match of the 1982 World Cup, this was the fifth consecutive World Cup match that Honduras failed to score a goal, matching the record held by Bolivia (1930–1994) and Algeria (1986–2010).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, France vs Honduras
Assistant referees:Emerson de Carvalho (Brazil)Marcelo Van Gasse (Brazil)Fourth official:Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)Fifth official:Jan-Hendrik Hintz (New Zealand)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs France
The two teams had met in 36 previous matches, including in the 2006 FIFA World Cup group stage, a 0–0 draw.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs France
France took the lead in the 17th minute when Olivier Giroud headed in Mathieu Valbuena's corner. Almost straight from the restart, Karim Benzema intercepted a Swiss pass and set up Blaise Matuidi to increase the lead. Later, Benzema was tripped by Johan Djourou in the penalty box, but his penalty was saved by Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio and Yohan Cabaye shot the rebound onto the crossbar. A quick counter-attack saw Giroud cross for Valbuena and France took a 3–0 lead at half time.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs France
France added two more goals in the second half, first Paul Pogba crossing for Benzema to score, then Benzema setting up Moussa Sissoko. While the referee was blowing the final whistle, Karim Benzema scored a sixth goal at the end of the match, causing some confusion for a short while about the final score. Switzerland scored two late consolation goals, from a long-range free kick by substitute Blerim Džemaili, and a volley by Granit Xhaka after a pass by Gökhan Inler.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs France
Giroud's goal was France's 100th goal in the World Cup, joining four other countries to have achieved this feat (Brazil, Germany, Italy and Argentina).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Switzerland vs France
Assistant referees:Sander van Roekel (Netherlands)Erwin Zeinstra (Netherlands)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Ecuador
The two teams had met in 14 previous matches, all in friendlies, most recently in 2013, a 2–2 draw. The two coaches, fellow Colombians Luis Fernando Suárez and Reinaldo Rueda, had previously managed their opponents: Suárez managed Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup, while Rueda managed Honduras in the 2010 World Cup. Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios was suspended for the match, having received a red card against France.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Ecuador
Honduras took the lead in the first half when Carlo Costly collected goalkeeper Noel Valladares's long clearance to score with his left foot. Ecuador, which needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, equalised three minutes later when Juan Paredes's shot was deflected and Enner Valencia turned the ball in at the far post from close range. Enner Valencia scored the game winner in the second half, heading in a free kick from Walter Ayoví.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Ecuador
Costly's goal snapped Honduras's 511-minute World Cup scoreless streak stretching back to 1982, second place at the time to the record of 517 minutes between 1930 and 1990 held by Bolivia. Enner Valencia's brace gave him three total goals in the tournament, and he joined Agustín Delgado as the country's joint top scorer in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Ecuador
Assistant referees:Matthew Cream (Australia)Hakan Anaz (Australia)Fourth official:Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)Fifth official:Toru Sagara (Japan)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Switzerland
The two teams had met in one previous match, in the 2010 FIFA World Cup group stage, a 0–0 draw.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Switzerland
All three goals of the match were scored by Xherdan Shaqiri. In the sixth minute, he received the ball from Stephan Lichtsteiner, dribbled inside and curled the ball into the net with his left foot. In the 31st minute, a break-away by Switzerland saw Josip Drmić setting up Shaqiri to convert. Shaqiri completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute, from another break-away and assist by Drmić.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Switzerland
As Ecuador drew with France in the other match taking place simultaneously, Switzerland sealed a place in the knockout stage as the group runners-up, while Honduras, which needed a win to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stage for the first time, were eliminated with zero points.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Switzerland
Shaqiri's hat-trick was the 50th hat-trick in the history of the World Cup, and also the second by a Swiss player, following Josef Hügi in the 1954 World Cup. Honduras completed their third World Cup tournament still without a win, and had played more matches (nine total) without a win than any other side.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Honduras vs Switzerland
Assistant referees:Hernán Maidana (Argentina)Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)Fourth official:Milorad Mažić (Serbia)Fifth official:Milovan Ristić (Serbia)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Ecuador vs France
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 2008, won 2–0 by France. France midfielder Yohan Cabaye was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Ecuador vs France
The match finished goalless, with the point enough to confirm France's place in the knockout stage, winning the group with seven points. Ecuador, which had to match Switzerland's result in the final match to have any chance of qualification, had captain Antonio Valencia sent off in the second half after a high tackle on Lucas Digne. As Switzerland defeated Honduras in the other match played at the same time, Ecuador was eliminated, thus being the only team in the CONMEBOL group to fail to advance to the Round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group E, Matches, Ecuador vs France
Assistant referees:Songuifolo Yeo (Ivory Coast)Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)Fourth official:Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)Fifth official:Sander van Roekel (Netherlands)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F
Group F of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria. Play began on 15 June and ended on 25 June 2014. The top two teams, Argentina and Nigeria, advanced to the round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
The two teams had met in two previous matches, both in friendlies, most recently in 2013, both won by Argentina.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina conceded three minutes into their World Cup debut, when Lionel Messi's free kick from the left was flicked on by Marcos Rojo and bounced off Sead Kolašinac into the net for an own goal. In the second half, Messi played a one-two with substitute Gonzalo Higuaín and shot home from the edge of the penalty area with his left foot into the bottom-right corner. With five minutes remaining in normal time, Bosnia and Herzegovina pulled one back, when Senad Lulić's pass found substitute Vedad Ibišević to score the country's first ever World Cup goal, shooting under the goalkeeper with his left foot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kolašinac's own goal after two minutes and nine seconds broke the record for the fastest own goal in the history of the FIFA World Cup, surpassing Carlos Gamarra's own goal (two minutes and 46 seconds) in Paraguay's first group stage match against England at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Assistant referees:William Torres (El Salvador)Juan Zumba (El Salvador)Fourth official:Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)Fifth official:Abdelhalk Etchiali (Algeria)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Iran vs Nigeria
The two teams had met in one previous match, in the 1998 Lunar New Year Cup, won 1–0 by Nigeria.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Iran vs Nigeria
In a goalless game of few chances, Iran's Reza Ghoochannejhad forced a save from Vincent Enyeama in the first half, while Nigeria substitute Shola Ameobi headed wide in the second half.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Iran vs Nigeria
This was the first goalless match as well as the first draw of the tournament after the previous 12 matches all produced a winner, and was the longest wait for a draw in a single tournament since 1930, where there were no draws in the entire tournament. This was also the first clean sheet kept by Iran in the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Iran vs Nigeria
Assistant referees:Christian Lescano (Ecuador)Byron Romero (Ecuador)Fourth official:Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)Fifth official:Humberto Clavijo (Colombia)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Iran
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1977, won on penalties by Argentina after a 1–1 draw .


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Iran
In a match where Argentina dominated in terms of possession and shots, they scored the only goal one minute into second half injury time when Lionel Messi received a pass from Ezequiel Lavezzi on the right wing, dribbled inside and curled a left-footed shot past the outstretched hands of the Iranian keeper Alireza Haghighi.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Iran
Before the goal, Iran had chances to score, but Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero was able to save Ashkan Dejagah's header and Reza Ghoochannejhad's shot, and Dejagah also had a penalty appeal turned down when Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta tackled him in the area but only just got his toe to the ball. With the win, Argentina were guaranteed to advance to the knockout stage.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Argentina vs Iran
Assistant referees:Milovan Ristić (Serbia)Dalibor Đurđević (Serbia)Fourth official:Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)Fifth official:Aden Range (Kenya)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina thought they had taken the lead when Edin Džeko put the ball into the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside, which replays later showed to be an incorrect decision. Referee Peter O'Leary later admitted Džeko's goal was disallowed in error. Seven minutes later, Nigeria took the lead when Emmanuel Emenike burst past Emir Spahić to cross for Peter Odemwingie to score, firing in through the legs of Asmir Begovic. Džeko came closest to scoring the equaliser to keep his team's qualification chances alive, but his shot in second-half stoppage time was deflected onto the post by Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama. Nigeria held for the win and eliminated Bosnia and Herzegovina as a result.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Assistant referees:Jan-Hendrik Hintz (New Zealand)Mark Rule (New Zealand)Fourth official:Roberto Moreno (Panama)Fifth official:Eric Boria (United States)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Argentina
The two teams had met in six previous matches, including three times in the FIFA World Cup group stage, all won by Argentina (1994: 2–1; 2002: 1–0; 2010: 1–0).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Argentina
Before the match, Nigeria were the only team yet to concede in the tournament, but their defence were breached inside three minutes when Ángel Di María's shot hit the post and Lionel Messi slammed home the rebound. Nigeria, which would qualify for the knockout stage if they gained a point or if Iran failed to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the other match, equalised within a minute, when Michel Babatunde fed Ahmed Musa, and he cut inside and curled the ball into the net.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Argentina
Messi put Argentina in front in first half injury time with a direct free kick, but Musa equalised once again early in the second half, after playing a one-two with Emmanuel Emenike and scored. Argentina, which needed only a point to win the group, then scored the game winner when a corner from Ezequiel Lavezzi was flicked on by an Ezequiel Garay header and Marcos Rojo scored with his knee. Argentina won the group with a perfect record of three wins out of three, while Nigeria were able to qualify as group runners-up despite losing as Iran also lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the other match.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Argentina
Musa became the first Nigerian player to score more than once in a World Cup match.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Nigeria vs Argentina
Assistant referees:Renato Faverani (Italy)Andrea Stefani (Italy)Fourth official:Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)Fifth official:Kim Haglund (Norway)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran
The two teams had met in five previous matches, all in friendlies, most recently in 2009.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran
Bosnia and Herzegovina, which had already been eliminated, led 1–0 at half-time through a goal by Edin Džeko, shooting low with his left foot after he received a pass from Miralem Pjanić. Pjanić extended the lead in the second half when he slotted low past the goalkeeper, after receiving a through ball from Tino-Sven Sušić. Iran, which had to win and also hoped Nigeria lost to Argentina to have any chance for qualification to the knockout stage, reduced the deficit after Reza Ghoochannejhad tapped home from close range from a Javad Nekounam cross.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran
However, Bosnia and Herzegovina scored a third goal when Avdija Vršajević slotted home with his right foot after Sejad Salihović played him in on the right, sealing their first win in World Cup finals history, and also confirming Iran's elimination, meaning that they failed to advance to the knockout stage for all four of their World Cup campaigns.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran
With Ghoochannejhad's goal for Iran, the 2014 World Cup became the first since 1998 in which every participating team managed to score at least once.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group F, Matches, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Iran
Assistant referees:Roberto Alonso (Spain)Juan Carlos Yuste (Spain)Fourth official:Enrique Osses (Chile)Fifth official:Carlos Astroza (Chile)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G
Group G of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Germany, Portugal, Ghana and United States. Play began on 16 June and ended on 26 June 2014. The top two teams, Germany and the United States, advanced to the round of 16. The eventual champions, Germany, came from this group.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Portugal
The two teams had met in 17 previous matches, including in the 2006 FIFA World Cup third place match, won by Germany 3–1. Their most recent meeting was in the UEFA Euro 2012 group stage, won by Germany 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Portugal
Germany took the lead with a Thomas Müller penalty kick, shooting low and hard into the bottom left-hand corner, awarded after a foul on Mario Götze by João Pereira. Mats Hummels doubled the advantage for Germany by heading in a corner kick from Toni Kroos. Shortly before halftime Müller and Pepe were involved in an altercation, in which Pepe headbutted Müller and was sent off. In first half stoppage time, Müller intercepted a clearance from Bruno Alves to slot home. Müller completed his hat-trick in the second half, as he scored from close range after Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício stopped André Schürrle's cross from the right.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Portugal
The match was Germany's 100th in the World Cup, the first team to reach the milestone. Müller's hat-trick was the seventh by a German player in the World Cup, the most of any nation. This was Portugal's worst loss in their World Cup history.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Portugal
Assistant referees:Milovan Ristić (Serbia)Dalibor Đurđević (Serbia)Fourth official:Néant Alioum (Cameroon)Fifth official:Djibril Camara (Senegal)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Ghana vs United States
The two teams had met in three previous matches, including twice in World Cup in 2006 and 2010, where both times Ghana beat United States 2–1. The 2006 FIFA World Cup encounter was in their last group stage match, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup encounter was in the round of 16 final where Ghana won again, which in both occasions, eliminated United States from those previous World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Ghana vs United States
Clint Dempsey opened the scoring for the United States within 29 seconds (the fifth fastest goal in the history of the World Cup), as he received the ball from Jermaine Jones, dribbled past John Boye and shot into the far corner. The lead lasted until the 82nd minute, when Asamoah Gyan's back-heel set up André Ayew to score. However, the United States scored the game-winning goal four minutes later, when half-time substitute John Brooks headed in Graham Zusi's corner. The American victory was marred by an injury to Jozy Altidore, leaving the match in the 21st minute with a strained left hamstring.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Ghana vs United States
Dempsey's goal was officially timed by FIFA at 30 seconds after kick-off, the fifth fastest in World Cup history, and the fastest by an American player. He also became the first American player to score in three World Cups. DaMarcus Beasley became the first American to play in four World Cups. Brooks became the first American substitute ever to score in a World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Ghana vs United States
Assistant referees:Mathias Klasenius (Sweden)Daniel Wärnmark (Sweden)Fourth official:Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)Fifth official:Aden Marwa (Kenya)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Ghana
The two teams had met in three previous matches, including in the 2010 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Germany 1–0.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Ghana
After a goalless first half, Germany took the lead when Thomas Müller crossed from the right for Mario Götze, whose header went in off his thigh. Ghana equalised three minutes later, when André Ayew headed in Harrison Afful's cross from the right. Ghana then took the lead when Sulley Muntari intercepted the ball from Philipp Lahm, then slipped a through ball for Asamoah Gyan to score with his right foot. Just two minutes after coming on as a substitute, Miroslav Klose once again tied up the match, with a close-range finish after Benedikt Höwedes flicked on a corner from Toni Kroos.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Ghana
Klose's goal took his World Cup total to 15, equalling the record mark held by Brazil's Ronaldo. He also joined Pelé and Uwe Seeler as the only players to have scored in four World Cups. Gyan became the joint top African scorer in the World Cup (tied with Cameroon's Roger Milla) with five goals, and also the first African player to score in three World Cups. Just as in the 2010 meeting, Jérôme Boateng (Germany) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (Ghana) faced each other, the second time two brothers faced each other in a World Cup game.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Ghana
In the 52nd minute, a man with a Polish passport, identified as Leszek Ludomir, invaded the pitch shirtless, with letters and numbers painted on his chest and back. FIFA's official TV feed cut out the images. The man was approached in a calm and friendly manner by Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari, who quickly escorted him off the pitch, and he was then taken into custody by the stadium security. It was also quite surprising that no police were seen on the pitch in pursuit of the invader.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Germany vs Ghana
Assistant referees:Emerson De Carvalho (Brazil)Marcelo Van Gasse (Brazil)Fourth official:Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru)Fifth official:Rodney Aquino (Paraguay)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Portugal
The two teams had met in five previous matches, including in the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by the United States 3–2. Portugal defender Pepe was suspended for the match after his red card against Germany.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Portugal
Portugal took the lead within five minutes, when Geoff Cameron's mis-hit clearance fell to Nani and he scored from close range. Near the end of the first half, Nani's long-range shot hit the post, and American goalkeeper Tim Howard saved Éder's follow-up. In the second half, Michael Bradley had a shot cleared off the line by Ricardo Costa, but the United States eventually equalised through Jermaine Jones, as he curled in a right-foot shot in after a corner was cleared to him.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Portugal
The United States then took the lead, as Graham Zusi crossed for Clint Dempsey to score with his midriff. Had the United States held on for the win, they would have clinched a place in the knockout stage while eliminating Portugal at the same time, but in the fifth minute of injury time, Cristiano Ronaldo crossed for substitute Silvestre Varela to head in the equaliser and keep Portugal's qualification hopes alive.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Portugal
Varela's goal (94:33) was the latest World Cup goal scored in regulation time. In the 39th minute, the players took a short water break during an injury stoppage, but this was not considered an official "cooling break" as introduced by FIFA for this tournament.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Portugal
Assistant referees:Hernán Maidana (Argentina)Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)Fourth official:Wálter López (Guatemala)Fifth official:Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Germany
The two teams had met in nine previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup, both won by Germany (1998, group stage: 2–0; 2002, quarter-finals: 1–0). The match featured two German coaches, Jürgen Klinsmann and Joachim Löw, facing each other. United States coach Klinsmann played in three World Cups for Germany (he scored the second goal in the 1998 match against the United States), and also managed them in 2006 with Löw as his assistant, who succeeded him after the World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Germany
Both teams came into this match needing only one point to qualify for the knockout stage. The only goal of the match was scored by Thomas Müller in the 55th minute, who slotted in the rebound with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area after American goalkeeper Tim Howard parried out Per Mertesacker's header.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Germany
With the win, Germany qualified as group winners, while the United States also qualified despite the loss as Portugal's 2–1 win over Ghana at the same time ensured that the Americans finished as group runners-up above the Portuguese on goal difference, meaning that they reached the knockout stage of consecutive World Cups for the first time. This was the first match of the tournament where Bastian Schweinsteiger was included in the starting lineup and the last match where Lukas Podolski saw any time on the pitch.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Germany
With Costa Rica and Mexico also reaching the knockout stage earlier, this was the first time there were three CONCACAF teams in the knockout stage of a World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, United States vs Germany
Assistant referees:Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)Fourth official:Néant Alioum (Cameroon)Fifth official:Djibril Camara (Senegal)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Portugal vs Ghana
The two teams had never met before. Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari was suspended for the match due to accumulation of yellow cards. However, along with fellow midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, Muntari was indefinitely suspended from the team for disciplinary reasons by the Ghana Football Association before the match.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Portugal vs Ghana
Both teams came into the match knowing that to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stage, they had to win while hoping that the United States vs Germany match, played at the same time, did not end in a draw. Portugal took the lead in the first half, when John Boye deflected in Miguel Veloso's cross with his knee for an own goal. Asamoah Gyan equalised for Ghana in the second half, heading in Kwadwo Asamoah's outside of the foot cross from the left.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Portugal vs Ghana
Cristiano Ronaldo scored Portugal's game winner in the 80th minute, after Ghana goalkeeper Fatau Dauda palmed the ball to him in the penalty area after a cross from the left. Despite the win and Germany's win over the United States, Portugal finished behind the United States on goal difference, and were eliminated together with Ghana, which failed to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their three campaigns.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Portugal vs Ghana
Gyan's goal was his sixth in the World Cup, passing the tally of Roger Milla as the top African goalscorer in the World Cup. Ronaldo's goal made him the first Portuguese player to score in three World Cups.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group G, Matches, Portugal vs Ghana
Assistant referees:Yaser Tulerat (Bahrain)Ebrahim Saleh (Bahrain)Fourth official:Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)Fifth official:Eduardo Díaz (Colombia)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H
Group H of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea. Play began on 17 June and ended on 26 June 2014. The top two teams, Belgium and Algeria, advanced to the round of 16.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Algeria
The two teams had met in two previous matches, both friendlies, most recently in 2003, won 3–1 by Belgium.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Algeria
Algeria took a one-goal lead in the first half after Sofiane Feghouli converted a penalty kick, awarded for a foul on him by Jan Vertonghen. Belgium came back with two goals in the second half, both scored by substitutes. The equaliser was scored by Marouane Fellaini, heading in a cross from the left by Kevin De Bruyne, followed by the game winner scored by Dries Mertens from a pass by Eden Hazard.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Algeria
Feghouli's goal snapped Algeria's 506-minute World Cup scoreless streak stretching back to 1986, second place at the time to the record of 517 minutes between 1930 and 1990 held by Bolivia.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Algeria
Assistant referees:Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)Marcos Quintero (Mexico)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Russia vs South Korea
The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 2013.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Russia vs South Korea
After a goalless first half, the two teams traded goals by substitutes in the second half as the match finished 1–1. First, Han Kook-young passed to Lee Keun-ho, and his long range shot was spilled by Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev into the net. Russia equalised after Alan Dzagoev's shot was parried by South Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong, the clearance hit Andrey Yeshchenko, and Aleksandr Kerzhakov scored from close range.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Russia vs South Korea
Assistant referees:Hernán Maidana (Argentina)Juan Pablo Belatti (Argentina)Fourth official:Roberto Moreno (Panama)Fifth official:Eric Boria (United States)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Russia
The two teams had met in eight previous matches (including matches involving the Soviet Union), including four in the FIFA World Cup (1970, group stage: Belgium 1–4 Soviet Union; 1982, second group stage: Belgium 0–1 Soviet Union; 1986, round of 16: Belgium 4–3 (aet) Soviet Union; 2002, group stage: Belgium 3–2 Russia).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Russia
Aleksandr Kokorin had Russia's best chance in the first half, heading wide from six yards. Late in the second half, Belgian substitute Kevin Mirallas hit the post with his free kick, but Belgium did find the game-winner through another substitute, Divock Origi scoring from 8 yards out after Eden Hazard's cut-back from the left. This victory sent Belgium into the knockout stage.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Belgium vs Russia
Assistant referees:Mark Borsch (Germany)Stefan Lupp (Germany)Fourth official:Carlos Vera (Ecuador)Fifth official:Byron Romero (Ecuador)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Algeria
The two teams had met in two previous matches, both in friendlies both in 1985.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Algeria
Algeria, who needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, scored three goals in the first half to take a comfortable lead. First, Islam Slimani sped past two South Korean defenders to receive Carl Medjani's long pass and slot home with his left foot past the advancing goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Rafik Halliche headed in Abdelmoumene Djabou's corner from the left. Djabou scored himself later after he received a pass from Slimani, shooting low with his left foot from twelve yards out.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Algeria
Early in the second half, Son Heung-min controlled a long pass from Ki Sung-yueng to shoot with his left foot between the goalkeeper's legs and reduce the deficit, but Yacine Brahimi restored Algeria's three-goal lead after a one-two with Sofiane Feghouli to side foot home from inside the penalty area with his right foot. Koo Ja-cheol scored South Korea's second goal after a pass from Lee Keun-ho from the left, but Algeria held on for its third ever World Cup victory, but its first since 24 June 1982.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Algeria
Algeria became the first African team to score four goals in a World Cup match.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Algeria
Assistant referees:Eduardo Díaz (Colombia)Christian Lescano (Ecuador)Fourth official:Alireza Faghani (Iran)Fifth official:Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Belgium
The two teams had met in three previous matches, including twice in the FIFA World Cup group stage (1990: South Korea 0–2 Belgium; 1998: South Korea 1–1 Belgium).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Belgium
Belgium, who had already qualified for the knockout stage and would win the group if either South Korea did not win this match, or Algeria didn’t beat Russia in the other simultaneous match, had Steven Defour sent off for a reckless tackle on Kim Shin-wook at the end of the first half. Belgium scored the only goal of the match in the second half, when substitute Divock Origi's shot was parried by South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu and Jan Vertonghen converted the rebound with his left foot.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Belgium
Belgium's win ensured that they topped their group, while South Korea, who had to win by two goals to have any chance for qualification to the knockout stage, were eliminated.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Belgium
South Korea's elimination meant that all four Asian representatives finished bottom of their group with a combined record of zero wins, three draws and nine defeats, the worst showing by the Asian Football Confederation since the 1990 World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, South Korea vs Belgium
Assistant referees:Matthew Cream (Australia)Hakan Anaz (Australia)Fourth official:Víctor Hugo Carrillo (Peru)Fifth official:Rodney Aquino (Paraguay)


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
The two teams had met in three previous matches (only involving matches during the time period of the Soviet Union).


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
Aleksandr Kokorin opened the scoring for Russia, who had to win to have chance of qualifying for the knockout stage, in the 6th minute when he scored with a header after a cross from Dmitri Kombarov from the left. Algeria equalised in the 60th minute when Islam Slimani scored with a header at the back post after a free kick from the left by Yacine Brahimi was missed by Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
Algeria held on for the draw, and as South Korea lost to Belgium in the other match played at the same time, Algeria finished as group runners-up and reached the second round for the first time in their history (after unsuccessful campaigns in 1982, 1986, and 2010), while Russia failed to advance out of the group stage in all three tournaments since the break-up of the Soviet Union.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
For Algeria's goal, television replays showed that Akinfeev had a green laser light shining in his face during the play. After the match the Algerian Football Federation was fined 50,000 CHF by FIFA for the use of laser pointers, a prohibited item in the stadium according to FIFA Stadium Safety and Security Regulations, and other violations of the rules by Algerian fans.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
With fellow African representative Nigeria also reaching the knockout stage earlier, this was the first time that there were two teams from the Confederation of African Football in the knockout stage of a World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup Group H, Matches, Algeria vs Russia
Assistant referees:Bahattin Duran (Turkey)Tarık Ongun (Turkey)Fourth official:Joel Aguilar (El Salvador)Fifth official:Juan Zumba (El Salvador)


2014 FIFA World Cup awards
The following article outlines the awards for the 2014 FIFA World Cup played in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014. The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament:


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Golden Ball
The adidas Golden Ball is given to the outstanding player at the FIFA World Cup. The players who finish second and third are given the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball respectively.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Golden Ball
On 11 July 2014, the FIFA Technical Study Group announced the ten-player shortlist for the Golden Ball award.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Golden Boot
The adidas Golden Boot is given to the top goalscorer at the FIFA World Cup. If two or more players are tied on goals, the ranking is decided by the number of assists. If still tied, the players who played the least minutes are ranked first. The players who finish second and third are given the Silver Boot and Bronze Boot respectively.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Golden Glove
The adidas Golden Glove is given to the most outstanding goalkeeper at the FIFA World Cup.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Golden Glove
On 11 July 2014, the FIFA Technical Study Group announced the three-player shortlist for the Golden Glove award.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Best Young Player
The Hyundai Young Player Award is given to the most outstanding young player at the FIFA World Cup. Players must be at most 21 years old to receive the award; for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, they must be born on or after 1 January 1993.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Best Young Player
On 11 July 2014, the FIFA Technical Study Group announced the three-player shortlist for the Young Player award.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, FIFA Fair Play Trophy
The FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team with the tournament's best disciplinary record. Only teams that reach the knockout phase are eligible.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Man of the Match
The Budweiser Man of the Match was given to the best player of each match after the match. It was decided by popular voting online, through FIFA's website, Twitter, and FIFA's mobile phone application.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, All-Star Team
The Castrol Index that evaluated player performances through statistical data finished with the following players leading each position (Toni Kroos was the overall leader):


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, All-Star Team, Dream Team
The Dream Team consisted of the following players, with a substitute for each position.


2014 FIFA World Cup awards, Prize money
The total prize money on offer for the tournament was confirmed by FIFA as US$576 million (including payments of US$70 million to domestic clubs), a 37 percent increase from the amount allocated in the 2010 tournament. Before the tournament, each of the 32 entrants received US$1.5 million for preparation costs. At the tournament, the prize money was distributed as follows: