Lions braced for Latin test June 10, 2014 Roy Hodgson’s team face tricky path to knockout stage ITALY THE FOUR-TIME winners were unsurprisingly unbeaten in qualifying, boasting goals throughout the team and a frightening front two of Mario Balotelli and Serie A top scorer Ciro Immobile. Seeming ever-presents Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo are back to terrify England, though their focus this year [...]
Group exit looms, predict statisticians June 10, 2014 OPTIMISTIC England fans look away now: the Three Lions only have a four per cent chance of winning the World Cup this summer, according to number-crunching experts. Roy Hodgson’s men are most likely to exit the tournament at the group stage, while Wayne Rooney is the man set to be at the centre of all [...]
Now is the time for Argentina to deliver June 10, 2014 BRAZIL haven’t lost a competitive game on home soil since 1975 and are warm market leaders for the World Cup. Luis Felipe Scolari has consistently proved he is one of the best international managers in the game and he’ll be bidding to become the first man since Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo (1934 and 1938) to win [...]
Chile best of the outsiders with golden boot wide open June 10, 2014 GROUP B is arguably more competitive than even England’s so-called group of death with Spain, Chile and Holland all classy teams on their day. CHILE play a fearless game and I expect them to be gung-ho no matter who they are playing. Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal is one of the most complete players in the [...]
Holland look poor value to progress June 10, 2014 I’M NOT in the camp that believes Spain are finished as a world force. There were signs in the Confederations Cup that they were faltering, but a team that hasn’t conceded a goal in a knock-out game since 2006 shouldn’t be dismissed lightly. They’ll have to overcome the old stat that no European side has [...]
France a fantastique bet to be top European team June 10, 2014 World Cup winners in 1998, France were then unceremoniously dumped out of the group stages in 2002, only to reach the final in 2006, followed by another damp squib exit in 2010. If patterns are anything to go by, 2014 could be a good year for France. Even beyond meaningless coincidence, there is plenty to [...]
Neighbours pose main threat to a home win June 10, 2014 ALL four previous World Cups in South America have been won by teams from the host continent, which goes some way to explaining why Brazil and Argentina are red-hot favourites. Spearheading the European challenge will be ever-improving Germany, while holders Spain, bidding to win an unprecedented fourth international tournament in a row, will also hope [...]
World cup predictions June 10, 2014 TREVOR STEVEN Former England international and City A.M. football columnist WINNERS Brazil RUNNERS-UP Argentina ENGLAND Quarter-finalists GOLDEN BOOT Fred (Brazil) ALAN SHEARER Ex-England captain and top scorer at Euro 96 WINNERS Brazil RUNNERS-UP Spain ENGLAND Quarter-finalists GOLDEN BOOT Neymar (Brazil) FRANK DALLERES City A.M. Sports Editor WINNERS Brazil RUNNERS-UP Spain ENGLAND Quarter-finalists GOLDEN BOOT Cristiano [...]
Sterling set to start after Welbeck is hit by injury June 10, 2014 WINGER Danny Welbeck last night emerged as a major doubt for England’s World Cup opener with Italy on Saturday, after limping out of yesterday’s training session clutching his thigh, leaving Raheem Sterling on standby to take his place. Welbeck earned his 24th England cap in Saturday’s goalless draw with Honduras and had been expected to [...]
World Cup in brief June 10, 2014 Scolari’s nephew dies in car crash THE NEPHEW of Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has been killed in a car accident, local police say. The former Chelsea boss took training as normal yesterday, but could miss today’s pre-match press conference in order to be with his family. Costa gives Spain fitness boost SPAIN striker Diego [...]