Switzerland 2 (Dzemaili 81′ Xhaka 86') France 5 (Giroud 17' Matuidi 18', Valbuena 40', Benzema 66', Sissoko 72') - FT
France lay down their World Cup credentials with an impressive victory
Switzerland get two stunning late consolation goals from Dzemaili and Xhaka
Italy 0 Costa Rica 1 (Ruiz) FT
Now Italy will be forced to play for its own life. They take on Uruguay in their final group match. Both have three points but because of a better goal differential Italy only have to tie Uruguay.
The way the Italians played against Costa Rica, that’s hardly a given. While Italy was dreadful, full marks for Costa Rica. They’ve spent days listening to how their 3-1 win over Uruguay was a fluke.
They went out and never stopped working. They pressured Italy and threw a blanket over them defensively and were full value for the win.
Mind you, that was easy considering Italy looked to be wearing concrete shoes.
With the win over Italy, they proved they have more substance than anyone gives them credit for. They can win the group outright with at least one point against England. They could also finish second with a loss depending on goal differential.
It is the first time a CONCACAF team has beaten Italy in a World Cup game.
All anyone has heard about for the past three days is how Italy was not going to take Costa Rica lightly. Nope, no way! They beat Uruguay 3-1 and we learned from that that no team can be underestimated and on and on.
Italy then went out and took Costa Rica lightly.
Italy looked as if they just gotten off the bus and stepped on the field with their street shoes on.
They had no emotion, no push, no energy and no clue what they were doing.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica just put their heads down and worked and was rewarded.
Late in the first half Costa Rica had a legitimate complaint for a penalty when Giorgio Chiellini -- after giving away the ball in his own end -- bundled over Costa Rica’s Joel Campell. It should have been a penalty.
https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/07108C347F1091813212078612480_2063efaaec4.0.3.13930246009753819418.mp4?versionId=A3PzhviuoTLiLC4S7iZqoRR.bSP0If1X
But with one minute left in the half, Costa Rica got the reward it deserved. A great cross found Chiellini dreaming again, allowing Bryan Ruiz to head the ball off the crossbar and just over the line.
It was just another mistake in a day of mistakes for Chiellini and the Italians.
That goal was the story. After that goal Italy could have played for a week without scoring.
Costa Rica’s defending was terrific but Italy’s lack of movement was shocking.
Italian coach Cesare Prandelli tried everything to get some sort of life in his team. By the end of the game he was using four strikers. They were all mesmerizingly bad.
Italy could have been in the driver’s seat with a win. Instead this loss will go down with the likes of Italy’s loss to North Korea in 1966, a loss that stunned Italian soccer.
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