Sunday From Brazil: Dutch Come Back On El Tri, Ticos Advance to Quarters

((HT: ESPN/FIFA))

It will be one of those questions for the Dutch, now, moving forward...

Did it galvanize you or did it take too much out of you...???

Mexico had their way with the Oranje for 80 minutes or so, but head coach Louis Van Gaal made a van Persie substitution count for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for the conversion of a late PK and a 2-1 stoppage time win to advance to the final 8.

And, yes, Arjen Robben flopped for the avail on the penalty kick
Here's the analysis


And it appears that Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera would like to blame the officials for calling the Robben dive


Univision should sign Herrera for the remainder of the tournament as an analyst right now...

In the night cap, Costa Rica had the lead and was fighting off an anemic Greece offense for 20-plus minutes before a late equalizer and penalty kicks themselves. Navas came up big in net and Costa Rica advances to their first quarterfinal ever.

The whole idea of him being off his line is out the window, apparently...
All that effort from Costa Rica as they were a man down...

Mexico Advances Over Croatia: Herrera Smash...

((HT: ESPN/FIFA))

Mexico has had to do it the hard way for this trip to Brazil. It all started with having to qualify against New Zealand in a home-and-home just to even get in the door.

And the surprise of the tournament- outside of Costa Rica (or CONCACAF in general)- has been El Tri.

They took care of business earlier today- beating Croatia to move to the Knockout stages


But the sight of the day was current head coach Miguel Herrera and his reaction on the sidelines as his team's fate was incrementally sealed...
((HT: Goooooal's Vine))


And here...


But just think if the two calls in the second half that were not called for Mexico led to a loss...

All hell would have broken loose and the stadium would not be standing.

And The Soccer Officials Are Consistent- 2 Games, 2 Bad Calls (UPDATED: Maybe Three)

((HT: ESPN/FIFA))

Cameroon and El Tri are playing in a downpour in Natal to start Day 2 of the games in Brazil...

And we have another instance of an official missing a call- completely...

9th Minute and Giovani dos Santos gets robbed on an offsides call


Cameroon may have been just as robbed in the 20's with some pinball action in the Mexico box, but the first half is more Cameroon trying to drop nine and take advantage of set plays while Mexico looks like they're pressing...

And it appears that a call in the 30th minute, fans of El Tri had another chance to yell off a corner kick and goal that was disallowed as well with dos Santos in the box...

Here's Clay's Vine on that one


Should make for an interesting second half...

Would El Tri Do What The USMNT Did Last Night...???

Conventional wisdom says "no..."

For about a 45-minute window last night, CONCACAF was back-and-forth flipworthy television...

Considering what needed to happen for the play-in game in New Zealand with the US, Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica going at it, the ending was nothing short of the 2012 Premier League finish...

To recap, Costa Rica and the US were in to head to Rio for the world title games in 2014. But in the last part of the round robin, the play-in spot was in play...

Here's what the US did to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with a "B" team squad that really didn't need to prove anything...
((HT: beINSport))


Now, Mexico travels to New Zealand, but will have to play without Chichirito on yellow accumulation...