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.

Mexico Futbol Director Defends Indefensible Racist Chants

((HT: ESPN))

Earlier today, ESPN's John Sutcliffe interviewed Team Mexico's Director of National Teams Hector Gonzalez about the FIFA investigation of racist chants raining down from fans of El Tri in the Cameroon match.

The investigation centers around the use of the word "puto" - a gay slur that you'll have to look up yourself.

Gonzalez actually defended its use in stadia


Not to be outdone, team coach Miguel Herrera agreed- to ESPN:

"About the chants, we don't have anything to say, we are going to concentrate in working hard, that is what corresponds to us," Herrera said. "We support our fan base. They just do it to put pressure on the other goalkeeper.

"That chant was invented in the Mexican league by one team and all the Mexican fan base has adopted it, therefore I don't think it is something that serious.

"I think for us there is more important stuff to solve than a chant that is just an expression to put pressure on the other goalkeeper that has been taking place in Mexico since a long time ago."

The Mexican Federation is ultimately responsible for fan behavior and it looks like FIFA may come down hard if they can prove the words were used.

Or, to be more accurate, if FIFA want to find the evidence...