World Cup 2014: Match Day 4

The upset of the tournament so far took place yesterday, and my picks took another hit as Costa Rica knocked off Uruguay 3-1 in Group D. Uruguay were forced to bring in Luis Suarez but that still wasn't enough to come back as they dropped three points and picked up the first red card of the tournament. 

Italy proved the experience trumps youth in their duel against England at Manaus with Mario Balotelli opening his account for the game winning goal. Ivory Coast turned up the heat in the second half to come back and beat Japan 2-1 after Didier Drogba came off the bench.

Today marks the debut of the renovated Maracana stadium as Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina open play in Rio de Janeiro. The great Lionel Messi will look to begin his quest for a first World Cup title under loads of pressure from his home country and the football fans across the world. Don't sleep on this Bosnia-Herzegovina team though, as they are a group of quality footballers led by the dangerous Eden Dzeko, and could prove to be a surprise contender to make it into the next round. 

The South Americans look to continue their good form in their home continent today as Ecuador takes on Switzerland in the Brazilian capital city, Brasilia. We may even see another big upset today by a CONCACAF team if Honduras can outpace France in their match at Porto Alegre, the most southern stadium in the tournament. 

Today's Games:

Switzerland vs. Ecuador, 9:00 PST Brasilia 

France vs. Honduras, 12:00 PST Porto Alegre

Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 15:00 PST Rio de Janeiro 

My Picks:

Ecuador

France

Argentina

My Record:

5 out of 8, 63%

World Cup 2014: Match Day 3

What a day of football it was yesterday! The champions were absolutely slammed by the Dutch, 5-1 behind braces from Van Persie and Robben. Spain's tici-taca style could not produce goals and left them vulnerable to the quick counterattack, while Iker Casillas had his most forgettable performance yet.

Chile and Mexico won their games, despite some more controversial referee decisions. Mexico had two valid goals taken back by incorrectly called offside decisions. Giovanni Dos Santos put forth a beautiful, hard working performance for El Tri to help win three points while it was Alexis Sanchez that played some inspired football to lead Chile past Australia.

Today, there are four matches taking place throughout beautiful Brazil. First, Columbia take on Greece, followed by Uruguay against Costa Rica. In the afternoon, the marquee match takes place pitting England against Italy. Japan and Ivory Coast wrap up Match Day three in Recife.

Both South American teams are favored today, with Uruguay leaving Luis Suarez on the bench to save him for games against England and Italy. Japan and Ivory Coast will be an interesting watch as both teams are known for fast paced, gritty football. All eyes will look to see if Balotelli and Pirlo can lead the Azzurri past England, as the two European powerhouses battle for position in Group D. This will be Pirlo's last hurrah as he has announced his retirement from international soccer following this World Cup campaign. Look for England to impress with fast football and their spirited youth, despite the extreme humidity in Manaus.

Today's Games:
Columbia vs. Greece, 9:00 am Belo Horizonte
Uruguay vs. Costa Rica, 12:00 pm Fortaleza
England vs. Italy, 2:30 pm Manaus
Japan vs. Ivory Coast, 5:00 pm Recife

My Picks:
Columbia
Uruguay
Italy
Japan


My Record of Picks So Far: 
3 out of 4 - 75%