The stage will be the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza, the participants, Brazil and Colombia. When Neymer and his Brazilian counterparts take the field on Friday the 4th of July, they will be meeting the toughest opponent that they have yet to face. Colombia has been without a doubt the best team in the tournament thus far. The Brazilians on the other hand despite winning three out of four games (one of those on penalty kicks), haven’ looked like the team many were expecting.
After a few concerns throughout the week, it was recently announced to the delight of many, that Neymar will be fit to play against Colombia. And they will need him to be at the top of his game as he has been one of the few Brazilians who has lived up to what people were expecting. After almost bowing out of the tournament early the Brazilians, thanks in part to Julio Cesar, survived a major scare from Chile.
Expect A Selecao to come out more aggressive on both ends of the pitch. Throughout the tournament, they have lacked the intensity that many were expecting to see. Luiz Felipe Scolari was quoted earlier this week saying, “We’re being too nice, too cordial with our opponents. We can’t be laid back every day. It’s time for a change - I can’t hold it in any more. It’s time we defended a little differently, to go back to my style, which is more aggressive.” Something within the Brazilian camp needs to change if they want to have a shot at beating a team who as it stands right now, could arguably be the favorite to win the entire tournament.
Colombia has been absolutely perfect in every single one of their matches. They dispatched Uruguay in the Round of 16 and have consistently grown in confidence throughout the tournament. A big part of their success has to be due to a certain man named James Rodriguez. The 22-year old AS Monaco midfielder (who had time to snap a picture with his biggest fan) has captivated the entire world with his sublime ability.
Colombia has talent littered all over the pitch, from Mario Yepes in back, to Juan Cuadrado on the wing, to Jackson Martinez up front. Despite the overwhelming skill on the Colombia side, the main concern for the Brazilians is shutting down Rodriguez. Midfielder Fernandinho was even quoted as saying, “Already in that game he showed his technical quality with his left foot. In this World Cup he is showing everyone that the money Monaco paid for him was well invested. The less space he gets against us, the better it will be for Brazil.”
The game will kick off at 4 PM EST and can be seen on ESPN and Univision. Luckily enough most people in America will have the day off and will be able to watch it on TV. But if that is not the case and you will not be able to view to one, don’t worry WatchESPN has been streaming all games live directly from here. You can also live stream the game in Spanish here. This is not a game you will want to miss. Be sure to check in as Los Cafeteros will be giving A Selecao a definite run for their money. Enjoy!
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