Costa Rica dumps England with Italy win
Costa Rica does it again. With a gritty performance and a clear strategy that they executed for perfection, los Ticos have gone clear on top of one of the tournament’s most difficult groups and guaranteed themselves a spot in the knock-out rounds.
In a group with Italy, England and Uruguay, it would have been considered folly to predict that Costa Rica would be on top of the bracket after two matches, but there it is.
The Italians suffered from poor passing, lack of imagination and simply a lack of will. They were caught offside 11 times, evidence of their failure to adjust and adapt.
The first half ended with what appears to have been a blown call by the referee, who did not grant a penalty after the Costa Rican forward, Campbell, was taken down in the box. But only moments later, Ruiz rose to meet a lovely cross from Diaz to put his team ahead.
The Azzurri started the second half with a bit more energy but then faded once again.
The Costa Ricans were able to neutralize Pirlo in the midfield. The Italian playmaker was never given time or space to create and was essentially taken out of the match.
And it was not just the Italians who suffered.
English fans around the world had been counting on Italy to keep their hopes alive. This was not the result they wanted but it was a deserved outcome for the Costa Rican squad, who continue to impress.
Les Bleus run rampant in seven goal thriller
Despite missing a penalty, Didier Deschamps' men rolled over Ottmar Hitzfeld's side to pick up a second win in the World Cup.
France produced a scintillating display to rout a sorry Switzerland side 5-2 and all but secure a second-round spot at the World Cup.
Switzerland - who beat Ecuador 2-1 in their first pool match - were stunned by two goals in as many first-half minutes, first Giroud crashing a header past Diego Benaglio, before the goalkeeper was beaten easily by Matuidi's shot.
And Giroud was in the thick of the action again when he put France ahead in the 17th minute.
The Arsenal striker leapt highest to thump Valbuena's corner past Benaglio who, despite getting a full hand to the ball, could not keep the effort out.
Just a minute later France took complete control.
Benzema pounced on Valon Behrami's poor pass before playing in Matuidi on the left of the box and he side-footed past Benaglio at the near-post, the goalkeeper perhaps beaten too easily.France missed the chance to extend the lead in the 33rd minute when referee Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot after Johan Djourou recklessly felled Benzema.
However, Benaglio dived to his right to keep out Benzema's spot-kick before Yohan Cabaye inexplicably volleyed the rebound against the crossbar.
But France did get a third just five minutes before the break.
Raphael Varane brought the ball away following a Swiss corner before producing an exquisite pass that sent Giroud free down the left and he in turn laid the ball across goal for Valbuena, who could not miss from inside the six-yard box.
Switzerland showed more intent after the break, but were restricted to long shots.
Despite the improvement, France had a fourth when substitute Paul Pogba's fine ball with the outside of his boot was swept home by Benzema, Philippe Senderos not helping his side with a poor attempted clearance.
France made it five just six minutes later, Benzema once again involved as he laid on for Sissoko to drill home from the right side of the box.
Dzemaili pulled a goal back with a low 30-yard strike in the 81st minute, before Xhaka added further respectability to the scores when he met Gokhan Inler's chipped pass with a superb guided volley, but it was too little too late.
Benzema was denied a stunning late sixth as the whistle had gone before his first-time strike from the edge of the box had hit the back of the net, much to the Real Madrid forward's annoyance.
France are now on the brink of the last 16 having taken a maximum six points, while Switzerland still have work to do in their final pool encounter with Honduras.
Ecuador stays alive thanks to Valencia's brace
The opening 15 minutes in Curitiba was like watching 22 kids at a birthday party, minutes after eating the cake. The two teams were racing back and forth, up and down the pitch as Ecuador tried to score, and Honduras spent a bit too much time just kicking people.
So it was that in the 30th minute, Honduras scored.
Costly was happy to take advantage of the error, racing forward and unleashing a low shot that eluded Alexander DomÃnguez to give Honduras a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, Enner Valencia got a second chance to get Ecuador on the goal sheet, and he didn't waste the opportunity.
Juan Carlos Paredes beat Roger Espinoza off the dribble on the edge of the Honduras box and uncorked a shot that was deflected by Jorge Claros.
Somehow the ball managed to roll across the face of goal and right to Valencia, who was the only player from either team to react. The striker got a foot to the ball near the far post, poking it past Noel Valladares to even the match at 1-1.
In the 65th minute Enner Valencia put Ecuador in front on a set piece, blasting a short-range header past Valladares.
Ecuador moves on for a matchup against France with a chance to advance to the Round of 16, while Honduras is all but eliminated from contention.
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