USA: Bring on the heat!

sport24.co.za ^ | June 11, 2014 | sport24

[Berlin_Freeper]

"When you talk about playing in the heat, the travel, it doesn't bother us," midfielder Michael Bradley said Tuesday. "And not only does it not bother us, it excites us to see that now the other teams are so worried about it."

[Berlin_Freeper]

Bring

It!

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Floods hit World Cup host city

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ESPN won't be dumbing down the World Cup for prime time
“20 years ago people were asking me to explain the offside rule while on-air,” Darke said. “I wouldn’t even dream of doing that now – the audience now is pretty educated about the game and it would be an insult to their intelligence.”

offside rule
http://lexingtonunited.org/exercises/Understanding%20FIFA%20Law%2011.pdf

[Berlin_Freeper]

How to Understand Offside in Soccer

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Ronaldo Impresses On Return
Cristiano Ronaldo starred on his return from a knee injury as Portugal crushed the Republic of Ireland 5-1 in New Jersey.

Ronaldo played 65 minutes of his country's final World Cup friendly after missing a couple of games amid fears he might not be fully fit for the start of the tournament in Brazil.

Raul Meireles also returned to the side after injury, giving coach Paulo Bento a full squad to choose from for the first time in the build-up to their tough Group G campaign against Germany, Ghana and the United States.

[Berlin_Freeper]

▶ Portugal vs Ireland 5-1 - All goals ~ Friendly Match 2014 - YouTube

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Is this the first World Cup that MLS will have a major impact on?
For just the second time in the league’s 18-year history, MLS will take a two-week break for the World Cup. That in itself is an indication of growth. There are simply too many MLS players in Brazil this summer for play to continue as normal.

Out of over 700 players selected for the 2010 World Cup, only six came from MLS. Just four years later, MLS will have no less than 21 players at the biggest sporting event on earth.

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Top ten World Cup goals of all time

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At 2014 World Cup, injuries to stars are getting painful
From France’s Franck Ribery to Colombia’s Radamel Falcao, from Germany’s Marco Reus to Kevin Strootman of the Netherlands, several prominent figures have been lost to injuries.

Welbeck A Concern For England
If Welbeck misses that match it would mean a reshuffle of England's likely front four, with Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley among those who could be considered by manager Roy Hodgson as a replacement.

Sterling was not involved in the 0-0 draw with Honduras in Miami on Saturday as he was serving a one-match ban for his sending-off against Ecuador.

Hodgson will almost certainly be without Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is more likely to be available for England's second match against Uruguay on June 19.

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Superstar statistician Nate Silver

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FiveThirtyEight’s World Cup Predictions

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World Cup to help fast-food orders go up by a quarter in Romania
“According to foodpanda’s information, the top three most ordered products in evenings with important matches, such as the Champions League or Europa League finals, were, in this order, pizza, Chinese food and fast-food, especially shaorma,” reads a statement of foodpanda.

shaorma (Doner kebab)

[Berlin_Freeper]

Brazilian truffles, perfect treat for World Cup parties
The Brigadeiro is a country favorite, and sold in many shops. It is a sweet treat that is easy to make, consists of three ingredients, four if you coat the balls, and requires a little hands-on effort.

[Berlin_Freeper]

▶ Scarlett's Roses - Roll On Rio (World Cup 2014) - YouTube

[cartan]

“20 years ago people were asking me to explain the offside rule while on-air,” Darke said. “I wouldn’t even dream of doing that now—the audience now is pretty educated about the game and it would be an insult to their intelligence.”

Try them. Whenever I have tried to make some casual watcher explain the offside rule to me, they got it wrong.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Thanks Ken:
Predict how you think the Cup will shake out before each major round and invite friends to play along.

[Berlin_Freeper]

We need offside technology.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Rik Mayall: Fans campaign for World Cup song to reach No.1

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I am brazuca.

[Berlin_Freeper]

The Best Sports Team in the World That’s No Longer a Country
Bosnia and Herzegovina makes its maiden voyage to the World Cup this summer, and Croatia will be playing in its fourth tournament, but the memories of Yugoslavia—and the what-if questions—have yet to fade away.