Luis Suarez: What next for troubled Liverpool striker?

bbc.com ^ | 26 June 2014 | McNulty

[Berlin_Freeper]

The shockwaves will have been felt from the Maracana in Rio, to Melwood back in Liverpool, as Luis Suarez received a four-month ban from all football-related activity and was suspended for Uruguay's next nine matches.

Uruguay's talisman has been removed from their World Cup reckoning for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini and Liverpool will be without arguably the Premier League's finest player until November.

Fifa needed to act swiftly and decisively and has done so on an unprecedented scale at a World Cup.

[nickcarraway]

Since he got a slap on the wrist, I bet there is more biting in his future. He was punished less for this bite, than his last one. (9 vs. 10 games)

[Berlin_Freeper]

“Luis, we are with you:”

"It was the best I saw in my career."

‘Finger of God’.

[Berlin_Freeper]

U.S. soccer advances to World Cup knockout stage despite loss to Germany
They lost the game, 1-0, but won the right to remain at soccer’s quadrennial jamboree by virtue of a superior goal differential over Portugal in Group G, the so-called Group of Death.

[BeadCounter]

A lot of people say “professional help” is what the guy needs.

[BeadCounter]

“World Cup 2014: Fabio Capello unhappy as laser shone at keeper

Russia coach Fabio Capello was unhappy a laser was shone in goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev’s face during his side’s World Cup game against Algeria.”

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28051540

[Berlin_Freeper]

The star goalkeeper for the U.S. national team is a tough-as-nails 35-year-old Jersey native who is the very definition of American badass.

Podolski praises US fighting spirit
"They (the US) should be happy to finish second and get through to the next round," Podolski said.

"This is a great victory for the US. Most people predicted Germany and Portugal to finish first and second. But the US showed a lot of fight and with this kind of football they have managed to (progress).

Thomas Müller hailed as ‘remarkable’ after Germany winner
• Klinsmann praises forward who is on target for Golden boot
• USA coach jubilant after escaping Group of Death despite loss

“There isn’t a team in the world that wouldn’t like to have Thomas Müller on its side,” Klinsmann said. “He is a remarkable player.” Löw praised the striker’s fitness and work rate as well as his finishing ability. “He is mentally strong, a very smart player who always seems able to find space, but physically he is in great shape as well. He is the one who runs the most kilometres but he makes it look easy, even the heat doesn’t seem to affect him.”

[Berlin_Freeper]

Someone needs to knock his teeth out.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Mon 5:22 PM - Howard, Ochoa or Romero? Choose your save of the World Cup so far

[Berlin_Freeper]

nephew broke a broom over Solo's head

[Reaganez]

Being banned from the World Cup when your team is in the knockout stages, from Copa America and the first four months of the Premier League is not a slap on the wrist.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Goals and controversy all adding up to possibly the greatest World Cup of my lifetime
Which bright spark invented the World Cup rest day? Who wants 24 hours off from the Greatest Show On Earth?

That’s like taking a smoke break during a lap dance. Not that I’d know – I Googled it.

At least it gives us an opportune moment to take stock on a World Cup that has harped back to a bygone era.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Ronaldo Upstaged by Messi Once Again at World Cup
Coming off his most successful season at club level, this was supposed to be the World Cup where Cristiano Ronaldo underlined his new-found superiority over great rival Lionel Messi and his status as the game's best player.

It hasn't quite worked out that way.

▶ Nike Football: Risk Everything. Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney - YouTube

Europe's giants only have themselves to blame for World Cup exit
The Americas have dominated the World Cup in Brazil but the likes of Spain, Italy & England executed their pre-tournament plans badly and paid the price

[Berlin_Freeper]

Our match-prediction algorithm gives the U.S. about a 42 percent chance of winning a knockout-stage game against Belgium based on each team’s SPI rating as of Thursday morning. (The U.S. would be 59 percent favorites against Algeria.) Here’s how those probabilities look for a knockout match between the U.S. and all remaining teams in the World Cup:

[nickcarraway]

That’s crazy. Do you think for a second they could let him play another game in this World Cup after he bit another player. (For the third time!) Slap on the wrist!

[Berlin_Freeper]

Belgium defeats South Korea, will face U.S. in round of 16
Belgium lived on the edge in each match but advanced to face the U.S. in the World Cup knockout round on the backs of its substitutes.

Late goals by reserves powered Belgium past Algeria and Russia. Then a Jan Vertonghen goal against South Korea on Thursday gave the Belgians a 1-0 victory and the No. 1 seed coming out of Group H play.

[nickcarraway]

I can’t believe you would sympathize with him. If he’s not playing in this World Cup he has only one person to blame for that. It’s bad enough he puts his fellow players in danger, but he also affected the outcome of the game. If this was his first offense it wouldn’t be a slap on the wrist, but on his third offense it is.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Islam heads Algeria to their first ever Round of 16
For the Algeria squad, this has been a tournament of breaking new ground.

First, Algeria won its first World Cup match since 1982 - a 4-2 victory over South Korea, and then on Thursday it qualified for the knockout stages for the first time.

Islam Slimani’s 60th -minute headed equaliser was enough to gain his team a 1-1 draw against Russia and the one competition point it needed to place second in Group H behind Belgium.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Match Highlights
USA 0:1 Germany
Portugal 2:1 Ghana

Korea Rep. 0:1 Belgium
Algeria 1:1 Russia

Photos

Who’s In, Who’s Out

[Berlin_Freeper]

Obama: World Cup Impacting Some Foreign Policy Moves
“We had elements — which I won’t detail — of our foreign policy that have been shaped around the World Cup,”