World Cup Roundup: CMR-CRO, CHI-ESP, NED-AUS (June 18)

Andres Iniesta of Spain, right, vies for the ball with Mauricio Isla of Chile during the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 18, 2014. Chile won, 2-0. (Wang Lili/Xinhua via Zuma Press/MCT)
Andres Iniesta of Spain, right, vies for the ball with Mauricio Isla of Chile during the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 18, 2014. Chile won, 2-0. (Wang Lili/Xinhua via Zuma Press/MCT)

Group A: Croatia 4, Cameroon 0

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Mario Mandzukic scored two goals Wednesday to keep Croatia in the mix at the World Cup with a 4-0 win over 10-man Cameroon, which will be going home after the group stage.

Mandzukic, who returned to the team at the Arena da Amazonia after sitting out the opening loss to Brazil through suspension, headed in a corner from Danijel Pranjic in the 61st minute and then knocked in a rebound in the 73rd of the Group A game.

Ivan Perisic also scored one goal and made another for Ivica Olic.

Cameroon was reduced to 10 men after midfielder Alex Song was given a red card for elbowing Mandzukic in the back in an off-the-ball incident in the 40th minute.

Cameroon started without the injured Samuel Eto’o, the team’s best player. And the frustration within the team boiled over in injury time when Benoit Assou-Ekotto head-butted teammate Benjamin Moukandjo in front of their goal.

“It’s unimaginable. I saw this happen and I need to find out exactly what happened, why exactly these two players exploded,” Cameroon coach Volker Finke said. “I really hate to see that. It’s not the image of Cameroon I want to project.”

Croatia now has its future in its own hands. If the 1998 World Cup semifinalists beat Mexico on Monday, they will guarantee themselves a spot in the second round. The Mexicans will advance with only a draw.

Cameroon is out, however, and can only play spoiler in its final match against five-time champion Brazil, also on Monday. If the 1990 World Cup quarterfinalists beat Brazil, the host country could still advance or be forced out of the tournament on goal difference.


Andres Iniesta of Spain vies for the ball with Mauricio Isla of Chile during the World Cup on June 18. MCT PHOTO

Group B: Chile 2, Spain 0 

RIO DE JANEIRO — Defending champion Spain, the dominant global football power for the past six years, was eliminated from World Cup contention with a 2-0 loss to Chile.

Spain’s famed passing game failed against a high-tempo, tenacious Chile team, its era ending in the storied Maracana Stadium filled mostly with noisy Chilean supporters.

Eduardo Vargas tricked goalkeeper Iker Casillas into diving the wrong way, then shot into an unguarded goal in the 20th minute. Charles Aranguiz scored in the 43rd when the ball landed at his feet after Casillas punched out a free kick.

I only ask fans for forgiveness, we did everything we could,” said Casillas, who lifted the World Cup trophy four years ago.

Spain’s second loss, after a 5-1 rout by the Netherlands, ended any hope of advancing. Chile and the Netherlands will both make it to the knockout stage regardless of who wins the game between them Monday, which will only decide the Group B winner.

Spain won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012, in addition to the 2010 World Cup.

Spain came to Brazil with a very similar — but older — team to the one that won those titles. They added Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa, but he failed to score a goal and was substituted in both matches.

“We have no excuses,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. “We were too slow, timid from the start today. It’s a sad day for all of the players. Time to think about the future.”

The stars who had made the system go are still on the team, but they’ve clearly lost some speed and their connections haven’t been as sharp. 

Spain became the third straight European defending World Cup champion to flop in the group stage. France in 2002 and Italy four years ago also failed to advance, or even win a match.

Asked if it marked the end of an era, Casillas said: “We’ll focus on the good things this team did.”


Holland's Robin van Persie celebrates after scoring a goal against Australia during the World Cup on June 18. MCT PHOTO

Group B: Netherlands 3, Australia 2

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — The Netherlands are on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup knockout rounds after fending off a belligerent Australia 3-2 to follow up its opening 5-1 rout of defending champion Spain.

Memphis Depay scored a late clincher in the 68th minute, seconds after Tim Cahill missed a chance to put Australia ahead.

Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie, who each scored twice against Spain, added to their tournament tallies before and after Australia’s goals, which included a stunning volley from Cahill that leveled the score at 1-1 in the 21st.

Australia is almost certainly out of contention following consecutive defeats, and Cahill will be missing in its last match against Spain after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament. Van Persie will miss the Netherlands last group match against Chile for the same reason.

“They just kept running,” Van Persie said. “They actually scored well. The second half we went to our own system, what we’re used to. But everyone did well. I’m really happy with the result.”

Just before the interval, Cahill needlessly clattered into the back of Bruno Martins Indi deep within the Dutch half and was given a yellow card. He was booked in Australia’s opening 3-1 loss to Chile, meaning the veteran Socceroos star may have played his last World Cup game. Martins Indi was helped off the field, and was replaced by Depay to start the second half.

After the break, Netherlands changed from a 5-3-2 system that worked so well against Spain to a more traditional Dutch 4-3-3 style to incorporate Depay, but it was Australia which took the surprise lead with a penalty after Daryl Janmaat handled the ball in the area.

Mile Jedinak converted from the spot in the 54th to make it 2-1 but Van Persie leveled again four minutes later, collecting the ball in space on the edge of the penalty area and firing into the roof of the net.

Ten minutes later, Depay fired a swerving low from around 25 yards and Ryan didn’t sight it early enough, the ball beating his right hand and securing three competition points for the Dutch.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said he was “heartbroken” by the loss.

“I just wanted the players to get a reward for the way they went about things today,” he said. “We came to this World Cup and we’re playing against three of the best nations in the world. People were saying we wouldn’t score a goal. In both games, we’ve taken it to the opposition.”

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