Costa Rica through, England out – residents comment
JOHANNESBURG – Lots of action on day 9 of world cup. Residents share their views.
France demolished Switzerland while Costa Rica ensured their progression by beating Italy, and thus killing of England’s world cup dream, on day 9 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, 20 and 21 June.
Johannesburg residents provided their views on the matches (see below).
Costa Rica first beat Italy 1 – 0 in a group D match.
Ruiz scored a header from a cross in the 44th minute, which proved to be the winner.
It might have been deemed a no-goal, as the header came off the underside of the bar, and landed on the ground inside the goal before bouncing back out.
But the goal-line technology referee watch alerted the match official to the ball going in, and he justly gave the goal.
This means that Costa Rica are through to the round of 16, and England are out of the world cup.
France then pulverized Switzerland 5 – 2 in group E.
France scored their five goals first.
Giroud headed in from a corner in the 17th minute, Matuidi shot low after the Swiss gave the ball away in the 18th minute, Valbuena scored from a cross in the 40th minute, Benzema scored after a good pass from Pogba in the 67th minute and Sissoko shot low into the corner of the goal in the 73rd minute.
Switzerland responded well but it was too late.
Dzemaili scored brilliantly from a low and powerful 30m free-kick that went through the French wall in the 81st minute, and Xhaka volleyed in in the 87th minute.
Ecuador then beat Honduras 2 – 1 in group E.
Costly scored for Honduras first, shooting from just inside the box in the 31st minute.
Enner Valencia (not to be confused with teammate Antonio Valencia) scored twice for Ecuador: the first from a cross in the 34th minute and the second from a header from a free-kick in the 65th minute.
Spokesperson for Randburg Football Club Marlon Abrahams said that he is personally supporting Italy during the world cup.
“There is a philosophy in Italy,” he said.
“It is called bella figura, where the people have an innate style. They know how to be cool, and their team plays like that.”
Share your views of matches with us by tweeting with the hashtag #jozikicks, or write on our Facebook wall and we will include some of your views in our match summaries.
Read day 8’s action here.
