Photo Credit: Reuters
Today marked the twelfth day in the 2014 World Cup and just as you can expect, was filled with drama.
Uruguay and Italy battled it out today, ending in a 1-0 win for Uruguay clinching a second place finish in group C and a promise of advancing to the next round as well as an elimination for Italy. However, the goal scored by defender Diego Godin or the fact that Uruguay will be advancing are not what will not be catching headlines. Instead it is the Uruguay forward, Luis Suárez, who appeared to bite Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini in the 80th minute of today’s game.
Photo Credit: Rex Features via AP Images
But this isn’t the first time playing the biting game for Suárez. While playing for Liverpool in 2013, Suárez bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic which earned him a ten game suspension, and in 2010 while playing for Ajax Amsterdam he was suspended for seven games for biting PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal during a Dutch League match.
While there was no in game punishment for Suárez due to no visual contact of the foul by a referee, FIFA can charge him after reviewing the evidence if they so choose. Giorgio Chiellini has this to say after the game:
“Suárez is a sneak and he gets away with it because FIFA want their stars to play in the World Cup. I’d love to see if they have the courage to use video evidence against him. The referee saw the bite mark too, but he did nothing about it.” (Sky Sport Italia)
If FIFA does choose to charge Suárez, he could be facing a 24 game or two year suspension.
Group C brought even more excitement in the form of fouls and subsequent penalty kicks.
A rash challenge within the goal box limits by Japan’s Yasuyiko Konno against Colombian player Adrián Ramos in the 17th minute of play, gave Columbia a penalty kick and a chance to really begin this match. Juan Cuadrado earned Columbia a first notch in their belt giving Japan a big an uphill battle to face, who needed a win to advance to the elimination round.
Japan fired back and scored their only goal in the 46th minute thanks to Shinji Okazaki. Colombian substitute midfielder James Rodriguez came in during the second half and turned up the heat to help take back a lead for Columbia. Rodriguez set up Jackson Martínez for Columbia’s second and third goal in the 55th and 82nd minutes, finally finishing out the match by claiming Columbia’s fourth goal and Rodriguez’s first of the match in the 89th minute.
After winning their group, the Colombian team will be advancing the next round.
More penalty kicks came in the Greece versus Côte d’Ivoire match, in which Greece bested Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 with both Greek points being induced by penalty kicks.
In the opening half of the match, Andreas Samaris began the match by sinking in an easy shot into Côte d’Ivoire’s net. Côte d’Ivoire evened the score in the 74th minute with a goal from substitute Wilfried Bony. Côte d’Ivoire needed only to hold this tie to continue on and advance to the elimination round of 16, however just before the stoppage time at the end of the second half finished, their second round dreams crumbled.
Côte d’Ivoire substitute Giovanni Sio fouled Greek forward, Georgios Samaras inside the goal box, inflicting a yellow card upon himself and Côte d’Ivoire’s second penalty kick of the game. Samaras placed the ball just over the hands of the keeper to clinch a 2-1 win and ticket to the next round for the Greeks.
This will be the first time Greece has been to the second round of the World Cup.
Suarez should be banned for life since he’s making biting his opponents a hobby; and since the other suspensions haven’t stopped him