DAVID BIANCULLI

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2014 WORLD CUP
June 29, 2014  | By David Bianculli

ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET

 

How about yesterday’s penalty shoot-out between host country Brazil and Chile? What a way to start the round of 16. Today’s games in the knockout round are televised by ESPN, not ABC. The first game, kickoff at noon ET, is the Netherlands vs. Mexico. The Netherlands is showing as much strength as any team in this year’s World Cup: In its first game, the Netherlands demolished defending champions Spain 5-1, and won its next two games – emerging from the group stage not only undefeated, but with nothing but victories. (In soccer, those are two different concepts entirely.) It plays Mexico, which had two wins and a draw in a group stage, and finished just below Brazil in Group A. The second game, beginning at 4 p.m. ET, features Costa Rica and Greece, two teams that weren’t expected to get this far, but are eager to continue their surprising winning streaks.

 
 
 
 
 
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