- Antonio Valencia signs new three-year-deal deal with Manchester United
- France batter Group E top seeds Switzerland
- Rooney not to blame, claims Van Persie
- Can Germany roll over Ghana?
- Soccerlens Tom’s predictions for Game Day 10…
Valencia staying at Old Trafford
Manchester United have announced that Ecuador captain Antonio Valencia has signed a new three-year-deal at the club.
Valencia, 28, led Ecuador to their first win of the 2014 World Cup last night, with ‘La Tri’ beating Honduras 2-1 in the Arena da Baixada, Curitiba.
Read more – Honduras 1-2 Ecuador – Match report and Full Stats
BREAKING: We’re delighted to announce Antonio Valencia (@7AntoV) has signed a new three-year deal at #mufc. More: http://t.co/Im5PwPoqAA
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 21, 2014
Valencia told the official Manchester united website: “My time at Manchester United has been like a dream come true. To be the first Ecuadorian player to win the English Premier League was a very proud moment for me and for my country.
“I am so happy to have signed a new deal and am looking forward to working with Louis van Gaal. There is great team spirit within the club and we are all determined to get back to winning ways.”
2. France break Swiss wide open
Didier Deschamps France ran riot yesterday against a shell-shocked Switzerland in the Arena Fonte Nova, with five different goalscorers on the scoresheet for the 1998 champions.
The 5-2 scoreline was not only the biggest we’ve seen so far at this World Cup, but it was arguably the best attacking performance from any in Brazil, with France taking their goal tally to eight from just two games.
Check out the match report here, including our brand new stat infographic!
The French were not seen as a side that could make an impact before the start of the tournament, but two impressive results on and Les Bleus are now considered to be an outside bet for the tournament, with some even seeing them as the team to beat in South America.
2. Rooney could have scored FOUR goals v Uruguay – Van Persie
England’s World Cup demise may have started a country-wide inquest as to how the Three Lions managed to be so quickly sent home, but Dutch top scorer Robin van Persie believes Wayne Rooney is not to blame.
Rooney has been the subject of widespread criticism from English fans and pundits, starting even before the tournament began, and his performances in the two dismal defeats so far in Brazil have only served to increase the media attention surrounding the Manchester United striker.
Read the Uruguay 2-1 England match report here, with full match stats
But his Old Trafford teammate Van Persie, who has three goals to his name so far this summer, believes that Rooney should not be made the scapegoat, with the 28-year-old unlucky not to have got on the score-sheet four times against Uruguay two days ago.
Will Germany continue their ominous march towards Group G supremacy against Ghana?
Joachim Löw’s Germans were seen as one of the early favourites for the World Cup this summer, and after their 4-0 drubbing of Portugal in their opening Group G fixture, the feeling that 2014 may just be Germany’s year has exponentially increased.
Thomas Muller’s hattrick in the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador made the striker joint top scorer in Brazil, and his side are strongly tipped to continue their assault on international football’s biggest prize today against Ghana, who fell at the first hurdle last week, losing 2-1 to USA in Natal.
Check out the Germany v Ghana preview right here, and let me know who you think will come out on top!
Rivaldo’s Gamble’ – Beat Soccerlens at predicting Brazil 2014
Brazilian legend Rivaldo took the ultimate gamble in the 2002 World Cup, hurling himself to the floor in what was a successful attempt to get an opposition player sent off; and now you have the chance to indulge in similarly heart-pumping risk taking, taking on Soccerlens in the SuperBru 2014 World Cup Prediction Game, and if you come out on top in the Soccerlens pool at the end of the tournament, you win a £100 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check the World Cup roundups for our latest predictions, and links to the game. It’s free to join, and comes with no balls booted at you by over-zealous Turks.
Soccerlens Tom’s World Cup Day 10 Predictions
Click the scoreline for the full match preview ahead of kickoff
Argentina 4-0 Iran: Sticking my neck out for a big score here, but what else can I do? The Iranian goal posts better be hammered in properly. Onslaught imminent
Germany 3-0 Ghana: Although the Africans are by no means dreadful, the Germans are just exquisite at the present, and should win comfortably.
Nigeria 0-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina: A first win for the World Cup debutants, and they could get more than just the one goal.
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