2014 FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A of the 2014 FIFA World Cup consisted of Brazil, Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon. Play began on 12 June and ended on 23 June 2014.

Teams

Draw position Team Confederation Method of
qualification		 Date of
qualification		 Finals
appearance		 Last
appearance		 Previous best
performance		 FIFA Rankings
October 2013[nb 1] June 2014
A1 (seed)  Brazil CONMEBOL Hosts 30 October 2007 20th 2010 Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) 11 3
A2  Croatia UEFA UEFA play-off winners 19 November 2013 4th 2006 Third place (1998) 18 18
A3  Mexico CONCACAF CONCACAF vs OFC play-off winners 20 November 2013 15th 2010 Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) 24 20
A4  Cameroon CAF CAF Third Round winners 17 November 2013 7th 2010 Quarter-finals (1990) 59 56
Notes
  1. ↑ The rankings of October 2013 were used for seeding for the final draw.

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Brazil (H) 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Mexico 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7
3  Croatia 3 1 0 2 6 6 0 3
4  Cameroon 3 0 0 3 1 9 −8 0
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria
(H) Host.

Matches

Brazil vs Croatia

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The two teams had met in two previous matches, including in the 2006 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 1–0.[1] Croatia forward Mario Mandžukić was suspended for the match, after being sent off in the team's final qualifier against Iceland.[2]

Croatia opened the scoring through a Marcelo own goal, as the ball bounced off him into the net after Nikica Jelavić deflected Ivica Olić's cross.[3] Neymar equalised for the hosts with a 25-yard (23 m) shot after receiving a pass from Oscar.[4] In the second half, Brazil took the lead with Neymar's penalty after Dejan Lovren was controversially judged to have fouled Fred in the penalty area.[4] Croatia had a potential equaliser disallowed, after a foul was again controversially called on the Brazilian goalkeeper, Júlio César.[5][6][7] In added time, Oscar sealed the win, toe-poking the third goal for Brazil from 22 yards (20 m) after receiving a pass from Ramires.[4]

Post-match, FIFA referees chief, Massimo Busacca, defended the officials for awarding the penalty, and insisted there had been some contact between Lovren and Fred even if it was minimal.[8] On the other hand, renowned former top-level FIFA referee Markus Merk criticised FIFA for having Yuichi Nishimura as the referee in the opening match, labelling the refereeing in the match as "embarrassing".[9]

The game was notable for a number of pioneering events. This was the first occasion in FIFA World Cup history on which an own goal (which was also the first ever own goal scored by Brazil in World Cup finals) opened scoring in the tournament. As the first game played at this World Cup, the match also saw the first use of vanishing spray to mark free kick spots, and the advent of goal-line technology, two innovations introduced during the tournament.[10]

12 June 2014
17:00 UTC−3
Brazil  3–1  Croatia
Neymar  29', 71' (pen.)
Oscar  90+1'		 Report Marcelo  11' (o.g.)
Brazil
Croatia
GK 12Júlio César
RB 2 Dani Alves
CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)
CB 4 David Luiz
LB 6 Marcelo
DM 8 Paulinho  63'
DM 17Luiz Gustavo  88'
RW 7 Hulk  68'
AM 11Oscar
LW 10Neymar  27'  88'
CF 9 Fred
Substitutions:
MF 18Hernanes  63'
MF 20Bernard  68'
MF 16Ramires  88'
Manager:
Luiz Felipe Scolari
GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa
RB 11Darijo Srna (c)
CB 5 Vedran Ćorluka  65'
CB 6 Dejan Lovren  69'
LB 2 Šime Vrsaljko
CM 10Luka Modrić
CM 7 Ivan Rakitić
RW 4 Ivan Perišić
AM 20Mateo Kovačić  61'
LW 18Ivica Olić
CF 9 Nikica Jelavić  78'
Substitutions:
MF 14Marcelo Brozović  61'
FW 16Ante Rebić  78'
 
Manager:
Niko Kovač

Man of the Match:
Neymar (Brazil)[11]

Assistant referees:
Toru Sagara (Japan)
Toshiyuki Nagi (Japan)
Fourth official:
Alireza Faghani (Iran)
Fifth official:
Hassan Kamranifar (Iran)

Mexico vs Cameroon

The two teams had met in one previous match, in a friendly in 1993, won by Mexico 1–0.[12]

Mexico's Giovani dos Santos had two goals disallowed for offside in the first half.[13] However, replays showed that he was in line with the last defender for the first case, whilst the ball came from a Cameroon player for the second.[14] In the second half, dos Santos had a shot saved by the Cameroon goalkeeper, Charles Itandje, but the ball rebounded into the path of Oribe Peralta, who slotted the ball into the empty net with his left foot.[15]

Mexico captain Rafael Márquez made history by becoming the first player to captain his nation in four different World Cups.[16] Samuel Eto'o also appeared in his fourth World Cup, joining fellow Cameroonians Jacques Songo'o and Rigobert Song as the only African players to have achieved the feat.[17]

13 June 2014
13:00 UTC−3
Mexico  1–0  Cameroon
Peralta  61' Report
Arena das Dunas, Natal
Attendance: 39,216
Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)
Mexico
Cameroon
GK 13Guillermo Ochoa
CB 2 Francisco Rodríguez
CB 4 Rafael Márquez (c)
CB 15Héctor Moreno  57'
RWB22Paul Aguilar
LWB7 Miguel Layún
DM 23José Juan Vázquez
CM 6 Héctor Herrera  90+1'
CM 18Andrés Guardado  69'
SS 10Giovani dos Santos
CF 19Oribe Peralta  74'
Substitutions:
MF 8 Marco Fabián  69'
FW 14Javier Hernández  74'
DF 3 Carlos Salcido  90+1'
Manager:
Miguel Herrera
GK 16Charles Itandje
RB 4 Cédric Djeugoué  46'
CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou
CB 14Aurélien Chedjou
LB 2 Benoît Assou-Ekotto
DM 6 Alex Song  79'
RM 17Stéphane Mbia
LM 18Eyong Enoh
AM 8 Benjamin Moukandjo
AM 13Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
CF 9 Samuel Eto'o (c)
Substitutions:
DF 5 Dany Nounkeu  77'  46'
FW 15Pierre Webó  79'
 
Manager:
Germany Volker Finke

Man of the Match:
Giovani dos Santos (Mexico)

Assistant referees:
Humberto Clavijo (Colombia)
Eduardo Díaz (Colombia)
Fourth official:
Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)
Fifth official:
Aden Marwa (Kenya)

Brazil vs Mexico

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The two teams had met in 38 previous matches, including three times in the FIFA World Cup group stage, all won by Brazil (1950: 4–0; 1954: 5–0; 1962: 2–0).[18] Their most recent meeting was in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Brazil 2–0.

Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made four outstanding saves to deny Brazil.[19] In the first half, he saved a header from Neymar tight to his right to push the ball around the post, and blocked a close-range effort from Paulinho. In the second half, he saved a low shot from Neymar and a late point-blank header from Thiago Silva.[20]

This was the first time since the 1970 FIFA World Cup that the host team drew 0–0 in the group stage. Mexico became the first team from outside UEFA or CONMEBOL to take a point from Brazil in the World Cup.[21]

17 June 2014
16:00 UTC−3
Brazil  0–0  Mexico
Report
Estádio Castelão, Fortaleza
Attendance: 60,342
Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey)
Brazil
Mexico
GK 12Júlio César
RB 2 Dani Alves
CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)  79'
CB 4 David Luiz
LB 6 Marcelo
DM 8 Paulinho
DM 17Luiz Gustavo
CM 11Oscar  84'
RW 16Ramires  45'  46'
LW 10Neymar
CF 9 Fred  68'
Substitutions:
MF 20Bernard  46'
FW 21Jô  68'
MF 19Willian  84'
Manager:
Luiz Felipe Scolari
GK 13Guillermo Ochoa
CB 2 Francisco Rodríguez
CB 4 Rafael Márquez (c)
CB 15Héctor Moreno
RWB22Paul Aguilar  59'
LWB7 Miguel Layún
DM 23José Juan Vázquez  62'
CM 6 Héctor Herrera  76'
CM 18Andrés Guardado
SS 10Giovani dos Santos  84'
CF 19Oribe Peralta  74'
Substitutes:
FW 14Javier Hernández  74'
MF 8 Marco Fabián  76'
FW 9 Raúl Jiménez  84'
Manager:
Miguel Herrera

Man of the Match:
Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

Assistant referees:
Bahattin Duran (Turkey)
Tarık Ongun (Turkey)
Fourth official:
Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)
Fifth official:
Kim Haglund (Norway)

Cameroon vs Croatia

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The two teams had never met before.[22]

In a match where both teams needed at least a point to stay alive in the competition, Croatia opened scoring when Ivica Olić scored from close range from Ivan Perišić's pass. Just before half time, Cameroon was reduced to 10 men when Alex Song was dismissed for an off the ball incident with Mario Mandžukić. Perišić scored at the beginning of the second half when he intercepted Cameroonian goalkeeper Charles Itandje's goal kick and ran 50 yards before slotting in at the near post.[23] Mandžukić scored the last two goals, the first a header from Danijel Pranjić's corner and the second a tap in after Itandje parried Eduardo's shot into his path.[24] The result confirmed Cameroon's elimination from the tournament.

In a case of infighting, Cameroonian defender Benoît Assou-Ekotto was caught on camera head-butting teammate Benjamin Moukandjo.[25][26] Song later apologised to Mandžukić and his country for his ejection, while Cameroonian coach Volker Finke said he was very disappointed with their performance.[27][28][29]

On 1 July 2014, Cameroon officials announced that they had opened an investigation on claims that seven of the Cameroon's players were involved in fixing the result.[30][31] However, FIFA said there was no evidence that there were any match fixing in any of Cameroon's matches.[32]

Olić, who previously scored a goal in the 2002 World Cup, became the second player to have a 12-year gap between World Cup goals, after Michael Laudrup in 1986 and 1998.[33] Mandžukić became the first Croatian player to score a brace in a World Cup game. The 4–0 scoreline was also the biggest win by Croatia in the World Cup.[34]

18 June 2014
18:00 UTC−4
Cameroon  0–4  Croatia
Report Olić  11'
Perišić  48'
Mandžukić  61', 73'
Arena da Amazônia, Manaus
Attendance: 39,982
Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal)
Cameroon
Croatia
GK 16Charles Itandje
RB 17Stéphane Mbia
CB 14Aurélien Chedjou  46'
CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou (c)
LB 2 Benoît Assou-Ekotto
DM 21Joël Matip
CM 6 Alex Song Red card 40'
CM 18Eyong Enoh
RW 13Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting  75'
LW 8 Benjamin Moukandjo
CF 10Vincent Aboubakar  70'
Substitutions:
DF 5 Dany Nounkeu  46'
FW 15Pierre Webó  70'
MF 20Edgar Salli  75'
Manager:
Germany Volker Finke
GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa
RB 11Darijo Srna (c)
CB 5 Vedran Ćorluka
CB 6 Dejan Lovren
LB 3 Danijel Pranjić
CM 10Luka Modrić
CM 7 Ivan Rakitić
RW 4 Ivan Perišić  78'
AM 19Sammir  72'
LW 18Ivica Olić  69'
CF 17Mario Mandžukić
Substitutions:
FW 22Eduardo  89'  69'
MF 20Mateo Kovačić  72'
FW 16Ante Rebić  78'
Manager:
Niko Kovač

Man of the Match:
Mario Mandžukić (Croatia)

Assistant referees:
Bertino Cunha (Portugal)
Tiago Trigo (Portugal)
Fourth official:
Walter López (Guatemala)
Fifth official:
Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)

Cameroon vs Brazil

The two teams had met in four previous matches, including in the 1994 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Brazil 3–0.[35] Their most recent meeting was in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage, won by Cameroon 1–0. Cameroon midfielder Alex Song was suspended for the match (first match of a three-match ban), after being sent off in the previous match against Croatia.[36]

Brazil, where a draw would guarantee their qualification to the knockout stage, opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Luiz Gustavo crossed from the left for Neymar to beat the goalkeeper with a first time low side-footed finish to the corner.[37] Already-eliminated Cameroon equalised when Allan Nyom beat Dani Alves on the left before crossing for Joël Matip to finish from close range. Neymar put Brazil back in front when he collected the ball from Marcelo and ran at goal before finishing with a low right foot shot that wrong footed the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty area.[38] In the second half David Luiz crossed from the left for Fred to extend Brazil's lead with a close range header before half-time substitute Fernandinho completed the scoring when he collected a pass from Oscar before finishing with a low right footed shot.[39] The result assured that Brazil pipped Mexico on goal difference to qualify to the knockout stage as group winners.

The match was Brazil's 100th in the World Cup, and they followed Germany (which played their 100th match in their first game of the 2014 World Cup) to become the second team to reach the milestone.[40]

23 June 2014
17:00 UTC−3
Cameroon  1–4  Brazil
Matip  26' Report Neymar  17', 35'
Fred  49'
Fernandinho  84'
Cameroon
Brazil
GK 16Charles Itandje
RB 22Allan Nyom
CB 3 Nicolas N'Koulou (c)
CB 21Joël Matip
LB 12Henri Bedimo
DM 7 Landry N'Guémo
CM 17Stéphane Mbia  80'
CM 18Eyong Enoh  11'
RW 13Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting  81'
LW 8 Benjamin Moukandjo  58'
CF 10Vincent Aboubakar  72'
Substitutions:
MF 20Edgar Salli  76'  58'
FW 15Pierre Webó  72'
MF 11Jean Makoun  81'
Manager:
Germany Volker Finke
GK 12Júlio César
RB 2 Dani Alves
CB 3 Thiago Silva (c)
CB 4 David Luiz
LB 6 Marcelo
DM 17Luiz Gustavo
RM 8 Paulinho  46'
LM 11Oscar
RW 7 Hulk  63'
LW 10Neymar  71'
CF 9 Fred
Substitutions:
MF 5 Fernandinho  46'
MF 16Ramires  63'
MF 19Willian  71'
Manager:
Luiz Felipe Scolari

Man of the Match:
Neymar (Brazil)

Assistant referees:
Mathias Klasenius (Sweden)
Daniel Wärnmark (Sweden)
Fourth official:
Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)
Fifth official:
Kim Haglund (Norway)

Croatia vs Mexico

The two teams had met in three previous matches, including in the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, won by Mexico 1–0.[41]

Coming into the final round of matches, Croatia needed to win to guarantee qualification to the knockout stage regardless of the result of Cameroon vs Brazil, while Mexico only needed a draw to do so. The game was goalless for the first 70 minutes, until a Héctor Herrera corner to the back post allowed Rafael Márquez to score from a header, outleaping the Croatian defenders.[42] With Croatia progressing only by way of a win, they were caught out on a break a short time later where Andrés Guardado scored after receiving a pass from Oribe Peralta. Mexico scored their third goal when Márquez flicked on Guardado's corner with substitute Javier Hernández scoring at the back post. Ivan Perišić scored in his second consecutive World Cup match after a neat back pass from Ivan Rakitić to get a consolation goal for Croatia in the closing minutes of the game, before Croatia's Ante Rebić was sent off for a foul on Carlos Peña.[43] Mexico qualified as group runners-up (behind Brazil on goal difference) on virtue of the win, while Croatia were eliminated.

With his goal, Márquez joined Cuauhtémoc Blanco as the only Mexican player to score in three World Cups.[44]

23 June 2014
17:00 UTC−3
Croatia  1–3  Mexico
Perišić  87' Report Márquez  72'
Guardado  75'
Hernández  82'
Croatia
Mexico
GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa
RB 11Darijo Srna (c)
CB 5 Vedran Ćorluka
CB 6 Dejan Lovren
LB 2 Šime Vrsaljko  58'
CM 7 Ivan Rakitić  9'
CM 3 Danijel Pranjić  74'
RW 4 Ivan Perišić
AM 10Luka Modrić
LW 18Ivica Olić  69'
CF 17Mario Mandžukić
Substitutions:
MF 20Mateo Kovačić  58'
FW 16Ante Rebić Red card 89'  69'
FW 9 Nikica Jelavić  74'
Manager:
Niko Kovač
GK 13Guillermo Ochoa
CB 2 Francisco Rodríguez
CB 4 Rafael Márquez (c)  39'
CB 15Héctor Moreno
RWB22Paul Aguilar
LWB7 Miguel Layún
DM 23José Juan Vázquez  66'
CM 6 Héctor Herrera
CM 18Andrés Guardado  84'
SS 10Giovani dos Santos  62'
CF 19Oribe Peralta  79'
Substitutions:
FW 14Javier Hernández  62'
MF 21Carlos Peña  79'
MF 8 Marco Fabián  84'
Manager:
Miguel Herrera

Man of the Match:
Rafael Márquez (Mexico)

Assistant referees:
Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)
Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)
Fourth official:
Néant Alioum (Cameroon)
Fifth official:
Djibril Camara (Senegal)

References

  1. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "Match suspensions to be served at the final competition of the FIFA World Cup". FIFA.com. 24 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "Neymar fires Brazil to comeback victory". FIFA. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Brazil 3 Croatia 1". BBC Sport. 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 8 July 2014.
  5. ↑ Glendenning, Barry (12 June 2014). "Brazil 3-1 Croatia: World Cup 2014 – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  6. ↑ Kane, Desmond (12 June 2014). "Forget Neymar, Brazil's new national hero is Yuichi Nishimura". Eurosport. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Brazil 3 - 1 Croatia Match report - Goal.com". Goal.com. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Brazil 3 Croatia 1: Fifa defend under-fire referee Yuichi Nishimura as Japanese official caught up in diving row during opening World Cup match". The Independent. 13 June 2014. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  9. ↑ Haji Talib, Hassan; Chotpibulsap, Pitisak (13 June 2014). "Former FIFA referee: Refereeing for World Cup opener was "embarrassing"". Goal.com. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Marcelo's own goal, vanishing spray and goaline technology - the World Cup firsts at Brazil 2014". Der Standard. 12 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Brazil 3-1 Croatia – Man of the Match". FIFA.com (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 8.
  13. ↑ "Mexico's Peralta finally sees off Cameroon after referee fluffs his lines". Guardian. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Mexico's Giovani Dos Santos has TWO goals WRONGLY ruled out for offside in first-half against Cameroon". Metro. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "World Cup: Mexico 1-0 Cameroon". BBC Sport. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "Rafael Marquez makes history by captaining Mexico in FOURTH World Cup as they take on Cameroon in Natal". Daily Mail. 13 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "Samuel Eto'o could play at 2018 World Cup, says Cameroon coach". The Guardian. 23 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 24.
  19. ↑ "Brazil fail to find a way past marvellous Mexico". Guardian. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "Brazil 0-0 Mexico". BBC Sport. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  21. ↑ "World Cup Crib Notes: Day 7". FiveThirtyEight. 18 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 26.
  23. ↑ "Mario Mandzukic hits double as classy Croatia sink sorry Cameroon". Guardian. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  24. ↑ Khan, Mehreen (19 June 2014). "Cameroon v Croatia, World Cup 2014: as it happened". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Cameroon 0 Croatia 4". BBC Sport. 18 June 2014.
  26. ↑ Peck, Brooks (18 June 2014). "Alex Song elbows Mario Mandzukic in the back for some reason, gets sent off". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  27. ↑ Khan, Mehreen (19 June 2014). "Assou-Ekotto head-butt stuns Finke". ESPN. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  28. ↑ "Finke: Card no reason to see red". FIFA.com. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  29. ↑ "World Cup: Cameroon coach slams 'disgusting' player behavior in loss". The Guardian. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  30. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Cameroon investigates match-fixing claims". BBC Sport. 1 July 2014.
  31. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Match-fixer denies predicting Cameroon result". BBC Sport. 1 July 2014.
  32. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Fifa says no proof of Cameroon match-fixing". BBC Sport. 2 July 2014.
  33. ↑ "Olic: Twelve years and still going strong". FIFA.com. 19 June 2014.
  34. ↑ "Eagles down, but not out -Ameobi". The Sun. 20 June 2014.
  35. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 39.
  36. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Cameroon's Alex Song given three-match ban". BBC Sport. 23 June 2014.
  37. ↑ "Neymar scores twice to ease Brazil past Cameroon into final stages". Guardian. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  38. ↑ "Brazil Romps Past Cameroon and Into Knockout Rounds". New York Times. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  39. ↑ "Cameroon 1 Brazil 4". BBC Sport. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  40. ↑ "Brazil in numbers... Luis Felipe Scolari's men play their 100th World Cup match against Cameroon and Sportsmail takes a look at the statistics behind their success". Daily Mail. 23 June 2014.
  41. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup – Statistical Kit" (PDF). FIFA.com. p. 40.
  42. ↑ "Mexico qualify from Group A with three late goals against Croatia". Guardian. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  43. ↑ "Croatia 1 Mexico 3". BBC Sport. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  44. ↑ "Why Rafael Marquez Will Be Key for Mexico in the Clash Against Netherlands". Bleacher Report. 23 June 2014.

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