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After a great first day of Quarter-Final competition, we will meet the last two contenders for the World Cup title when the two remaining QF matches will be contested.
On Friday, Germany took care of business with a dominant 1-0 over France. Despite scoring just once, they limited France's chances and had the ball a lot of time, and never stopped creating opportunities. Hummels scored their only goal in the first half, and along with Manuel Neuer, he saved Germany on the few good chances France had.
On the other game, Brazil also dominated Colombia and won 2-1 to reach their eighth World Cup semifinal, the first since 2002. Thiago Silva and David Luiz, on a spectacular free-kick, put Brazil ahead. James Rodríguez, Colombia's star and the World Cup Golden Boot leader, scored his sixth goal, not enough to take the Seleção out. But it's not all good news for Brazil, as Neymar broke his back after a challenge by Colombia's Zuñiga. With the injury, Neymar is out of the World Cup and will likely miss a huge part of FC Barcelona's preseason.
Today, Lionel Messi and Argentina will try to reach the Semi-Final for the first time in almost three decades. Can they do it?
Argentina vs Belgium, Kickoff: 6pm CET
Belgium has been considered one of the best stories to watch in this World Cup. They've been incredibly hyped, because of their talent and the fact that this is such a young team that could show in this tournament what they'll do moving forward. And they've lived up to that hype, winning all four games. Although they haven't quite dominated their opponents, they still won all four games, and they know that in this particular game, they're the underdog. Every interview by a Belgium player has the phrase "we are going to make history" included. They're good, and they're ready.
Lionel Messi has had a great tournament, and he shut up all critics that said he can't play in the national teams. With four game-winning goals and the game-winning assist to Di María in the Round of 16 win against Switzerland, Messi has decided every single Argentina match so far, and he needs to do that again if his team wants to beat the excellent Belgium side, especially because Sergio Agüero is still out and they lost an important offensive piece in Rojo. Can he be the Messi we all know or will Belgium pull off the upset?
Netherlands vs Costa Rica, Kickoff: 10pm CET
Costa Rica is, without a shadow of a doubt, the story of the World Cup. They dominated in the Group Stage when everybody thought they were already out. They finished first in a group with Italy, Uruguay and England -- well, England is not good a World Cups, but they're still England. Then, they beat Greece in a thriller penalty-kick win, that made Keylor Navas into a national hero. Tonight, they try to make history by reaching the Semi-Finals.
But they'll have to beat the Netherlands to do it, and it won't be easy. The Oranje are probably the best team of the tournament, destroying the Group stage -- including a 5-1 behind-whopping on Spain -- and came back to win a 2-1 classic against Mexico, a match in which they lost for 87 minutes. Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie are among the best players of this World Cup, and Wesley Sneijder will always be there. They're massive favorites to win tonight, and they have the talent to do it. But will Costa Rica shock the world one more time? This should be fun.
Enjoy the day of games, everybody!
