Final Score - WC2010 Quarterfinal, Netherlands vs Brazil

Friday 2nd July 2010 - Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth - Att. 40,186
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (Japan)

LINEUPS:
Netherlands (451): Stekelenberg, van der Wiel (Schaars 73'), van Bronckhorst, Heitinga, Mathijsen, van der Vaart, Sneijder, van Bommel (Braafheid 82'), van Persie, Elia, Robben (Boulahrouz 63')
Brazil (451): Cesar, Malcon, Bastos, Lucio, Juan, G Silva (Elano 69'), F Melo (Josue 55'), Alves (Nilmar 78'), Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho

The Dutch team welcomed back Stekelenburg in goal but Nigel de Jong was suspended leaving van der Vaart to fill in the gap in midfield. The first half was one long tide of orange as Brazil were penned back in throughout the first half and, when they did get forward, delivered some very poor crosses.

The Netherlands continued to be ultra aggressive in their style of play with van Bommel earning a yellow card, and a suspension, in only the second minute of play. The midfield replacement, Rafael van der Vaart, was also on the same page as he picked a booking either side of halftime leaving Holland a man short in yet another match.

The sending off would have little impact however as the Netherlands were 2-0 up through Mathijsen scoring at the near post after good work from Elia and van der Vaart in the 16th minute, and just before halftime van Persie dove on to a hard Sniejder cross to send the ball in off the post.

On the hour mark, six minutes after van der Vaart had been sent off, Brazil looked no closer to threatening their opponents and Robin van Persie made them pay with his fourth goal of the championship and it was the pick of the bunch. van Bommel kicked it all off by winning an aerial battle against Brazilian substitute Josue, flicking the ball to van der Wiel. The Dutch midfielder looked up and played the perfect through ball for van Persie to run onto, dribbling around Cesar and slotting the ball home from a very tight angle.

Brazil had some chances late on but they were a beaten side and merely put their foot right through the ball on each shot. Nilmar and Malcon blazed high and wide, Bastos shot straight at Stekelenburg.

Netherlands 3 - 0 Brazil
Goalscorers:
NED Mathijsen 16'
NED van Persie 43'
NED van Persie 60'

Discipline:
NED van Bommel 2' (sus)
NED van der Wiel 40'
NED van der Vaart 41'
NED van der Vaart (off) 54'

Man of the Match:
NED Robin van Persie

Final Score - WC2010 Second Round, Brazil vs Spain

Monday 28th June 2010 - Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg - Att. 54,096
Referee: Howard Webb (England)

LINEUPS:
Brazil (451): Cesar, Malcon (G Melo 68'), Bastos, Lucio, Juan, G Silva, F Melo (Kleberson 86'), Alves, Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho (Baptista 81')
Spain (442): Casillas, Ramos, Capdevila, Puyol, Pique, Busquets, ALonso, Xavi (D Silva 45'), Villa (Mata 63'), Torres, Iniesta (Pedro 83')

This battle of footballing giants was probably the most hyped of the second round, but a rather drab first half tempered expectations with long periods of non-threatening play broken up by the odd goalscoring opportunity.

The opening quarter of an hour was something of a wash as both sides looked to maintain possession and nothing else. Then suddenly a poor pass was picked off by Brazil's Melo and his through ball found Gilberto Silva who has tapped by a desperate Capdevilla for a penalty. His booking would mean he will miss the quarterfinals if Spain were to come back and win today. Fabiano was cool as he dispatched the spot kick for his second goal of the tournament.

The next moment worthy of mentioning came eleven minutes later when poor control from Malcon allowed Fernando Torres to swoop in and steal the ball before sending Villa clean in on goal. Cesar came to cut down the angle and Villa found his options limited, ultimately crashing his high shot against the crossbar. Brazil then marched down the other end where Melo blazed his effort over the bar after good work from Robinho to pull the ball back to him.

The half ended with a little bit of controversy when Kaka had a goal disallowed in stoppage time. Silva crossed the ball into the goalmouth where Melo headed the ball over to Kaka who looked to have made contact with the ball at the same time as he collided with the goalkeeper. The referee was quick to give a free kick to Spain who only went into the interval down a single goal.

The game opened up a lot in the second half with both teams threatening through good passing and dangerous crosses. Spain were the livelier team out there with Puyol and Iniesta both heading the ball on target but neither could beat Cesar in his goal. After the hour mark Brazil had another chance to score the insurance goal with Kaka denied by an excellent save by Casillas, and ten minutes later they were caught shorthanded in defence allowing David Silva and Torres to orchestrate a neat pass-and-move tactic but still they couldn't find a way past the Brazilian goalie.

Brazil shut down after that scare and, despite a couple of set piece chances for Gilberto Melo and Fabiano, contained the game in the final stages without risking many bodies forward for an attack. 

Brazil 1 - 0 Spain
Goalscorers:
BRA  Fabiano 17'

Discipline:
ESP Capdevila 16'
ESP Puyol 72'
ESP Pique 90'

Man of the Match:
BRA Michel Bastos

Final Score - WC2010 Group G, Portugal vs Brazil

Firday 25th June 2010 - Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban - Att. 62,712
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)

LINEUPS:
Portugal (433): Eduardo, Costa, Coentrao, Carvalho, B Alves, Mendes, Tiago, Meireles (Miguel 80'), Ronaldo (Amorim 78'), Almeida, Danny (Veloso 62')
Brazil (451): Cesar, Maicon, Bastos, Lucio, Juan, Silva (Josue 45'), Melo, D Alves (Kleberson 72'), Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho (Grafite 76')

Portugal had their backs to the wall in the opening fifteen minutes, bravely blocking shots from Robinho and Fabiano before the latter put another chance over the bar. After this chance Eduardo's goal kick started things moving the other way, with Costa riding his luck on a heavily deflected pass that went behind for a corner. On the set piece Meireles's header was blocked but Hugo Almeida, who started the match in place of the suspended Simao, roofed the loose ball.

The first half continued with Portugal getting in the way of Brazilian chances, including a third effort from Fabiano that deflected behind. When the South Americans did have a clear look at goal Kaka headed wide. At halftime Brazil took off Gilberto Silva after he had picked up a knock and his replacement Josue started the first real attack ten minutes into the second period when he first intercepted a pass and then crossed for Kaka to shoot at the keeper without power.

Portugal's chance to double their lead came in the 67th minute when Meireles found Almeida in a prime spot but his effort proved to be an easy save for Cesar. From then on the game lost the rest of it's gusto and the teams played out the 1-0 win for Portugal to put both sides through to the second round.

Portugal 1 - 0 Brazil
Goalscorers:
POR Almeida 17'

Discipline:
BRA Melo 2'
POR Danny 13'

Man of the Match:
POR Tiago / BRA Maicon

GROUP G
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Brazil	3	2	0	1	3	1	+2	6
Portugal	3	1	2	0	1	0	+1	5
Cote d'Ivoire	2	0	1	1	0	1	-1	1
North Korea	2	0	1	1	0	2	-2	1

Final Score - WC2010 Group G, Brazil vs Cote d'Ivoire

Sunday 20th June 2010 - Soccer City, Johannesburg - Att. 84,455
Referee: Stéphane Lannoy (France)

LINEUPS:
Brazil (451): Cesar, Maicon, Bastos, Lucio (Luisao 70'), Juan, G. Silva, Melo, Alves, Fabiano, Kaka, Robinho (Ramires 70')
Cote d'Ivoire (433): Barry, Demel, Tiene, K. Toure, Zokora, Y. Toure, Eboue (Kone 76'), Tiote, Drogba (Doumbia 61'), Gervinho, Dindane

The tenth day of competition ended with this exciting contest that could have ended any which way. The Ivory Coast had their first chance cleared in the goalmouth, Gervinho unable to chip the ball in after Tiote put him through one-on-one, and Kaka shot his early effort into the side netting. Fabiano ripped one an inch over the bar with Barry rooted to the ground, and Tiote had his own chance alone against Cesar thanks to an inspired through ball by Emmanuel Eboue but his effort was saved by the legs of the Brazilian keeper.

The teams continued to exchange chances with Gervinho having chance either side of half time. His initial effort deflected for the first in a series of Cote d'Ivoire corners and his second missed by a mile. At the other end Fabiano wasted his shot when he had some space in the area, but he made up for it by putting the perfect ball into the box for Kaka to run onto and side foot under the goalie. After that Brazil bossed the game and refused to concede possession, effectively killing the game.

Brazil 1 - 0 Cote d'Ivoire
Goalscorers:
BRA Kaka 64'

Discipline:
CIV Tiene 9'
CIV Y. Toure 48'

Man of the Match:
BRA Maicon

GROUP G
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Brazil	2	2	0	0	3	0	+3	4
Portugal	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Cote d'Ivoire	2	0	1	1	0	1	-1	1
North Korea	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0

Final Score - WC2010 Group G, Brazil vs North Korea

Tuesday 15th June 2010 - Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg. Att: 54,331
Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

LINEUPS:
Brazil (451): Cesar, Malcon, Bastos, Lucio, Juan, G Silva, Melo, Alves (Ramirez 74'), Fabiano, Kaka (Nilmar 60'), Robinho (T Silva 88')
North Korea (451): RM Guk, CJ Hyok, Nam, Jin (PN Chol), RJ Il, Chon, Jo, Hak (Jun 60'), Se (PS Hyok 60'), PN Chol, MI Guk

An understandably one-sided match but North Korea were hard working and dedicated to their defensive game plan. The Brazilians were not very threatening in the early going which made the Koreans job that much easier, but the first real chance fell to the Kings of Samba in the 24th minute when a corner was played short, then across the goalmouth finding Fabiano to break the deadlock.

Brazil had returned to just passing the ball around but their halftime team talk obviously struck a chord with the players as they came out looking for goals. Ri Myong Guk was rather busy in net after the break stopping shots from Robinho and Juan early on before Nilmar hit Melo's looping cross onto the post. With time running down Brazil finally added a second goal when Silva was able to cut inside and beat the goalie at his near post.

Brazil 2 - 0 North Korea
Goalscorers:
BRA Fabiano 24'
BRA Silva 87'

Discipline:
PRK CJ Hyok 23'

Man of the Match:
BRA Fabiano

GROUP G
Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Brazil	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	3
Cote d'Ivoire	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
Portugal	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1
North Korea	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	0