As expected the hosts and 5 time champion Brazil qualified along with Mexico, after facing tough challenge from Croatia. The group would be remembered for Neymar’s magic and Guillermo Ochoa’s magical saves. Cameroon was the punchbag of this group, while the captain of Mexico made history. Brazil meets Chile, while Mexico meets Netherlands in the Round of 16.
When Brazil was knocked out in First Round of World Cup
Can Brazil Qualify in 2014?
Summary: Group B
FIFA World Cup 2014: Points Table, 2014 Football World Cup: Schedule and Results in Indian Standard Time, Goal Statistics of FIFA World Cup 2014, Goal Scores of Brazil World Cup
Group A Statistics
- 17 goals in 6 matches produced second highest goal percentage of a group in the 2014 World Cup.
Brazil scored maximum 7 goals.
Cameroon conceded maximum 9 goals, joint highest among all teams.
Alex Song of Cameroon received red card vs Croatia.
Neymar was declared Man of the Match twice.
Group A Records
Team
- Brazil became second country after Germany to complete 100 World Cup games, in their third game of the group.
First time FIFA World Cup started with an own goal.
Rafael Márquez (Mexico) made history by becoming the first player to captain his nation in four different World Cups.
Croatia registered its biggest World Cup victory, defeating Cameroon 4-0.
Group Stage History of All Four
- Brazil has been knocked out in the first round only thrice. 1930, 1934 and then as defending champion in 1966 FIFA World Cup.
Croatia has reached beyond Round 1 only once in last three attempts when they made debut in 1998 and finished 3rd.
Mexico has been knocked out in the first round on 7 occasions out of the 14 editions they played. Since 1994 they are continuously getting knocked out in the 2nd round.
Cameroon has reached beyond first round only once in 7 attempts now.
Individual Records
- Marcelo became the first Brazilian to score own goal in any World Cup.
Olic of Croatia became the second player after Michael Laudrup (1986 and 1998) to score in World Cup after 12 year gap. He last scored in 2002 World Cup.
Group A Points Tally
M=Matches, W=Won, L=Loss, D = Draw, GS=Goals Scored, GC=Goals conceded, GD= Goal difference, P=Points
| Team | M | W | L | D | GS | GC | GD | P |
| Brazil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 7 |
| Mexico | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 7 |
| Croatia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Cameroon | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 0 |
Group A Match Results
- 1. Brazil def Croatia 3-1, Man of the Match: Neymar.
2. Mexico def Cameroon 1-0, Man of the Match: Giovani dos Santos.
3. Brazil vs Mexico 0-0, Man of the Match: Guillermo Ochoa.
4. Croatia def Cameroon 4-0, Man of the Match: Mario Mandžukic
5. Mexico def Croatia 3-1, Man of the Match: Rafael Márquez
6. Brazil def Cameroon 4-1, Man of the Match: Neymar
Goal Scorers of Group A
- Brazil: 7 (4: Neymar, 1: Oscar, Fred, Fernando Luiz Roza)
Croatia: 6 (2: Mandzukic, Ivan Perišić), 1: Ivica Olić)
Cameroon: 1 (Joël Matip)
Mexico: 4 (1: Oribe Peralta, Rafael Márquez, Andrés Guardado, Javier Hernández)
Leave a Reply