BRAZIL 2014: Tourney favorites Brazil fret over second round

>The pretenders are gone. The 16 teams remaining in Brazil are the best sides in the world, the outstanding sides left in what is shaping up to be a tournament for the ages.

>The 2014 World Cup was a captivating carnival of football, rated by many as the best yet, with high drama on and off the pitch, and, in Germany, champions worthy of the name.

>Vilio, majonzi vilitawala kila ni kona ya Brazil baada ya kupokea kipigo cha mbwa mwizi cha mabao 7-1kutoka kwa Ujerumani katika nusu fainali ya kwanzajana kwenye Uwanja wa Mineirao.

>From 32, it’s down to the last 16. Here there are no second chances. It is win or bust.

>Brazil imekata rufaa juu ya adhabu ya kukosa mchezo mmoja kwa nahodha wake, Thiago Silva mwenye kadi mbili za njano, ambazo zinamaanisha atalazimika kukosa mchezo wa leo dhidi ya Ujerumani.

Licha ya kuwa Neymar ndiye mchezaji anayetajwa zaidi na kuonekana msaada mkubwa katika kikosi cha Brazil, pia uwepo wa Oscar, Thiago Silva na David Luiz unaonekana kuwa muhimu uwanjani.

Ferdinand, ambaye amestaafu kuchezea timu ya taifa, atakuwa mmoja wa wachambuzi wa michuano hiyo ya mwaka huu inayoanza wiki hii.

>Two years ago during the London 2012 Olympics, an Italian journalist made what he termed an ‘easy decision’ by foregoing an event involving his country’s athlete, an athletics event he was under obligation to cover for his media house, to rush to the Horse Guards Parade to watch the Brazilian beach volleyball team. The emphasis here is on the female team.

>Mechi inayosubiriwa kwa hamu zaidi na mashabiki wa soka hapa ni Brazil na Argentina kama zitafanikiwa kutinga fainali za Kombe la Dunia katika pambano litakachezwa Julai 13  kwenye Uwanja wa Maracana.