Xherdan Shaqiri, who patiently waited for his showcase to get out of Bayern Munich, netted a hat-trick,

Day 14 in 100 words or less We are told that over 90 per cent of the population is naturally right-footed. Chris Wondolowski Jersey . Brazil 2014 has only been alive for two weeks and it has already laughed in the faces of many trends and on Day 14, it added another one. A tournament that has seen left-footed geniuses like Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez rise above the rest, added two more left-footed playmakers to the list of stars at this World Cup on Wednesday. Xherdan Shaqiri, who patiently waited for his showcase to get out of Bayern Munich, netted a hat-trick, while Lionel Messi delivered a complete performance for the first time. Argentina 3-2 Nigeria Lionel Messi was very good at the World Cup in 2010, but he didnt score a goal and Argentina went home early. For the next four years, we were told he wasnt good at all in South Africa. For the first two games in Brazil, Messi scored two brilliant goals that proved to be the difference. We were told he was finally delivering on the biggest stage. Except he wasnt. He was, in fact, average for long periods of the game and wasnt as good as he was in South Africa. And then came game number three. Unlike Brazil, still sputtering along in third-gear, Argentina upped their game on Wednesday, delivering a far better performance than their previous efforts at this World Cup. This was helped, of course, by a complete performance from Messi. He scored early, dragging three men towards him, allowing space for Angel Di Maria to run into, before following up and smashing the ball into the roof of the net. It was far from game over, though. Argentina have flaws, more of which we will look at soon. Nigeria fought back to 1-1 and then Messi delivered the best free kick of the World Cup so far, looping the ball over the wall and into the corner of the net. Four goals in three games. At 3-2, he was removed for a rest and it was a break he deserved. Argentina were the real winners of the December draw; their group was perfect for them, full of close but winnable games and that theme continues for them going forward. A date with Switzerland follows and then, likely, Belgium, Ghana or USA in the quarterfinals and, possibly, Netherlands in the last four. All of their South American cousins are in the opposite half, as are Germany, should they win their group. It is quite possible that Argentina will line up inside the Maracana on July 13 without being seriously tested by a legitimate contender at this World Cup. That gives them an opportunity to continue to roll, but will they be good enough by then to cover for their weaknesses? The cohesion of their front three was a mild improvement from games one and two, though Sergio Aguero left the game injured and that might help them going forward because he and Gonzalo Higuain havent been at their best alongside Messi. Although a concern, that isnt the biggest issue for Argentina. Their back four are very unreliable, happy to play deep to stop any pace coming behind them. This, though, is an issue to be exploited by top teams. The midfield three of Fernando Gago, Javier Mascherano and Di Maria desperately need to connect with the front three for the system to work. Gagos movement created Messis first goal in Brazil and Di Marias combinations with Messi were much better on Wednesday. This means the midfield three push forward and leave space in behind. On the first goal conceded, scored by Ahmed Musa, midfielder Michael Babatunde sprinted into space between the lines… Once Musa got into the danger zone, the centre-backs had been split and he was one-on-one with the full back Pablo Zabaleta, before curling the ball into the net. At 2-1, the same thing happened again in the second half. Look at the space in between the lines…. The ball is played into Emmanuel Emenike, both centre-backs are dragged towards him and Musa sprints into the space between the lines. It is an imperfect storm for Argentinas two greatest weaknesses If we look at how they conceded their other goal in this tournament, again from open play, against Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is a familiar story. When the team has to defend, there is a tremendous pressure on seven players to defend properly. Once again, they didnt do that properly. Here, you can see a back four with the midfield three and, the eventual goalscorer Vedab Ibisevic, operating between the lines… Ibisevic makes an intelligent run and, like Musa, allows his teammate to run into the space in between the lines, which forced a centre-back out once again…. Once hes in, he scores easily. Argentina should be the favourites to win the World Cup at this stage. Their best player is on form and the draw has opened up for them but, when not in possession, they look like a broken team and one that could be exposed. It just might be later, rather than sooner, at this World Cup. Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1 Iran Both teams saw their World Cups officially end in another excellent game in Brazil. Not much will be remembered from the game, except for another fine left-footed strike by Edin Dzeko, a man who clearly deserved to be a goal-scorer in this tournament after harshly having one ruled out for offside against Nigeria. Switzerland 3-0 Honduras Honduras achieved something quite remarkable as their World Cup ended. They beat Cameroon for being the worst team in this tournament with another poor performance. Switzerland, however, did exactly what they needed to do, winning a game by a margin that would have forced Ecuador to win by more than just a goal. Xherdan Shaqiri was the star but he owes a toast to Josip Drmic, who was magnificent playing just ahead of him. Shaqiris goals were exquisite, but Drmics movement and vision contributed to two and the pairs relationship will delight Ottmar Hitzfeld as they head into their next game against Argentina. If any pair can exploit the space in between the lines, it might be these two. The great coach, who retires after this tournament, said he didnt even think it could have been his last game. Honduras will do that to you. Argentina will be a different foe, for sure, but what a glorious challenge it will be for the veteran leader. France 0-0 Ecuador Ecuador became the only South American team to not make the last 16 after a goalless draw in Rio. Goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez was excellent, captain Antonio Valencia was sent off and striker Enner Valencia was a menace once again. However, it seemed the moment they conceded the late winner to Switzerland that it would cost them qualification and so it proved the case for Reinaldo Ruedas side. France, meanwhile, should have scored at least three but didnt get any. Didier Deschamps made a number of changes heading into the match and, much like Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia, it was tough to analyze much from a team already (virtually) through to the next round through two games. What we do know is France have a deep squad, with an in-form star striker, and will be big favourites against Nigeria. How they respond when they go behind in a game may be their biggest test going forward. Man of the Day Nominees Lionel Messi – It feels right when one of the worlds finest players performs like that at a World Cup. Angel Di Maria – A player who is so important to their system, the Real Madrid man was much better today than in the past two matches. Ahmed Musa – Two brilliantly taken goals made the game closer than some thought it would be. Xherdan Shaqiri – It has been the tournament of left-footed wizards and the Bayern Munich man delivered when his country needed him most. Alexander Dominguez – Many Ecuadorian players leave Brazil with their heads held high, including their goalkeeper who put on a clinic at the Maracana. The winner… Lionel Messi – Who else? Again... What comes next? USA vs. Germany and Portugal vs. Ghana (12pm et /9am pt), South Korea vs. Belgium and Algeria vs Russia (4pm et/1pm pt) Burning question for tomorrow Will Fabio Capello let go of the handbrake and allow his creative players to attempt to take his team into the next round? Key stat of Day 14 Lionel Messi scored in all three group games for Argentina. The first player to do that since Omar Corbatta in 1958. Kellyn Acosta Jersey . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Dax McCarty Jersey . The Canadian skicross racer appeared to have the bronze medal locked up in the mens final at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, only to wipe out while trying to make a pass in the biggest moment of his career. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/ethan-horvath-usa-jersey/ .C. -- Authorities say the brother of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has been shot and killed outside a South Carolina nightclub.TORONTO -- She has successfully defended her Olympic gold medal and plans to compete in the 2018 Games, but Kaillie Humphries still has her sights set on achieving yet another goal in bobsleigh: having women take part in the four-man competition. Humphries said she plans to make a proposal this summer to her sports international governing body. The Calgary athlete hopes to help lead the charge by seeking to train and compete with men as the pilot of a four-person sled. "Women dont have four-man -- yet," Humphries said in an interview Friday, sporting her gold medals from the Vancouver and Sochi Olympics. "Were in a situation where women for a lot of years in our sport have always been told that were not as good a pilot, or were not as strong. And I think were at a point where women are proving now that we are just as good.... Were competing on the same level. And so its got to start somewhere. "Were still very much an all-boys club, and were still fairly new," she added, noting that women first competed in Olympic bobsleigh at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. "But at the same time, youve got the chicken and the egg. Youre not going to get more girls coming in unless you have more events. At the same time, theyre saying you cant have more events until you have more girls." Humphries said if women arent allowed to start competing in four-man bobsleigh, then maybe she can "join the guys." "Ill definitely have to have three men behind me in order to be competitive at all, but I feel like that could be a start and a step in a right direction towards encouraging women to come out to the sport, which will hopefully raise the profile a little bit more. And from there, we can hopefully get four-man started (for women)." The 28-year-old acknowledged that it will be an uphill climb, saying shell have to attend driving school and qualify "just like any other mens team would," adhering to both the Canadian system and international rules. "It will be a long process, it will be a hard one, one that I know Im going to get a few battles over and slack over for sure -- but one that Im willing to face. "I feel like Im a great person to at least get the ball rolling. Whether itll happen while Im still in sport, I dont know -- but its got to start somewhere." So could Humphries foreseeably see herself piloting both two-man and four-man sleds in the future? "I wouldnt go forward with it if I wasnt super passionate about it and didnt see it happening," she said. "Its just whether the federation and everybody else is ready for that to take flight yet. So thats what Ive got to do my best to convince people of." Humphries is still revelling in the golden glow of earning back-to-back Olympic titles with brakeman Heather Moyse of Summerside, P.E.I. The duo capped off their victory with yet another honour: being chosen as Canaadas flag bearers for the closing ceremony. Chris Pontius Jersey. . Humphries mom, Cheryl Simundson, was able to attend the Games as part of the "Thank You, Mom" program spearheaded by Procter & Gamble Co., which sponsors the bobsleigh champion. The program honours the role mothers play in helping children achieve their dreams. Simundson became emotional recalling the nail-biting two-minute wait to see Americans Elana Meyers and Lauryn Williams complete their run following the Canadian team. In the end, Humphries and Moyse eked out a victory by a tenth of a second. "We knew that it was close. We knew that they had finished their fourth run and that it was possible, that it was up to Elana to take it or lose it," Simundson recalled, as her eyes began to fill with tears. "It was all about consistency. At that moment, we knew that they had done their best." Humphries admitted the pressures were greater heading into the Sochi Games, but said she couldnt approach the event any differently than other competitions. "I try and keep all my races as simple as possible," she said. "I push as hard as I can and I drive that track the very best that I can, and all my energy and focus goes into that. "If I think about it as the Olympics and your life is built up to this, four years is about this moment its too much." As has become customary, the heavily tattooed athlete plans to add new ink in commemoration of her Sochi victory just as she did after Vancouver. She plans to have a design of her newest medal tattooed with art from Sochi blended into one piece. Despite thriving under the intense spotlight of competition, Humphries admitted carrying Canadas flag with Moyse at the closing ceremony was fraught with a fresh set of jitters. While no one offered any guidance on how to carry the colours, she recalled a tip she received from British flag bearer Lizzy Yarnold that didnt quite work out as planned. "She said: I think you wave it like a figure eight. So I started doing that as I walked out, and I started hitting other peoples flags and I was like: This is an epic fail. OK, dont do that. Thanks, Lizzy," Humphries recalled, laughing. Still, the moment in Fisht Stadium was one to remember. "To know that we had our whole country behind us that just completely supported us and to hear it and to feel it from back home ... it was unbelievable." Humphries said while her biggest goal now is "just trying to live in the moment," her plan is to compete at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, with hopes of once again piloting to victory -- and the top of the podium. "Of course, if Im going in, Im going all in, 100 per cent. It will be sights set on another gold medal. "I cant do things halfway because I know its going to be that much harder. I mean, two is hard, but three, its really unbelievable, and again, never been done." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '