Wimbledon - Day nine

Day nine at Wimbledon and Simona Halep beat Sabine Lisicki in straight sets. After leading four games to one in the first set Sabine fell away and never recovered. 

Euguene Bouchard beat Angelique Kerber in straight sets and this was a good win for Eugene. Who used her strong serve and court craft to out manoeuvre and out power Angelique. 

In the men's draw Roger Federer beat Stanislas Wawrinka in four sets and it was a good win for Roger against Stan who was not well and needed a medical time out. 

Roger was able to capitalize on Stan's health problems to win the fourth set and the match. 

The shock of the day was Grigor Dimitrov beating Andy Murray in straight sets. Andy did not look himself and I have never watched a match where he has lost the first set so easily. 

Andy looked distracted and this was in a sharp contrast to how he had played his previous rounds. But credit goes to Grigor for playing a sound match and getting this important win. 

Wimbledon - Day eight

Day eight at Wimbledon and Angelique Kerber beat Maria Sharapova in three sets and it was three very tight sets and could have gone either way. 

However Angelique was able to serve better when it mattered and was able to put away some amazing winners. 

Petra Kivitova beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in straight sets and to be fair it would have been a bigger surprise if Barbora had won. 

Petra has a big serve so it is incredibly difficult to get the ball back and out of her hitting zone. But Barbora gave it her all and put up an amazing fight which was sadly not good enough. 

Simona Halep beat Zarina Diyas in straight sets and it was a tough match for Zarina who was unable to show case her talent and I think this was probably not helped by nerves and this being her first fourth round draw. 

In the men's draw Roger Federer beat Tommy Rebredo in straight sets and it was a routine win for Roger but he faces tougher challenges ahead. 

The shock of day was Nick Kyrgios beating Rafael Nadal in four sets and it was difficult day for Rafal as Nick's serve was a little too hot to handle.

Rafael seemed a little tired and did not seem to have the energy to run around and Nick just seem to have little more energy and that great serve. 

World Cup - Day twenty

Day twenty of the World Cup and Argentina beat Switzerland one nil after extra time. 

The Swiss team where very unlucky to concede a goal so close to the end of extra time and they will look back at their missed chances with regret. 

However Argentinans seems to have a little bit more and where able to score that important goal when it mattered. 

Elsewhere Belguim beat the USA by two goals to one and after extra time. If it had not been for the heroic efforts of the USA goalkeeper Tim Howard they probably would not have made it to extra time. 

However I for one question the team selection of Jurgen Klinsman. He seemed to have an awful lot of talent on the bench and other than the injured players, he seemed to be chopping and changing players around a lot which I don't think help them. 

However Belguim had the most of the possession and richly deserve to go through. They will now face Argentina and will be present them with different set of problems and hopefully they will be more clinical in front of goal. 

World Cup - day nineteen

Day nineteen at the World Cup and France beat Nigeria by two goals to nil. It was a very high tempo and competitive match but in the end the French had that little more cutting edge and where able to get the goals and win the game. 

The French are my personal favourites to win the World Cup as they have the best players and seem to have at least two players for ever position. 

Nigeria did well but at this stage of the competition they lacked that clinical finish that could have seen them into the quarter finals. 

Elsewhere Germany beat Algeria two goals to one but this was after extra time. The Algerians gave everything and defensively they where brilliant but they did not have that clinical finish that is needed at this stage of the competition. 

The Germans will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that they are still in this competition but they face France who can attack and defend so pose a different problem to the German team. 

World Cup - Day eighteen

Day eighteen at the World Cup and Costa Rica drew one all with Greece but beat them five goals to three on penalties. 

This has been an amazing World Cup for both Costa Rica and Greece most people did not see either of these countries getting out of the groups.

But they both prevailed and Costa Rica just had a little bit more and beat them on penalties to win the match and progress to the quarter finals. 

Netherlands beat Mexico by two goals to one and it was a controversial scoreline mainly because Arjen Robben looked like he dived to get The Netherlands their second goal which ulitmately helped them to win the match. 

World Cup - day seventeen

Day seventeen of the World Cup and it is now the knock out stages. So Brazil drew one all with Chile but beat them three goals to two on penalties. 

I think that others are now beginning to realise that this Brazil team is average and they are definitely not the Brazil of old. 

I suspect if this World Cup had not been held in Brazil then might have been knocked out already. 

 Colombia beat Uruguay by two goals to nil and Colombia probably would have got this win. 

However Uruguay being with  their banned striker Luis Suarez made it even harder for Uruguay but Colombia very much deserved this victory. 

World Cup - Day fifteen

Day fifteen at the World Cup and Germany beat the USA by a goal to nil, however curtesy to other group results going their way USA where able to qualify for the knock out stages. 

In the other group game Portugal beat Ghana by two goals to one. This was tough match for both countries because result could have gone either way. 

However I was disappointed with the way the World Cup ended for Ghana. Two players sent home in disgrace and the others demanding their bonus. 

It has embarrassed Ghana and the focus should have been on how to beat Portugual. Hopefully these discpline and financial issues will not be repeated at the next World Cup. 

Elsewhere Algeria drew one all with Russia and with this win, Algeria qualified for the knock out stages.

Algeria where two of the only African countries to make it through to the knock out stages. Which is an amazing accomplishment for them. 

Now they face Germany in the knock out stages and this will probably see them bow out but it does not take away from there amazing achievements and they certainly have made Africa proud.