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PST writers make World Cup picks and predictions

By Joe Prince-WrightJun 9, 2014, 2:53 PM EDT
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With the start of the World Cup fast approaching, we’ve been having some fun here at PST.

Our wonderful staff have pit their wits against each other and were asked to come up with their predictions for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

RELATED: World Cup homepage, the latest news from Brazil

Needless to say, banter has been flying around: “Seriously… the U.S. is going to the quarterfinals?” “Umm… I think you made a mistake with England, guys.”

As they say, making these picks is all part of the fun.

Below we have full selections from the PST crew, and why not have a go yourself in the comments section below.

Have fun and enjoy studying the field before watching your picks disintegrate in the first week  following the first wave of upsets. Come on… it always happens!

Joe Prince-Wright

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon. Group B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece. Group D: Uruguay, England, Italy, Costa Rica. Group E: France, Ecuador, Switzerland, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, Portugal, USA, Ghana. Group H: Belgium, Russia, South Korea, Algeria

 

source:
JPW has hosts Brazil winning their sixth World Cup.

Round of 16
Brazil over Netherlands
Spain over Croatia
England over Colombia
Ivory Coast over Uruguay
Bosnia over France
Argentina over Ecuador
Germany over Russia
Belgium over Portugal

Quarterfinals
Brazil over England
Germany over Bosnia
Argentina over Belgium
Spain over Ivory Coast

Semifinals
Brazil over Germany
Argentina over Spain

Third place
Spain over Germany

Final
Brazil over Argentina

Richard Farley

Group A: Brazil, Mexico, Croatia, Cameroon. Group B: Spain, Chile, Netherlands, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Japan, Ivory Coast, Greece. Group D: Uruguay, Italy, England, Costa Rica. Group E: Switzerland, France, Ecuador, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, Portugal, United States, Ghana. Group H: Belgium, Russia, South Korea, Algeria

Round of 16
Chile over Brazil
Italy over Colombia
Switzerland over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Germany over Russia
Spain over Mexico
Uruguay over Japan
Argentina over France
Portugal over Belgium

source:
Farley has gone for Spain to win back-to-back titles.

Quarterfinals
Chile over Italy
Germany over Switzerland
Spain over Uruguay
Argentina over Portugal

Semifinals
Germany over Chile
Spain over Argentina

Third place
Chile over Argentina

Final
Spain over Germany

Mike Prindiville

Group A: Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, Mexico. Group B: Chile, Spain, Netherlands, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece. Group D: Italy, Uruguay, England, Costa Rica. Group E: France, Ecuador, Switzerland, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, USA, Portugal, Ghana. Group H: Russia, Belgium, Korea, Algeria

Round of 16
Brazil over Spain
Chile over Cameroon
Uruguay over Colombia
Ivory Coast over Italy
France over Bosnia
Argentina over Ecuador
Germany over Belgium
USA over Russia

source:
Les Elephants are Prindi’s surprise pick to reach the final four.

Quarterfinals
Brazil over Uruguay
France over Germany
Argentina over USA
Ivory Coast over Chile

Semifinals
Brazil over France
Argentina over Ivory Coast

Third place
Ivory Coast over France

Final
Brazil over Argentina

 

Kyle Bonn

Group stages

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico. Cameroon. Group B: Spain ,Netherlands, Chile, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Greece. Group D: Italy, Uruguay. England, Costa Rica. Group E: France, Switzerland, Ecuador, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States. Group H: Russia, Belgium, South Korea, Algeria.

source:
According to Kyle, Bosnia is heading to the semifinals.

Round of 16
Brazil over Netherlands
Spain over Croatia
Uruguay over Colombia
Italy over Ivory Coast
Bosnia over France
Argentina over Switzerland
Germany over Belgium
Portugal over Russia

Quarterfinals
Brazil over Uruguay
Spain over Italy
Bosnia over Germany
Argentina over Portugal

Semifinals
Brazil over Bosnia
Argentina over Spain

Third place
Spain over Bosnia

Final
Brazil over Argentina

Kirsten Schlewitz

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon. Group B: Spain, Chile, Netherlands, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Japan, Greece, Ivory Coast. Group D: Italy, Uruguay, England, Costa Rica. Group E: France, Switzerland, Ecuador, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA. Group H: Belgium, South Korea, Russia, Algeria.

source:
Kirsten is going with Brazil. If in doubt… pick the host nation.

Round of 16
Brazil over Chile
Colombia over Uruguay
France over Bosnia
Germany over South Korea
Spain over Croatia
Italy over Japan
Argentina over Switzerland
Belgium over Portugal

Quarterfinals
Brazil over Colombia
France over Germany
Spain over Italy
Argentina over Belgium

Semifinals
Brazil over France
Spain over Argentina

Third place
France over Argentina

Final
Brazil over Spain

Nick Mendola

Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Cameroon, Mexico. Group B: Chile, Spain, Netherlands, Australia. Group C: Ivory Coast, Greece, Colombia, Japan. Group D: Italy, Uruguay, England, Costa Rica. Group E: France, Switzerland, Honduras, Ecuador. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, Iran. Group G: Germany, USA, Portugal, Ghana. Group H: Belgium, Russia, South Korea, Algeria

Round of 16

Brazil over Spain
Uruguay over Ivory Coast
France over Bosnia
Germany over Russia
Chile over Croatia
Italy over Greece
Argentina over Switzerland
Belgium over USA

source:
Mendola thinks Germany will win its fourth World Cup.

Quarterfinals
Italy over Chile
Argentina over Belgium
Germany over France
Brazil over Uruguay

Semifinals
Germany over Brazil
Italy over Argentina

Third place
Brazil over Argentina

Final
Germany over Italy

La Liga roundup: Celta spoil Hazard’s return in Real Madrid draw

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By Joel SoriaFeb 16, 2020, 7:54 PM EST
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Real Madrid’s draw against relegation-battling Celta Vigo highlights La Liga’s Sunday action.

[ FOLLOW: PST’s La Liga coverage ]

Real Madrid 2-2 Celta Vigo 

Celta’s Santi Mina scored in 85th minute to give a depleted Celta Vigo a precious point at the Santiago Bernabeu, spoiling Eden Hazard‘s return to Real Madrid’s lineup after a notable absence.

Madrid’s eighth draw of the season moves champions Barcelona just one point behind Zinedine Zidane’s side.

Returning from ankle injury that kept his out of action for three months, Hazard returned to the pitch in fine style, leading all players on the field in chances created with three and earning a penalty that Sergio Ramos converted to put Real Madrid ahead.

Hazard – and all of his flair – left the field in the 70th minute, granting Vinicius Junior the final 20 minutes of the match.

Ramos’ sixth goal of the season builded on Toni Kroos’ left-footed strike early in the latter half of the match. Real Madrid, more or less, were cruising against Celta, who had a goal to their name following Fyodor Smolov’s early opener.

Celta, who had arrived in Madrid in 18th place and had lost their last seven at the host’s home, were destined to do the unthinkable. Denis Suarez and Mina – both utilized as substitutes – paired up for the equalizer with five minutes to go, spoiling Hazard’s return.

Elsewhere in La Liga

Sevilla 2-2 Espanyol

Leganes 0-0 Real Betis 

Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Osasuna

Teammates appear to stop Marega leaving after racist slurs

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Associated PressFeb 16, 2020, 6:03 PM EST
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LIBSON, Portugal — FC Porto striker Moussa Marega, who tried to walk off the field after being the target of racist slurs from fans, faced apparent attempts Sunday by his own teammates and opposition players to prevent him from leaving.

Marega, who is black and from Mali, was visibly angered by monkey noises targeting him after he scored Porto’s second goal in a 2-1 win at Guimarães in the Portuguese football league.

But when Marega started to walk off the field, several players from both Porto and Guimarães appeared to argue with him. Porto coach Sérgio Conceição also went on the field and spoke with Marega.

It took Marega several minutes to leave the field when he was substituted.

Marega held his thumbs down at the crowd as he went into the tunnel to the changing rooms. The crowd responded with loud jeers.

The attitude of the other players has drawn criticism on social media.

“We are indignant with what has happened. Moussa was insulted from warmups (before kickoff),” Conceição said after the match.

“We are a family. One’s nationality, color, or height does not matter. We are human beings. We deserve respect and what happened was despicable.”

Marega received a yellow card following his goal in the 61st minute when he appeared to respond to the slurs by pointing at his skin and by picking up a seat that had been thrown on the pitch.

Timothy Weah returns to action with Lille after lengthy| absence

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By Joel SoriaFeb 16, 2020, 5:45 PM EST
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Timothy Weah was back in action in Lille’s 2-1 loss to Marseille on Sunday after a 183-day absence.

The American attacker played the final 10 minutes of the defeat after being inactive since Lille’s second match of the season back in August 17 in which he suffered a “very bad hamstring tear“.

[ MORE: Premier League schedule ]

Weah arrived at Lille in June on a $12 million deal from Paris Saint-Germain, placing high expectations on the 19-year-old son of Ballon d’OR winner George Weah.

Since, however, the U.S. men’s national team player has had little activity with the French side, accumulating less than 100 minutes over a three-game stretch.

Lille manager Christophe Galtier will likely ease Weah’s way into the a starting role moving forward – which is largely contingent on his performances at practice and in official play.

Lille, who’ve accumulated 40 points in 25 matches, are currently fourth in Ligue 1.

WATCH: Ashley Young opens his Inter Milan account with volley

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By Joel SoriaFeb 16, 2020, 4:07 PM EST
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The first English goalscorer in Serie A this decade is 34-year-old Ashley Young.

Inter Milan’s newly-integrated wingback opened his Serie A account in proper fashion – scoring with a first-time right-footed volley strike against a strong Lazio side.

Why did Manchester United let Young walk away from Old Trafford during the winter transfer window? Surely, Young will answer that in detail when the time is right. At this moment, he’s too busy scoring goals – stellar ones, too – as we can see for ourselves above.

Young arrived at Inter in January on a reported $2-million deal for the remainder of the season, with an option to extend for another season.