Argentina and Netherlands book semi-final showdown

Argentina and Netherlands book semi-final showdown
By Euronews
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Two times champions Argentina qualified for the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since Italy 1990 after beating Belgium one nil in Brasilia.

The South American’‘s took the lead after just eight minutes and with their first shot on goal.

Vincent Kompany gave the ball away in his own half and it eventually found it’s way to Gonzalo Higuain, who volleyed in on the turn to fire his nation into the last four.

In the last four of FIFA’s flagship event Alejandro Sabella’s men will take on the Netherlands.

Louis Van Gaal’s side qualified for the last-four for a second consecutive time after beating Costa Rica 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

Neither side could break the deadlock in regulation or extra time so off to the penalty spot they went to decide the winner.

Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen was substituted for Tim Krul just before the end of extra time – a decision that paid dividends as Krul saved two penalties to help his side through.

World Cup over for poster boy Neymar

He was the hope of an entire nation, the poster boy of the Brazil squad. But he now joins the ranks of the World Cup injured.

22-year-old Neymar’s World Cup is over.

The Barcelona playmaker suffered a fractured vertebra in his spine when kneed in the back by Camilo Zuniga during Brazil’s 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia on Friday.

Whilst the tackle went unpunished Brazil’s darling, who had scored four times, was stretchered off in tears knowing all too well his tournament on home soil had come to a premature end.

He was taken to a nearby hospital in Fortaleza and soon after team doctors confirmed that although he did not require surgery his recovery would be a few weeks.

It was a double blow for Brazil on the night as skipper Thiago Silva picked up a yellow card and will be suspended for their semi-final against Germany.

Toothless but has a bite

He has a penchant for biting and it led to a four month ban from all football-related activity but that hasn’t put Barcelona off telling Liverpool they will meet the release clause in striker Luis Suarez’s contract.

The deal is reportedly worth 80 million euros and the player is set to sign a five-year contract and is expected to be completed in the coming days.

The Uruguay international was punished by FIFA for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup.

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Hair raisng

Hairdressers across the globe are accustomed to making their clients look like their favourite movie stars or pop singers. But barbers in Brazil are taking World Cup fever one step further by offering designer trims in the shape of famous footballers.

Fans in Brazil have been queuing up looking for that World Cup cut.

From Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronald to Neymar and Mario Balotelli you can have any style you want – if you don’t want the style you can even have your footballing hero’s image clippered onto your head.

People have been going just World Cup hairdo crazy.

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