Association football

Italian experience overcame England's youthful exuberance in an intriguing clash of styles at the World Cup on June 14 and in Group D's other game unfancied Costa Rica beat twice champions Uruguay in the tournament's biggest upset so far.

By Karolos Grohmann

A 3-0 defeat by Colombia on Saturday in Greece's opening World Cup Group C game was a bad start to the tournament in Brazil but it is no drama, Greece coach Fernando Santos told reporters.

Santos said the Greeks, who have never managed to keep a clean sheet at a World Cup match, paid the price for a lack of focus at key moments in the game.

By George Georgakopoulos

No beautiful horizon lies ahead for Greece after its performance at Belo Horizonte on Saturday and its 3-0 loss to Colombia in its opening game for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, as besides its defeat the national team was disappointing in many ways.

The Netherlands beat current world champion Spain in a Group B World Cup 2014 game at Arena Forte Nova, Salvador, on Friday. 

The first goal was scored by Spain's Xabi Alonso in the 27-th minute, but a minute before the end of the first halftime Robin Van Persie sent in an equalizer. 

Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL - Colombia and Greece clash on Saturday in Group C plagued by fears over where their World Cup goals will come from.

The South Americans were rocked when talismanic striker Radamel Falcao lost his battle to be fit for the finals after suffering a serious knee injury playing for French club Monaco in January.

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Justice Nikola Selakovic announced on Friday that the Ministry will forward the draft law on protection of rights to fair trial to the European Commission (EC) and the Council of Europe (CoE) in the next few days, and this document aims to contribute to an increased efficiency of the Serbian judiciary.

Ukrainian government forces reclaimed the port city of Mariupol from pro-Russian separatists in heavy fighting on June 13 and said they had regained control of a long stretch of the border with Russia.

Brazil's poster boy Neymar scored twice and the outstanding Oscar added a late third as the hosts came from behind to beat Croatia 3-1 in a thrilling World Cup opening match Brazil's poster boy Neymar scored twice and the outstanding Oscar added a late third as the hosts came from behind to beat Croatia 3-1 in a thrilling World Cup opening match on June 12.

Host nation Brazil kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 3:1 win over Croatia in Sao Paulo.

Despite the scoreline, things went far from smoothly for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team, who fell behind after an own goal by Marcelo in the 11th minute. The Croatians played a very strong first half an hour, pressuring their opponent and organizing quick counter attacks.

Dragons take first step onto world stage

The BiH football team's qualification for the World Cup is an accomplishment that is resonating in the sports world and beyond.

"Dragons in heart, Dragons on the field," is the slogan that the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) national football team has adopted as it plays in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.