Friday June 20th

Group D

Italian loss sends England home

Costa Rica 1 Italy 0 (Recife)
Costa Rica celebrated a historic win over Italy to top the group of death and send England crashing out of World Cup. Balotelli lifted the ball over the Costa Rica keeper in the 31st minute with no end result and struck a powerful volley at the keeper 2 minutes later, but on the stroke of half time Bryan Ruiz ran onto a cross at the far post and headed it back off the underside of the crossbar and over the line. The Italians failed to create any real chances in the second half and England's exit was confirmed.

Group E

Rampant French crush Swiss

France 5 Switzerland 2 (Salvador)

France put on a five star performance to sweep Switzerland aside. Olivier Giroud rose to meet a corner kick and send a firm header into the top corner in the 17th minute and seconds after the restart Benzema was gifted the ball and passed it to Blaise Matuidi who beat the keeper at his near post. France were awarded a penalty in the 31st minute but Benaglio blocked Benzema's shot and Valbuena could only knock the rebound onto the crossbar. Five minutes from the break, France hit the Swiss on a counter-attack as Giroud sprinted onto a pass down the left and fed Valbuena in the 6-yard area to make it three. In the 67th minute Pogba chipped the ball into the box for Benzema to hook in between the keeper's legs and 5 minutes later Moussa Sissoko swept Benzema's pass into the far corner for the fifth. The Swiss hit back with a long distance daisy cutter from a free kick into the corner of the net in the 81st minute and in the 87th minute Inler lifted the ball over the defence for Granit Xhaka to volley past Lloris and salvage some pride.

Group E

Valencia hit Honduras with double

Ecuador 2 Honduras 1 (Curitiba)

Enner Valencia scored twice as Ecuador came from behind to beat Honduras. The Hondurans took the lead in the 31st minute when a long clearance fell to Carlos Costly who hammered home from the 18-yard line, but 3 minutes later a shot from Paredes into the box took a deflection and was squeezed in by Valencia at the far post. A Costly header just before the halftime whistle hit the post but the follow up was disallowed and Ecuador got their winner in the 65th minute when Ayovi whipped in a free kick for Valencia to head in off the base of the post.