Sports

The irresistible fairytale of Costa Rica faces a day of reckoning against Louis van Gaal's hard, calculating Netherlands side in the quarter-final.

Neymar was kneed in the back by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga late in the second half of Brazil's 2-1 win.

Jerome Valcke acknowledged that "maybe there were too many people who were drunk" at the matches and pointed to the connection between inebriation and violence.

Barcelona officials will meet their Liverpool counterparts in London on Wednesday to open negotiations on a possible deal for disgraced Anfield striker Luis Suarez, according to British media reports.

Barcelona have praised Suarez for "acknowledging his mistake" after the Uruguay forward bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Mexican Javier Aguirre is set to become Japan's new coach following the resignation of Alberto Zaccheroni.

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal said that his team changed tactics in the second half to win the crucial game against Mexico.

Greece's World Cup exit came as no real surprise after they again struggled for goals in a major international tournament, netting only three time in four games.

France will meet Nigeria on Monday in the Round of 16 at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha.

"We need to constitute a commission to shine the light on Ghana's World Cup campaign," Mahama told reporters in Equatorial Guinea at a summit of African leaders.

The Uruguay striker writes in Spanish that "in no way it happened how you have described, as a bite or intent to bite".

Brazil great Ronaldo believes Luis Suarez biting an opponent was terrible for football at a World Cup of "wonderful surprises".

Suarez was also suspended from any football-related activity for four months and fined 100,000 Swiss francs for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini.

The 24-year-old Herrera will join on a four-year contract after he receives an international transfer certificate.

Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon admitted the Azzurri "made a bad impression" at the World Cup as the players returned home.

Suarez was accused of sinking his teeth into the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.