Here's the World Cup fun you missed on Wednesday, June 18:
STAR SPANGLED BANNER, NATAL STYLE: The US fans present at the Estadio das Dunas on Monday were in full voice and supported the USMNT to a huge win over Ghana. But they also painted Natal red, white, and blue on their way to the stadium, singing the national anthem on their march to the match and warming up with a familiar chant:
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Carlos Thiago Ferreira
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WILL YOU MARRY ME, YOU AMERICAN OUTLAW? Nothing -- and we mean nothing! -- matches the romance of the World Cup. Well, OK, maybe a marriage proposal. But what about a a marriage proposal at aUSMNT World Cup match? Between two members of the American Outlaws supporters group? And, of course, she said yes.
CHILEAN FANS STORM MARACANA: Before first kick of Chile's second match, against Spain, other things kicked off. Namely, a group of Chilean fans overwhelmed security at the Maracanã Stadium and many of them stormed into the media center, where they were detained by security.
THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION: ESPN and Univison's broadcast of the Ghana-USA match on Monday set all kinds of records for soccer, pulling in a combined 15.9 million viewers. It also was a hit on the mobile app WatchESPN, where it was the most-watched event ever on WatchESPN. Not just soccer events, people, ALL events.
CONSERVING ENERGY: While Ghana were busy battling the USA on Monday, their fans back home were making sacrifices in order to watch the game. It seems Ghanaian power authority rationed electricity to ensure that fans could watch the game. “These plans are put in place for consumers to watch uninterruptible football matches during the World Cup,” the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission said.
VIVA MEXICO! Speaking of ratings, the record numbers for TV viewership in the US continue to come in. Univision reported on Wednesday that the mid-afternoon match between Brazil and Mexico set a new record for the network for a World Cup group-stage match.
THE DEATH OF TIKA TAKA: Spain's loss to the Netherlands in their first game had many people in mourning. But not this pundit, who saw it coming.
ESPN ADDRESSES HOMOPHOBIC CHANT: Perhaps you've heard during Mexico games the fans shouting something each time the opposing goalkeeper takes a goalkick. It's a familiar chant heard often during Liga MX games and El Tri games, and it's a Spanish slang term that is generally considered homophobic. Now, ESPN says it's going to try to do something about it during their broadcasts.
