My favorite moment from the World Cup draw was when Uruguayan legend Alcides Ghiggia dropped a Ping-Pong ball when handing it to presenter Fernanda Lima. If you think it was an accident, then you clearly didn’t see the outfit Lima, a Brazilian model, was wearing when she bent over to retrieve it.
You better believe this is Brazil’s World Cup to lose — assuming of course, the country completes construction of several new venues. Lima did her job and the soccer Gods (wink, wink) presented Brazil with a favorable draw.
That doesn’t mean Brazil is a lock to win it all. The last host nation to lift the trophy was France in 1998. Meanwhile, both Italy and Germany were knocked out in the semifinals on home soil in 1990 and 2006, respectively. Plus, all the pressure is on the home side to win it all. Anything less is a major disappointment.
Which brings us to Jurgen Klinsmann and the United States. USA got the short end of the stick and will play, in order, Ghana, Portugal and Germany, one of the tournament favorites. They will also log the most air miles — estimated to be approximately 9,000 — of any team in pool play. All the excuses for a quick exit are there, which plays right into Klinsmann’s scheme.
“We discussed it before the draw that there would be some problems on the traveling side, and we hit the worst of the worst,” Klinsmann said on Friday. “From a traveling point of view, we have the furthest distance to travel with our team. But we’ll deal with it with a smile on our face and we’re going to attack.”
In 2010, former U.S. manager Bob Bradley was expected to advance, and did, out of a pool with England, Slovenia and Algeria. Klinsmann’s side enters the tournament as an underdog. The goal is to be in position to advance with just a tie against Germany, a team Klinsmann played for and coached.
That means picking up a win against Ghana or Portugal, the latter of which the U.S. defeated in 2002. Impossible? No. Probable? That’s another story. There is a good chance Germany will have already qualified for the knockout stage or may just need a tie to win the group.
The Germans, while clearly superior in every way imaginable to the U.S., could be in position to rest some of its key players. Do I believe Klinsmann’s close ties to Germany will be a factor? Nah. Just like I don’t believe Ghiggia dropped that ping pong ball by accident.
DROPPED OUT
Silvia Izquierdo/AP
Today’s British phrase of the day is “dropped points.” In English football you don’t draw at home as much as you “drop points” or in Arsenal’s case, two points on Sunday.
Arsenal and Everton finished 1-1 at Everton as Gerard Deulofeu tied it in the 84th minute at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, which nearly won in dramatic fashion until Oliver Giroud struck the woodwork in the closing seconds, remains in first place in the Premier League. But instead of being seven points clear of second place Liverpool, the Gunners dropped points at home.
Of course, no one drops points at home quite like Manchester United, which over the course of four days lost at Old Trafford to both Everton and Newcastle. More losses like this and Man United’s first-year manager David Moyes could be dropped.
“When I came here I knew it would not always be easy and it is proving that way,” Moyes said. “There is that period of transition but we hoped it would not be quite as poor as it has been in the last few games. But we will get it right.”
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GET YOUR KICKS
No one wants to see a championship match decided in penalty kicks, except when that match is being played in freezing conditions. That was the case in Saturday night’s MLS Cup in Kansas City. The home team, Sporting KC, needed 10 rounds of PKs before finally defeating a terrific Real Salt Lake club.
“For those fans to sit out there in those conditions was incredible,” said Sporting coach Peter Vermes.
The weather affected the quality of play but the match certainly didn’t lack intensity and drama. This year’s New York/New Jersey Super Bowl should be so lucky.
LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images
CHELSEA COMMON
Chelsea’s stunning 3-2 loss at Stoke City means the London club has now conceded seven goals in its last three games — against Stoke, Sunderland and Southampton.
“I don’t feel comfortable enough to tell you what I think about the game,” said Blues boss Jose Mourinho. “We’re in trouble. It (conceding so many goals) is a concern. I don't like it, I don’t organize my teams to be like this.”
Franck Ribery is why you would be foolish to count out France as a World Cup contender. The midfielder scored two goals in Bayern Munich 7-0 thrashing of Werder Bremen.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Best opening match of the World Cup will be Spain vs. Holland, the two teams that met in the 2010 championship.
You may recall that match was marred by an early foul by Nigel de Jong, who karate-kicked Spain’s Xabi Alonso in the chest just 25 minutes in.
“One of the worst tackles of my career,” Alonso said.
What made it worse was referee Howard Webb failing to give de Jong a straight red card, a decision he later regretted. No matter the time or circumstances, a referee cannot allow a challenge like that to go unpunished.
File photo of Casey Stoney from last year 
Over the weekend, FIFA President Sepp Blatter faced criticism from British women associated with soccer for his support of a Brazilian model chosen to conduct the televised draw for the  on Saturday.

, who has no previous connection to football or sport prior to her involvement as a FIFA 2014 World Cup presenter, appeared on stage wearing a gold dress with a plunging neckline and matching heels. She stood alongside secretary general of FIFA Jérôme Valcke, Blatter and soccer greats including Uruguayan  during the draw. FIFA claims they were not involved in the selection of Lima's attire.

'''' writer Frank Isola said his favorite moment of the draw was when Ghiggia dropped a ping-pong ball and Lima in her dress retrieved it.

, who was captain of  in the last Olympics told the '''': "Giving the job to a model has sent out completely the wrong message. Unfortunately I wasn't surprised. ... They could have had a woman high up in the game or else a player with proper international standing. This should have been about football." 

 broadcaster , the first woman to be a  Match of the Day commentator for the network, is quoted by the ''Sunday Telegraph'' as saying, "What a missed opportunity. Brazil have arguably the most talented female footballer in the world, the great Marta, five-time FIFA World Player of the Year. Why not use her to showcase the best of Brazil and show some of her spectacular goals?"

Live coverage of the draw in Iran cut away every time Lima was in shot because her clothes did not comport with Iranian customs.

Blatter has a history of making remarks that have been perceived as sexist, including a 2004 comment that suggested female players could get more fans by wearing tighter uniforms.

Christiano Jorge Santos, a  state prosecutor, announced prior to the draw he planned an investigation into FIFA and event organizer GEO Eventos following the related accusations of racism stemming from the selection of Lima as a presenter.  Suggestions were made that Lima was chosen because she was white.


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