Seventh Brazil World Cup stadium on the exit

Kgothatso Madisa
@kgmadisa

2014 World Cup hosts Brazil is facing one of its biggest battles as they are yet to complete one of the hosting stadium in Curitiba, Parana.

Arena da Baixada, Brazil

The stadium has not been completed and FIFA officials are on their neck as deadline is looming. General Secretary of the body Jerome Valcke has given the country until February 18 to complete everything or the stadium will be stripped off its hosting rights.

"If you don't have a stadium then you cannot have four games taking place here. So that's why again there is this emergency situation," Valcke quoted by CNN.

The Arena da Baixena is being expanded to raise its capacity from just over 28 400 to 40 000 but the expansion might be all in vain as the stadia might not even be part of the World Cup hosts.

"To be very honest, the situation is not ideal. The stadium is very delayed and well outside the delivery schedule to ensure best use by FIFA and the FIFA World Cup," said Valcke.

The Guardian has revealed that the stadium is so far behind schedule that organisers have admitted the venue will not be ready for its first match on June 16.

Arena da Baixena is one of the six stadiums in Brazil that have missed the given completion deadline given by FIFA and this is believed to be discussed at length when Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff meets with FIFA President Seppuku Blatter.

The Parana givernenment has since promised to add  extra £10 million for necessary for the required increased workforce,

Mosimane: We are only 6 months old

Kgothatso Madisa
@kgmadisa

It was a dog-eat-dog play when hosts Mamelodi Sundowns went down 1-nil to log leaders Kaizer Chiefs on Thursday January 23, 2014.

Glamour Boys managed to hold back Bafana Bastyle who came out guns blazing at the sold out Loftus Versfeld Stadium eager to continue their 7 games winning streak at home.

It was an unfortunate own goal by Sundowns' defender Wayne Arendse from a set-piece by Bernard Parker  that separated the two teams.

The Brazilians ensured they did not give Chiefs any space to breathe after goal with countless counter-attacks that led to nothing but bitter taste on the fans and coach Pitso Mosimane.

"We deserved more than what we got, but that is the game of football.

"We played against a good team, the football God's were not with us," said Mosimane.

The 7th successive win sees Amakhosi 8 points clear from The Brazilians who are second on the log and are now comfortable at the top of the PSL league.

Honestly speaking, Sundowns deserved to win the match. They controlled the game from the start till the end with Katlego Mashego getting unlucky with the ball at the goal posts.

Mashego failed to knock in several easy balls which could have seen The Brazilians go past Amakhosi with ease.

What really set Sundowns back was that they realised that they can actually win the match in the second half - that's when they really took the game to Chiefs.

Had they put the same pressure they started putting in around 57th minute of the game in the first half, we would be speaking of a different game altogether.

During a post match presser, Mosimane said that he was still building his team and that the odds were more with Chiefs since they are already a solid team.

He said: "We've got a young and new team, we are only 6 months old and played against a team that won double last season."