World Cup 2014 TV schedule: What to watch Wednesday
Wednesday features the first full day of second games in group play, including the Netherlands, Spain, and Cameroon.
Netherlands' Arjen Robben, left, plays the ball during training the day before the Group B World Cup soccer match between Australia and the Netherlands at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Tuesday, June 17, 2014. At right is Netherlands' Jonathan de Guzman.
Michael Sohn/AP
National teams are starting to play their second group games now, as the World Cup moves along in its first full week.
A big question heading into Wednesday's action is how will defending champion Spain bounce back from a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the Netherlands last Friday.
The Spaniards take on Chile in Group B play at Maracanã-Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho in Rio de Janeiro at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Spain has won eight of ten matches against Chile in international play, with two draws. The Spanish have never dropped two games in a row under head coach Vicente del Bosque since he took over the national team in 2008, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Meanwhile, the Dutch will try to add to their three points in Group B play when they meet Australia at noon Eastern time Wednesday. The match will be contested at Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre. Interestingly enough, the Aussies have beaten the Dutch once in international action, with a pair of draws. Still, the Netherlands is expected to advance, with plenty of soccer observers cautioning against Dutch overconfidence.
Finally on Wednesday in Group A, Cameroon and Croatia will face off at Arena Amazonia in Manaus at 6 p.m. Eastern time. Both of these teams are coming off losses late last week - the Croats led host Brazil briefly, 1-0, before they gave up three unanswered goals. These two countries have never met in the World Cup. Britain's Telegraph reports that Cameroon will be without captain Samuel Eto'o for Wednesday's match against Croatia and possibly the rest of the tournament due to a leg injury.
All three matches Wednesday will be televised on ESPN and Univision.