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World Cup Teams Prepare for Round of 16


After more than a week of football play, the field is set for the World Cup's coveted round of 16, which starts Saturday with games featuring four South American teams.

Brazil will take on Chile in Belo Horizonte to start the second round, followed by a match between Colombia and Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro. Teams must now win to advance in this knockout stage. Ties are followed by two extra time periods and then, if needed, a shootout.

Belgium and Algeria advanced from Group H on Thursday, while Germany and the United States advanced from Group G.

Germany clinched fist place in Group G with Thursday's 1-0 win over the U.S. in Recife. Belgium secured first place in Group H after defeating South Korea, 1-0, in Sao Paulo Thursday.

The Germans will open against Algeria on Monday in the round of 16. The Algerians tied Russia, 1-1, on Thursday in Curitiba and finished second in Group H with four points.

Belgium will play against the U.S. on Tuesday. The U.S. and Portugal both finished with four points, but the U.S. won the tiebreaker with a goal difference of three better than Portugal in the three group matches.

Suarez banned

Uruguay's national soccer team player Luis Suarez, June 23, 2014.
Uruguay's national soccer team player Luis Suarez, June 23, 2014.

​In other news, football's governing body, FIFA, has banned Uruguayan player Luis Suarez from nine international matches and four months of any soccer activity for biting an Italian player during Tuesday's World Cup match. He was also fined $112,000 for the incident.

Television replays show Suarez biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini in the shoulder. Officials have suspended Suarez twice before in club play for biting opposing players and once for using racially abusive language.

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