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Not every star shines so bright

After just one match each, Robin van Persie and Lionel Messi have already duplicated their goal tallies from their previous two World Cups combined.

Ochoa slams door on Brazil

Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa produced one of the great World Cup goalkeeping performances on Tuesday, denting host Brazil's confidence and boosting his own job prospects by backstopping his team to a scoreless draw.

Midfield problems haunt host

Brazil failed to win for the first time in 11 games, with its own lackluster midfield as much to blame for the 0-0 draw with Mexico as the inspired goalkeeping performance of Guillermo Ochoa.

World cup tidbits

Birthday 'treat'

'Best possible care' for Schumacher

Formula One champion Michael Schumacher was transferred from a French hospital to a facility in Switzerland on Monday after emerging from a coma following his devastating ski accident in December.

Timeless ticket no good for Cup

Brazilian businessman Luis Blumberg owns the mother of all tickets - a lifetime pass to any event he chooses at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana stadium.

Empty seats have all been paid for

One of the World Cup's most exciting games had the most empty seats in the first round of the tournament in Brazil.

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IN BRIEF (Page 23)

Mueller has a nose for the goal

Germany's Thomas Mueller picked up where he left off at the last World Cup by claiming the first hat-trick of this year's tournament in Monday's 4-0 rout of Portugal.

German-born super sub lifts US

German-born United States defender John Brooks came off the bench to stun Ghana with the late winning goal in a 2-1 victory in Natal on Monday, putting a huge dent in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinalist's dream of duplicating that feat.