Germany and Brazil joined the list of top teams struggling to win their opening matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in Russia. Defending World Cup champion Germany suffered a 1-0 loss to Mexico on Sunday. Just a few hours later, Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland. In addition, top-ranked Argentina tied 1-1 with Iceland on Saturday. And Spain and Portugal played to a 3-3 draw on Friday. Sunday’s Germany-Mexico game was historic: It was the first time Germany has been defeated in a World Cup opening match in 36 years. The four-time winners have reached at least the semi-finals at every World Cup since 2002. This year, Germany entered the World Cup as one of the favorites to win the tournament.
Title: Germany, Brazil Struggle in Opening World Cup Matches
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/germany_struggle.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Germany, Brazil Struggle in Opening World Cup Matches' data-article-id='3159'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12979'>Germany and Brazil joined the list of top teams struggling to win their opening matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in Russia.</span> <span data-start-time='12979' data-end-time='21771'>Defending World Cup champion Germany suffered a 1-0 loss to Mexico on Sunday.</span> <span data-start-time='21771' data-end-time='30021'>Just a few hours later, Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland.</span> <span data-start-time='30021' data-end-time='37917'>In addition, top-ranked Argentina tied 1-1 with Iceland on Saturday.</span> <span data-start-time='37917' data-end-time='44146'>And Spain and Portugal played to a 3-3 draw on Friday.</span> <span data-start-time='44146' data-end-time='49250'>Sunday’s Germany-Mexico game was historic:</span> <span data-start-time='49250' data-end-time='57854'>It was the first time Germany has been defeated in a World Cup opening match in 36 years.</span> <span data-start-time='57854' data-end-time='66896'>The four-time winners have reached at least the semi-finals at every World Cup since 2002.</span> <span data-start-time='66896' data-end-time='73896'>This year, Germany entered the World Cup as one of the favorites to win the tournament.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/germany_struggle.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=10963 data-hint-location='21771' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/what_does_draw_mean.m4a'>What does draw mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='tie'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/top.m4a'><span>top</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/tie.m4a'><span>tie</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/score.m4a'><span>score</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/win.m4a'><span>win</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=10964 data-hint-location='66896' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/who_was_a_favorite_to_win.m4a'>Who was a favorite to win?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Germany'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/germany.m4a'><span>Germany</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/canada.m4a'><span>Canada</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/south_america.m4a'><span>South America</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/mexico.m4a'><span>Mexico</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=10965 data-hint-location='44146' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/sundays_game_was__blank_.m4a'>Sundays game was <span class='blank'>historic</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='historic'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/a_struggle.m4a'><span>a struggle</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/cancelled.m4a'><span>cancelled</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/historic.m4a'><span>historic</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/exciting.m4a'><span>exciting</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
Sound Name: https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2631/germany_struggle.m4a
Preview
