The tournament keeps springing up surprising results as we
complete the first week. I’ll cover the big game played a couple of days ago
along with yesterday’s matches from Groups D and E. I will wrap up this article
with a preview of Group G.
Match 4: Nigeria vs Iceland
Reviews
Group D
Match 3: Argentina
vs Croatia
Croatia started off brightly, with Perisic forcing a smart
low save from Caballero in the 5th minute. Argentina had a couple of
glorious within the first half hour though. Aguero goal-bound shot was blocked
by Lovren in the 13th minute. Just at the half hour mark, Subasic
was woefully out of position as the ball fell to Enzo Perez after Lovren
blocked the cross across the goal. The Argentina midfielder could only find the
side netting with an open goal in front of him. A couple of minutes later,
Mandzukic headed wide at the far post, with no defender close to him. Only
getting it on target would surely have been a goal because of his proximity to
Caballero. The second started off slow. A seemingly innocuous back-pass to
Caballero saw the goalkeeper present a gift to the Croatians as his sliced shot
was volleyed in superbly by Rebic. The winger was perhaps lucky to still be on
the pitch after a high tackle in the first half, but his finish could only be
admired. Argentina made Subasic work ten minutes later, but somehow the
goalkeeper and defenders combined to scramble the ball out for a corner. In the
80th minute, Modric received a pass from Brozovic, and from around
25 yards out, launched an unstoppable waist-high drive that nestle into the
corner of the net. Nothing Caballero could do about that, it was a stroke of
genius from one the best midfielders in the world. Rakitic hit the bar from a
free-kick five minutes later. By now, the Argentines were down and out. Croatia
walked to a third goal in injury time, Rakitic finding the goal this time, as
the Argentine defenders stopped and kept asking for off-side instead of trying
to get a tackle in. That’s how it ended. Croatia put in the most assured performance
of the World Cup so, not allowing their opponents to settle at all in the
second half and coming away with a deserved victory. They were helped by the
opposition tactics no doubt, one wonders why players like Banega, Dybala, Di
Maria, Higuain, Lo Celso and Pavon were kept on the bench for the majority of
the match.
Final Score: Argentina
0 – 3 Croatia
Match 4: Nigeria vs Iceland
A match that had huge implications for the future of the
group and for the Argentinians. Iceland were favourites to get a result after
their display against Argentina. Nigeria looked a bit out of sorts against
Croatia and needed an improvement to get something out of this one. The first
half was uneventful, with Iceland’s couple of chances in the opening minutes
the highlight of the half. Nigeria came out flying in the second half and put
the pressure on their opponents. The first goal was a thing of beauty as Ahmed
Musa plucked a Victor Moses out of thin air while off the ground and rifled in
the half volley. He hit the bar with a curling effort in the 74th
minute with the goalkeeper beaten. Musa grabbed a deserved second goal just a
minute later, picking up the ball on the left wing, getting past one defender,
rounding the goalkeeper and leaving the two defenders on the line to score.
Iceland did not know what had just hit and looked uncharacteristically out of
their depth on this stage. Iceland were awarded a penalty with five minutes to
go, again after consultation with VAR. Sigurdsson stepped and put his effort
over the bar! That’s how it ended and the fight for second place in this group
is wide open now, giving a lifeline to Argentina in the process.
Final Score: Nigeria
2 – 0 Iceland
Group D
Match 3: Brazil
vs Costa Rica
Brazil were not at their fluent best in their first game and
would be looking to avoid an Argentina like situation in this game. Costa Rica
would surely set up to frustrate the South Americans, and look to steal a point
and keep themselves in the competition. However, it was the Costa Ricans who
looked the more incisive in the first half with some attempts on goal. Brazil’s
two best chances of the half fell to Marcelo, with both shots coming from
outside the box. Gabriel Jesus did put the ball in the net but it was ruled out
correctly for offside. Jesus hit the bar in the opening minutes of the second
half with a header. The follow up shot came from Coutinho from the edge of the
box, but it was straight at Navas who kicked it away. The Brazilian onslaught
continued but a combination of bad finishes and Keylor Navas’s brilliance kept
them at bay. For the first time in this World Cup, VAR was used to rule out a
penalty awarded to Brazil, with the cameras picking up that no contact was made
as Neymar went to ground. Finally, in the 91st minute, Costa Rica’s defence
was penetrated as Coutinho ran onto a Firmino header diverted by Jesus and
scored his second goal in as many games. Neymar showboated from a corner in the
final minute of injury time, before finishing off the next attack with a goal,
and Brazil’s second. There would be no slip from this South American team as
the now took control of the group. This meant that Costa Rica were now
eliminated irres
Final Score: Brazil
2 – 0 Costa Rica
Match 4: Serbia
vs Switzerland
Serbia started off the better team, with two chances for
Mitrovic inside the first five minutes. The first header was saved by Sommer
but the Swiss goalkeeper had no response for the second. It took half an hour
for Switzerland to have their first opening but Stojkovic parried wide Dzemaili’s
close range. Serbia nearly got the second, as a corner late in the first half
found it’s through the crowd to a Matic at the far post, but he couldn’t react
in time to convert. Switzerland’s change in approach in the second half was
visible. In the 52nd minute, Shaqiri’s blocked shot became a loose
ball just outside the Serbian penalty area, which Granit Xhaka ran onto a
launched an unstoppable shot into the far corner. This was one the goals of the
tournament so far, from the much maligned midfielder. Shaqiri hit the post from
an unlikely angle on the left wing a few minutes later. Switzerland were fully
in control now. Their increased influence were awarded right at the end, as
Shaqiri ran onto and through ball from Gavronovic and scored to give Switzerland
the win. This was the perfect example of a match of two halves. Serbia felt
hard-done by the result, especially after replays clearly showed Mitrovic being
wrestled by two defenders earlier on in the game. VAR was not used on this occasion,
and a certain penalty was not awarded. The Swiss now are front-runners for
qualifying from this group, with Costa Rica as their last game, with the latter
already eliminated.
Final Score: Serbia
1 – 2 Switzerland
Previews
Group G
Match 3: Belgium
vs Tunisia
Belgium ran out comfortable winner against minnows Panama in
their first match and should not be too troubled by Tunisia in this one. The
latter were undone by a late England winner in their first game. You can be
sure that the North Africans will set up in the same way in this match.
However, the Belgians should have enough to get the better of this game. There
is a chance of this turning into an exercise of attack versus defence and that
is why I’m predicting a narrow win for the Europeans, without being too
troubled though.
Prediction: Belgium
1 – 0 Tunisia
Match 4: England
vs Panama
England should’ve too much quality in this game as Panama
just don’t look prepared for this level of competition. The English have taken
the pressure off themselves with the late win against Tunisia. They are
expected to line-up with a different team for this one, as there was a couple
of knocks in the last game. There has been controversy in the build-up with the
English team being leaked by their own press yesterday. Seriously, you can’t
make these things up!
Prediction: England
2 – 0 Panama
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