FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Quarter Final Preview

Just eight teams remain and you won’t find many who would’ve predicted this particular Quarter Final line-up! After an exhilarating Round of 16, where there was either an upset or a talking point every day, we head into the next round hoping for more of the same.

In this article, I will preview the four Quarter Final matches.

Quarter Final 1: Uruguay vs France

Both teams played exceedingly well to progress from the Round of 16 against strong opposition. France were powered to a win over Argentina by a rampaging Mbappe and a wonder-strike from Pavard. They ripped Argentina to shreds when attacking but their defense did leave something to be desired, as they conceded three goals. Uruguay where their customary solid self against Portugal in the previous round, with a momentary lapse from a corner meaning they conceded their first goal of 2018. Edinson Cavani was their hero for the day, with a superb support performance from Suarez. Cavani injured himself in that game and is a major doubt for this one. His absence would be a huge blow for the Uruguayans, as their forward duo seem to have an almost telepathic relationship on the pitch. Without Cavani, one can expect Uruguay to sit back further and try to soak up the French attacks, and rely on counter-attacks and set pieces for the breakthrough. France themselves will be without Matuidi, which could see Griezman pushed to the left, with possibly Fekir coming in centrally. With Cavani in the team, I might have leaned towards a Uruguay smash and grab, and will keep to that prediction if the forward does pass fit at the last moment. As things stand, I predict a narrow Frane win by the odd goal but you can be sure Uruguay will not give up without a fight.

Prediction: Uruguay 1 – 2 France

Quarter Final 2: Brazil vs Belgium

This match has the potential to be the match of the round. Brazil have been swatting away opponents without getting into top gear yet. There has been as much discussion about their victories as about Neymar’s antics. The Brazilian forward needs to be careful, otherwise his performances will be lost in a wave of criticism about his play-acting. Belgium came back from the brink of elimination against Japan, recovering from being two goals down in the second to grabbing a last gasp winner to win 3-2! Belgium’s defense was unexpectedly loose in that game and they’ll need to shore themselves up to keep Brazil out. Brazil will be without the suspended Casemiro and also Danilo, who was injured in training and will miss the rest of the tournament. Marcelo will likely come back as a like for like replacement, having sat out the last game. This match is too close to call as a neutral, Belgium have the firepower to trouble Brazil but what they lack is experience at this stage of the tournament, which is often an even bigger influence on how teams perform under duress. I will go for another narrow victory, this time to Brazil, at the end of a highly competitive fixture.

Prediction: Brazil 2 – 1 Belgium

Quarter Final 3: Sweden vs England

Sweden have done extremely well in getting this far in the tournament. They dominated the Swiss in their last game and were unlucky not to have won more comprehensively. England broke their penalty shootout hoodoo in the previous game against Colombia, overcoming them after having given up a late equalizer. The English now believe they have a clear path to the final, and looking at the lower half of the draw, one cannot argue with this fact. However, they need to take things one game at a time, and Sweden will not be pushovers. The Swedes have only lost one game, and that too to a last minute moment of genius against Germany. They dispatched Mexico, and are capable of hurting better sides on their day. England will likely be without Vardy’s services who was injured in the last game. A lot of responsibility will once fall on Kane’s shoulders, who will definitely be pumped up to seal his Golden Boot credentials. This is another game which will be close but England should just have enough quality to see off their opponents.

Prediction: Sweden 0 – 1 England

Quarter Final 4: Russia vs Croatia

The hosts have been exemplary hosts and have defied all expectations on the pitch. They came past Spain in the previous round despite barely having the ball for any extended period. They defended as a solid unit and that was the biggest reason of their success, as Spain’s meticulous passing failed to find a way through them. Croatia were given a scare by Denmark in their last game, but came through on penalties after an excellent showing by their goalkeeper Subasic. They were excellent in the Group stage but lost some of their intensity last time round. Russia will be hoping for more of the same, having a good forward line to cause trouble. Croatia’s trump card will once again have to be the midfield pairing of Modric and Rakitic, who couldn’t really get into top in the last game. If they do, Croatia should get back to their Group stage form in this game, and win easily. If they don’t once again, Russia are quite capable of springing a surprise and keep their fairy tale going. I somehow can’t quite see the latter scenario happening, and predict Croatia to show their class and come through.

Prediction: Russia 0 – 1 Croatia

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Round of 16, Match 7-8 Review

If you thought there would be one day where you could be sure of a result in a match from quite some time before the final whistle, have you even been paying attention in this World Cup?

In this article, I review the matches played last night in the Round of 16, which wraps up this round of the Knockouts.

Match 7: Sweden vs Switzerland

Switzerland started the game in near calamitous fashion, with a clearance from goalkeeper Sommer finding a Swedish player in the Swiss third who passed it forward to Berg. The Swedish forward, was free on goal but had his shot blocked at the last minute by Akanji. Ekdal ran onto a bouncing ball on the follow-up, but could only blast his shot well over. Sweden continued to put pressure on their opponents all through the half and should have taken the lead. Sommer made a good diving save from Berg’s shot to keep the scores level. In the 41^st minute, Ekdal skied another volley into the stands, despite not having any defender near him at the far post while shooting. Sweden continued to have the upper hand in the second half, with Switzerland not able to mount anything significant. In the 66^th minute, after another Sweden attack down the left, Toivonen squared the ball to Forsberg who made space and shot on goal. The ball took a deflection off the unfortunate Akanji and left Sommer with no chance of stopping it. Switzerland finally had an attempt on target in the 79^th minute, with a header from a corner blocked almost on the line by Forsberg and then cleared. Switzerland had Lang sent off in injury time after a push on Olsson, who was through on goal. The referee had no choice but to send the Swiss defender off for a professional foul. The resulting free-kick from the edge off the area was straight at Sommer and thus came to nothing. But that was the last kick of the game and Sweden ran out deserving winners.

Final Score: Sweden 1 – 0 Switzerland

Match 8: Colombia vs England

The game got off to a slow start with both teams taking their time in settling down. England did so earlier and Trippier put in a fine cross for Kane, who strained his neck at the far post but couldn’t hit the target from an acute angle. The first half saw England slightly edging the game but it wasn’t really 45 minutes of football to remember. Colombia were visibly missing a spark in midfield, and Falcao was isolated up front with barely any service. The absence of James Rodriguez was evident for all to see. The second half sprang to life in the 54^th minute after a clumsy challenge on Kane after a corner by Carlos Sanchez brought him down and the referee rightfully awarded a penalty. The Colombians tried every trick in the book to slow the game down, arguing with the referee, scuffing up the penalty spot, etc. to throw the English captain off his game as he stepped up to take the spot-kick. Kane made no mistake with the penalty, hitting it straight down the middle as the ‘keeper dived to his right. The England captain is now almost a sure bet to win the Golden Boot, reaching six goals in the tournament with this strike. As the game went on, Colombia started having more possession as England sat back deeper. Kyle Walker gave away the ball with a weak back-pass which led to a swift counter-attack. The ball made its way to the feet of Cuadrado, who hit a wild drive well over from the edge of the penalty box. This was a golden opportunity wasted. In injury time, after a long clearance from Ospina, Stones won the header but the ball dropped kindly for Uribe, who hit a magnificent shot from 35 yards, which made Pickford scramble and he saved barely with his finger-tips. The ball was going in and this would’ve been a goal of the tournament candidate for sure if it had done so. Cuadrado’s follow-up corner was met by Yerry Mina at the far post, who, for a third game running, scored with a header at a crucial juncture for his team. The Colombians had just drawn level and the English angst at the game not being over yet was clear for all to see. Extra time saw two sets of tired players try their best at getting a goal, but not much materialized in terms of chances. Substitute Danny Rose got closest as he broke through on the left and fired a low drive across the face of goal. No one was present for a tap in and Rose couldn’t keep the ball on target. And so we were heading to penalties, the arch nemesis for England in tournaments past. For Colombia, this would be their first ever shootout at the World Cup. Both teams converted their first two kicks. Henderson stepped up for England on the third shot, and his well-placed shot was brilliantly saved by Ospina. Uribe also hit the bar with his powerful effort and we were still tied. Trippier did score for England next. Carlos Bacca took the fourth kick for Colombia and saw his shot saved by Pickford. Up stepped Dier and by scoring his penalty confirmed his team’s qualification to the Quarter Final. England had finally won a penalty shoot-out in the World Cup, at the fourth time of asking.

Final Score: Colombia 1 – 1 England (England won 4 – 2 on penalties)

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Round of 16, Match 5-6 Review, Match 7-8 Preview

There are times when you watch football and go, ‘Wow! This is why I love this game’. This World Cup is throwing up such moments every day! I review the two matches played yesterday in the Round of 16, including a game for the ages between Belgium and Japan.

I will also preview tonight’s two fixtures in this article.

Reviews

Match 5: Brazil vs Mexico

With how things have been going for favourites, Brazil were next in the firing line to be on the receiving end of an upset. And it was Mexico who started off on the front foot getting into the Brazilian box early in the game. Good defending kept them out. Brazil got into the game more as it went on. Ochoa was once again on top form, pulling off brilliant save from Neymar in the 25^th minute. The Mexico goalkeeper kept a few more shots out in the first half with Brazil very much on top. Mexico, on their part were nit sitting back, but tried to penetrate the Brazilian defense without much result. Hirving Lozano, once again, showed his potential, displaying some impressive skill and intelligence. Early in the second half, Mexico had a good chance as Guardado picked up a ball in his own half, ran at the Brazilian, who kept backing away and took a curling effort which didn’t find the target. Just a few minutes later, Brazil finally got the breakthrough they were threatening. Neymar came in-field form the left and back-heeled a pass to Willian who prodded the ball past his marker, crossed it across goal. The ball evaded a defender, Ochoa’s attempted save and Jesus’s outstretched leg, but Neymar touched it in at the far post. It was a great team move, with Willian exceptionally good with the assist. Mexico came close on the hour mark, with Alisson tipping over a shot on target from distance. It was much of the same following the goal, as Brazil looked more threatening but Mexico were not going down without a fight. The game was sealed in injury time when substitute Firmino tapped in from a couple of yards after more good work from Neymar. The latter’s shot was saved by the ‘keeper’s outstretched leg, but the loose ball found Firmino who wouldn’t score an easier goal in his life. Mexico’s wretched record against Brazil continued, but they were excellent all through the tournament, playing attacking football throughout. This was a step too far for them, while Brazil go through to the Quarter Final.

Final Score: Brazil 2 – 0 Mexico

Match 6: Belgium vs Japan

Japan came out with a game-plan of blocking off the supply to the Belgian forward line and were very successful in doing so. They also kept Kevin de Bruyne quiet in the first half, while outnumbering Lukaku whenever he got a touch in the penalty area. Most of Belgium’s efforts on goal were reduced to efforts from range which did not trouble Kawashima much. Japan had a great chance of when Osako, who was free at the near post, was played in by Kagawa. The Japanese striker failed to control the ball, but Courtois nearly made a mess of it by letting it go through his legs, and only picking it up on the second attempt. Japan came into the game more after this. The next big chance came for Kompany who got onto the end the end of a free-kick at the far post but actually diverted the ball away from goal. Both teams went into the break well matched, with Japan having frustrated the Belgian attackers, allowing them no time or space to express themselves. Belgium had a great chance to go ahead early in the second half, when a quick break saw Hazard hit the post with his first time effort from the edge of the box, and then he fluffed the rebound. Just a minute later, Japan went on a lightning break of their own. Shibasaki found Haraguchi with a through ball which just evaded Vertonghen. The Japanese winger made no mistake in beating Courtois. Japan increased their lead four minutes later, when Inui picked up a pass from Kagawa and fired from about 25 yards out. Courtois had no chance as the ball nestled into the bottom corner. The World Cup of upsets was once again living up to its name, and Belgium were once again falling apart in the Knockout round of an international tournament. Belgium made a couple of substitutions in the 65^th minute which had the viewers baffled. Instead of bringing on attackers being two goals down, Roberto Martinez brought on Fellaini and Chadli to replace Mertens and Carrasco. A few minutes after the substitutions, Verthongen made an innocuous looking header from the left edge of the penalty area. The ball looped over the Japanese goal-keeper and went in. The Belgian defender didn’t look like he meant to shoot on goal, but they all count. Just 5 minutes later, Belgium were level. Hazard delivered a pin-point cross from the left, which was met by the highest jumping Fellaini, and the goal-keeper had no chance to get to that. Belgium remained the more aggressive side for the rest of the game, and had a couple of efforts well saved by the goal-keeper. In the 93^rd minute, Keisuke Honda’s long range free-kick was palmed away by Courtois. It was a good effort but it would take something special to beat the goalkeeper from 40 yards. From the resulting corner, Japan went for goal, but Belgium picked up the ball, and in a lightning counter-attack which covered the distance of the pitch, scored their third. De Bruyne found Meunier on the right wing in the build-up, whose cross was well dummied by Lukaku. Chadli ran onto the ball and scored from about 8 yards. The two substitutes had scored and Belgium had pulled off best comeback in a World Cup game for a long time. In fact, this is the only instance of a team coming back to winning a match in regulation time, having trailed by two goals in the second half in a World Cup! Like I’ve already mentioned, ‘Wow! This is why I love this game’. Japan were incredibly unlucky to end up on the losing team in this match, and paid for their naivety in protecting their lead and closing out the match. They did not lose their class, as both the team and the supporters cleaned up the dressing room and the stands, respectively, before they left, despite suffering heart-break just moments earlier. Belgium’s reward was a Quarter Final against Brazil.

Final Score: Belgium 3 – 2 Japan

Previews

Match 8: Sweden vs Switzerland

Sweden were in red hot form when they beat Mexico in their final group game, thereby winning the group and avoiding Brazil. They will fancy their chances of getting past Switzerland, who found the going tough against Costa Rica in their previous match. Switzerland have the better recent record in these tournaments, and will probably be slight favourites in this match for the same. Sweden won’t be pushovers, and I can see this game being very evenly matched in all departments. Xherdan Shaqiri will be an important factor in this match, and on a good day, he could prove to the difference. I’ll predict a draw in this game, and Switzerland to edge it either in extra time on or on penalties. It’ll be touch and go.

Prediction: Sweden 1 – 1 Switzerland (Switzerland to progress)

Match 9: Colombia vs England

England’s World Cup campaign has been filled with optimism so far. They have overcome some of their previous demons in firstly winning their tricky opening fixture against a stubborn Tunisia and then easily dispatching a weak opponent in Panama. Even the loss against Belgium hasn’t dampened their sails. It wasn’t a fair reflection anyway, with both teams having rested players to be fresh and fit for the Knockouts. They now gear up for their first Knockout game in a World Cup for eight years, having failed to get past the group stages last time around. Colombia did well to come back from a disappointing defeat against Japan in their first game, and won their next two fixtures against Poland, who they ripped apart, and Senegal, which knocked the latter out. Their big headache is the fitness of James Rodriguez who showed glimpses of his brilliance against Poland in the only full game that he has played. The English defense is yet to be fully tested against quality opposition, and this will be a big test for their newly formed backline. If they can absorb this challenge, we can look at this team, devoid of the huge egos which plagued them in the past, going on to perhaps play in the final. This is a huge match for Colombia as well, who know this tournament could become a hugely important landmark in their football history. Both teams know that easier opposition awaits in the next round, and they should be up for the game. I can see the Colombian forward line causing trouble for the English defense and thus am predicting a narrow win for the South Americans.

Prediction: Colombia 2 – 1 England

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Round of 16, Match 3-4 Review, Match 5-6 Preview

A day doesn’t go by in this World Cup where something out of the ordinary does not happen! Yesterday’s matches threw more discussion points, and you guessed, more upsets for us to ponder over.

In this article, I will review Sunday’s Round of 16 matches and look to those to be played today.

Reviews

Match 3: Spain vs Russia

Spain dominated possession from the get-go, keeping the ball to themselves and playing in-front of the Russian rear-guard. They were awarded a free-kick in the 10^th minute when Nacho was brought down by a high challenge from Zhirkov. The Russian defender was lucky not to see a card. Ramos and Ignashevich tangled at the far post from the delivery, with both pulling each other down, while the ball hit the heels of the Russian defender and went in for an own goal. The pattern of play remained much the same, as Russia failed to get hold of the ball for an extended duration. From a rare forward run, they got a corner in the 40^th minute. Gerard Pique inexplicably had his arm up as the ball went past him, and the header from the Russian attacker hit the defender’s outstretched hand. The referee had no doubt awarding the penalty despite Ramos’s remonstrations protesting the same. Dzyuba made no mistake in converting it, as De Gea guessed the wrong way. The Spanish ‘keeper was having an awful tournament, and this was the sixth goal that he had conceded, having just faced seven shots! The whole of the second half was spent with Spain passing the ball around, mostly sideways, and Russia defending tactically and deep and keeping their opponents out. Akinfeev pulled off a double save from first Iniesta and then from Aspas off the rebound and those were the only clear-cut opportunities of the half for either team. The first opportunity in extra-time went to Spain, coming nearly 20 minutes into the extended period. Aspas once again involved, whose shot was blocked by Akinfeev, and Carvajal’s follow-up was blocked by Kutepov, who was Russia’s Man of the Match performer. No goals in extra time meant penalties. Both teams converted their first two kicks. Koke had his shot saved, hitting it too close to the ‘keeper. Russia kept their perfect score till the fourth kick. Aspas needed to score to keep Spain in it. He hit his kick with pace down the middle but Akinfeev’s outstretched leg deflected it away from goal. The hosts had won and another pre-tournament favourite were on their way home! A stunning statistic from the game in Spain’s more than 1100 passes, as compared to less than 300 for Russia. Just goes to show it’s not important how much of the ball a team has, rather what they do with it. The curtains had just come down on Spain’s golden generation.

Final Score: Spain 1 – 1 Russia (Russia won 4 – 3 on penalties)

Match 4: Croatia vs Denmark

Whoever tuned in to this game 5 minutes late missed a lot of action! Denmark took the lead inside the first minute, after a long throw from Knudsen caused havoc in the Croatia penalty area. Jorgensen, a.k.a Zanka, found the ball at his feet at the far post and his shot on goal squirmed under Subasic and into the goal. Croatia were level less than 3 minutes later. A combination of Rebic and Vrsaljko broke into the Danish penalty box from the left wing. Vrsaljko’s cross found a defender whose clearance hit his own player and set up Mandzukic who made no mistake in accepting the gift. Croatia kept coming, and Perisic skied a golden opportunity following two saves from Schmeichel from close quarters just before the half-hour mark. The second half proved to be a game of attrition with neither team able to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The match ended as a tie and we were once again headed to extra time. With 6 minutes left in extra time, Rebic rounded the goalkeeper and was free on goal, when Zanka came in from behind and fouled him to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity. A recent rule change now prevents the referee from sending the defender off in such a situation, so he only received a yellow card. Croatia were awarded a penalty and up stepped Modric to take the spot-kick. As if the drama wasn’t enough already, Schmeichel saved brilliantly to his left to deny the Croatian captain. Once again, the result would be decided by a shootout. Eriksen hit the post while Badelj’s shot was saved. Not the most auspicious start to the shootout! Both teams converted their net two spot-kicks. The next set of penalties were saved in identical fashion by both goalkeepers, with there being suspicions of both having creeped ahead of their line before the kick was taken, which should’ve resulted in retakes. Nicolai Jorgensen had his shot saved by Subasic. Rakitic scored his penalty, sending Schmeichel the wrong way, and sent Croatia through to the Quarter Finals, to face Russia.

Final Score: Croatia 1 – 1 Denmark (Croatia won 3 – 2 on penalties)

Previews

Match 5:  Brazil vs Mexico

Brazil topped their group with ease, but it wasn’t all plain sailing, as they’ve failed to hit full stride in the tournament up until now. Mexico started off like a rocket, blitzing Germany in their first game, and then taking care of business against South Korea, but then lost the plot and slumped to a heavy defeat against Sweden. A lot of the good work in the Brazilian team has come midfield maestro Coutinho, and he will remain an important figure in today’s game as well. While Mexico do possess the skills to cause Brazil some problems, this will probably be a step too far for them to take. The loss against Sweden have also probably put a stop to their momentum. I expect there to be goals in this game, as Brazil will want to wrap things up early. An upset in this game could really open up the tournament for one of the dark horses to capitalize on! But I don’t see that happening and predict Brazil to come out on top in this match.

Prediction: Brazil 3 – 1 Mexico

Match 6: Belgium vs Japan

Belgium should be overwhelming favourites to win this game, especially with the form their forwards have shown in this tournament so far. Provided Lukaku is back, their strike-force is up there with the best in the tournament. They would, however, be foolish to write off Japan, who shown steely resolve to come back and also to hold on in the face of difficulties. Japan would need to display the same pluck that got them points in their first two group games. Belgium have been known to go missing in the Knockout rounds of big tournaments, and Japan can easily harm them on such a day. On the balance of it, I predict Belgium to still have enough to get past Japan, but only just. This should be a competitive fixture.

Prediction: Belgium 2 – 1 Japan

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Round of 16, Match 1-2 Review

The Round of 16 has got off to a cracking start, much in tune with the previous stage of the tournament. In this article, I will review the two matches played yesterday.

Match 1: France vs Argentina

Argentina going into a game at this stage of any FIFA tournament as the underdogs is not something we’re accustomed to. Just one change for Argentina from the Nigeria game, with Pavon coming in for Higuain. France reverted to their starting line-up against Peru, having made wholesale changes in their last group game against Denmark. The French had setup to exploit the aging Argentina backline, making runs at them regularly. Griezman hit the bar in the 7^th minute, with the goalkeeper rooted to the spot. Mbappe’s blistering pace was too much for Rojo to keep up and he brought down the attacker inside the penalty area. Griezman made no mistake with the penalty. The French kept coming, with Argentina looking rattled, unable to handle the pace and movement up front of their opponents. Inexplicably, the French started slowing down the game beyond the half hour mark, and this played into the hands of their opponents. Argentina started getting into the game more, keeping possession for more extended periods. They drew level on 41 minutes with a stunning 30 yard drive from Di Maria, who had been quiet so far. At half-time, it was Argentina who seemed to have the momentum. The Argentines began the second half in confident fashion and took the lead within minutes. Messi picked up a free-kick beyond the far post, turned and shot towards goal. The ball was deflected in by a toe from Mercado which left Lloris completely wrong-footed. The Argentina defender looked to be taking his foot out of the way of the shot, but he would claim the goal. France had no choice but to up the tempo once more. They were rewarded just before the hour mark with another superb strike. Hernandez crossed from the left-wing. The ball evaded everyone in the box, only to reach an advancing Pavard, whose first time shot across goal found the top corner. His first goal for France and what a time to produce it! France took advantage of some sloppy Argentine defending to take the lead 7 minutes later. Mbappe used a neat bit of skill to get away from his marker inside the box and slotted home past the ‘keeper. This match was turning into a classic and there was nearly half an hour still left. Mbappe doubled his side’s lead just 4 minutes later, running onto a Giroud through ball and finding the bottom corner with a first time shot. The teenager became the first such player to score a brace in a World Cup game since Pele did it 1958! Argentina were once again failing to cope with the pace up front for France, and for some time it looked like this could become an embarrassing score-line. Fracne once again took their foot off the gas and decided to coast to the final whistle. Argentina made some openings but the goal remained elusive in normal time. In the third minute of injury time, Ever Banega’s pin-point cross found Aguero at the end of it and the striker header in from close range. Argentina still had a couple of minutes to try to get level. However, that would not be the case as France held on to win this enthralling fixture.

Final Score: France 4 – 3 Argentina

Match 2: Uruguay vs Portugal

Ronaldo had an early shot on goal, but it was straight at Muslera. In the 7^th minute, Cavani pinged a cross-field pass to find Suarez on the left-wing. The forward made some space and delivered a pin-point cross to the far post. Cavani had kept on running and got onto the end of the cross and headed (actually the ball hit face) in past Patricio. It was a stunning example of how well the two forward men link up for Uruguay. Suarez had a free-kick well saved by Paricio in the 22^nd minute, after the wall failed to hold its shape and let the ball through. Portugal failed to muster any clear chances in the first half, and were reduced to mostly attempts from distance or harmless headers. They started the second half brightly, reaching the opposition penalty area on a couple of occasions. In the 54^th minute, Pepe got onto the end of a short corner routine and powered his header past the helpless Muslera. Parity lasted for less than 10 minutes. After a swift counter-attack, Bentancur squared a ball across the 18 yard line to find Cavani who did not break stride to curl his effort around Patrico and into the far corner. It was another superb goal on a day of such goals. Uruguay looked good for their lead, and Cavani was on top form. Uruguay had a heat-in-the-mouth moment a few minutes later as Muslera dropped a cross inside the box. Bernanrdo Silva got the loose ball but could only shoot over the bar with the goal gaping. The Portuguese man looked to have kicked the ball out of the Uruguayan goalkeeper’s hands but the referee had not blown for a foul and the goal would’ve counted. Cavani unfortunately limped off a couple of minutes later, having put in a possible Man of the Match performance. Portugal huffed and puffed in the final 20 minutes but could not produce much in terms of clear-cut chances. Uruguay held on and the Portuguese were going home. People were hoping for a Ronaldo vs Messi encounter in the Quarter Final but neither made it past this round!

Final Score: Uruguay 2 – 1 Portugal

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Round of 16, Match 1-4 Preview

The Knockout rounds of the 2018 World Cup begin from and we have a cracking set of matches lined up on the first day itself. So far we’ve seen just one of the big guns, Germany, being eliminated from the tournament, although a couple of others have looked shaky. The Group stage was a delight to watch and let’s hope that the Round of 16 plays out along the same lines.

In this article, I will preview the first four matches of the Round of 16, i.e. the matches to be played on Saturday and Sunday.

Match 1: France vs Argentina

Two teams who were seen as possible final opponents meet in the Round of 16. Argentina barely made it through the Group stages, with a necessary win in their last group game against Nigeria. France haven’t been troubled as of yet, but they haven’t looked their fluent best either. Two narrow wins and a goalless draw haven’t caught the imagination of the public. Argentina looked a better unit, especially in midfield, after the personnel changes that were made in their last group game. Ever Banega made a huge difference to their link-up and build up play, also providing the assist for the first goal. One wonders why in a team so lacking creativity at the moment, a player like Dybala is kept on the bench, even when they desperately needed a late goal against Nigeria. The goal did come from an unlikely source, but some of the managerial decisions have been baffling as far as Argentina are concerned. France, for their part will be hoping to keep their momentum going. They will not care what the score-line reads as long as they get through. The prolific French forward line of Griezman, Giroud, Mbappe, Dembele, and the likes have not yet fired, but with the talent they have at hand, it will only take a moment for them to spring to life. The French themselves can be accused of playing players out of position, with Matuidi’s use as a winger of particular curiosity. Such a match between teams is too close to call, with this being the Knockout round on top of it. The French look to have the advantage on paper as well as on form, but it will take just a moment or two of magic from Argentina’s magician to change all that. I’ll still go with a narrow French win. A lot depends on which Argentina team shows up in this game.

Prediction: France 2 – 1 Argentina

Match 2: Uruguay vs Portugal

Super Saturday’s late kick-off sees two more equally matched teams square off for a place in the Quarter Finals. Uruguay have been as miserly as they come, conceding no goals and winning all three games in the Group. They come up against a determined, if sometimes shaky Portugal, who’ve done just enough in their group to see of the challenge of a couple of plucky underdogs. Portugal hung on late in the game in their last group game against Iran, where a late goal conceded would’ve meant them eliminated. Their talisman Ronaldo found form in the opening couple of games but his intensity has dropped off recently. Uruguay on the other hand have been playing some lucid football and their defence have been rock-solid. Portugal’s defence need to be wary of the double threat of Suarez and Cavani up front for Uruguay, both of whom have now got on the scoresheet in this tournament. There are a number of interesting clashes all across the pitch with those of Ronaldo vs Godin and Suarez vs Pepe possibly becoming crucial for both teams. Recent performances in similar tournaments would give the edge to Portugal in such a situation, but I will go against the grain and predict a win for Uruguay, with Suarez and Cavani being too hot to handle for the Portuguese defence.

Prediction: Uruguay 2 – 1 Portugal

Match 3: Spain vs Russia

Spain have been uncharacteristically leaky in their defence, letting in 5 goals in the Group stage. They are still unbeaten, but managed to win only one of their three games. Russia started the tournament in superb fashion with two comfortable victories. They were brought back down to earth against Uruguay, suffering a 0-3 drubbing. Spain should have too much firepower in this game to get through, but need to be careful at the back against the Russian attack, who have looked menacing. Diego Costa and the impressive Isco are my picks for players who will be Spain’s main protagonists, with Costa especially always up and feisty for situations such as these. Russia will be hoping for more of the same from Golovin and Cheryshev, who’ve been revelations in this tournament. Spain should take this one comfortably, and it could become a repeat of the Uruguayan nightmare for Russia.

Prediction: Spain 3 – 0 Russia

Match 4: Croatia vs Denmark

Croatia have looked the best team of the tournament, winning all three games, which included the scalp of mighty Argentina and a win against Iceland despite resting nine players! They will be favourites going into this game, and now have become a dark-horse for a very deep run into the tournament. Denmark rode their luck against Peru in the opening game to come out with a win, and draws in their remaining fixtures were enough to see them qualify. They rely heavily on Eriksen for their creativity and that will remain the same in this match. For me, it would be a surprise to see Denmark overcome Croatia in this game, but you can never count them out completely. Croatia’s midfield of Modric, Rakitic and Brozovic, and maybe Kovacic is likely to be the difference in this game. Denmark will need to be at their best and then some to try to control the midfield, or at least be solid at the back. I will go for a Croatia win, as I fail to see Denmark breaking down the solid backline, and there is just too much quality for the latter to keep out for 90 minutes.

Prediction: Croatia 2 – 0 Denmark

FIFA Football World Cup 2018 - Matchday 3: Group G-H Review

The group stage of the World Cup has now drawn to a close and we have identified the 16 countries progressing to the Knockout Rounds. The matches in the first stage were particularly exciting, and all teams ended up scoring at least two goals. The so-called minnows are now a lot more competitive than before and no match can now be considered a walkover, given what we’ve witnessed over the past two weeks.

There was no dearth of drama in the games played yesterday either. I will review the matches of Groups G and H in this article.

Group G

Match 5: England vs Belgium

A combined total of 17 changes were made by the two managers in this group deciding game. Perhaps they were more inclined not to win the game, as the runner-up from this group looks to have an easier route to the semi-final. Both teams had chances early on but lacked the clinical finishing which had seen them both score 8 goals in their first two games. Once again, there was a chance of fair play deciding the group winner, as the two teams were tied on all parameters before the same. Belgium took it upon themselves to fall behind in Fair Play, putting in crunching tackles, for which the referee had no option but to show a card. The first half remained goalless but the there was an unlikely goal scored early on in the second. Adnan Janujaz took his chance in the team and grabbed a goal with a wonderful curling effort. Whether it was the best decision to score is a matter of a separate discussion. Michy Batshuayi became an overnight meme with his goal celebration! Rashford a glorious opportunity to equalize but Courtois denied him one-on-one with a fingertip save. Belgium did a couple of late chances, with Mertens’ long range effort well saved by Pickford. Fellaini had another chance with virtually the last kick off the game but he only found the side netting. Belgium top the group, but England will probably be the happier side taking near-future into consideration. It won’t be a walk in the park though.

Final Score: England 0 – 1 Belgium

Match 6: Panama vs Tunisia

Two teams who were already eliminated but would be hoping to go home with some pride restored. To be fair Tunisia gave a good account of themselves, and nearly got a point out of their game against England. Panama were just happy to have got their first ever World Cup goal against the same opponent in their last game. Tunisia made early inroads into their opposition’s box but could not make the breakthrough. They went behind via yet another own goal by an African team, as Jose Luiz Rodriguez’s shot deflected off Meriah and beat the goalkeeper. The Tunisian attacks kept on coming but they had to wait nearly 20 minutes for the equalizer. They had two big opportunities in the mean-time but were denied by some dogged defending and goalkeeping. The goal came when Khazri found an unmarked Ben Youssef at the end of a low cross. The wide-man made no mistake and gave the Tunisians a well-deserved goal. Tunisia had a chance to take the lead just a minute later, but Ben Youssef could not beat the ‘keeper one-on-one. Khazri put his side into the lead 15 minutes later, running onto a Haddadi square ball across the box and tapping into an open net. They deserved to be in front by virtue of their performance. Panama had a chance to equalize very late on, but a good cross from the left managed to just evade three attackers and was only picked up on the other flank. Nothing came of it in the end. That’s how it ended, and Tunisia had finally picked up some points which they thoroughly deserved.

Final Score: Panama 1 – 2 Tunisia

Group H

Match 5: Japan vs Poland

Japan needed just a point to progress, irrespective of what happened in the other game. They could progress even with a loss but would need Colombia to lose or to beat Senegal by a good margin. Poland had only pride to play for, having already been eliminated. The teams exchanged attacks in the first half without breaking the deadlock. Grosicki came the closest with a well-positioned header, but Kawashima pulled off a stunning save to deny him. Jan Bednarek piled on the pressure on Japan, scoring from a volleyed effort after a free-kick. Japan needed to score, otherwise their fate was out of their hands. They tried but they seemed to lack the drive which saw them perform so well in their previous matches. Lewandowski nearly put the game to bed in the 74^th minute, but his sliced effort went over the bar. He should’ve scored having got goal-side of his marker. Kawashima pulled off another superb save a few minutes later, Makino’s attempted clearance from Grosicki’s cross nearly ended up in his own net if not for his ‘keeper. Poland backed off in the final ten minutes, allowing the game to drift to a 1-0 result. The reason will be clear in the review of the next match…

Final Score: Japan 0 – 1 Poland

Match 6: Senegal vs Colombia

A lot of permutations were possible from different results and score-lines from this game. Whoever won this game would go through, no questions asked. Senegal needed just a point to surely qualify. Colombia needed a point to have a chance of qualifying, and hope that Japan would lose (which they did). Both teams struggled to get a foothold in the match early on, with a lot of mis-passes and fouls dominating proceedings. Colombia had the first real chance after 10 minutes, but Quintero’s free-kick was smartly punched away by N’Diaye. Senegal were awarded a penalty five minutes later but it was overturned after VAR intervened. Davinson Sanchez looked to take the ball first before bringing down Mane, and the former was enough reason for the referee to reverse his decision. Colombia lost James Rodriguez to what looked like an ankle injury mod-way through the half. Senegal looked the more threatening for the rest of the first half, but they couldn’t really test Ospina. Niang picked up a yellow card in the second half which meant he would miss the next game. Off a corner in the 74^th minute, and similar to the Poland game, Yerry Mina rose highest at the near post and headed home from close range. Colombia were in dreamland, and were leading the group. Senegal and Japan were locked on points, with Japan already trailing to Poland in the other game. The two teams were tied on points, goal difference, goals scored and had drawn their game. The next factor to decide second place in the group was fair play. Japan were leading this statistic 4 to 6. Senegal were thus going to crash out of the cup unless they scored or Poland scored again against Japan. Poland took it easy for the conclusion of the match, so the Senegalese needed to find a solution themselves. Just a minute after going behind, Niang forced a save from Ospina, but the ball was directly at the Colombian goalkeeper. Ismaila Sa skied a glorious opportunity at the far post, he was unmarked and had enough time to get his shot on target. That would prove to be the last real chance for the African nation, as their challenge petered out. The combination of results in this group meant that Colombia had won the group, and Japan would join them, Senegal’s fate being sealed by Fair Play rules, the first ever instance of a team being eliminated from the World Cup for the same!

Final Score: Senegal 0 – 1 Colombia