FIFA World Cup 2018 : Round of 16 - Argentina vs France

In my pre match evaluation I had mentioned that on paper, France looks a better team, though Argentina may tip the scales through one mesmerising Messi. However, despite the Messi magic, raising hopes briefly, the Albiceleste defence leaked goals like rains in monsoon, allowing a deserving France to runaway with a victory.
The match started with the Argentinians looking to dominate, but the nippy French forwards were outracing the wobbly Latin Americans on swift counter attacks. Within the first 10 minutes, Greizmann rattled the crossbar with a stunning free kick from just outside the box, & almost immediately thereafter, Kylian Mbappe making a solo run into the Argentinian box, was brought down heavily by Rojo, as the referee pointed to the dreaded spot. Greizmann coolly converted the penalty to take France up 1-0. Argentina, desperate for an equaliser, kept pressing hard, & just before the end of the first half, in one of the rare defensive lapses by France, Di Maria, received the ball from Banega, & unleashed a stunning left footer, from almost 30 yards, that curled to arc away from the French goalkeeper, Lloris into the net. The stadium erupted into frenzy, as the score levelled at 1-1. Almost immediately after the half time break, Argentina went ahead, as Mercado stuck his toe to a Leo Messi shot inside the box & deflected the ball into the net past a hapless Lloris, 2-1.
At this stage, one expected Argentina to hold possession & control the game, but their celebrations were cruelly cut to pieces, as the frail & wobbly defence simply catapulted to the waves of marauding French attacks. Within a space of 10 -12 minutes, three goals were conceded, as Messi & co looked bulldozed into submission. First, Pavard, capitalising on a sleepy defence, equalised with a fantastic curling shot past a diving Armani & then Mbappe tore the Argentinian defence to shreds, scoring two goals in quick succession. Suddenly, France was leading 4-2 in an astonishing change of events, & were looking good to add more to the tally. In the stoppage time, Messi managed to conjure a brilliant cross into the box for a rising substitute Aguero, to head in, 4-3, but it was too late for any further magic, as France sent Argentina packing home. Man of the match, 19 year old Kylian Mbappe became only the second teenager after Brazil's legendary Pele in 1958, to score two goals in a World Cup match. Surely a star in the making for future.
A forlorn Messi, goes back empty handed from yet another World Cup, as Argentina's stuttering campaign comes to an end - they had their chances today, but defensive frailties cost them dear.

A fantastic match, that saw seven goals scored, all of them a treat to watch, & in the end, the better team won.

FIFA World Cup 2018 - Round of 16 - Predictions for Day 1

1) Argentina vs France : The elimination round of 16, starts in spectacular fashion with a resurgent Argentina taking on a far from convincing France, at the Kazan Arena, in a mouth watering prospect. While the win probability meter gives France a 40% chance to a 29% for Argentina, the final results could well be very different. The South Americans hold an upper hand with six wins to two & three draws, in their previous eleven encounters. However, penalty shoot outs excluded, France have lost only once in their last eleven games at the knockout stages of the World Cup - interesting stats those for both sides to take encouragements from.

On paper, the expected French line up looks formidable enough, with reliable Lloris managing the bars; Hernandez, Umtiti, Varane & Pavard shape the solid defence; as Pogba & Kante marshal the midfield; & Matuidi, Griezmann & Mbappe in the front to feed Giroud for goals. Coach Didier Deschamps would feel quite happy with the firepower of this young & fit Les Bleus line up, as the reserve bench boasts of stars like Dembele, Fekir, Mendy, Tolisso etc.
For Argentina, the expected line up looks like Armani in the goal; with a four man defence of Tagliafico, Roji, Otamendi & Mercado; four man midfield of Di Maria, Banega, Mashcherano & Perez; with Higuian & Messi at the top. The strong reserve bench has, Acuna in defence, Pavon, Enzo, Biglia in midfield & Dybala & Aguero as forwards. Coach, Sampaoli needs to curb his nervous outbursts on the sidelines & use the reserve strength, especially Dybala, Pavon & Aguero intelligently to crack the formidable French citadel. Having come back from the brink of elimination, the ageing Argentinians will hope for an encore from their talisman captain, Leo Messi.
While, on paper & on current form, France certainly look the better of the sides, & are also one of the pre tournament favourites, Argentina, may tip the scales, under mesmerising Messi - one touch, one dummy & he may take the Albiceleste beyond....something that millions of fans worldwide are hoping for.

2) Uruguay vs Portugal : In another of the humdingers in this elimination round, at Fisht Olympic Stadium, both Uruguay & Portugal have a 34% chance of winning, as per the win probability meter. However, Portugal have lost their last three games in world Cup knockout stages, with a heavy 0-4 defeat at the hands of eventual Champions Germany in 2014. Uruguay, on the other hand, are yet to concede a goal in this World Cup & will be looking at winning their fourth consecutive game, since 1930, when they eventually became the Champions.
Suarez & Ronaldo have faced each other umpteenth times in El Classico duels between Barcelona & Real Madrid, but this is the first time they face each other, representing their country.
On paper, the European Champions Portugal are expected to line up, a redoubtable Patricio under the bars; with Raphael, Fonte, Pepe & Cedric manning the defence; as Quaresma, Carvalho, Moutinho & Silva control the midfield; & Ronaldo and Guedes look for goals upfront. The reserve bench has Bruno Alves, Semedo, Guirreiro, Mario Rui in defence, Andre Gomez, Bruno Fernandes in midfield, Eder, Martins, Nani etc in the frontline & others.
Uruguay is expected to field regular keeper Muslera under the bars; supported by Caceres, Captain Godin, Giminez & Laxalt in defence; while Rodriguez, Bentancur, Vecino & Torreira oversee the midfield & Suarez and Cavani look for goals upfront. The reserve bench has Valera, Coates, Silva in defence, Nandez, Carlos Andres in midfield, & Gomez and Stuani as forwards. Coach Oscar Tabarez has been incharge since 2006 & knows the strength of his players very well.
Portugal would be looking at Cristiano Ronaldo to spearhead the attack & score, as freely as he does, though the over-dependence on one man could be their falling in the knock out stages. Coach Fernando Santos, needs to find someone else to step up, beside Ronaldo for goals & also inspire their central defence under the ageing Pepe & Fonte, who are well past their prime. On the other hand, Uruguay have Suarez & Cavani, both exceptional predators in the box, along with Bentancur & overlapping Giminez, who can carry La Celeste ahead, while ever dependable Godin is expected to foil Ronaldo.
The game will be a battle of nerves & the better organised Latin Americans may just nose ahead.

FIFA World Cup 2018 - Group Stages - 3

As we move into the business end of the group stage matches, contests are becoming more intense & at times acrimonious, as referees & the newly introduced VAR system are coming under scrutiny.

Group A :
Host Russia in their last game of the group, bumped into a resolute Uruguay, vying for the pole position. Having scored 8 goals in two matches, the hosts were confident of a good match, but were cut to size by a better organised Latin American side. In the 10th minute itself, striker Suarez, capitalised on a free kick just outside the Russian box & slotted the ball home, with a pile driving grounder into the bottom right hand corner of the net, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Akinfeev. Midway into the first half, Uruguay earned a corner & on the rebound of a goalmouth melee, an innocuous shot from Laxalt, took a major deflection off Cheryshev & rolled into the right hand corner, past a full stretch Akinfeev. It was already 2-0 in the 23rd minute, & things worsened further, when defender Igor Smolnikov, already on a yellow card went for a silly tackle of Laxalt & earned himself a red card to reduce Russia to 10 men. The match from then on gradually slipped away from the big & burly Russians, into the hands of a more controlled Uruguay. The Russians, tried hard to get a goal & return into the game, but were outnumbered in the opponents box area, through a better tactical play, by the Latin Americans. In the dying minutes of the game, Uruguay earned a corner, & Captain Godin rose to head in, but was thwarted by the Russian goalkeeper, only to find striker Cavani lurking there to tuck the ball off the rebound into the net. 3-0. With this Cavani became the second player from Uruguay, after team mate Suarez, to score in three different World Cups. Both teams have already qualified for the next round, with Uruguay in top position.
In the other inconsequential game between Saudi Arabia & Egypt, it was more for pride & take away honours. Egypt, went ahead through their mercurial striker Salah, as he picked up a long lob from El Said & dodged between two centre backs to control & lob past the onrushing goalkeeper, 1-0. However, the Arabs were gifted with a doubtful penalty in the 41st minute, but Egyptian goalkeeper, El Hadary dived superbly to his right to knock the ball over the crossbar - what acrobatics at 45 years of age - the oldest player in World Cup!! - fantastic effort. In the stoppage time, another controversial penalty awarded to the Arabs, & this time, Salman Al Faraj sent El Harady the wrong way to equalise for Saudi Arabia at half time. Again in the second half, Saudi Arabia scored deep into the stoppage time, as Dawsari drove low into the bottom corner from a tight angle, to earn the Arabs a win out of nowhere to end the tournament in a happy note. Egypt remain winless in three trips to the World Cup.

Group B :
The game between Iran & Portugal turned out to be a humdinger. With both sides pressing for a win, the ball kept moving at a frenetic pace from one end to the other. However, it was Portugal, who went ahead in the stroke of half time, as veteran midfielder Ricardo Quaresma slipped past two defenders & launched an absolute screamer from the edge of the box into the top left corner of the net, 1-0.
Early in the second half, Portugal earned a penalty, as Ronaldo ran into a defender & flung himself to the ground - VAR intervention confirms a penalty. But, Iranian goalkeeper, Alireza Beiranvand guessed right & blocked the powerful shot form Ronaldo, & the men in white started to fight back. Iran did get a couple of chance to level the score, but fumbled & lost the opportunities. Ronaldo, meanwhile, in his attempt to score, got away with a yellow card, despite elbowing a defender, as the Iranians chased almost everything for a goal. Finally in the stoppage time, Iran earned a penalty & Karim Ansarifard slotted the ball into the right top corner to level the score 1-1.
In the other game, Morocco broke the shackles to go up against the mighty Spain in the 14th minute, as striker Boutaib snatched the ball from a mix up between Ramos & Iniesta, & coolly placed the ball between the wobbly limbs of goalkeeper De Gea, who has been in awful form this tournament. However, soon after, Spain replied in style, as Iniesta, dribbled past defenders towards the left touchline & then send the ball inside the box for a waiting Isco to gleefully smash the ball into the net, scores 1-1. In the second half, Morocco came close to going ahead again, when, Boutaib's shot was groggily blocked by De Gea & on rebound, Amrabat's thunderbolt bounced off the woodwork, much to the relief of the Spanish armada. However, with just nine minutes to the final whistle, Morocco came back again, & Fajr sent in a beautiful cross from a corner & substitute En Nesyri rose high to head the ball into the net past a hapless Spanish defence. Spain looked to have blown away the game, when, in the dying minutes of stoppage time, substitute, Aspas accepted a low pass from Carvajal & flicked the ball into the net. The celebration initially got a jolt, as the linesman lifted his flag for an offside, but the referee stepped in to consult VAR & then blew the whistle for a goal to level the scores at 2-2. As the relieved Spanish players trudged out, the crowd jeered for them & cheered for the fighting spirit of the Moroccans, who now go back.
In the round of 16, now, Spain face Russia, while Portugal will lock horns with Uruguay - both exciting prospects for football fans.

Group C :
In this group, France & Denmark played a boring listless game to the first goalless draw of the tournament till now. France Coach, Didier Deschamps rested six of his regular key players, & put up a second string side to give necessary exposure to the bench. The Danish side made two changes, but overall the game was quite boring & predictable, as both sides did not go all out, to ensure smooth passage into the next round.
In the other match, Peru, playing for pride, went past Australia 2-0, in an inconsequential game. Midfielder, Carrillo in the 18th minute, received a well directed pass from Guerrero over the box, & volleyed the ball powerfully past the Aussie keeper, Mat Ryan, who has absolutely no chance to save. Early into the second half, Trauco played one two pass with Flores, zooming into the penalty area, & then Flores chipped the ball to Guerrero, who fired into the net, 2-0. It was a comedy of errors for the Aussie defence, & all over the bar shouting. They did try valiantly through Cahill, Arzani, but could not pierce the tight Peru defence.
France & Denmark move into the next round.

Group D :
In a nerve wracking humdinger, Argentina prevailed over a resolute Nigeria, the Super Eagles of Africa. There was purpose in the Latin Americans as they started the proceedings on the ground & early enough, Messi, received an inch perfect lob from Ever Banega, letting the ball deflect off his thigh, as he side stepped the Nigerian defender & sent in a right footed volley into the far corner of the net past a full stretch goalkeeper. It was 1-0 & Argentina was back in business, as tens of thousands of delirious fans went crazy. Camera zooming on Maradona, in the stadium, showed him having gone into an orgasmic ecstasy. The men in blue & white stripes were in full control, as the stunned Nigerians struggled to find their feet in the first half. Early in the second half, as Nigerians pressed hard & earned a corner, ageing defender Mascherano, made a mess of defending, as he brought down Balogun inside the box, & the referee pointed to the dreaded spot for a penalty. Victor Moses, used all his experience to wrong foot the new goalkeeper, Armani, & easily slid the ball into the net, scores level at 1-1.... match on. With Nigeria needing just a draw & Argentina needing a win, it was a see saw battle, as the ball moved at either side in gritty pace. With just 15 minutes to full time, Rojo, in trying to make an aerial clearance, appeared to have committed a handball in the box, & the referee went for VAR - it certainly was a handball, but ref Cakir, decided, it was unintentional, & did not give a penalty. The game turned on its head there, & Argentina pressed offensive for a goal, as Nigerians tried hard to maintain the draw. Higuain, missed a near sitter from less than 10 yards, as the stadium gasped in despair. With barely 4 minutes to regulation time, Mercado charged down the right side of the turf & curled in a superb cross into the middle, where overlapping defender Marcos Rojo intercepted the ball ahead of Nigerian Moses, & sliced it past an anguished full stretched goalkeeper. Argentina had nosed ahead 2-1, as the stadium erupted, in rejoicing blue & white stripes. Added time of another 4 minutes, did not bring joy for the Africans, as the Messi driven AlbiCeleste, romped home to victory & into the round of 16. Mascherano, face caked in blood, had fought hard to redeem after the blunder to surrender a penalty, Messi, Di Maria, Rojo, et all - the whole Argentinian squad were jumping in joy & relief. Coach Sampaoli dressed in white tracks screamed & giggled like a child, not knowing what to do. God of football, Diego Maradona, had to be hospitalised, as he collapsed in his seat after the dramatic victory - he is reported safe now. For the Nigerians, it was another match 'well fought, but lost in the end - cruel fate !!' they would say. Captain Mikel, was distraught along with the full squad, as they could well blame the ref for not giving a seemingly legitimate penalty.
In the other match, a second string Croatia, went past a fighting Iceland 2-1, as the Icelanders fought hard for a victory. The game was headed for a draw, but, midfielder Perisic, scored from a tight angle, powering the ball into the far corner of the net in the 90th minute.
With this, Croatia & Argentina qualify for the round of 16, where Croatia meet Denmark, while Argentina will have to face France - certainly promising a pulsating match of skills & grit.

Group E :
A much improved & confident Brazil prevailed over a tricky Serbia 2-0. Needing a win to qualify, it was expected that the physically imposing & technically tough Serbians would go all out to breach the Brazilian defence, but, eventually, it was the class of Selecao coming together, that did not allow breathing space to the European underdogs, & the superior pedigree prevailed. Within ten minutes of the game, when Brazil's most experienced & dependable left back, Marcelo limped off in tears, many felt this to be an ominous sign for the men in yellow to crumble. But, Luis Filipe coming in as the substitute, calmed the nerves & enveloped well into the thick of the proceedings. With Brazilian forward line despite, having more possession, were finding it tough to crack the disciplined Serbs, Coutinho, picked up a loose ball deep in his own half & cleverly chipped over the Serbian defence, and a rushing Paulinho, calmly lobbed the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper Stojkovic into the net. Brazil had their nose ahead, 1-0. Mitrovic sparked some life into the Serbian attack & twice came close to scoring, but the Brazil defence managed to thwart off the dangers. Midway, in the second half, an exhausted Paulinho made way for the nippy Fernandinho, & immediately thereafter, Neymar sent a lovely cross from a corner, & Thiago Silva, got away from Matic in the front post, amidst falling bodies, to head in the second goal. It was death knell for Serbia, & they did not regain from there, as Neymar was relentless in toying with the defenders, & he would be disappointed at not scoring, despite opportunities. These are good signs for Brazil, as their attack is finding some rhythm around Coutinho, with Neymar, Jesus & Willian providing the thrust. Coutinho is benefitting from Neymar's grab for limelight, as that allows him freedom to thread defence splitting passes, control the vital midfield & also occasionally unleash thunderbolts from tight angles. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Marcelo suffered a back spasm, which should not be a long term injury. Its important for Brazil's success ahead, that he comes back soon.
In the other match, Switzerland went ahead twice against the already relegated Costa Rica, but let go of the initiatives to settle for a 2-2 draw. Costa Rica played for pride & did a world of good to their morale, by keeping the stronger Swiss at bay. Deservingly, Joel Campbell, was the man of the match, for his tireless efforts, which earned him a late penalty & led to Costa Rica salvaging a well earned point. It was a bizarre goal, as the shot from Bryan Ruiz hit the underside of the crossbar, before hitting Swiss goalkeeper Sommer on his head & nestling back in the net. The keeper knew very little of the rebound going in, becoming the third goalkeeper to score an own goal in a World Cup.
In the round of 16, Brazil now lock horns with Mexico, while the Swiss will take on a resurgent Sweden.


Group F :
In a shocking result, defending Champions, Germany crashed out of the World Cup, courtesy conceding two stoppage time goals to minnow South Korea. The four time Champions, failed to go past the Group stages, for the first time since 1938, managing only two goals in the there matches that they played. They also became the fourth defending champions in the last five, to exit at the Group Stage(France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014 & now Germany 2018). Germany had the majority of possession, but failed to break open the Korean defence, where the goalkeeper HW Cho was simply unbeatable. Surprisingly, in this crucial game, German coach erred in making six changes to the side, which won against Sweden & possibly breaking the winning combination & momentum. After the last gasp, Toni Kroos free kick winning goal against the Swedes in their previous match, it was expected that the Germans would be back at their attacking best. However, they looked quite jaded & out of ideas, till Mario Gomez came in for Khedira, & Mueller came in for Goretzka midway in the second half. The Korean defence was like a wall, & as the game opened up, minutes ticked away agonisingly, & the Koreans started to look at counter attacks, pushing the Germans into more & more sloppy football. It was death knell in the stoppage time, when, defender Kim Young received the ball in a goalmouth scramble & tapped the ball into the net. A delayed offside flag by the linesman, had the referee go for VAR to check & confirm the goal. As more stoppage time was added, the entire German team, including goalkeeper Neuer went up in search of the elusive goal, & it was Neuer who sloppily conceded possession. Ju, quickly lobbed the ball in the vacant German space, & Son gleefully latched onto the ball & tucked it into an empty net, 2-0 for the South Koreans. The goalkeeper Cho, certainly the man of the match. They can now go home, with their head held high, having vanquished the World Champions. In the last World Cup, Germans were clinically precise with set piece, scoring 5 goals, & yet this time, the bite was strangely missing. The team that decimated Brazil 7-1 in their own backyard, this time looked completely out of rhythm, sorely missing defender Lahm & midfielder Schweinsteiger & forward Klose from the previous edition. Vastly touted to retain the the title, the Germans forward line has been sadly out of gear - Big names like Thomas Mueller, Mesut Ozil, Sam Khedira, Draxler, Mario Gomez, & goalkeeper Neuer, - all performed well below par. As goes the famous saying - "Germans are always derailed in Russia" - Mein Gott !!
In the other match, Sweden trounced Mexico 3-0, all goals coming in the second half, after a barren first. Ludwig Augustinsson opened the account, early in the second half & then, Granqvist scored from a penalty. It was then a terrible own goal by Mexican defender, Alvarez, as he made a mess of clearance & put the ball into his own net. It must have been a scare for the Mexicans, as a 0-3 scoreline would have put them out of contention, if the Germans won by even a solitary goal. In the end, with Germany's shocking defeat, Mexico move into the round of 16 along with Sweden, where they will meet Brazil, while the Swedes will have to encounter Switzerland.

Group G :
In a game, where both sides, rested multiple first choice players, Belgium won the game 1-0 against England, early in the second half, through a stunning volley by midfielder Adnan Januzaj past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Pickford, into the net. There has been widespread rumour that both the teams, having already qualified for the round of 16, were willing to lose the tie to get an arguably favourable play in the next round. England, happy with this loss, move to the relatively easier bottom half of the round of 16, & will now play Japan, while, Belgium will play Columbia in the top half, which has heavyweight like, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, France & Portugal. The bottom half, has Spain, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland & now England.
In the other inconsequential match, Tunisia prevailed over Panama 2-1.

Group H :
In a tough encounter, Columbia went past Senegal 1-0, riding a 74th minute goal, headed in by lanky defender Yerri Mina, whose goal scoring abilities have been very profitable for Latin Americans in this World Cup. Exit of Senegal also means that there will be no African nation in the round of 16, for the first time in 36 years. This is sad, as both Senegal & Nigeria looked good to prosper in the Group stages, & needed just a draw to qualify, but failed to cross the line in their last games. Senegal were tough on the ground & created more openings in the game. They looked set to take the lead, when striker Sadio Mane was brought down in the box by a challenge from Sanchez, as the referee pointed to the spot. But a VAR review overturned the decision. The match was marred by many strong & physical tackles, as the referee struggled to keep the game under control. Columbia were jolted early on, by the exit of their mercurial midfielder Rodriguez, who limped off the ground, Senegal looked set to take advantage, but the gritty Columbians held on & gradually came into their own in the second half.
In the other game, Poland, who have already exited defeated Japan, 1-0, by a Jan Bedranek goal, early in the second half. Japan needed just a draw to qualify, & this defeat pegged them back. However, in the final tally, the Samurai Blue, tied with Senegal at same points, goal difference & goal scored, nosed ahead into the round of 16, by virtue of 'fair play', on account of having lesser yellow cards !! Such a decision has been the first of its kind in the World Cup. The physically stronger, Senegal were full of pace & effort, but paid the price of not being able to convert the half chances, that came their way.
So Columbia move up as Group toppers, as Japan become the only Asian country to qualify into the round of 16.

FIFA World Cup 2018 - Group Stages - 2

Group A -
The second round in Group Stages began without any surprises, with hosts Russia becoming the first country to move into the elimination rounds. A scoreline of 3-1, clearly demonstrated their domination, as Egypt tried their best to control spaces. Salah quite fittingly, scored their only goal through a spot kick, as Egypt also become the first nation to face elimination, with two losses in the group stages.
In the other match of the group, Uruguay, went past a resolute Saudi Arabia 1-0, when Luis Suarez, in his 100th appearance for his country, volleyed in from a floating corner by Sanchez, midway into the 1st half. So both Russia & Uruguay safely qualify for the round of 16, with two wins apiece. The final match between the two will determine, who tops the Group.

Group B -
In Group B, Portugal went past Morocco 1-0, with Ronaldo getting his fourth goal of the tournament within 4th minute of the game. He now leads the goal getter's list & looks good to keep the pole position for a while, as others do the catching up. Morocco despite a stubborn performance, are now out of contention from the tournament, having lost both their games.
In the other match, Spain, predictably went past a dogged Iran, 1-0, with Diego Costa scoring in the 54th minute of the game. With three goals, he trails Ronaldo closely in the goal getter's list, as does Russia's Denis Cheryshev with three goals. Iran did manage to put a ball in Spain's goal, but were disallowed for offside - tough luck. They need to beat Portugal in their last match to move to next round - but can they ??.... tough call, but quite possible !!
As of now, both Portugal & Spain, look to be in course to move into the next round, having already collected 4 four points in the table. It will be interesting to see, the final outcome.

Group C -
In Group C, Denmark blew their early goal lead to draw with Australia, who came back strongly to equalise via a penalty - both goals coming in the first half itself - the match never reached high standards, as both teams were more physical than applying skill in the game.
The other match saw France prevail over Peru, via a superb opportunistic goal by the mercurial Kylian Mbappe, the 19 year old sensation. With this win, France are through to the next round - though sluggish, they are looking good. Denmark should also qualify, unless they lose their head against France in the last match, & Aussies defeat Peru by a big margin - tough, but quite possible.

Group D -
In Group D, football fans of South American skills were shocked to roots, as a clinical & a far more engaged Croatia demolished fancied Argentina 3-0. While, superstars of Argentina - Messi, Aguero, Higuain, Dybala, et all were a pale shadow of their best, barely managing a couple of valiant runs down the line, Croatia under the dynamic leadership of Luca Modric were far more energetic & pressing & pierced the Albiceleste defence to shreds - especially in the 2nd half. In the 53rd minute, a howler of clearance by goalkeeper Caballero had winger Rebic volleying into the top right corner. If this was a gift from goalkeeping error, the second goal was a gem from Modric, as he picked the ball just outside the box, dribbled past a defender & launched a beautiful right-footer, that crashed into the right corner of the net. Messi at the other end simply stared at the turf in misery. Rakitic further rubbed misery into the wound in stoppage time, by playing square with Kovacic to place the ball neatly into the net 3-0. Three images exemplified Argentina - Diego Maradona sitting in box gallery, covering his face in disgust, Stockily built Coach Sampaoli pacing up & down the touchline screaming in frustration & Leo Messi looking forlorn & lost. Its almost all over the bar shouting for Argentina, unless they beat Nigeria in their last match & also hope Croatia beats Iceland.
In the other game, a stubborn & physically strong Nigeria tamed Iceland 2-0, which turns all the predictable equations. Nigeria, with this win are back in reckoning, & Iceland are virtually out of contention. Nigeria play their last game against Argentina & even a draw will most likely see them through, while both Argentina & Iceland will need to win their last game & hope for some favourable results coming their way. Iceland will need to get a near impossible win over Croatia, who are in red hot form right now, & hope that Nigeria & Argentina draw - most improbable in current form. Ahmed Musa scored two scintillating goals in the second half to get this win for Nigeria, & look in ominous touch. Iceland, who were touted to win this match, made a hash of their efforts, including a missed penalty, & now need a win against the rampaging Croatia to remain in the tournament.

Group E -
In Group E, Brazil huffed & puffed in the field, as their fans worldwide pleaded & prayed for an elusive win, before finally getting out of jail in their game against Costa Rica, 2-0. Throughout the game, the Selecao struggled, probably in their own belief to win - they controlled the game but would lose steam at the opponent's box, with Neymar struggling with his rhythm, & Willian wasting time in unnecessary dribbling,  as also Jesus & Coutinho strangely looking out of ideas in the third half of the pitch - the team overall looked jaded, lacking the killer instinct. The Costa Ricans meanwhile, were happy defending & playing for a draw, as keeper Keylor Navas managed a clean sheet in regulation time. Brazil came to life in the stoppage time, as if out of a long sleepy spell, when Coutinho finally dashed inside the box & poked the ball between the legs of Navas to break the deadlock, & again in the dying minutes of the game, Douglas Costa placed beautifully past Navas for Neymar to tap in  for a 2-0 win, - the relief in tears said it all, as coach Tite tumbled to the ground in sheer relief & ecstasy - how much Brazil needed this win.... will this mark the revival of their beautiful game ?? ...... the world waits in hope...meanwhile, Costa Rica goes out of the tournament with two losses.
In the other important game, Serbia started with a goal within 5 minutes of the game, when Mitrovic headed powerfully into the the left corner of the net past the Swiss goalkeeper, off a lovely cross from Tadic. The Serbians looked good to maintain this slender lead, but the mental toughness of the Swiss players came to the fore, as they kept attacking & early in the second half, they got their booty. A Shaqiri strike was blocked by a Serbian defender & off the rebound, midfielder Grant Xhakai fired home an absolute rocket, from about 25 yards from the goal - the ball swerved & banged into the net, bringing Switzerland back alive, almost from nowhere. It was in the last minute of the regulation time, that, Shaqiri, got a long ball from the midfield & half turned to drag past the last defender & then wrong footed the Serbian goalkeeper, to send the ball into the bottom right corner..... the Swiss had suddenly taken a very vital lead & the next four minutes of stoppage time did the Serbians no benefit, as the game ended with the scoreline 2-1 for the Swiss - absolute impeccable timing, to win the match & be level with Brazil in the points table. Now the Serbia - Brazil match next week would be a virtual knockout, with the winner proceeding ahead, while, Switzerland have an easier task against Costa Rica. Both Brazil & Switzerland need just a draw, while Serbia needs a win.....

Group F :
Mexico, kept their focus intact to defeat tricky opponents South Korea 2-1 & qualify for the next round with two back to back wins. The match was mostly dominated by the Mexicans, as Carlos Vela converted a penalty midway in the first half, sending the Korean goalkeeper, Cho the wrong way & later in the second half, striker Javier Hernandez neatly placed the ball in the right corner of the net, as the familiar Mexican wave overtook the stadium. In the stoppage time, with seconds remaining, South Korean striker, Son hit a screamer, which crashed into the right corner of the net, past the full stretch Mexican keeper, Ochoa - finally a goal to redeem the gutsy performance by the hardworking Koreans. However, with two losses, they are now out of the tournament.
In the other match, the mighty Germans came back from the brink of death to win against Sweden, who lost the plot to lose from the jaws of a victory. The match started with Germans swarming the Swedish half, as the men in blue & yellow fought hard to withstand the constant waves of attack. However, in one of the rare counter attacks, Claesson collected the ball at the centre & lifted it over the German half for striker Tiovonen, who smartly took one touch with his chest & lobbed it over the onrushing German goalkeeper, Neuer into the far end of the net. Sweden had taken a vital lead 1-0, & suddenly there was panic in the German camp. Neuer then saved Germans from being down two nil, as he dived acrobatically to deflect a Berg header off a free kick by Larsson in the dying seconds of the first half. However, after the lemon break, Mario Gomez replaced Draxler & the Germans renewed their pressure in the Swedish half with relentless attack. Soon enough, Werner lifted the ball in front of the Swedish goal, & midfielder Reus jumped up to head the ball into the net..... Germans were back in the game. After that, it was quite even at both ends, as Sweden kept coming up in counter attacks & Germans kept looking for the winning goal. In the 82nd minute, Jerome Boateng, already on a yellow car, clattered into Swedish Berg, & obviously picked up the dreaded red - German were down to ten men, & it looked like, end of the road for them, as Sweden now had the extra man to put pressure. Both the goalkeepers at their respective ends made some acrobatic saves, as the strikers pressed hard for win. However, well into the injury time, substitute Durmaz made a silly & clumsy tackle just outside the box & the Germans were awarded a free kick. Midfielder, Toni Kroos, exchanged a quick pass with Reus to change the acute angle & then send the ball curling into the far corner of the net, beating goalkeeper Olsen - a splendid effort to give Germany the lead with seconds to the final whistle. Kroos, had finally showed his mettle in the centre, & Germany stayed back in the hunt with a nerve wracking 2-1 win. The group is now wide open with possibilities. Germany with 3 points now face South Korea & a win will safely take them into the next round. Sweden, will now need to beat Mexico & hope for better goal difference to stay back & Mexico, needs a draw to stay on course, while South Korea, already out of the tournament, play for pride, & can well play spoilsport, by blocking the mighty Germans. There now emerges a huge possibility of a mouth watering round of 16 clash between Germany & Brazil - Wow !! How the tournament is shaping up !!

Group G :
It was a walk in the park for the strong Belgian side, as they swept past minnows Tunisia 5-2. Eden Hazard & Lukaku with two goals apiece & one by hardworking Batshuayi, in the dying minutes of the game chalked up a resounding win, though, it was heartening to see Tunisia putting up a brave fight & picking up two goals in the bargain, one in each half - that could be some concern for the Belgian defence ahead, which has still not being tested by a quality attack. The burly Lukaku, joined Ronaldo as the highest goal scorer till now with four goals - both front runner for the Golden Boot. Belgium qualifies for the next round with two victories, while Tunisia are out of the tournament with two losses.
The other match too was similarly poised as England bulldozed past a hapless Panama 6-1, with captain Harry Kane, scoring a hattrick, including two penalty strikes, becoming only the third English player to achieve this feat after George Hurst & Gary Linekar. Kane also now piped ahead of Ronaldo & Lukaku to be the highest goal scorer thus far in the tournament with 5 goals to his credit & firmly in the race for the Golden Boot. It was heartening for Panama to get one goal in the 78th minute, their first ever in a World Cup - hopefully they carry good experience from this tournament.
With this Belgium & England are through to the next round & the match between them coming thursday, will determine the topper in the Group. Both the teams benefitted from lowly placed opponents & have scored freely to garner confidence in the tournament ahead.

Group H :
In a crucial match, Japan & Senegal locked horns & in a pulsating game, both sides ended with even results, a 2-2 draw. Within 11 minutes of the game Senegal took lead, as Youssouf Sabaly curled in the ball, which the Japanese goalkeeper managed to only punch back into the path of the burly midfielder Sadio Mane, who cooly put the ball into the net - 1-0. Japan however, never lost focus & in the 34th minute, Nagatomo, split past two Senegal defenders before laying a neat pass to fast advancing midfielder, Takashi Inui, & he curled the ball into the net past the Senegal goalkeeper, the scores level at 1-1. Midway into the second half, Senegal once again took the lead, when Mane chipped the ball into the Japanese penalty area, where Niang failed to connect properly, but a lurking Moussa Wague, blasted the loose ball into the net past a hapless Kawashima - Wague became the 2nd teenager after France's Kylian Mbappe, to score in this World Cup. Japan, in search of the elusive goal, brought in substitute Keisuke Honda, in place Shinji Kagawa in the 72nd minute & just a little later, Honda kept his cool to score from a mad scramble in the Senegal penalty area. Scores tied again at 2-2. With this veteran attacker, Honda became the first Japanese to score in three different World Cups (2010, 2014 & 2018). He also became the top scoring Asian player in the World Cup history with four goals in nine appearances.
The other match between Poland & Columbia ended in a surprise 3-0 win for the Latin Americans. The Columbians, sporting blue jersey instead of their familiar yellow, shrugged off their surprise first game loss to Japan & started in earnest, creating far more openings, while the Polish team looked at long lobs for Lewandowski & Grosicki to convert, which mostly went a-begging. Towards the end of the first half, in a lovely piece of team play, Falcao played to Cuadrado, who in turn tipped the ball to James Rodriguez, & he then floated a lovely cross in the Polish box, for tall defender Mina to jump over the Polish goalkeeper & nod the ball into the net - fantastic display of Latin soccer. Midway, into the second half, striker & Captain, Falcao came into business, as he accepted a neat pass from Quintero, & raced into the Polish box to calmly slot the ball into the bottom left corner under keeper Szczesny, 2-0. Minutes after that, Cuadrado received a beautiful pass from Rodriguez, & burst into the Polish box to slot the ball home past the keeper, it was already 3-0 for the rampaging Columbians. James Rodriguez, according to me was the man of the match, despite not scoring any goals - his instrumental mid field presence & control got the game for the Columbians, who are now back in the reckoning for the tournament.

The tournament is now wide open with possibilities, as the teams head to the final games of the Group stage over the next four days, to decide on the round of 16 contestants. Heavyweights like Argentina, Germany, & then Serbia, Columbia, Iceland, Iran are all precariously placed & will face exit, unless they win their respective last games, while Brazil & Spain will need at least a draw to move up...... This World Cup is yet to throw up a clear favourite, as we look forward to some more interesting results ahead...

FIFA World Cup 2018 - Group Stages - 1

As rains throng the skies in Mumbai & across India, FIFA World Cup 2018 gets underway in Russia, as 32 teams battle it out for the coveted trophy...... & battle it is, as by the end of the 1st round in Group stages, most of the favourites are struggling while the minnows & underdogs are making hay. This World Cup is surely shaping interesting results, & so many predictions are already biting dust, as experts & enthusiasts all alike, across the globe keep glued to the live telecasts, while the lucky few have reached Russia to watch it live in the stadiums !!
Thankfully, most of the matches are timed well for India, & hence late nights are far & few - as the tournament fever is gradually catching up amongst the masses & classes - beer, pizzas et all. 

In the tournament opener, host Russians in Group A, blazed off in whirlwind fashion scripting a massive 5-1 victory over hapless Saudi Arabia, while Uruguay clipped past a resolute Egypt with a 89th minute goal. These two teams with a win under the belt look set to move into the knock out stages. Egypt are still struggling with mercurial Salah's fitness, & will need some magic to turn tables in the next couple of matches for them.

In Group B, Iran prevailed over Morocco 1-0, thanks to a stoppage time own goal by substitute Bouhaddouz in a rather lack lustre game, as tournament favourites Spain were held to a fascinating 3-3 draw by indomitable Portugal - a see saw battle between two European giants. Ronaldo, in red hot form, fresh from his Euro Cup Championship for Real Madrid, stole the thunder from Spain's tiki taka clutches with a fabulous hattrick. Spain dominated the midfield, with delectable ball control & short passes, & despite conceding a penalty goal within 3 minutes of the game, & again another silly goal just before half time, came back strongly to take lead, through Diego Costa's double strike & Nacho's brilliant pile driver from outside the box - but they were completely undone by one man Ronaldo's brilliance, who had records tumbling as ever. A poor tackle just outside the box by Pique earned a free kick in the 88th minute & Ronaldo's eyes gleamed - a couple of deep breaths & then he sent the ball past the defensive wall into the left corner of the net - goalkeeper David De Gea standing motionless like a statue - all in slow motion, as the stadium erupted to a fantastic goal. It was 3-3, in the end, with Portugal claiming a certain moral victory, as Spain would rue their defensive lapses & horrendous goalkeeping by De Gea. However, both Portugal & Spain should still make it to the next stages, as Iran & Morocco may not pose problems for the European giants.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo, a name synonymous with records, became the first player ever to score in eight consecutive major tournaments (World Cup, European Championships, Copa America). He also got his 51st career hattrick, which incidentally was also the 51st hattrick in the World Cup history. Ronaldo also became the fourth player ever to score in four different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014 & now 2018), after Pele of Brazil, Uwe Seeler & Miroslav Klose of Germany.

In Group C, saw France prevail over a resolute Australia, as midfielder Pogba combined with Giroud & lofted the ball over the goalkeeper, hitting the underside of the bar & bouncing over the line - VAR confirmed the goal & France heaved a sigh of relief, to gather 3 vital points. In the other match between Peru & Denmark, the Europeans prevailed 1-0, as Poulssen netted with a neat shot. This group will also most likely see France & Denmark qualify ahead, as Peru & Australia will find it really hard to make a comeback.

In Group D, the match between fancied Argentina & Iceland, turned on its head, with unexpected results. The South American giants took an early lead through Aguero in the 19th minute, but a fighting Iceland kept pressing & got a well deserved equaliser within 4 minutes, as Finnbogason tapped in from a goal mouth melee - it was his country's first ever World Cup goal. Leo Messi had a chance to take Argentina ahead in the 64th minute, but surprisingly missed a penalty !! - pressures to match up with Ronaldo ?? - it was a pedestrian show by the former Champions, as they seemed to run out of ideas, & the match ended in a draw. In the other match, Croatia prevailed easily over Nigeria with a goal in each half to end the game at 2-0. It was an easy game for the Croats, as the Africans struggled against the pace & guile. In this Group, Croatia will certainly qualify, as they should prevail over Iceland, but Argentina has to be cautious, as they will find Croats a hard nut & a slip against Nigeria , may put them in trouble ahead. However, I still fancy them to make it through.

In Group E, Serbia went past Costa Rica 1-0, as skipper Kolarov scored from a stunning free kick midway in the 2nd half. The ball went over the defensive wall & dipped into the top corner of the net, beating a full stretch Navas, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, who plays for Real Madrid. the South Americans tried hard to come back into the game, but could not break the Serbian defence.
The other game was between fancied Brazil & well drilled Switzerland. The men in yellow, the favourites in any World Cup, started in whirlwind fashion, as they took control with neat passes & delectable turns, catching the disciplined Europeans napping. The combo of Jesus, Neymar, Willian & Coutinho toyed with the Swiss defence & expectedly Coutinho lighted up the Rostov Arena with a stunning right footer from the edge of the box, as the ball curled into the far corner, Brazil up 1-0. The stadium erupted in joy of the sheer football genius at play. However, the well oiled Swiss machinery kept their cool & maintained pressure back, as the Brazilians surprisingly did not go for the kill - this added with intelligent fouls & taps to disrupt Neymar & others worked for the resolute Europeans. The tactics paid results, & early in the 2nd half, Shaqiri fired in from a corner & Zuber, pushed down defender Miranda & headed in powerfully beyond goalkeeper Allison. Scores level, as the Brazilians complained for a foul, which went unheeded by the referee. Switzerland pressed hard from there on as the Brazilians lost their customary touch & the ball struggled to find rhythm in the midfield - Neymar, looked way behind his flair & finesse, and kept getting tangled in the Swiss defence. They still had their chances, but could not convert & then Jesus was brought down, but the ref did not award a penalty (many would fancy, that a VAR referral should have been done !!). The game finally ended in a 1-1 draw, as Brazil failed to win their opening match at World Cup for the first time since 1978. The Swiss left the ground enormously happy with the results, as Brazilians were left with many questions to attend.
I would still bet for Brazil to qualify along with either Serbia or Switzerland into the next round.

In Group F, underdogs Mexico started their campaign with an absolute shocker, as they stunned the reigning Champions Germany 1-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium. In the 35th minute, Lozano, intercepted a beautiful defence splitting pass from Hernandez & drilled into the bottom left corner, past a hapless German keeper & Captain, Neuer. The stunned Champions did press hard for an equaliser, but the Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa, was brilliant under the bar, as he made some spectacular saves to carry his team to victory. This is only the 2nd time Germany had lost its opening match in a World Cup, which was in 1982. There has been telling signs of this German team not being upto the mark - lacking the killer instinct. In the other game, Sweden overcame a stubborn South Korea with a 1-0 win, as Andreas Granqvist converted the penalty in the 65th minute, slotting the ball in the right corner, as the goalkeeper dived the wrong way. The game was quite even in terms of possessions & control was mainly in the midfield.
With the situation now, Germany would be a worried lot, as they have to win the next two matches & the one against Sweden may be a minefield for them - also, they will have to find ways of scoring against South Korea as well, who on their day can be very difficult to breach. If this form continues, Germany may be facing an early 1st round exit (remember, Italy in 2010 & Spain in 2014??) - or we may witness a mouthwatering contest with Brazil facing Germany in the next round !! - quite a possibility.

In Group G, Belgium, touted by many as the dark horse for this tournament, strolled past newcomers Panama, 3-0. To the credit of the minnows, they held Belgium, the world no 3, goalless in the first half, but had to succumb to the heavyweights, as Mertens opened the account just after half time & then Lukaku added a brace. In the other match, England had a tough outing with Tunisia, eventually pipping out the minnows 2-1. Harry Kane, put England in the lead early in the game, but Tunisia fought back to earn a penalty from the limited attacks they could muster & Ferjani Sassi fired the ball beyond English keeper Pickford to level the scores. The defensive minded Tunisia managed to thwart all English attempts almost till the end, but finally Capt Kane managed to head past the goalkeeper in the stoppage time, to earn England an important victory 2-1. From this group, England & Belgium are certain to progress.

In the opening game of Group H, there was another upset, as Japan registered a historic victory over their more fancied South American opponents, Columbia. Japan became the first ever Asian country to defeat a South American team in World Cup. As early as 3rd minute in the game, Carlos Sanchez  picked up a red card, for blocking a shot with his arm in the penalty area & Kagawa converted the penalty to take the lead for Japan. This was the fastest red card in a World Cup match since 1986, when Uruguay conceded a penalty under a minute. However, one man down Columbia, pressed hard & levelled the score in the 39th minute, as Quintero hit a grounder under the jumping defensive wall, & the Japanese keeper caught the ball, albeit just under the bar - the new goal line technology, showed the ball crossing the line. However, Japan kept the offensive & Columbia conceded a second goal midway into the second half, as Osako headed in a beautiful cross from a corner. Both teams kept the pace going, but Japan eventually emerged victorious 2-1. In the other match, Senegal pulled the rabbit out by blasting Poland 2-1, another surprise, considering Poland was expected to win.

The first round of matches in Group stages have already thrown up quite a few surprises & upsets.
Lets see, what's in store over the next weekend coming.......