FIFA World Cup : Denmark vs Australia

In a see saw battle, Denmark took on a feisty Australia for a place in the knock outs stage. Denmark largely controlled the 1st half, but could not create any clear chances, while the Aussies stormed into the Danish half quite regularly, but could manage any profitable finish. At half time, with a goalless score line it was advantage Australia, as with this score they definitely proceed to the round of 16. 

In the 2nd half the Aussies came out more livelier & almost scored when Jackson fired just over the bar. they however got the most important goal around the hour mark, as Mathew Leckie scored from a well picked up counter attack with a neat low finish. Denmark now needing at least two goals to win the tie, tried hard to come back into the match as minutes tickled away - somehow the Danish fire in the belly was missing, as the Australian fans sensing a near upset result started the celebrations. Danes were guilty of poor finishing after reaching the Aussie box time & again. 

Finally it was the green & yellow brigade from down under who prevailed, reaching the knock out stages for the 2nd time in their footballing career, as the Aussie party would begin. Denmark ended up distraught for not having taken their chance ending at the bottom of the group, but in the end, it was the superior team of the day that won deservingly. 

Australia now await their opponent for the round of 16. 

FIFA World Cup : France vs Tunisia

 In a rather inconsequential game France made as much as nine changes to their original line up, with Coach Deschamps peering deep into his reserve bench. However, it was minnows Tunisia who came out with super alacrity & intent. Wahbi Khazri whipped in from a corner that had the French keeper unsettled. Within seven minutes Nader Ghandri put the ball in the net for Tunisia, but the goal was disallowed for offside. French slowly came out of their slumber as Kingsley Coman hit wide. First half ended goalless, with Tunisia having the better of the exchanges. 

Into the 2nd half, Tunisia were on ascendency again & had a penalty claim ruled out, as Camavinga challenged Khazri from behind & was lucky to get away. Around the hour mark, finally Tunisia broke the deadlock, as Khazri finally netted one of the best individual goal of this tournament, dinking past two defenders as he ran into the box & slotting past the keeper, to make the score 1-0. France brought back Greizmann, Mbappe, Dembele, Rabiot into the game to create a difference, but Tunisia held on firmly. In the injury time, Greizmann latched onto a loose ball from a Tchouameni cross, & slammed the ball into the net, but after a VAR review, the goal was disallowed, as Griezmann was clearly standing offside. Tunisia finally prevailed 1-0, to go back with their head held high, taking a big win against reigning champions under their belt. 

France had already qualified for the knockout stages, but will rue this loss, as it creates doubt in the mind, & mind games are always dangerous. Hopefully, they will regroup in the break 

FIFA World Cup : USA vs Iran

 In the other match of the night, USA overcame a feisty Iran 1-0 to book themselves in the round of 16. The win means that USA finish 2nd in Group B & will meet Netherlands in the knock outs. 

Iran threw everything they had, but USA stayed resolute in defense & scored the solitary goal in the 38th minute, when McKennie passed on to Dest on the right flank, who in turn headed the ball in the path of onrushing Pulisic, who deftly put the ball in the net. Dest was a revelation on right flank, & Barcelona Coach Xavi would be ruing letting the youngster go away, as that's a weak area for the La Liga giants. 

Iran were the better side in the 2nd half, but could not break through the US defenders & the keeper. They will be going back distraught having failed to make good of the opportunities in the group stages. In a move of defiance, every member of the team of this football hungry nation, refused to sing the National Anthem at the beginning of the game, as a silent protest against their current government on hijab laws, which has already consumed more than 400 civilian deaths, in government crackdowns on protesters. 

FIFA World Cup : England vs Wales

 England wiped away Wales 3-0 in an authoritative display of football to book their place in the last 16, as Wales crashed out of the tournament with a rather insipid performance. 

The game started slow, as Wales stayed deep in defense to frustrate the English formation & attempt counter attacks when in possession. The game drifted up & down, albeit in a slow build up & the scoreline remained goalless in the 1st half. 

However, with Gareth Bale, Wales' talisman player leaving the field injured, all floodgates opened, as in the 50th minute, Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick from 20 yards that went past the flailing keeper. This was the first free kick goal of this world cup. Minutes later Phil Foden added to the tally, as the sluggish Welsh defence failed to block a low cross from Harry Kane into the box & Foden tapped the ball into an empty unguarded net. Just after the hour mark, Rashford was on the score sheet again, as Philips floated the ball past the defenders & The ManU striker stepped in to power a low shot that deflected off Ward into the net to make it 3-0, game set & match for England. This goal incidentally was the 100 goal World Cup goal for England, & Rashford now has 3 goals to his credit in one edition, which equals no less than Bobby Charlton of ManU in 1966. 

A brilliant Rashford brace & one from Foden marked England's entry into the round of 16, rather easily, as Wales exit tamely. They now face Group A runners up Senegal. 

FIFA World Cup : Netherlands vs Qatar

 Title contenders Netherlands, beat Qatar 2-0 in the other group game (both games played at the same time), to head the group & move into the knockout stages, where they will await the runners up of Group B. After a rather quiet 25 minutes, Cody Gakpo opened the scoring with a fine drive into the left had corner of the net from just outside the box, & then later, just after the half time, Frenkie de Jong followed up a rebound from a Depay shot, to put the ball past two defenders into the net. They were never troubled by minnows Qatar, but it was surprising to see that they did not push the accelerator to score more., which would've given the strikers some good match practice. Steven Berghuis did put the ball in the net, but VAR check revealed a Gakpo handball. 

 Host Qatar lost all the three games, but should take home a lot of learning to improve their game ahead. 

FIFA World Cup : Senegal vs Ecuador

 Senegal beat Ecuador 2-1 in their last group stage game, to advance into the round of 16, despite being without their star player Sadio Mane, out for injury. 

Ecuador looked tentative & would've gone behind in the early stages itself, but Gueye shot wide with an open net in front of him. Minutes later again, Gueye danced through the Ecuadorian defense, only to have his shot ricocheting wide. Senegal were rewarded for their persistence, as Sarr raced into the box, only to be bundled by Hincapie in a late challenge & the referee pointed to the spot. Sarr took the kick & dinked the keeper to bury the ball in the bottom right corner - a superb kick to get Senegal up & running at 1-0, just around the half time. 

Just around the stroke of an hour play, Ecuador find their attack, & from a excellent corner kick by Plata, Torres rose high in the crowded area to flick at the far post & Caicedo, staying unmarked, slotted the ball home to level the score. However, Senegal were the more intent today & they found their lead back again within minutes, as Gueye swung a fabulous ball from a free kick inot the box, & from a goal moth melee, Koulibaly thumped the ball into the net. Ecuador, staring into elimination, strived hard & came close to scoring, but Lady Luck stayed away from them, & finally it was Senegal who prevailed 2-1, making it to the knock out stages. Ecuador, who had started the campaign with a facile win over Qatar, had themselves to blame, as they needed just a draw to qualify, but lost. 

FIFA World Cup : Portugal vs Uruguay

 Portugal & Uruguay clashed for the last game of the night in Group H, with the South American giants needing a victory badly. However, it was Portugal who were off the blocks with a superior game in the end. While the first half was a scrappy, dull goalless affair, Portugal had more intensity on the pitch, led by Ronaldo. Carvalho came close to scoring, after Ronaldo did the hard work of bursting through & laying the ball, as his crisp volley went just over the bar. Uruguay kept their usual style of disrupting the flow of the game & managed to keep Portugal at bay, till Bentancur raced into the Portuguese box, but his effort was saved by Diogo Costa under the bar. 

In the 2nd half, nearing the hour mark, Bruno Fernandes managed to float a cross which Ronaldo missed, but the ball sailed into the far corner of the net, & the deadlock was broken. Uruguay, realising that  the match was slipping away, upped the ante & Maxi Gomez's effort went out just wide. Suarez also missed an opportunity to level the score, reminding everyone that age does catch up. In the injury time, Gimenez was guilty of a handball inside his own box (looked like a tough decision & at the edge of the box), & Bruno Fernandes stepped up to covert the penalty & put the match to bed. He also had another opportunity to get his hattrick in the dying minutes, but failed to score, as the keeper defended well with his legs, & Portugal ended up prevailing over Uruguay 2-0. 

With this win, they became the 3rd team to qualify into knockouts after France & Brazil. Uruguay will face Ghana in their last game & will need to beat them with a good margin & expect favourable results for the other fixture between Portugal & South Korea. Portugal with riches in talent at all positions & Ronaldo in his last cry, look a formidable team in the knock out stages. 

FIFA World Cup : Brazil vs Switzerland

 Brazil took on Switzerland for their 2nd game of the group, with both team looking for a win to seal a slot in the knockouts. 

Both teams started sedately, not going all out & holding firm in defense, testing the opponents gingerly, as the game failed to gain momentum in the 1st half. Brazil, without the mercurial Neymar, out with an ankle injury, failed to stamp their authority in the game & struggled to find a chink in the compact Swiss defense. Hero of the last match Richarlison hardly found the ball within his control, as he was a shade of the previous match, while Raphinha & Vinicius on the flanks, found little joy in their crosses, barring one superb floating cross by Raphinha in the 26th  minute, which the onrushing Vini could not connect properly & Sommer managed to fist out. The 1st half was frustrating to watch as Brazil looked content to hold back & in fact, Switzerland almost scored through Ruben Vargas when keeper Alisson was alert to dive & avert any danger. 

2nd half had more purpose in the game, as Richarlison kept making a mess of some superb through balls from Vini & Casemero, while Raphinha provided the width. Finally around the hour mark, Casemero threaded a beautiful pass to Vini who went past Widmer & took a second to slot the ball past Swiss keeper Sommer into the bottom corner, as the Samba music went into a crescendo - however, the ref having initially given the goal, got some message on his earphone from the officials & after a long VAR check  ruled Richarlison offside in the build up to the goal, much to the chagrin of the Brazil supporters. Brazil looked more intent now & attacked in waves as Swiss defense fought out resolutely. In the 83rd minute Brazil had their breakthrough, as Vini's pass is flicked by Rodrygo & on the bounce Casemiro volleyed into the net, with the entire defense looking in horror, as Brazil lead 1-0. The deadlock had been broken & Brazilian class started to flow, as chances after chances began to evolve. Vini, Rodrygo & substitute Jesus, all missed easy chances to improve the scoresheet. Casemiro typifies a defensive midfielder, who is solid in protection & yet provides the ability to go forward & score when necessary. Brazil look solid in defense & midfield, but the attacking third has to improve on scoring, as in the later stages, they wont have the luxury to miss so many, & I am sure Coach Tite would be working on this aspect. Fred, who was drafted into the playing eleven in place of Neymar, was a huge disappointment & the management will have to iron out this area quickly.  The two games till now have not displayed the free flowing Joga Bonito football we are accustomed to & perhaps that's the technical capability of this team to wean through difficult opponents, & carve out the necessary goal.  

The win keeps Brazil on top of the group & they become the 2nd team after France to qualify for the knock out stages. They have a match against Cameroon next week, while Switzerland play Serbia, needing a win to qualify. 

FIFA World Cup : South Korea vs Ghana

 The match between Ghana & South Korea was another scintillating encounter that enthralled the crowds end to end. With both teams needing a win to stay in contention, there was intensity & 

Though South Korea started briskly from the start, they could not capitalise on their moves & Ghana sat back deep to defend & went for counter attack whenever chance came their way. However, 1st half clearly belonged to Ghana, who broke the deadlock, as Jordan Ayew send a floater into the Korean box & Salisu reacted well to fire a left footer into the net - VAR check showed no handball from Ayew & the goal stood. Before the Koreans could manage to regroup, Kudus doubled the lead, as Ayew crossed across the far post & Kudus headed the ball in past the Korean keeper. South Korea increased their tempo, but to no avail, as at half time the score read 2-0 for Ghana. 

With defeat & elimination staring at them Koreans added more bite into their attack, & around the hour mark, Lee sent in a great cross & Cho headed home to reduce the margin. Within minutes, Cho scored again, as he leapt over Mensah to a Kim Jin su cross & headed powerfully past Ati- Zigi inot the top end of the net, as score became level. The game became more aggressive as both sides looked for the elusive lead, & minutes ticked away. Ghana however, managed this better, as Kudus sent in a low finish in the far corner of the net from a deflection by Inaki Williams. Son tried to regroup his players & they tried their heart out, but could not break the Ghana defense any further. At the end, it was Ghana victorious 3-2 by the skin of their teeth, in a match that was very enterprising from beginning till end. 

The win takes Ghana into 2nd spot with a match left against Uruguay & South Korea next play against Portugal, with a very slim chance to qualify. 

FIFA World Cup : Serbia vs Cameroon

 In a crucial Group G match Serbia took on Cameroon, with both sides needing a win to stay in contention for the knock out stages. Even before the start Cameroon were dealt with a telling blow, as their first choice goal keeper Andre Onana was removed from the team for indiscipline, falling out with the team management. In his place Devis Eppasy would keep the bars for the match. The game turned out to be a seesaw battle between the European physicality vs African resilience, as both sides battled out till the last moment for ascendency, providing a well contested game for the spectators. 

Serbia should've gone ahead early in the game, as Mitrovic dribbled into the African half, but spurned two gilt edged opportunities, first hitting the bar from a narrow angle & then blowing wide of the post. While Serbia rued these missed chances, on the other side, Cameroon made good of their opportunities & from a goal mouth melee Castelletto tapped the ball in behind the keeper & defenders to go 1-0 up around the 30th minute. However, Serbia responded well & turned the game on its head, by scoring twice in the injury time. First Pavlovic headed from a free kick & then Milinkovic Savic angled his shot into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-1 for Serbia at half time. 

Early in the 2nd half, Mitrovic was again involved in a good team up with Savic & Zivkovic on the right side, & calmly patted the ball into the open net to go up 3-1. It looked like game over for the Africans, as their Coach made a couple of vital changes to bring in Vincent Aboubakar around the hour mark, to add spark to their attack. Persistent attack in the Serbian half, got Aboubakar then scoring an audacious goal, slipping out & lobbing the ball over the giant Serbian keeper into the net for a nonchalant sublime finish - a VAR check confirmed the goal to the delight of Cameroon supporters. Vincent then assisted in striding through the Serbian defense & laying a pass to Choupo Moting who slotted into the far net, as the score sheet showed 3-3. Cameroon had salvaged a draw after looking dead & buried at the hour mark, showing their fighting qualities. 

 With the game ending in a draw, both teams are now lying at just one point, & would be facing an uphill task to qualify, as Cameroon next face Brazil next week & Serbia take on Switzerland. 

FIFA World Cup : Spain vs Germany

 In the first of the major clashes in this tournament two European powerhouses, Spain & Germany took field against each other. While Spain had come into the game with a resounding 7-1 victory against Costa Rica, Germany had come licking their wounds after a stunning 1-2 defeat in the hands of Japan. Earlier in the day, Costa Rica had handed Germany an unexpected reprieve, with a surprise 1-0 victory over Japan, setting the platform for a grand fight to supremacy. 

Spain in traditional red started in whirlwind fashion, with Dani Olmo almost scoring within the first few minutes, as his booming shot glanced the outstretched fingers of German keeper Neuer to hit the inside of bar & go out. Spain were their usual passing self, keeping possession & dominating the early parts of the play, as the Germans clutched thin air. However, they combined well to break the initial rhythm of the Spanish Armada, & managed to take a sniff at their opponents goal. Rudiger, did head in past Unai Simon from a freekick, but was ruled offside after VAR review. 1st half stayed goalless, as both sides looked good on the pitch. For Germany young Musiala & Gnabry looked sharp upfront, while for Spain, Pedri, Gavi & Busquets ruled the midfield & Torres was guilty of poor finishing on a couple of occasions, with an open net to tap in. 

Enrique made a crucial change bringing in Morata for a faltering Torres & this immediately paid dividends. Around the hour mark, finally Spain nosed ahead, as Busquets found Jordi Alba in the left flank & his delicious pass into the box was gleefully back tapped by Morata into the goal from a tight corner past the flailing arms of Neuer, giving Spain the vital lead 1-0. Germany kept pressing hard, as minutes ticked away, & Hansi Flick made three changes to take out Gundogan, Kherer & Muller & bring in Leroy Sane, Kolstermann & Niclas Fullkrug - this added pace in the attack, as Jamal Musiala, who tormented the Spanish defense throughout, found better combinations. Spanish keeper Unai Simon had moments of lapses along with moments of brilliance, as the determined German stormed the Spanish half, who started to get defensive & dropped their intent to go forward. Finally Musiala combined with Sane & Fullkrug, who blasted from the right side to equalise, 1-1. As they say, never take the mentally steel Germans for  granted, as they are known for their ability to come back. The match ended level, & its was a fair result for an intense game, given the match proceedings. 

Spain still remain on top of the group with 4 points, but have to face Japan in their last game, while Germans face Costa Rica, which would be an easier opponent, given the stage. All the four teams technically have a chance to qualify, as the last games next week would decide the fate. 

FIFA World Cup : Croatia vs Canada

 With two upsets earlier in the day, the match between last time finalist Croatia & Canada was expected to be fiercely fought, & both the teams provided enough excitement for the spectators. 

Canada, needing nothing less than a victory stormed into an early lead within 2minutes of the game, as Alphonso Davies jumped up to intercept a delightful cross sent by Buchanan from the right & his brilliant header went in like a bullet into the Croatian net past the hapless keeper for the fastest goal of the tournament till now. Davies had made a hash of a penalty earlier against Belgium, when Courtois had blocked his shot, & today he made amends in style, for the first ever Canadian World Cup goal. 

Croatia struggled for their customary midfield control initially, & gradually got into the groove. Opening the Canadian defense & midfield, Kramaric had a the ball into the net, only to be ruled offside. However, they kept the pressure building & got their reward when Perisic played a beautiful pass inside the box & the onrushing Kramaric fired a left footer past the outstretched keeper to level the score. The Croatians sensing blood, kept up the ante & just before half time found their lead, when Livaja fired them ahead beating keeper Borjan with a cool strike. 

After an entertaining 1st half, Canada again started the 2nd half in cavalier fashion looking for an equaliser & Osorio missed his mark by inches from just outside the box as the ball went past the bar. Croatia too pushed ahead & Kramaric missed with just Borjan to beat. Around the 70th minute, Kramaric got his second goal, as Perisic sent a delightful pass from the left side inside the box & Kramaric received & his low shot beat Borjan into the bottom corner, as score line read 3-1 in favour of Croatia. Canada continued to press hard, but despite their intent, finishing was their bane. On the other side, Croatia, kept control & from another counter attack in the injury time, Lovro Majer found the net to end the game 4-1. The midfield superiority of the Croatians with masters in Modric, Perisic & Kovacic in the fray, despite their greying years. With this result, Canada is virtually out of reckoning for the round of 16. For Croatia, they now sit top in Group F with a game left against Belgium, where a draw should see them into the knockout stages. However, its going to be a must win game for Belgium & hence this could be a humdinger for the spectators. 

FIFA World Cup : Belgium vs Morocco

 Belgium, the dark horses in the world cup & certainly a title contender, were expected to steamroll against minnows Morocco in a Group F match, but the world of football encountered a major upset, as Morocco stunned the Red Devils 2-0 to throw a serious spanner in the scheme of things for this group. They have been undefeated in their last three World Cup games, & are a hard nut to crack. With this facile win, they now have a great chance to enter the round of 16, having already drawn with Croatia & now have a match against Canada. The North Africans should be fully credited for conjuring this victory, as they were defensively resolute & took their chances to score with full intent. 

Mitchy Batshuayi went close to scoring for the Red Devils early on, but the Moroccan keeper, Monir Kajoui, a surprise last minute inclusion ahead of  Yassine Bounou, brought out a fabulous save to set the tone of the game. At the other end, Thibaut Courtois, Belgian keeper was untroubled for the major part of the 1st half, until when Hakim Ziyech curled in a superb free kick to beat the lanky keeper, only to be disallowed by a VAR check - certainly a very tight offside decision, which could've gone the other way. 

2nd half did not raise the bar for the Belgians as they were strangely subdued throughout & Morocco opened their World Cup account in the 73rd minute, when substitute Sabiri, from a similar free kick, smartly put the ball into the net past Courtois to go one up. Stunned by this unexpected results, De Bruyne tried to push his Belgian team mates for an equaliser, but the stubborn Moroccan defense held well. In the injury time, keeper Munir sent in a huge goal kick into the Belgian half where Ziyech received the ball & wriggled right into the box & squared to Aboukhal, whose rasping drive fires into the roof of the net, as the Atlas Lions celebrate a resounding upset victory. 

Belgium now face a uphill task to qualify with their last game against Croatia, while Morocco, sitting at the top of the group for now will have to endure Canada next week. It will be interesting to see the results of the match between Croatia & Canada later in the evening. 

FIFA World Cup : Japan vs Costa Rica

 This was a match where all expectations were for Japan to steamroll over Costa Rica, especially after their first games, where Japan stunned title contender Germany 2-1 & Costa Rica were trounced 0-7 by Spain. 

In a remarkable change of fortunes, Central Americans, Costa Rica put up a brave defensive game to thwart a rather ineffective Japanese attack for the major part of the game & then score from their only shot at goal from a counter attack in the last 10 minutes to cause an upset & also brighten their own chances for the knockouts. Meanwhile, Japan missed on a golden opportunity to seal their spot in the last 16 & this they may well rue as the tournament rolls into next week for the last set of games in the group stages. Los Ticos Costa Rica had just about squeezed themselves into this stage with a playoff win against New Zealand, & then the drubbing in the hands of Spain left everyone feel that they were a spent force - however today's fighting display will surely give them hope, as they face  Germany in their last game. 

Meanwhile, Japan have themselves to blame, as Group E now is wide open to possibilities. Japan had their chances, but veteran keeper Keylor Navas, kept the Samurai forwards at bay, thwarting their efforts to score time & again. On the other side, around the 81st minute, from their only attempt at goal, Keysher Fuller managed to lob the ball past the Japanese keeper from inside the box past Gonda into the net. 

The next game, expected to be a humdinger later in the night between heavyweights Spain & Germany will be very crucial to decide on the contenders from this group for the round of 16. 

FIFA World Cup : Argentina vs Mexico

 In one of the most competitive games of the tournament till now, Argentina clashed with Mexico in a must win situation. With so much at stake, it became a feisty, fiercely fought game, that had very few clear chances, but the ball travelled at both ends at an emphatic pace.  

Both teams struggled for form & flow initially, though intensity was at a premium in the first half. Too many fouls & too less snipes at the goal, there was fierce competition for possession in the park. It still left a lot to be desired, as the half time whistle blew, with crowd dreading a dull draw ahead. 

Around the one hour mark, Messi finally found his golden touch & his low curling left footed shot, a fair distance from out of the box went zooming past the outstretched hands of veteran Mexican keeper Ochoa to settle in the left corner of the net, to give the Albiceleste the lead & the much needed injection to their flowing game. The dogged Mexican defense was breached & there was relief & belief coming back into the men in blue white stripes, as Messi wiped away tears of joy, waving at the fans.  It was divine intervention of sorts. Mexico were not cowered down & went all out for an equaliser, but lacked finishing touches & the determined Argentinian defenders held bay with great success. Around the closing stages, Fernandez collected the ball from Messi at the left, after a short corner & after taking a couple of steps with ball towards the box, unleashed a brilliant curling shot that surprised everyone & whizzed past a desperate flying Ochoa to nest into the top corner of the net. Am amazing effort that had the stadium erupt in joy, & Argentina had secured a neat 2-0 win. The dying minutes & added time was a see saw frenzy of attack & defense, but finally it was the Albiceleste holding on to a memorable win & keeping the dream's alive for the World Cup. Hesitation & self doubt had been firmly replaced with conviction & intent. 

This was Messi's 6th consecutive match donning National stripes to score a goal & 8th in total, equaling Diego Maradona, as they climb back to 2nd position in the group, behind Poland. Both team would meet next to determine passage to next stage. Mexico will take on Saudi Arabia, with a slim chance of making ahead. An interesting next week ahead to look forward to. 

FIFA World Cup : France vs Denmark

 Reigning Champions France became the first team in this World Cup to qualify for the knock out stages. And they did so by going past a resilient Denmark 2-1, thanks to a brace from from their mercurial forward Kylian Mbappe. 

Despite creating multiple chances, France could not break the Danish citadel in the first half. Giroud, Rabiot, Kounde, Mbappe, Griezmann all had good opportunities to score, but either it was Danish keeper Schmeichel who was a impregnable wall or the French players blazed the ball away from the post. Denmark too had their moments, as Cornelius shot wide after getting a sniff in. 

2nd half started in similar fashion, with both teams looking for that elusive goal. Around the hour mark, Hernandez passed on to Mbappe inside the box, & his side footed shot deflected past Schmeichel into the net, & France went up 1-0. However, their celebrations were cut short soon, as Andreas Christensen headed in from a corner to level the score. A mad scramble followed as both teams searched for an opening & Rabiot tried an acrobatic volley that just went over the bar. On the other side, Martin Braithwaite wasted a golden opportunity as his shot went into the side netting. Minutes later Mbappe found the net, converting a fabulous pass from Greizmann to nose France ahead 2-1. 

With 6 points in the bag, France are assured of a knock out place, becoming the first team to do so, while Denmark now play against Australia in a must win game. 

FIFA World Cup : Poland vs Saudi Arabia

Buoyed by their upset win against Argentina, Saudi Arabia came into this game in supreme confidence, while Poland needed a win to stay in contention. 

In a slugfest game that was tactically not great to watch, Poland & Saudi Arabia pushed to the hilt for a decisive win, & the crowd was obviously behind the men in green from their continent. Poland broke the deadlock around the 40th minute, when the prowling Lewandowski managed to keep the ball in from rolling out of the back line & his clever tap into the box was blasted into the top end of the net by Zielinski, as the Arabian defenders looked in dismay. It was against the run of play & Poland were celebrating. Minutes later, though, persisting in attack, Saudi Arabia claimed a penalty, as Beilik fouled Saleh Alshehri inside the box - a rather harsh decision on the Polish midfielder, but the crowd were already dancing in anticipation. Al Dawsari stepped up to take the shot, but his low placement was fisted back by Szczesny, & then palmed out the rebound from Al-Breik as well - a brilliant save to thwart the Arabians & keep Poland ahead, as the referee blew the half time whistle. 

2nd half saw the Arabs come back with renewed vigor & intent & the Polish keeper, Szczesny was again forced into action, denying Aldawsari & Feras. Plnad too upped the ante & Milik's shot rattled the crossbar, & the Lewandowski too hit the bar. Persistence paid the Polish star finally & in the 82nd minute, poaching around the Arabian box, he robbed the ball from a tired Almalki & cooly slot the ball past the keeper to make the score 2-0 for Poland. This was his 77th goal for Poland, but first in a World Cup. 

A well contested match ended with Poland now needing only one more point to qualify for the knockouts, while Saudi Arabia will have to play against Mexico, & a lot will depend on the game between Argentina & Mexico. - This Group has thrown surprises for sure, & could well define the status of knockout stages. 

FIFA World Cup : Australia vs Tunisia

 After losing to France in their opening game, Australia took on Tunisia needing nothing less than a win to stay in contention for the knock out stages. 

In a match which never took to great heights, the Socceroos were the better side & Mitchell Duke's 23rd minute header from Goodwin's cross found the bottom corner of the net to give Australia their first win in World Cup. Tunisia did come back fighting, but spurned the chances to equalise form close. Aussies hung on to the lead they had secured & the game ended 1-0 for them, moving them to 2nd spot in the group with a game against Denmark next week. 

Tunisia with a game against France are probably out of the tournament, unless lightening strikes !!

FIFA World Cup : England vs USA

 In a dull & boring display, England & USA ended the encounter in the fifth goalless draw of this tournament. Neither team really deserved the 3 points, as the ball went aimlessly from one end to the other. US were slightly dominant in the first half, without any real threat to the goal, as Christian Pulisic did scare the English defense at times. The game had very few moments of good football, as the crowd from both sides left bored in general. 

The draw keeps England on top of the group with four points & have their last game against Wales, which they need to just draw to move up. USA meet Iran in a must win game, while Iran are better placed with 3 points at this stage. 

FIFA World Cup : Netherlands vs Ecuador

 Both the sides having enjoyed a 2-0 win in their respective opening games, were keen to establish superiority in this encounter & Netherlands nosed ahead in the 5th minute, when Gakpo took a quick feint to the left & hammered a fantastic left footer from the edge of the box into the left corner of the net. Netherlands were up & running with the fastest goal of the tournament till now. 

Ecuador came pressing back & the midfield was totally dominated by them, as the Dutch clutched for control. Ecuador seemed to have equalised just before break, when Estupinan got a loose ball from a melee & his shot went past a diving Noppert into the net, but got ruled out for a debatable offside. An incensed Ecuador pleaded with the referee to reverse the decision without any success, as the half time whistle was blown. 

Within minutes of the 2nd half Ecuador came roaring back, as Estupinan found open spaces to steam through & lay a low pass inside the box, and Valencia stabbed the ball into the net to level the scores. With his 3rd goal of the tournament till now, making him the leading scorer so far, the Talisman player had his sixth consecutive goal for the country, putting him in the esteemed company of Eusebio, Paulo Rossi & Salenko. 

Ecuador were the better team on the pitch today, though they would feel gutted, not to have won the contest, after a superlative display. The result would leave both teams well placed to proceed to the next round, with Qatar becoming the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Ecuador Captain & talisman player Valencia was stretchered out of the ground just before the final whistle, clutching his knee - hopefully, its not a major injury, as his team will need him fit for the next round. 

FIFA World Cup : Qatar vs Senegal

 In a much improved display, after their opening match drubbing against Ecuador, host Qatar took on Senegal with full gusto. However, it was the more skillful Senegal who prevailed at the end, absorbing the late onslaught by Qatar. 

Dia opened the scoring for Senegal just befor half time, when he quickly took advantage of a slip up by Khoukhi inside the box & rammed the ball past Barsham into the net. Immediately after the break, Diedhiou doubled the lead with a glancing header from a corner, as Qatar looked fazed out. However, in a last ditch effort they managed to pile pressure & got theit first World Cup goal, when Muntari got over Koulibaly to head past Mendy into the far post. With score at 2-1, Qatar came alive into the game & the rapturous crowd egged them to go, but Dieng got the two goal cushion back, as he raced in & his shot went past a diving Barsham into the net, 3-1. 

The game ended with Senegal getting three points & pushing  Qatar to the brink of elimination. They now have to face Netherlands, while Senegal take on Ecuador. 

FIFA World Cup : Wales vs Iran

 Round 2 of the Group stages starts with Wales taking on Iran, both looking for their first win of the tournament. 

The first half was quite tense & both sides looked to gain advantage. Wales were quite wasteful in their efforts, with Moore setting up with great passes only to be squandered by Bale, Wilson & others. On the other hand Azmoun for Iran was a handful for the Wales defense, creating a a few opportunities. Around the 16th minute, Gholizadeh had played one two one with Azmoun & flicked the ball into the Wles net, but a VAR check ruled offside. Finally the half however had no goals, as the players went into the dugout for the lemon break. 

2nd half was no different as both the teams struggled to establish momentum in the game, & the spectacle was quite boring for the onlookers. Towards the end, as the game looked headed for a tame draw, Wales keeper Hennessey in an effort to control, crashed into Taremi, just outside the box, leading to the referee first flasing a yellow card & then on VAR review, changed his decision to a Red Card. This was only the 3rd time ever that a goal keeper received a Red Card in a World Cup. Reduced to 10 men & shell shocked with the impact, Wales cowered down & Iran took the opportunity with both hands. In the stoppage time, they scored twice to keep their hopes alive for the knock out stages. This performance after the mauling they received against England, will motivate them well for the last match against USA. On the other hand, Wales with a game left against England, are now staring into an early exit, unless some dramatic unexpected results turn in their favour. 

FIFA World Cup : Brazil vs Serbia

 The team that the World has been waiting for to start - Brazil, the Joga Bonito flag bearer of the Cup, took on Serbia in their Group G opener. As expected, Brazil started in style & flair, making numerous openings in the Serbia half, but not captalising on a clean finish. Neymar angled in a superb corner directly towards the goal, but the burly keeper Savic was alert to tap the ball over the bar. Raphinha, after a lovely play to enter the box, with just the keeper in front ended up with a tame shot into the hands of Savic & then Vinicius Jr  just before the half time, left it too long to take a shot ending up getting cleared by the Serbian defense. Serbia did very well to put bodies behind the ball & block the Brazilian surges physically most of the time. It was a good strategy to upset the rhythm of the men in Yellow Green. The 1st half ended goal less, despite territorial dominance of Brazil. 

2nd half started in whirlwind fashion as the Selecao came storming at the Serbian goal. Neymar in a hurry skewed wide & then Alex Sandro hit a swerving shot from around 30yards, that beat everyone, but thudded against the bar - the writing was getting clear, as Brazil attacked in waves & Serbian defense started to crumble. Around the 62nd minute, after some great dribble by Neymar just outside the box, Vinicius picked up & hit a curling shot at the goal which Savic pushed out only for the lurking Richarlison to tap in - his first in the World Cup on debut & 8th in the last seven caps. Brazil had opened their goal scoring account in the tournament. Nine minutes later, was a gem, when Vini again pushed the ball inside the box & Richarlison received with one touch, turned back & produced an acrobatic bicycle kick that breezed into the net past defenders & a hapless keeper. Score 2-0 & for sure this has been the goal of the tournament till now, as Samba magic arrived in full steam. Casemiro had a shot at the goal which crashed against the bar & then substitute Rodrigo curled the ball just over the far corner of the net. For the next 15 - 20 minutes, Brazil was toying with Serbia, who clung on to their best abilities. Raphinha was a constant threat on the right wing, while Vini kept zooming on the left, as the Serbians used every muscle & physicality to stop the flow. Serbia did put some brave attempts & earned three corners late in the 2nd half, but could not utilize their height & physicality to score from those set pieces. Brazil were too generous not to score at least another 2 goals in the final 15 mins of play, but for the giant Serbian keeper making some impressive saves. The only concern probably would be Neymar substituted with a seemingly ankle pain - hope nothing serious. He played a brave game & it was good to see that the team does not rely overtly on him to score.

It was a treat to watch & worth keeping awake so late. Richarlison also became the first Brazilian to score two goals on debut after Neymar in 2014. He had the least of touches as a forward in the game & yet had the scoresheet to his name. 

FIFA World Cup : Portugal vs Ghana

 A feisty contest between skills & physicality was served on the plate, as Portugal locked horns with Ghana. Led by the mercurial Cristiano Ronaldo, who's been in the news for the wrong reasons, as ManU have declared to part ways with him day before, the Portuguese team had a lot to prove, while Ghana believed, they had all that was needed to create an upset. 

The 1st half was a story of missed chances by the European Brazil, with Ronaldo in the fray most of the times. Enjoying dominant possessions through the pitch, Portugal thought they had scored when Ronaldo latched on to a Joao Felix pass & shrugging a defender slammed the ball into the net past the keeper, but referee blew a foul by Ronaldo. At another occasion, with only the keeper to beat he steamed into Ati Zigi. Couple of other close shaves at the Ghana box went abegging, as the match trickled into the end of 1st half. Portugal had 7-8 shots at the gol, as opposed to Ghana, who did not get a single sniff at the other end. Inaki Williams was a shadow of his form in La Liga. In his prime Ronaldo would've probably won a hat trick by now, but the aging body probably is gradually bringing his game down. 

2nd half saw Ghana improve their showing & threatened their opposition a bit, but just after the hour mark, Ronaldo (who else!!) was brought down by Salisu inside the penalty area & the referee pointed to the dreaded spot immediately. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped in as expected & easily blasted a right footer into the middle top of the net, with a rapturous crowd breaking into celebrations. He became the first player ever to score in 5 separate World Cups & second oldest at 37yrs+ behind Roger Milla of Cameroon in 1994, who was then 42yrs+..... Ghana, however, did not lose hope & came all guns blazing. Partey & Kudus combined to strike hard from 22yards, but keeper managed to hold & stop the ball in his second attempt. A minute later, Ghana equalised, as Kudud ran through the Portugal defense & his low cross is met by Ayew, who puts the ball in the net, as score read 1-1. Brisk changes from both sides meant heavy lifting & Joao Felix ran through the Ghana defense after receiving a great pass from Fernandes, threading through to strike past the onrushing keeper to put his team on the lead. His first goal in World Cup debut. Before the dazed Ghana players could react, Rafael Leao, having come in for Ruben Neves minutes ago, curled in a fine strike from the left to score his first ever World Cup goal on debut, as Portugal went up 3-1. Cristiano Ronaldo, steaming full speed almost got his second, but the Ghana keeper managed a brilliant stop, as the flag went up for offside. Feeling that game is safely bedded, Portugal rested out Ronaldo, Fernandes & Felix with substitutes. But, with the game in its last few minutes, Ghana stormed back again, as Osman Bukari headed in at the far post, with just a minute left to normal time. Frantic football & goals galore, as the supporters at both ends kept screaming their lungs out to push for one more drive. Portugal keeper Costa almost handed Inaki Williams a stoppage time equaliser, with a lazy drop of the ball, but the striker fumbled at the vital moment to save Costa of the blushes. Experience of big match & big stage play helped Portugal keep a resurging Ghana at bay & an added time of 10 mins, did not bring joy for the Africans. In the end it was a Victorious Portugal celebrating, as a better team, while Ghana would be gutted not to carry home at least one point from the duel. 

Arguably the best game of the tournament till now, the match came to life after a blank 1st half with a flurry of 5 goals scored & the ball ran from one end to the other, as players matched skills for skills, & pace for pace. 

FIFA World Cup : Uruguay vs South Korea

 In an interesting tie between South American giants Uruguay & South Korea in Group H, the Asian looked more dangerous & purposeful in the first half, though it was Uruguay, who has the best chance to go up at lemon break. 

South Korea led by Son & Hwang were more pacy & combined well to reach the Uruguay defense at regular intervals, but poor finishing let them down. Their best chance was around the 35th minute, when Ui-Jo fired over the bar, missing an open net. On the other side, Capt Godin for Uruguay just before the break had his header miss everyone including the Korean keeper to hit the low end of the left post & rebound back - there was a gasp of relief within the Korean camp. Possession was evenly split by the end of the half, though initially South Korea looked in complete command. 

2nd half also started at a blistering pace, with Koreans relying on Son to give them impetus, while Uruguay relied on dour defending & breaking away in counter attacks - in one such move Darwin Nunez sped through the left flank with Luis Suarez waiting in the middle, but his cross was intercepted in time by the Korean keeper Kim Seung. Edison Cavani was brought in at the expense of the aging Suarez to add bite into the attack around the hour mark, as both sides continued to attack for the ever eluding goal. Valverde almost found the net in the dying minutes of the game, as his effort smashed off the left post, & on the other side, Son tried to capitalise on a poor Rochet clearance, but all came a cropper, as the score line remained unchanged. Both teams would rue their poor finishing. It was a goal less frustrating draw as the group looks open for exciting times ahead. 

FIFA World Cup : Switzerland vs Cameroon

A well oiled Swiss team overpowered a physical Cameroon for a narrow 1-0 win in Group G. Both teams had good opportunities to score in an evenly contested 1st half, but could not nose ahead, as the ref blew the half time whistle. The Green Yellow brigade had the better of exchanges & chances, but could not really capitalise. 

Early in the 2nd half, & in a well coiled move, Xhaka moved the ball to Shaqiri in the right flank, who then deftly passed to Embolo & he fired into the net past a flailing Onana under the bar. Switzerland were up & running 1-0 in the game. They had another chance to put the game to bed, through an almost similar move, but the shot by Vargas was fisted out by Onana to keep Cameroon alive in the game. Despite attempts by both teams, the scoreline did not change & Switzerland registered their 1st win in the Group, considered to be tricky by many, with Brazil & Serbia coming up later in the evening. 

FIFA World Cup : Belgium vs Canada

In a tightly contested game, Belgium wore down Canada to a narrow 1-0 win in the opening game of Group F. 

Canada started brightly against their much more fancied opponents & earned a penalty early into the match, as Yannick Carrasco needlessly handled the ball in their own box & Davies stepped up to take the spot kick. However, Courtois under the bar, guessed correctly to dive to his right & save Belgium the blushes of going down, as he so regularly does & Davies on rebound ballooned the ball over the net - a huge missed opportunity by Canada, which would come to rue them at the end of the game. Canada had multiple attempts at the Belgium goal, but Courtois stood firm, & towards the end of the first half, against the run of play, Belgium took the lead, as Batshuayi received a long pass from their own deep third & volleyed past the Canadian keeper Borjan into the net. 

2nd half too, saw Canada stride hard to find the net, but were thwarted by the all covering monster Courtois, as the Red Devils managed to hold on to their slender lead till the end. Belgium will carry this win as a confidence booster ahead, & will hope to regale as the tournament proceeds, with the like of Kevin DeBruyne, Eden Hazard Carrasco, Tielmans commanding the pitch. Meanwhile, Canada would hopefully carry the form of this match into their next & score to win & stay in contention. 

FIFA World Cup : Spain vs Costa Rica

 In a masterclass & clinical display of passing football, Spain opened their World Cup venture with a 7-0 win over a hapless Costa Rica. 

Luis Enrique's side found almost no resistance from Costa Rican, who are normally a hard nut to crack, & the Spanish armada simply swept the Latin Americans off the floor throughout the game. A team full of young talent, grooming for the near future, the likes of Olmo, Asensio, Torres, Pedri, & Gavi well covered & orchestrated by Busquets, Alba, Azpiliceuta, Laporte etc, the Spanish team were a treat to watch. Gavi, the 18 year old sensation was all over the pitch bossing over his opponents, scoring an outrageous goal with a back of the boot finish, & assisting in two more, earning the Man of Match award in his debut World Cup game. He became the third youngest goalscorer in World Cup history & also the youngest since Pele in 1958. Barcelona would be delighted with his performance as he along with Pedri looked to be the midfield superstars for the club ahead. 

Costa Rica barely had any sniff at the Spanish goal, as they groped in thin air, while their opponents marauded the ground. Such was the extent of domination, that the veteran Costa Rican keeper Navas, one of the best keepers till not very long ago, seemed to have given up in frustration. I do not remember him letting go seven goals past him in a match ever, & but for some of his saves, the scoreline could have been far more devastating. 

Given the shock loss of Germany to Japan earlier in the day, Spain will carry huge confidence into their next matches, & are looking ominous in form. 

FIFA World Cup : Germany vs Japan

In another shocker of an upset in this World Cup, Cup Contender Germany lost to Japan 1-2 in Group E. For the second World Cup in a row, Germany have lost their opening game. 

The Samurai men had started the contest strongly, having an early sniff at the goal ruled out for offside, as Germany gradually took control of the game. Left back David Raum kept pushing up regularly & won a penalty as the Japanese keeper Shuichi Gonda brought him down inside the box, & Gundogan made no mistake in slotting the ball home down the middle. At that stage, German juggernaut rolled in full steam, creating chances after chances, as Gnabry & Kimmich tested the Japan defense regularly & Havertz tapped in a Gnabry rebound, only to be ruled offside by VAR check. First half, was all of Germany swamping the Samurai men. 

2nd half too saw Germany dominating, as Japan held on in defense. 19 year old German prodigy Musiala toyed with the Japanese players number of times, but his finishing left a lot to be desired, as was the case with his team members. Eventually, the wasted chances paid back dearly, as Japan equalised with only 15 mins of play left, as Mimota, Minamino & Doan combined wonderfully to put the ball past a hapless Neuer. Buoyed by this success, Japan pressed hard & Itakura's long ball from their own half finds Asano, who darted into the box & his angular shot beat Neuer to bed into the roof of the net. Japan were leading 2-1. Germany pushed hard to retain parity, but even 8 minutes of added time did not give them any joy, as the men in Blue from the Land of Rising Sun prevailed in one of the biggest upsets of this World Cup. Japan had won the game with just 26.2% of possession in the whole game - it was a masterclass in patience & composure as they waited for their time & struck when it mattered. With Spain & Costa Rica to play, it is advantage Japan for now.  

Two heavyweights, Argentina & Germany stunned to defeat by two Asian Countries within a span of two days - WOW. 

FIFA World Cup : Croatia vs Morocco

Another stalemate between Croatia & Morocco, the third goalless draw so far in this tournament. Both the teams had their chances, that went abegging, with Ivan Perisic blasting over the bar for Croatia, while Hakim Ziyech missing with his free kick for Morocco. 

Its a point apiece between the two teams in Group F, as Croatia would be more disappointed with the results, as they have to yet face Canada & Belgium, both tough games ahead. 

Did not find much to write about really in the game. 

FIFA World Cup : France vs Australia

 Reigning Champions, France started their campaign in fashion, easily swatting past Australia 4-1, despite early shivers, for another upset for the evening. 

Australia started in whirlwind fashion, & shocked the crowd with a goal in the 9th minute, as Souttar's cross was taken by Leckie around right wing end & his brilliant low cross was met by Goodwin, who blasted the ball high into the net. This was the fastest goal of this World Cup till now at under 9 minutes, as France looked dazed on the pitch, as Lucas Hernandez had to be replaced with a knee injury. 

However, Les Blues came to their being & in the 27th minute, Rabiot found the much needed equalizer for them, heading in from a corner. Within minutes, Giroud fired into an empty net to give France the lead, after a neat one two one with Mbappe. The 1st half ended with the Champions on clear ascendency.  

Giroud was in maverick form, toying with the Aussie defense, as Mbappe joined the scoring list with a neat header, in the 68th minute, while Giroud added to his tally in the 71st minute, taking him at par with Thierry Henry as the top goal scorer for France. In a fine display, France became the first reigning champions to win their opening game since Brazil did in 2006. 

FIFA World Cup : Mexico vs Poland

 There was a lot of speculation & spotlight on this match between Mexico & Poland, after the stunning Saudi Arabia win over fancied Argentina in Group C. However, the game ended in a tame draw, the second blank scoresheet of the evening, though Mexico had the better of the exchanges in the game. The best chance of the match was with Poland when Lewandowski was pulled down in the Mexican box & the ref pointed to the dreaded spot, after a VAR review. Lewa, looked a bit tense taking the spot kick & keeper Ochoa guessed correctly to dive left & block the shot - it was a poor attempt given Lewa's scoring abilities, & Poland lost the chance to win the game. Incredibly, Lewandowski has played more than 360 minutes in World Cup & not scored a goal yet - given his exploits at the club level both at Bayern Munich & now at Barcelona, this is a huge downside of this no 9. 

The tame draw means that the Group is now wide open with all teams having good chance to move into knock out stages. 

FIFA World Cup : Denmark vs Tunisia

 With Saudi Arabia causing a stunning upset earlier in the day, getting the better of Argentina, Tunisia took the cue to start the game against Denmark in whirlwind fashion, putting their opponents in the back foot. Jebali put the ball into the net for Tunisa, but was ruled out for an obvious offside. Danish keeper was much in action making saves after save denying Tunisia a deserved lead in the 1st half. Erikson was the star performer for Denmark, executing his neat passes & a couple of his attempts were somehow cleared off the line. Clearly the men in white for Tunisia were the better team in the 1st half. 

In the 2nd half, the Danes somehow found their rhythm & the game opened up as more opportunities came up. They found the net in the 56th minute through Olsen, but was in an offside position while taking the shot....scoresheet remaining nil-nil. In the injury time, there was a VAR check for penalty in the Tunisian box, but ruled out by the referee. In the end the game remained goalless as the points were split. Tunisia keeper Dahmen had a fabulous game, depriving Danish forward line a number of times, especially a save in the injury time, while on the other side, Schmeichel too saved his team from blushes with some incredible last minute saves, especially in the 1st half. Both the team had claims for a penalty, but was ruled out after VAR study & rightly so, as in both occasions, the ball touched the hand unintentionally. 

Denmark were much better in the 2nd half & would feel undone by this result, though credit must be given to Tunisia for their grit & desire to battle till the very end. It will be interesting to see how France fares against Australia as the Group D opens up. 

FIFA World Cup : Argentina vs Saudi Arabia

In the first of the upsets in this World Cup & arguably one of the biggest ever, Saudi Arabia inflicted a stunning defeat to title contender Argentina on Day 3 of the tournament. 

In the first game from Group C, title favourites Argentina nosed ahead in the 10th minute, as Parades was fouled by Bulayahi inside the box, resulting in a penalty via VAR check (looked doubtful though). Messi stepped up as expected & dinked the keeper Owais to dive the wrong way before rolling the ball into the bottom left corner 1-0. With this goal, Messi became the first Argentinian to score at four separate editions of  the World Cup. The game opened up & the Arabians were buoyed by the local support & matched the Latin Americans in tackles & going forward. The game was of course marred by a number of tactical fouls, upsetting the momentum & the ref had to give 5 added minutes. However, the score stuck to 1-0, as the players headed into the lemon break. Messi & Lautaro Martinez, both found the net again, but both attempts were ruled out for offsides. 

In a blockbuster start to the 2nd half, Saudi Arabia equalised in style as Saleh Shehri tore through the Argentinian defense, & slotted past the lunging keeper with a brilliant left footer. Buoyed with the effort, the Arabians went hunting hard & within minutes, Salem Dawsari blasted a right footer into the far corner of the net stunning the audience all over to go up 2-1. Rapturous Celebrations included a double somersault by the scorer - must be the biggest telling moment in his footballing career. Argentina pushed hard & were mostly playing in the Saudi Arabian half, but stoic defense & dogged resilience by the Arabians kept the ball away. Argentina made three quick changes to add more bite to their forward line & the young Alvarez almost scored, but his effort was saved off the goal line. The defeat brought memories of their loss to Cameroon way back in 1990, when they went on to reach the finals under Maradona & then lose to eventual champions, Germany. Who knows what's in store !!

The Referee Slavko Vincic, in a blatant effort to help Argentina, gave yellow cards at abandon to the Arabians(six in all), but looked away from fouls by the opponents - even when a player was leaving the field, or the Arabian Goalkeeper complained about getting pushed, (& time wastage is a common habit by the winning team - you can tell them, caution them, but yellow cards flashed at every instance was really poor). Games have to be evaluated fairly, especially by officials & credit to be given where it is due - there should be penalties for such poor judgements !!

8 minutes of added time did not yield anything & Argentina tasted their first defeat after 36 games, since March 2019, when they lost to Brazil in Copa America.

I felt, that the Argentinians, having scored a goal within 10 mins, & finding the net twice more, though disallowed for offside, felt this to be a walk in the park & took things easy. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia upped their intensity & got rich dividends with two fabulous goals within 5 minutes to come from behind & then held on to the slender margin with their lives. Complacency & later the frustration of letting go of the fluent movements are things Argentina would rue in their post match analysis. Now, with games coming up against Mexico & Poland - both potential banana slips, we could be witnessing a major debacle coming up, unless the men in blue & white stipes gather their composure. Hopefully Messi along with his team, will conjure something out of the hat, to stay afloat. 

FIFA World Cup : US vs Wales

 Belying the general expectations of a Wales dominant show, it was the US team that took the lead after some good runs down the flanks around the 35minute, as Christian Pulisic burst through the middle & squared to Tim Weah who received just outside the box & put the ball in the net past Hennessey to open the scoring. At half time, USA led 1-0 & looked the better team on the park. 

In the 2nd half, the ball rotated from one end to the other, as Wales mounted pressure on the opponents, but USA held firm & it looked like heading for a unlikely win, when around the 80th minute, Zimmerman made an awful sliding tackle inside the box on Gareth Bale & the ref pointed to the dreaded spot. Bale stepped up & his pile driver found the ball inside the top end of the net for a well deserved equalizer. 

The match saw US dominating the 1st half, while Wales fought back in the 2nd half  as the match ended in a draw. Whoever wins against Iran & by a larger margin, should be able to proceed to next stages, for now. 

FIFA World Cup : Netherlands vs Senegal

In so far as the most competitive game till now, Netherlands & Senegal were toe to toe in the 1st half, ending in a stalemate till the break. Both teams were sprightly & looked to pierce the opponent's defense through some really incisive runs. Frenkie De Jong was the man who made a lot of movement, while de Ligt & van Dijk were looked a tad vulnerable in the back line, as both sides rued missed chances. The absence of Sadio Mane (sidelined for injury), was evident upfront for Senegal, as the mercurial forward has been one of the most feared scorer in the world of football for the past couple of years. 

2nd half started in similar fashion, with both sides trying to nose ahead, as de Ligt was shown a yellow card for a needless foul. The first real save came, when Dia shot a first timer from a Mendy pass, as the Dutch keeper Noppert made a super stop to keep the ball out. Another attempt by Gueye was again thwarted by Noppert minutes later, in between Kouyate picking up a serious injuty to be taken out in a stretcher - sad for Senegal, who have already lost Sadio Mane. Netherlands meanwhile, brought in Memphis Depay in place of Janssen to add bite in their attack. Both sides looked scrappy in bits, trying to gather momentum & control of the game. 

The deadlock was finally broken in the 84th minute, as a moment of indecision by Mendy in the Senegalese goal, had Frenkie de Jong floating the ball & Cody Gakpo heading past Mendy into the far end of the net - What a goal by the Netherlands footballer of the year. A fine combination between Memphis - deJong & Gakpo to string this very important, in this hard fought encounter. 8 minutes of added time did bring in more drama, as in the dying seconds of the game, a heavy Memphis shot was parried by Mendy into the running path of Klasssen who's poaching rebound put the ball into the net & the match to bed. Netherlands managed to huff & puff past a very resilient Senegal 2-0. Both the goals could be faulted to the Senegalese goalkeeper Mendy, on momentary lapses of concentration, which proved so costly in the end. 

FIFA World Cup : England vs Iran

 In an utterly dominant & impressive display of pressing football, England romped home against Iran 6-2 in opening their campaign for this World Cup. 

Within 10 minutes of the game, the Iranian keeper Beiranvard in an attempt to save a Kane cross, clattered into his own defender Hosseini, resulting in an ugly bleeding blow. The patching up did not help much & he had to be eventually replaced. Iran did apply counter pressures for a while, but Three Lions nosed ahead through a Bellingham masterpiece & then Saka & Sterling added to the scoreline, all within 14 minutes of electrifying football, as Iran were staring into the barrel at halftime. Bellingham became the second youngest scorer for England in World Cup, at 19 yrs+, just behind Michael Owen in1998, when he was 18yrs+

2nd half had Saka add to his tally, while, Rashford scored within a minute of coming in place of Saka. Jack Grealish too joined in with a simple tap, while Iran netted 2 through Taremi - the first was a masterclass, while, in the dying moments, he added one more through a penalty, as the final scoreline showed 6-2 for England. A massive win, as all the front line players looked in fine nick. The defence though had its moments of frailties, as Iran did manage to threaten the backline, & could've added a couple more, but for poor finish. 

Jude Bellingham was the star performer, running the show in midfield, running tirelessly around, notching up fine decisive passing, while Saka, Rashford, Kane, Sterling, Grealish looking very good indeed. This augurs well for the English fans ahead. 

FIFA World Cup : Qatar vs Ecuador

In an insipid display, in front of a near empty stadium, hosts Qatar were blanked off by Ecuador 0-2, as the tournament kicked off, rather tamely. It just did not feel like a World Cup opener after all the glitz of the opening ceremony. After a 3rd minute header goal by Captain Valencia was disallowed after a VAR check, he made amends with a penalty around the 13th minute & later he extended the lead with a super header in the 32nd minute. The score line could've been worse for the hosts, but for Ecuador's inability to make the most of the situation, & they may regret this as an opportunity lost later in the Group Stages. 

As hosts, Qatar became the first country to lose the opening match ever, as they were out muscled, outplayed & out thought throughout the game. 

Hopefully, the matches henceforth bring better entertainment. 

FIFA World Cup 2022 - Football, The Beautiful Game

 The World of Sports unite again on the gala event of Football - The 22nd edition of World Cup hosted at Qatar, where 32 teams spread across 8 Groups, will compete through 64 matches starting 20th Nov till 18th Dec for the ultimate glory, displaying a delicious spread of grit, sweat, skill, & technique, diced & sliced with mind boggling strategies - support staff on the laptops & tablets assessing data on each player, each team, recent history, playing patterns, strengths, weaknesses, weather conditions, psychological edge et all - in effect it becomes a war zone with the ultimate goal of winning the coveted Cup. Millions would flock the stadiums in Qatar, while billions would be glued to the screens across the globe - a grand edge of the seat spectacle which keeps bettering every four years. This is first time that a World Cup Football is held in winter I think & that can have its own ramifications on the players & their performance. It will be interesting to see how the European Countries face off against the Latin American magicians. 

Historically one of the finest team to graze the field, the Dutch Orange look to rediscover themselves, under the experienced coaching of Louis van Gaal. With players like Frenkie De Jong, Memphis Depay, Virgil Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, their flowing attacking style could run shivers through any opposition. The team exudes strong physicality & have been quite a well knit team under the experienced strategist. They have always enthralled the crowds with their Total Football ethos, which has raised expectations, only to falter at crunch stages.  A treat to watch, this Orange brand should certainly make it to the knockout stages. 

England are also an exciting bunch of players under the shrewd coaching of Gareth Southgate, who took them to the semis last time around. He always seems capable of getting under your skin to rattle & has an envious squad which boasts of players like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Grealish, Henderson, Rashford, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice - its an almost endless list of overflowing talent, in each position. But, while they will most certainly make it to the knock out rounds, somehow this team falls short at the crucial moments, & it will be interesting to see what tactics Southgate deploys to make a mark. The players have been together under Southgate for a few years now & understand each other very well, which is a huge positive, but they have imploded in the most unbelievable manner across all major tournaments over the past couple of years.  

Argentina come into the tournament on a 35 game unbeaten run, including a Copa America win over Brazil in 2021, led by arguably the GOAT footballer Leo Messi in his prime & probably in his last World Cup. With players like Cristian Romero, Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Parades, Dybala, Di Maria, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez around him, Coach Scaloni can certainly feel quietly confident in bringing home the glory since Maradona's 1986 superlatives. If they play to their potential, one can expect them playing a mouthwatering semis against Brazil, but before that, they need to avoid a potential banana peel slip with Denmark in knockouts. Certainly a team to follow for flair, skills & Messi magic, as supporters across the globe wait in anticipation. 

Reigning Champion France are an enigma. Despite injuries plaguing key players like Benzema(still nursing muscle discomfort), & Pogba, Kante, Nkunku already ruled out, Les Blues is a team to watch out. Coach Didier Deschamps knows how to conjure a winning combination, & has riches like Mbappe, Tchouameni, Dembele, Coman, Kounde, Pavard, Rabiot to set the tournament on fire. Their recent performance have been sub par & the fact that no team has ever retained the FIFA World Cup Since Brazil did this in 1962, & it looks unlikely that this outfit will go the distance. However, France remains as one of the favorites on paper. 

Under Luis Enrique, Spain is another team overflowing with young talent. Gavi, Pedri, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Laporte, Pau Torres, Dani Olmo all in their early twenties & learning to perform on the big stage, surrounded by the experience of Busquets, Koke, Azpilicueta, Jordi Alba, Rodri, Morata, Unai Simon, the Spanish Armada has the armory to go all guns blazing till the very end. The possessional & positional game is a treat to watch & can mesmerise both opponents & audience into awe. A certain for the knockouts & beyond. 

Four time Champions Germany are always a team to reckon with & under Hansi Flick, the Bavarians are front foot, nippy & aggressive, as the typical well oiled machine that keeps chugging along. While Gnabry, Muller, Musiala, Sane, Havertz & the likes will be marauding the opponents, Gundogan, Kimmich, Goretzka, marshal the midfield & Neuer Dons the sticks behind Ginter, Rudiger, Raum, & others - wow, what a team that is. This team has some heavy lifting to do after some very average performances in the recent times, that has surprised critics. 

Belgium are the dark horse & certainly one of the teams to watch out in this tournament. They are 2nd in the FIFA ranking & under Roberto Martinez, they hope to deliver the goods, as a last hurrah for their Golden Generation, which toppled the mighty Brazil in the last World Cup. With Thibaut Courtois & his lanky large arms under the bars, there is hardly any space for the ball to go through, & then you have Tielmans, Witsel, Debast, Meunier, D Bruyne, Hazard, Lukaku to weave past any opponent & score at will - this team of Red Devils can go past the best. Certainly a team to look out for, unless injuries & fatigue takes over. 

Finalist in the last World Cup, Croatia looks a spent force on the face, but it would be foolhardy to underestimate the likes of Luka Modric, Perisic, Brozovic, Gvardiol, Budimir, who can sting you back without any warning. A formidable unit, they should make it to the knock outs. 

Five time Champions Brazil are the only country to have qualified in all the World Cups till now & have reached at least the quater finals since 1994. Its been 20 years, since Ronaldo Rivaldo Ronaldinho Dunga Cafu combo had brought them glory against Germany in 2002, & they have been hungrily waiting for the podium show for a very long time. Coach Tite has had strung up a wiry, mean team which has all the makings of a Champion. The bookies are rating them with the best chance to lift the Cup & the Selecao supporters are dancing in anticipation. As ever, the team has unbelievable talent in the ranks, with Neymar, never aging Dani Alves and Thiago Sliva building the Jogo Bonito dream along with Vinicius, Raphinha, Richarlison, Jesus, Antony, Rodrigo, Casemiro, Paqueta, Marquinhos, Miliato, Fred, Danilo, Alisson Becker, Ederson..... the list just goes on & on. This team should certainly go through, if they can hold onto their emotions & play to potential - enormous expectations to perform has been the bane over the last few editions. 

Portugal is another enigma, with Cristiano Ronaldo certainly playing his last World cup, a trophy that has eluded him till now - the recent controversies at ManU would certainly spur him to prove his detractors otherwise. This is a team, that can decimate any team on their day & their attacking flair can enthrall the crowds to the hilt. They have quality in every department, with Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias taking over the reins along with Joao Felix, Ruben Neves Raphael Guerreiro etc. This team can spring a few surprises for sure. 

There are other teams in the fray, capable of big surprises - Denmark, Switzerland, Uruguay, Korea, Serbia, all capable of knocking off bigwigs in their moment of glory, but my guess for all of them would be a flash in the pan, which lacks consistency. 

Lets all just watch.....enjoy the spectacle.......savor the mesmerising skills....after all, its once in four years that we get to soak in the beautiful game - JOGA BONITO, in expectation & anticipation.....