FIFA World Cup 2018 : Round of 16 - Uruguay vs Portugal

On a night when two of the biggest superstars of today's football, bade goodbye to this edition of the FIFA World Cup, Latin American giants, Uruguay blanked out a feisty Portugal 2-1 to march into the quarterfinals.
This was the first time, that Uruguay have won four games on the trot, since 1930 & the team is gelling well as a unit. A fantastic combination between Suarez & Cavani early in the game, saw the Portugal defence split wide open & then Cavani rose to head in a pin point Suarez cross, 1-0. Put on the back foot, Ronaldo & co pushed up & created a few chances, but could not breach the tight Uruguay backline, with goalkeeper Muslera, keeping things under control. However, in the 55 minute, Portugal earned a corner, & Guerreiro whipped the ball into the box for Pepe to jump above his marker & head the ball in, levelling the score. Uruguay had finally conceded a goal in this World cup after 597 minutes of play. But the Latin Americans came back hard into the game again & within minutes regained the lead, as Cavani latched onto perfect pass from Bentancur, owing to a Portugal defensive lapse, & curled the ball beautifully into the net, past Rui Patricio.
Portugal dominated the possession, but their attacks lacked the necessary bit & Cristiano Ronaldo looked more and more frustrated, as minutes ticked away. He had a chance with a free kick, but could only hit the wall. Cavani, left the ground hobbling out in pain, as he was replaced by Stuani around the 75th minute. It was heartening & sporting to see Ronaldo come up to him & help him out - a striker empathising with another, despite being in opposite teams - the crowd cheered the gesture!!
Finally it was quits for Ronaldo, as Uruguay held on to the slender lead, & they now meet France in the QF.
This World Cup is looking like a deathbed of favourites, as first Germany, then Argentina & now Portugal crash out.

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.