World Cup | Vital Football

World Cup

keith margam

Vital Football Legend
I don’t see a World Cup thread on here so I thought I’d start one.
There have been some great matches so far with Ronaldo the stand out player for me with his four goals already.
Just watching Spain v Iran, with Spain’s number 3 a Llorente look alike, Gerard Pique of Barcelona,. They are seeking a first win after their 3-3 draw with Portugal.
No sign of forward Saman Ghoddos (Östersunds and linked with us) for Iran, as Iran set up very defensively first half.
More open second half as Costa gives Spain the lead with a ricochet, for his third goal of the tournament.
 
Yes some great games so far, obviously Portugal-Spain the stand-out one although I'm routing for Mexico after their win against Germany.

I switched tonight's game off as it was boring, Spain just trying to get through Iran's 6-man defence, reminded me of quite a few games last season.
 
Just watched Croatia v Argentina, shock result 3-0 to Croatia.
Argentina look a shadow of their former selves, but not taking anything away from Croatia, who were brilliant.
Aguero, Messi, and Higuan marked out of the game. Poor clearance by goalkeeper Cabellero for the first goal by Rebic, and a great bent shot from outside the area for the second by Modric, and Rakitic sealed it right at the end. Lost count of the number of yellow cards.
 
Serbia 1 Switzerland 2
Shaqiri the difference here with a late winner, great player, can’t see Stoke holding on to him. Newcastle’s Mitrovic should have had a penalty though, two Swiss players holding him in the box.
Gylfi missed a penalty for Iceland as Nigeria scored two without reply through Leicester’s Ahmed Musa.
 
Serbia 1 Switzerland 2
Shaqiri the difference here with a late winner, great player, can’t see Stoke holding on to him. Newcastle’s Mitrovic should have had a penalty though, two Swiss players holding him in the box.
Gylfi missed a penalty for Iceland as Nigeria scored two without reply through Leicester’s Ahmed Musa.

One of the best games of the tournament for so far, although I've missed the early kick-off games, but this had pretty much everything for me.

2 great, well-drilled sides, some top class goals and both sides attacking and going for the win.

Argentina were the complete opposite though, a strange set-up there, an awful team performance and things just don't seem right with them at all.
 
Well I was away for a few days so missed some matches. I thought Argentina were lucky with a last minute goal tonight after Moses had taken the penalty to equalise. Gylfi scores from the spot too but Iceland are going home.
 
Don't quite know how Argentina managed to qualify through, they've been awful and we're again poor in their recent game. Great job done Sweden to finish top and huge shock to see Germany out who were no worse than Argentina who scraped through.
 
England looked poor tonight against Belgium, blunt up front, lucky it wasn’t more than a 1-0 defeat, although they get the easy game against Columbia next instead of Japan. A defeat is never good for moral even with your best players on the bench. In contrast Belgium’s second string looked much better than England’s.
 
I see Martinez tried not to celebrate too much when Belgium scored tonight.
He has with him assistant, Englishman Graeme Jones and Welshman physio Richard Evans (son of Brian Evans ex Swans winger) all with the Swans when Martinez was managing us, plus surprisingly Frenchman Thierry Henry on the coaching team too.
 
I see Martinez tried not to celebrate too much when Belgium scored tonight.
He has with him assistant, Englishman Graeme Jones and Welshman physio Richard Evans (son of Brian Evans ex Swans winger) all with the Swans when Martinez was managing us, plus surprisingly Frenchman Thierry Henry on the coaching team too.
I couldn't believe it when I saw Richie Evans there! He's done well for himself, he was at the vetch had no idea what was going on with injuries listening to him, players never came back when he said they would!!
 
Some big teams knocked out together with some big names, Ronaldo and Messi gone.
Argentina going home after a thrilling 4-3 defeat to France, the first team to score at least three goals but still lose since 1986 when Russia lost 3-4 to Belgium.
Uruguay beat Portugal 2-1, m.o.m. Cavani scoring two and A.Madrid’s brilliant defender Diego Godin shutting out Ronaldo.
2010 winners Spain are gone, losing to hosts Russia on penalties after extra time in one of the shock results so far.
Brazil beat Mexico 2-0, Neymar and Firmino with the goals, overshadowed by Neymar’s play acting.
Croatia beat Denmark on penalties, where five penalties were saved, goalkeepers Schmeichel and Subaric the heroes.
Thrilling match Japan v Belgium, and you’ve got to feel sorry for plucky Japan after leading 2-0, to lose out 3-2, Belgium scoring the winner in the last seconds with a brilliant fight back, Martinez bringing on subs Fellaini and Chadli to change the game.
 
This World Cup still doesn't fail to disappoint, a few boring games here and there but the likes of Belgium 3-2 Japan make up for it. Just a shame England went through tonight! The drama has been brilliant though, Croatia's shoot-out as well. Tough to call but the stronger sides are all on one side of the draw, unfortunately. I'd have preferred something like a Brazil-Uruguay/Belgium/France final.
 
I’ve been enjoying the matches so far too.
The latest, England, where Columbia resorted to stopping them play with some over robust tactics, 23 fouls and six yellow cards.
England were out of sorts and Kane played too deep for me, they only had two shots on target.
Columbia, for all their fouling, looked very skilful at times.
Mina 93min equalised Kane’s 58min penalty strike to take it into extra time.
Another Swans link was our recently re-hired goalkeeper coach Adrian Tucker, who worked with England’s Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for two-and-a-half years at Sunderland. Pickford saved two penalties in the shootout after extra time stalemate.
Dier scoring the winning penalty to take England through to the Quarter Finals against Sweden on Saturday.
Quite happy that England got through, fellow Brits and all that, but well never hear the last of it if they manage to win the World Cup, already some journos are predicting they’ll win it.
 
Brazil 27 shots, 9 on target, 1 goal. Belgium 9 shots, 3 on target, 2 goals. What an exciting match as Belgium’s brilliant counter attacking football sent the favourites home.
Brazil missed a load of chances in an end to end game. Rosa 13’ an unlucky own goal off his right arm from Chadli’s corner, De Bruyne a 31’ volley after a great run and through ball from Lukaku. Augusto 76’ with a late reply but they just could not get the equaliser, and so another big name exits, Neymar joins Ronaldo and Messi on an unexpectedly early departure list.
Belgium play France, who knocked out Uruguay earlier in the day 2-0, in the semi final next Tuesday.
England fight it out with Sweden this afternoon at 3pm, and Russia v Croatia tonight at 7pm, the winners advance to the other semi- final next Wednesday.
 
So England are through to the semi-finals for the first time in 28 years after beating Sweden 2-1 last night thanks to three brilliant saves by Adrian Tucker’s protege Jordan Pickford.
Goals by Harry Maguire from Ashley Young’s 38th min corner and in the 58th min Jesse Lingard crossed deep for Deli Alli, both well worked headers.
Croatia beat a stubborn Russia in a dramatic penalty shoot out to advance to the semis and face England.
 
France beat Belgium last night in a very tight game, a set piece goal separating the sides, defender Umtiti heading in on 51 mins from Griezmann’s corner. Teenage sensation, forward Mbappe, who put two past Argentina in the last round, plays for PSG, previously Monaco, and was hard to handle with his darting runs and trickery on the ball.
Belgium went down to their first defeat in 24 games and a first defeat for manager Martinez. With 64% possesion Belgium dominated, France relied on solid defending and quick break aways. Centre back pairing Real Madrid’s Varane and Barcelona’s Umtiti had Man U’s Lukaku in their pocket. Surprisingly ten of the eleven starters for Belgium ply their trade in the Premier League, but for all their class they could not replicate their routing of Brazil in the previous round.
 
I was expecting more from Belgium, but France did the job with a solid defensive base and just got that crucial set piece goal. Similar in some ways to England, and if they get past Croatia then I don't expect an epic final!
 
Bitter disappointment in the end then for England after taking an early lead through a great free kick from Trippier. They dominated the first half but those missed chances proved fatal as second half Croatia stepped up a gear, moved further up the field and England’s defence was cruelly exposed for the first time in this tournament. Croatia’s experience came to the fore and Perisic equalised and England were in disarray. MOM Modric controlled midfield and England’s left side was wide open which Croatia duly exploited. The game went to extra time and the inevitable happened. Manzukic scored and it was all over.
England were left with “if only’s” as Croatia celebrated reaching a World Cup final for the first time in their history.