So after 48 games, 122 goals, and plenty of drama in the
group stages, it was time for the Last Sixteen of the Football World Cup, and
it began in Kazan on a sunny Saturday in Russia as France took on Argentina,
here is what happened in that contest and the other seven ties: -
Saturday 30th
June
France 4 Argentina 3
French teenage forward Kylian Mbappe announced his arrival
on the world stage by becoming the first teenager to net multiple goals at a
world cup since Michael Owen did that in 1998, as his brace saw France
overpower Argentina in a thrilling game.
The French began well and saw Antoine Griezmann strike the bar with a
free-kick, but in the 13th minute Griezmann put France ahead from
the spot after Mbappe had produced an amazing lung-busting run from his own
half before it was ended illegally by Marcos Rojo. You felt if the French could add another it
could be embarrassing for the South Americans, however this never happened and
four minutes before half time the Argentinian’s struck from nowhere when Angel
Di Maria produced a stunning long range effort which Hugo Lloris had no chance
with, and the sides went into the break all square. And unbelievably the South Americans then
took the lead early in the second half when Gabriel Mercado cleverly diverted a
Lionel Messi shot past Lloris and the French were suddenly chasing the game
after having controlled it for the most part.
So what did the French have? Well
plenty as it turned out, and they were only behind for nine minutes as Benjamin
Pavard produced an equally stunning strike with his right foot to bring them
level, and then seven minutes after that Mbappe got his first goal, beating a
man before striking powerfully underneath Franco Armani’s body, although the
keeper may feel he should of done better with the effort, however it meant the
French had turned this one back around. The French were now flowing and they made it
three goals in eleven second half minutes when a swift counter-attack saw
Mbappe onto a pass and he slotted brilliantly beyond Armani and saw the French
taking total control again. The Argies
never really looked like recovering from this blow, and although they did grab
a third goal deep into stoppage time, when substitute Sergio Aguero headed home
a pin-point cross from Messi, it was too little too late and the French grabbed
a deserved win and a place in the Quarter Finals where they will meet Uruguay,
who disposed of Portugal in their last sixteen tie.
Uruguay 2 Portugal 1
Edinson Cavani netted two stunning goals as he helped
Uruguay to victory against Portugal, setting up a Quarter Final against
France. Uruguay drew first blood in the
seventh minute when after Cavani had driven a Crossfield pass over to strike
partner Luis Suarez, the Barcelona striker then sent in a pin-point cross for
Cavani to run in behind at the back post and head beyond keeper Rui Patricio,
and give his side a perfect start. And
it was to stay like that until the break, as a solid Uruguay defence, which
were yet to be breached at this World Cup, found Ronaldo and Co fairly easy to
keep at bay. But ten minutes into the
second half that was to change, as Pepe rose unmarked to nod past keeper
Fernando Muslera and bring the European Champions level, and they appeared to
be getting on top as Uruguay were struggling to get any possession
whatsoever. The brilliant Cavani though
changed the course of this contest once again though, when he steered a
wonderful first time effort beyond Rui Patricio into the far corner, and
restore his sides lead. The striker limped
off late on though with a hamstring injury, so Uruguay will hope he isn’t to
bad, but early indications are not great.
Portugal tried their best to take the tie into extra-time late on, but
found the blue wall in the way, and it meant Portugal go out at the last
sixteen stage, meaning Messi and Ronaldo leave us on the same day.
Sunday 1st
July
Spain 1 Russia 1 (aet; Russia won 4-3 on penalties)
Hosts Russia pulled off the biggest shock of the World Cup
so far after they knocked out Spain on penalties after the sides could not be
separated in the previous 120 minutes of football in Moscow. The Russians came
into this tournament as the lowest ranked nation, 60 places below the Spanish,
and just reaching the last sixteen was an achievement in itself, however no one
gave them a chance against one of the giants in world football. And on 12 minutes the Spanish
grabbed the lead when Sergey Ignashevich inadvertently diverted a Marco Asensio
free-kick past his own keeper whilst trying to wrestle Sergio Ramos to the
floor, but Spain failed to turn their dominance of possession into
chances. And they were made to pay for
this four minutes before half-time when the hosts won a penalty when Artem
Dzyuba’s header hit Gerard Pique’s arm, and Dzyuba stepped up himself to stick
the penalty away, and the Russian’s were level.
Andreas Iniesta, who was left out of the starting XI for Spain, was the only
one to threaten to break the Russian resolve, and when the Spaniard’s did
finally manage a sight of goal in extra time, Igor Akinfeev denied Rodrigo,
meaning it went to penalties. And Russia
managed to score all their penalty kicks, whilst Spain couldn’t, meaning the
hosts pulled off an incredible victory and are now in the Last Eight where they
take on Croatia who also won on penalties against Denmark, what a story for the
hosts!!!
Croatia 1 Denmark 1 (aet; Croatia won 3-2 on penalties)
Danijel Subasic saved three penalties for Croatia as his
side edged out Denmark on spot-kicks after neither side could be separated in
120 minutes. It was a match that ended
in stunningly dramatic fashion, and started in the same way too, as with barely
a minute gone Martin Jorgensen capitalised on chaotic defending caused by a
long throw to fire a weak effort beyond Subasic, but just two minutes later
Croatia were level as a scuffed clearance and an inadvertent header from Danish
midfielder Martin Delaney fell into the path of Mario Mandzukic, who sent an
effort beyond Kasper Schmeichel to level the game up. However, the remainder of the 90 minutes was
poor, and penalties seemed inevitable before extra time came along, but with
less than five minutes left of the 120 minutes Croatia won a penalty and had
the chance to win the tie before penalties, but Luka Modric saw his penalty
saved by the big Dane in goal Schmeichel, and it meant the tie would indeed go
to penalties. It was a shoot out that
saw the keepers dominate, however it came down to Ivan Rakitic needing to net
his penalty to win, and he slotted home and it meant the Croatians were through
to face hosts Russia in the Quarter Finals.
They will fancy that, and indeed the competition as a whole now, and
they really must be dark horses for the tournament now, if they were not already.
Monday 2nd
July
Brazil 2 Mexico 0
Second half goals from Neymar and Roberto Firmino saw Brazil
edge out Mexico in Samara to reach the Last Eight of the world cup for a
seventh consecutive time. The Samba Boys
were expected to progress but did not have things all their own way as Mexico
dominated the opening exchanges, but Brazil grew into the contest although the
opening forty-five minutes ended goalless.
That changed five minutes into the second period though when Neymar
started and finished the move and got on the end of a Willian ball across goal
to slide the ball home and give his side the advantage. This came just before Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo
wasted a brilliant opportunity, shooting wildly over the bar, and although
Carlos Vela forced a save from Brazil keeper Alisson, their bright start was
but a distant memory as Brazil gained control.
They rallied in the closing stages but Brazil stood firm and then sealed
their passage into the Quarter Finals when Firmino tapped home after Neymar’s
effort was diverted across goal by keeper Guillermo Ochoa, meaning the
Brazilian’s meet Belgium in a mouth-watering quarter final, whilst Mexico are
yet again eliminated at the last sixteen stage, just like every world cup since
1994.
Belgium 3 Japan 2
Nacer Chadli netted a 94th minute winner as
Belgium staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat a heartbroken
Japan and reach the Quarter Finals. A
goalless first half succumbed to a terrific second half, and it started in
stunning fashion when the Japanese took a shock lead when Genki Haraguchi ran
onto Gaku Shibasaki’s long ball and fired across Courtois, and although Belgium
almost responded immediately when Eden Hazard struck the woodwork, Japan then
doubled their lead in spectacular style when Takashi Inui produced a twenty-five-yard
strike, and it looked like another big shock was on the cards at this world
cup. Belgium needed to do something to
change this and brought on Marouane Fellani and Chadli after an hour to try and
give themselves some impetus. It seemed
to work to as with just over twenty minutes left Jan Vertonghen sent a looping
header back towards goal, and saw it drop into the far corner, to get the
Europeans back into the contest. And
five minutes later one of the substitutes Fellani rose to head home a Hazard
cross and suddenly Belgium were back on level terms with fifteen minutes or so
to go. Japan to their credit kept trying
to attack and they had their moments in the final minutes, however just as the
tie looked to be heading to extra time, Belgium broke on the attack minded
Asians, and saw Chadli laid in to net the winning goal and send his side
through to play Brazil in the final eight.
Tuesday 3rd
July
Sweden 1 Switzerland
0
The Swedes got their dream Quarter Final tie against England
after they saw off the Swiss in a strangely compelling but untidy tie in Saint
Petersburg. This was a hard one to call,
despite the Swiss being ranked 18 places above their opponents in the FIFA
world rankings, although as we have found out in this tournament, that counts
for very little. Swiss keeper Yann
Sommer had to brilliantly claw away a Marcus Berg effort to stop the Swedes
taking the lead in the first half, and late on Sommer then denied Haris
Seferovic in what was a game mainly remembered for the missed chances from both
sides. But the winning moment came in
the 66th minute when Emil Forsberg saw his shot deflect off Manuel
Akanji and leave Sommer stranded as the ball found the net, and with time running
out Sweden thought they had won a penalty when Michael Lang pushed over Martin
Olsson, who was clean through on goal, which saw the Swiss player red carded. However, after consulting with VAR, the push
happened just outside the box, meaning the penalty wasn’t given and a free-kick
was instead. It did not bother the Swedes
though, who reached their first Quarter Final since 1994, whilst a disappointed
Switzerland go home after this defeat.
Colombia 1 England 1 (aet; England won 4-3 on penalties)
England are through to play Sweden in the Quarter Finals of
the FIFA World Cup after winning their first ever World Cup penalty shoot out
in a dramatic win over Colombia in Moscow.
In an atmosphere that at times felt like an away game for the English
boys as they were well outnumbered in the support stakes, the young squad
played with zip and energy in the opening half hour or so, but as the half grew
older the Colombian’s began to try and get under the skin of their opponents,
and one such flash point saw a headbutt on Jordan Henderson only result in a
yellow card, when many, including myself, thought it was a certain red. This continued in the second half too, but
just before the hour mark England grabbed the lead they deserved when after
Harry Kane had been hauled down inside the box, not for the first time in this
competition, Kane stepped up to score and give the Three Lions belief that they
could reach the Last Eight. England
looked comfortable and Colombia rarely threatened, and they looked to have emerged
unscathed from this ill-disciplined match, until Yerry Mina headed home deep into
stoppage time and take the tie to extra time.
The extra half hour could not find a winner either, so it meant
penalties, and a nerve racking few minutes for all concerned. Both sides netted their opening two kicks
before the South Americans went 3-2 up, and then saw Henderson miss, meaning
the Colombians could put one foot into the next round if they netted their fourth
penalty, but they hit the bar, and then saw Kieran Tripper net meaning it was
3-3. And then up step Jordan Pickford,
who had been criticised by some for his performance against Belgium, to save
Colombia’s last spot kick, meaning if Eric Dier could net England’s final
penalty, it was all over. Well he duly
drove home and sent England into the Last Eight in dramatic fashion, and also
send Colombia home as a result.
So, after all that
drama over the last few days, it means the Quarter Final line up is as follows:
-
Friday 6th
July
Uruguay vs France
Brazil vs Belgium
Saturday 7th
July
Sweden vs England
Russia vs Croatia
Well well well, we are now down to the Final Eight, and we
have four intriguing ties to look forward to.
First up at 3pm on Friday it’s Uruguay vs France in Nizjnij Novgorod
with both sides hitting fine form just at the right time. Uruguay looked solid as always against a talented
Portuguese side, whilst France were at times breath-taking against the
Argentinian’s, especially 19-year-old sensation Kylian Mbappe, who netted twice
in that game, so it should be an entertaining encounter. Stand out tie, Brazil vs Belgium, then
follows on Friday evening at 7pm in Kazan, and this proves to be a fantastic encounter. Then on Saturday it’s Sweden vs England at
3pm in Samara, with the England lads probably going into the tie as favourites,
however the Swedes are a tight, compact, organised side who have many big
scalps to their name recently, so not to be underestimated for sure. Finally, at 7pm Saturday evening hosts Russia
take on Croatia in Sochi in what must be the hosts biggest game for some time
against many people’s dark horses for the competition. Nobody saw Russia getting out of their group,
let alone reach the last eight, and although Croatia will go into this as
favourites, as Spain can testify it means nothing at the end of the day, so
take the Russian’s with caution as they will fight and scrap for their nation
backed by a no doubt raucous home crowd.
It proves to be another drama filled two days and I’ll be back with a
blog on the Quarter Finals once they have been completed.
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