(photo from Getty Images)
So the 2018 FIFA World Cup got underway on June 14th,
and so began a month of top international football. Russia was the venue for this year’s
tournament and saw their host nation come into the tournament as the lowest
ranked team in the competition at 70th in the FIFA World
Rankings. They took on the next lowest
ranked team at 67th in the rankings, Saudi Arabia, in the opening
evening of the competition.
So without further
ado, here is how the opening round of Group Fixtures went:-
Group A
Russia 5 Saudi Arabia
0
Hosts Russia got their campaign off to a flyer after they
smashed five past a hapless Saudi Arabia in Moscow and record the biggest win
by a host nation in an opening game of a World Cup since 1934, when Italy
thrashed the US 7-1. The hosts had not
won in seven, but put any pre match nerves to bed when taking a 12th
minute lead when Yuri Gazinsky nodded home his first international goal and
just before half time substitute Denis Cheryshev, who had come on for the
injured Alan Dzagoev midway through the first half, evaded several weak tackles
before smashing home a second just before the break. The game struggled to get out of first gear
in a largely poor second period, however the hosts cared not and saw another
substitute, Artem Dzyuba, nod home a third just minutes after replacing Fedor
Smolov, and the host knew they were definitely picking up the points now,
although it never really looked in doubt against a rather woeful Saudi
side. And the Russian’s were to add two
more late on, with the impressive Cheryshev adding another before Aleksandr
Golovin curled home a wonderful free kick with the final action of the game,
and the hosts had got off to a perfect start.
For Saudi Arabia it was a sobering evening, and they have a lot to do to
rebound from this woeful start to their tournament.
Egypt 0 Uruguay 1
Group favourites Uruguay left it late to pick up all three
points after Jose Gimenez’s header settled a largely poor game against a Mo
Salah less Egypt. The South Americans
had been the better side but Luis Suarez was not at his best and missed four
chances, and when Edinson Cavani saw two chances go begging late on, one
striking the post, it looked like they would have to settle for a point. However in the 89th minute Gimenez
headed home a Carlos Sanchez free kick to seal the three points and join Russia
on three points at the top of the group.
Here is how Group A
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Russia 1 1 0 0 5 0 3 5
2. Uruguay 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
3. Egypt 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
4. Saudi Arabia 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 -5
So hosts Russia top Group A after the opening round of
games, although I feel this is Uruguay’s group to lose as I feel they will
defeat Russia and Saudi Arabia. So it’s
really down to what Egypt and Russia do against each other as I feel the
Saudi’s will also lose to Egypt, who will no doubt have Salah in their ranks by
then. My feeling is Egypt will probably
prevail but we shall see as they say.
Here are the
remaining Group A fixtures:-
Tuesday 19th
June
Russia vs Egypt
Wednesday 20th
June
Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia
Monday 25th
June
Saudi Arabia vs Egypt
Uruguay vs Russia
Group B
Morocco 0 Iran 1
Substitute Aziz Bouhaddouz headed into his own net deep into
stoppage time to hand Iran their first world cup finals win since 1998. The Africans started well but faded as the
first half went on as Iran came back into the contest, but after a poor second
period it seemed as though the game would end a draw, however in the 95th
minute a free kick from the left saw Bouhaddouz send a diving header into his
own net, and meant the Iranian’s took all three points.
Portugal 3 Spain 3
Cristiano Ronaldo announced himself to this years World Cup
by netting a late free kick to complete his hat-trick and deny Spain all three
points in a Group B belter in Sochi. It
didn’t take long for this eagerly awaited contest to get going, and it was
Ronaldo who won a fourth minute penalty after Nacho was adjudged to have felled
him inside the box, and the Portuguese skipper duly converted the spot kick to
give his side the ideal start. But Spain
responded well and levelled through a Diego Costa low finish after he had
fought off Pepe, and it looked like Spain would begin to control this match,
that was until an uncharacteristic mistake from David de Gea saw a Ronaldo
effort slip through his grasp and into the net and give the Portuguese a
slender lead at the break. After the
break though Spain fought back yet again and levelled when Costa smashed home
from close range after Sergio Busquets knockdown nine minutes into the second
period, and then Nacho redeemed himself for his earlier misdemeanour by
striking home a magnificent effort from the edge of the area to give Spain the
lead. And that looked like it could be
enough for the Spanish to claim the points, but enter Ronaldo who curled home a
wonderful free-kick three minutes from time to make sure the current Euro
champions managed to claim a point.
Here is how Group B
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Iran 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
2. Portugal 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 0
3. Spain 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 0
4. Morocco 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
So it’s Iran who top the Group after their late late winner
against Morocco, however the Portugal vs Spain encounter showed everyone how
much better those two were, and you can only see those two going through as
they will surely have to much for Iran and Morocco.
Here are the
remaining Group B fixtures:-
Wednesday 20th
June
Portugal vs Morocco
Iran vs Spain
Monday 25th
June
Iran vs Portugal
Spain vs Morocco
Group C
France 2 Australia 1
Paul Pogba’s late deflected effort gave France all three
points in a game where VAR was used to award a penalty for the first time at a
World Cup. The favourites for Group C
and also some people’s bets to win the whole thing started brightly and had the
Aussies on the back foot, however as the game went on the Socceroos began to
gain more and more confidence, but in the 58th minute came the talking
point when after Antoine Griezmann had got in behind the Aussie defence, Josh
Risdon made a last-ditch attempt to stop the French attacker, and after
consultation with the VAR crew, the referee pointed to the spot. Griezmann tucked away the spot kick and you
felt it could break the Aussies, but instead it drove them on even more and
four minutes later had a penalty of their own after French defender Samuel
Umtiti inexplicably handed a cross from Aaron Mooy, and Mile Jedinak tucked the
spot kick home, and it looked like it would be enough for the Socceroos to gain
a terrific point. But with ten minutes
remaining Pogba toe ended an effort onto Aussie player Aziz Behich’s foot, and
it deflected over keeper Mat Ryan and bounced off the bar and just over the
line, to give a relieved France the win.
Peru 0 Denmark 1
Yussuf Poulsen netted just before the hour mark to give
Denmark a hard-fought victory over Peru to join France at the top of Group C
after the opening round of fixtures. It
could have been so different for the South Americans though, who were at their
first finals for four decades, when thanks to VAR they were awarded a spot kick
at the end of the opening forty five minutes, but Christian Cueva blazed his
penalty over the bar. And the miss proved
crucial when the Danes broke just before the hour mark and Christian Eriksen
released Poulsen who slotted expertly beyond Pedro Gallese in the Peru
goal. Peru missed several chances to
level and it meant the Danes held on for an huge three points.
Here is how Group C
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. France 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 1
2. Denmark 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
3. Australia 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1
4. Peru 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
So the two teams expected to be occupying first and second
at the end of the group stages are in those positions, however both were pushed
hard for their victories. So don’t count
out the bottom two sides just yet as they could possibly take points off their
next two opponents, could well be an exciting group.
Here are the remaining
fixtures in Group C:-
Thursday 21st
June
Denmark vs Australia
France vs Peru
Tuesday 26th
June
Australia vs Peru
Denmark vs France
Group D
Argentina 1 Iceland 1
Iceland’s first ever World Cup Finals game ended with a
point against the might of Argentina after they battled to a very useful draw
in Moscow. It was the South Americans
who managed to find the lead on nineteen minutes when Sergio Aguero netted his
first ever World Cup goal by turning his marker and smashing home a wonderful
left footed effort, but the Icelandic side were soon back on terms when sloppy
play allowed a deflected effort from Hordur Magnusson to be pushed out by Willy
Caballaro too Alfred Finnbogason who volleyed first time back into the gaping
net. Argentina though had the chance to
go back in front in the 64th minute when Maximliano Meza was fouled
whilst trying to head a cross to win a penalty, but Lionel Messi missed the
spot kick after it was saved by keeper Hannes Halldorsson, and the European
side held on for a terrific point, strengthening their hopes of reaching the
Last 16.
Croatia 2 Nigeria 0
A goal in each half was enough for Croatia to take the
points against Nigeria and top Group D after the first round of matches. In a rather uneventful first half the Croats
took a 32nd minute lead when a Luka Modric corner was turned into
his own net by Oghenekaro Etebo, this after flick on’s by Ante Rebic and Mario
Mandzukic, to see the European’s ahead at the break. And in a equally drab second forty five
minutes the Croatian’s won a 71st minute spot kick after William
Troost-Ekong manhandled Mandzukic inside the area, and Modric stepped up to
convert and seal the points for his side.
Here is how Group D
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Croatia 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 2
2. Argentina 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
3. Iceland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
4. Nigeria 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 -2
So Croatia the only side to win their opening game in Group
D, and with Argentina’s only drawing their game with Iceland, their game with
Croatia next time out proves to be very interesting indeed. Iceland will also fancy themselves after that
point, and with Nigeria not offering much in their game against Croatia their
next game against the Icelandic’s proves pivotal too.
Here are the
remaining fixtures for Group D:-
Thursday 21st
June
Argentina vs Croatia
Friday 22nd
June
Nigeria vs Iceland
Tuesday 26th
June
Iceland vs Croatia
Nigeria vs Argentina
Group E
Costa Rica 0 Serbia 1
Aleksandar Kolarov’s superb second half free kick was enough
for Serbia to defeat Costa Rica in their opening Group E contest. Serbia are the lowest ranked European nation
at the Finals and they saw their Central American opponents sporadically
threaten their goal, with an early header from Giancarlo Gonzalez go over,
however the Serbians dominated possession in the opening forty five
minutes. The Serbian’s then should of
taken the lead when Aleksandar Mitrovic was sent clear, but his effort was
saved by Keylor Vavas, but then came the winning moment when in the 56th
minute Kolarov curled a delightful effort over the wall and beyond Navas. The margin off victory probably should have
been more had Mitrovic not missed another chance late on, and in injury time
things got a little heated when Serbia’s Nemanja Matic clashed with a member of
the Costa Rica coaching staff whilst trying to retrieve the ball. The VAR system also looked at it’s first Red
Card review, when a Serbia player lashed out at an opponent, however it was
deemed just a yellow, keeping up the no red card tournament record going. So a big win for Serbia whilst it’s a
damaging loss for the Costa Rican’s.
Brazil 1 Switzerland
1
Pre-tournament favourites Brazil failed to win an opening
game at a World Cup since 1978 after they were held by Switzerland in
Rostov-on-Don. It looked like business
as usual for the Brazilian’s when Philippe Coutinho curled home a brilliant effort
in of the post on twenty minutes, however the South Americans could only show
fleeting moments of fluid play, and then five minutes into the second half they
were caught cold when Steven Zuber headed home unmarked from a corner kick to
bring the Swiss level. Brazil were
claiming a push led to the space which allowed the header, however this fell on
deaf ears, and a disjointed second half, which didn’t see another effort on
target until the 77th minute from the Samba boys, showed their
struggles in the final third. Brazil
pushed on at the end of the game to try and find the winner, but they could not
breach an impenetrable Swiss back line and they picked up a deserved point in
the process.
Here is how Group E
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Serbia 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
2. Brazil 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
3. Switzerland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
4. Costa Rica 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
So Serbia have the lead after Round One of Group E, and with
their next game being against Switzerland you would expect the winners of that
one to probably join Brazil in the next round, as you would expect the Samba
Boys to beat Costa Rica in their next game.
However today’s results have certainly made this group another
interesting one indeed.
Group F
Germany 0 Mexico 1
Hirving Lozano’s 35th minute strike was enough
for Mexico to stun holders Germany in Moscow and inflict the Germans first
defeat in an opening World Cup finals game since Spain 1982, when they lost to
Algeria. The Mexican’s attacked the
German’s from the off, and after 35 minutes were rewarded for their attacking
intent when Javier Hernandez set up Lozano to cut inside and finish beyond
Manuel Neuer to give them a shock lead.
The German’s, who had looked rather disjointed in the opening exchanges,
almost hit straight back but saw a Toni Kroos free kick saved onto the bar by
Guillermo Ochoa, and despite some sustained late pressure from the German’s,
they could not break down the Mexican wall, and in fact had the Mexico forward
line been in form, they could of sealed the points before the late assault from
the Champions, but the Central American’s held on for a famous victory in any
case, leaving the holders plenty to think about.
Sweden 1 South Korea
0
Sweden marked their first appearance at a World Cup for
twelve years by winning their opening game against South Korea. The Scandinavian’s should have been in front
by half time but saw chances missed, however in the 65th minute Kim
Min-woo appeared to foul Viktor Claesson inside the box, however no penalty was
awarded, but thanks to the intervention of VAR, the penalty was then
awarded. And skipper Andreas Granqvist
stepped up to net the spot kick and see his side to a crucial three points, and
join Mexico at the top of Group F.
Here is how Group F
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Mexico 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
2. Sweden 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
3. Germany 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
4. South Korea 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 -1
So it’s advantage Mexico and Sweden after Round One of Group
F, and it makes Germany and South Korea’s next games must win you’d think. Germany won’t have it easy against Sweden in
their next game, and you would expect Mexico to beat South Korea, so it’s
probably down to Sweden and Germany to join the South Americans in the Last 16,
but who knows what may happen??
Group G
Belgium 3 Panama 0
Belgium eventually saw off a stubborn Panama after Romelu
Lukaku struck twice in the second half as he helped his side to all three
points. The Belgians, ranked third in
the world, came into this one as massive favourites against a Panama side who
were ranked 55th in the world and at their first ever world cup,
however the Central Americans frustrated their more illustrious opponents in
the opening forty five minutes as the match remained goalless at the
break. But the Belgian’s remained
patient and managed to find a breakthrough just two minutes into the second
period thanks to a spectacular volley from Dries Mertens, and then two Lukaku
goals in a six minute spell later on in the half ended the contest, firstly
when Kevin de Bruyne’s cross found his head to finish from close range, and
then secondly when Eden Hazard released the Manchester United forward and he
dinked an effort over Jaime Penedo, and the Belgian’s had the three points
safety in the bag.
Tunisia 1 England 2
Skipper Harry Kane netted twice, including a stoppage time
winner, to see England just get over the line against Tunisia and win their
first world cup opening game in twelve years.
England totally dominated the opening forty five minutes, however they
only had one goal to show for it in the eleventh minute when Kane followed up
to score after keeper Mouez Hassen had brilliantly saved a John Stones
header. And they were made to pay for
several guilt edged chances when with their only real attack of note Tunisia
won a penalty ten minutes before the break after Kyle Walker was adjudged to
have impeded Fakreddine Ben Youssef, and Ferjani Sassis netted the spot kick,
meaning the game was somehow level at the break. A much calmer second half followed as the
tempo slowed somewhat, but England continued to dominate as it became defence
against attack, however it looked as though the North African’s would escape
with a draw, that was until the 91st minute when Kane nodded in at
the back post after Harry Maguire had flicked on a Kieran Trippier corner to
give the Three Lions a much deserved three points.
Here is how Group G
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Belgium 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3
2. England 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 1
3. Tunisia 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1
4. Panama 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 -3
It as you would have expected in Group G after Round One,
with Belgium top after eventually seeing off a plucky Panama, whilst England’s
late late win over Tunisia sees them in second spot. You would expect both the Belgian’s and the
English to win their next games too which would see them both qualify for the
Last 16, it’s hard to put a case forward for either Tunisia or Panama although
the Central Americans did make life difficult for the Belgian’s for a time, so
England better be aware of them in any case.
Group H
Colombia 1 Japan 2
Yuya Osako’s second half header saw Japan become the first
ever Asian side to defeat a South American opponents at a World Cup finals as
they defeated ten man Columbia in Saransk.
The match started in amazing fashion after Japan won a penalty for
handball following a save from keeper Ospina, and saw Carlos Sanchez receive the
tournament’s first red card as a result.
Shinji Kagawa, once of Manchester United, tucked home the spot kick, but
the Colombian’s did not look like the side a man short and deservedly levelled
six minutes before the break thanks to a clever free-kick from Juan
Quintero. However Japan were much the
better side in the second period and they managed to find the winner in the 73rd
minute when a Keisuke Honda corner was headed in off the post by Osako to give
the Asian side a massive three points.
Poland 1 Senegal 2
African side Senegal backed up many people’s thought’s they
would be dark horses to do well at this world cup by defeating Poland in
Moscow. The Lions of Teranga took the
lead shortly before the break when Everton’s Idrissa Gueye’s effort deflected
off Thiago Cionek, for Poland’s first ever own goal at a World Cup, and then on
the hour mark a huge moment came as Senegal doubled their advantage, when M’Baye
Niang came back onto the field of play after receiving treatment for an injury,
saw a wayward back pass from Grzegorz Krychowiak, and intercepted it by beating
keeper Wojciech Szczesny to the ball before rolling it into the empty net. Poland were poor and created little but found
a route back into the game late on when Krychowiak headed home, making the
final few minutes interesting. However
Senegal deservedly held on for the three points and joined Japan at the top of
the Group.
Here is how Group G
looks after Round One:-
P W D L F A Pts GD
1. Japan 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 1
2. Senegal 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 1
3. Colombia 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1
4. Poland 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 -1
This has to be the most open and exciting group of them all,
and all could still qualify for the Last 16.
All four sides believe they can beat each other so it’s feasible that we
could go into the final day of the Group all on three points, wouldn’t that be
interesting. One thing is for sure,
Columbia and Poland need to win their next game to make things easier and keep
themselves in the tournament, so makes it certain the next round of games will
be exciting!!!
So that completes the first round of games in the Group
Stages, Russia and Egypt get the second round of games underway later on
Tuesday, I’ll be back with another blog after those finish in a few days time.
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