World Cup diary 2018 – Sunday 01 July

France (4) – (3) Argentina

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow…just didn’t see such a dramatic game coming. There was me saying yesterday it would be a cagey affair! France got on top early on with Griezmann hitting the bar from a free-kick and it wasn’t long before they struck first. The teenager Mbappe, who was to outshine Messi on the day, broke from midfield before being hauled down and Griezmann did the rest from the spot to give the French the lead on thirteen minutes. It looked like an advantage Les Bleus would take into the break, only for Di Maria to level with a stunning strike just four minutes before the break. Then within three minutes of the restart, Argentina were ahead with Mercado deflecting in Messi’s attempt on goal. The game though was turned on it head in a ten-minute spell just before the hour mark, as Pavard levelled for France and Mbappe struck twice to leave Argentina stunned and 4-2 behind. It was a mountain too big for the South Americans to climb, despite an Aguero header in stoppage time. France into the Quarter-Finals and maybe the last sight of Messi in a World Cup tournament.

Uruguay (2) – (1) Portugal

Another game where my predictive skills went awry, after I tipped Portugal to win this encounter. As with the game earlier in the day, the big name on display, in this case Ronaldo, had to exit the stadium at the hands of another player claiming a brace. As in the France/Argentina fixture, there was an early goal, with Cavani powering in a header after only seven minutes. Suarez was unlucky with one of his low driven free-kicks and Ronaldo had one attempt of his own which the wall-blocked, but was more noticeable for the way he ludicrously hitched up his shorts before taking. Portugal did level though ten minutes into the break when an unmarked Pepe headed home. Suarez though was at his bullish best for Uruguay and in a competition which has produced some wonderful goals, another came along on sixty-two minutes, when the Barcelona striker played in Cavani for his second as he majestically curled home the winner. Like Messi, was this the final exit from a World Cup for Ronaldo?

And so to today’s offerings:

Russia v Spain

These two have never met in a World Cup Finals action, but have played against each other as recently as November last year in Saint Petersburg, when the game finished 3-3. Of their six encounters, Spain have won four, with the other two fixtures drawn.

Logic says that Spain will prove too strong, but as hosts Russia have home advantage and this may work in their favour if they go ahead and get the vociferous support behind them.  The big question is how the team react after the 3-0 beating in their final group game against Uruguay.

Croatia v Denmark

Whilst not having played each other in the Finals, these sides met in the Qualification Group stages for the 1998 World Cup. The first fixture in Croatia ended 1-1. In the return fixture in Copenhagen, the Danes romped to a 3-1 win. Denmark topped the group on 17 points, automatically qualifying, whilst Croatia were runners-up on 15 points and had to go into the Play-offs, seeing off Ukraine over two-legs to qualify for France ’98.

Denmark have only scored two goals and conceded just one in their Russia 2018 campaign and are a hard-nut to crack, whilst Croatia scored seven and conceded just a single goal. On stats alone you have to fancy Croatia.