More surprises: Japan and Senegal, Russia through

More surprises: Japan and Senegal

Japan beat Colombia 2-1, the same result as the Senegal versus Poland game

  

Group H

Colombia 1 Japan 2

J. Quintero 39

                     Kagawa 6 (pen.) Osako 73

The intensity of the Japanese game is breath-taking. Colombia lost Sanchez on 3' through a red card for contact with the ball on his arm in the area, complicating things for José Pekerman.

Poland 1 Senegal 2

                Cionek 37 (own goal); Niang 60

Krychowiak 60

With the globalisation of knowledge, there is the globalisation of soccer coaching and training techniques. Today all teams play the same way, the difference being luck, hard work and players who have a touch of brilliance which can destabilise. Colombia and Poland lost against Japan and Senegal. The second and third rounds will see whether the historical teams will prevail.

Group A

Russia 3 Egypt 1

A.Fathi 47 (own goal) Cheryshev 59 Dzyuba 62

                    Mohammed Salah 73 (pen.)

For those who thought that Russia would not get past the group stage, the response is eight goals to one, six points and a team which plays as a block, using the flanks but also drawing back to thwart attacks. The game against Uruguay now appears as an objective test which Portugal and Spain will be watching with interest. Suddenly the notion appears that Russia may not be such an easy opponent, especially when the boys are eating the grass, as they did tonight against Egypt.

  

Group A   Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Russia 2 2 0 0 8 1 7 6

Uruguay 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 

Saudi Arabia 1 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0

Egypt 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 0

June 20 Uruguay v. Saudi Arabia; June 25 Uruguay v. Russia; Saudi Arabia v. Egypt

Group A

Russia 5 Saudi Arabia 0

Gazinski, 12 Cheryshev 43, 90+1

Dzyuba 71 Golovin 90+4

One must give a warm embrace to the Saudi side, playing during Ramadan which means they were not allowed to eat from sunrise (in strict fasting not even water is allowed) but the scoreline speaks for itself.

Uruguay 1 Egypt 0

José Giménez 90

Russia 3 Egypt 1

A.Fathi 47 (own goal) Cheryshev 59 Dzyuba 62

                    Mohammed Salah 73 (pen.)

For those who thought that Russia would not get past the group stage, the response is eight goals to one, six points and a team which plays as a block, using the flanks but also drawing back to thwart attacks. The game against Uruguay now appears as an objective test which Portugal and Spain will be watching with interest. Suddenly the notion appears that Russia may not be such an easy opponent, especially when the boys are eating the grass, as they did tonight against Egypt.

Group B Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Iran 1 Morocco 0

Own goal by Aziz Bouhaddouz 95'

Portugal 3                             Spain 3

Cristiano Ronaldo 3               Diego Costa (2) 23, 54; Nacho 58'

(3' penalty, 44 e 87)

Iran 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Portugal 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1

Spain 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1

Morocco 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0

June 20 Portugal v. Morocco; Iran v. Spain; June 25 Spain v. Morocco; Iran v. Portugal

Group C Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

France 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3

Denmark 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Peru 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0

Australia 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0

June 21 Denmark v. Australia; France v. Peru; June 26 Australia v. Peru; Denmark v. France

Group C

France 2 Australia 1

Griezmann 58 pen.  Jedinal 62 pen.

Pogba 81

Peru 0 Denmark 1

               Yurary 59

Group D Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Croatia 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3

Argentina 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Iceland 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Nigeria 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

June 21 Argentina v. Croatia; June 22 Nigeria v. Iceland; June 26 Nigeria v. Argentina; Iceland v. Croatia

Group D

Croatia 2 Nigeria 0

Etebo 32 o.g.

Modric 71 pen.

Argentina 1 Iceland 1

Aguero 19  Finnbogason 23

Group E Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Serbia 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Brazil 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Switzerland 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Costa Rica 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0

June 22 Brazil v. Costa Rica; Serbia v. Switzerland; June 27 Serbia v. Brazil; Switzerland v. Costa Rica

Group E

Serbia 1 Costa Rica 0

Kolarov 56

Brazil 1 Switzerland 1

Coutinho 20  Zuber 50

Group F Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Mexico 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Sweden 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3

Germany 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0

Rep. Korea 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0

June 23 Rep. Korea v. Mexico; Germany v. Sweden; June 27 Rep. Korea v. Germany; Mexico v. Sweden

Sweden 1 Rep. Korea 0

Grandqvist 65 (Pen.)

Group F

Germany 0 Mexico 1

                    Lozano 35

Group G Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Belgium 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 0 3

England 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3

Tunisia 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0

Panama 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 0

June 18 Belgium v. Panama; Tunisia v. England; June 23 Belgium v. Tunisia; June 24 England v. Panama; June 28 Panama v. Tunisia; England v. Belgium

Belgium 3 Rep. Korea 0

Mertens 47; R. Lukaku 69, 75

England 2 Tunisia 1

Kane 11, 90+1 Sassi 35 (pen.)

Group H Played Won Drawn Lost Goals For Goals Against Goal Average Points

Japan 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3

Senegal 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 3

Colombia 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0

Poland 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0

June 19 Colombia v. Japan; Poland v. Senegal; June 24 Japan v. Senegal; Poland v. Colombia; June 28 Japan v. Poland; Senegal v. Colombia

Group H

Colombia 1 Japan 2

J. Quintero 39

                     Kagawa 6 (pen.) Osako 73

Poland 1 Senegal 2

                Cionek 37 (own goal); Niang 60

Krychowiak 60

The Groups and their FIFA ranking (x)

Group A Russia (66) Saudi Arabia (67) Egypt (46) Uruguay (17)

Group B Portugal (4) Spain (8) Morocco (42) IR Iran (36)

Group C France (7) Australia (40) Peru (11) Denmark (12)

Group D Argentina (5) Iceland (22) Croatia (18) Nigeria (47)

Group E Brazil (2) Switzerland (6) Costa Rica (25) Serbia (35)

Group F Germany (1) Mexico (15) Sweden (23) Rep. Korea (61)

Group G Belgium (3) Panama (55) Tunisia (14) England (13)

Group H Poland (10) Senegal (28) Colombia (16) Japan (60)

Goals by country                                         Goalscorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 3

Russia 8                                                         Cheryshev (Russia) 3

Diego Costa (Spain) 2

R. Lukaku (Belgium) 2

Kane (England) 2

                                                                       Gazinski (Russia) 1

                                                                       Dzyuba (Russia) 2

                                                                       Golovin (Russia) 1

Portugal 3

Spain 3           

Belgium 3      

Croatia 2                                                       

England 2

France 2                                                         Griezmann (France) 1

                                                                       Pogba (France) 1       

                                                                       Modric (Croatia) 1                            

Japan 2                                                           Kagawa (Japan) 1

                                                                       Osako (Japan) 1

Senegal 2                                                       Niang (Senegal) 1

Argentina 1                                                    Aguero (Argentina) 1

Australia 1                                                     Jedinak (Australia) 1

Brazil 1                                                          Coutinho (Brazil) 1

Colombia 1                                                    Quintero (Colombia) 1

Denmark 1                                                     Yurary (Denmark) 1

Egypt 1                                                          Mo Salah (Egypt) 1

Iceland 1                                                        Finnbogason (Iceland) 1

Mexico 1                                                        Lozano (Mexico) 1

Poland 1                                                        Krychowiak (Poland) 1

Serbia 1                                                          Kolarov (Serbia)

Sweden 1                                                       Grandqvist (Sweden) 1

Switzerland 1                                                            Zuber (Switzerland) 1

Tunisia 1                                                        Sassi (Tunisia) 1

Uruguai 1                                                       José Giménez 1

                                                                       Nacho (Spain) 1

                                                                       Mertens (Belgium) 1

                                                                      

Now who will that winner be?

The Groups and their FIFA ranking (x)

Group A Russia (66) Saudi Arabia (67) Egypt (46) Uruguai (17)

Uruguay is the obvious favorite, Russia's home advantage should see the team through.

Group B Portugal (4) Spain (8) Morocco (42) IR Iran (36)

Not such an easy group as some are saying in the media, with Carlos Queiroz's Iran playing some excellent soccer, as was the case in South Africa 2010 when Iran was thrown out of the competition after some abominable refereeing. Morocco is no easy task either.

Group C France (7) Australia (40) Peru (11) Denmark (12)

France may not be so disappointing this time around, and the Peruvians should prove too skillful for Denmark (always a dark horse) and the Kangaroos, who play better with the heart than the head.

Group D Argentina (5) Iceland (22) Croatia (18) Nigeria (47)

Iceland will win a lot of friends with the Boo! (Wait and watch), Argentina often has problems against African sides, which stroke the ball around the field in beautiful displays of soccer but the experience of Argentina and Croatia should not allow for surprises.

Group E Brazil (2) Switzerland (6) Costa Rica (25) Serbia (35)

Brazil was dumped out of the last World Cup at home losing 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final, the reason being better preparation by the Germans who arrived in Brazil early, turned off the a/c units and relied on a Bayern Munich backbone prepared for tiki-taka midfield play by Guardiola and able to train together since January (because Bayern had already won the Bundesliga). Not this time. Tite has built a talented and motivated team focusing on teamwork, group psychology and Tite's reputation as a scientific soccer coach who studies the opposing teams and adjusts his game. Scolari was a sergeant and a big brother figure earning respect from his players but having one basic style of play, the type "this is my team, this is the way we play, we always play like this, sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but that's the way it is". Switzerland is growing in status as a soccer country with a mix of German-style organization, the class of the French and the vivacity of the Italians, with a few sons of Albanian immigrants adding a touch of spice.

Group E Germany (1) Mexico (15) Sweden (23) Rep. Korea (61)

No big surprises here. The German engine purrs like a well-oiled Mercedes, masters of organization, they come at their opponents in waves. Everyone knows what they have to do and they do it. Respect!

Group G Belgium (3) Panama (55) Tunisia (14) England (13)

Belgium has a strong team playing with skill and flair; Southgate has done a solid job with England, hopefully this time preparing the team to score penalties and not panic, hopefully this time passing the ball accurately to one another and not off the field.

Group H Poland (10) Senegal (28) Colombia (16) Japan (60)

Senegal is another of the African teams like Nigeria which can create beautiful pictures with its soccer but once again the rankings should speak for themselves.