The Knockout Stages

Round of 16:

France vs Argentina
Portugal vs Uruguay
Spain vs Russia
Croatia vs Denmark
Brazil vs Mexico
Belgium vs Japan
Sweden vs Switzerland
England vs Colombia

No one thinks Colombia is an easy game or an easier route than Hapan. It is after that, it is slightly easier, but still by no means easy.

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Top Anal-ysis that Bertie

Two draws today, both going into Extra Time, maybe penalties.

Fancy Argentina and Uruguay to progress though, if Messi shows up I don't think France can stop him, and I'm not sure Portugal's weak defence can contain Suarez and Cavani for 90 or 120 minutes.

Rojo

Personally think that's a very soft penalty to give.

Grizeman 1-0 France.

Thought he was fouled outside, personally

France happy to sit deep and counter attack. When not falling over at the slightest touch.

Argentina moving the ball to slowly, this false 9 is really not working. No one to focus there attack on.

What a goal, Di Maria

Mascherano suspended for the QF. Good news for the Argies

The French are such bottlejobs

Banega suspended for the QF. Not good news for the Argies

What a goal by Pavard

2-2

Some absolute beauties, arguably the two best goals have come from right backs!

3-2 Mbappe. Awful keeping

Found that bottle

Yeah, still think they’ve been pretty poor. Mbappe runs the team, and aided by a poor Argie defence, with no pace

Portugal or Uruguay will sit deep & give Mbappe no room to exploit

Argentina seems much better with Aguero.

4-3 Aguero

Well, what I thought would be a boring war of attrition turned out to be a seven-goal thriller.
France looked very good indeed but you have to wonder what might have happened had Aguero started. As it is you have to fancy France to go all the way.

Starting with no real forwards and leaving Higuain, Aguero and Dybala on the bench is almost criminal.

Last World Cup’s finalists are now both out

Great header that.
Hopefully Uruguay go through

Suarez is a great player but a miserable clown at times

Dear oh dear Suarez.

As expected, Uruguay will now dive and cheat their way through this game. Horrible to watch.

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1-1 Pepe header.

This is a different kind of fascinating to the other.

Cavani

2-1

Sexy goal. This World Cup just keeps delivering

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5th goal scored by a PSG player today .

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You’re impressively banal

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So both Messi and Ronaldo are frauds?

More entertaining 2nd half than what I expected. Portugal did try mainly thanks to Bernardo Silva
. Bye CR7. Funny world cup in some way.

Possible to sneak a euro’s with a one man team and a favourable draw, but at world level, the one man teams have been found wanting.

Last world cups for both? Qatar WC is four and a half years way. No chance

Lady boy Cristiano went missing today. All good and well scoring a hat trick in Portugal's first game. But every subsequent game he was mediocre. He got a goal against morocco but did nothing else. The gulf in class between the European championships and Copa America is substantial.

Copa América ? Not sure what is your point to be honest. Their last winner (Chile) failed to make the WC while the other finalist lost today. Uruguay didn’t even made knock out of that competition. All these teams are in a different form than 2 years ago which makes it irrelevant. Uruguay is a solid well drilled team that ultimately relies on their 2 strikers who happened to be in top form today so well done to them. Portugal was average and didn’t quite get the same amount of luck than 2 years ago (although they actually played better football).

Both the Uruguay goals were superb. And I think France might be more worried facing Uruguay then Portugal. As they have 2 excellent strikers, are very good defensively. And France seem to struggle when they have to do the running instead of sit back and counter attack.
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Should be a fascinating qf.

And after yesterday's excitement.
Spain boring the pants off people. Slow possession football with no end product. Haven't had a shoot on target. The own goal for them is a stupid one to give away (note to defender watch the ball at some point).
It is a penalty for Russia. But other than that they've offered very little.

Spain still dominating possession, still going side to side with no forward product.
Russia who are noticeably tiring (no suprise). Have defend superbly (although that is pretty much all they done). Could this go to extra time?

Hopefully this one goes to pens.
Do like a shoot out

westisbest wrote:Hopefully this one goes to pens.
Do like a shoot out

Hopefully so. It would be the only interesting thing to happen in this game so far.

Is it “golden goal” in extra time, or do they play they full extra time ?

VAR working well....

Putin quickly delivered an envelope into that VAR office

That's got to be a penalty for Spain. 2 being held in the area, how it's not been given despite VAR I don't know.

Sorry No9 I don't know the answer.

Never a penalty there for me.