Game One:
Switzerland and Ecuador. Neither team have recognisable names, to my eyes, but that means nothing as clearly they are the best players to get into the team. England beat Ecuador once at football, but it was once and a long time ago. Against form the Swiss looked a bit lively. It was settling into one of those games that appears to be long and slow at which point Ecuador did the improbable and scored, woeful defending from a cross from a free. Ecuador then take the lead 1-0. It won't end well...
Cracker of a equaliser almost immediately from the start of the 2nd half, it's all on for the 42 minutes left in the game. 1-1, Will it all go wrong for Ecuador as it has done in previous games where the team taking the lead capitulates...
It got niggly as Ecuador would have settled for a draw and 3 minutes of added time needed for the drama breaks.... and like a knife to the heart Switzerland score with the last kick of the game.
And the crowd goes wild........ from 1-0 down to win 2-1. Who would have thought that would happen. 9 matches 5 of them come from behind wins.
Game Two:
France and Honduras, who are a forceful team. Seems the crowd favourites too. Lots of rolling around in dramatic fashion in this game, weird collars on the French kit, and a tragic haircut for Pogba. Drama peaked when there was handbags and two yellow cards, and the game settled into a lull. Then a Penalty for France to go 1-0 up, and in previous matches this usually means that you go on to lose.
Goal Line technology used for real, ball off post, back to goal keeper who obligingly taps it in the net for an own goal. Technology said NO goal for the rebound off the post, correctly, and then Goal for the in-off. Confusion much! at 2-0 then, France might have broken to hoodoo. Then they turned it up to get a 3rd
It ended well.
Game Three :
Argentina against two countries Bosnia & Herzegovina... Argentina having won both previous encounters.
Full of names and promise. and it pays out in 2 minutes, and own goal from a set piece. 1-0 to Argentina.... an own goal though, so this might not play out badly for the team taking the lead.
65 minutes of mending later and Messi has a dart and run and shoots and he scores!!!!! Crowd really did go wild. Only for a bit as it then got all pedestrian again, until a cheeky nutmeg on the goalie and 2-1 and all to play for in the last 5 minutes.
But it ends. Argentina did enough to get the points and that'll get you the final 16.
Bit of a mixed bag today.
I'm 3/4 Swiss ... so, go easy on 'em. I was not very impressed with how the Swiss played, however -- a lot of thuggery going in, mostly from the Swiss side, was my impression. The France game also had a lot of unnecessary physical plays as well.
ReplyDeleteConsider myself told, tomorrow 'Murica!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe'll see. It's pretty amazing how the different pools get set up. Some are ridiculously difficult. Others not so much. 'Murica doesn't have much of a chance of getting out of the first round.
ReplyDelete