World Cup Roundup – Groups E and F

FIFA and Qatar are two sides of the same corrupt coin.

That being said, what an absolute DAY at the World Cup. I still haven’t caught my breath!

Group F

Winners – Morocco

Runners Up – Croatia

Eliminated – Belgium, Canada

The big news in this group is that Belgium have been eliminated after a goalless draw with Croatia in their final group game. Belgium were very disappointing this whole tournament, and that form continued today. They were the better side in terms of possession and chances created, but of course a team doesn’t win simply by having more possession. Striker Romelu Lukaku was guilty of missing at least two gilt-edged chances, and I feel that the Lukaku of 4 years ago would have buried both of them. His form recently though simply hasn’t been good. But the Belgians can’t blame one man for their failure. They weren’t good enough in any of their matches, and the results prove it. Belgium fans will be devastated today, given that this was probably the last chance for players like Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Eden Hazard to play at a World Cup. They now face a ton of questions about their future, and they will answer those questions with out the aide of manager Roberto Martinez, who voluntarily stepped down as Belgium boss after the match. The Croatians did well to manage the game today and got a little lucky, but they’ll be happy to be through to the next round with their draw today.

A very hearty “well done” to the Moroccans today and for their general performance so far. Thy knew that a draw would likely see them through to the next round, but they went and got another victory today over already-eliminated Canada that saw them win their group! Not many would have picked them to do that before this tournament started. Winger/forward Hakim Ziyech got the first goal on 3 minutes when Canadian keeper Milan Borjan’s poor clearance fell straight to Ziyech and he chipped the keeper from about 30 yards out. The Moroccans then got a second about 20 minutes later when a long ball forward found the run of striker Youssef En-Nesyri. Despite being closely marshalled by two Canadian defenders, he got a low shot away that beat Borjan at his near post. The Canadians got one back from an own-goal on 41 minutes, but could not find another.

A day to forget for the Canadian keeper, but a day to remember for every Moroccan! They win their group for the first time in their history and become only the second African team to win their group in World Cup history!

Belgium going out and Morocco winning the group would be the story of the day if not for what happened in the other group.

Group E

Winners – Japan

Runners Up – Spain

Eliminated – Germany, Costa Rica

I don’t even know where to begin with this group. Total chaos and pandemonium from all four teams involved. Every possible mathematical permutation that could have happened did happen at one point or another during today’s matches. There was a very brief four minute window today where both the Ze Germans AND Spain were going out, and while that did not fully come to pass at the final whistles, the Germans going out is still a massive, massive, disappointment for them. Going into their final match against Costa Rica they not only needed to win, they needed a draw from the Spain-Japan match to get out of the group. They did end up winning 4-2 with forward Kai Havertz getting two goals, although it was much closer than the score line suggested. Costa Rica were right there with them most of the way. Even though Die Manschaft won, they still went out on goal difference to the Spanish. That 7-0 in favor of La Rioja against Costa Rica in the opening match ended up being very important indeed, as Spain advanced on superior goal difference. German manager Hansi Flick and all their players will be facing a lot of justified criticism for their performance in this World Cup. They never seemed to fully click. A more thorough examination of their issues is sure to come.

Both matches were great to watch, but the drama of how they impacted each other was the best thing about today. At halftime in both matches it was 1-0 to Spain and 1-0 to Germany, so it stood to reason that they would both hold on and sneak out of the group. Spain were passing the Japanese to death and the Germans looked to be revving up their goal machine.

But Japan had other ideas. In their match, the Blue Samurai came out in the second half and quickly scored two goals (48′ and 51′), one by substitute forward Ritsu Doan and the other by midfielder Ao Tanaka. The first came about due to some lackadaisical play by the Spanish, who were far too casual while playing the ball out from the back. Japan pressed and won the ball in their attacking third, after which Doan received it on the edge of the Spanish penalty area and whipped an absolute cracker of a shot off the hands of keeper Unai Simón and into the back of the net. A goal from nowhere, but that is a tactic the Japanese specialize in.

Japan had the ball forward again moments later, but this time the ball across the face of goal appeared to be just out of reach of winger Kaoru Mitoma. Mitoma still got a foot to the ball for a cross in though, and it was bundled home by the knee of Tanaka from maybe a yard out. The game was stopped for a goal check, and VAR allowed it to stand. Make no mistake, this was an insanely close call. There did appear to be some space between the ball and the end line, but it also appeared that a portion of the back half of the ball did not quite make it over the line. The camera angle made it hard to tell. In football, a ball is only out if the whole ball goes over the whole line, and the ref determined that the whole ball did not cross the whole of the line. The finest of fine margins though!

Japan then converted to a back-6 and essentially played the “attacks versus defense” training drill for the next 40 minutes, and while that is a risky strategy, it ultimately worked. The Spanish never did generate too many good chances after that, aside from two good saves from keeper Shūichi Gonda. Excellent defensive discipline from the Japanese to see it out, and it must be said that Spain were probably not in the mood to help Germany progress by scoring an equalizer.

Japan deserved this result today. I was worried about them after the first half being down 1-0 thanks to a header from striker Alvaro Morata, but their game plan for the second half was perfect. They pressed when they needed to, got a good goal as a result, and then nicked a second with a bit of good luck. They did almost the exact same thing against Germany. They were down 1-0 at the half in that match too, but got two in quick succession at the start of the second half of that match too. When something like this happens once it’s lucky, but when it’s twice it’s obviously a clear strategy.

Japanese manager Hajime Moriyasu deserves a ton of credit for today’s win. Japan’s strategy of holding on and defending for the first 45 and then really going for it in the opening 10 minutes of the second half worked perfectly – and it worked TWICE against two powerhouses of world football. The stats surrounding this team are absolutely mind-boggling. Japan is the first team ever to win a World Cup match with less than 20% possession. Indeed, their 17.7% possession today is the lowest for a winner in any World Cup match ever. They are the first team ever to come from behind and win twice in the group stage. They are the first Asian team to win their group twice. Just stunning in every which way. The party is on in Tokyo tonight!

Japan vs. Croatia – Monday, December 5th at 7 AM PST

Spain vs. Morocco – Tuesday, December 6th at 7 AM PST

World Cup Roundup – Goals Galore!

FIFA is still terrible. Qatar is still terrible. This tournament should not be happening in a place with social laws that would be antiquated even 100 years ago. The pitch invader at the Portugal match today carrying a rainbow flag and championing women’s rights has more integrity in his pinky toe than every member of FIFA combined.

That being said, we finally got some high-scoring matches today, and it’s about bloody time! There have been far too many 0-0 draws at this tournament, but today we had 14 goals scored across 4 matches!

Portugal vs. Uruguay

This was the big headline matchup of the day, and while the score line was a decisive 2-0 to the Portuguese, it was a very tense match throughout. It was goal-less at halftime with Portugal dominating possession, but Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur came closest when his long run with the ball was snuffed out by Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa just before Betancur could shoot. The Uruguayans were also defending well, and they kept the opposition out for the first 45 minutes.

Portugal went ahead however on 54 minutes when a high-arcing cross from midfielder Bruno Fernandes nestled into the bottom corner of keeper Sergio Rochet’s net. Striker Cristiano Ronaldo was running onto the cross and leapt into the air to try and get a touch on it, and while he clearly missed the ball it fooled Rochet enough as to where he didn’t run out to collect the cross. Without Ronaldo’s run and leap I think Rochet makes the save, but Ronaldo did not get a touch on the ball in spite of animatedly claiming that he did. Bruno’s goal, but it doesn’t go in without Ronaldo leaping for it.

The Uruguayans responded by bringing on additional attacking threats, and striker Maxi Gomez was unlucky to hit the post from just outside as the box as the South Americans pushed for an equalizer. Costa was beaten, and maybe an inch to the left sees this match levelled. But the majority of Uruguay’s attacking threats were nullified repeatedly throughout this match. Much like the Portuguese in the first half, they simply couldn’t create that one clear chance they needed. Every shot was blocked, and every final pass was cleared by the resilient Pepe at center back and the rest of Portugal’s back line.

They got their second via the penalty spot, although for me it was never a penalty for hand ball in a million years. The Uruguayan defender was sliding across the ground to make a challenge on Bruno, and when Bruno passed it away it the defender’s hand while his hand was on the ground and trailing slightly behind him. 100% accidental for me, but that’s not the rule anymore. The referee adjudged the defender’s hand to be in an “unnatural position” (whatever that means) and the penalty stood. Bruno stepped up to the spot and sent Rochet the wrong way for 2-0. Bruno now has 2 goals and 2 assists in this tournament and is really showing how valuable he is to this team.

Credit to Portugal for defending well today, but I am disappointed with the Uruguayans, particularly up front. This is a squad that boasts the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Suarez, and Edinson Cavani. All of those strikers are world-class or world-class adjacent, and as a result I expected a lot more from them in terms of goal-scoring not only today but in their previous match as well. They sit bottom of Group H on 1 point, and will need to beat an impressive Ghana side outright to progress.

Congrats to Portugal on securing advancement to the Round of 16. They’ve done just enough in both matches to earn 3 points, with Bruno being the star of the show so far. A draw against South Korea in the final guarantees first place in the group.

Brazil vs. Switzerland

This was the only match with a single goal scored today, and it was by the Brazilians who held on to win 1-0. While they were the better side for most of this match, the Swiss definitely had their chances to get a surprise goal. Their build-up play via counter-attacks was very good, but they couldn’t find the key vital pass.

The Brazilians thought they went ahead early on in the second half via winger Vinicius Jr., who’s finessed shot found the far right corner past keeper Yann Sommer. VAR checked the goal and it was determined that Vinicius was marginally – and a very thin one at that – offside when the ball was played to him. It was close, but that’s often how these matches go at this level.

Brazil finally did their goal on 83 minutes, and it was from an unlikely source. Some neat build-up play on the left wing saw the ball played to midfielder Casemiro in the penalty area, and he struck a sublime curling effort into the far corner of Sommer’s goal. The finish was similar to that of Vinicius earlier, but this time there was no question of offside. A great goal from a man described by teammate and superstar striker Neymar as “the best midfielder in the world.” A lofty title, but given that he has an argument to be titled as such, I am very happy that Casemiro plays for Manchester United!

Brazil also secured progression to the second round today, joining France and Portugal. They need only a draw against Cameroon to win the group. Switzerland are also in good position to progress, but they will need to beat Serbia in their final Group G match to guarantee a place in the Round of 16.

Cameroon vs. Serbia

Goal-fest! This thriller of a match ended 3-3, with the Cameroonians fighting back from 3-1 down in the second half to keep themselves alive at this tournament. Had they lost, they would have been eliminated. They showed real heart and team spirit today.

Cameroon took the lead on 29 minutes after a cross from a corner was bundled home by center back Jean-Charles Castelletto. Nothing fancy about it, but a goal nonetheless. Cameroon were pegged back in first half stoppage time however when a Serbian free kick was re-directed home via the head of center back Strahinja Pavlovic. Cameroon where then stunned again just 2 minutes later when they lost the ball in their own third, and midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic finding space to power a low shot home from just outside the edge of the penalty area. Cameroon went from winning the match to facing a World Cup exit in the span of about 120 seconds!

To compound their misery, Serbia got their 3rd on 53 minutes from striker Aleksandr Mitrovic, who had been in scintillating form the whole game. He is probably Serbia’s best player in terms of talent, and a player like him needs to be on the score sheet. It was a simple finish from just inside the 6 yard box, and the Cameroon defense was nowhere to be seen. Poor marking, but a professional finish from Mitrovic nonetheless.

The match continued to provide twists though, as just 10 minutes later the Cameroonians got one back from substitute striker Vincent Aboubakar, who beat the offside trap before chipping a finish over Serbian keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Initially, the goal was ruled out for offside, but a VAR check determined that Aboubakar was onside when he received the ball. Fine margins, but the goal stood.

Cameroon smelled blood in the water and kept pushing for the equalizer, and it was a scant three minutes later that they got it. Aboubakar did well to again beat the offside trap which gave the Cameroonians a man over in attack, and he then simply crossed the ball in from the right along the ground. Forward Eric Choupa-Moting was up alongside him to slot home with Vanja completely taken out of the play. It was a fantastic turnaround for the Indomitable Lions from west Africa!

Serbia were the more dangerous team in the final 25 minutes, with Mitrovic going close several times. His positioning and runs into the box were causing them all kinds of problems, but he could not find a winning goal for his side. The points were shared on the day when the final whistle blew.

Both teams are still alive in this tournament, but they are on the outside looking in. Cameroon face the tough task of having to beat Brazil to progress, while Serbia need a win over Switzerland to guarantee any kind of progression. The Swiss only need a draw though, so it could be tough for Serbia to break them down. Mitrovic will need to have another day like today for them to go through.

South Korea vs. Ghana

This was another thriller with five total goals scored, and the Ghanaians won 3-2 at the final whistle.

The Koreans were the better side for the opening 20 minutes or so, but Black Stars center back Mohammad Salisu got things underway on 29 minutes when he bungled home after a mad scramble in the box resulting from a free kick. The Koreans simply didn’t clear their lines, and letting the ball bounce around in the box like they did is very dangerous. The second goal on 34 minutes was much better in terms of quality, with forward Jordan Ayew whipping a delicious aerial pass into the box that found the head of midfielder Mohammad Kudus. Kudus was facing away from goal when he made contact, but showed excellent awareness to head the ball up and over Korean keeper Kim Seung-gyu. Midfielder Thomas Partey was then unlucky to not get a third after he made contact with the ball at close range from a corner, but somehow the ball inexplicably went over the bar from barely a yard out!

The Koreans came out strong again in the opening part of the second half, and this time they capitalized on their possession and chances. Striker Cho Gue-sung pulled one back for his nation with a close range header on 58 minutes, although Ghana keeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi probably should have kept it out as the shot was low and very close to him. Still though, at 2-1, the Koreans had life. They got their equalizer just three minutes later, and again it was Cho on scene to drive home a powerful diving header. Crosses from the left had been Ghana’s weakness all match, and that trend continued with this goal. The marking in the box was fairly good from Ghana, but Cho just wanted the ball more. He outjumped his marker and absolutely buried the header. It was 2-2 and with barely an hour gone, both sides knew there was plenty of time to find a winner.

Ghana struck back just seven minutes later, and it was well-worked goal finished off by Kudus. A low cross from the left was fired into South Korea’s penalty area, and the ball was deftly left to run by a Ghanaian attacker directly into the path of Kudus. His marker was too far away from him, and he re-directed the ball back across Kim Seung-Gyu’s goal and into the opposite corner. The shot was somewhat close to the keeper, but he couldn’t get down to the ground in time to stop it.

South Korea then dominated the final 20 minutes or so in desperate search of an equalizer, but a combination of last-ditch defending, poor finishing, and poor final balls kept the Koreans frustrated. After what seemed like an eternity of stoppage time for Ghana, the whistle blew and they were winners.

Ghana now find themselves second in Group H, which means they are in a good position to progress to the next round. Portugal have already claimed the other spot, which means that South Korea must now beat those same Portuguese to progress from this group. They are third with 1 point, tied with Uruguay but ahead on goal differential. Ghana need a win over a desperate Uruguay side to guarantee progression, but they could also progress with a draw and a South Korean loss.

The second round of group matches is now complete! Congratulations to Portugal, France, and Brazil for already securing qualification. Commiserations to Qatar and Canada for already being eliminated.

World Cup Roundup – Team Chaos Reigns Supreme

Qatar is a terrible place to host a World Cup for everyone except FIFA. Corrupt and rotten to the core, every one of them.

Croatia vs. Canada

Although chaos was the theme of the day, this match was probably the most predictable one beforehand. Croatia romped to a 4-1 victory over the Canadians despite going down early. This match was one of youth and athleticism versus experience and tactics. Canada have a lot of young and talented players, and it was their superstar Alphonso Davies who got their first goal of this tournament and Canada’s first goal ever at a World Cup just two minutes into the game via a header from close range. A historic moment for their nation!

But Croatia were undeterred, to say the very least. They’ve been in this sort of position before at a World Cup, and were runners-up in 2018 for a reason. They scored the next four goals over the course of the match, with two of them coming from winger/forward Andrej Kramaric. It was a brilliant day for him and the Croatian midfield in general, with a masterclass from the aging but still all-world midfielder Luka Modric. They really gave the Canadians a lesson in how to effectively pass the ball around.

Canada have sadly been eliminated from World Cup 2022, joining Qatar. Perhaps their manager John Herdman has learned the hard way not to shoot his mouth off at opposition of this caliber in pre-match interviews. It’s clear the Croatians felt disrespected today, so they were highly motivated to win. Croatia is top of Group F on 4 points.

Morocco vs. Belgium

Okay, time for some chaos now! The Belgians were strong favorites to win Group F pre-tournament, but they lost today 2-0 to a well-disciplined and opportunistic Moroccan team.

This match was a choppy one for the most part, with Belgium in particular struggling to break down a very stubborn opposition. Belgium had the majority of the possession, but that suited Morocco just fine. Belgium’s best effort of the half came early on when Michy Batshuayi’s attempt was deflected away by Moroccan keeper Munir Mohamedi. But the Morroccans broke on the counter-attack via their speedy wingers such as Hakim Ziyech several times and were causing a ton of problems for the aging Belgian defense, either via direct attacks or by winning free kicks. Morocco thought they had a goal in first half stoppage time from a header, but it was ruled out for offside after VAR checked it.

The Moroccans held on in the second half defensively, and the later it got, the more you felt like they might nick a goal. They finally did get a goal on 73 minutes from attacking midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri, who’s free kick from near the corner flag inexplicably dipped under Belgian midfielder Thibaut Courtois for 1-0. Courtois is one of the best keepers in the world, so it was very odd to see him commit such a glaring error. He has to cover his near post from the angle, and he simply didn’t. Morocco didn’t care of course, because they were now en route to a famous victory if they could hold on for 17 minutes plus stoppage time.

Belgium poured men forward trying to find an equalizer. Their best chance came when center back Jan Vertonghen headed it just wide around 80 minutes or so. But Morocco then got their second in stoppage time via another counter-attack, with a pullback cross from the right hand side of the box finding forward Zakaria Aboukhlal in front of the goal on his own, and he made no mistake with a finish into the roof of the net. It sealed all three points for Morocco in one of their biggest results ever at a World Cup.

Belgium are in trouble. They are 3rd on 3 points, but are very much on the outside looking in. They now face the daunting prospect of playing in-form Croatia to try and stay alive and progress to the next round. To make matters worse, Vertonghen and midfielder Kevin De Bruyne are sniping at each other in the press, so one can imagine that the locker room chemistry for the Belgians is rather acidic right now. These Belgians are talented, but I think they might be coming to grips with the idea that collectively they may not be athletic enough to keep up with speedier opposition. Could this group stage be the last hurrah for Belgium’s golden generation?

Morocco are 2nd in Group F on 4 points. Croatia has the tiebreaker on goal differential. The north Africans now face already-eliminated Canada on the final matchday. It is possible they progress even if they lose to Canada, but they will want to of course guarantee progression for themselves.

Japan vs. Costa Rica

This was also another chaotic result, with the Costa Ricans shocking the Blue Samurai 1-0. Japan, fresh off their upset over Germany, were heavily favored in this match not only due to their own strengths but also the defensive frailty of Costa Rica. The Spanish put 7 goals past the Ticos on the first matchday of Group E.

But the surprising heroes on the day were the Costa Rica back four and right back Keysher Fuller, who curled home from just inside the penalty area in the 81st minute after the Japanese gave the ball away in their own final third. Keeper Shuichi Gonda got a hand to the effort but could not keep it out. Some say Gonda was at fault for the goal, but as a former amateur keeper I think that’s a tad unfair on him. It was a well-taken strike after a defensive error. He maybe could have got a stronger hand to the ball, but the Japanese defense can’t give the ball away like that.

Fuller’s goal was Costa Rica’s first of the tournament, and amazingly it was their first shot on goal as well. A very surprising and unlikely result, but this was Costa Rica’s formula in 2014 that got them to the semifinals. Militant defensive discipline and opportunistic goal scoring.

Japan could have progressed to the second round today with a win, but their loss now sees them in 2nd on 3 points. Costa Rica move up to 3rd in the group on 3 points, although Japan has the tie-breaker over them on goal difference.

Spain vs. Germany

This was the biggest matchup of the day on paper and maybe the entire group stage, as these two respective countries are powerhouses in world football. It ended 1-1 which isn’t a chaotic result in and of itself, but it did create chaos in the group standings. Coming into the match their respective moods couldn’t be more different. La Rioja were flying after their 7-0 thumping of Costa Rica, while Die Manschaft were well aware that a loss today would see them almost certainly eliminated from the tournament at the group stage for the second consecutive World Cup.

Both sides were keen to defend well and not concede, and that’s how it went for the first hour or so. I would give the Spanish a slight edge as they had more possession, but the possession wasn’t utilized towards much until just after the hour mark when veteran left back Jordi Alba received the ball on the left wing in space. He spotted the diagonal run of striker Alvaro Morata into the box, and played him the ball along the ground. Morata beat his marker to the ball and clipped it with his first touch into the air and over German keeper Manuel Neuer for 1-0. It was Spain’s most dangerous attack of the match and they did well to capitalize.

Ze Germans immediately went into attacking mode, as they had no other choice but to do so. They started pressing Spain higher up the pitch, and they began forcing some errors. Such an error led to their equalizer, when they lost the ball in their own final third. It was a well taken goal from fairly close range by substitute striker Niclas Füllkrug. He and midfielder Jamal Musiala nearly ran into each other trying to run onto Musiala’s flick around the Spanish defense, but Füllkrug got there first and lashed it into the roof of the net over keeper Unai Simón.

Credit to German manager Hansi Flick for rolling the dice and bringing on Füllkrug when they needed a goal. I’d like to see a certain England manager roll the dice when similarly needed. Musiala had an excellent match as well, particularly when they were pushing for an equalizer. They could not be eliminated today even with a loss, but a loss would have all-but-guaranteed elimination. They are still bottom of Group E on 1 point, and will need a victory over Costa Rica to secure progression. A draw does them no good.

Spain will be slightly disappointed to have given away the lead and the chance to progress, but a 1-1 draw against the Germans is never something to be too upset about. They are still top of Group E on 4 points, and can win the group with a draw against Japan if Costa Rica and Germany draw. They will want to win this group though, so I imagine they’ll go for the win and take Japan very seriously.

World Cup Roundup – Japan Stuns Germany and the Belgians Barely Escape Canada

Qatar is an Islamo-fascist police state still stuck in the Middle Ages, and the money grubbing assholes at FIFA love it. Authoritarianism is bad for humanity but good for them.

Morocco vs. Croatia

This match ended in a 0-0 draw and was a total snoozefest. Good result for Morocco against the runners-up in 2018, but neither side was impressive in attack today.

Spain vs. Costa Rica

This was a demolition of Costa Rica by the Spanish from the get-go. Spain won in dominating fashion 7-0, in what was really a disappointing outing for a Costa Rican side that made the semifinals in 2014. The Spanish under manager Luis Enrique appear to be revitalized, on the other hand. Spain have been inconsistent since their 2008-2010-2012 era of domination, and for many who cheer for La Rioja this tournament was the chance to turn over a new leaf, so to speak. Enrique has opted for youth rather than experience when he picked his team, and so far it is paying off spectacularly. Teenagers like Gavi and Ansu Fati are going to be a problem for years to come.

Given the dominating fashion of this win and what happened with Germany (see below), the Spanish are now firmly in the driver’s seat to win their group. But are they contenders to win it all? Maybe. It’s tough to say at this point. How they play against Germany and Japan will provide more insight into the answer. As for right now though, do not underestimate them. They clearly have the attacking talent to cause problems for anyone.

Belgium vs. Canada

Although Belgium won this match 1-0, it was easily the worst match I have seen from Belgium in at least 10 years. They are chock full of world-class talent but today they looked old, slow, and at times disinterested in playing hard. Canada was all over them from the outset, and it was only through the heroics of Belgian keeper Thibaut Courtois that they didn’t go behind. He saved an early penalty after a Belgian handball taken by Canadian winger Alphonso Davies that kept the score level, and Davies will be absolutely kicking himself over that. His penalty was far too close to Courtois and lacked any kind of power. He also may have tipped where his shot was going during the run-up, given the positioning of his hips. He had a golden opportunity to score Canada’s first ever goal at a World Cup, but he bollocks’d it completely. Pressure!

It could be argued though that Canada should have had at least one, maybe two more penalties awarded to them in that first half. One should have definitely been given when a Canadian striker was trod upon in the area, but the referee had already improperly given an offside against Canada. There was another handball in the box later in the half, although to give that one as a penalty would have been harsh. What was clear is that the Belgian back line was at complete chaos for most of the first half, and they were extremely lucky not to concede.

The goal for the Belgians was a good one, although it was their only really good piece of attacking play and it was aided by some poor Canadian defending. A long ball was played over the top by Belgian center back Toby Alderweireld onto the run of striker Michy Batshuayi, who reached the ball before any Canadian defenders did and hit it first time on the volley into the far corner of keeper Milan Borjan’s net. They got the goal right on the edge of halftime, and it felt almost cruel to Canada. This goal was very much against the run of play, but ultimately Canada can only blame themselves. There was no pressure on Alderweireld when he passed the ball, and the run of Batshuayi beat three Canadian defenders to the ball. You can’t get beat over the top like that at this level. Had their positioning been better, they might have been able to clear the pass before it even got to Batshuayi.

The second half was far less eventful, although Belgium continued to struggle maintaining possession and surrendered several half-chances as the game progressed. Canada simply could not find a finish though. They will play better against Croatia and Tunisia, but they really let one slip through their fingers today. Belgium, for their part, will need to step their game up significantly if they want to make a deep run. They were very poor today and it was due to Courtois and dumb luck that they won. I expect players like Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard to play much better going forward.

Germany vs. Japan

This was your shocker for the day, and indeed would be the biggest shock of the tournament so far had Saudi Arabia not pulled its heroics yesterday. Japan won 2-1 after coming from behind against a much more talented German side.

Indeed, this match was eerily similar to the Saudi Arabia match in terms of how it played out. The Germans dominated the first half and went ahead on 33 minutes via a penalty from midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. No real arguments about the call as keeper Shūichi Gonda clearly fouled a German attacker when he slide-tackled to win the ball. Gundogan sent Gonda the wrong way from the spot, and it was 1-0. As with Argentina yesterday, many expected the Germans to kick on from there and win comfortably. Japan did manage to hold on until halftime only conceding one goal however, and that has proven to be a dangerous score line at this tournament. Both the Argentines and the Americans can attest to that.

They then had to rely on more defensive prowess and good keeping from Gonda to keep the Germans out. It seemed that every time a last-ditch tackle was needed, one of the Blue Samurai was on hand to make it. Germany kept getting more and more frustrated the longer it took them to find a second goal. Much like Saudi Arabia yesterday, they were saved by the offside flag and VAR several times.

Japan finally got their equalizer on 77 minutes, having grown into the game in terms of possession and creating chances around the 65 minute mark. A shot came in from the left side of the box from midfielder Kou Itakura that German keeper Manuel Neuer saved, but the rebound fell straight to substitute winger Ritsu Doan, who made no mistake when he stabbed the ball home from 5 yards out. The Germans were shocked, and it seemed like all the bad memories from their failure in 2018 came back into their minds.

Japan blew the roof off the building just five minutes later when Itakura played another ball forward along the right wing that found winger/forward Takuma Asano. He took a touch that knocked the ball into space, and he did well to hold off the German defender trying to take it off him. He got very close to Neuer’s goal before rifling a shot into the roof of the net over Neuer from a tight angle. There was a slight pause from the crowd as it appeared the shot went over the cross bar and into the roof of the net at first, but they erupted once it became clear that the shot had gone in. Great composure from Asano and well done to Japan overall for continuing to fight after going behind.

This Japanese team and their supporters are slowly but surely becoming fan favorites at this World Cup. Not only do they show spirit and togetherness on the pitch, but their supporters are showing that in the stands as well. It is a common site to see Japanese supporters helping to clean stadiums after matches, even for ones that don’t involve Japan! Such a practice is based in the Japanese cultural value of respecting public spaces and keeping them nice for everyone. It’s brilliant, really. I hope the Japanese do go far in this tournament, as they are the sort of team you want to see succeed.

The Germans have a lot of questions to answer after this match, particularly about their defensive play. The winning goal was a simple ball over the top that no one got to before Asano did. Very basic, from a tactical standpoint. Is there something mentally wrong with this German team? If so, their manager Hansi Flick needs to figure out the problem and resolve it quickly. If their defensive issues are not solved, Spain will wipe the floor with them in their next match and it could be a second consecutive group stage exit for Die Manschaft. Such a thought would have been unimaginable 10-15 years ago.

A quick (and rare) shoutout of recognition to Ze Germans though for their pre-match protest of Qatar’s human rights abuses. When they posed for their pre-match team photo, all XI men covered their mouths with their right hands. They were indicating that they would not be silenced by FIFA or Qatar, and the chancellor of the German FA has made it clear that human rights are non-negotiable for this German team. Cynics call it a hypocritical half-measure, while others see it as a way to bring the issues of human rights to the forefront.

Wrap Up of Champions League Quarterfinals and United-Sevilla Preview

With the semifinal of Paris St. Germain vs. Red Bull Leipzig already locked in, it was time to determine the other two teams in the semifinal match. The winners of Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich and Manchester City vs. Olympique Lyonnais would advance to play each other.

Barcelona 2 – 8 Bayern Munich

That is not a typo in the scoreline there. It seems like it should be, but no – Bayern scored 8 (eight) goals against Barca and thoroughly demolished them in every way. It would almost take a separate blog post to list out all the goal action, but Thomas Müller (x2), Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, and Phillipe Coutinho (x2) were all scorers for the dominant German side. Barca got an early own goal via Bayern center back David Alaba and a 2nd from Donkey Face Luis Suarez just after half time, but Barca never got within 2 goals of Bayern after that. 

There are many reasons for such a lopsided victory, which was a record in many different ways. For one, Bayern are an absolutely ruthless and well-oiled football machine, and they do nothing but churn out goals. Every single player in the side from the goalkeeper to the forwards is excellent on the ball, and they can all pass with precision and power. Add in the fact that they seem to be able to communicate with each other telepathically at times, and you have the recipe for an incredibly dangerous team. Alaba’s blemish and a few wasted chances early on by Barca aside, Bayern were almost perfect today. All credit to their German manager Hansi Flick because I think Bayern are the best club team in the world right now and it will be difficult for any team left in this tournament to beat them. If they weren’t the favorites before, they certainly are now.

Fun fact: I learned today that Bayern have a guy from Canada playing for them! I haven’t seen a Canadian playing in Europe in ages, let alone for a major club side like Bayern. Shout out to left back Alphonso Davies for representing North America well today with a scintillating run and assist on Kimmich’s goal.

I think the other reason for the major defeat today is that Barca are a powerhouse in decline. They have been a dominant side in both Spain and Europe for the past 10-12 years thanks to the efforts of legendary players like Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Neymar, Suarez, Xavi, Carlos Puyol, and Andres Iniesta to name a few. However, the superstars they have left are all now on the wrong side of 30 and the club has not invested properly in replacements. They have relied on the greatness of Messi to bail them out for a very long time, and because he is the greatest player of all time that strategy has worked in the past. But he’s 33 now, and today he couldn’t bail them out. Bayern didn’t let him anywhere near the ball for long periods of the game and Barca’s attack was stifled significantly.

It would be easy to lay the blame for Barca’s worst loss since 1951 today solely on the players and manager Quique Setien, but truth be told the problems Barca have go much deeper than just the players and manager. I think the massive defensive errors, poor player selection, and poor tactics on display today are all symptoms of an overarching disease. As stated briefly above, the players brought in by the Barca board of directors and president Josep Bartomeu have not panned out in the way they were expected to. Further, they have let key players go that probably should have stayed, such as Coutinho. His departure stings especially because technically Coutinho is only on loan to Bayern and scored twice against his parent club today.  They are paying him to score against them! The club’s famed La Masia youth academy is not turning out quality players on a consistent basis, either.

This team plays stale tactics with players that are not where they used to be physically. It’s obvious that Setien is getting sacked before too much longer, but nothing will change at the club unless Bartomeu and the board are also sacked. The structure of the club needs to be rid of the egos that have created such a toxic environment there. Will Messi stay? Will Messi go? That is just one of many questions that need to be answered if Barca wants to return to it’s previously elite status.

Manchester City 1 – 3  Olympique Lyonnais

Before I get into the analysis here I need to take a moment to laugh at Man City. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Ha.

Right then. City came into this match as heavy favorites, and before kick off this game had a feel similar to the Atalanta/PSG match. You knew PSG were likely to win it, but Lyon’s team play and tactics are solid so you weren’t quite sure who would come out on top. City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola is considered one of the best managers in the world and he has a plethora of talent to choose from in any given game. Despite his successes at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Man City in their respective domestic leagues, he has struggled in Europe since leaving Spain. Man City have never won the Champions League and with Real Madrid and other giants like Juventus and Barcelona out of the way, there has never been a better opportunity for City to do well.

As has been a theme in this tournament though, nothing has gone according to script. Despite having the possession advantage for the first 20 minutes or so, City found themselves down 1-0 on 24 minutes after a goal from French left back Maxwell Cornet. A long ball over the top of the City defense fell to Cameroonian forward Karl Toko-Ekambi, but City keeper Ederson was quick off his line and got a block in on the shot, but the ball rebounded to Cornet who deftly hit the ball around Ederson and into the left side of the goal. It was just what Lyon needed to make City start worrying and begin to doubt themselves. The scoreline did not change after that in the first half, even though Cornet was forced to make a key block on England forward Raheem Sterling that could have easily led to a City goal. Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes was called into action on several occasions to make saves and also break up crosses into the box. It looked awkward at times for him but he and the Lyon back 4 did just enough to keep City out in the first half

City were in the ascendancy for the first 25 minutes or so of the second half, and it was via Sterling and all-world midfielder Kevin de Bruyne that they got their equalizer on 69 minutes. Sterling did well to beat his man in the left side of the penalty area, and he cut the ball back towards de Bruyne who streaked in and side-footed past Lopes. De Bruyne had been in excellent form throughout the match and the captain was easily City’s best player on the day. Excellent vision, passing, free kicks, and ball control from the Belgian today. Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus was unlucky to not put City up 2-1 when the ball fell to him in the right side of the penalty box. He tried to hit the ball on the volley first-time but accidentally struck the top of the ball, meaning most of the power in his shot went straight into the ground. The ball bounced harmlessly over the goal and out for a goal kick.

Lyon did not fold under the pressure though, and to their credit they kept attacking. Lyon manager Rudi Garcia played an absolute blinder tactically today. Guardiola was out-witted, and not for the first time this season. Garcia put on substitute striker Moussa Dembele for the largely ineffective Memphis Depay, and the dividends were paid almost immediately. City’s back line were caught high up on the pitch, and the ball was played through towards Ekambi who had made a run behind the City defense. He appeared to be offside, but let the ball run through his legs to Dembele who was streaking in behind him and to his right. Dembele had shed his marker Aymeric Laporte and after a few touches slid it under Ederson and into the City goal for 2-1 Lyon. This was a controversial goal due to not only the potential offside by Ekambi, but also due to a foul on Laporte by Dembele before he received the ball. Dembele appeared to clip the heals of Laporte in order to get around him, causing him to fall. However, VAR confirmed the goal and Lyon had restored their lead 2-1 on 79 minutes. City fans probably felt particularly aggrieved by the decision.

City pushed for an equalizer and almost had one on 85 minutes when a good cross from Jesus on the right side found an unmarked Sterling about 7 yards from goal with the keeper stranded on the other side. Sterling hit the ball first time but somehow turned the ball over the top of the goal and out of bounds. It was a very bad miss from him. Indeed, from that position and that close in it’s harder to miss than it is to put it in. City were punished for this error just 59 seconds later when the ball was won by Lyon in midfield and brought forward by substitute Jeff Rene-Adelaide. He played the ball to his left and found midfielder Houssem Arouar, who cut inside onto his right foot and lashed a shot at the City goal. The ball was only parried by Ederson and not very well, as it fell straight to Dembele who scrambled it over the line for 3-1. Sheer bedlam on the Lyon bench and utter dejection from Guardiola and City.

City forged a few more good chances in the dying minutes, but as was the case for most of the match, they could not convert and struggled to get shots on target. Many questions will be asked of Guardiola after this stunning defeat, such as why he failed to bring on more creative players when down 2-1 despite having 3+ substitutions left. City fans can only blame the referee for so much here. This loss was largely down to the tactics of Guardiola. City had 72% of the possession today but could only manage 7 shots on target over 90 minutes. That’s a very low shot-on-target rate for a team with players the caliber of which City has. Lyon’s keeper was in good form and their back-4 generally played very well to be sure, but City spent far too much time passing it around near the halfway line, and nowhere near enough time getting men forward and creating shooting chances. There was some poor finishing on display to be sure, but the missed chances hurt more when you don’t create many of them. It will be interesting to see what happens with Guardiola and the ownership of Man City going forward.

Lyon advances to play Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the Champions League.

Preview – Manchester United vs. Sevilla (Europa League Semifinal)

The Red Devils will take on Sevilla FC from the south of Spain in Cologne, Germany on Sunday at noon PT / 3 ET America time. This is a one-off match with the winner advancing to the Europa League final on Friday August 21.

United will hope for a cooler day than the sweltering weather they played in against Copenhagen, as a warm day will favor the Spanish opposition. The south of Spain is incredibly warm 8-9 months out of the year, so a bit of heat won’t really bother them. Manchester, in the northwest of England, is usually rather cold and I don’t think a lot of our English/northern European players are used to playing in heat.

Anyway, enough about the weather. I was impressed with Sevilla’s performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers in their quarterfinal match, although their victory was not without flaws. Sevilla are very good in possession, and Argentine midfielder Ever Banega pulls the strings for them in attack. He is a little past his prime at age 31, but clearly still capable of running a game for his side. They also look solid in defense as well, having shut down the Wolves attack for most of the second half.

I did see opportunities for Sevilla to be hit on the counter-attack though. The speedy Adama Traore was able to run at the Sevilla center-backs once or twice in the first half, and with some more clinical finishing Wolves may have found themselves ahead. That encourages me. Wolves have 1 player that can break quickly and attack. United have at least 4-5. I think if United sit back and absorb pressure, we can get at them on the counter-attack. Of course the passing and the timing of the counter-attacks will need to be spot-on, but I think the play of Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire will be especially important. Martial for his hold up play and passing when other forwards are running to join the attack, and Maguire for his ability to clear crosses in the air in a way that gets United off and running on the break. My expected line-up:

Romero

AWB – Lindelof – Maguire – Williams

Matic – Pogba

Greenwood – Bruno – Rashford

Martial

Paul Pogba will be given license to push forward when appropriate, and look for Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood to switch sides occasionally if the attack isn’t clicking. I expect Sevilla to try and attack us down their right side and expose the defensive frailties of Brandon Williams, so it will be the duties of Maguire and Nemanja Matic to ensure he gets extra help when he needs it.

Glory Glory Man United!

 

 

 

Meta-Blog: One Year Anniversary of 4-4-2!

I can’t believe I’ve been writing on this blog for a year already. Time flies when you’re when you’re having fun, and even though it wasn’t always fun to write about England or Manchester United losing, I find writing this blog to be very therapeutic. I have a stressful job, so focusing my mind on this is a welcome distraction even when I have to analyze a loss.

I’d like to start off by saying thanks to everyone who encouraged me to start a blog last year during the men’s World Cup. I wouldn’t have done it without that encouragement. I’m sure many of my Facebook friends are also happy they no longer have to read a wall of text on their timelines as well after a big match. Eventually, I’d like to become a part-time football/soccer writer for some kind of internet publication, so this blog has been great practice for that.

Goals

One objective or goal I have for this blog is to get more people interested in football/soccer. The game is rapidly growing in popularity even without my help, but I want a place where non-fans or casual fans can read up on the sport and hopefully develop an appreciation for its tactical complexity and emotional involvement. I try to keep negativity to a minimum, but I am not afraid to lay down some sharp criticism of a team, player, ref, or organization when it is warranted.

I also want to dispel the common notion that football is boring. Even though there is the occasional dull match, this sport as a whole is fantastically entertaining. It’s full of incredible feats of athleticism and often high drama, both on and off the pitch.

Stats

In the past year, I have published 68 individual posts with this one being number 69 (nice lol). I have had 235 views on the blog from 179 different visitors. They come from all across the world, and I love all my international readers. I have had clicks/views from USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Taiwan, France, Hong Kong, South Korea, Spain, Zambia, and Brazil. Most people found my blog via Facebook, but it seems some people also found the blog via searching on WordPress.

The most viewed post was my very first one, where I did a breakdown of the Round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup and welcomed everyone to the blog. The most viewed post of  calendar year 2019 was the one about Man United’s miraculous comeback versus Paris St. Germain in the Champions League. What a great moment that was!

Sources

I form my opinions primarily on my own first-hand analysis of each match. If I am able to watch the match live, the analysis is usually more in-depth. If I am not able to watch a given match due to work or due to it being on incredibly early in the morning, I will watch some extended highlights and glean opinions from other sites such as BBC, Reddit, and Deadspin. To be clear, there are many incredibly asinine opinions on each of those sites mixed in with good ones, so I really have to critically evaluate which opinions I agree with and which ones I don’t. Even when I agree with an opinion I see generally, I often phrase it in my own way. No copying/pasting around here!

Tips? Suggestions?

Alright readers, what would you like to see more of? Less of? How can I make this blog more appealing to more people? Videos? GIFs? Photos? More/less tactical analysis? More/less Hot Takes? I’m open to virtually all suggestions of course but I do retain ultimate veto power.

I am excited to see where this blog goes in the next year. I hope more people continue reading and find the same joy from this blog that I get from writing it!

Edit: In a moment of great idiocy I forgot to include shoutouts and thank yous to my friends Jesse and Jose for their contributions in the past year. I hope to continue working with them and others for analysis and Hot Takes on the USMNT, Barcelona/La Liga, and Mexico.

Lionesses and USA Both Win Their Respective Groups

It’s been a jam-packed few days of football in the Women’s World Cup, with the final round of group matches being played. The Round of 16 is now entirely set, with both England and the US Women’s Team moving on to the next round as group winners. Winning the group is essential at the World Cup because it usually sets you up with an easier or more favorable second round match-up.

England edged out Japan 2-0 thanks to goals in both halves from striker Ellen White. The Lionesses played very well in the first half and dominated possession, but were lucky to not be pegged back level after a dangerous Japanese free-kick was pushed onto the cross bar by England keeper Karen Bardsley. It was a world-class save and really one of the first tests for Bardsley this tournament. She proved she is capable of stepping her game up, as did the entire team. It was probably nice for them to exact at least a little bit of revenge against Japan after they knocked England out in the semifinals of the 2015 World Cup.

3 wins from 3 matches and winning the group is all anyone can ask of manager Phil Neville. In the end, that’s really all that matters. But, it does feel like England still do have room to improve in the attacking third. The defense and goalkeeping are there, and the midfield is excellently run by Jill Scott, but the forwards have been guilty of some poor passing in attack and wastefulness in front of goal at times. Another problem is that England’s players on the whole seem to do well in the first half, but then they tend to fade in the second. That hasn’t hurt them so far since their opposition hasn’t been strong and Japan were themselves somehow even more wasteful in front of goal, but England need to keep a consistent level of energy throughout the span of a match against tougher opposition. I still feel that this talented team has yet to play its best game in this tournament. Maybe White, Nikita Parris, Jodie Taylor, and Fran Kirby can finally get the goals flowing.

England play Cameroon in their Round of 16 fixture on June 23.

The Americans won 2-0 as well over Sweden today, although their 2-0 win was much different than England’s. You can never evaluate a game based on the scoreline alone for that reason. England fought and scrapped for their two goals and had to survive their fair sure of scary moments, but the Americans were more or less in control from the get-go. Sweden was supposed to be the toughest opposition they faced so far, and while they were vastly better than Thailand and Chile, you never felt like the Swedes were going to score. Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd usually grab the headlines for their prowess in attack, but in this match the US defense showed it’s class.

I was once again impressed with center-back Becky Sauerbrunn’s positioning and tackling. She always seems to be in the right place at the right time, making the crucial interception or tackle. A player that I hadn’t noticed before but was even more impressed by was right-back Crystal Dunn. Her athleticism and excellent one-on-one defending skills were on full display, and she essentially shut down Sweden’s left attacking side on her own.

There was no dispute about USA’s first goal, a corner poked home from close range by midfielder Lindsey Horan in the opening minutes. However, the 2nd goal was marred by an offside controversy that triggered a VAR review. It appeared to most, including me, that Lloyd was in an offside position when the ball was played into the box by Megan Rapinoe. The Swedish centre back ran to cover her, and ended up touching the ball first. In the process she knocked it across the face of goal into the path of Tobin Heath. Heath took a shot that deflected off Swedish defender Jonna Andersson from a tight angle and into the net.

The USA deserved the goal given their dominance of the game, but by all accounts it should not have stood. Lloyd didn’t touch the ball when it was played to her in an offside position, but she drew a defender away from Heath and forced her to clear the ball away. At that point, the lineswoman’s flag should have gone up and the play whistled dead before Heath even got her shot off. VAR also should have caught the offside and they did do a review, but the ref somehow determined that the goal should stand. For me, if a player in an offside position is interfering with play, offside should be called even if the player doesn’t touch the ball. Either the rule is wrong, or the ref interpreted the rule incorrectly. It is my hope that the referees and FIFA officials get together soon and discuss how to sort out all the rules changes and VAR issues being presented at this tournament.

USA will play Spain in their Round of 16 fixture on June 24 at noon ET.

Full Round of 16 fixtures:

Germany vs. Nigeria

Australia vs. Norway

England vs. Cameroon

France vs. Brazil

USA vs. Spain

Canada vs. Sweden

Italy vs. China

Netherlands vs. Japan