2018 World Cup

[Pies4shaw]

Sweden 1, Suisserland 0.

England 1, Colombia 1 and 4:3 on penalties after extra time.

In the round of 16, three games went to extra time and each of those went to penalties - one starts to wonder if there's any poiint to playing the extra 30 minutes or whether it would be better to go straight to penalties. Looking at England at the end of 120 minutes, it's hard to see them running out the game in their quarter final after that extra work today.

Quarter final results will be:

If Cavani is fit, Uruguay 4, France 1. If Cavani isn't fit, Uruguay 0, France 0 and France through 4:1 on penalties.

Brazil 2, Belgium 0. Belgium are great up front but they look too plodding at the back to cope with Brazil on an average day. Belgium are the best team at the tournament going forward with the ball, so it would be great to see them win but, realistically, who's going to catch Neymar and Coutinho?

Sweden 1, England 0. Kane to miss 3 penalties on the way - just to remind us of what makes England so compelling in international championship games.

Croatia 5, Russia 0. Really, how did Russia get this far? Ok, ok - by knocking out Spain. Once, it's funny, twice and it's a lop=sided semi-final.

Now that the picture is emerging, there is clearly a harder road to the Final and an easier road.

[K]

[roar]

I also liked the golden goal and don't know why they abandoned it.

[Pies4shaw]

Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal in the 1996 European Championship comes to mind. I think FIFA probably liked the idea of finding a version of soccer that the Germans couldn't win.

[thesoretoothsayer]

Good article about something that I'm glad seldom occurs in the AFL:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/world-cup/the-world-cup-shines-a-light-on-footballs-biggest-disgrace/news-story/01f8ea5c803dfb54bff6b8298cb3f840

[Jezza]

Sweden 1-0 Switzerland

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44610243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=012FkPcI1uE

Goals:
Sweden - 66' (Forsberg)

Colombia 1-1 England

England wins 4-3 on penalties

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44610244

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbmaLT320hw

Goals:
England - 57' (Kane) - Penalty
Colombia - 90' (Mina)

Quarter Finals:
- Uruguay v France
- Brazil v Belgium
- Russia v Croatia
- Sweden v England

[Jezza]

Tonight's Matches:

Uruguay v France - 12am EST


Brazil v Belgium - 4am EST

[Pies4shaw]

No Cavani, no Uruguay. No Socrates, no Brazil.

Uruguay and Belgium go home and we have Neymar neymore.

[Jezza]

Uruguay 0-2 France

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44652179

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YK4o-Gbppg

Goals:
France - 40' (Varane)
France - 61' (Griezmann)

Brazil 1-2 Belgium

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44652178

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8IK0ZqfxNI

Goals:
Belgium - 13' (Fernandinho) - Own Goal
Belgium - 31' (De Bruyne)
Brazil - 76' (Renato Augusto)

[Jezza]

Tonight's Matches:

Sweden v England - 12am EST


Russia v Croatia - 4am EST

[roar]

French looking the business and Belgium did us all a favour. The semi between them promises to be a cracker.

Hoping England and Croatia win tonight to make it another cracker for the other semi.

[Pies4shaw]

This might prove to be a World Cup in which no competent team makes the Final.

[swoop42]

The only time I really watch soccer is during the world cup and while I enjoy it the softness and staging of the prima donna players reminds me of why it'll never have more than a passing appeal to me and many other Australians who love their AFL or NRL.

While watching some of the Geelong and Sydney game last night however I was left wondering if a nil all game of soccer between two world class sides is still a much better spectacle than a game of AFL where the winning side has 17 more scoring shots and yet only wins by 2 goals.

In a game where the goals have no cross bar or dedicated goal defender the inaccuracy of AFL is inexcusable sometimes.

[Jezza]

Sweden 0-2 England

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44665445

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr7-HtVlAdI

Goals:
England - 30' (Maguire)
England - 58' (Alli)

Russia 2-2 Croatia

Croatia wins 4-3 on penalties

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44665444

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjU8j2bj3RY

Goals:
Russia - 31' (Cheryshev)
Croatia - 39' (Kramaric)
Croatia - 100' (Vida)
Russia - 115' (Figueira Fernandes)

Semi Finals:
- France v Belgium
- Croatia v England

[swoop42]

Come on England.