Weirdly enough despite the early goal that’s the “worst” I’ve seen Canada look in awhile. So disorganized defensively, lots of old legs. Also credit to Croatia, again despite early goal against they look really up for it and fluid. Could have had more.

With Canada it was always gonna be how much their elite attackers can balance out their shaky defense. We will see what changes Herdman makes at half. 

Never seen an Aussie team press like this. Not sure we even know how to do it. Certainly not GA ha ha

Look the Qatari government might be shit but I'm glad the Qatari people got a goal to cheer. The people here are just like anywhere else.

Canada has been poor and no desperation in defense there for 3-1.

Wow the Jap and Belgium results.
Dont ya luv football.
now come in Spain one more punch to the Germans.

Never thought Spain vs Germany can be so boring. You have Martin Tyler commentating on his own and the match has no atmosphere 

Croatia just put the peddle down and barely got out of second gear. Looked very comfortable.

Go the Cros Muz :) 

MCG not sure what you’re after in a game - very balanced game and imo the young Spanish are beautiful to watch.
Beautiful build up Spanish goal.
this is going to warm up even more Germans have to go all out.
Tyler doesn’t worry me at all, what you expecting he’s calling a game with ease.

Japan really screwed themselves. Now they have almost no chance of going through. Germany will beat Costa Rica, which will mean that only a win against Spain will do for Japan, and I just can't see that happening. What a waste. 

Your probably right but expect the Japs going all out against Spain - should be a fast game.

One miracle win in any world cup is usually the full quota, so can't really see Japan pulling off two miracle wins.

For all those who constantly bemoan our supposed lack of players playing in big leagues, look at Belgium. They  are a team of huge names at club level who star  in big European leagues.

Yet when it comes to the big international tournaments, particularly outside Europe, they are chokers.  When they've had to play in Asian Russia, or South America and the Asian Middle-East, they are virtually useless in conditions they are unfamiliar with. I think their record in European Championships is  poor too.

Belgium, ranked number 2 in the world,  have a Golden Generation of world renowned stars, who are individually brilliant, but have achieved virtually nothing in international football. They are a team of champions, not a champion team. The sum of their parts is far less than the individuals who comprise it.

They've just lost to Morocco 2-0. Pathetic!

He really needs a side guy, isnt he normally with Jim Beglin? 

This is a very good Morocco team.

They made the semis in Russia (and finished third). Now they’re just old. The golden generation has hang around too long and they haven’t found the players to replace them. It’s kind of like Australia after 2010 on a larger scale.

Beglin must have been calling anotehr game or other duties who knows......

I get where MCG and others possibly come from but that game for eg, it was a midfield battle from start to finish - at times ball going around like in a pin ball - one moment 5/6 pass's stringed together next minute back and forth till someone picked up the loose ball again.
7 offsides, tactics at play as expected.
18 shots combined over the 90 hence some would have been bored and Tylers style putting them asleep But for me its the football I get pulled in by, the tussle they were having, aggro here and there in tackling, I kind of don't care of the calling.
Besides most times when its the heavy weights against each other the games don't live up to the expectations.

D2 does not watch any Euro football, agreed, if he saw the varied good leagues the Moroccan's play in then he'll get it.

In saying that I feel for Belguim for you can't not like some of their brilliant players, great Club players more than combining together in NT.
Baffling though I do feel Martinez is a peice that is not getting them on, much like his Toffe days, he built up a promising squad but couldn't get it over the edge to win more than not, alot like this NT and worse he has the cattle !
OK Hazard been on the outer sonce he went to RM and injuries, he's under done to play atm as I watched, Lukaku another on the injured list that came on late in depsaration BUT he has other tools to rely on.

Yeah just to clarify the match was fine. Just the poor bloke commentating himself and the crowd was quiet it didn’t feel like a World Cup match imo. But I saw two tidy finishes so not complaining 

The midfield battle was quick and hectic mind you, pressing like mad not just the 2 lead up play and well taken strikes.
Got to say the pace of play for the goals was nice.
I thought the Germans really didn't like being owned at times by the young spanairds - Gavi 18yrs/Pedri 20yrs are so talented playing at this level and key players already.
The balance of youth and experience, Busquets still carves it, Alba.
Rudiger is a beast CB for the Germans, he'd like to rip off opponents heads and kick it in the goal, what aggro presence.
Strangely cameras were showing the crowd cheering to me but its not the same as the minnow/african/ME support thats for sure.

I stand corrected if I'm wrong. Thanks if you are correct.

  I thought one semi in the Russian WC was France v Russia and the other was England v Croatia?

If  Belgium were the losing semi-finalist to France in Russia, it is a decent result.

Yeah, they beat Brazil in the quarterfinals, then lost to France 1-0 in the semi. Russia lost to Croatia in the quarters on penalties.

Thanks, Derider.

I noted Italy knocked them out of the European Champs  when I was in France 2016. Italy were tactically  superior.  

Not  sure how  Belgium went in the recent Euro Champs?

One would expect the World Number 2 to still beat them though, despite Morocco being a good team.

I've mentioned elsewhere D2 its not always what stats/and comparing team start line ups.
Got to accept thats the beauty of the game on a given day, nothing is garanteed.
My Azzuri as mentioend twice missing out, unheard of but happenned.

Last 9 pm match Serbia to win tonight 

No reason given as yet but Cameroon have suspended goalkeeper Onana. 

he wont stop coming out and playing sweeper 

Lost to Italy in the QF.

Scoring the first goal in a match in this cup is just asking for a hiding

Would be much quicker just to google it than ask the question on here.