OdishaLIVE Bureau
Favourites were knocked out, underdogs qualified and some great moments emerged. The stage is all set for a thriller.
- Sweden beat Mexico 3-0 to qualify into the Round of 16s
- Defending Champions Germany are knocked out of the tournament by South Korea who beat them 2-0
- Switzerland draw with Costa Rica by 2-2 while Brazil beat Serbia 3-0 to qualify into the Round of 16s.
Let’s just say we saw one of the most dramatic nights of football, yesterday. It has to be the best day of football in the tournament until, now. Favourites were knocked out, underdogs qualified and some great moments emerged.
SWEDEN vs. MEXICO
Sweden on Top
In the first match of the day, Sweden defeated the table toppers Mexico by 3-0 and overtook their throne in the Ekaterinburg Arena in Ekaterinburg. It was a result that many did not expect but credit to the Swedish team and their manager Janne Anderson. The start of the game was in itself explosive when Gallardo of Mexico was shown the fastest yellow card in World Cup history when he clashed into Ola Toivonen.
Sweden went close from a couple of free kicks in the early minutes and just 5 minutes into the game, Guillermo Ochoa handled the ball outside the box and Sweden were awarded the free kick and Ochoa was forced to make a save. Forsberg and Berg both had chances where they could have done something but both of them wasted it. Mexico began to grow into the game in the 17th minute when, Carlos Vela’s shot just went shy of the goal after Javier Hernandez intercepted the ball. Sweden were almost awarded a penalty in the 29th minute when Hernandez appeared to handle the ball but the referee with the help of VAR decided not to award the penalty. Mexico thereafter, dominated the half with Hirving Lozano’s shot getting blocked. Miguel Layun and Vela also had their chance but they were rather wasteful.
Sweden took the 2nd half by storm by scoring 3 goals in 45 minutes and most of their goals were scored by their defenders.
A low grounded cross was put into the box and it deflected off Claesson and fell for Augustinsson who took his opportunity and scored for Sweden in the 50th minute although many would believe the Mexican goalkeeper could have done better. Hector Moreno later in the half, clashed into Berg and the referee awarded a penalty to Sweden. The big centre back, Granqvist stepped up and smashed the ball into the top corner to make it 2-0 for Sweden in the 62nd minute. Mexico just couldn’t get out of their misery when the Edson Alvares scored an own goal from a cross in the 74th minute. Carlos Vela had a great chance to get a consolation goal for his country from a Javier Hernandez cross which could have affected their position in the table but he missed from point blank range in the later stages of the half.
SOUTH KOREA vs. GERMANY
Germany played South Korea in the second match of the day in the Kazan Arena in Kazan and needed a win by at least 2 goals to qualify. Many expected them to win comfortably but the South Koreans had other plans. Germany had an early scare when Jung-Woo-Young came close from a free kick in the 19th minute. Germany did everything in their hand to win but the ball wouldn’t just go in. The pattern was already set, Germany having most of the ball and South Korea sitting deep and playing on the counter-attack.
“Germany went to Russia 3 times unprepared
1) World War 1
2) World War 2
3) World Cup 2018It seems they never learn from their past “
South Korea get VAR Lucky
Mesut Ozil was back in the squad after being dropped out of the Sweden match but he failed to make any sort of impact. Germany were already being knocked out when they were drawing 0-0, as Sweden were thrashing Mexico 3-0 on the other side but things went even worse for them when Kim Young-Gwon scored from a corner in the 93rd minute. The goal was consulted by the VAR and was announced legal and South Korea led Germany by 1-0. That was not it for the defending champions as Manuel Neur was caught out of his goal in the opposition half and Son Heung-Min capitalised and slotted the ball in the net to double the lead. Defender Mats Hummels had a triplet of chances to score but it seemed like the ball would not just go into the net for Germany.
The full-time whistle blew and the South Koreans had knocked the defending champions out of the World Cup. Sweden sit at the top of their group, with Mexico also qualifying with them while Germany sit at the bottom of the group. The curse of the champion remains as all the World Cup winners including the likes of Italy, Spain and Germany now getting out of the group stages in the following tournament after winning it 4 years back.
SWITZERLAND vs. COSTA RICA
Switzerland drew 2-2 with Costa Rica in the Nizhny Novgorod stadium and booked their place in the round of 16. Costa Rica had the better start of the two teams with playing some neat football, creating chances and even hitting the woodwork once. But, Blerim Dzemaili drilled into the Costa Rican goal after Breel Embolo headed the ball in his path and the Swiss were 1-0 up in the 31st minute.
Intent Costa Rica
Costa Rica still looked to come back in the game and their efforts were awarded when Kendall Waston scored a header from a corner in the 56th minute. It looked like the Swiss had won the game when Denis Zakaria’s cross was put in the goal by Drimic dramatically in the 88th minute. But, Costa Rica showed their determination and Joel Campbell won them a penalty after being fouled in the penalty area. Costa Rica levelled it up in the 93rd minute through a Bryan Ruiz Penalty, which deflected off Jan Sommer’s back after hitting the post.
BRAZIL vs. SERBIA
Brazil played Serbia in the other match in the Spartak Stadium in Moscow and the winner would have qualified into the knockout stages provided that it had the better goal difference than the other.
Brazil on top
Neymar and company looked more threatening, creating more chances than the Serbian team and it was until the 36th minute when Philipe Countinho’s brilliant pass found Paulinho who just dinked it past the Serbian goalkeeper and Brazil were 1-0 up. Aleksandr Mitrovic came close to scoring in the first half when he attempted a bicycle kick from a Dusan Tadic cross in the first half. Brazil dominated the second half and Thiago Silva scored from a corner taken by Neymar in the 68th minute. Neymar had several chances to score but it seemed that kind of a night for him.
The full-time whistle blew and Serbia were knocked out of the tournament. Brazil top the group and will play Mexico in the Round of 16 whereas Switzerland came in second and will play Sweden in the Round of 16.
