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≡ FIFA WORLD CUP ≡
The penultimate day of round-of-32 matches saw Spain completely outclass Austria, but the Portugal-Croatia match had a non-stop second half for the ages.
● Spain 3, Austria 0 ● Spain is one of the tournament favorites and showed their prowess at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, taking 10 shots in the first half to just two for offensively-cautious Austria and getting a goal in the 36th minute for a 1-0 lead.
Spain got a shot-on-goal in the first minute from star striker Lamine Yamal in the first minute, that was saved, and by the hydration break, the Spanish had three shots to none for Austria. Spanish defender Marc Cucurella scored in the 29th, but the goal was wiped off for a foul.
But Spain did go up 1-0 in the 36th, as a charge up the middle of the field by midfielder Pedri led to a pass to Cucurella on the left, and his cross to striker Mikel Oyarzabal left-footed the finish in the net. It was almost 2-0 at 45+2 as midfielder Alex Baena’s free kick hit the crossbar from 25 yards out and the half ended 1-0.
The second half was more of the same, but Austria had a look at the game in the 61st, as a header from sub forward Sasa Kalajzdic went over the crossbar. But five minutes later, a pass from the left endline by Baena flew into the box and was scored on a header by the onrushing defender Pedro Porro for the 2-0 edge.
That was going to be enough, but Spain scored one more in the 89th, as Oyarzabal took a left-side cross from Cucurella in the box and finished into the right-side corner of the Austrian net for the 3-0 final.
European champs Spain ended with 64% possession and a 23 shots to five, and even more 10 shots on the Austrian goal vs. none for Austrian on the Spanish goal. Decisive in every way.
● Portugal 2, Croatia 1 ● Both sides had chances in the first five minutes on a hot day (88 F, 58% humidity) in Toronto, especially from midfielder Bruno Fernandes for Portugal in the 4th, but no score.
Portugal had more possession and made some threats, but none found the net, including a header by defender Renato Veiga in the 13th, off a corner that was on line, but ended up over the net. At the hydro break, Portugal had 64% possession and an 8-3 edge on shots, but no score.
The “second period” was more of the same. Portugal had the ball, threatened over and over again and did not score. The Croatian attack was most on the counter and Portugal ended the half at 69% of the ball and 9-3 on shots; each had one shot on goal.
Portugal was still holding most of the possession in the 54th, then a Croatian cross from defender Josip Stanisic from the right side went past a header try in the middle of the box by striker Igor Matanovic and fell to forward Ivan Perisic, who gained possession, settled down and then sent a left-footed laser to the far right side of the Portugal goal for a 1-0 lead.
Croatia scored again in the 56th via midfielder Nikola Vlasic on a rush to the goal to meet a cross from the right, but it was called offside. Portugal almost tied in the 58th on a tremendous strike from forward Rafael Leao, but it slammed off the crossbar!
Portugal star forward Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to tie it in the 60th on a long pass into the box than he brought down, controlled and ripped into the net, but called offsides, barely. Off a corner in the 65th, Veiga was pulled down in the box by Croatia’s Vlasic and a penalty was given. Ronaldo lined up, stutter-stepped and scored on the penalty for the 1-1 tie in the 68th. Of course, the hydro break followed, with Portugal at 65% possession and 11-7 on shots, but now even.
Portugal keeper Diogo Costa had to make saves in the 72nd and 74th and 77th minutes to keep Croatia from scoring, then midfielder Petar Sucic scored in the 80th, but was called offside.
Portugal finally got some possession and at 90+4, a left right-side cross into the box, in front of goal by Leao was somehow found between three Croatian defenders by forward Goncalo Ramos, who headed it into the goal for 2-1 with about eight minutes of play still left.
In desperation time at 90+12, a Croatian cross by Perisic from the left side flew into the goal area for a contested header with Matanovic and Veiga on the ball, which rolled left, was popped forward by Mario Pasalic in front of the goal, and ended up in the net, touched by either Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves or Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol for a 2-2 tie!
But a review showed that because Matanovic touched the ball – there is a chip in it that registers touches – Pasalic was clearly offsides on the play. No goal and Portugal held on to win, 2-1.
Portugal finished with 60% possession and 15 shots to 13 with astounding drama throughout the second half.
● Switzerland 2, Algeria 0 ● From the kick-off in Vancouver, Algeria was on the move, dominating play in the first 10 minutes, looking for shots and controlling play in the Swiss zone.
But a break-out in the 10th saw Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi running with the ball through the left side of the Algerian zone, all the way to the endline! As he got close to goal, Algerian keeper Luca Zidane came out and the ball was crossed to an oncoming striker Breel Embolo, who finished easily for the 1-0 lead!
The hydro break came with 60% Algerian possession, but shots were 3-3. Algeria continued to run at the Swiss defense in the “second period,” but could not score. Shots went wide, especially from crosses into the box, and the half ended 1-0. Algeria had 59% possession and a 5-4 shots edge, but trailed.
The Swiss came out on fire in the second half, taking possession in the Algerian zone off a bad clearance, and a cross was deflected to striker Dan Ndoye at the top of the box. He had space and sent a hard shot to the left side of the Algerian goal for a 2-0 lead in the first minute of the half!
An immediate Algerian answer with a cross and a shot from striker Riyad Mahrez was blocked. But the Swiss fast breaks looked much more promising and the Swiss speed was a real problem. The hydro break came with Algeria at 56% of the ball, with shot at 6-6, but goals at 2-0.
Algeria could not solve the Swiss defense and the game got increasingly physical. A Swiss cross in the 81st from the right endline to the front of goal from midfielder Denis Zakaria set up Embolo for a score, but he and Zidane both missed it, and the ball rolled to midfielder Fabian Rieder and he missed what seemed a sure score, with Zidane making the stop.
It ended 2-0, with 56% possession buying Algeria nothing but frustration; the Swiss had an 11-8 shots edge. In the end, it wasn’t close.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
The round-of-32 matches will continue through Friday:
Friday, 3 July:
● Australia vs. Egypt ● In Arlington (2 p.m. Eastern)
● Argentina vs. Cape Verde ● In Miami Gardens (6 p.m. Eastern)
● Colombia vs. Ghana ● In Kansas City (9:30 p.m. Eastern)
The round-of-16 runs from 4 to 7 July:
Saturday, 4 July:
● Canada vs. Morocco: In Houston (1 p.m. Eastern)
● Paraguay vs. France: In Philadelphia (5 p.m. Eastern)
Sunday, 5 July:
● Brazil vs. Norway: In East Rutherford (4 p.m. Eastern)
● Mexico vs. England: In Mexico City (8 p.m. Eastern)
Monday, 6 July:
● Portugal vs. Spain: In Arlington (3 p.m. Eastern)
● U.S. vs. Belgium: In Seattle (5 p.m. Eastern)
Tuesday, 7 July:
● Argentina or Cape Verde vs. Australia or Egypt: In Atlanta (12 p.m. Eastern)
● Switzerland vs. Colombia or Ghana: In Vancouver (4 p.m. Eastern)
¶
A proposed class-action suit against the ticket resales platform StubHub was filed on Tuesday (30th) in Federal court in New York for $5 million or more in damages related to the non-delivery of tickets purchased there. Per the complaint:
“[Fans] were lied to and purchased World Cup tickets for large sums of money — only to incur tremendous financial losses. This is a new low for a sports ticketing industry that has been rampant with consumer protection issues time and time again to the detriment of the fans who make sports special.”
Even where StubHub has refunded the ticket cost, buyers who made travel plans based on the availability of their purchases were out those costs.
The complaint seeks damages “thousands of people” in the U.S. who did not receive tickets, alleging issues related to consumer protection law and false advertising.
¶
An interesting poll by research firm Ipsos from 26-28 June, following the last U.S. group-stage match, which showed that only 38% of Americans were excited to follow the World Cup going forward. An impressive 83% of Americans had heard of the tournament, but as for the remaining games, 17% were really excited, 21% were somewhat excited; 24% not too excited and 37% not at all excited. Giving credit to those who were not too excited, maybe half the country will pay attention.
As to how people have and will follow the tournament: 42% have or will watch broadcast or streaming television, 18% said they will look at clips afterwards and 55% said they have no plan to watch at all.
Respondents said they keep up with the tournament on social media (40%) and 27% are watching from a bar or restaurant and 19% have or plan to go to a watch party. Ipsos noted:
“The poll, which was conducted before the U.S. match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the first knockout stage of the World Cup, also found that 46% of Americans and 82% of World Cup viewers are at least somewhat excited about the U.S. men’s national team advancing to the knockout round.
“More broadly, America’s overall excitement about the World Cup has grown compared to before the tournament started, with excitement rising from 25% in May to 38% in July. In addition, half (49%) of World Cup viewers say the tournament has increased their personal interest in soccer (48% no impact, 3% decrease).”
As far as the tournament itself so far, 53% said it was going “somewhat well” so far, with 37% unsure and 9% negative. As for FIFA, only 19% of respondents had a positive view, 25% were unfavorable and 55% did not know.
¶
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