France 4 – Argentina 3.

The end of an era? A hero is born.

Game 1: France vs. Argentina

• Predicted: France beats Iceland.
• Remarks: France should be expected to beat D2, but D2 is Argentina (whom I picked to go farther than France). Decisions. Decisions. I want Messi to have a successful tournament, but France’s current form is better. The numbers say to stay with C1.

Game 2: Uruguay vs. Portugal

• Predicted: Portugal beats Uruguay.

Game 3: Spain vs. Russia

• Predicted: Spain beats Russia.

Game 4: Croatia vs. Denmark.

• Predicted: Argentina beats Peru.
• Remarks: Croatia (staying with D1).

Game 5: Brazil vs. Mexico.

• Predicted Brazil beats Mexico.

Game 6: Belgium vs. Japan

• Predicted: Belgium beats Poland.
• Remarks: Belgium.

Game 7: Sweden vs. Switzerland

• Predicted: Germany (F1) beats Costa Rica (E2).
• Remarks: Sweden (staying with F1).

Game 8: Colombia vs. England

• Predicted: Colombia beats England.

Group A: Predicted: Uruguay, Russia. Result: Uruguay, Russia.

Group B: Predicted: Spain, Portugal. Result: Spain, Portugal.

Group C: Predicted: France, Peru. Result: France, Denmark.

Remarks: It came down to the missed PK by Peru in the Peru-Denmark game. If only Peru would have scored that PK. Still, no major changes to the bracket.

Group D: Predicted: Argentina, Iceland. Result: Croatia, Argentina.

Remarks: I think most of us expected Argentina to win the group and a dog-fight for second. We were off by one word… Argentina. And maybe I was moved a little too much by the Thunderclap. I mean, what’s not to love about supporting Iceland… But alas! This gives us the a drastic change to the bracket. Argentina moves to the D2 position in the top half of the bracket and plays France C1; otherwise two teams would have only met in the Final.

Group E: Predicted: Brazil, Costa Rica. Result: Brazil, Switzerland.

Remarks: No surprise with Brazil. Maybe I was a little hopeful by choosing Costa Rica, as Switzerland is a consistent, experienced country that made it to the elimination phase of the recent Euros and World Cup. Still, no major changes to the bracket.

Group F: Predicted: Germany, Mexico. Result: Sweden, Mexico.

Remarks: I don’t think anyone was expecting this. But it’s reminiscent of Spain in 2014. (Remember, the Dutch took Spain’s place in the bracket making it all the way to the semi-finals.) Sweden, we should recall, eliminated Italy last Fall, so this should not have been *as* surprising. Germany’s fall from grace does not rearrange the bracket in a major way (like Argentina did), other than the fact that Germany is *not* in the bracket. Sweden now occupies the slot that most of us expected Germany to have.

Group G: Predicted: Belgium, England. Result: Belgium, England.

Group H: Predicted: Colombia, Poland. Result: Colombia, Japan.

Remark: Poland disappointed. Grrrr. But this does not offer a major change in the bracket.

Belgium defeated England, and Tunisia defeated Panama.

Final standings: Belgium 9, England 6, Tunisia 3 and Panama 3.

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. Argentina (D2)
• Brazil (E1) vs. Mexico (F2)
• Belgium (G1) vs. Japan (H2)

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• Croatia (D1) vs. Denmark (C2)
• Sweden (F1) vs. Switzerland (E2)
• Colombia (H1) vs. England (G2)

A FIFA Fair Play tie-breaker!

Poland beat Japan and Colombia beat Senegal, both by the minimum difference.

Final standings: Colombia 6, Japan 4, Senegal 4, Poland 3.

Japan and Senegal each had 4 pts, +0 GD, 4 GF, and tied each other. So it came down to yellow cards! Japan -4, thus moves ahead over Senegal -6. (Well, at least it’s better than a coin toss.)

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. Argentina (D2)
• Brazil (E1) vs. Mexico (F2)
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. Japan (H2)

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• Croatia (D1) vs. Denmark (C2)
• Sweden (F1) vs. Switzerland (E2)
• Colombia (H1) vs. England or Belgium (G2)

Brazil defeated Serbia, and Costa Rica and Switzerland tied (each scoring in the last five minutes of the game).

Final standings: Brazil 7, Switzerland 5, Serbia 3, Costa Rica 1.

Brazil have yet to play up to their potential, yet finish first and undefeated. The Swiss also avoid defeat in the group stage, though not nearly as comfortably. And both Serbia and Costa Rica deserved a better.

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. Argentina (D2)
• Brazil (E1) vs. Mexico (F2)
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. H2

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• Croatia (D1) vs. Denmark (C2)
• Sweden (F1) vs. Switzerland (E2)
• H1 vs. England or Belgium (G2)

Sweden defeated Mexico, and South Korea eliminated Germany.

Final standings: Sweden 6+3, Mexico 6-1, South Korea 3+0, Germany 3-2.

For the fourth time out of the last five World Cups the defending champion falls in the group stage. Mexico was a little unlucky (deflection that fell to open striker, silly PK, then own-goal), but Sweden has played solidly all three games. Korea’s goalie has the game of his life, but still, what happened to Germany?

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. Argentina (D2)
• E1 vs. Mexico (F2)
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. H2

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• Croatia (D1) vs. Denmark (C2)
• Sweden (F1) vs. E2
• H1 vs. England or Belgium (G2)

Croatia defeated Iceland. Argentina defeated Nigeria. Both 2-1 with both winning goals coming in the last five minutes of regulation time (90th and 86th, respectively).

Final standings: Croatia 9, Argentina 4, Nigeria 3, Iceland 1.

Croatia is an unexpected but quite deserving group winner. Argentina found a way to make it through, though faces France in the glamour match of the next round (as they say in Spanish, “una final adelantada”).

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. Argentina (D2)
• E1 vs. F2
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. H2

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• Croatia (D1) vs. Denmark (C2)
• F1 vs. E2
• H1 vs. England or Belgium (G2)

France and Denmark play to the first scoreless tie of the tournament. Peru ends on a high note, yet somehow we wanted Peru and Australia to have more to show for their efforts.

Final standings: France 7, Denmark 5, Peru 3, Australia 1.

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• France (C1) vs. D2
• E1 vs. F2
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. H2

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• D1 vs. Denmark (C2)
• F1 vs. E2
• H1 vs. England or Belgium (G2)

Spain tied Morocco 2-2. Portugal tied Iran 1-1. Those simultaneous last five minutes were heart stopping.

Final standings: Spain 5, Portugal 5, Iran 4, Morocco 1.

Spain takes the group on total goals (6 vs. 5). Iran came so painfully close to second place. Morocco deserved a little better.

Looking ahead:

• Uruguay (A1) vs. Portugal (B2)
• C1 vs. D2
• E1 vs. F2
• England or Belgium (G1) vs. H2

 

• Spain (B1) vs. Russia (A2)
• D1 vs. C2
• F1 vs. E2
• H1 vs. England or Belgium (G2)