REVIEWING GAMES 21 TO 28: THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2022

November 27, 2022

REVIEWING THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2022: PART SIX

GAMES FROM DAY SEVEN AND DAY EIGHT

Day Seven and Day Eight brought with them must-win games for several of the favourites, and more upsets. At this point, we might as well rename Day Eight as the Day of Upsets. Argentina cruised past Mexico to bring their World Cup campaign back on track, Costa Rica upset Japan, Morocco smashed Belgium, and Germany and Spain played out an enthralling draw. Here’s what we made of it:

Argentina 2-0 Mexico

Lionel Messi 64’, Enzo Fernandez 87’

They say that a man only ever needs six feet of land. If that “man” is Lionel Messi, then all he needs is two. Let’s be honest, the moment Messi got the ball on his left foot at the edge of the box with a little space, we all knew it was over for Mexico. A brilliant strike into the bottom corner, followed by a beautiful curler into the far past from Enzo Fernandez, and Argentina had saved themselves. But boy, they did not make it easy for themselves. Till that first goal, the Argentinians lacked any sort of creativity and inspiration in the face of an excellent Mexican defence. With both Angel Di Maria and Leo Messi man-marked throughout, often by two men, the entire Argentinian supply line ground to a halt, leaving their forwards stranded and their defence without the means to play out from the back. In fact, in the first half, it was the Mexicans who pushed at their South American compatriots, and the Albiceleste ended the first half without a single shot on target. In fact, they had only two by the time the game ended, both of which they scored. This scarcity of chance creation is worrying, especially as Argentina look to the knockout rounds, where the quality of opposition will only increase.

Photo Via: ESPN

Morocco 2-0 Belgium

Romain Saiss 73’, Zakaria Aboukhlal 90+2’

I think we can say it officially now, Belgium’s golden generation is at an end. Their spine is ageing, their stars, bar Kevin De Bruyne, are woefully out of form, and the side that finished third in 2018 is no longer the same. The Belgians were comparatively brighter in a tight first half, Michy Batshuayi forcing a smart save from Monir El Kajoui. Thibaut Courtois was untroubled until the final minute of the first half, when a Hakin Ziyech freekick swerved in at the near post, but the goal was disallowed for a tight offside. Morocco eventually took a deserved lead in a repeat of the freekick, only from the other side. Belgium were forced to push forward, but Morocco held firm. A long ball from a goalkick ping-ponged around, falling to Hakim Ziyech after a series of defensive errors. Ziyech then did brilliantly to win a few yards, squaring to substitute Zakaria Aboukhlal, who smashed it into the roof of the net. The result leaves Morocco in the driving seat, with Belgium requiring a win in their next game against Croatia to progress.

Spain 1-1 Germany

Alvaro Morata 62' ; Niclas Fullkrug 83'

What is football? According to the Spanish, its 90-minutes of rondos to pass the ball around effortlessly, frustrating the opposition. The Germans however, are not easily frustrated, especially in a must-win game, and kept the pass masters at bay. The Spanish were much the better side in the opening, Dani Olmo forcing Manuel Neuer to palm onto the crossbar with a scorcher after some brilliant link-up play around the box. The Germans slowly grew into the game, and thought they had the lead, but Antonio Rudiger was judged offside when he nodded in from a freekick. The scoreboard operators were finally given something to do when Jordi Alba slid a low cross across the box for Alvaro Morata to flick excellently past Manuel Neuer. It looked like the Germans had crashed out once again in the group stages, but some great short passing around the Spanish area between Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala allowed substitute Niclas Fullkrug to steal the ball from his young teammate and smash home beyond Unai Simon. The result still leaves Germany with a must-win game against Costa Rica, while the Spanish only need a draw against Japan to secure a place in the knockouts.