The group stage ends on Thursday as the final two groups conclude with some intriguing matchups and plenty on the line.
Action starts with Group H, a foursome with plenty in play heading into Thursday’s clashes. As things stand, Japan and Senegal sit atop the group with four points with Colombia just behind with three. On Thursday, Japan takes on Poland, who is already eliminated, while Senegal faces off with Colombia as three teams battle for two spots.
The two spots in Group G are all set as England and Belgium will move on. However, the order in which they move is up for grabs as Thursday’s match will determine the group winner. Meanwhile, Panama faces off with Tunisia as the two sides look for their first points of the tournament.
The SBI Editorial Staff will be providing live commentary on today’s matches and would like you to join the fun. Feel free to join us and comment along in the section below.
Enjoy the action.
these English players play a funny game of soccer. when the other team has the ball, they just stand around and watch them pass it around. they don’t put any pressure on the ball.
and they’re down a goal.
GOAL BELGIUM! 51st minute
and the second half is underway in kaliningrad.
end of the half. it’s england 0-0 Belgium in kaliningrad.
it’s cat and mouse. Belgium say come out and play and england says we’ll stay right here and wait for you to make the first move.
the crowd boo’d a little bit. then Belgium went on the attack.
there two teams are rather evenly matched. and their stats are pretty even, too. possession, pass success, aerials won, tackles.
https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1249924/Live/International-FIFA-World-Cup-2018-England-Belgium
haha an england defender steps over the ball and fakes out the Belgium attacker and receives a chorus of “ole!” from the boisterous crowd.
it’s not a world cup without some “ole’s”, right?
we’re back in kaliningrad, the site of the spain-morocco tie last Monday.
they tied it up at 2-2
Belgium 21 batshuayi dribbles very forcefully down the right flank but the shot is blocked.
a very lively match, relatively low fouling, very enjoyable to watch.
only three total fouls so far in this one.
https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1249924/Live/International-FIFA-World-Cup-2018-England-Belgium
england had two shots
not very threatening, but at least they’re getting forward.
wow, Belgium are really Taking the game to england! i don’t think england planned on bunkering in… but now they are!
now england is going forward again
Belgium are High pressing england and it worked! england coughed up the call in their back field and Belgium fired a cracker of a shot! the england keeper was perhaps a bit lucky to put enough glove to it to lift it over the bar!
england coughed up the ball
much more lively. i think now we are seeing the real england.
We’re underway in both games. VERY rotates teams for England and Belgium, who are sort of trying to win?
what will england look like without panama on the field?
columbia wins the soccerbowl! and looking at the bracket, finding out the next opponents is as easy as a-b-c, 1,2,3 baby you and me (jackson five). second place japan will play the winner of england-belgium at 2 pm in group g, and columbia will play the other team. shake it, shake it baby, yeah.
columbia 1-0 senegal, final
FINAL: Colombia and Japan are through as the former tops the group while the latter advances over Senegal on fair play.
columbia is 1st with 6 points, japan and senegal each have 4 points and poland has 3 points. eh, ryan?
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2018-world-cup-predictions/bracket/?ex_cid=rrpromo
group h is so soft. it lacks an uruguay to set the tone. so we get the nasl soccerbowl in group h, sit back and enjoy.
you know what this match looks like? an old nasl soccer bowl, do you think so? complete with big hair players, in an over sized stadium PACKED WITH PEOPLE, and chippy play and old fashioned “make up call” officiating. drink shasta, have some double mint gum and enjoy the nasl soccerbowl!
the jackson five are breaking up, did you hear?
JP DellaCamera is a great example of how far a deep voice and decent cadence can take you in soccer commentary in the US. For years and years his understanding of the game has not progressed. He is the WORST. If only I could hit mute where I am watching. And FOX’s coverage in general has been so surface during this WC. Their commentators have offered nothing for the novice viewer to get a deeper understanding or even uncovering some insights for the more advanced soccer fan – a whole lot if “they played well”, “that was an exciting match”, “the pressure is really on that team”, “if that teams win they will advance”, “that player plays for this or that team”. Talk about Masters of the Obvious…
after about one year, i couldn’t take it anymore and i began to search for options. if the mls game were on espn, for example, i would mute my tv and listen to to home team audio stream on the internet. (several mls home announcers were really quite good!) you have options, my friend. you don’t have to listen to that if you don’t want.
GOAL COLOMBIA! Thumping header from Mina and Colombia is now LEADING the group in the 75th minute.
yes, if results stand, columbia will be 1st with 6 points, japan and senegal will each have 4 points and poland will have 3. eh, ryan?
goal columbia!
75th minute, a corner struck with pace and the pacey header down low bounces up past the senegal keeper. well done.
a senegal player walks off the field, apparently needing treatment. hope if’s okay.
well this columbia looks nothing like my memory of the ’94 team that was so rough on us. to be honest, this columbia team doesn’t really look very special (no offense).
if results stand, senegal will be 1st with 5 points, japan and columbia will each have 4 points and poland will have 3.
eh, ryan?
Mane with a chance on a free kick but he slips and falls. About 30 minutes left for Japan to get back into it with a goal while Senegal and Colombia are certainly still in danger.
and columbia are not playing like their pants are on fire. their world cup will end in about 31 minutes and i guess their okay with that.
GOAL POLAND! As things stand, Senegal goes through top while Colombia sits second. Japan, meanwhile, would be eliminated.
Not much fun in either game to star the second half. Colombia going to need to turn it up soon.
it looks like var hasn’t replaced the old fashioned “make up call” as the official cancels his own error one way by ignoring a similar offense going the other way. do you think so, ryan?
if results would remain, japan and senegal would have 5 points, columbia 4 and poland 1.
columbia should be playing like their pants are on fire right now. or else their world cup seems about to end here.
Second halves are underway.
carlos valderrama sighting! and he still has the big hair.
i remember, ryan, in the ’94 world cup, usa-columbia. Columbia were very intimidating to us! one of them smashed cobi jones in the face or head with an elbow i think. terrible brutality! but one of their own guys committed an own goal and i think usa won! his name was escobar. and when the columbia team arrived back in columbia, someone killed him! i remember columbia seemed like such a scary opponent in 1994.
Tony Meoloa played out of his mind in that game. Harkes and Earnie Stewart also payed very well, and yes, that is the game that was ultimately won by the US due to an own goal by Andres Escobar who was ultimately killed in Colombia after the World Cup.
I don’t remember a terrible foul in the Colombia game. I do remember Tab Ramos – our best player – was elbowed ferociously by Leonardo of Brazil in the knockout game where our USMNT valiantly competed, but had no chance of winning against the eventual champions.
I’m with the Ref on this one, I think you are thinking of Tab against Brazil, Cobi didn’t come on until the 67th minute and we were up 2-0.
HALFTIME: Both matches scoreless which, at the moment, would see Senegal and Japan advance. Colombia battered by injury issues in a first half that saw Senegal get the better of the plan. Japan, meanwhile, has been in a pretty tight battle with Poland, who is playing spoiler at this point.
Another potential injury for Colombia is Mojica pulls up lame. Could be a second sub coming.
i just turned it on
hello ryan! i’m watching columbia-senegal.
Still nothing between Japan and Poland. Just four shots between them with Japan putting their two on target.
Yup, it’s James Rodriguez coming out. Looks like an injury issue for Rodriguez, who smashes the ground in frustration. Was completely quiet but it appears the calf is not godo to go.
Looks like Colombia is set to make an early change as Luis Muriel looks set to come on.
Senegal with the better of the play so far, but Colombia with a few chances. Surprised this is still scoreless. (My attempt at jinxing a goal into this game)
Another good chance for Colombia but Falcao’s header goes high and wide.
Japan with two shots on goal and several set pieces, but goalless through 20 minutes or so against Poland.
VAR incident in Senegal-Colombia. Mane is taken down in the box, but the referee rules that it’s not a foul.
We’re underway as Senegal faces Colombia and Japan takes on Poland.
CHANCE FOR COLOMBIA! Great shot from Quintero on a free kick but it’s parried away. First big chance of the match.