The second round of group stage matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup continues on Saturday with six teams in action.
The day gets underway with Belgium facing off with Tunisia in Group G action. Roberto Martinez’s men used a trio of second-half goals to down Panama 3-0 in their opener, with Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku netting a brace. Playmakers Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne will be key to the Red Devils getting another three points. Tunisia fell 2-1 to England in heartbreaking fashion and will look to avoid an onslaught against one of the top attacking nations. Captain Wahbi Khazri will need a strong performance on Saturday following a quiet one against the Three Lions earlier this week.
Mexico will seek another win in Group E play as they battle South Korea in the midday fixture. Juan Carlos Osorio’s men downed Germany 1-0 last Sunday, using a game winner from PSV winger Hirving Lozano. El Tri leads the group along with Sweden and will be favorites to get the job done again on Saturday. South Korea fell 1-0 to Sweden in their opener and will look for more from star forward Son Heung-Min. The Tottenham man scored 18 goals and added 11 assists in all competitions domestically.
The headlining match comes from Sochi as Sweden takes on defending World Cup champs, Germany. The Swedes used a second-half penalty kick from captain Andreas Granqvist in their opening win against the Koreans. Offensively, they will look to playmakers Marcus Berg and Emil Forsberg to lead the attack. Germany was unable to beat Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa in their opening loss, seeing nine efforts saved by the veteran. Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil needs a better performance offensively, while defensively Bayern centerback Mats Hummels will miss the match due to a neck injury suffered in training.
The SBI Editorial Staff will be on hand all day long providing live commentary of the matches. Feel free to jump in the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Enjoy the action.
if you followed my comments, thanks for reading. hope you enjoyed it.
well as bruce arena used to say, “that’s why they play the games”. because you don’t know what’s gonna happen. wow, what a stunner!
full time! germany 2, sweden 1. germany are suddenly tied with sweden for second place in group f with 3 points, mexico leads with 6 points and korea’s last with 0 points. a stunning moment of magic at the death that changes everything, germany are still alive in this world cup!
GOAL GERMANY! at the death, on a free kick, germany sticks in the dagger and kills off this match. unbelievable!
94th minute. waiting to exhale.
fate can be so cruel, and life is sometimes filled with ironies. such as this story about an emporer that had no clothes, and played three games in russia and then went home. the irony,the cruel irony.
here’s your “moment of the match”: in the 88th minute, the sweden keeper preserves the tie by stonewalling a very powerful german header attempt that was on target. denied!
straight red for a poor challenge near the german goal, germany playing with ten men now around the 84th minute.
opportunity squandered! a low german cross is scuffed over the bar, he’ll want that one back for THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
sweden fans are starting to believe that the round of 16 is possible.
with each ticking minute, the sweden fans are getting louder.
well the score still stands at 1-1. let us not forget that germany, at this moment, HAS ZERO POINTS in group f, and unless they want to experience the round of 16 by watching from the bleachers, they had better start scoring fast.
65th minute. sweden borrowed germany’s ball again but they gave it right back to germany again.
germany nearly take the lead on an attempted back heel finish on a low cross across the goal inside the six but the striker whiffed the ball.
the 58th minute. it’s germany’s ball and sweden just borrow it once in a while.
one has to think that the initial sweden goal was just a fluke and the beat down by germany will now commence. let’s watch and see what happens.
german relief! some good attacking wide play, a low cross, a clever dummy and the finish and the score is all equal again in this match, 1-1.
the second half gets under way.
well the half ends and the great irony remains that sweden somehow still leads 1-0 despite germany getting ‘everything but the goal’ as they say. germany are starting to look silly out there not scoring and if they don’t score soon, someone might have to inform the emporer that he’s not wearing any clothes.
nobody calling this one?
i can’t help but think, the way this german team works the ball around, they look like the old 2002 and 2006 usa teams under bruce arena, just a step quicker.
oh. my. god. germany have 70% of the possession but sweden have 100% of the goals in the 35th minute, sweden leads 1-0!
friends if you’re low on supplies (beer, snacks, etc.) you have 40 minutes to go to the store and resupply before the germany match kicks off. let not the cupboard be bare.
thanks for letting me join you commenting on the game, ryan. that was fun!
god i wish i had a sombrero. do you like those big, mexican hats, ryan?
korea made a competitive match of it, but there never was any doubt about this result as mexico sit atop group f with 6 points, sweden have 3 and, oddly enough, the defending wc champs germany are tied for last place with korea (at least for one hour, their match kicks off at 2 pm).
you still calling this one, ryan?
full time! mexico wins, 2-1.
FINAL: A late goal from Son gives South Korea a chance, but Mexico too much today. Vela and ‘Chicharito’ score in a win that all but seals Mexico’s knockout spot.
a 93rd minute stunner from korea’s #7 gets one back for korea.
88th minute, the mexico fans are gettin’ happy. the party is starting.
it’s mayhem at the top of the korea box in the 83rd minute, can el tri break through?
this is mexico’s magic moment. all the stadium chants are for mexico now.
down 2-0 in the 73rd minute, korea are now going to throw everything and the kitchen sink at el tri, and all hell is about to break loose.
goooooooooal!!!!!!!!!!!
Mexico having CONCAF flashbacks with all the Korean fouls.
pele had one complaint about the laws of the game. he thought the penalty for fouling an opponent (being awarded a free kick) was not severe enough. maybe he’s right? look at tonight’s match, korea doesn’t have to defend, just foul the player every time. marcelo balboa would be so proud if he were watching.
i don’t mean to disrespect marcelo balboa. he was just doing his job as defender doing what all defenders do. the way the laws of the game are written, you have no choice but to foul
the player because above all else you can’t let him score. pele thought we should re-examine the rule.
for example, suppose we changed the laws of the game so that ALL FOULS, ANYWHERE ON THE FIELD resulted in a PENALTY KICK FROM THE SPOT. well, now imagine you’re a defender and the other team intercepts a bad pass and is on the breakaway, what will you do? grab his jersey and pull him down? NOT IF THEY’LL GET A PENALTY KICK, no way! you’d just PLAY SOCCER and DEFEND NORMALLY, wouldn’t you? the penalty box, then, would only serve one main purpose, to show the area where the keeper may use his hands. but it would not be used to determine whether fouls were pk’s, because ALL FOULS would be pk’s.
GOAL CHICHARITO! Three-on-two break for Mexico with Vela, Lozano and Chicharito leading the charge. Lozano slides it to Chicharito, who takes a tough past a defender before slotting home. 2-0 Mexico, and that might just do it.
right now, korea is saying, “we want 3 points!” rafa marquez looks set to come on for el tri.
VELA JUST HIGH! Great curler from Vela, but it’s just high. Feels like a matter of time for Mexico.
CHANCE FOR GUARDADO! Initial shot is blocked, but Guardado recollects and creates another chance. Shot is heading right for the top corner, but Jo gets a hand to it.
a weak shot by korea is easy work for ochoa and mexico build out of the back again.
SAVE OCHOA! Rocket of a shot from Ki in the 57th minute but Ochoa is able to push it down and collect. Right at him, but still a tough stop.
Penalty shout for South Korea, but definitely more of a ball-to-chest situation. Good call by the referee. Ensuing chance is easily handled by Ochoa.
the goalscorer against germany sails one over the bar, like a pirate boat firing across your bow: beware!
Chance for Lozano, but he skies it. Mexico sharp, but not fully on. Would expect Lozano to test the keeper there.
Second half is underway.
mexico aren’t tiring. the opposite: they’re building steam. there will be even more plays by mexico in the second half like the one we saw near the end of the first half (individual skill/cut two defenders).
what do you think, ryan?
mexico are definitely gonna score again and keep the sheet clean. 2-0, mexico.
some nifty footwork and a cut back to the inside on the left wing, splitting two korean defenders leads to a shot but the mexican midfielder can’t keep it down. the most dangerous chance for mexico after the pk. eh, ryan?
HALFTIME: Good 45 minutes for El Tri, who lead 1-0. Vela with the goal from the penalty spot. Some good chances for Mexico, but South Korea has shown a bit on the counter. Need to be a little careful with that but so far, so good for Mexico.
Set piece for Mexico to close the half, but it’s hit too hard by Layun.