This round we will learn about how many colonies each country has had.
France 0 (80) v. Spain 2 (35)
Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier! France are done, they are out and it did not even really look like that close of a game. Spain played fantastic. France had its worst game of the tournament.
Spain’s first goal came from a pk, which there was no question was a pk.
The pk was confident and well taken, and it did not have a stupid stutter step in its run up.
After they scored they did not let up at all, the rest of the first half was all Spain and France were lucky to not be done more than one goal.
The second half was also Spain’s. They came out strong and scored in their 2nd in the 57th min. It was a great run of play that led to a one-two, and because the two was fouled nobody tracked the one that was running and he ended up one-on-one with the goalie. Again, even after the goal Spain did not let up and France were lucky not to be down by more than 2 only minutes later when Yamal’s fractional offside took back a goal. Finally though, by the 63rd Mbappe (not so much the rest of the team) started to wake up and test Spain a bit. However, the Mbappe’s little burst did not last long and Spain took control back. France ended the game with a few more half chances, but nothing that seemed really promising.
It is not necessarily shocking that Spain won. Obviously France were the favorites, but Spain are the reigning European champs and have been very good over the last 3 years. What is shocking is the seeming ease with which Spain beat France. Maybe France just was unlucky with their play today or maybe Spain was so good that they made France look bad. As I heard one of the Telemundo announcers state today, Spain, who are famous for the Tiki Taka style of play, now play Tik Tik Boom fútbol. What this means is that Spain play a possession game that lulls opponents out of their half and to lower their guards, and then in an instant they attack a weakness with direct and vertical play. That was true today. Spain are in the finals and are likely to be the favorites. France will play in the third place game.
Tomorrow
England v Argentina
These countries have some history between them (cough cough, Falkland war), but lets focus on their soccer history.
1966 – Argentina lost to England in the quarterfinals at the world cup played in England. The Argentines called the game “the theft of the century” (a bit dramatic) because their star player was given two yellow cards and sent off. However, this was before two yellow cards led to an automatic red card, and thus we have the controversy (plus accusations of cheating and corruption-can you believe?!). Because of this game, we now have the two yellows=red card rule. England went on to win their one and only world cup.
1986 – Four years after the Falklands War the two sides met again in the world cup quarterfinals. This time Argentina won off the back of perhaps the two most famous goals in all of soccer history 1) The Hand of God and 2) the Goal of the Century. The scorer of both, Diego Maradona. Just watch enjoy
Argentina went on to win the world cup.
1998 – round of 16. This game also had an all time great goal, this time by England’s Michael Owen,
but is often better remembered because of David Beckham’s red card. The English almost won the game at the end of normal time, but in the end they lost in pks. Argentina went on to lose their next game.
2002 – group play. England won 1-0.
2026 – what will happen next? England are by nearly every measure the better team on paper, but Messi and passion, Argentina have both. Argentina have no business being at this game, but they are. It seems like their luck has to run out at some point, but until it does they will keep winning. England, on the other hand, have been showing that they may be different than other English teams before them. With stars like Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, and a cast of world class talent to go along with them, they just might have what it takes, but than again they might just get in their own way and lose. Who knows? Not this guy.
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