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The start of the round of thirty two seemed to promise the end to the fatigue which had come to characterise the end of the group stage and while it is easy to suggest that no one had told South Africa and Canada this the pair played out an encounter which saw the Africans trying to tempt the North Americans to press and being refused.

When South Africa were able to play through Canada they looked impressive, but lacked the cutting edge they needed. Certainly South Africa were the smarter of the two sides, picking their moments to attack between a cascade of jeers from the stands as the keeper attempted to draw forwards on. Truely, America, you are a football nation and now you had the idiots to prove it.

South African finishing was left wanting though, and a decent Canadian passing move led to Stephen Eustaquio finding space in the box and scoring a low drive. This was in injury time and Canada went wild. Within ten minutes Stephen Eustaquio – presumably pleased with his afternoon – was being asked about his dead parents and even more distressingly a deceased child.

“I hit the ball first time and there it was in the back of the net” this was not on either side. Manager Jesse Marsch made a speech to the Canada players about how they were all Canadian Heroes. Some things, perhaps, can be left to the people with the pens, and the inability to entertain subtext is best left to others.

Illusions

Football has any number of optical illusions in it and the sights of a bright yellow shirt is enough to bring awe to many. Brazil are in constant conversation with their glorious past as inspiration and intimidation, and the Brazilian influence is never far away in Japanese football.

Nevertheless the Japanese are more of respect than fear of the World Cup’s most successful team and contrast the less organised Brazilians with their own beautiful structures and hard work. Japan take a lead in the first half when Kaishu Sano drives forward from the midfield and hits a low, accurate drive from distance.

For fifteen minutes the world pondered what it would be like to be a place where Brazil could not resist the risen tide of Japanese football – they beat England in preparation, and England are in this part of the draw – but such thoughts were put to bed when Carlo Anchelotti did what the South Americans are paying him for and grafted some organisation into the yellow shirts which was used as a platform for Casemiro to head an equaliser during a sustained assault on goal.

Anchelotti’s half time change was to widen the gaps between players and force the Japanese press into having to navigate more distances. That, and licence was given for Brazil players to break from position to goal leaving a clear message. If you want to stick tight to us, you will find yourself with a lot of running to do. The East Asian’s legs started to tire and Don Carlo had shown his value.

Sure enough in the last minute of injury time Gaberial Martinelli finished from inside the box as the ever pressing Japan found themselves dropping deeper, without the energy to compete how they wanted to, and eventually beaten. It is a tough break for the Japanese, but it is Anchelotti’s win.

Foray

Germany might be excused for wondering if Paraguay have turned up late for the World Cup and been allowed in anyway so under the radar have they been. Paraguay are a study in robust play. They play the kind of 631 which is in essence a 442 as used in the last moment of a Cup Final when winning by a single goal, and they play it well.

Predictably the German attacks break on Paraguay’s sturdy midfield but there is no forward movement from the South Americans. Occasionally, Miguel Almirón and Julio Enciso, and it was Enciso who on a rare foray forward headed in from eight yards out. There are many ways to win a football match and, Paraguay hope, they do not necessitate putting half your team goal side of the ball.

Kai Havertz equalised as Germany tilted a little towards more attack and Paraguay withdrew Enciso which seemed to ruin their route to goal. Julien Narglesman’s team shifted to crossing the ball in more, figuring that a lot of low percentage chances is better than very few better goalscoring opportunities.

Which made leaving the giant that is Nick Woltemade until eighty seven minutes a curious choice and there was something troubling about the Germans carrying on trying to create something out of scraps. Jonathan Tah had a goal disallowed, and went on to miss a penalty in the resulting shoot out, leaving José Canale to score and put the South Americans through.

Sumptuous

Following the perfect meal of Germany and Brazil The Netherlands and Morocco served up a dessert which was if anything too sumptuous. The Dutch started the game consider as dark a horse as one can be when clad in Brilliant Orange and perhaps the best bet for taking care of France in the Quarter Finals while the Moroccans are so obviously horses running along in bright light that the surprising thing is not that they have chances to win games, but that they fail to take them.

So added to the draw with Brazil earlier in the tournament the Africans came within injury time of going out to the admittedly great Dutch team who took a lead through Cody Gakpo – a moment of emotion claiming him and held it to the 90th when Issa Diop equalised.

The extra time continued the ebullient play with Morocco pressing for dominance before winning a penalty shoot out. So it is the towel stealing perhaps winners of Afcon who the task of not looking too far forward to where France are lurking,

Promises

The World Cup having been considered to have truly started following a day of high drama Norway and Cote d’Ivoire take to the field. Earling Haaland is, of course, the subject of much attention but such things must feel very familiar to the Africans who were at a time considered to be Didier Drogba’s team.

Norway’s approach is an interesting blend of the traditions of a country raised on the 1970s English First Division and a modest trip around Europe for many of the players. They are well structured and solid in defence and when going forward look free themselves to be more experimental, at least until someone puts the ball into Haaland’s gravitational pull.

So Antonio Nusa’s drop of a shoulder and cut in to finish as the game ground towards half time could have been considered to be against the run of play, but probably is better said as being the result of the Northern Europeans soaking up some good play by the Africans and then striking back.

Cote d’Ivoire play a football which comes of age in the post 1992 era. They are technically excellent, strong and but reliant on a system which tends towards the inflexible. Manager Emerse Faé is maintains the 433 which promises the best for Yan Diomande and Nicolas Pépé but on the field they are rigid, and stiff.

So who knows what the Faé said to Amad Diallo when he came on with twenty minutes left, but he twisted down the right, cut back to jink through a set of Norwegian defenders and scored to equalise. All two minutes after he had cleared off the line to stop a second goal. Nevertheless such relief was temporary and Haaland had the final say in the game, finishing good work by substitute Oscar Bobb with an untidy close range finish.

So Cote d’Ivoire reach a kind of cruising altitude. Impressive, but with room for improvement. Norway go on to play Brazil.

Outclassed

Fellow Scandinavians Sweden seem to be enjoying a bonus World Cup having bumbled through qualifying and suddenly discovered a Graham Potter hanging around, waiting to become the manager who has taken them to the last thirty two of the world cup where France await.

It might be said that both these sides are begging going forward than they are in defending, and the skills of Kylian Mbappé are in evidence in the opening half hour. He is offside and scores, but not by much, he hits the post, and he drifts around picking the ball up and probing the Swedish defence. Michael Olise hits an overhead kick against the post from fourteen yards out and the Swedes struggle to cope with the movement and imagination of the opposition.

So it was that Mbappé cut in after a corner and found a finish out of the top drawer, which as we all know is where footballers keep great finishes. This type of World Cup Player is so much more tolerable when their attributes are manifest rather than informed.
The Swedes are outclassed. Olise feed the ball through Gustaf Lagerbielke’s legs to play in Bradley Barcola, who scores France’s second. Olise slides in Mbappé on the left hand side and Mbappé creates as deft a finish as you might see.

Altitude

The meeting of Mexico and Ecuador was rather dismissively called The Altitude Derby with both teams able above sea level but Ecuador were never really in the contest as the host made short work of the South Americans.

Mexico play with a freedom at home, and a roaring backing, that is inspirational to watch but there is something at the core of them which suggests that this might be a great setting, but not a great squad. Raúl Jiménez is a good striker – at times a very good one – but his position as a leading player in this side questions the quality of those around him.

The next day it is confirmed that Mexico will face England in the quarter final, and so test their home advantage. Anyone watching from England will have been in awe of the freedom which Mexico showed in their attacking play, and probably hope that they can do some of the same.

Exacerbate

Following DR Congo’s exit to England having been leading Senegal restored African pride with a capable and unfussy victory over Belgium who looked tired, and finished, and seemed ready for their elimination following goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaïla Sarr but staged an uncharacteristic come back.

With less than five minutes on the clock Romelu Lukaku but in what looked to be a consolation and then weak goalkeeping allowed Aston Villain Youri Tielemans to equalise. Senegal having already shaped a team for running out 2-0 winners they were paralysed going to penalties before Tielemans was fouled and scored the resulting penalty.

The fact that Senegal should have won in normal time, and that the penalty was not especially just, seems to exacerbate the problem that they responded poorly to the adversity they found themselves in. As was said after Afcon that the chaos of that game showed people the side of African football that people assume is there and they want to move away from, so this was African football as described by Bastian Schweinsteiger when he questioned the tactical capabilities of teams from the continent.

The inability to adapt a system curtailed Senegal’s World Cup, and the following day Villareal midfielder Pape Gueye said he would not play again under the current management one can not help but wonder what the Elite Managers who are coming into the World Cup might achieve with a team as talented as Senegal.

Encounters

An elite Manager being Mauricio Pochettino at USA who found Bosnia and Herzegovina to be little problem. The Bosnians showed little ambition even when faced with a United States team which lost their goalscorer Folarin Balogun to a red card when one up.

One might make an argument that African Continental Football does not produce diverse enough styles of play, and the CONCACAF region stands accused of the same. Mexico and USA attack with a freedom but neither them – nor fellow host Canada – are especially good at winning the ball back and all three enjoy a kind of football of default attacking play.

All three co-hosts have found themselves in the last sixteen and all three find themselves against opposition which represent winnable encounters but encounters which might find them frustrated by away teams who are less free giving the ball back. Mexicans are loud, but can they get the ball back from Declan Rice? Canada’s match up with Morocco depends on how freely the African’s return the ball. The USA have been beaten badly by Belgium in a friendly of late.

Given the political discussion between hosts, none of them irony has it, seem capable of building a defensive wall.

Identity

Over in Europe – or all European ties – The Spanish are able to ease past Austria when Ralf Rangnick’s pressing side found chasing the passing of the European Champions too grueling. Austria are a team finding an identity under Rangnick, and the players believe in his approach, but the gap in quality was obvious.

Spain though, are slow and methodical, and adore control of the ball in a way which puts them at odds with their neighbours from the North in France who the may end up meeting in the semi final.

Inhibited

Also in all Europe Portugal continue their inhibited football using Ronaldo to ruin all sorts of impressive moves while Croatia get more from their players than anyone thought they could. The game is a close one, but Croatia turn the screw in the second half and the evergreen Ivan Perisic slams Croatia into a lead. Ronaldo controls a ball and flicks it in with a beautiful ease but he is offside. He equalises from the spot not long after.

Then we are watching Mateo Kovacic shack shots at goal and Croatia creating chance after chance from all over the field and it feels like only time until the team from Eastern Europe score but Roberto Martinez breaks the glass and removes Ronaldo.

It is four minutes into injury time when Gonçalo Ramos flicks in from a cross from the left. Suddenly the most creative midfield in Europe has a reason to create and there is a vision of what might be were Ronaldo’s ego not to be bigger than his respect for his teammates. Thirteen minutes into injury time Croatia think they have an equaliser, but it is offside, and the game finishes in an anti-climax.

So Portugal go forward to an Iberian derby with Spain, but it does not feel like Portugal without Ronaldo on the pitch. It feels creative and enjoyable and good to watch. Which Portugal will play in the last sixteen?

Ebbed

The Swiss surprised the world by beating Algeria 2-0 the largest surprise being that Algeria had managed to navigate the first round without ever seeming to leave an impression on memory. Still the Men with a Heart of Neutrality were able to push the North Africans away without much stress.

Better luck for Egypt who were impressive for a time against Australia but seemed to stop playing after around forty minutes of a game which dragged on for over two hours. The fluency which the Egyptians showed in the opening half ebbed at first then dried up after the slimmest of tweaks by the Aussies.

So while the Australians seemed to tighten the game at 0-1 making it more difficult for both teams to score, they nicked a goal and dragged the game to penalties. Australia took off goalkeeper Patrick Beach to bring back Mathew Ryan for penalties and he did not touch the ball during play, and four penalties went past him, allowing Egypt to win.

Relationalism

There is a discussion in football as to what will come after Positional Play – which has largely dominated the game, especially since Pep Guardiola’s emergence as the preeminent manager of his generation – with a passionate but ultimately frustrated group pointing at the Fluminense of Fernando DIniz and Relationalism.

Diniz and Guardiola met in a Intercontinental game with Man City beating Fluminense 4-0 and that seemed to be the end for Relationalism as an idea, although it keeps recurring as the opposite of whatever is happening when people are using position play. If players are less rigid – it is suggested – they are relational.

Which is not satisfying at all. Relationalism needs to be more than positionalism with fewer constraints, and needs to describe a way of approaching the in relation to the ball, rather than set positions on the field. It is in that spirit that Argentina and Lionel Scalloni approach playing around Lionel Messi.

Scalloni has built the attacking until with Messi in the core of it, and they show the esculadas and tight control which relationalism requires, but Cape Verde have two lines of four with a man between them.

Which is the problem which relationalism finds, and Argentina find today. After locating Messi in the first half and seeing him score Deroy Duarte was able to equalise in the second half as Argentina’s lines lost contact with each other. For Argentina it would not be fair to say that they are failing to make attacking moves, just that those moves tended towards decay as they lacked the necessary directness. That and Vozinha saved a few.

Lisandro Martínez scored in injury time and South Americans won, but it feels like the damage is done. The Gods have feet of clay, and we cannot unknow what we know.

Star Wars

Of the nine African nations which got to the last thirty two only two – Morocco and Egypt – make it through to the last sixteen with Non-Northern Africa’s last hope in Ghana going out to Colombia.

Colombia are an interesting side. They are solid in their base and creative up front, making a pitch wide at times when pulling it in impressively and at well picked moments. The ITV commentator Seb Hutchison praises on South American forward saying “When Luis Diaz is in space, it is always exciting.” They should probably get him in the next Star Wars.

What is impressive about Colombia is their width when needed. Daniel Muñoz and Johan Mojica scamper down the wings from full back leaving a hole at the back but confident that they can pin Ghanaians. They make interesting triangles at pace in attacking areas and possess a robust midfield. A look at the World Cup Wall Chart puts them on collision course with the now fallible Argentina.