BfB

There is something about the type of good that Morocco are which feels almost wrong. I should say I’m in no position to comment on any of this culturally – which will not stop me from doing so – but Morocco are often praised as the best of the African sides and it seems not a coincidence that they are also the most comfortably European of the African sides too.

So when, after a goalless first half, the Moroccans take the lead with a well organised set play, and when they secure victory as Canada take risks to try get back in the game and are caught on the counter attack, it is not hard to see the North Africans as being the World Cup’s most efficient Premier League or La Liga team.

None of which is supposed to be a criticism – and we’ve seen the problems that Jesse Marsch had getting to grips with the Premier League – but maybe to pine for the days when watching the tournament was seeing ways of player hitherto unseen, or at least unseen at Valley Parade where I watch my football.

Soufiane Rahimi adds a third in injury time and Morocco reach the quarter finals for the second World Cup running.

Wilt

Paraguay’s plan to beat France was a repeat of their success against Germany, and hope that on a hot July afternoon the French would break against a five man South American defence and wilt. So it proved in a first half where the French found themselves frustrated and bruised by a robust block that was able to get between the forward line and its supply and disconnect, and muscle.

Around the hour mark and the French started to respond to the Paraguayan approach with Désiré Doué jinking around a few legs in the box then being brought down by Diego Gomez. Kylian Mbappé scores the penalty which results.

As with the Argentine struggle over Cabo Verde, Paraguay lay out a blueprint on how to frustrate the French players, by getting between them and making it difficult for them to perform the simple movements that start their attacking thrusts. Doué’s fall came in a period where the French had started to prefer the flop to staying upright, which seemed to be a signal that Paraguay had achieved their aims,

Those aims were an odd mix. Paraguay were never brutal, but were very physical, and while some of the French players laughed off the antics designed to disrupt them or get the sent off, others tried to get Paraguay players sent off by holding their faces when their legs were bumped.

No one got out of here with a lot of credit.

Predictability

Perhaps the most curious thing about Brazil’s 2-1 exit at the hands of Norway was the predictability of the order of events. Brazil started well, but found the Scandinavians stubborn and struggled to win the ball back when they lost it, which was frequently.

It is difficult to say how good a team has to be to stop Brazil but, and also predictability, being a very centre forward allowed Erling Haaland to score twice. A headed finish which left his Premier League nemesis Gabreiel on the floor, and a long range accurate drive which recalled the Erling of Borussia Dortmund when he enjoyed less dominance and had to be more innovative in his finishing. Haaland took two steps back from a back four he had pressed against all game, and got the space to hit the winning goal.

Winning goal because Brazil got a second penalty of the game – the first Bruno Guimarães in the first half – and Neymar Jnr scored it with 90 +10 on the clock. Neymar Jnr spent a minute irritated with goalkeeper Ørjan Håskjold Nyland, and so Brazil went out.

Fun

England beat Mexico 3-2.

That was fun.

Iberian

Following on from the Mexican exit Spain and Portugal seemed to serve up a reheated mess of a game which neither team presented themselves with a lot of credit.

Spain won the game with a goal in injury time by Mikel Merino having had more of the game than their Iberian neighbours, but Portugal were a level of disappointment which went to generational levels.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the problem again, although Roberto Martinez’s inability to even attempt to find a space for the forward is perhaps more of a curse than the player himself. There is a world where Cristiano Ronaldo is useful, but it is not this one.

One can only imagine the fury of the Portuguese players who have spent a decade of their career watching Cristiano Ronaldo ineffectuality inhibiting their careers. This train of thought goes to upsetting places. Diogo Jota’s entire career fit into the period we might call the decline of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Inappropriate

The Belgian win over USA was celebrated all over the world after FIFA received a call from the US President asking them to change the rules of the competition to allow Folarin Balogun to play having previously been suspended.

The request is, at best, inappropriate. The response is obviously incorrect. The USA manager Mauricio Pochettino burnt his good will by not benching the player for the ninety minutes, but perhaps the players showed what they felt of the entire process in the performance.

It was a dark, shameful day for the World Cup in keeping with 1938 and 1978. One can only hope that it hastened the departure of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who thought he was an Underboss or Consigliere, but turned out to be a Capo.

Resurrection

Egypt victory over Argentina would have rivaled Cameroon and Saudi Arabia’s victories over the holders were it not for a resurrection with fifteen minutes to go which saw Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and in injury time Enzo Fernández score.

The North African’s counted two penalties in the move which – when countered on – gave Fernández his winning goal. There is nothing as certain in football as the penalty given against England – as with Red Cards, the Referee was always correct in such matters in conversations I have – but both Egypt appeals seemed to have similar merit to the foul which gave Mexico a penalty.

Still Argentina continue to show an impressively broad Achilles’ heel which Cape Verde and Egypt have prodded at.

Geordie Manzamby

It is easy to look at a game like Switzerland against Colombia in which neither team scored but both had chances and forget those chances and write a narrative about how the game was dull and eventless. Switzerland Colombia was not that.

Switzerland lost Johan Manzambi in training and missed an amount of creativity, Colombia had chances but their more scattergun approach did not find the right target. Perhaps Colombia deserved the win but they did not get it with the Swiss winning a penalty shootout after extra time.

The Swiss go on to play Argentina. England play Norway. France play Morocco and Spain face Belgium.