Scott Murray's Blog, page 42

World Cup 2022 briefing: will USA be brilliant against Oranje?

It’s time for the knockout stages in Qatar. And we open up with a pair of real doozies

For a country perceived by many as having something of a tenuous relationship with the sport of soccer, the United States of America has made quite a contribution to the culture at the very top of the game. They’ve reached the semi-final of one World Cup (1930), hosted another (1994) and registered one of the all-time great shocks (1950) in which their supposed elders and betters, the self-styled fathers of the game, were handed their asses in a high hat. Throw in the garish but fondly remembered NASL, an all-senses assault which attracted nearly as many superstars as Studio 54, and that’s a sizeable legacy. And this is all before we get to the USWNT, four-time winners of the Women’s World Cup and reigning champions. They’ve more than done their bit on that side of the briny.

Continue reading...

Cameroon 1-0 Brazil: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Cameroon became the first African side to beat Brazil at a World Cup thanks to Vincent Aboubakar’s fine late goal, but it wasn’t enough for a place in the last 16

4 min: Other than that, a quiet start as both teams allow their defence to get an early feel of the ball.

2 min: Telles passes the ball out of play. Then Anguissa ships possession far too easily, before Brazil collectively run down a cul-de-sac. All a bit scrappy during the early exchanges. Then suddenly a burst of quality from Brazil, as Antony romps down the right and slips a ball infield in the hope of finding Fred. Not quite. Cameroon clear their lines.

Continue reading...

Australia 1-0 Denmark: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Mathew Leckie’s brilliant second-half goal took the resolute Socceroos into the knockout stage

3 min: The first shot in anger is taken by McGree, who pearls one from distance. Blocked.

2 min: In the stadium today: Gianni Infantino, in suit and new white trainers. On his side table: a carafe of Brazil nuts? Might be seeing things. The trainers are real.

Continue reading...

Football Daily | The old-school corporate shilling and Wales going gentle into that good night

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!

The clock ticked past 90 minutes at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, and while Iran and the USA! USA!! USA!!! were still at it in their glorified friendly, The Fiv … bear with us, this is going to take some time … Football Daily breathed a sigh of relief. See, we’ve got used to electronic advertising hoardings stripping one product at a time all the way down the touchline, so it’d been nice at this Human Rights World Cup when the e-banners occasionally flicked round to display an ersatz version of yesteryear, a virtual row of lots of separate little ads in the old-fashioned style. Sure, the selection of modern McCosta companies wouldn’t quite have the Azteca 1970 glamour of Cinzano, Kleenex, Bata shoes and Mothercare, but it would be better than nothing. Sadly, suddenly, for a couple of days back there, no more! So imagine how pleased we were to see the old-school corporate shilling suddenly appear again as the crucial Group B decider reached its last knockings. Hyundai, we hardly knew ye.

Continue reading...

Brazil 1-0 Switzerland: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Casemiro’s late goal was enough to see off the Swiss and send Brazil through to the knockout stage

3 min: Vinicius Jr makes his way down the left touchline and is barrelled over by Widmer. Another free kick, but this one is much further upfield, and Brazil will be sticking this one into the mixer. Brazil stick things into the mixer, right? Casemiro swings it in. Richarlison tries to connect, six yards out, but can’t manage it and the ball sails out for a Swiss throw on the other side.

2 min: The continuation of a nice, slow, patient start.

Continue reading...

Football Daily | Niclas Füllkrug: another cult hero pops out of the World Cup box

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!

The Fiv … this still doesn’t sit right … Football Daily loves nothing more than a World Cup cult hero. That’s why we lust after Uruguay’s Obdulio Varela, who strutted around the Maracanã in the 1950 “final” like Roy Keane, dishing out slaps, hard stares and beneficial advice. Much-fancied hosts Brazil never had a chance. Siphiwe Tshabalala scored the opening goal in the 2010 World Cup for South Africa, which is impressive enough on its own terms, but he’s mainly in our heart because, like Jerry Seinfeld and salsa, we love to say Tshabalala. What organic beauty. And that’s why we also love underdog diplomat David Beckham, sitting up in the stands with his fanciest togs on, hoping one day to gather the global football family together in his arms like Gianni Infantino before him, only with an even bigger revolving bow tie.

Continue reading...

Spain 1-1 Germany: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Álvaro Morata put Spain ahead before substitute Niclas Füllkrug earned a late point, though Germany’s fate remains out of their hands

7 min: Asensio busies himself on the edge of the German D and lays off to Olmo on his left. Olmo absolutely creams a rising diagonal shot towards the top right. It’s flying in, but Neuer gets a fingertip to it and the ball crashes off the crossbar instead. What a shot! What a save! What a goal that would have been!

5 min: Torres and Asensio nearly combine to carve out a shooting chance on the edge of the German box. The former rolls a pass in from the right; the latter can’t control. It would have been a good opportunity otherwise.

Continue reading...

World Cup 2022 briefing: Germany look to silence critics but Spain loom

Unpredictable Germany stare down a second successive group-stage exit if Luis Enrique’s team turn on the class again

Germany’s shock defeat to Japan was a strange game to parse. Hansi Flick’s men were probably the better side during the first half – they had the lion’s share of possession and chances – and yet Daizen Maeda would have given the Japanese an early lead from an onside position had he showed just a modicum of patience, then very nearly equalised Ilkay Gündogan’s 31st-minute penalty with a header that sailed inches wide on the stroke of half-time.

Continue reading...

Poland 2-0 Saudi Arabia: World Cup 2022 – as it happened

Robert Lewandowski finally scored at a World Cup as the Poles moved to the top of Group C

7 min: Sorry, we’re having some technical issues. You’ve not missed much.

4 min: Saudi are on the front foot early doors. Al Shehri dribbles into the Polish box from the left but can’t work enough space to shoot from a tight angle.

Continue reading...

World Cup 2022 briefing: what history tells us about Argentina v Mexico

Old results shouldn’t influence the present, not logically, but they invariably do

Argentina and Mexico go back a long way. All the way to the very first World Cup. They met in the 1930 group stage and it was quite the match. Three penalties were awarded, two of them scored by Mexico, one missed by Argentina, yet amazingly that wasn’t the main story. Step forward Guillermo Stábile, who notched a hat-trick for La Albiceleste on debut. Argentina won 6-3 and Stábile kept rattling them in all the way to the final, in which he put his side 2-1 up before Uruguay stormed back to win.

Continue reading...