WC Day 15 . . .

Early this morning at around 1.45am I found myself awake and I decided to go watch WC rather than trying to get back to sleep.

What a mistake that was!

Spain vs Uruguay was a dirty, scrappy, stop-start affair with both teams guilty of unnecessary fouls, diving, play acting and bitching non-stop at the ref. It was without question the worst game I've watched at this year's WC. Spain won it 1-0 in the end thanks to a goalkeeper error but it was a really poor game and no kind of advert for the game.

I did flick occasionally to the other game of the early morning which was a dull and boring goalless draw between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia but the one consolation was seeing the celebrations of Cape Verde after the game having qualified for the knockout stages by virtue of finishing second in the group (despite having not won a single match). They are the Cinderella story of this WC and their celebrations were the one highlight of an otherwise very disappointing pair of games.

England vs Panama later tonight at 11pm (my time). Hope England can top the group in style.

England vs Panama 0-0 at half time. England look a bt short of ideas especially in attack.

Croatia leading Ghana in the other game. If it stays as it is, Croatia will top the group and England will end up in the tough half of the draw.

At last England make the breakthrough.

Jude Bellingham scores from a corner.

1-0.

Croatia still lead Ghana 1-0 in the other game. England back on top of the group as it stands with 27 minutes to go.

Harry Kane scores to make it 2-0.

England have some breathing space.

Ghana equalise with Croatia and as it stands, they now move to 2nd in the group.

England still 2-0 up.

Croatia back in the lead. 2-1.

Final scores:

England 2-0 Panama

Croatia 2-1 Ghana

England top the group, Croatia finish second and Ghana will go through as one of the 3rd placed teams.

Portugal vs Colombia coming up and it should be a good one that decides who tops the group but I'll watch highlights tomorrow . . . I need some sleep.

I catch the occasional game, but mostly just snippets of live matches, so I rely on watching replays—though there are still too many to keep up with. I’m hoping to watch the replay of England’s game. I thought France was back to their best and on another level against the Netherlands. I’m dropping Spain and backing France to win the World Cup.

I’ve watched a couple of replays, and Portugal seem average at best, lucky to scrape a draw against Colombia. England, on the other hand, lacks the cleverness in front of goal and doesn’t have an established pattern of play — it feels like they’re still trying to figure one out.

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