Two to go on Two to go home and Goodbye to Messi & Ronaldo

As predicted in the preview, France and Uruguay moved onto to set up a quarter final clash between them. This means of course that we bade farewell to Messrs Messi and Ronaldo. One of the good things about this is that we will not have to endure anymore, at least for the remainder of the tournament, the argument about who is the better of the two. You can read my take on the debate in the preview for group D if you so desire.

Another positive is that two poor teams with a lot of hype surrounding them, because of their star players, have exited the tournament at an appropriate stage. One could easily argue that the Argies did not even deserve to make it this far, but that is a moot point now.

No words Needed

I wonder why

They will probably not be around for the next world cup so thanks for the memories.

Moving on quickly to today's games and on paper they both look forgone conclusions and unfortunately not matches which will set the pulses racing.

In the first game, the hosts Russia face Spain. Russia have achieved their goal, they made it through to the last sixteen and nobody expects anymore than that.

Spain, surprisingly have looked shaky, given the draw against Portugal was an exciting high scoring affair, but they struggled mightily in their draw with Morocco, rescued from embarrassment with a last minute equalizer and just scrapped past Iran by a slender margin. There is always a possibility of a shock by the host team given the support they will receive and so on.

Spain know all about this as in 2002 they went out to the hosts South Korea in a penalty shoot out after a goalless 120 minutes. The same South Korea having already shocked the then mighty Italy in the last sixteen.
However this time round, I can not see it happening, although if the Russkies should manage an early goal perhaps from their bear of a player known as Artem Dzyuba,  The Spanish might get edgy.

Player to watch for Spain is Isco, it is tine this young man stepped up a level.

Bear of a Man

The Next Generation

In the second game, Croatia, a team I picked as the dark horses of the tournament will try to to continue their gentle canter and hope that they will not lose their footing against a rather insipid Danish team.

The more I think about it, the more it was a shame that Peru missed a penalty against Denmark which would have seen the much more exciting Peruvians here instead of the very anemic Danes and given me a lot more to write about.

Went like a Sputnik into Orbit

The Danes are going to need to rely on their goalie Kasper Schmeichel to keep them in the game, while the impressive Rakitic will look to pull the strings in midfield and perhaps add to his goal against the Argies.

Kasper the Ghost

Croatian conductor

Nice to see the Argies looking bedraggled in the commentators words

Spain and Croatia to set up a mouth watering quaterfinal