The 2018 World Cup saw Brazil and Neymar exit the competition after losing to a strong Belgium team in the quarter-finals. England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990.
Uruguay 0 France 2
Uruguay might not be the best team in either format, but bad luck certainly played a big role in seeing them bow out at the quarter-final stage, injury hammering their hopes before a ball was kicked, as had been the case with Colombia in the last round. How well you can mask those losses defines your destiny in a competition such as this but Uruguay simply did not look the same team without Cavani and that proved fatal to their chances.
Of course, had he played, France might well still have prevailed for they grow in stature as the games go by and we’re better able to cope with their own loss, Matuidi to suspension. Even then, had Muslera not chucked one in for them with an horrific piece of goalkeeping when they were still in it at 1-0, it could all have been different – contrast that with Lloris’ magnificent save from Caceres’ header at the same score and it reminds everyone that the game isn’t just about goalscorers.
France Disciplined
Where some teams at this World Cup are, in large part, about one player, the French look a cohesive unit that makes the most of the sum of its parts. They are disciplined – they needed to be against a fractious Uruguayan side who tried to provoke them at 2-0 down – and that includes star names such as Pogba and the ever impressive Griezmann who knuckled down to do a job for their side rather than hunting the headlines. Even Mbappe refused to let the hype go to his head post-Argentina and provided a workmanlike outlet that France needed, especially in the first half when Uruguay shaded the first half hour.
The game changed just before the break with a clever Griezmann free-kick, the stutter on his run up forcing the defenders back towards goal a fraction early, giving the French the extra bit of space to attack the ball.
Varane planted a superb header into the net. Lloris produced that superb save from Caceres almost immediately, and from there, as France came out strongly at the start if the second half, they controlled the game, gave Uruguay not a sniff of a chance and moved serenely towards victory. If only Cavani had been there to partner Suarez though…
Brazil 1 Belgium 2
Who would have thought, three weeks ago, that Brazil’s key player was Casemiro? Yet so he is for his absence against Belgium proved every bit as significant as Cavani’s for Uruguay for in a first half when Belgium broke with pace, power and precision, there was nobody in that Brazilian midfield to break up the devastating runs of Hazard, De Bruyne and Lukaku, a trio that simply ripped Brazil to shreds.
It could have been different had Thiago Silva and Paulinho taken advantage of early opportunities from corners, but from there, Belgium bossed the first half and deservedly went in at the break with the game nearly won, the first goal a touch fortunate given it was a deflection off Fernandinho, but it was still created by the confusion caused by a superb corner ball in and a great run at the near post by Kompany.
The second goal was one of the best of the competition, scored on the counterattack, Lukaku too strong and too quick for a too open Brazilian rearguard, finding De Bruyne who advanced and smashed a tracer bullet of a shot into the far corner. Brazil, to their credit, fought back in the second half and might have had a penalty given by VAR, though equally Neymar might also have collected two yellow cards for further outrageous diving. A delicious ball from Coutinho allowed Renato Augusto to give them a sliver of late hope but Belgium ground it out, Courtois produced a couple of fine saves and they deservedly progressed.
Belgium To Meet France
As an attacking force in the first 45 minutes and then as a defensive unit after the interval, Belgium proved again they have all the attributes needed to win. More importantly, it seems to me that they have realised they are the best team in the competition too. Right from the outset against Panama in their first game, they have been relentlessly demanding of each other, setting high standards, determined not to pass up their chance.
All that might stop them – a bit of bad luck aside – is physical fatigue, brought about by being in the tougher half of the draw. They were out on their feet towards the end of the game with Brazil, and recovery from that will be key to their chances against the French and then, perhaps, in the final. But as we stand, they are the team to beat.
Russia 2 Croatia 2 (Croatia win on pens)
Vladimir Putin, winner of elections at home and abroad, finally discovered that the penalty box is mightier than the ballot box. Not even he could fix this one to go the way he wanted.
He tried, God knows he tried, issuing a decree that allowed Fernandes to trade his Brazilian nationality for a Russian one. That looked amongst the finest political decisions of the age when he popped up to steer a powerful header home and send the game to penalties. It looked a little more suspect when he shanked his spot kick wide of goal and so give the Croatians the final bit of encouragement they needed to finish the job.
It was tough on the Russians but wholly proper in a footballing sense for Croatia, without finding the football they’re capable of, were the better side Modric, as ever, the maestro at the middle of it all. But a team as technically limited as the Russians should never got within a million miles of a World Cup semi-final and so to come as close as they did was an epic achievement for them. They did it courtesy of a few moments of inspiration throughout the competition, most notably from Cheryshev who did it again in this game, scoring another magnificent goal, but largely on an absolute and unquenchable desire not to let their nation down.
That carried them on time and again, through long periods when they simply couldn’t get the ball off Croatia, yet refused to allow them the space to do much with it. And had they been able to hold on to the lead to half time rather than conceding to Kramaric’s stooping header six minutes before the break, who knows?
Dreadful Game
Croatia were in control from there but a number of injuries and clever game management by the Russians took us into extra-time. Again, Croatia were on top and when Vida’s header wormed its way through the box and into the corner, it looked all over, but this Russian side refused to be beaten and somehow contrived to take the game all the way to the spot, only to finally be defeated.
If Croatia are to progress and reach the final that their potential suggests they should, they will have to overcome their tendency to get worse as tournaments go on, something they’ve done all too often in the past, flattering to deceive. This was very nearly another example of that for though they were better than Russia in a generally dreadful game, they couldn’t put them away and rarely looked likely to.
They looked exhausted by the end of the game, partly from the emotion of the occasion, partly from the pounding they took from their opponents. How they recover from these exertions and the injuries they suffered will be critical, but at least against England they should be facing a team that will look to play a bit rather than doubling down on defence as Denmark and Russia did. That should suit them better.
Sweden 0 England 2
In the other quarter-final, England eased to victory over a disappointing Sweden side which not only failed to get going as an attacking unit – no real surprise – but also failed to do the things it is normally good at, defending set plays. They had no answer to England from free-kicks and corners – who knew Tony Pulis was Gareth Southgate’s mentor? – while England’s second goal was so laughably easy you’d be rollocking a school team if they’d conceded it.
For long stretches, watching this was the international equivalent of Stoke versus Burnley, with apologies to fans of both of those, always a game where the first goal was going to be critical. England, to their credit, were the only team interested in getting it and, lo and behold, it came from a header, Maguire doing the honours.
Pickford Saves
From there, a brief flurry just after the break aside, there was only ever going to be one winner, Alli confirming the win by the simple virtue of standing still and waiting for the Swedish defence to run away from him. For all that it was routine stuff though, England will still be concerned that against such a limited side, they were left feeling grateful for three fine saves made by Pickford.
Ultimately, England did what they had to do and did it at a canter, so much so that they will have kept plenty in reserve for the semi-final game having merely had to do a little light sparring against flimsy opponents in getting through. Will that give them plenty of energy when it matters most against a Croatian side that had to battle through against an obdurate Denmark and then the entire Russian nation, or will that very lack of competition, and the sharpness it brings with it, leave them wanting come the final analysis? Much will depend on the freshness of Modric. He holds the key.
If you enjoyed reading this, don’t miss Dave Bowler’s fascinating review of the 2018 semi-finals that follows.
Sir Alf Ramsey: England 1973 focuses on the final full year of Sir Alf’s reign as England boss. The nation that won the World Cup in 1966 failed to even qualify for the 1974 tournament. Ramsey was suddenly a man out of time, both on and off the pitch. The failing fortunes of the England team mirrored those of a post-Empire nation heading for its own fall.
A must read for all fans. Order your copy.