World Cup Warm-Up: Reports indicate that football is coming home
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 19/06/2018 at 09:12 GMT
England win! So do Belgium, plus someone has been a very naughty boy indeed...
England fans celebrate following their sides victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group G match between Tunisia and England at Volgograd Arena on June 18, 2018 in Volgograd, Russia.
Image credit: Eurosport
TUESDAY’S TOP WORLD CUP STORIES
We are delighted to inform you that football does seem to be coming home
Well, that was quite good fun, all told. England have three points in the bag after their opening game of the World Cup against Tunisia, Harry Kane doing what Harry Kane will do, being in the right place at the right time to score two goals, his first in the 11th minute and his second in stoppage time. This after Ferjani Sassi had levelled things from the penalty spot and Tunisia had successfully frustrated England for much of the second half.
“There could have been a couple of penalties, especially when you look at their one, which looked quite soft,” said Kane afterwards, joining a number of English viewers in thinking that an elbow to the face is fine. “The VAR is there to look at those decisions. If they don’t think it’s a penalty, we have to deal with it, but I struggled to get the Tunisia players off me all night. They were trying to grab hold, trying to stop us running, I couldn’t move at set pieces. So maybe there was a bit of justice at the end to get one at the back post.”
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2018/06/18/2357565-49050070-2560-1440.jpg)
Southgate
Image credit: Eurosport
The most encouraging thing from an English perspective is that they never really seemed to panic, save for a spell after Tunisia’s goal. They played more or less the same for the whole match, not immediately resorting to the old ‘LUMP IT INTO THE MIXER’ tactic that sides with a less solid constitution might have been tempted to do.
The impression about the England team before this game was that they were a pretty likeable bunch, but ultimately you wondered exactly how good they really are. This victory isn’t a sign that they will surely go all the way, but it does at least suggest they have something solid about them. Which is just as well, after…
BELGIUM BATTER PANAMA
Some of the ostensible contenders for this World Cup have looked a little ropey, either not winning their opening games or struggling to unconvincing victories. Not Belgium, if you count them as contenders, who were extremely impressive in their victory over Panama.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2018/06/18/2357448-49047730-2560-1440.jpg)
Belgium's forward Dries Mertens (L) is congratulated by Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku after scoring a goal during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group G football match between Belgium and Panama at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on June 18, 2018
Image credit: Getty Images
3-0 was the final score, with a brace from Romelu Lukaku and a contender for goal of the tournament by Dries Mertens, a sensational dipping volley to set Belgium on their way. It wasn’t all roses though, as Roberto Martinez seemed pretty concerned about some rather robust tactics from the Panamanians, a theme following similar treatment of Neymar from Switzerland’s players.
“Every team can prepare how they like, but the tackling concerns me,” he said. “I wouldn’t like to lose [Eden] Hazard to a hard tackle on his ankle, I say it for him and all the great players here.”
VAR helps Sweden along to first win
Sweden add their names to the list of teams enjoying an opening game win, after a penalty from Andreas Granqvist was enough for their 1-0 victory over South Korea.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2018/06/18/2357324-49045250-2560-1440.jpg)
Andreas Granqvist of Sweden celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group F match between Sweden and Korea Republic at Nizhniy Novgorod Stadium on June 18, 2018 in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
Image credit: Getty Images
In truth this was a mild dud, a rarity in a World Cup that has so far been terrific, this time not exactly providing too many thrills and spills, unless that is you’re a big fan of VAR. The Swedish penalty was awarded thanks to the omniscient review system, which decided Kim Min-woo’s challenge on Viktor Claesson amounted to a foul, after on-field referee Joel Aguilar had initially decided it wasn’t.
“I felt the wait for the VAR was unnecessary,” said Sweden manager Janne Andersson afterwards. “There was no doubt that the penalty should have been called straightaway. Luckily the referee had VAR to help him to be able to make the right decision.”
WORLD CUP SHORTS
Kalinic sent home for being a naughty boy
Sometimes when a parent sends their child to their room, you wonder how much of a punishment it actually is, if in that room they have assorted forms of entertainment, iPads, phones and so forth. Thus with Nikola Kalinic, who seemingly didn’t want to play football for Croatia, so his manager has punished him by ensuring he would not play football for Croatia.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2018/06/18/2357406-49046890-2560-1440.jpg)
Nikola Kalinic
Image credit: Getty Images
“During the Nigeria encounter, Kalinic was warming up and was supposed to come on in the second half,” Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said yesterday. “However, he then stated he wasn’t ready to come on due to a back issue. The same thing happened during the Brazil friendly in England, as well as before the practice session on Sunday. I have calmly accepted that, and since I need my players fit and ready to play, I have made this decision.”
Nikola will now be able to play Fortnite to his heart’s content.
FAN OF THE DAY
If you’re going to paint your face…well, why just stop at your face?
IN THE CHANNELS
The breakout star of the men’s World Cup is a woman. It’s not something many would have seen coming. Yet here we are. Five days in to the biggest sporting competition in the world and Eni Aluko’s punditry is one of the most talked-about aspects of the games. The former Chelsea striker, who joined Serie A side Juventus this summer, has proved a breath of fresh air as a part of the ITV punditry team.
Breaking up the usual parade of phoning-it-in ex male pros, Eni Aluko and Alex Scott have showed a little tactical nous and televisual sense in their roles as pundits for this World Cup. Suzanne Wrack wrote about them in the Guardian.
WORLD CUP MEMORIES
Do you miss Italy? We do, sort of. On this day in 1990, Roberto Baggio did this.
COMING UP
It just keeps coming. Although, admittedly, if you were to take a day off, it might be this one. The games begin with Colombia v Japan from Saransk, then we have Poland v Senegal in Moscow, before the hosts face Egypt – with or without Mo Salah – in St Petersburg.
With World Cup Fever still running high, Dr Alex Chick will be here for you tomorrow to offer a prognosis.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement