We Are At The World Cup: Favorites Flatter To Deceive - A Tale Of Group Stages

The 2018 World Cup continues and Nile Post will keep you covered with all the updates, analysis and stories making rounds at the 21^st Tournament going down in Russia.

We will keep the count of events with each day that passes by.

DAY THREE

A point in Russia has become a valuable possession for most of the favorites as the Group Stages continue to surprise.

From a day of VAR and missed penalties into a Day that gets Four and Five-time winners Germany and Brazil respectively, off to a poor start.

If it could, I would wish, but it certainly won’t get any better for the Competition than this moment when most of the favorites are already praying for a better second game.

Just after the night Ronaldo showcased perhaps his best performance ever at a World Cup; -picking up a Hattrick against his Club-country side, Spain and making David de Gea be ‘the player he has always been’, Messi did wonders too, though on the darker side of the tale.

It’s a wrong to make a comment about Ronaldo and not make one about Messi; -at least that’s what the current law of the cult dictates and so, I shall.

 

Messi reminded the ‘wild’ that he is indeed from another planet by squandering the only Golden opportunity there was to get Argentina off to a winning start. (I am not sure Alliens would look at that as a bad thing, after all what is good to us is bad to them. That’s what Hollywood has taught me)

Ronaldo picked up the right moment, against an equally strong opponent as the reigning European Champions themselves to record his 51^st career hattrick, the first at a World Cup for his six goals at the Tournament, and guess what?

Messi’s best response to this was a poor show against Iceland and a missed penalty against Hannes Þór Halldórsson! Hilarious, isn’t it?

Three penalties awarded on the day and only one scored by Luca Modric versus Nigeria for Croatia in their 2-0 opening game win.

Yeah, Yeah. Messi was not the first to miss a penalty at the Russia 2018 World Cup, Christian Cueva missed a golden opportunity to level matters for his Peru side who were trailing by 1-0 courtesy of a Yussuf Poulsen strike.

We expected, and indeed it so happened that VAR had to make its infamous shouts, call it drama, as it always does, this time helping France to struggle past Australia, for a 2-1 win. I guess ‘la decision’ wasn’t wrong to award Griezmann his first goal at the Tournament from a penalty kick.

If Ronaldo has scored and Messi missed a penalty, the next thing in the making should make the right tap to the headlines and indeed, he (Griezmann) has already made his mark.

And Africa may well have to wait a little longer for the very first goal and probably longer and longer for the very first point.

DAY FOUR

Away from day three, a day of disappointments into a day of shocking events!

Alas! Almost all favorites have failed to show up when it matters most. Defending Champions, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Portugal all have a maximum of one-point and it remains to be seen if they can all have better days for the second group matchday.

Day Four had its own share of disappointments as Holders and four-time world Champions, Germany were humiliated to a shocking, opening game loss to Mexico. Could this be a moment for Leroy Sane Sympathizers to get back at Loew for his snub of the Man City Winger?

Well, I did not call a start to that. At least, I am trying to get Germany die-hards a reason not to hung.

Well, as per now should we say Die mannschaft are being haunted by the defending Champions syndrome? If we won’t, then, what can we make of the 2014 for Spain, 2010 for Italy? Save a breath and skip 2006 for 2002 same for France 98.

It always has to be Brazil to defy the odds.

Can Germany get the better of the defending Champion Syndrome too this time? Or, is it too early for the call? Safe to say they can. They have done it before as West Germany and as Germany as well, qualifying through the Groups and the matter of defending it will come later next month.

A super charged Brazil failing to defeat Switzerland was the other of the shocking World Cup feats. A day off for Three-time defending Champions League winner Marcelo and a no show for Neymar who was busy shouting at the Universe like; ‘Hey, y’all am back. It’s me Neymar am back to drag Brazil into another 7-1 drabbing’ if you know.

And yes, we all know. Not after that naïve performance against Switzerland who were getting miles and miles ahead by the age of the game. But where was the VAR when Miranda was pushed by Steven Zuber to head in the equalizer?

A star-studded line-up, full of Champions, failing to control proceedings against a team with stars like that one who lasted a season getting his Club (Stoke City) relegated.

In fact, only 3-players in Brazil’s line up were not champions at their Clubs ahead of this tournament; - Willian, Miranda and Alisson Becker.

It turns out to be that this Brazilian team has already lost its direction. The Captain has since winning his third in a row and Fourth Champions League trophy turned into a freestyle player and the poster boy the show-boat itself.

Nothing to say about Serbia beating Costa Rica. The days of Paul Wanchope are long gone and now, it’s just the days of Keylor Navas. One of the most decorated players in Russia right now and perhaps a poor man’s version of Buffon, hated for having come from no where and denied de Gea a chance at the Bernabeu.

A Non-Spanish who probably may never get plaudits for his heroics in that Madrid side.

He should be now saying ‘bring him (de Gea) on and you will see how he parries in a back-pass.’

Day Five

Day five will have its own share of surprises as the Three Lions of England take on Tunisia in their opening Group G game.

England, the other often criticized side will have to either show up against Tunisia. Else, all the wrongs in ferrying a one-capped, Trent Alexander-Arnold to Russia will surface.

On the other side, England’s closest rivals in Group G, Belgium will also be in action against Panama.

Today’s fixtures

Sweden v South Korea 3PM

Belgium v Panama – 7PM

Tunisia v England – 9PM