France V Argentina World Cup 2018

France V Argentina

Synopsis in red

Top bets on today’s game: France V Argentina

Fancy this game to be also close, but if there are to be goals then who really else can score them only both teams trouble shooters.

€2.00 Single
France v Argentina – Anytime Goalscorer Doubles A Griezmann & L Messi 17/2

Ah unlucky, but to be fair Messi never got close to scoring. Anyway still got Portugal in the double with Portugal.

Full betting previews, read here>

Beers: Round of 16 Beer World Cup:

Denmark, unlike in the football, came top of my Beer Group C, while Nigeria came second in my Beer Group D. So today it will be a match up between Carlsberg of Denmark against Guinness Special Export representing Nigeria.

Denmark V Nigeria

Carlsberg Lager Guinness Special Export

Victory to Guinness Special Export and to Nigeria. As the goals were flying in, I was getting steadily buzzed with the Guinness, had the kick to accompany a great game, brilliant. Nigeria make the last eight of my Beer World Cup.

Read who qualified for my Beer World Cup last 16 here

PreGame:

Watched the first half of the France V Denmark game. As I predicted in my preview, yes it was fucking boring, a snooze fest. Two god damn awful teams playing boring football, both knew they were going to get through, but still at least play some football.

Only real highlights were when, stand in goalie, Mandanda saved well from an Eriksen effort, and Griezmann setting up Giroud to balloon 40 foot over the bar. And that was about it. Fucking boring.

Both teams still might get into the last 8, just by the fact they are in the weaker side of the draw, but they wont be lifting any trophy in mid July, that is for sure.

As for Argentina, I watched the second half of their game V Nigeria. Messi had finally got off the mark in the first half to put Argentina one up. So it was interesting to see them blow that lead, and nearly get knocked out of the World Cup. They were lucky.

Imagine my shock when I see that Mascherano was playing. I literally had just wrote on my notes WTF, when sure enough he made two errors. He headed out for a corner when no one was near him, then with the resulting corner he pulled down a Nigerian forward. Ok that was a bit harsh that decision, but what was he doing anyway. I would like to know what Jorge Sampaoli sees in him? He is useless, gives the ball away too cheaply and can’t defend. I also might add why the manager only introduced Aguero with about 12 minutes left in the clock, and started with the donkey Higuain, who cant shoot straight for shit. Tsk, tsk.

With the resulting penalty, Moses, who had a decent world cup, scored. Trouble for Argentina, now needing another goal to go through.

Nigeria started to play some good football. Musa on the wing, made a clown of Mascherano (who else), and his sharp ball into the box was just missed. Musa again from the left set up Idowu, who was unlucky with a shot just over. Then Nigeria had another penalty call, when they had a good shout, did the defender intentionally hit the ball to his hand? Either way what the hell was he doing heading it towards his hands,ffs. Penalty to me all day long. Unlucky. (still they already got a soft one so I guess they shouldn’t complain too much) and Ighalo should have got his shot on target in the first place. Then Etebo went very close with a free kick. All the chances Nigeria squandered to kill Argentina wasted or not taken.

With time running out, a good ball into the box was met by Rojo, who rifled it home neatly. What a goal and what the hell was the central defender doing that far up the pitch. Who cares, he scored a cracker, and Argentina live to fight another day.

I also notice no players went to congratulate Jorge Sampaoli as the goal went in. He looked like a lemming on his own, billy no mates. Says a lot.

Nigeria go home and should count themselves very unlucky, but it is a young team and I am sure they will play a big part in future world cups, while Argentina go on to meet France today, another team that are a bit rubbish.

Wow, where do I start. Well done to France, but really well done to Kylian Mbappé. What a great performance, and he still only 19 years old, ffs!!!!!!!

The signs were there from the start when Mascherano dragged Mbappé down, and with the resulting free, Griezmann hit the post. Not long later, Mbappé was again on the attack, running deep from his own defence, easily brushing aside the Argentinian midfield, to be taking down in the box for a penalty. That was far too easy for France! An excellent run, and Griezmann scores with little problem.

France nearly repeated the trick a few minutes later when Pogba expertly played in Mbappé who again was fouled, but this time just outside the box. Mbappé was a danger every time he got the ball, running Argentina ragged. France were doing the business today, no messing around, straight out of the blocks!

Was difficult for Argentina, even more so that the manager decided not to play with any strikers!!!! But sure enough, just when you think they were buried and gone, Di María pops up with a brilliant long range strike to equalize. Where did that come from, out of nowhere!?

The just after half time, they only gone and scored to take the lead!! Mercado, who was simply awful all game, managed to get a lucky foot on a poor Messi strike to deflect it into the net. A pox of a goal if even I saw one!

France didn’t panic, they knew they had this Argentina team in their pocket, and sure enough order was restored soon. But perhaps from an unlikely source. I have being very critical of Pavard all tournament, but to be fair to him, today he was pretty good on the wings, attacking much more, and his general play was more rounded. So it was with great surprise when I saw him banging one in like there was no tomorrow. A dream strike, a great goal, probably the best so far we have seen in this years tournament.

That kind of took the wind out of Argentina, they were gone. Space was opening up all over the middle of the pitch, and with Matuidi, Pogba, and Kanté bossing the centre of the pitch, it was no surprise to see Mbappé get a chance to score a goal his play so richly deserved. But the Argentinian goalie probably should have stopped it. Well four minutes he scored another one, a great well worked goal from defence to forward, what a easy way to cut Argentina open. two nice goals for Mbappé, well done you have arrived in Russia 2018!

Argentina did manage to pull one back but really by that stage it was too late, and France now go into the last eight on a high. This was the performance they needed, and well done to all involved for giving us a game we wont forget in a long time. BRILLIANT!

Just to note, was really impressed with Kanté, a model pro, never bickers or argues with the ref, gets up when fouled, and always tries his hardest. What a great bulwark to have in the middle of the field for France.

ALLEZ LES BLUES!

Music to get you in the mood

Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You (France) V Bajofondo Tango Club – Montserrat (Orquesta Del Plata) (Argentina)