Croatia V Denmark
Synopsis in red
Top bets on today’s game: Croatia V Denmark
Down to the long shots at this stage. Sure why not, definitely makes watching the game that tad bit more interesting. Reckon Croatia will have the upper hand in this game, albeit the Danes have a decent enough defence that might be hard to break down.
€2.00 Single
Croatia v Denmark – Croatia to Win; BTTS; 4+ corners for each team & 3+ cards for each team 150/1
Full betting previews, read here>
Put my hand up, silly bet, was never going to happen!
Beers: Round of 16 Beer World Cup:
Just as in the football, Croatia were strong on the beer front too, coming top in a relatively strong group, Beer Group D. On the other side, Australia (and not Denmark) came second in my Beer Group C. So today we have a match up between the Croatian pairing of Ožujsko and Bura Brew against Fosters of Australia.
Croatia V Australia
Both teams qualifying from tough groups. Croatia came top in Beer Group D, up against heavy hitters from Iceland, Argentina and Nigeria. While Australia’s group, Group C, was also tough. They came second in a group that had France, Denmark and Peru all well represented in my beer World Cup.
Read who qualified for my Beer World Cup last 16 here
Good evening of drinking, much better than the football that was an offer. But like the game, there was drama and the result was very close. I started with a Bura Brew which although it might not be the best looker was sure lovely to taste and had great big lovely mouthfuls that went down well. Only thing was that Fosters is so smooth to drink, that nectar juice is so good to have while looking at the footy on the box. Too close to separate, I need another few beers to make a decision on this match up.
Step forward Ožujsko, who did just enough to put Croatia into the last 8 of my Beer World Cup. It won on pure tastes and had that little bit more of a bite to it than the Fosters. 2-1 to Croatia. 
PreGame:
Looked at the first half of Croatia V Iceland:
Could feel the tension in the game, Iceland needed a win to get to the last 16, so they started the game with a lot of tempo, knowing they had a small chance what with Croatia making 8 changes to their first team, albeit they still had the magician Modric on the field.
Even with those changes Croatia still looked very strong, still pinging it around the pitch and still getting chances. Iceland, themselves, came more into it, constantly lobbing long balls into the box, from frees, throws or corners, it was aerial bombardment at a serious scale.
Finnbogason, for Iceland, went very close, just hitting a shot wide, while they also missed a flick on at the far post that beat everyone. Gunnarsson also had L Kalinic pull off a good save to keep it nil nil up to half time. Basically it was all Iceland in the last 20 minutes of the first half, and I really could not see how they would not win in the second half. Well I was wrong as they lost the second half two – one, which goes to show you how strong this Croatia team is that there second team are equally as good in disposing of tough opposition.
Iceland go home in their first World Cup, no shame, played as well as they could for a rather limited team. They will be back again, since they have got a real taste for this level of football. Croatia, on the other hand, go on to meet a very poor Denmark team today and I have no doubt they should dispatch of the Danes with little problem.
Watched the first half of Denmark V France and as I had 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.
Seen very little from Eriksen to suggest he will light up this tournament. France showed in their classic game yesterday against Argentina that this was a blip,but I doubt Denmark will improve in their game today against a strong Croatian team. I could be wrong, but i dont think so!
Denmark playing again, another boring game, piss poor performance from them again. For sure there was great drama, but fuck me they are a dire dull team to look at.
I was just after sitting down to the game and they managed to score the first goal, less than two minutes into the game. M Jorgensen with a goal that was a bit of a fluke, hitting it off the arm of the goalkeeper to go in.
And if you thought that was quick, the response from Croatia was shit fast, two minutes later they got the equaliser. Mandzukic with a nice goal to level the game early on.
Croatia with Modric bossing the midfield started to come into it after that, Vrsaljko and Rebic on both wings stretching the Danes at every opportunity, it looked good for Croatia.
But Denmark weathered the storm, took all that Croatia could throw at them, and slowly ground the Croatians down. Second half was dull, the game was rubbish. Denmark had totally neutralized Croatia.
In extra time, I thought that Croatia were on the ropes and dead on their feet, and if Denmark were not so fucking boring and shite they might have knocked them out. Where was their big time player Eriksen? Useless.
But there was still some drama to go before the ref blow it up. Modric played in Rebic perfectly who rounded Schmeichel and just had to tap it in for an easy goal, except Jorgensen clipped in before he did all that. A definite penalty, dont even know why Schmeichel was arguing about it. Ok we thought, surely game over now, but no this world cup keeps giving and giving, and Schmeichel saved Modric’s last minute spot kick to send the game into a penalty shootout. What drama!
The penalty shootout had more drama than most of the game. Erkisen had his shot saved, a waste of space, was brave of Modric to step forward again this time making no mistake, Schmeichel saving two more, and then what a joke seeing N Jørgensen take a penalty, the cunt can’t score from 5 yards out never mind 12, give me a fucking break, lol!! Subasic did amazing to save three, and it was up to Rakitic to put Croatia into the last 8, and deservedly so, the footballing team won out tonight.
Music to get you in the mood
V Michael Learns To Rock – That’s Why You Go Away (Denmark)
Top bets on today’s game: France V Argentina 
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. 
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. 
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 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!
Uruguay finally showed us what they are all about when they easily dispatched of Russia in their last game. Before that, their first two games were pretty poor, so it was good to see a more attack minded approach.
Portugal, on the other hand, started off their world cup very brightly, but have kind of spurted and started in their last two games. They were pretty lucky against both Morocco, who had them on the ropes for long periods of their match, while against Iran they could have got knocked out proper!
Then we had one of the big incidents of the night. Ronaldo’s hand brushed Pouraliganji’s chest and the poor soul nearly had a heart attack. I never knew Ronnie had ninja like strength, amazing. I thought the referee did very well, considering the pressure from the crowd and the Iran bench. He gave a yellow and should have given one to Pouraliganji for playacting, bloody clown. There is a reason why Iran dont play rugby.
A tense game overall but I dont like this VAR, complicates things too much. Portugal were playing Russia one minute then Uruguay the next and in the end nearly went out altogether. They will have it tough against Uruguay for sure, and hopefully today Ronaldo will get his act together for this match.
Started brightly for the Ronnie, his first effort, although straight at the goalie, was strong and hit with great intent. But then a few minutes later, a long ball from Cavani, and what a ball it was, to Suarez who controlled it perfectly and without even looking up hit it straight to the far post, where, of course, Cavani smashed it home. BRILLIANT! Two players on the same wavelength, in perfection. As Glenn Hoddle said on ITV, “that is the longest one two you will ever see!”
But it wasn’t just in attack. Godin, of course, the rock in defence, so, so hard to beat, while Cáceres, also at the back, performing well, up and down the pitch like a yo yo, while Laxalt in midfield also one that deserves some credit for the work he does within the team. All solid players who do what they have to do very well. The backbone what have you to a great attack.
Portugal brought on Manuel Fernandes, who actually thought he was Ronaldo at one stage, as he took two pot shots from distance that went high over the bar. Just what Portugal needed when they were chasing the game, and then Ricardo Quaresmaa should have got a free on the edge of the box but the ref didn’t see so. The bitch ranted but when you dive every time you get touched sometimes it goes against you, the boy who cried wolf. 
causing all sorts of problems on both wings, Barrios working hard as a defensive midfielder, while James Rod was doing his thing in the centre of the park. It was all Colombia and Poland had nothing to stop them.
Good start to the game from Senegal, and sure enough it didn’t take long for them to take the lead. A lucky goal but Mané wont mind, capitalizing on a bad mistake by the Japanese goalie, Kawashima, who palmed the ball straight into the path of the Senegalese striker. What a gift for Senegal to take the lead.
Colombia on the other hand, were lucky. I dont know how they managed to win this game, as in the first half they were simply awful and then to make matters worse they lost Rodríguez who had to go off with an injury. Cuadrado was simply brutal today, couldn’t even manage a simply pass all game, and spent most of the game falling to the ground. If they dont get James Rod back in time, and its asking a lot in 5 days, then I cant see them causing Belgium or England too many problems. 
It was a big game for both teams, a win was needed, lose and you are out of the World Cup. The atmosphere was electric (mostly thanks to the Colombian fans) and the tension high. Poland started livelier but as the game went on there was really only one team in this game, Colombia!
But Japan came back with a lovely goal by Inui, who placed it lovely into the back of the net, great goal and a nice run and pass from by Nagatomoto set it all up. Senegal were sitting on their lead by this time and deserved to be punished. 
But once again, Senegal decided to site on their lead and once again they were punished for some diabolical defending and play. A goal keeping mistake from K N’Diaye, where he completely missed the ball not once but twice, let Honda tap in for the equaliser. 
Leaving out Inui was crazy, relying on the score of the other game was a big decision and a really foolish one at that. 
With news coming through that Colombia were beating Senegal, Japan knew they were through by virtue of having less yellow cards, and Poland were happy to get the three points, so the last ten minutes was played at a walking pace with both teams mutually deciding to stop playing football. A bit surreal but there you go.
Rather than crumble Tunisia did somehow manage to pull one quick goal back, Bronn scored from a glancing header, unmarked, back of the net. Great response, and exactly what his team needed. Game on. 
Stones got a free header from a corner, as the Panamanian defenders were more into WWF than concentrating on how to actual defend a set piece. Then shortly after, Lingard was brought down for a penalty which Kane easily dispatched off. Lingard, again, scored a cracking curler in the tip right corner for the third goal. This was getting too easy for England. 
R Torres nearly got his country’s first world cup but badly missed at the far post. Good enough for the cunt, what a shit captain, in everyone’s face throughout most of the game and couldn’t control either himself or his team. But that goal came in the end to Baloy, on a sub, and with a well struck goal put himself into his country’s footballing history books. 
Good high tempo start from both teams, both eager to get a win in the World Cup before they go home. But once again the shooting from both teams left a lot to be desired. F Ben Youssef, him of the dodgy red highlights in his hair, the most guilty, missing a host of chances, even kicking his own leg during one attempt, while his teammate Sliti and Khazri had their own mini competition to see which players could balloon the ball out of the fucking stadium (think Khazri won that battle), tsk. At least Bedoui got his chance on target which got the Panamanian goalkeeper to pull off a decent save. Tunisia were at least getting the chances, and to be fair to them, some of their players were doing well in the game. Sassi was pinning the passes around the pitch. 
Belgium started with much more intensity, and I guess after looking at the England game, they knew that if they get at Tunisia from the get go they might crumble early. And so they did, very early in fact, after about 6 minutes, with Hazard getting and scoring a penalty. We didn’t have to wait long for the next one, ten minutes in fact, for Lukaku to score a nice goal that was well set up. 
Tunisia got one back, but they were never at the races today. Belgium looked good, particularly De Bruyne quietly going about his business behind the forwards, making most of the build up play and assisting in a few of the goals for today. Also for me, Vertonghen in central defence has had a good world cup so far, marshaling his back four very well, a good rock at the back. 
Stones got a free header from a corner, as the Panamanian defenders were more into WWF than concentrating on how to actual defend a set piece. Then shortly after, Lingard was brought down for a penalty which Kane easily dispatched off. Lingard, again, scored a cracking curler in the tip right corner for the third goal. This was getting too easy for England. 
Started off pretty slow. Januzaj though shaked it up, scoring with a cracker of a goal, a lovely long range effort that flew in. 
For Switzerland V Serbia it truly was a game of two halves, really. Mitrovic scored early doors, from an excellent cross by Tadic, who only a minute beforehand had whipped in a virtually similar cross into the box. This time they scored, and Mitrovic and Tadic were combining well all first half, with most play coming down the left side. At the other end of the pitch, their defence was again solid, the Swiss just couldn’t get pass them at all. 
It was amazing what a goal can do, for the Swiss it reinvigorated them while totally shocked the Serbs who looked like it drained them of all their energy. Shaqiri hit the post with a wonder strike, and you could sense that perhaps there was a win for this Swiss team. Well in the 90 minute that goal came, and Shaqiri was the man to take all the credit, on the break calming slotting it past the on running goal, you just knew he wasn’t going to miss from there. Brilliant, what a turnaround for the Swiss. 
Neymar was active, and he forced Navas off his line to save, early on. He also had another good chance to score but for the reaction save of Navas again. Neymar had the chances but looked a little off the pace just ever so slightly. Remember he still isn’t completely back to full fitness. But it wasn’t all Neymar, Coutinho had a cracking game, with all the good moves starting with him on the ball first. 
But they did, as they got a good second goal. A great corner from Neymar, found the head of Thiago Silva who headed it to make it two nil to Brazil and game over. A lovely header to kill the game.