The Beer World Cup Third Place Playoff now gets under way. Click on pictures and links to get a general review and info on the beers we will be a drinking during the Football World Cup.
Croatia V Switzerland
Croatia (Ožujsko and Bura Brew), came top in Beer Group D, up against heavy hitters from Iceland, Argentina and Nigeria. Then in the last 16, the Croatians when on to beat Australia (Fosters), while for the last eight they had a tough battle with Portugal (Super Bock), a tussle that went down to the wire, but they got through it in the end. Unfortunately they came up against a strong Germany Zombräu and Döllnitzer Ritterguts Gose, and although they performed well in the tussle with their German rivals, they just lost out in the end, just missing the final, 2-1
Switzerland (Dr. Brauwolf, Celestial Brewery, Soo. Soors Beer) easily powered home in my Beer Group E, no problem at all, and in the last 16 they beat popular Mexican beer, Corona. While in the last eight they had a tough battle with Belgium (Jessenhofke and Kamil) just coming out by the skin of their teeth! In the semi final they came up against Knightberg of Russia, and although they were favourites to progress the Russians surprised with a Russian Brettness beer and a Hefeweizen which simply blew me away. Albeit the Dr.Brawolf’s Red Ale, Soo.Soors Swiss Ale and Celestial Beer’s Le Dermier Ciel, were all excellent beer and on another day definitely would have made the final, but the Russian’s pulled it off and made the final instead.
So today we have the third play off place between Croatia (Ožujsko) and Switzerland (Dr. Brauwolf, Celestial Brewery, Soo. Soors Beer)
Celestial Brewery Soo. Soors Beer Dr. Brauwolf
Had a massive mash up between a variety of beers from Switzerland and the last few remaining cans of Ožujsko representing Croatia.
For Switzerland we had a lovely light Swiss Ale from Soo. Soors Beer, which was very smooth, very easy to drink, nice and crisp on the tongue. Representing Celestial Brewery, I had their L’Intemporelle Blance, a lovely Belgian witbier, and their “L’Autre Monde, a very good coffee stout. For Dr. Brauwolf, I had a good selection of their brews. Their Black IPA, which was interesting, their own version of a Chocolate Stout, another Witbier, an American IPA and, to finish off, I had a Vanilla Cream Ale, which was just fantastic.
Poor old Ožujsko didn’t know if it was coming or going, a lager against these heavy hitters from Switzerland! But they did score a few hits and although they didn’t win the tie, they went down fighting!
Switzerland comes third in my beer world cup! And I had a massive “head” the next day!!!
I’d like to know why Southgate keeps picking Sterling? Do team bonding sessions go a little too far?
After England scored the second, an easy free header from Alli, they pretty much controlled the whole game after that. Was easy for them in the second half showing it is amazing what a little bit of confidence can do to a team. 
Game eventually went for a draw full time, and to be fair to the Russian manager he put on a few fairly attacking substitutions in the hope of getting the win, while the Croatian manager, Zlatko Dalić, EVENTUALLY, pushed Modric more forward in the hope they might snatch a winner.
This spurred England on, and it was them as they dictated the play and had a few more chances to increase the lead. Lingard should have scored, or at least hit the target when Alli set him up perfectly, while Kane had two bites of the cherry from close on but couldn’t connect. Those chances would come back to bite them on the ass later!
England fans are proud of their team, but if I am honest I would be a little pissed if I was English, they really had an excellent chance of making the final and kind of fucked it all up. Those chances dont come round very often, once every 30 years more or less! But fair dues to Croatia, they well deserved to make the final as they are a better footballing team and Modric surely deserves to play in the final after all his years of entertainment that he has given the footballing world. 
Spain scored early when Ignashevich put it into his own net under pressure from Ramos at the far post, from a great cross, after only 12 minutes. Danger already for Russia. 
Penalties came, and Russia won, Akinfeev saving two to send Russia to the last eight. Who would have predicted that at the start of the tournament, not even Vladimir himself I Guess. 
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. 
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 him 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!
A lively start from Russia, with the crowd roaring from the stands, but after a while it slowed down a bit and was beginning to look a tight affair with neither team threatening too much at the start, particularly difficult for Dzyuba out on his own in the Russian front line, albeit he was brilliant as the lone target man.
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 was very critical of Pavard all tournament, but to be fair to him, against Argentina 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 an easy way to cut Argentina open. Two nice goals for Mbappé, well done you have arrived in Russia 2018!
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 to a great attack.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 40 minutes when a beautifully weighted free kick from Griezmann found the head of Varane, who scored with a lovely header to put France one up.
But Sweden kept up the pressure and continued to hit Mexico hard from free kicks and corners. Forsberg blasting in a good free kick that Ochoa in the Mexican net did well to push over for a corner. Berg with a clever overhead that just went the wrong side of the post. Forsberg, again, blasted over with a free shot on goals when he could have got it at least on target. It was all Sweden.
Must say that their defence is the best I have seen in this years World Cup, very tall and difficult to break down. In particular, Granqvist in the centre of the defence has caught my eye with some great performances in the 3 games so far. Take a bow Sweden, well done so far and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them get past Switzerland today. 
Sommer was unbeatable, making save after save, the man just could not be beaten in the first half, a world class performance.
Lichtsteiner, the prick, ended up getting a deserved yellow for a bad tackle which means he will miss the game today, a big loss to the team. What an idiot.
Sweden were simply woeful going forward, they get the perfect potions but couldn’t get it even near on target, was the worst I have even seen, comical at times. And the funny thing is the goal they scored took a mad deflection. If it hadn’t then it would have went straight to the goals, Forsberg celebrating like he won the fucking World Cup. I would too though if I wasn’t used to scoring, albeit via a defenders leg.
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.
Started off pretty slow. Januzaj though shaked it up, scoring with a cracker of a goal, a lovely long range effort that flew in. 
No problems, nothing to worry about here, Belgium got one back, Vertonghen got a goal with a looping header that beat everybody. Still the Japanese goalkeeper should have hard his eyes on it, clown. Once that went in, it was obvious that Belgium would get a second. And sure enough Fellaini got the equalizer with a simple header, two all. Game on.
Sweden kept up the pressure and continued to hit Mexico hard from free kicks and corners. Forsberg blasting in a good free kick that Ochoa in the Mexican net did well to push over for a corner. Berg with a clever overhead that just went the wrong side of the post. Forsberg, again, blasted over with a free shot on goals when he could have got it at least on target. It was all Sweden.
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.
Good enough game to watch, Neymar dictating the play up front, and Willian bombing it down the wing all evening, with Paulinho bossing the midfield. Too easy for Brazil. But Javier Hernández your haircut is dead cool, heh? Clown.
Decided to see the first half of the Spain V Morocco game. A game with a lot of tension. Pique going in with two footed challenges, Amrabat was having a thing with Ramos (my money on Amrabat), and box to box football. Brilliant.
But then Pique and Ramos again, fell asleep as Morocco took a quick throw in and Boutaïb was free in again, but, unfortunately for the Atlas Lions, this time De Gea well saved. 
Cheryshev immediately had a great chance to equalise, but he hit it straight at the goalkeeper when it would have been easier to score. Albeit Muslera in the Uruguayan goals made a great save. But not long after, Cheryshev did indeed get on the score sheet, the only problem was it was for the other team, sticking a leg out he deflected a wayward Uruguay shot into his own net for an own goal. Things got worse for Russia later as Smolnikov was sent off for a second yellow after a silly lunging tackle. Game over for Russia inside about half an hour. 
Of course having your best player on the bench for 65 minutes isn’t going to help. What the fuck was the clown Hierro doing there, totally disrespectful to the Russians. Spain needed Iniesta on the pitch early on, they needed someone to inject some pace into the game, and to pick those incisive passes. No he went for Asensio! Who? Exactly!
Penalties came, and Russia won, Akinfeev saving two to send Russia to the last eight. Who would have predicted that at the start of the tournament, not even Vladimir himself I Guess.