Uruguay V France World Cup 2018

Uruguay V France

Synopsis in red

Beers: Round of 8 Beer World Cup:

Unlike in the football, Uruguay didn’t do well in my beer world cup, not getting a beer from the country didn’t help, nothing getting out of the Group A, while Kronenbourg represented France, but in a tough Group C, didn’t make it out of their group too. So today I have Russia and Nigeria representing the first game in the last 8 of my Beer World Cup.

Russia V Nigeria

As Uruguay didn’t qualify for my Beer World Cup last 16 (I couldn’t source any beer from Uru), I made Russia winner (Knightberg) of Beer Group A, they went on to beat Spain (Estrella) in the last 16.

Nigeria (Guinness Special Export), who came second in my Beer Group D, knocked out Carlsberg of Denmark in their last 16 match up.

Read who qualified for my Beer World Cup last 8 here

The Guinness looked magnificent and smelt great, exactly how you would expect a Guinness to be. But the taste was a little too heavy today, especially as it was so hot and close. So the Clockwork Cherry beer I had from Knightberg was the perfect beer at the right time. I needed a nice easy drinking fruit beer, nice and smooth, and went down real well while enjoying the football. Russia edge it to go into the last 4 of my Beer World Cup!

PreGame:

France were simpy brilliant in their game V Argentina. Well done to France, but really it was 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, 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!?

Then 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 ever 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 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!

Argentina did manage to pull one back but really by that stage it was too late, and France now go into today’s game 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!

Uruguay against Portugal was another great game in what is to become one of those days in football that you will remember long into time. Both Ronaldo and Messi, two of the best, gone in the same day, wow, what a day!

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!”

Suarez deserves a huge amount of credit for his performance today, he played brilliant, left and right, covered all the pitch, was creative always, and gave a 110%. Ok we might dock him a few marks for his playacting, but overall a great game from Luis.

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.

Portugal did have a period of time where they came into it, and during this time, Pepe, the old cunt, scored from a free header. It really was about the only time that the back four took their eye off the ball and they were punished badly for that rare momentary lapse.

But funnily enough, that lead only lasted 7 minutes, as Cavani scored a cracker of a goal, placing it beyond the keeper to cap off a great striking performance in the game.

Was very impressed with Uruguay in that game, they really are growing into a good team, a team that could get to the final. Will they beat France? Tough one, it really is. There defence is solid for sure, and they have the strike force to worry France, but France have more individuals that can turn a game. I dont know, let me get back to you on that one!!

Perhaps not the most entertaining of games, but France just did enough to get into the last four of the World Cup.

It started off very lively with both teams going hell for leather the first 20 minutes or so. It wasn’t a bad opening half as Uruguay with their defensive hard to break down style which is dangerous on the break up against a French team that likes to build slowly from the back, it was a real contrast of footballing styles.

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.

Uruguay responded quickly, and Stuani had a header expertly saved one handed by Lloris, who was full stretch to prevent the goal, brilliant. The follow up was booted over the bar by Godin, who might have used a cooler head to chip it into the empty net!

In the 60th minute Griezmann took a shot to nothing which somehow Muslera let slip through his fingers into the net. An embarrassing goal to let in, considering how well he has played at this years World Cup. That was pretty much the game over, as, without Cavani, Uruguay could not score two goals to get back into this game.

France did enough to get to the last four but they need to up their performance if they want to make further progression as once again they looked a bit flat today.

Music to get you in the mood

HEREFORD – “Bienvenida al Show” (HD) // Autores En Vivo // Ciclo 3 (Uruguay) V Cassius, Pharell Williams – Go Up ft. Cat Power (France)