Swiss roll through to knockout stage
Although with one ear on the other Group E match being played simultaneously, Switzerland wanted their fate to be in their own hands and came out determined to beat bottom dwellers Costa Rica.
Switzerland duly made it through to the knockout stages by virtue of their 2-2 draw but will not be happy with their scrappy performance.
The Swiss were made to work for their win, having twice been saved by the woodwork early on.
But they smuggled a goal with their first shot of the game in the 31st minute.
Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri – one of my five-star players of this tournament – did the hard yards on the right and crossed to Breel Embolo who in turn headed it back across goal, allowing Blerim Dzemaili to smash it home from distance beyond a despairing Keylor Navas (1-0).
Costa Rica drew level 1-1 through a rock-hard Kendall Waston header from a cross and looked capable of spoiling the Swiss’ party.
But Switzerland remained workmanlike and a 77th minute Breel Embolo cross that found Josip Drmic’s head rattled the bar rather than the back of the net.
However, Drmic was not to be denied and struck the shot of the match in the 88th minute – a fierce drive from the edge of the box for 2-1 Switzerland.
Barely a minute later Costa Rica were given a dubious penalty by referee Clement Turpin of France but VAR ruled it offside.
They did press again and were rewarded with the 2-2 equaliser in added time, after Yann Sommer faced a debatable Ruiz penalty that hit the crossbar and bounced off his back and into the goals – a very unkind own goal.
Switzerland through, Costa Rica not disgraced by any means.
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Brilliant Brazil smash Serbs
Despite losing important link player Marcelo through injury as early as the 8th minute, Brazil had enough on the bench to hardly notice the difference and totally dominated possession and territory from the outset.
Too speedy for the Serbs, they had to suffer numerous heavy tackles destined to break up promising movements.
Brazil were twice through but offside in the first 3 minutes and their first major assault on goal came in the 24th minute when Neymar’s curling shot was saved by the outstretched hand of Vladimir Stojkovic
Soon after, Gabriel Jesus was put through and as the Serbs waited for a flag that never came, he saw his delayed shot blocked.
Serbia had a serious chance in the 33rd minute as Aleksandar Mitrovic tried an overhead kick but the Newcastle striker failed dismally to do an Alan Shearer impersonation.
Three minutes later Brazil were on the score board when Paulinho ran from deep, let the long pass bounce in front of him and calmly lobbed it over the advancing Vladimir Stojkovic.
Paulinho and Neymar – twice – both came close during the middle period of the half but Serbia suddenly start switching on and bombarded the Brazilian goalmouth, coming ominously close on three occasions.
The fighter was taking it to the boxer and in the 64th minute Brazilian goalie Alisson was called on to save at his feet.
Paulinho was taken off for Fernadinho to settle the midfield Serbia were steadily dominating, but their hopes faded when Neymar’s 67th minute corner was headed home by Thiago Silva for 2-0 and Brazil making sure of topping the group.
Brazil were now on fire but sensibly looked to protect their lead rather than seek another goal that would change nothing.
Even at half pace, they were still outplaying the Serbs
Neymar could have done more damage near the close but was denied by Stojkovic.
So, Serbia out, Brazil and Switzerland through; Brazil looking like they can go all the way, Switzerland unconvincing.
Sweden stun Mexico
In their best ever international result, Sweden put three goals past Mexico without reply in their Group F clash this evening.
But it’s a loss Mexico can bear after Germany went down to South Korea at the other end of Russia, to get them out of jail.
Sweden can thank their defenders, who literally stood tall against everything the Mexicans threw at them, none more so than that man mountain, skipper Andreas Granqvist, who led by superb example at centre half.
Behind him stood Guillermo Ochoa, determined not to be beaten at all costs.
There were no goals in an increasingly physical first half that saw Emil Forsberg failing to grasp many chances created by Sweden, while the same can be said for Mexico’s great hope, Carlos Vela.
Sweden seemed to have been denied a penalty when Javier Hernandez played the ball onto his own hand but VAR disagreed.
Soon after the resumption Sweden got their just desserts when Viktor Claesson’s miskick fell into the path of swiftly arriving left back Ludwig Augustinsson and the Werder Bremen man sent a rocket into the net (1-0).
He would soon try his luck again, but this time his right footer skimmed the bar.
Desperate Mexican defence saw Marcus Berg brought down in the act of shooting and Andreas Granqvist was never going to miss: too much power for Guillermo Ochoa, even though he guessed the right way (2-0).
And they would get a third, this time courtesy of an own goal as Edson Alvatez tried desperately to clear but only managed to deflect it into his own net (3-0).
A disappointed, outplayed and frustrated Mexico’s blushed were spared thanks to Korea.
They go through to the last 16 and surely cannot play this dismally again.
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Korea’s finest hour KO’s Germany
Korea are going home…but they have taken Germany with them and saved Mexico.
How the mighty have fallen!
Not for the first time in Russia, Germany were bombed out of contention, ending rock bottom in Group F.
And their demise can be squarely placed at the feet and hands of Korean keeper Cho Hyun-woo, whose agent’s phone will ring incessantly as clubs across the world scramble to sign on Korea’s once forgotten stopper.
As before, Germany seemed to suffer from a surfeit of ball which made them look good but achieved little as they aimlessly spread it from side to side.
Meanwhile, the super fit and lively Koreans were giving warning that they would be a handful on the break.
After a relatively uninspiring first half the Germans did come out more determined and might have scored in minutes but for an outstanding stretch save to his left by Cho.
Germany had set up camp in the Korean half but Marco Reus, Toni Kroos and Mats Hummels between them managed to miss at least ten chances, with Cho saving another ten.
The 90 minutes came and went and in extra time Korea’s Kim Young-Gwon had the ball in the net only to see the offside flag go up.
Elation to utter disappointment swung back to jubilation when VAR disagreed and the end was in sight for Germany’s World Cup hopes.
But for Korea the game ended on an exclamation mark rather than a full stop as Heuer went AWOL trying to get Germany back in the picture.
This left half the field undefended and a long ball saw Son Heung-min take advantage and slip the second into an empty net for 2-0.
A pity Korea must depart the competition, but they do so having earned the respect of the entire football world – and heaps of thanks from a certain segment of South America.
