Day 9 Review

Brazil v Costa Rica

Prediction: 2-0 Brazil

Result: 2-0 Brazil

The game panned out exactly as expected. Brazil with 70% possession and Costa Rica holding on for dear life for 90 minutes. Costa Rica did have their chances but they were few and far between. I understand you are Costa Rica and they are Brazil, but after losing game 1, I thought Costa Rica should have shown more courage and attacked the game and put a not fully firing Brazil to the test.

Neymar denied what was a pretty clear penalty (imo) by VAR. It is indeed, these kinds of penalties that when consistently not given force players into diving and adding theatrics to their game in order to "convince" referees it is a foul. Neymar also once again was fouled more than 10x, the first player in history to be fouled more than 10x in back to back games at the World Cup.

Him crying at the end of the game seems like gamesmanship to me. For a guy that effectively "ran" PSG and got Unai Emery fired for not being able to control him; to say that he is crying because of the "pressure"  or the occasion seems false. He's done this before when he was with the Brazilian team and he will do it again. His PR guys no doubt have told him the only reason Ronaldo isn't liked is because he is perceived as arrogant so you must change your perception and you will by the end of your career be considered the GOAT.

With this win Brazil put their destiny in their own hands and knock Costa Rica out of the tournament.

Nigeria v Iceland

Prediction: 1-0 Iceland

Result: 2-0 Nigeria

Probably the worst 45 minutes of the tournament to watch in that first half. Neither side had a cutting edge to them and both were misplacing passes constantly in the midfield. Nigeria in fact did not have a single shot in the first half.

The 2nd half was much better from them, in fact it only took 4 minutes for Nigeria to score and after an extended break due to an injury, grabbed a 2nd. Iceland had some really good crosses but lacked any presence up front and never looked like converting the great service. Iceland had their chances and even missed penalty. This goes a ways to show that Iceland are great at counter attacking, but not so much when they have the ascendancy.

This result means that no one in this group is eliminated and it all comes down to the final day of games. It also means that barring an absolute demolition Croatia will be topping the group.

Serbia v Swizterland

Prediction: 1-0 Serbia

Result: 2-1 Switzerland

I couldn't have been more wrong heading into a game. I though both these teams would be very defensive but it was the opposite. Both sides came to win and within 10 minutes had 2 shot son goal each and Serbia managed a very early goal thanks to some questionable defending.


Serbia become the first team at the World Cup to score first and not get any points in a game but were robbed by questionable refereeing. What should have been a clear penalty and a clear use of VAR to overturn a poor decision fell on deaf ears and probably blind eyes. Much like Harry Kane for England, and many many others this World Cup, rugby tackles from Centre Backs seem to be legal from corners now.

With that win Switzerland make sure this group will go to the last game. Although Costa Rica are eliminated, anything could happen with the final 3 teams left.