African & Asian Teams Shine (6/25)

DAHLGREN, VA -- B4-Iran nearly scored a stoppage time goal that would have eliminated B1-Portugal but had to settle for a hard-fought 1-1 tie that featured three VAR reviews.  Ronaldo missed an early PK after getting the benefit of a PK via VAR but had to settle for 2nd in Group B after Iran scored a PK in stoppage time.  B2-Spain had to rally twice against B3-Morocco (who had scored zero goals), the latter on a smart quick corner kick late in stoppage time that VAR review looked at and overruled the lineman's offside flag.  The 2-2 tie gave Spain the Group on goals scored over Portugal and still hasn't lost in 23 matches.  Due to goals scored, ESP still would've advanced with a 2-1 loss.

In the battle for first, A4-Uruguay scored

a quick two goals and then played with a man advantage after A1-Russia went down a man in the 36' and ended up winning easily, 3-0.  A2-Saudi Arabia won for the first time since '94 scoring a late stoppage time goal to beat A3-Egypt, 2-1.

Ilvecchio is the sole leader with 35 points as we move to a max of 8 points per group in rapid fashion.  He picked up 13 of 16 points. Walleye (30th-Tied, 31) and Soccerbik (51st-T, 28) picked up 14 of 16 points while Argh (76th, 24) only got 7 of 16 points.  45 got all four Round of 16 teams while Argh only got 2 of 4.

For Group A, 59 picked URU and 7 picked KSA with 5 getting both matches.  76 picked URU and 49 picked RUS into the Round of 16 with 46 getting both and 33 getting one.  Walleye and Soccerbik got all 8 points.

For Group B, just 5 picked the IRN-POR tie and 3 picked the ESP-MAR tie with Soccerhorn (64th-T, 26) getting both correct.  But 78 got ESP and 78 got POR into the Round of 16 (Dagger (42nd-T, 29) did not pick ESP and Argh did not pick POR).  Soccerhorn got all 8 points.

Round of 16 (8 of 16) 

A-RUS via URU>EGY
A-URU via URU>EGY
C-FRA via FRA>PER

D-CRO via CRO>ARG

G-BEL via ENG>PAN

G-ENG via ENG>PAN

B-ESP via ESP=MAR

B-POR via POR=IRN

Eliminated (9 of 16)
A-KSA via URU>EGY
A-EGY via URU>EGY
B-MAR via ESP>IRN
C-PER via FRA>PER

E-CRC via SUI>SRB

G-PAN via ENG>PAN

G-TUN via ENG>PAN

H-POL via COL>POL

B-IRN via IRN=POR & ESP=MAR

Won Group (2 of 8)
A-URU via URU>RUS

B-ESP via ESP=MAR & IRN=POR

Possible Group Winners (after 2 matches each team):

C: FRA or DEN

D: CRO or NGA

E: BRA or SUI or SRB

F: MEX or GER, or SWE

G: BEL or ENG

H: JPN or SEN or COL