Group F Remains Open (6/23)

F1-Germany fell behind 1-0 to F3-Sweden and after tying the game, saw Jerome Boateng go out with his second yellow in 11 minutes in the 82'.  Germany was following in Argentina's footsteps of needing help in their 3rd match and no chance at winning the group.  But a foul outside the box in the fourth minute of stoppage time (of five minutes added) saw Germany execute a perfect free kick play as Toni Kroos took the free kick and a quick short pass to Marco Reus to stop the ball gave Kroos a better angle and his kick bent around the charging Swedish players and curled in just past the outstretched hands of the SWE goalkeeper.  It was a first-class, world-class goal in the clutchest moment possible.  The 90'+5 goal meant they can still win the group and now have more paths to make the Round of 16 although GER should not be doing classless acts after the match.

F2-Mexico took care of F4-Korea Rep, 2-1 and missed clinching a spot in the Round of 16 when
GER rallied to beat SWE.  GER's win also meant KOR is still alive.  H1-Belgium hammered H3-Tunisia, 5-2 on a couple of braces from Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, the latter his second straight brace.

Group F joins Groups B and E where no team has advanced to the Round of 16 while F is also the only group where all four teams could advance still (Groups G and H complete play tomorrow).  GER's win was the 2nd straight (in terms of match #'s) where a team has rallied to win (yesterday's BRA over SUI) after the first 25 teams held serve to a win or tie.

MEX and BEL converted penalty kicks which brings the total PKs taken to 14, one more than 2014's entire total (excluding penalty shootouts).  BEL's Michy Batshuayi's goal was the first by a substitute since the very first match, when RUS's Arlem Dzuba scored a minute after he came in.  A third sub did score, but for the wrong team as Morocco had an own goal in the 4th match of the tournament.

TUN, KOR, and GER scored second-half stoppage time goals bringing the tourney total to 10.

Harry O's two of 3 entries, Popozao and Teuton, are tied for 1st with Spermicidal FC with 20 pts.  This is the first time in the pool that Ilveccio (4th-T, 19) is not in 1st or tied for 1st, ending a 9-day streak.  59 went 3-0 for the day while Soccerhorn (75th-T, 12) and Krispy Kremer (79th (last), 11)went 1-2.  72 picked GER, 65 picked MEX, and 78 picked BEL.

Round of 16 (4 of 16) 

A-RUS via URU>EGY
A-URU via URU>EGY
C-FRA via FRA>PER
D-CRO via CRO>ARG

Eliminated (5 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

Won Group (0 of 8)
None 

Possible Group Winners (after 2 matches each team):

A: RUS or URU

B: POR or ESP or IRN

C: FRA or DEN

D: CRO or NGA

E: BRA or SUI or SRB

F: MEX or GER, or SWE