Final: FRA v CRO (Live!) (7/15)

REFRESH periodically, as this post will be updated throughout the day and match.

1:00 am:  The tiebreaker total goals is currently at 2.  The goals scored today in regulation and Extra Time will be added.  This is important for those in a tiebreaker situation to win money.  If CRO wins, then there is a tie for 2nd place and 4th place.  BigRedSquare gets 2nd if total goals in 3rd place & Final matches is 5 or less and Blitzkreig813 gets 2nd if the total goals is 6 or more.  Bigblue2 gets 4th if the total goals is 5 or less and FernandoHeirrosArmada gets 4th if the total goals is 6 or more (note the loser ends in 5th which is zero prize money).
For the $40 Bonus, if FRA wins, then Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split the $40 prize ($20 each) if the total goals is 6 or less, they will split with Krispy Kremer (3-way tie or $13.33 each) if the total goals is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win the Bonus if the total goals is 8 or more.  If CRO wins, then Flying Elvi wins if total goals is 5 or less (because Bigblue2 will win 4th and be ineligible for Bonus), Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split ($20) if total is 6, will split 3-ways ($13.33) with Krispy Kremer if total is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win if total goals is 8 or more.

1:25 am:  Coincidentally, all four who picked FRA will finish 1-2-3-4 if FRA wins.  Sokkerbix, who got a worst 17 of 48 group matches correct (but tied a high getting 14 of 16 Round of 16 teams), would jump to 109 pts, two more than

Third Place: BEL v ENG (Live! ) (7/14)

REFRESH periodically, as this post will be updated throughout the match (hopefully).

2:40 am: In the pool, this third place match is not picked.  However it does play into any tiebreaker situation and we have a few.  If CRO wins the final, then there is a tie for 2nd place and 4th place.  BigRedSquare gets 2nd if total goals in 3rd place & Final matches is 5 or less and Blitzkreig813 gets 2nd if the total goals is 6 or more.  Bigblue2 gets 4th if the total goals is 5 or less and FernandoHeirrosArmada gets 4th if the total goals is 6 or more (note the loser ends in 5th which is zero prize money).

For the $40 Bonus, if FRA wins tomorrow, then Flying Elvi and Bigblue2 will split the $40 prize ($20 each) if the total goals is 6 or less, they will split with Krispy Kremer (3-way tie or $13.33 each) if the total goals is 7, and Krispy Kremer will win the Bonus if

Run of play (7/11)

LA GALAXY FREE NACHOS AT EL TORITO IN MANHATTAN BEACH, CA -- 2G-England can go home again, but without the Cup in hand.  1D-Croatia became the sixth team to win after allowing the first goal, this time beating ENG 2-1 in Extra Time to reach their first final.  An opportunistic strike by Mario Mandzukic in the 109' in front of a slow to react ENG defense was the difference.  CRO becomes the first team to win three straight matches that went into Extra Time and even scored in their last two.  With ENG now confident in the PSO, CRO wouldn't allow them to get there.  A strong start by ENG with Kleran Trippier's bend-it-like-Beckham free kick, the ENG's 9th off of a set piece, in the 5' had their fans in a frenzy.  A rare double-miss by Harry Kane at point blank range (he was eventually ruled offside, but if it went to VAR, it likely would've been overturned) with the second off the post, off the GK, and still not finding the net, almost gave ENG a two-goal cushion.  With all the set piece goals lately, CRO used two run-of-play goals to seal the match.

The 20th ranked CRO team is the

Set Piece + Header (7/10)

NIKKA RAMEN, GOLETA, CA -- Samuel Umtiti headed in the tourney's 32nd headed goal off the tourney's 69th set-piece hat lead to a goal in the 51' giving 1C-France its fourth one-goal victory, 1-0, over 1G-Belgium.  Belgium had scored at least 2 goals in four of their five previous matches but their famous counter-attacks never materialized.  FRA advanced to their 3rd final and will seek their 2nd World Cup ('98).  In this battle of giants, defense and goalkeeping ruled as FRA picked up their 4th shutout and 14-goal BEL were shut out for the first time.

FRA was picked by 18 to advance to the Final.  This propelled Walleye to

Back to Back PSOs (7/7)

CAMARILLO PREMIUM OUTLETS, CA -- 1D-Croatia was determined not to go PSOs again and became the first team to score in Extra Time to take a 2-1 lead.  But 2A-Russia, which had survived on PSO as well, answered back and the match ended on a 2-2 tie. There was a scare in that the CRO GK seemed to pull a hamstring minutes before Extra Time and stayed in and was tested right way and made the saves.  Host RUS started the PSO first and things went well until their ET game-tying savior, Mario Fernandes, became the first person this tourney (62 PKs) to completely miss the target, his shot going wide left.  CRO closed out for a 4-3 PSO win to make their second semifinal and first since '98.  Teams who kicked first in the PSO are now 0-4.

2G-England rolled over

Youth and Speed (7/6)

OJAI OLIVE OIL FARM, CA -- Just like that, we only have European teams left.  South American sides 1A-Uruguay and 1E-Brazil both had allowed just one goal in four matches this tournament.  They were also the last of the non-European teams left.  The youth of 1C-France outplayed URU with an early goal in the first half and then a rocket that went through the hands of the URU GK that sealed their fate, 2-0.  FRA has scored on their last six shots on goal and advances to the Quarters for the first time since '06.

1G-Belgium got a gift of an own goal but BEL used their fast and deadly counterattack to

Curse is Broken (7/3)

2G-England scored on Harry Kane's 3rd PK goal of the tournament and was poised for the win until 1H-Colombia became the 11th team to tie or win in stoppage time as Yerry Mina's 90'+3 sent the match into Extra Time.  ENG, having lost all 3 PSOs in the WC plus one Euro PSO were making their fans' nervous as the 30 minutes ticked away.  But ENG was prepared for a PSO.  Even after falling behind 3-2, luck was on their side as COL hit the crossbar giving each side a miss.  After COL's fifth was saved, ENG got lucky again as even though the GK guessed right and got a hand on the ball, the ball still powered into the net, giving ENG their first PSO victory, 4-3.

In a battle of evenly matched European teams that start with the letter "S",

Buzzer Beater (7/2)

TGI FRIDAY'S, LOS ANGELES - LADERA, CA -- #61 2H-Japan came out strategically and attacked when necessary to upset the #3 1G-Belgium's offense but instead of trying to play for a scoreless draw, Japan managed to score twice after the half and took a 2-0 lead. Two BEL subs in the 65' changed everything. Creating havoc off a corner kick, a routine header cross somehow managed to tuck away just under the crossbar to cut JPN's lead in half in the 69'.

Then five minutes later, sub Marouane Fellaini

Extra Time (7/1)

NHA HANG TAI SUI RESTAURANT, ROSEMEAND, CA -- 2A-Russia, the worst-ranked team (70th) in the tournament, opened people's eyes with a 5-0 win to start the tournament.  Now the host used a highly efficient defense to shut out the #10 team in the world for 120 minutes to prevail in the penalty shootout, 4-3 (1-1 tie).  1B-Spain's only goal came off an own goal in the 12' and despite playing a highly efficient possession game (completing 91% of their passes (1,031 passes completed vs RUS's 204), having 74% possession time, and having 60 minutes of playing time (vs RUS's 20)), ESP was almost too patient and couldn't score in 120 minutes.  RUS's only shot on goal was their penalty kick goal in the 41'.

In the penalty shootout, RUS was a

Fierce Competition (6/30)

The top dogs were in play today in UEFA vs CONMEBOL showdowns and first we got a power matchup between 1C-France and their young stars and 2D-Argentina featuring Messi.  In a wild match, FRA scored first on a PK but then ARG scored twice to take the lead.  But in a 11-minute span, 19-year old Kylian Mbappe, who was everywhere on the pitch, drawing fouls and the penalty, followed Benjamin Pavard's wicked strike to tie the match with two goals in 5 minutes.  ARG managed to get one goal back in stoppage time off a great Messi cross but it was too little too late as FRA held on 4-3.  FRA scored on all 4 shots on goal.

In another power matchup, 1A-Uruguay and 2B-Portugal faced off.  7 minutes after

At Least No Coin Flip (6/28)

WASHINGTON REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA -- Both H2-Japan and H4-Senegal just need a draw to advance to the Round of 16 and both failed to do so, by identical 1-0 scores.  As such, both teams were level on points (4), goal differential (4), goals for(4), and head-to-head (2-2).  So we headed to the next tiebreaker, Fair Play Points.  This was instituted by FIFA in 2016 so this is the first World Cup to use it.  At the start, Japan led Senegal -3 pts to -5 pts on yellow cards and SEN picked one up in 51' to put it out reach, -3 to -6.  JPN did pick one up in the 66' but still held on to a 2 point margin.  JPN joins MEX as the only non-European, non-South American teams in the R16.

What if?  SEN had favorable results in all three matches but

Group F Shuffles Around (6/27)

FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- One team was going to have one of the biggest collapses ever.  Either F2-Mexico was going to be the team to win their first two matches and get eliminated or defending champion F1-Germany was going to bow out of the Group Stage for the first time since 1954.  With F3-Sweden handily ahead of MEX, GER and F4-Korea Rep were still scoreless.  A GER goal would eliminate MEX and they had 26 shots to try to get that one goal.  But then the unthinkable happened as KOR scored off a corner kick in stoppage time (ruled not offsides by VAR (in either case - GER played the ball to a teammate or KOR was onside anyway) overturning the sideline ref).  With GER needing two goals now, GER GK became the 11th attacker but quickly KOR took advantage and scored an empty netter (wow, so many hockey terms this World Cup) to seal GER's fate, 2-0.  So who picked GER to finish LAST in Group F?  In 2002, KOR helped another CONCACAF team, the USA, advance to the R16 with their 70' goal against Portugal to eliminate Portugal.  MEX is the only non-European, non-South American team to qualify thus far (H2-Senegal and/or H4-Japan still have a chance).  Just two spots remain among 3 Group H teams (Group G's Belgium and England have already qualified).

In Group E, E1-Brazil took care of business

Yawner and Thriller (6/26)

RICHMOND, VA -- In the fight of their lives, D1-Argentina got an early goal from Messi (finally) but D4-Nigeria fought back to tie it.  With elimination near, a great Marcos Rojo strike put ARG back in the lead in the 86' but with D2-Iceland still tied with D3-Croatia, an Icelandic goal would eliminate ARG.  But Croatia scored instead, in the 90', to secure Group D and helped ARG advance to the Round of 16 to the delight of Diego Maradona who was so excited he double-flipped the crowd and then had to be taken to the hospital.

Meanwhile, C4-Denmark were content to just

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

Two Advance and Three Eliminated (6/24)

LAX, CA -- G4-England's Kane scored one of the easiest hat tricks in his life, two via PKs and one shot that went off his heel and deflected into the net.  G2-Panama managed a goal after being down 6-0 but were still eliminated along with Tunisia.  H4-Japan rallied twice to tie H2-Senegal 2-2 with the latter goal by Honda surprising the GK who could only look behind him.  H3-Colombia rebounded with a

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

Late Group E Game-Winning Goals (6/22)

E3-Costa Rica was headed to a scoreless tie with E1-Brazil despite taking no shots on goal and having just one corner kick but Brazil scored twice in stoppage time to dash those hopes.  E2-Switzerland was also heading to a tie in their match with E4-Serbia before Xherdan Shaqiri's great effort as he slipped the ball under the GK in the 90' to give them a 2-1 win.  Brazil and the Swiss are tied atop Group E with 4 points while Costa Rica is eliminated.  Serbia became the first team to score first and lose as well as have a lead at halftime and lose.

In a team that didn't play today, D1-Argentina benefited as

Oopsie is Costly (6/21)

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ -- D1-Argentina GK Wilfredo Caballero miskicked a ball played back to him straight into the air and D3-Croatia's Ante Rebic's eyes were wide with opportunity and hit a wicked shot past the keeper for the first score in the 53'.  Although it looked like an easy put in by Rebic, if you look at the replay, it was a great finish, a finish 98% of MLS players would not be able to do -- most would settle the ball, wait for it to stop, and then try to kick it past the keeper.  Croatia then took major advantage of two more opportunities against an Argentine team desperately trying to score and before you knew it, Messi and Argentina went down 3-0 and will need a lot of help if they want to make it to the Round of 16.  Croatia qualified for their 2nd trip to the Knockout Stage and like Switzerland vs Brazil, took advantage of a lenient ref to commit 23 fouls and spread the cautions among four players.

Meanwhile, C1-France qualified for the Round of 16 in the most

Superstars Score... Yawn... (6/20)

TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK -- Three prolific scorers scored, all just enough to lead their team to beat a very underdog team, 1-0.  Luis Suarez scored early for A4-Uruguay which held up and sent both A1-Russia and Uruguay into the Round of 16 and eliminating A2-Saudi Arabia and A3-Egypt.  For the second straight match, B1-Portugal's Ronaldo scored in the 4' and that was barely enough to hold off B3-Morocco.  B2-Spain's Diego Costa scored for the second straight match nine minutes into the second half and fought off a tenacious B4-Iran team that you would never have known they had zero shots on goal.  And one of the potential shots on goal that went in in the 62' was called back by VAR after review showed Iran was offsides.  The three heavy favorites were just ho-hum in sleep walking to 3 points. 

Spain's win eliminated

Straight Red (6/19)

The first red card of the tournament!  Just three minutes in, H4-Japan caught H3-Colombia off-guard and what could've been a red card (at least a yellow) for trying to drag down Yuya Osako as he went 1v1 on the GK, credit to Osako, he didn't dive, continued forward with the shot that was saved but the rebound shot by Shinji Kagawa is saved by Carlos Sanchez... by his arm and he reaches out to stop the ball.  Dumb play as Colombia could've easily rallied from a very early 1-0 deficit, but much harder to do with just 10 men.  In my mischief, I was kinda hoping there would be two reds on Colombia but one is good enough.  Credit to Colombia for fighting back and the classic free kick UNDER the wall was brilliantly done to level up 1-1 (reminded me of David Beckham's first match in New York in 2007, where Juan Pablo Angel did the same thing, going under the LA Galaxy wall past the GK on a free kick).  But Japan would get the game-winner off a corner and becomes the first AFC team to beat a CONMEBOL team in World Cup play.

Meanwhile, H2-Senegal used a H1-Poland own goal to gain confidence and never let