World Cup Recaps and Previews, Saturday June 20: USA USA USA!
WOOOOOOOO!
About Yesterday's Games
Netherlands 5, Sweden 1
HoustonBoiler: Holy moly! I had a couple of appointments, including a haircut, went to the grocery store, and did some laundry, but in so doing missed the first bit of this match. That was costly as the Netherlands blitzed the Swedes for two goals in the first 17 minutes. They also scored two more goals in the first 9 minutes of the second half. Wow!
Kind of...: This is what the Netherlands does. In the 32 team era (1998-2022), they made 6 World Cup appearances. They won their group 5 times (including once with only 5 points) and won multiple group stage wins 5 times (including losing the tiebreaker once with 7 points). NOBODY more consistently plays a more explosive, aesthetically entertaining style than the Netherlands...and they've never won the World Cup. The are the HR-hitting mash crew that gets stopped by the elite pitching staff; the bombs-away vertical offense that a Bill Belichick-type takes perverse joy in gumming up.
In the knockouts, there will be two matches that are near 100% to include Netherlands, Japan, Brazil, and Morocco. This is insane for a 32-team knockout. However, those break, they should be 2 of the best R32 matches. As a bit of a consolation prize, neither R16 match for either of the couplets will feature a group winner. I'll say more about this as the bracket gets filled in. But these are going to be the highest-variance parts of the bracket. Hopefully the teams involved say, screw it, and let loos.
Netherlands is currently first in their group by one goal scored. This gives them every incentive to keep their foot on the gas against Tunisia. Could get really ugly.
Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1
MaximumSam: Achtung, baby.
Kind of...: Ivory Coast is good. They played well yesterday, and were allowed to play a pretty physical game that really stopped Germany from doing much in the first half, even the first 60 minutes. At the hour mark, though, the Germans subbed Deniz Undav in, removing Jamal Musiala. Musiala won the Golden Boot (top scorer) at the Euro 2024 tournament, but he's a slender reed and was getting pushed around. Undav, 5'10" and sturdier, found the next twice, including at 90 + 4, which allowed Germany to grab all three points and, following Ecuador's draw, clinch the group.
Missed opportunity for the Ivory Coast, but they only need a point against Curacao to grab second place, which would likely set up a R32 showdown with Senegal or Norway. In either case, that sounds like a lot of fun.
Ecuador 0, Curaçao 0
HoustonBoiler: Ecuador played well enough to win, but for Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room making a phenomenal 15 saves to preserve the shutout and draw. Thanks largely to his play, Curaçao earned their first point in World Up play. Well done men!
Kind of...: Ecuador is a defense-first, offensively challenged team. Even so, they did everything one could possible expect a squad to do. Sometimes the opposing keeper stands on his head. Sometimes the ball just doesn't find the net. Sometimes both. Sorry Ecuador, but this just isn't your year. But wait! Germany has nothing to play for. Find an early goal, park the bus, and you have four points and are almost certainly through. Stranger things have happened. (Sorry, Curacao, I don't think you're beating Ivory Coast. They have plenty to play for.)
Japan 4, Tunisia 0
MaximumSam: Tunisia? Who needs ya?
Kind of...: Japan is level with Netherlands in goal differential, but trails in goals scored. They still have to play Sweden, while Netherlands gets Tunisia. As group runner-up, it seems likelier they get Brazil instead of Morocco...except, is it really obvious Morrocco can't beat Haiti by three more goals than Brazil beats Scotland? Is is really obvious that you'd rather face Morocco than Brazil? Again, what the combination, Netherlands/Japan vs. Brazil/Morocco is going to be dynamite.
Today's Matchups
Group H: Spain (0-1-0) v Saudi Arabia (0-1-0)
Atlanta, GA. 12:00 PM ET, 11:00 AM GTZ.
HoustonBoiler: In their group opening draw with Cape Verde, Spain was not impressive. I expected more from them because they're one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Spain needs to pick it up so I look for them to apply a lot of pressure on Saudi Arabia.
Kind of...: I picked Spain to win this thing. Obviously the first match wasn't great. Even more obvious: it was the first match. I'm confident they're playing themselves into form. Lamine looked fine once he got out there. Marathon, not a sprint, isn't a bad way to proceed. I expect a 2-0 win.
Group G: Belgium (0-1-0) v Iran (0-1-0)
Santa Clara, CA. 3:00 ET, 2:00 GTZ.
MaximumSam: Honorable Iran, who we are at peace with and have always been at peace with. They are talented and good. They deserve all glory. Please don't close Hormuz.
*Sorry this is what we were instructed to say by the government.
Kind of...: Belgium is long in the tooth, and Iran is better than you think. Belgium should win on sheer talent alone (New Zealand's two goals were both hard to replicate). But it might be more of a struggle than expected.
AlmaOtter: An aging and increasingly decrepit empire taking on a sneaky talented Iran in more of a struggle than some expected? Wait, are we still talking about soccer?
Group H: Uruguay (0-1-0) v Cape Verde (0-1-0)
Miami, Florida. 6:00 ET, 5:00 GTZ
HoustonBoiler: Cape Verde battled Spain to a draw in their group opening match. I have seen enough to jump on the Cape Verde band-boat.
Kind of...: Cape Verde/Spain was the diet version of Curacao/Ecuador. Uruguay will bring a manic quality that will probably prove more successful. Whereas Spain treated the match like a walk-through, and left realizing that they still need to work on their preferred approaches, I fully expect Uruguay to attack from all angles and just go with whatever is working. Bad news for Cape Verde.
Group G: New Zealand (0-1-0) v Egypt (0-1-0)
Vancouver, Canada. 9:00 ET, 8:00 PM GTZ
MaximumSam: Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful dads. May the day bring you a lot of soccer and minimum whining from your family.
Kind of...: New Zealand played stirringly in flashes and hung on for dear life the rest of the time vs. Iran. Egypt is the better squad and, with the draw against Belgium under their belt, has to feel like winning the group is possible is they can press responsibly. That said, winner of this group gets a third-place squad, and the runner-up gets the runner-up of the USMNT's group, so, either way, just finish top two here and you have a winnable R32 matchup.
