bookd.
South Africa0 - 1Canada
Best thing about this game is that there was no extra time.
South Africa
Switzerland4 - 1Bosnia & Herzegovina
Had all the makings of stinker of the tournament until the last 20 mins.
SwitzerlandCanada6 - 0Qatar
Great to see Canada win a game. Qatar are shit it but iook a good team to properly put them to the sword rather than just a 1 nil or whatever. Can we ban them from the next world cup and save that place for a team that can actually kick a football?
Canada
Portugal1 - 1Congo DR
Roberto Martinez doing his bit to ruin a second golden generation.
Portugal
England4 - 2Croatia
Englands attack was electric, and enough to get them through some defensive wobbles. Croatia looked slow and out of ideas. Being able to strengthen from the bench with Saka and Rashford killed it off completely. Good game for England but a better team might get at that defence.
England
Spain0 - 0Cape Verde Islands
Cape Verde might have parked the bus, but you expect a team like Spain to find a way through and they really should have. Really gutsy and disciplined from CV and they didnt lose concentration once. Passing around the box sideways and backward will not work in this world cup and these boring teams like Spain will need to come with more ideas than that.
Cape Verde Islands
Netherlands2 - 2Japan
First half was a bit of a feeling out process, both teams playing it fairly safe. Second half came to life and was much better. Japan edged it for me in terms of enjoyment to watch, but Netherlands did what they had to. Both will be tough competition as it rolls on.
Netherlands
Germany7 - 1Curaçao
Germany didnt have to be very good to get this win unfortunately and it Could be a long group stage for Curacao. Curacao played alright until the first "hydration" break but never got back to that form again. 2nd half was easy as you like for the Germans, and Undav filled his boots off the bench. Sane needs dropped for the next game, another stinker from him will be putting pressure on the manager to make a change. Not a great match, but cant sniff at 8 goals.
Germany
Brazil1 - 1Morocco
Best match of tournament so far. Brazil were awful the first 30 mins and morocco deservedly put them to the sword with a great goal. Morocco were first to every ball and Casemiro and Ibanez were completely exposed. A bit of Vinicius individual brilliance bailed brazil out. Second half was much slower and it let Brazil off the hook but the pace was impossible to keep up. If Morocco had found another gear 2nd half they couldve finished them. Brazil need to do something with that midfield if they want to succeed this year.
MoroccoQatar1 - 1SwitzerlandSwitzerland should be embarassed not to put that match away. Far too complacent and no cutting edge. Qatar were horrendous but you just felt their luck was in. Poor match, and definitely not helped by the heat. Also, we still want to see that offside call FIFA stop hiding.
QatarCanada1 - 1Bosnia & HerzegovinaCanada have quite good chemistry and really should have won. Cyle Larin looked much more likely to score as soon as he came on, and proved it. Based on that performance Canada might just have enough to get through. Bosnia were a bit like Czechia earlier, didn't look too convincing but battled well. Kolasinic experience waa vital. Theyll be happy with a point.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
South Korea2 - 1Czech Republic
Korea were quite enjoyable to watch. Czechia were the opppsite, and had nothing outside set pieces, but it nearly paid off for them. Korea deserved winners, and the subs made a big difference.
South Korea
Mexico2 - 0South AfricaSouth africa late off the startin blocks, and never got back into it. A dull match mostly, and even the ref decided it needed spiced up with a trio of red cards. Mexico never looked in danger.
Mexico
Bournemouth1 - 1Man City
Turns out City matches can actually be slightly entertaining, as long as theyre the team that goes a goal down. Bournemouth should have put it to rest with some of the chances they had.
Bournemouth
Arsenal1 - 0Burnley
Arsenal playing a dangerous game making things needlessly hard on themselves. Some sloppy passing and a lucky escape for Havertz had them biting their nails. They really should be putting a team like Burnley away but as the old saying goes, "1 nil to the Arsenal." Burnley really are poo.
Arsenal
Man United3 - 2Nott'm Forest
Mbuemo was scoring today whether he liked it or not! Hilarious to see the assist celebrated more than the goal. Forest werent bad at all, and almost caused a scare, but United firmed it up when it mattered. As evidenced by the subs though, United need to sign some serious backup if theyre to challenge next year and handle the extra schedule.
Man United
Chelsea0 - 1Man CityChelsea spent so much time on top only to fail to finish a single chance. Then once City scored they completely folded. Typical boring City match, but a brilliantly inventive Semenyo goal. If only Joao Pedro could stay on his feet, Chelsea might have come away with something. Poor match for a cup final.
Man City
Celtic3 - 1Heart Of Midlothian
Hearts will be gutted, but they just didnt have it today. Played like they were happy with a draw and quite poor going forward. Will they ever have a better chance at breaking the glasgow monopoly? Celtic subs made a massive impact.
Celtic
Aston Villa4 - 2Liverpool
Liverpool defence shellshocked, couldnt handle Villa at all. Van Dijk did ok but he was alongside 3 mannequins. Villa were very good all over the pitch but Watkins, McGinn, Rogers were great. Emery looks twice the manager Slot is at the minute.
Aston Villa
Lazio0 - 2Inter
Such a poor showing from Lazio, they barely laid a glove on Inter making it as pedestrian a final as possible.
InterSouthampton2 - 1Middlesbrough
Thats what the playoffs are all about really. It was attacking, dramatic, fiesty, and tense til the very end. Boro lost their legs at the worst possible moment but over the 120 mins the better team probably won. Saints just need to hope this spygate stuff doesnt derail their playoff final. Referee did well on the whole with a match that was always going to be challenging.
Southampton
Millwall0 - 2Hull City
The Millwall that did so well all year failed to materialise during these two playoff matches. Hulls tactics were great, and theyve got to be pinching themselves to go from projected for relegation to making it to Wembley.
Hull City
Bayern1 - 1PSG
PSG learned from first leg and played a much smarter match. Unfortunately that meant it was a lot less interesting for a neutral. Again, a lot of the post match talk will focus on the ref who had a complete shitemare. That being said, PSG still deserved to win on the night, and across both legs.
PSGArsenal1 - 0Atletico Madrid
Atleti never looked threatening and they werent helped by Simeones subs. Arsenal shut the door once they scored, and you never really believee anything was going to happen after that. Dull as dishwater, but Arsenal wont care.
ArsenalChelsea1 - 3Nott'm ForestUnfortunately two horrendous head injury stoppages sucked a lot of the momentum out of this. Forest started fast, and Chelsea never looked overly threatening. Chelsea will be very disappointed to perform so badly against what was essentially Forests B team.
Nott'm ForestInter2 - 0Parma
Parma didnt put up much of a fight to stop Inter winning their 21st title. And of course it had to be at Parma for Cristian Chivu.
InterMan United3 - 2LiverpoolLiverpool were just not at it in first half, and couldnt put anything together. Konate in particular looked rattled. United did their best to gift it to Liverpool at the start of the second half, and perhaps an Amorim-United would have lost it, but kudos to Carricks United for not giving it up. This Liverpool squad for whatever reason just do not click like youd expect.
Man United
Preston1 - 3Southampton
SouthamptonAtletico Madrid1 - 1ArsenalAtletico didnt go for it in the first half and let Arsenal build momentum. It took the Gyokeres penalty to wake them up a bit, and they performed better in 2nd half. Match was nothin to write home about, and the talking point will be the overturning of Arsenal penalty, another unwelcome intervention from VAR. Though Arsenal should be worried at the lack of concrete chances they created.
ArsenalSouthampton2 - 2Ipswich
Saints needed the win and were very attacking despite coming off the semi final a few days ago, but the fatigue seemed to catch up to them in the last 10 mins. Ipswich capitalised on some tired defending for the equaliser. A draw is probably fair on the whole, but Saints will be disappointed they couldnt hold on and now need to make it through the playoffs to return to the prem.
SouthamptonMan United2 - 1Brentford
United started quickly, but Brentford took over once they went 1 down. Cant believe Thiago didnt put at least one of his chances away. Amad did great to recover from giving ball away, his slide tackle provided the breakaway for 2nd goal, and Brunos patience was vital in Sesko having the space he did. United made it hard work at the end again, but Casemiros experience helped them out of some sticky set plays. He was excellent again, and will be hard to replace for United thie Summer. Brentford did well but a combination of poor finishing, Senne Lammens, last gasp defending and just bad luck cost them in the end.
Man United
Fulham1 - 0Aston Villa
Aston Villa
Wolves0 - 1Tottenham
Spurs might have gotten their first win but they certainly werent convincing. Wolves probably unlucky to not get at least a point, especially with the Kinsky wonder save at the end.
TottenhamMan City2 - 1SouthamptonDull first half, and the 2nd became the typical City pressure show with a few exciting counter attacks. Will be mainly remembered for Nicos winning goal, but Finn Azaz goal was also a cracker.
Southampton