We have played two rounds of games in this year's Draft World Cup. Those 32 games also mean we are at the halfway point of the whole tournament. And yet we only know 6 of the teams that will be going into the next round:
Two of those are Belgium and France, who are in action today as we wrap up Group A, but we will get two more from Group B. So let's go!
Group A
Belgium and France have each recorded a 1-0 win over Mexico and a 4-0 win over Tunisia, giving us this table:
Group A
Belgium and France have each recorded a 1-0 win over Mexico and a 4-0 win over Tunisia, giving us this table:
So the equation for today is nice and simple - whoever wins tops the group. But if it is a draw, then the drawing of lots will decide who wins the group - what excitement! Meanwhile, Mexico and Tunisia look to salvage something from a fairly disastrous DWC.
Team news: France vs Belgium
It's good news for France as Neymar's injury sustained last time out isn't serious. They are without Danilo Pereira and Ander Herrera through accumulation of yellows, and they also choose to rest Alessandro Florenzi, Presnel Kimpembe and Juan Bernat who are a booking away from a ban. In come Álvaro, Laurent Koscielny, Mattia De Sciglio, Idrissa Gueye and Leandro Paredes.
Belgium have Federico Ricca struggling with injury, so he is replaced by Konstantinos Laifis. Brandon Mechele also makes way for Éder Álvarez Balanta, and the team moves to a 4-3-3 shape.
Team news: France vs Belgium
It's good news for France as Neymar's injury sustained last time out isn't serious. They are without Danilo Pereira and Ander Herrera through accumulation of yellows, and they also choose to rest Alessandro Florenzi, Presnel Kimpembe and Juan Bernat who are a booking away from a ban. In come Álvaro, Laurent Koscielny, Mattia De Sciglio, Idrissa Gueye and Leandro Paredes.
Belgium have Federico Ricca struggling with injury, so he is replaced by Konstantinos Laifis. Brandon Mechele also makes way for Éder Álvarez Balanta, and the team moves to a 4-3-3 shape.
Team news: Mexico vs Tunisia
Mexico bring in a couple of new faces for this game, both on the wing, as Ángel Mena and Nico López replace Elías Hernández and Javier Aquino. Jesús Gallardo also returns after his ban, replacing William Tesillo at left back. Tunisia's only change is Hani Amamou in for Mohamed Ali Yacoubi.
Mexico bring in a couple of new faces for this game, both on the wing, as Ángel Mena and Nico López replace Elías Hernández and Javier Aquino. Jesús Gallardo also returns after his ban, replacing William Tesillo at left back. Tunisia's only change is Hani Amamou in for Mohamed Ali Yacoubi.
FRAvBEL (2 mins): Belgium have a free kick in a dangerous area, but Hans Vanaken's set piece is easily cleared. Marco Verratti has space to run into, and plays a ball over the top for Kylian Mbappé to run onto, and the player in form going into this tournament makes no mistake, blasting it home to get his first goal of this year's DWC!
FRAvBEL (19 mins): Belgium have a corner, but again it's cleared and again France break away. Verratti gets space on the edge of the box, but Simon Mignolet pushes away his low drive. A few minutes later and Belgium have another corner, and this time it's met by Adrien Trébel, but his header goes over.
MEXvTUN (24 mins): A quieter start here, but we get the opening goal when Antonio Valencia's cross is met by Mena, and the ball hits the bar, bounces just over the line and bounces back out!
FRAvBEL (26 mins): France pin Belgium back in their own box, and it leaves De Sciglio acres of space on the left. He drills in a low cross, and Mbappé guides it in to double France's lead!
MEXvTUN (40 mins): Mena suffers a knock, but recovers enough to continue. And he doubles his tally with a wonderful dribble and curled shot into the bottom corner! It's a great goal, and at least there's going to be one Mexican player to have had a good tournament.
FRAvBEL (40 mins): A series of sloppy passes in midfield culminates in Jacob Bruun Larsen's pass back to his defence being intercepted by Mbappé, who runs through. He's forced wide, but he's also forced to the ground by Stefano Denswil! He has the chance to complete a hat trick... and fires it into the bottom corner!
MEXvTUN (half time): Right at the end of the half López nearly adds another, but his close-range shot hits the outside of the post. A great half for Mexico, whilst Tunisia have 45 minutes to contribute something to this tournament.
FRAvBEL (half time): Belgium look a shadow of the side that won 4-0 last time out. And it's finally the game where the Mbappé that tore everyone to shreds in qualifying has turned up. But it's also the end of his game, as he and Neymar are taken off at half time to rest, with Memphis Depay and Mauro Icardi coming on.
FRAvBEL (57 mins): Álvaro is primarily a centre back, but he belied that with a lovely run past Laifis, and his low cross finds Depay who slots it home! It just gets worse for Belgium.
FRAvBEL (63mins): The other sub Icardi thumps a header from a corner into the top corner. It's 5-0, if you've lost track. I'm just sad I won't get to draw lots. France suffer a blow though, as Verratti injures his knee. Julian Draxler replaces him.
MEXvTUN (73 mins): Rogelio Funes Mori, on for André-Pierre Gignac, hits the crossbar with a header as Mexico continue to dominate.
FRAvBEL (90+2 mins): The game flatlines after those two quickfire goals. Belgium are in full damage limitation mode, and France are just fine to escape with no further injuries.
Final score: France 5-0 Belgium
Player of the match: Kylian Mbappé (FRA)
Final score: France 5-0 Belgium
Player of the match: Kylian Mbappé (FRA)
MEXvTUN (90+5 mins): Darwin González nearly gets a consolation with a free kick, but it dips just wide.
Final score: Mexico 2-0 Tunisia
Player of the match: Ángel Mena (MEX)
Final score: Mexico 2-0 Tunisia
Player of the match: Ángel Mena (MEX)
Post-match: France 5-0 Belgium
It's fair to say Belgium didn't deserve that big a hammering - they only conceded 10 shots - but they offered so little of their own they will be disappointed with that at least.
It's fair to say Belgium didn't deserve that big a hammering - they only conceded 10 shots - but they offered so little of their own they will be disappointed with that at least.
Post-match: Mexico 2-0 Tunisia
Sums Mexico up. Not quite good enough to keep up with the better European sides, but far too good for the middle-ranked teams.
Sums Mexico up. Not quite good enough to keep up with the better European sides, but far too good for the middle-ranked teams.
Here is confirmation of the final table in Group A:
Group B
Unlike Group A, this one is still all up for grabs, with the only thing decided that Costa Rica are eliminated:
Unlike Group A, this one is still all up for grabs, with the only thing decided that Costa Rica are eliminated:
They take on England, who therefore should be fairly untroubled in qualifying. Which means that Colombia and Russia effectively play a decider to see who joins England. Colombia's draw with England means another draw will secure their progression. Of course, if they can match England's result they can top the group and avoid France in the next round.
Team news: England vs Costa Rica
England are without Harry Kane after he pulled his knee against Russia, but luckily for them he will be fit for the next round - should they make it that far. Sergio Aguero comes in for their only change. Costa Rica have Bryan Ruíz back available, and so he comes back to replace Yeltsin Tejada.
Team news: England vs Costa Rica
England are without Harry Kane after he pulled his knee against Russia, but luckily for them he will be fit for the next round - should they make it that far. Sergio Aguero comes in for their only change. Costa Rica have Bryan Ruíz back available, and so he comes back to replace Yeltsin Tejada.
Team news: Colombia vs Russia
Colombia stick with the 4-4-2 they used against Costa Rica, although they do bring in Christian Marrugo for Fredy Guarín. Russia don't make any changes despite the limp performance against England.
Colombia stick with the 4-4-2 they used against Costa Rica, although they do bring in Christian Marrugo for Fredy Guarín. Russia don't make any changes despite the limp performance against England.
ENGvCRC (22 mins): No prizes for guessing the pattern of the game, as Costa Rica sit deep and try to fend England off. Their opponents get lots of shots in, but nothing that troubles Esteban. Trent Alexander-Arnold finally opens up the Costa Rican defence with a wonderful ball through for Aguero, who sticks it away first time - but the flag is up, and it won't count. From the free kick England win the ball back and some again. Sadio Mané plays in Mo Salah, who is denied by Esteban from close range, and Kevin De Bruyne's follow-up is blocked.
ENGvCRC (29 mins): The siege of Costa Rica's goal continues. And the deadlock is finally broken when Alexander-Arnold drives a low shot against the inside of the post and in! A wonderful finish!
ENGvCRC (33 mins): Mané dribbles through Costa Rica's midfield, and plays it forward to Salah. He puts it onto his left foot and powers a shot from the edge of the box that Esteban can't keep out, and it's 2-0!
COLvRUS (half time): Six shots, at an average of 0.06xG and no highlights tell you everything about this game so far. Russia have been slightly more proactive, but they actually need to be.
ENGvCRC (half time): Costa Rica withdraw Randall Azofeifa and David Guzmán into defensive midfield, and it does a job of slowing England down. At the break England replace N'Golo Kanté for the more attacking Bruno Fernandes.
Costa Rica kick off the second half, and are defending immediately. Andy Robertson breaks into space and gets to the byline, and his low cross looks set to be tapped in by Aguero - however, Kendall Waston is there to intercept. Unfortunately for Costa Rica's captain, the ball trickles over the line, for what I think is the tournament's first own goal!
Costa Rica kick off the second half, and are defending immediately. Andy Robertson breaks into space and gets to the byline, and his low cross looks set to be tapped in by Aguero - however, Kendall Waston is there to intercept. Unfortunately for Costa Rica's captain, the ball trickles over the line, for what I think is the tournament's first own goal!
ENGvCRC (53 mins): It keeps getting worse for Costa Rica as Júnior Diaz upends Salah in the box. Fernandes takes the penalty... and puts it away to get England's fourth!
COLvRUS (74 mins): Colombia have a throw-in on the right. They work it around and it comes to Fredy Guarín, on from the bench. He fires in a wonderful cross and Miguel Borja loses Dejan Lovren to head in and give Colombia some breathing space! They have offered absolutely nothing up til now, but they won't care!
COLvRUS (76 mins): Russia have a chance to reply immediately with a corner. But it's cleared, and Borja has space to run into. He gets it upfield and it's played out to Gilberto García. He crosses it in and Borja again finds space and guides another header into the back of the net! Two goals in three minutes have surely put Colombia in the next round!
COLvRUS (81 mins): Russia obviously have nothing to lose and are now fielding a 4-2-4. They try and use the width of the pitch to create crossing opportunities, and one such chance sees Douglas Santos fire one to the far post, where Quincy Promes is there to blast a shot home! Can they get two more?
ENGvCRC (90+3 mins): England sub Son Heung-Min goes close with a long range drive, and Aguero puts a volley just over. But Costa Rica do survive without the scoreline getting embarrassing. It does mean that they finish without a point though.
Final score: England 4-0 Costa Rica
Player of the match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (ENG)
Final score: England 4-0 Costa Rica
Player of the match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (ENG)
COLvRUS (90+5 mins): Russia can't muster a comeback. Colombia are fairly comfortable and are through to the next round!
Final score: Colombia 2-1 Russia
Player of the match: Miguel Borja (COL)
Final score: Colombia 2-1 Russia
Player of the match: Miguel Borja (COL)
Post match: England 4-0 Costa Rica
Nice and easy for England, although they were helped by two shots from range going in early on. Costa Rica actually defended okay, if you take out the penalty then they restricted England from big chances.
Nice and easy for England, although they were helped by two shots from range going in early on. Costa Rica actually defended okay, if you take out the penalty then they restricted England from big chances.
I would way that this came didn't deserve three goals, and Colombia barely did enough to win. But they did, and Russia will have to wait to make their bow in the DWC knockout rounds.
So this is the final Group A table:
So the confirmed matches for the second round are France vs Colombia and England vs Belgium. We'll get our next two ties confirmed next time, when Groups C & D conclude.