World Cup Daily: Matches and storylines for July 3
The final Round of 32 matches take place Friday, highlighted by fans of underdogs around the world seeing what Cabo Verde can do against Argentina.
Thursday was a good day to be a UEFA supporter.
In five of the six cases in the day's World Cup action, we knew a European team would come out on top, and with one surprising twist in the tale, the day went pretty much as predicted. Given how the Portugal-Croatia match ended, I'm not going to say it was a boring tournament day, but if you were going to set upon a road trip to New Orleans and spend a terrifying half hour fearing you were going to be stranded in Jennings, La., before a friendly mechanic let you know your increasingly tempermental 2019 Volkswagen Atlas has a turbo underboost issue but is still driveable (and which now, given more driving is turning out to be a weirdly intermittent turbo underboost issue), well, Thursday was the day for that.
But enough about me (writing here on a Friday morning with the St. Charles streetcar rolling down Carondelet); let's review the action.
Spain dispatched Austria 3-0 behind a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal. Portugal went behind early to Croatia, got a PK equalizer from the insufferable Cristiano Ronaldo, went ahead in stoppage time (with C-Ron watching from the sidelines) with a Gonçalo Ramos goal, and then hung on as Croatia's apparent equalizer at the death was controversially ruled offside. Switzerland sent Algeria the way of other fun-but-fated African teams in the Round of 16, winning 2-0 in the late match behind Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye goals.
Friday has promise as the final Round of 16 day. First, at 1 pm CT, Australia faces Egypt in one of the more evenly matched (but lower-ranked) Round of 16 contests. Then, at 5 pm, March Madness meets the World Cup as underdog fans around the globe coalesce around Cabo Verde as they face Argentina. Finally, to close out this stage, Colombia and Ghana meet at the why-not time of 8:30 pm.
The Round of 16 is very nearly set.
Round of 32
Sunday, June 28
Canada 1, South Africa 0 (Canada will play Morocco in Round of 16, July 4, in Houston)
Monday, June 29
Brazil 2, Japan 1 (Brazil plays Norway in Round of 16, July 5, in East Rutherford, N.J.)
Paraguay 1(4), Germany 1(3) (Paraguay plays winner of France-Sweden in Round of 16)
Morocco 1(3), Netherlands 1(2), (Morocco plays Canada in Round of 16, July 4, in Houston)
Tuesday, June 30
Norway 2, Côte d'Ivoire1, (Norway plays Brazil in Round of 16, July 5, in East Rutherford, N.J.)
France 3, Sweden 0 (France plays Paraguay in Round of 16, July 4, in Philadelphia)
Mexico 2, Ecuador 0 (Mexico plays England in Round of 16, July 5, in Mexico City)
Wednesday, July 1
England 2, DR Congo 1 (England plays Mexico in Round of 16, July 5, in Mexico City)
Belgium 3, Senegal 2 (Belgium plays United States in Round of 16, July 6, in Seattle)
United States2, Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 (United States plays Belgium in Round of 16, July 6, in Seattle)
Thursday, July 2
Spain 3, Austria 0, 2 pm, Inglewood, Calif. (Spain plays Portugal in Round of 16, July 6, in Jerryworld)
Portugal 2, Croatia 1, 6 pm, Toronto (Portugal plays Spain in Round of 16, July 6, in Jerryworld)
Switzerland 2, Algeria 0, 10 pm, Vancouver (Switzerland plays winner of Colombia-Ghana in Round of 16, July 7, in Vancouver)
Friday, July 3
Australiavs. Egypt, 1 pm, Jerryworld (winner plays winner of Argentina-Cabo Verde in Round of 16, July 7, in Atlanta)
Argentina vs. Cabo Verde, 5 pm, Miami Gardens, Fla. (winner plays winner of Australia-Egypt in Round of 16, July 7, in Atlanta)
Colombia vs. Ghana, 8:30 pm, Kansas City (winner plays Switzerland in Round of 16, July 7, in Vancouver)
Round of 16 (what we know so far)
Saturday, July 4
Canada vs. Morocco, noon, Houston
Paraguay vs. France, 4 pm, Philadelphia
Sunday, July 5
Brazil vs. Norway, 3 pm, East Rutherford, N.J.
Mexico vs. England, 7 pm, Mexico City
Monday, July 6
Portugal vs. Spain, 3 pm, Jerryworld
United States vs. Belgium, 7 pm, Seattle
Tuesday, July 7
Argentina-Cabo Verde winner vs. Australia-Egypt winner, 11 am, Atlanta
Switzerland vs. Colombia-Ghana winner, 3 pm, Vancouver
Quarterfinals run July 9-11. Set all your appointments and meetings and schedule all your errands for Wednesday, July 8.
Where to watch
If you want to be with other Argentina fans and you live way out west, there's a watch party at the Buenos Aires Cafe Galleria in Bee Cave. The event poster's actually pretty nice.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Austin FC returns to MLS play on Saturday to face the Supporters' Shield leaders. We spoke to the journalist who perhaps knows them best to get some perspective.
If a top seed falls in Soldier Field on a random Tuesday during the international break, does it make a sound? Here's how Vancouver's loss to Chicago sets up potential shifts in table math.
Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin issued a joint statement regarding the Sept. 26 match, and Austin Anthem issued its own statement via social media on Tuesday. Austin FC plays at home again on Saturday.
Eze Onuoha is a 17-year-old defensive midfielder from Finland who could be Austin FC's next signing. But will he first be a mainstay for Austin FC II? And given his reported transfer fee, is that smart roster building?
Thursday was a good day to be a UEFA supporter.
In five of the six cases in the day's World Cup action, we knew a European team would come out on top, and with one surprising twist in the tale, the day went pretty much as predicted. Given how the Portugal-Croatia match ended, I'm not going to say it was a boring tournament day, but if you were going to set upon a road trip to New Orleans and spend a terrifying half hour fearing you were going to be stranded in Jennings, La., before a friendly mechanic let you know your increasingly tempermental 2019 Volkswagen Atlas has a turbo underboost issue but is still driveable (and which now, given more driving is turning out to be a weirdly intermittent turbo underboost issue), well, Thursday was the day for that.
But enough about me (writing here on a Friday morning with the St. Charles streetcar rolling down Carondelet); let's review the action.
Spain dispatched Austria 3-0 behind a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal. Portugal went behind early to Croatia, got a PK equalizer from the insufferable Cristiano Ronaldo, went ahead in stoppage time (with C-Ron watching from the sidelines) with a Gonçalo Ramos goal, and then hung on as Croatia's apparent equalizer at the death was controversially ruled offside. Switzerland sent Algeria the way of other fun-but-fated African teams in the Round of 16, winning 2-0 in the late match behind Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye goals.
Friday has promise as the final Round of 16 day. First, at 1 pm CT, Australia faces Egypt in one of the more evenly matched (but lower-ranked) Round of 16 contests. Then, at 5 pm, March Madness meets the World Cup as underdog fans around the globe coalesce around Cabo Verde as they face Argentina. Finally, to close out this stage, Colombia and Ghana meet at the why-not time of 8:30 pm.
The Round of 16 is very nearly set.
Round of 32
Sunday, June 28
Monday, June 29
Tuesday, June 30
Wednesday, July 1
Thursday, July 2
Friday, July 3
Round of 16 (what we know so far)
Saturday, July 4
Sunday, July 5
Monday, July 6
Tuesday, July 7
Quarterfinals run July 9-11. Set all your appointments and meetings and schedule all your errands for Wednesday, July 8.
Where to watch
If you want to be with other Argentina fans and you live way out west, there's a watch party at the Buenos Aires Cafe Galleria in Bee Cave. The event poster's actually pretty nice.
What to read
Portugal manager Roberto Martínez appreciated all the reffing decisions on Thursday. I'm sure he did.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Read Next
Foreign Exchange: Three questions with SixOneFive Soccer's Ben Wright
Austin FC returns to MLS play on Saturday to face the Supporters' Shield leaders. We spoke to the journalist who perhaps knows them best to get some perspective.
More than one cluster: Western Conference table tightens at the top with seven matches to go
If a top seed falls in Soldier Field on a random Tuesday during the international break, does it make a sound? Here's how Vancouver's loss to Chicago sets up potential shifts in table math.
Austin FC supporters' groups issue statements tied to Sept. 26 incident at Q2 Stadium
Los Verdes and La Murga de Austin issued a joint statement regarding the Sept. 26 match, and Austin Anthem issued its own statement via social media on Tuesday. Austin FC plays at home again on Saturday.
Nothing Eze about it: What the Eze Onuoha transfer report says about building Austin FC (and Austin FC II)
Eze Onuoha is a 17-year-old defensive midfielder from Finland who could be Austin FC's next signing. But will he first be a mainstay for Austin FC II? And given his reported transfer fee, is that smart roster building?