26TH JUNE
I know some people thought the threads were a bit clustered last night the games being played at the same time but I don't think it's worth separating the threads at this stage in the competition, I'll do that for the knockout round though.
DENMARK VS FRANCE
Match kicks off at 15:00 (BST) on ITV 1. Coverage starts at 14:30 (BST). Presented by Mark Pougatch, analysis from Henrik Larsson, Martin O’Neill and Lee Dixon, reports by Jacqui Oatley and Eni Aluko.
Both teams come into this game in fairly comfortable positions, knowing that a draw would send them both through. However, both teams do have a couple of questions to answer. Denmark will want have to decide whether they are content with going through or whether they want to go through and avoid a good inform Croatia side. France meanwhile have to try and get their act together, despite the 2 wins, they haven’t exactly put in a performance where you would think they’re one of the favourites.
Group C as it stands:
France’s goal scorers so far:
Griezmann (1), Mbappe (1), Own Goal (1).
Denmark goal scorers so far:
Y.Poulson (1), Eriksen (1).
AUSTRALIA VS PERU
Match kicks off at 15:00 (BST) on ITV 4. Coverage starts at 14:30 (BST).
As it stands this match doesn’t mean too much. Peru are out and Australia need to win and hope Denmark lose. So it will be a game where you wait and see what’s unfolding in both games, a bit like the Group B games last night. I feel a bit sorry for Peru, in both games they have been impressive and don’t deserve to be out of the running after 2 games. Australia have played better than most people imagined and that fighting spirit has kept them in it until the last game.
Group C as it stands:
Australia’s goal scorers so far:
Jedinak (2).
Peru have no goal scorers so far:
ARGENTINA VS NIGERIA
Match kicks off at 19:00 (BST) on BBC 1. Coverage starts at 18:30 (BST). Presented by Gary Lineker, analysis from Rio Ferdinand, Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas, commentary from Guy Mowbray and Jermaine Jenas.
What a game this looks to be. Both teams have a chance of making the knockout stages.
Argentina know that everything hinges on them need to win. They’ve been so poor in this tournament, the midfield has been non-existent, the defence so poor and the attack has had next to no supply. They have to try and push all of that to the back of their minds for this game. If they win they leapfrog Nigeria into 2nd but if Iceland win as well then they have to better Iceland’s result by a 1 goal margin. So if Iceland win 1-0, Argentina need to win 2-0. Don’t expect Aguero to start, despite him doing rather well with such limited service, his comments after the last game seem to have to touched a nerve with the manager. In fact based on social media comments this week I’m not even sure the manager is in charge which may give Aguero a chance of starting.
Nigeria sit in 2nd on 3 points, knowing that a win will be good enough to see them through. More than likely a draw may also be good enough unless Iceland get a decent win over Croatia. Musa will be looking to add to his 2 goals from last game. Nigeria look much more of a threat with Iheanacho and Musa on the pitch, so expect they’ll line up similar in this one.
Group D so far:
Argentina goal scorers so far:
Aguero (1).
Nigeria goal scorers so far:
Musa (2).
ICELAND VS CROATIA
Match kicks off at 19:00 (BST) on BBC 4. Coverage starts at 19:00 (BST). Presented by Reshmin Chowdhury, commentary from Simon Brotherton and Danny Murphy.
Not as much to say on this one; Iceland come into this game knowing that only a win is good enough and if Argentina are winning then they have to match the goal margin they are winning by. Last time out they were poor against Nigeria and will be looking to right those wrongs in this one. Croatia are through and are almost guaranteed top spot, unless Nigeria absolutely thrash Argentina. The Croatian coach has already said that he is looking to rotate in this one, in preparation for the last 16 so expect him to make quite a few changes, players like Modric and Rakitic may be rested in place of Kovacic and Brozovic but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the former players start and be brought off after 60mins.
Group D so far:
Iceland goal scorers so far:
Finnbogasson (1).
Croatia goal scorers so far:
Modric (2), Rebic (1), Rakitic (1), Own Goal (1).
I know some people thought the threads were a bit clustered last night the games being played at the same time but I don't think it's worth separating the threads at this stage in the competition, I'll do that for the knockout round though.
DENMARK VS FRANCE
Match kicks off at 15:00 (BST) on ITV 1. Coverage starts at 14:30 (BST). Presented by Mark Pougatch, analysis from Henrik Larsson, Martin O’Neill and Lee Dixon, reports by Jacqui Oatley and Eni Aluko.
Both teams come into this game in fairly comfortable positions, knowing that a draw would send them both through. However, both teams do have a couple of questions to answer. Denmark will want have to decide whether they are content with going through or whether they want to go through and avoid a good inform Croatia side. France meanwhile have to try and get their act together, despite the 2 wins, they haven’t exactly put in a performance where you would think they’re one of the favourites.
Group C as it stands:
France’s goal scorers so far:
Griezmann (1), Mbappe (1), Own Goal (1).
Denmark goal scorers so far:
Y.Poulson (1), Eriksen (1).
AUSTRALIA VS PERU
Match kicks off at 15:00 (BST) on ITV 4. Coverage starts at 14:30 (BST).
As it stands this match doesn’t mean too much. Peru are out and Australia need to win and hope Denmark lose. So it will be a game where you wait and see what’s unfolding in both games, a bit like the Group B games last night. I feel a bit sorry for Peru, in both games they have been impressive and don’t deserve to be out of the running after 2 games. Australia have played better than most people imagined and that fighting spirit has kept them in it until the last game.
Group C as it stands:
Australia’s goal scorers so far:
Jedinak (2).
Peru have no goal scorers so far:
ARGENTINA VS NIGERIA
Match kicks off at 19:00 (BST) on BBC 1. Coverage starts at 18:30 (BST). Presented by Gary Lineker, analysis from Rio Ferdinand, Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas, commentary from Guy Mowbray and Jermaine Jenas.
What a game this looks to be. Both teams have a chance of making the knockout stages.
Argentina know that everything hinges on them need to win. They’ve been so poor in this tournament, the midfield has been non-existent, the defence so poor and the attack has had next to no supply. They have to try and push all of that to the back of their minds for this game. If they win they leapfrog Nigeria into 2nd but if Iceland win as well then they have to better Iceland’s result by a 1 goal margin. So if Iceland win 1-0, Argentina need to win 2-0. Don’t expect Aguero to start, despite him doing rather well with such limited service, his comments after the last game seem to have to touched a nerve with the manager. In fact based on social media comments this week I’m not even sure the manager is in charge which may give Aguero a chance of starting.
Nigeria sit in 2nd on 3 points, knowing that a win will be good enough to see them through. More than likely a draw may also be good enough unless Iceland get a decent win over Croatia. Musa will be looking to add to his 2 goals from last game. Nigeria look much more of a threat with Iheanacho and Musa on the pitch, so expect they’ll line up similar in this one.
Group D so far:
Argentina goal scorers so far:
Aguero (1).
Nigeria goal scorers so far:
Musa (2).
ICELAND VS CROATIA
Match kicks off at 19:00 (BST) on BBC 4. Coverage starts at 19:00 (BST). Presented by Reshmin Chowdhury, commentary from Simon Brotherton and Danny Murphy.
Not as much to say on this one; Iceland come into this game knowing that only a win is good enough and if Argentina are winning then they have to match the goal margin they are winning by. Last time out they were poor against Nigeria and will be looking to right those wrongs in this one. Croatia are through and are almost guaranteed top spot, unless Nigeria absolutely thrash Argentina. The Croatian coach has already said that he is looking to rotate in this one, in preparation for the last 16 so expect him to make quite a few changes, players like Modric and Rakitic may be rested in place of Kovacic and Brozovic but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the former players start and be brought off after 60mins.
Group D so far:
Iceland goal scorers so far:
Finnbogasson (1).
Croatia goal scorers so far:
Modric (2), Rebic (1), Rakitic (1), Own Goal (1).
