World Cup match week 3: Have you seen anything like it?

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From defending champions Germany’s shock exit from the 2018 World Cup to Senegal’s bizarre “Fair Play” exit. FourFourTwo South Africa wraps up an action-packed match week 3. 

Game week three of the World Cup in Russia delivered a whopping 37 goals, in addition to ending a number of teams’ quest for getting their hands on the prized title.

Africa’s woes continue:

Much had been expected of Mohamed Salah’s Egypt side who made their first appearance at the finals since 1990, however the Pharaophs failed to deliver on the big stage, succumbing to a 2-1 loss against a lowly Saudi Arabia team.

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Despite Salah netting his second goal of the campaign (the only two Egypt managed to score), Hector Cuper’s men exited the tournament without picking up a single point in their three group matches against Uruguay, Russia and the Saudi’s, losing to score lines of 1-0, 3-1 and 2-1 respectively.

ALSO READ: To beat the best, you have to be at your best Africa!

It wasn’t all doom and gloom though as goalkeeper Essam El Hadary not only became the oldest player to ever play in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days, but the veteran shot-stopper showed his quality, saving a first-half penalty from Fahad Al Muwallad.

Nigeria needed only a point against Argentina to secure their passage into the last 16.  The Super Eagles looked poised to secure their spot in the next round after Victor Moses’ second-half penalty leveled matters, however Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo emerged as the hero for the South American giants as turn he inflicted Nigeria’s fifth World Cup defeat from five meetings with Argentina – all by a solitary goal.

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Tunisia lost their opening two games of the tournament against England and Belgium by scorelines of 2-1 and 5-2. In their final group game they showed great resilience to come from behind and defeat Panama 2-1 to secure first World Cup win in 40 years.

ALSO READ: Back to the drawing board for Africa

However, the biggest heartbreak for Africa came in the form of their brightest prospect at the tournament. Needing a draw or a victory against Colombia, the Lions of Teranga fought hard but succumbed to a 1-0 defeat, but not without controversy.

Aliou Cisse’s side became the first ever team to be eliminated at the FIFA World Cup courtesy of the fair-play rule.

Group H was so tightly contested that it resulted in Japan and Senegal finishing level in points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head, as a result the runner up of the group was decided on the fair-play rule.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR):
Making it’s debut in the 2018 World Cup, the VAR system has not limited controversy with more than 20 (and counting) formal incidents being reviewed thus far in the tournament.
Due to the nature of game week 3 (final group game), a number of the VAR decisions that were reviewed often proved a case of make-or-break for the teams involved.
Below is a list of game-changing reviews made by referees on game week 3.
Ronaldo joined Lionel Messi in the ‘missed spot-kicks’ category after the Golden Boot contender was denied by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand after VAR overturned the initial on-field decision.
The Real Madrid forward was also found guilty of an elbowing his opponent, which merited him a yellow card upon review, with the decision too being called into question. Should it have been a red-card?
Spain’s injury time winner against Morocco was initially ruled off for offside, but upon review – it was given as a goal, resulting in La Roja’s progression to the last-16 as group winners.
South Korea needed VAR assistance for their first goal against defending champions, Germany when Kim Young-gwon struck from close range and had an offside decision overturned.
Prior to Colombia taking the lead against Senegal, Sadio Mane was handed a penalty after being hacked down by Davinson Sanchez but upon VAR review the tackle turned out to be a legitimate one. Talk about game-changing!
Heads held up high:
Herve Renard’s Moroccan side’s fate was sealed upon their 1-0 loss to Portugal on match day 2 courtesy of Ronaldo’s header.
The North African outfit bowed out with their heads held  high against Spain, forcing the former world champions to a 2-2 draw, courtesy of Iago Aspas’ last-gasp equalizer.
The clash between Saudi Arabia and Egypt was a dead rubber clash, however it proved entertaining for viewing pleasure and also saw The Green Falcons put an end to their 12 game consecutive winless streak which stretches back to 1994.
After losing their opening two games to Denmark and France respectively, Peru claimed a morale-boosting 2-0 victory against  Australia and in doing so, the South American side claimed their first World Cup victory since 1978.
In what should have been a routine victory for Portugal almost turned out to be their exist from the tournament. Ricardo Quaresma netted a Quaresma-esque goal to give his side the lead ,but after Ronaldo’s missed penalty, things went bad and could of gone worse with Carlos Querioz’ side equalising matters courtesy of a VAR-assisted decision.
Had Mehdi Taremi not squandered a late chance, Iran could have booked their spot in the last-16 at expense of Ronaldo and co.
Records galore:
A number of individuals and/or teams made history in game week 3 in the 2018 World Cup.
Lead by influential captain Luka Modric, for the first time in their history,  Croatia won three consecutive World Cup games to top the Group D standings and ease into the knockouts.
Messi’s opener against Nigeria was the 100th goal of the tournament. Much had been said about Argentina and Messi following their three underwhelming performances – most notably characterised by the Barcelona superstar’s missed spot-kick in the stale mate against Iceland.
Messi, however set another record of being the first ever player to score in his teens, 20s and 30s, having featured at the 2006, 2010, 2014 and now 2018 editions of the tournament.
Following a sluggish start to the tournament, Uruguay topped their group with a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Russia thanks to goals from forward duo Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, alongside an own goal from Denis Cheryshev.
The result means the South American outfit become the first team since Argentina in France 1998 to ease past the group stages without having concede a goal.

In succumbing to a 2-0 defeat to Korea Republic, not only did Germany prove the champions omen to be true but they also set a few unwanted records:

-Germany are the fourth defending champions to be eliminated from the group stage at the World Cup in the last five tournaments (also France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014).

-This is only the second time that they have been eliminated from the first round at the World Cup having last done so in 1938 – however, this is the first time it has happened when the first round has been in a group stage format.

-This was Germany’s first defeat against an Asian nation in a World Cup match in what was their sixth such match.

– Germany have failed to score in two of their three World Cup games in 2018, as many as their previous 15 World Cup matches combined.

Indicative of their progression to the last-16 courtesy of the Fair Play rule, Japan conceded the least fouls (28 fewer) than any other country.
Out of the 16 teams set to do duty in the knockout phase Colombia are the only side to reach the last 16, despite losing their opening clash.
And finally, for the first time in 36 years an African team has failed to progress pass the group stages of the World Cup.

 

The last-16 matches:

France vs Argentina
Uruguay vs Portugal
Spain vs Russia
Croatia vs Denmark
Brazil vs Mexico
Belgium vs Japan
Sweden vs Switzerland
Colombia vs England

Photo: Getty Images

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Marshall Gouts