For the final minutes of Japan’s Group H contest, the “Samurai Blue”—despite trailing Poland 1-0—opted to play the ball around in their own defence with no attempt to enter into the opposing half of the field. In the other match being played simultaneously, Senegal, who were also down a solitary …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Katastrophe! Neuer nightmare as Neymar’s Brazil samba in German tears
In the city of Brasilia, fireworks went off, residents jumped up and down at malls and drivers honked their car horns. And the Brazil team had not even stepped on to the field yet! The Germans call it schadenfreude, which roughly translates to the enjoyment of another’s misfortune. And not …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Rojo delivers Messi’s mojo, as Argentina join Croatia, France and Denmark in next round
Somewhere in St Petersburg tonight, a dazed looking Argentine in a number 14 shirt might be heard asking medical staff: Did we win? Did we win? On another electric evening in the Russia 2018 World Cup, La Albiceleste squeezed into the Round of 16 at the death as they narrowly …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: England vandalise Panama’s Canal, Honda dents Senegal hopes and Colombia join party
Panama’s Canal was left in all sorts of disarray this morning, as England racked up their highest ever goal tally in a 6-1 mauling of the Concacaf minnows at Nizhny Nivgorod in Group G action. Panama coach Hernán Dario Gómez admitted that he was scared at halftime with his team …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Belgium throttle Tunisia, Kroos revives Germany, plus an early peek at W/Cup KO round
It started off with a little rumble and, by the end, the ground was shaking and families were looking for sturdy tables to dash under. No, it was not another earthquake—just German fans sprinting back to the bandwagon, as midfielder Toni Kroos revived the defending World Cup champions with a …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Pacifier for Neymar but C/Rica goes to time out, Mr Musa melts Iceland and “Magic Dwarf” flattens Serbia
Pre-tournament favourites, Brazil, secured their first win of the Russia 2018 World Cup this afternoon and there was a goal for gifted talisman, Neymar, too, as the South American giants shot down Costa Rica 2-0 in St Petersburg. The result left the “Samba Boys” requiring only a draw against Serbia …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Argentina embarrassed after Willy exposed, Mbappe motors France into next round
Corporal punishment, evidently, is not illegal in Russia. Lionel Messi’s Argentina endured a hell of a caning in Nizhny Nivgorod this evening, as Croatia dismantled the South American hopefuls 3-0 in La Albiceleste’s worst World Cup group stage loss in 60 years. How bad was it? Mr Live Wire thinks …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Iran reluctantly let in Spanish inspectors, Suarez takes a nibble and Ronaldo chases Reshmi mark
“If you think of it like tennis, we had one match point today,” said Iran coach Carlos Quieroz, “and we will have another against Portugal [next Monday]…” It is just as well that Quieroz found an analogy for his team’s fate in another sport today, as there was precious little …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Pole dancing Senegal strike, Russia give Salah cold shoulder and hosts discuss “mixed-race babies”
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah marked his World Cup debut with a goal this afternoon but it was not enough to stave off Egypt’s elimination from the 2018 World Cup, as they fell 3-1 to Russia in St Petersburg. Russia have one foot in the knockout round already now and both …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Lukaku has seconds in Sochi, Harry Kanes Sassi Tunisia and Croat sent home for snubbing corbeaux sweat
After three straight days of glorious uncertainties at the Russia 2018 World Cup, Belgium and England sought to restore an air of predictability to the tournament today, albeit in contrasting styles in Group G. Belgium rebounded from a flat first half to spank a physical Panama team 3-0, as giant …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Mexico rules and Neymar rolls as Germany and Brazil pegged back in Russia
A rocket in Rostov from Brazil midfield ace Philippe Coutinho might have been the individual highlight of day four in the Russia 2018 World Cup. But, by late evening, it was Mexican Mariachi music that made the biggest impact. The “Samba Boys” failed to hold on their spectacular opener in …
Read More »Sputnik 2018: Iceland expose Messi’s kryptonite, France’s cock crows and not-so-great Danes penalise Peru
If Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliant hattrick for Portugal yesterday was supposed to serve as a handover to Argentina wizard Lionel Messi, then it was the worst baton exchange since T&T’s disastrous 4×100 relay showing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Messi, as most Argentine and Barcelona football fans are aware, can do …
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