Adeyinka Akintunde
The 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup, hosted in Russia and won by France, which beat hard-fighting Croatia 4-2, will remain in the hearts of football lovers all over the world as one tournament filled with surprises from the beginning to the end. The football world was treated to one-month of suspense from Eastern Europe, where every prediction made turned out wrong.
The surprises started right from the first kick of the ball on 14th June. The opening matches of the World Cup over the years have recorded low score lines of a draw, or a slim win, but nobody expected what the 2018 opening fixture had to offer. Russia, the lowest ranked team, going into the World Cup, stunned the whole world by beating Saudi Arabia 5-0 at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.
Yuri Gazinsky scored the first goal of the tournament with a fine header, after 12 minutes, before Denis Cheryshev, Artyom Dzyuba and Aleksandr Golovin all found the back of the net four different times, to break the Asian hearts.
The hosts would go on to reach the quarter-finals stage, for the first time in their World Cup history, triumphing over 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain in the round of sixteen, before Croatia got the better of them in the last eight.
At the Spartak stadium Moscow, two days after the opener, Argentina, two-time champions and a hot favourite to win the World Cup, were forced to a draw by new comers, Iceland. Sergio Aguero had opened scoring for the La Albiceleste, and four minutes later, Alfreo Finnbogason equalized, scoring Iceland’s first ever World up goal.
But the shock of the day came at the 63rd minute, when superstar Lionel Messi was awarded a penalty to win the game for Argentina. Iceland goalkeeper, Hannes Halldorsson saved it, leaving Messi and the world stunned.
Argentina would go on to lose scandalously 3-0 to Croatia, and needed a last minute victory against Nigeria to advance to the round of sixteen, where they lost 4-2 to France.
Lionel Messi would love to forget Russia 2018 in a hurry, as it turned out a nightmare for him. Where his rival, Cristiano Ronaldo got four goal for Portugal in the tournament (which included a hat-trick against Spain on his first match day), the Argentine could only manage one goal, in the match against Nigeria.
Germany was tipped to defend their title the won at the last edition, on the last day of this year’s fiesta. But they recorded a shock 1-0 loss to Mexico on the opening day, Hirving Lozano scoring on the counter attack after 35 minutes.
Germany recovered with a last minute victory in the second match against Sweden, needing a draw in the last match against South Korea, but they lost 2-0, finishing last in the group, and thus, the tradition of a World Cup defending champion crashing out at the group stage, which began in 2002 with France (Brazil the only exemption in 2006), continued.
Spain, 2010 winners, as well as Portugal crashed out at the round of sixteen, after failing to get the better of Russia and Uruguay respectively. Brazil lost in the quarter-finals against dark-horses Belgium, Uruguay fell to France in the last eight, and England broke the voodoo of losing penalty shootouts, when they sent Colombia home in the round of sixteen.
Since 1982, Africa always had a representative at the knockout stage of the World Cup. That was not to be in 2018, as the five African representatives; Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia and Senegal all crashed out at the group stages.
The Teranga lions had a close shave with qualification, having secured the same point and goal difference with Japan, but lost the place in the knock-out round with the introduction of the fair-play rule, that saw Senegal receive six yellow cards in three group games, as against Japan been issued four.
Belgium, a team tagged the dark horses of the show ended up as the highest scoring team of the competition with 16 goals. They finished the World Cup as bronze medalist, Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard getting the job done for the Red Devils against England in Saint Petersburg.
The new world champions, France, was not given a chance to shine in the showpiece. The Les Blues, 1998 World Cup winners, kicked off their campaign with two victories against Australia and Peru, securing a draw against Denmark in the group stages. They went on to beat South-American opponents, Argentina and Uruguay in the knockout stages and came out winner against Belgium in the semi-finals.
Croatia on their part, with massive support from their president, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who was in the stands watching the players, and in the dressing room to celebrate with them, came out group winners with maximum nine points in the “group of death” that included Argentina, Nigeria and Iceland. They survived two penalty shoot-outs against Denmark and Russia in the knockouts, before needing extra-time to beat England.
France are Champions of the World again.
The French lifted the World Cup for the second time by ending Croatia’s dream of a first title with a 4-2 victory on Sunday in one of the most entertaining and action-packed finals in decades.
Quickfire strikes by Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe midway through the second half put France on course for the title but Mandzukic was gifted a goal by French keeper Hugo Lloris to set up a nervous last 20 minutes.
France, however, withstood a spirited Croatia assault to lift the trophy for the second time, following their success on home soil 20 years ago, and ensure there was no repeat of two years ago when they were beaten in the European Championship final by Portugal in Paris.
The victory means that Didier Deschamps, captain of the 1998 side, becomes the third man to win the World Cup as player and coach after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.
It was the highest-scoring final since England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in 1966 and the highest in normal time since Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 60 years ago.
The landmarks came thick and fast in the first half too.
But France’s defence, so impressive all tournament, held and they went 3-1 up on the hour as Mbappe and Griezmann combined to set up Pogba on the edge of the box. His right-footed shot was blocked but he coolly curved the rebound in with his left.
After three successive extra-time knockout games the chances of another Croatian comeback seemed slight but they looked dead and buried six minutes later. Lucas Hernandez tore down the left to set up Mbappe who drilled a low shot beyond keeper Danijel Subasic for the 19-year-old’s fourth goal of the tournament.
An awful blunder by Lloris revived Croatia, as the French keeper tried to dribble around Mandzukic only for the striker to tap the ball straight into an unguarded net.
Croatia, beaten by the French in the semi-finals in their first World Cup appearance in 1998, continued to press but their energy was sapped and France safely held out for the victory.
THE GOALS
GOAL! FRANCE 4-2 CROATIA (Mandzukic, 69)
Or are they? A Hugo Lloris howler has handed Croatia a lifeline…
There’s a no real danger at all as Lloris takes a touch. He has options to his right and down field but he chooses to pass the ball back to the left where Mandzukic is waiting. The Croatia striker cannot believe his lucks as the ball hits his foot and finds its way into the back of the net.
It’s a moment Lloris will not want to see again and he’ll be hoping it doesn’t prove too costly!
GOAL! FRANCE 4-1 CROATIA (Mbappe, 65)
France are running away with this now as Mbappe comes to the party! He picks the ball up 25 yards from goal before drilling a low shot past Subasic and into the bottom corner for his fourth goal of the tournament.
GOAL! FRANCE 3-1 CROATIA (Pogba, 59)
What a crucial goal that could prove to be! Pogba starts the move himself by releasing Mbappe. The French youngsters cutback reaches Griezmann, who lays the ball off to Pogba. The Manchester United’s initial shot is blocked but he gets another chance, steering the ball past Subasic and into the corner of the net.
GOAL! FRANCE 2-1 CROATIA (Griezmann PEN, 38)
France regain the lead. Griezmann was coolness personified, letting the goalkeeper dive one way before rolling the ball into the opposite corner.
GOAL! FRANCE 1-1 CROATIA (Perisic, 29)
Croatia are back on level terms thanks to a stunning strike from Peresic. Vrsaljko heads Modric’s free-kick back across goal to Peresic on the edge of the penalty area. he takes a touch, shifting the ball past Kante before drilling a powerful shot past Lloris and into the bottom corner. Game on!
GOAL! FRANCE 1-0 CROATIA (Mandzukic OG, 18)
It’s a goal that’s come totally against the run of play! Griezmann whips a free-kick into the penalty area. The ball flicks off the head of Mandzukic and nestles into the far corner of the net. It’s a big blow for Croatia, who started the game so brightly.
LINE-UPS
France: Lloris, Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Lucas, Mbappe-Lottin, Pogba, Kante, Matuidi, Griezmann, Giroud. Subs: Mandanda, Kimpembe, Lemar, Dembele, Tolisso, Nzonzi, Rami, Fekir, Sidibe, Thauvin, Mendy, Areola.
Didier Deschamps is looking to guide Les Bleus to their second world triumph
Croatia: Subasic, Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic, Rebic, Rakitic, Brozovic, Perisic, Modric, Mandzukic. Subs: Livakovic, Corluka, Kovacic, Kramaric, Jedvaj, Bradaric, Caleta-Car, Badelj, Pjaca, Pivaric, Lovre Kalinic.
Croatia are aiming for their maiden title after reaching final for the first time
Referee: Nestor Pitana (Argentina)