22 June 2018 Post Match reports

Brazil 2-0 Costa Rica

Borges should put Costa Rica ahead, but he places his effort wide of the post. Gamboa did brilliantly down the right to drive into the right inside channel after collecting Venegas’ offload. He cut the ball back for Borges to latch on to and strike at goal, only for the midfielder to curl his strike wide of the target.

Countinho fires home, Brazil have a 1-0 lead! Finally Brazil get the breakthrough as Coutinho stabs home from close range. Marcelo’s cross from the left was knocked down by Firmino. Jesus took a poor first touch, but it fell perfectly for the run of Coutinho, who fired his effort through the legs of Navas. Relief on the bench for Tite.

Neymar gets his GOAL! BRAZIL 2-0! Neymar secures the win for Brazil as he converts from close range. Douglas Costa’s run down the right proved to be too much for the tiring Costa Rica defence to handle. He put the ball on a plate for Neymar to tap home and he made no mistake from six yards. Game over. Countinho, Neymar on target as Brazil beat Costa Rica 2-0.

Nigeria 2-0 Iceland

Nigeria put themselves in a very good position of making it to the knockout stages of this year’s World Cup by beating a determined Iceland side 2-0 .The opening exchanges saw both teams measure each other out with none showing any real attacking intent. Nigeria were happy to keep most of the ball while Iceland were their usual compact and organised selves. Gylfi Sigurdsson produced a very good save from Francis Uzoho early on from a freekick. The first real chance of the game came shortly after the 20th minute. Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson turned his man with a nice turn before delivering a dangerous looking cross that needed the Nigeria goalkeeper Francis Uzoho to tip the ball behind for a corner. Half time found the two sides locked at 0-0.

Nigeria came out guns blazing in the second half and their efforts were rewarded ten minutes in. Chelseas wingback Victor Moses who was deployed on the right wing delivered a delicious looking ball for Ahmed Musa, the Leicester City forward beautifully controlled the ball before dispatching a low shot past the Iceland keeper to give the African team the lead. Victor Moses made space for shot in the 74th minute but was unlucky to see his effort come off the crossbar. The Africans were not to be denied a minute later though as Musa controlled a run onto a long ball before rounding the keeper and coolly dispatched his shot into an empty goal for Nigeria’s and his second too. Iceland had a golden chance to pull one back late on from the spot but Sigurdsson skied his effort from 12 yards. Nigeria held on to record a win which leaves them with all to play for in their final group game Against Argentina next week.

Serbia 1-2 Switzerland

Switzerland secured their first win of Russia 2018 World Cup after a hard fought 2-1 win against Serbia at Kaliningrad Stadium in a Group E fixture on Friday. Aleksandra Mitrovic opened scoring for Serbia but Granit Xhaka leveled for the Swiss with a fine strike from outside the box before Shaqiri’s late strike won it for Switzerland.

Serbia dominated passion early in the game even after their goal as the Swiss seem rattled. However, Switzerland slowly got back into proceedings and took control of match as the game progresses. They were few exciting moments in the first half as both sides seek to control the game mostly in the midfield with very little penetration into the final third.

The Swiss came to life in the second half and literally pinned the Serbians to their half of the field with wave after wave of attacks. The effort paid off when Xhaka hit a magnificent thunderbolt of a strike in midway in the second half before the ‘Swiss Messi’, Shakiri broke Serbian hearts with the winning goal late into stoppage time. The win takes Switzerland to second on the group table behind Brazil while Serbia falls to third place.