FootieTalks

Japan 2-2 Senegal  Japan and Senegal both remain well placed to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup and a last-16 date with England or Belgium - after an entertaining draw in Ekaterinburg. Liverpool's Sadio Mane put Senegal ahead from close range after a dreadful by Eiji Kawashima, with the ball flying past the Japan keeper after his attempted punched clearance hit the Liverpool forward and rolled into the net.  Japan were level before half-time, and through Takashi Inui's lovely curling finish, to make it 1-1, before Yuya Osako hit the crossbar. Nineteen-year-old defender Moussa Wague thought he had sealed Senegal's second straight Group H win with a fine finish from an awkward angle but substitute Keisuke Honda, and former Japanese wonderkid salvaged a point for Japan moments after coming on.  Japan and Senegal have four points after two games and while Group H rivals Poland are out, following a Colombia victory in Kazan Team P GD Pts ...

England 6-1 Panama  Captain Harry Kane fired England top of Group G with a brilliant hat trick.  The Three Lions recorded their biggest win at a World Cup to outclass Panama and secure their place in the last 16 before their final Group G game with Belgium. Harry Kane played a captain's role once more with a hat-trick to become the tournament's leading scorer, as England built on their opening victory against Tunisia with an impressive show of ruthlessness and quality.  John Stones got the party started, and opened the scoring with an early booming header before Kane added the second with a net bursting penalty after Jesse Lingard had been dragged to the floor.  Lingard added the third in the 36th minute with an excellent curling effort from 25 yards and, as Panama crumbled, Stones added his second, and England's fourth,  crowning a slick set-piece routine by Trippier and Henderson by heading his second and Kane made it 5-0 before half-time ...

Belgium 5-2 Tunisia Belgium confirm the qualification everyone anticipated and expected with a resounding 5-2 victory over Tunisia, who themselves are now out of the tournament.   Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard both scored twice as Belgium put some daylight between them and group rivals England at the top of World Cup Group G, until England crushed Panama 6-1, by crushing Tunisia with a devastating attacking display, to leave Group G wide open.  Roberto Martinez's side are now through to the last 16 yet, following a resounding win for England over Panama in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday, will saw the Red Devils and Three Lions progress. Their meeting in Kaliningrad on Thursday will decide who tops the group and it is England who hold the upper hand there, on the Fair Play rule. England have 2 yellow cards to Belgium's 3 After the game, Martinez said he would make "major changes" for the match against England, going as far as saying that he could make as many...

Germany 2-1 Sweden  A last gasp Toni Kroos thunderbolt spared German blushes, and crushed Swedish hearts.  10 man Germany revived their World Cup hopes after Toni Kroos scored in the last minute of the game.  Ola Toivonen's well executed first-half lob had left Joachim Low's side facing elimination but Marco Reus, starting in place of Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, prodded in an equaliser as Germany  controlled the game after the interval. The holders then had Jerome Boateng sent off late on for a second yellow card, which heaped even more pressure on the World Champions, who continued to chase the game knowing that a draw left their fate in others' hands.  They were rewarded in the final minute of five added on when Kroos and Reus performed a well worked freekick routine, with Real Madrid star Kroos, tapping a free-kick short to Reus before sweeping the return pass into the top right corner from left of the penalty area. The imortance and sheer bril...

Mexico 2-1 South Korea  Javier Hernandez scored his 50th international goal to help Mexico take a giant leap towards the last 16 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup with an impressive win over South Korea, despite Son Heung-min's peach of a strike late on. Having upset defending champions Germany in their opening game in Group F, the Mexicans again proved that they will be a test for any side should they reach the knockout stages. The South Americans took the lead in Rostov-on-Don through a Carlos Vela penalty, which he dedicated to his grandfather, who died after the win against Germany. The 14th of the tournament already was dispatched with ease on 26 minutes after a Jang Hyun-Soo handball. Despite dominating possession, and playing against lacklustre opponents, Mexico also displayed yet again their thrilling counter-attacking game with their second goal, when West Ham striker Javier, "Chicharito" Hernandez added a neat finish to Hirving Lozano's surging run. As ...

Serbia 1-2 Switzerland  Switzerland took a huge step towards the last 16 of the World Cup as Xherdan Shaqiri scored a brilliant solo 90th-minute winner against Serbia to upset the odds. The Stoke City talisman collected the ball near the halfway line before dribbling away from the defenders and slotting past Serbia goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic. Arsenal's Granit Xhaka had scored a brilliant equaliser for Switzerland after Aleksandar Mitrovic put Serbia in front with a header in the fifth minute. Serbia, who should have had a second half penalty, which was turned down, had dominated the first half, knowing a win would have confirmed their place in the knockout stages. Switzerland are now level with Brazil on four points at the top of Group E, in second place due to an inferior goal difference. They will qualify for the last 16 with a draw against Costa Rica, who have already been eliminated, in their final game. If the Swiss, Serbia must beat Brazil in their fina...

Nigeria 2-0 Iceland Leicester's Ahmed Musa, who spent the end of the season in Russia at CSKA Moscow,  scored both goals as Nigeria swept aside World Cup debutants Iceland to leave Group D interestingly poised with one round of games to go.  The Super Eagles would have gone out with a defeat but they came good in Volgograd. A dull first half was livened up early in the second, as  Musa showed superb technique to fire Nigeria ahead on the half-volley before the Leicester player rounded keeper Hannes Thor Halldorsson to make it 2-0.  Iceland missed a late penalty which was awarded after a VAR review which Gylfi Sigurdsson fired over  The result gives a slight lift to pre tournament hotshots, and group rivals Argentina. Victory over Nigeria in their final game would see La Albiceleste safely into the last 16,  as long as Iceland do not beat group leaders Croatia. In that event, goal difference would decide who progressed. A victory in that game for Ni...