FootLegion · Match Review

Imizuzu engu-35, iNgilandi ibibukeka sengathi ingase iphumelele ukweba umqhudelwano. Kwase kwenzeka imizuzu emihlanu yokugcina — futhi isikolo sakhombisa indaba ehluke ngokuphelele kunaleyo eyayiqhubeka ubusuku bonke eMercedes-Benz Stadium e-Atlanta. Masikhulume iqiniso elibuhlungu. I-xG ye-Argentina ibingu-1.84 kuya ku-0.53 yeNgilandi. Lokho akulona umdlalo oseduze — lokho kuwukuvimbezela ngokuhlasela okukodwa okungenathemba okwashaya inethi. Isikolo sokugcina esingu-2-1 cishe yilokho kanye umdlalo obukufanele. INgilandi yahlosisa ukuminyanisa, yadedela ibhola ngamabomu futhi yathemba ukuma kwayo kwezokuvikela. Engxenyeni yesibili ukubamba kwayo ibhola kwehle kwafinyelela ku-28%. Kwasebenza kwaze kwaphela. Ukushaya kuka-Anthony Gordon ngomzuzu wama-55 — umzuzu wekhwalithi yomuntu ngamunye — kwanikeza iNgilandi umkhondo i-xG yayo eyayingenalo ilungelo lokuyisekela. Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu, igoli elilodwa. Okumangalisayo kungaba yigama. Kodwa ukuvikela umkhondo ngokubamba ibhola okungu-36% kufana nokubamba igagasi ngezandla zakho. I-Argentina ibinezi-shot eziyi-15, amathuba amathathu amakhulu — futhi yamosha amabili kuwo. Lokho kungabi namandla kwagcina iNgilandi iphila isikhathi eside kunalokho eyayikufanele. U-Lionel Messi, olinganiselwe ku-8.24, wayeyisisekelo esingaguquki — ethola izikhala, elula ibhlokhi yeNgilandi ehlangene, efuna izinqumo kubavikeli asebevele bekhathazekile. Ubuthakathaka besakhiwo seNgilandi baba yingozi lapho u-Declan Rice ephuma ngomzuzu wama-82. Igebe phakathi kwezinhlangothi zokuvikela nezaphakathi lagcwala ngokushesha. I-Argentina yadinga imizuzu emithathu kuphela ukuyithola: U-Enzo Fernández walungisa isikolo ngomzuzu wama-85, u-Lautaro Martínez wakugcwalisa ngomzuzu wama-90. Okungokwemvelo, okungenakugwenywa, okulungile. I-Argentina nayo ayizange iphelele — amakhadi aphuzi amathathu ngaphambi kwehora, amathuba amabili amakhulu amoshwa, ingxenye yokuqala eyayingenalo amandla okushaya amagoli ayewafanele ngokubamba ibhola. INgilandi ebukhali ngabe yakujezisa lokho. Isikolo sibonisa umdlalo. Igoli leNgilandi alibonisi ukusebenza kweNgilandi — futhi lelo yiqiniso elinzima okumele balihambise ekhaya. Ingabe ukuhlela kweNgilandi kwezokuvikela kwakuyisu elinesibindi noma ukuzinikela okungenangqondo? Futhi ingabe umkhuba we-Argentina wokuwamosha amathuba amakhulu uyakukhathaza ngaphambi komdlalo wokugcina? Ku-FootLegion amagoli esizwe sakho ahlala nawe phakade. Shiya imibono yakho ngezansi.

I-SoFi Stadium yabona umdlalo wamakhothamo ibhodi yamaphuzu ekugcineni yakhuluma iqiniso — kodwa isikhathi eside, umdlalo uqobo wawukhuluma indaba ehluke kakhulu. I-Spain 2–1 i-Belgium. Kodwa i-xG ifundeka 2.08 kuya ku-0.37. Gcina leyo nombolo eduze. Nalu uhlelo oluvulekile: I-Belgium yaba nethuba elilodwa elikhulu phakathi kwemizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye, yalisebenzisa, futhi ngandlela-thile yakwenza lokhu kwaba umdlalo wamakhothamo kuze kube umzuzu wamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nesishiyagalombili. Uhlangothi olungaphezu kwamandla kuwo wonke amazinga lwaluzokwenza kanjani ukweba okukhulu kakhulu kulo mqhudelwano? I-Spain yayilawula ngendlela kuphela lesi sizukulwane esingaba ngayo — amaphesenti angama-68 okuba nebhola, amaphesenti angama-90 okudlulisela ibhola ngokunembile, amashothi ayi-17. UFabián Ruiz wavula amaphuzu ngomzuzu wama-30 ngokugijima okukhulu kokuya ebhokisini. Indlu ye-xG yayakhiwa ngokukhululeka. Khona-ke, imizuzu emibili ngaphambi kwekhefu, uCharles De Ketelaere wakhumbuza wonke umuntu ukuthi kungani i-Belgium yamletha lapha — ukuqedela okuhle kakhulu kusuka ethubeni labo elilodwa elikhulu, futhi ngokungazelelwe kwaba ngu-1–1 lapho kukhala impempe. Ubuthakathaka be-Spain babuvele obala: naphezu kokulawula kwabo konke, bavumela i-Belgium ukuba iphefumule ngokulahlekelwa ukugxila ngesikhathi esibi kakhulu. Inkinga ye-Belgium engxenyeni yesibili yayiyisakhiwo. Ngamaphesenti angama-26 kuphela okuba nebhola kanye noThibaut Courtois — umdlali wabo ohamba phambili, olinganisa u-8.19, izinto eziyisithupha — ophoqelelwe ukushiya umdlalo ngenxa yokulimala ngomzuzu wama-71, idamu lalizohlala liqhekeka. Wayemangalisa ngesikhathi esekhona. I-Belgium yafaka uRomelu Lukaku ukuze athole amandla, waphulwa umthetho izikhathi eziyi-18, futhi walwa ngakho konke ababenakho. Kodwa ukucindezela kwawa futhi i-Spain yaphinda kabusha ngokungapheli. UPedri noNico Williams bayilola i-Spain ngemuva kwekhefu. Bese uMikel Merino, imizuzu emibili ngemuva kokungena ngomzuzu wama-86, wayihola i-Spain yaya kuma-semi-final ngomzuzu wama-88. Indoda efika sekwephuzile futhi efika ngesinqumo. I-xG ayiqambi amanga: umphumela olungile, olethwe imizuzu engama-87 sekwephuze kakhulu ukuze i-Spain ikhululeke. Ku-FootLegion, yonke igoli izwe lakho eliyishayayo kulo Mqhudelwano Womhlaba lihlala phakade — akekho olithatha kuwe. Manje — ingabe igoli likaDe Ketelaere elilinganayo laliyisixwayiso sangempela samasu esinganakwa ukuzivikela kwe-Spain, noma ubuhlakani obumsulwa bomuntu obungafaneleki impendulo? Futhi ingabe i-Spain ingawina lo mqhudelwano ngempela ngenkathi iphila ngendlela eyingozi kangaka?

I-France 2–0 i-Morocco. Ikota-fayinali. I-Gillette Stadium, i-Foxborough. Umphumela ubonakala uhlanzekile. Umdlalo wawungelula neze. Nansi into exakayo: I-France yayinethuba eliningi, i-Morocco yona yayiphethe ibhola. Ama-Les Bleus aqeda nge-xG engu-3.04. I-Morocco? Ukuhleba nje — 0.14. Amashothi amahlanu esewonke, elilodwa elibhekise ethaveni, amathuba amakhulu ayiziro. Ngayo yonke indlela yokuhlasela, kwakungefani. Kodwa imizuzu engamashumi ayisithupha ibhodi yezikolo yayibhalwe u-zero-zero, futhi i-Morocco yayibukeka ikwazi ukuthola okuthile ekuhlaseleni okusheshayo. Lokho kungezwani yikho kanye okwenza ingxenye yokuqala yafaneleka yonke imizuzwana. Inkinga ye-France yayisobala: amathuba amakhulu amahlanu adalwe, amathuba amakhulu amahlanu aphuthelwe. Isandla esigcwele samathuba amahle kakhulu achithwa ngaphambi kokuba kuphumelele. Uma bebhekene nokuhlasela okuhlelekile, lo mdlalo wawuzophela ngendlela ehluke kakhulu. Kwase kufika umzuzu wama-60. U-Mbappé ekugcineni washaya igoli, futhi kwaphazamisa ukwakheka kwe-Morocco ngokuphelele. Ngemuva kwemizuzu eyisithupha, u-Ousmane Dembélé — umdlali ovelele walobo busuku, olinganiselwe ku-8.6 — wengeza elesibili. U-Dembélé wayengadlali kahle ngezinye izikhathi: leyo ndlela yokudonsa ibhola enesikhungo esiphansi esenza abavikeli babukeke sengathi bagijima esihlabathini. Uma ekulesi simo, bambalwa abavikeli abasemhlabeni abanempendulo. Ukudunyiswa kwe-Morocco kufanele kushiwo ngokusobala: U-Yassine Bounou wayemuhle kakhulu. Izinto eziyisithupha ezisindisiwe, isilinganiso esingu-8.24 — wagcina iqembu lakhe liphila ngehora lokuqala cishe yedwa. Ngaphandle kwakhe lo mphumela wawuzofundeka u-4–0 uma kubhekwa i-xG. Ukwakheka kokuvikela kwabamba, ukucindezela kwakuhlelekile, futhi ukuba nebhola okungu-52% nokunemba kokudlulisela okungu-86% kwakhombisa ukuthi leli kwakungelona iqembu elipaka ibhasi. Babenecebo. Icebo lalingenayo imiphumela. Isikhathi se-VAR ngomzuzu wama-25 sizobangela impikiswano: iphenalthi enikezwe i-France ngemuva kokushayisana no-Mbappé. Ingabe ukushayisana kwakwanele? Ingabe ukunyakaza kuka-Mbappé ekushayisaneni kwakuyisici? Unompempe u-Tello Figueroa walinikeza. Wena unqume. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli esizwe sakho aphila phakade — ayikho i-VAR, ayikho ikota-fayinali engawathatha. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: Ingabe i-France yayimuhle ngempela ngalobu busuku, noma ingabe i-Morocco yavele yazikhandla ngokuvikela? Futhi ngamathuba amakhulu amahlanu aphuthelwe ekota-fayinali — ingabe leli qembu lingakwazi ngempela ukufika ekugcineni?

I-BC Place yathula — hhayi ngenxa yokushaqeka, kodwa ngenxa yokukhathala okukhulu. I-Switzerland ne-Colombia badlale imizuzu engu-120, bashaya amagoli ayiziro futhi baya kumaphenalthi. Kodwa nansi into exakayo ngalobu busuku eVancouver: isikolo siyafana, kodwa umdlalo — uhlukile ngokuphelele kumaqembu womabili. Ake siqale ngezinombolo ezingaqambi amanga. I-Colombia — i-xG 1.03, amathuba amakhulu amabili, womabili aphuthelwe. I-Switzerland — i-xG 0.35, akukho ukuphuma okukodwa okuyingozi ngempela. Isikolo sithi "ukulingana", izinombolo zithi "i-Colombia bekufanele iwunqobe". Nansi-ke i-loop yokuqala evulekile yalo mdlalo: i-Switzerland yaze yafinyelela kanjani kumaphenalthi ngemuva komdlalo? Impendulo — u-Gregor Kobel. Isilinganiso esingu-9.07, ukusindisa okuthathu, futhi lokhu akuyona into engahleliwe — lo ngunozinti owaba lapho kufanele abe khona ngesikhathi esibalulekile. Abase-Colombia babethola izindawo ngokuphindaphindiwe, futhi babethola yena ngokuphindaphindiwe. Lolu udonga olungenakudiliza ngokudlala kahle kuphela. Abase-Switzerland bona bazenzele impilo yaba nzima. Ama-foul angu-22 — lokhu akuyona nje inombolo, lokhu kuwumlingiswa: okhathazekile, osabelayo, ohlala egijima ngemuva komphikisi. U-Granit Xhaka uthole ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-51, u-Zakaria — ngomzuzu wama-59, futhi ekugcineni bobabili bakhishwa ngomzuzu wama-87. Ukuziphatha kwabadlali basenkundleni — yilo iphutha elikhulu le-Switzerland engxenyeni yesibili, lapho ukubamba ibhola kwenyuka kwafinyelela ku-57%, kodwa ikhwalithi ayizange yenyuke. I-Colombia engxenyeni yokuqala ibukeka izethemba — u-51% webhola, amakhona angu-7 emdlalweni, ingcindezi eqhubekayo ngama-flank. U-Johan Mojica ngakwesokunxele wayephila — isilinganiso esingu-7.93 asizange sibe ngenhlanhla. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu amabili aphuthelwe — lokhu kuwukwahlulela kokusebenza kahle. Lapho u-James Rodríguez ephuma ngomzuzu wama-66, iqembu lalahlekelwa isisindo sokudala. U-Juan Fernando Quintero wangena, wengeza amandla (7.97), kodwa umshini wase-Colombia wawungasasebenzi kahle. Ngomzuzu wama-40 i-VAR yahlola isigameko sika-Jhon Arias — imininingwane ayaziwa, kodwa kwenziwa isinqumo. Yizona kanye lezi zikhathi kuma-play-off ezixoxwa ngazo izinyanga: kulungile noma cha? Zihlolele wena. Esimweni esengeziwe — amakhadi aphuzi ku-Davinson Sánchez (95') naku-Miro Muheim (105'). Ukukhathazeka. Ukukhathala. I-knockout round. Sekukonke: I-Switzerland yasinda hhayi ngokudlala, kodwa ngunozinti nangomlingiswa. I-Colombia yadlala kangcono, kodwa ayizange iwubulale umdlalo lapho yayingakwazi khona. Ku-FootLegend akekho ozokuthatha amagoli ezwe lakho — kodwa lapha ayengekho nhlobo. Imibuzo yengxoxo: Ingabe u-Kobel ungunozinti ongcono kakhulu kulo mqhudelwano kulesi sigaba, noma umane nje kwaba ubusuku benhlanhla? Futhi okwesibili: Ingabe u-Bielsa bekufanele amkhiphe u-Rodríguez ngaphambili, ngesikhathi esalawula umdlalo?

I-Atlanta yabhonga, yathula, yabe seyiphahluka — konke lokhu kwenzeka phakathi kwemizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye e-Mercedes-Benz Stadium. I-Argentina 3, i-Egypt 2. Kubhale phansi, ngoba leli nani lamagoli liqamba amanga ngesibindi. Nansi into exakayo: I-Argentina yakhiqiza i-xG engu-2.8 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-Egypt engu-0.98, yagcina ibhola ngama-64-36, yashaya amashothi angu-19, yakha amathuba amakhulu ayisithupha — futhi yachitha imizuzu eyishumi nanye yokugcina izama ukubuyisa emuva ngamagoli amabili. Izibalo zithi i-Argentina ibifanele ukuwina. Iwashi lathi ibifanele cishe ukugoduka. I-Egypt ibimangalisa ngemikhawulo yayo. Ishothi likaYasser Ibrahim ngomzuzu we-15 laqala ukuvimba okuhlelekile, okucindezelayo okwakhungathekisa i-Argentina isikhathi esiningi sehora. Ama-Pharaohs aguqula womabili amathuba amakhulu — akukho okuchithekile — kanti i-Argentina yachitha amane kwayisithupha. Leli goli elilahlekile yilona elixoxa indaba enesihluku yemizuzu engama-78 yokuqala. Igoli likaMostafa Ziko ngomzuzu wama-67, elifike ngemuva nje kokushintshwa kabili kwe-Argentina, lafana nomese ezimbanjeni. Ubuthakathaka be-Argentina babubonakala: amashothi angu-19, ayisikhombisa aqonde emapalini, amathuba amakhulu amane aphuthelwe. Lezo zinombolo ziqondene neqembu elahlulwa. Izikhathi ezimbili ze-VAR zidinga ukukhulunywa ngazo. Ukuhlolwa komzuzu we-19 kwanikeza i-Argentina iphenathi ngemuva kwesigameko esibandakanya uNicolás Tagliafico — ukuthi ukuthintana kwakufanele yini iphenathi kuzophikiswana ngakho isikhathi eside ngemuva. Ngomzuzu wama-59, uMostafa Ziko wasinda ekuhlolweni kwe-VAR, wabe eseshaya igoli ngemuva kwemizuzu eyisishiyagalombili. Yenza ngalokho okufunayo. Kwase kufika imizuzu eyishumi nanye eyashintsha konke. UCristian Romero wabuyisa elilodwa ngomzuzu wama-79. UMessi — esemuva ngo-1-2, iwashi ligijima, umqhudelwano usengcupheni — washaya ngomzuzu wama-83. Akukhona okokuqala ehamba angene esikhathini okwakufanele sibe sikhulu kakhulu futhi asenze sibonakale sijwayelekile. U-Enzo Fernández washaya igoli lokuwina ngesikhathi esengeziwe. Amagoli amathathu emizuzwini eyishumi nanye. Amakhadi aphuzi amathathu e-Egypt ngomzuzu wama-90 akutshela kahle ukuthi bazama kanjani ukubamba. I-Egypt ishiya i-Atlanta inamakhanda phezulu. Bayithulisa i-Argentina imizuzu engama-67 futhi babonisa bonke ubuthakathaka obusezikhali ze-Albiceleste. Inani lamagoli alibahloniphi ngokugcwele. I-Argentina iya phambili, kodwa amathuba amakhulu amane aphuthelwe kanye nobuthakathaka bezokuvikela abukwazi ukusinda omunye umzuliswano onjengalona. Ingabe ukuhlenga kukaMessi sekwephuzile kwakuyubufakazi bokuthi usengumuntu ongenakuphikiswa, noma ingabe ukungakwazi kwe-Argentina ukuqeda imidlalo kuyibhomu eliqhumayo emidlalweni yokuphela? Futhi ingabe i-Egypt ifanele ukuthola udumo olungaphezu kwalolo olunikezwa inani lamagoli? Shiya umbono wakho — ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo aphila phakade.

ILumen Field yabamba umoya imizuzu eyisishiyagalolunye. Kwase kuphefumula uCharles De Ketelaere egameni lesikhathi sonke — futhi umoya awuzange ubuye ngempela kubasingathi. Nansi into exakayo ngalo mdlalo: i-USA iqede nompetha abangama-56% kanye nokunemba kwamapasi okungama-87%, ilawula cishe izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zebhola ngemuva kwekhefu. Ngokubhaliwe, iqembu eliqhudelanayo. I-xG isitshela indaba ehlukile — 0.67 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-2.15 yaseBelgium. AbaseMelika bahambisa ibhola eceleni, emuva, futhi kunqabile eduze kwanoma yini eyingozi. Azikho izinguquko ezinkulu phakathi nemizuzu engama-90. IBelgium yawina lo mdlalo ngendlela udokotela ohlinzayo anqoba ngayo — ngokunembile, ngaphandle kwedrama, kuze kube yikhwela lokugcina. UDe Ketelaere wayeyisikali. Amagoli amabili emizuzwini engama-24, isilinganiso esingu-8.11, ethola izikhala phakathi kwemigqa yaseMelika leyo inkundla eyayingenakuyivala. Igoli likaMalik Tillman ngomzuzu wama-31 linikeze iLumen Field isikhashana sokukholwa kwangempela — kwase kuphendula uDe Ketelaere ngemuva kwemizuzu emibili. Leso sikhathi semizuzu emibili phakathi kwethemba nokushaywa esiswini sizohlala sihlupha abalandeli baseMelika isikhathi eside. Ikhadi eliphuzi likaMcKennie ngomzuzu wama-35 libambe isimo: izinzwa ziqala ukudideka, isimo sihlakazeka. IBelgium yayingaphelele. Bachitha amabili ezingozini zabo ezinkulu ezine, u-Onana wakhishwa ngomzuzu wama-21, futhi ukunemba kwamapasi abo okungama-81% kubonakala kuphansi eqenjini elibusayo. Engxenyeni yesibili, i-USA icindezela ukuya kuma-64% okubamba ibhola, iBelgium yahlehla kakhulu kunalokho umqeqeshi wayengathanda. Igoli likaHans Vanaken ngomzuzu wama-57 — elishaywe ngobuhlakani ngemuva kokungena njengomdlali oshintshile — liqede umdlalo njengomncintiswano wangempela. Isikhashana se-VAR esibandakanya uBalogun ngomzuzu wama-45 sizodala impikiswano. Isinqumo saphikisana neqembu lasekhaya ngesikhathi sekhefu — sibuke futhi uzikhethele, kodwa isikhathi sasingeke sibe buhlungu kakhulu. ULukaku wakugcwalisa ngesikhathi sokunqamula. IBelgium ihlale inalo leli khadi ephaketheni layo. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli aseBelgium kulobubusuku agcinwe eqoqweni lakho — futhi ngokungafani nasenkundleni, akekho obathathayo. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: Ingabe isinqumo se-VAR sasiyisikhathi esibalulekile sokuguqula izinto, noma i-USA yayingaphansi ngandlela thile? Futhi ingabe lesi sizukulwane saseBelgium singakwazi ekugcineni ukuya kude?

I-AT&T Stadium, e-Arlington — umzuliswano we-16, nombuzo obuhlungu obulenga emoyeni kusukela kumkhwelo wokuqala wawuwu lo: ingabe i-Portugal ingasinda imizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye yokuminyaniswa yi-Spain bese intshontsha okuthile ngokuhlasela okusheshayo? Impendulo yafika ngomzuzu ononya kakhulu, futhi yaphendula yonke into. I-Spain yayilawula umdlalo ngokunemba okungavamile — 55% yokulawula ibhola, 88% yokunemba kwephasi, amashothi angu-15, i-xG 1.77. Izikhathi ezintathu ezinkulu. Lokhu akuyona into eyenzeka ngengozi, lokhu kuyinto ehlelekile. U-Rodri — umshini wokulinganisa phakathi nenkundla, ongazange avumele i-Portugal ukuthi iqale ukuhlasela ngokuthula. U-Lamine Yamal — umdlali ongcono kakhulu enkundleni ngokwesilinganiso (7.41) — waphinda futhi waphinda wavula uhlangothi lwesokunxele lokuvikela kwe-Portugal ngokungena kwakhe okujwayelekile ngaphakathi, okuphoqa abavikeli ukuthi benze izinqumo ezingenzeki. Kodwa naphezu kwakho konke lokhu — izikhathi ezimbili ezinkulu kwezintathu zalahleka. I-Spain yavumela umdlalo ukuthi ufinyelele kumzuzu wama-90 ngaphandle kwegoli. Lesi yisignali esikhathazayo ku-Spain: ukulawula — akusho ukubulala umdlalo. I-Portugal yazivikela ngokuhlelekile nangokuzinikela — ukonga okuhlanu komgcini-goli kukhuluma ngakho ngokwakho. Kodwa ukuhlasela? I-xG engu-0.6 kuphela, isikhathi esisodwa esikhulu — naso salahleka. Amashothi angu-10, amabili aqondise egolini. Ngokulawula ibhola okungu-45%, i-Portugal ayizange ithole isivinini, noma ubukhali ezigabeni zokushintsha. Ukushintshwa kwabadlali — u-Rafael Leão ngomzuzu wama-71, u-Francisco Conceição ngomzuzu wama-83 — kwakufanele kunyakazise ukuhlasela, kodwa isakhiwo asizange sibavumele ukuthi bakhule. Ngomzuzu wama-89 ikhadi eliphuzi ku-Bernardo Silva — izinzwa zisezingeni eliphezulu. Ngomzuzu wama-90 — ikhadi eliphuzi ku-Renato Veiga. Iqembu lahlukana ngesikhathi esifanele lapho kwakufanele libambelele. Futhi nansi — umzuzu wama-90. U-Mikel Merino ungena enkundleni emizuzwini embalwa edlule bese efaka ibhola enetheni. Umphumela 0:1. I-Spain yayifanele ukunqoba — i-xG isho okufanayo. Kodwa ukuthi lokhu kwenzeka ngomzuzu wokugcina womdlalo, lapho ama-Spanish ayenezikhathi ezintathu ezinkulu — lokhu akuyona into yokunqoba kwamasu, lokhu kuyisigwebo sokusebenzisa amathuba. Enkundleni umphumela ungathathwa ngomzuzu wokugcina — ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho akekho oyowathatha. Manje kumazwana: ingabe i-Portugal yakhetha isu elifanele — noma ingabe ukuvikela okuphansi ngaphandle kokuhlasela okusheshayo kuyisu elizohlulwa yi-Spain? Futhi umbuzo wesibili: uma i-Spain iphinda ilahlekelwe izikhathi ezimbili ezinkulu kwezintathu emzuliswaneni olandelayo — ingabe inhlanhla yabo izobasiza ukuthi bafinyelele kowamanqamu?

Nansi inkinga ye-NRG Stadium kule ntambama efudumele yase-Houston: IKhanada iphethe nge-xG eningi kuneMorocco — 0.85 ngokumelene no-0.78 — kodwa yashiya umqhudelwano ngomphumela ongu-0:3. Izinombolo zisho into eyodwa. Ibhodi lamaphuzu lisho konke okunye. Isigamu sokuqala sasingesikaMorocco ngokuphelele. Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nesikhombisa okugcina ibhola, isakhiwo esicindezelayo, iKhanada ibambeke engxenyeni yayo futhi ikwazi ukugcina amaphesenti angamashumi amathathu nantathu kuphela ebhola. Kodwa ngandlela thile kwahlala kungenawo amagoli ekhefini. IKhanada yaphinde yahlela, yaguqula isigamu sesibili — amaphesenti angamashumi amahlanu nesikhombisa okugcina ibhola, amakhona ayishumi nanye, ingcindezi yangempela — futhi namanje ayikwazanga ukuthola inethi. Lelo thuba elilodwa elikhulu abalidalile futhi baliphutha lingaba isithombe esichazayo somkhankaso wabo wonke. U-Azzedine Ounahi wabajezisa ngakho. Lo mdlali wasesiswini wadlula ngomzuzu wama-50 ngokuzola okubandayo, wabe eseyiphinda leli qhinga ngomzuzu wama-82 — amagoli amabili, isilinganiso esingu-8.74, futhi konke lokhu kwenziwa ngenkathi ephethe ikhadi eliphuzi kusukela ngomzuzu wama-45. Ufunda isikhala phakathi kwemigqa ngaphambi kokuba abavikeli bazwe ukuthi sikhona. Umugqa wokuvikela waseMorocco, noNoussair Mazraoui onamandla ngakwesokudla, awuzange unikeze abagadli baseKhanada lutho. USoufiane Rahimi, owangeniswa ngokushesha ngomzuzu wama-22, wengeza igoli lesithathu ngesikhathi esengeziwe ukuze aqede umdlalo. Izinkinga zaseKhanada zazibonakala. Amashothi ayishumi, amathathu aqonde enethini, elilodwa ithuba elikhulu — futhi baliphutha. U-Stephen Eustaquio wagijima kakhulu esiswini futhi wathola isilinganiso esingu-7.67, umdlali waseKhanada ohamba phambili, kodwa ibhola lokugcina lalingekho njalo. Amaphutha angamashumi amabili nane enziwe asho indaba yawo: iqembu elingakwazanga ukulawula ngesakhiwo labuyela ekuxhumaneni. IMorocco nayo yayingaphelele. Amathuba amathathu amakhulu, elilodwa laphutha. I-xG yabo empeleni yayiphansi kuneKhanada — inhlanhla yaya ngakubo ezikhathini ezibalulekile, futhi babekwazi lokho. Ama-Atlas Lions aguqula lapho kubalulekile; iKhanada ayizange. Lelo gebe, elincane kakhulu ngekhwalithi kodwa likhulu ebhodini lamaphuzu, yilokho umdlalo wama-round-of-16 ofika kukho. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kule Ndebe Yomhlaba ahlala engawakho unomphela — akekho owathathayo. Manje ngitshele: Ingabe iKhanada yasuswa ubuhlakani beMorocco noma ukumosha kwayo phambi kwenethi? Futhi ingabe amagoli amabili ka-Ounahi amenza abe phakathi kwabathandi beGolden Ball?

I-Arrowhead Stadium ibibambe umoya wonke umdlalo – kodwa umbuzo bekungekhona ukuthi ubani ozoshaya igoli, kodwa ukuthi kungani i-Colombia ishaye igoli elilodwa kuphela. Nansi into exakayo ngalobu busuku e-Kansas City. I-Colombia iqale umdlalo ngamandla: 67% yokubamba ibhola esiwombeni sokuqala, 91% yokunikeza ipasi ngendlela efanele, izikhathi ezingu-20 zokushaya igoli, i-xG engu-2.19 – lokhu akukhona nje ukubusa, kodwa ukuklinya. Izikhathi ezinhlanu ezinkulu – kanti ezine zazo zaphuthelwa. Ukube bekungekho lokhu kuchitha, isikolo besingaba esikhulu. Umuntu obangela inkinga enkulu nomuntu oyinhloko ngesikhathi esisodwa – u-Jhon Arias. Ngomzuzu we-12 – ikhadi eliphuzi, ngomzuzu we-14 – igoli. Ukuthinta kabili phakathi kwemizuzu emibili, okwanquma isiphetho sonke somdlalo. Ukushaya ibhola ngendlela efanele ngasemaphethelweni – uphawu lwakhe oluyinhloko, futhi namuhla lusebenze ngesikhathi esifanele. Kodwa i-Colombia bekungafanele izivumele ukuba ibe nesiphetho esinjalo esinengqondo: izikhathi ezine ezinkulu eziphuthelwe – lokhu kuyisifo esihlelekile, hhayi nje ingozi. I-Ghana – lena indaba ehlukile yesibindi. Akukho ukushaya igoli elilodwa eliqondile emdlalweni wonke, i-xG engu-0.26 – ngokwezinombolo ukungabi namandla okuphelele ekuhlaseleni. Kodwa tshela lokho ku-Lawrence Ati Zigi, owaba nobusuku obuhle kakhulu empilweni yakhe: isilinganiso esingu-9.64, ukulondolozwa okuyisikhombisa, udonga i-Colombia ingakwazanga ukuluphula kabili. I-Ghana ayizange idale – yasinda, futhi yakwenza lokho ngesithunzi esihlelekile. Esigabeni sesibili ukubamba ibhola kwalingana ku-54:46 – iqembu lathola ukwesekwa futhi layeka nje ukuzivikela. Ukushintshwa kuka-Iñaki Williams nokuphuma kuka-Abdul Fatawu Issahaku kwengeze ubukhali emaphethelweni, kodwa ngaphandle kokuqedela kwangempela konke lokhu kwahlala kuyisongelo esingenamandla. Isikolo esingu-1:0 – sihle ekugcineni, kodwa sihlambalaza ngokuqukethwe. I-xG engu-2.19 uma kuqhathaniswa no-0.26 – lokhu kwehlukana phakathi kwezilinganiso namagoli angempela akwenzeki kaningi. I-Colombia yawina, kodwa ayizange iwubulale umdlalo lapho yayikwazi. I-Ghana yahlulwa, kodwa ayizange iphulwe. U-Gustavo Puerta (isilinganiso esingu-8.76) waba yisisekelo somugqa ophakathi, u-Davinson Sánchez wavala konke okundiza endaweni yokuphonsa. I-Colombia iyakwazi ukwakha – manje kufanele ifunde ukuqedela. Ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho akekho ozowathatha – gcina lo mdlalo unomphela. Manje kini, balandeli: ngabe u-Zigi wayengakwazi yini ukudonsa umdlalo yedwa, noma i-Colombia yayifanele ukushaya amagoli amaningi? Futhi umbuzo wesibili – u-James Rodríguez wahamba ngesikhathi sekhefu: ingabe lokhu kuyisu noma uphawu lokuthi inganekwane iqeda imizuzu yokugcina emqhudelwaneni womhlaba?

Nansi imidlalo ezohlala ihlupha wonke amagumbi okugqoka ngezizathu ezahlukene kakhulu — futhi umbuzo engizokushiyela wona ungaba ngowona onzima kakhulu kule Ndebe Yomhlaba kuze kube manje. I-AT&T Stadium e-Arlington ibambe umdlalo wama-round-of-32 lapho umphumela ukhombisa ukuthi i-Australia yenza kahle kakhulu futhi i-Egypt izithulele. Umphumela wokugcina: 1–1 ngemuva kwesikhathi esengeziwe. I-xG ikhombisa i-Egypt 1.36, i-Australia 0.87 — amathuba amathathu amakhulu kumaFaro ngokumelene neqanda kumaSocceroos. Lo kwakungumdlalo okwakufanele i-Egypt iwunqobe emizuzwini engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye. I-Egypt yaqala ngamandla angempela. U-Emam Ashour uvule amagoli ngomzuzu we-13 — ezolile, enembile, umdlali wasesiswini ofunda isikhala njengomdlali we-chess. Isilinganiso sakhe esingu-7.69 wasizuza. I-Egypt ilawule u-58% wokugcinwa kwebhola, u-85% wokunemba kokudlula, amakhona ayisikhombisa. Kwakufanele ngabe sebengaphandle kokubona ngesikhathi sekhefu. Amathuba amabili amakhulu aphuthelwe engxenyeni yesibili azogcina abasebenzi base-Egypt bephapheme ngalobu busuku. Kwase kufika umzuzu owashintsha konke. Umzuzu wama-55 — u-Mohamed Hany ufaka ibhola enetheni lakhe. Igoli lakhe. Isipho. I-Australia yayingakaze idale ithuba elikhulu elilodwa. I-xG yabo yayiku-0.87 kuwo wonke umdlalo, isibhamu esisodwa esiqondile. AmaSocceroos awazange anqobe i-Egypt — i-Egypt yabanika ithuba. Ngokubonga i-Australia — abazange bayeke ukucindezela. U-Jackson Irvine wayenamandla esiswini, isilinganiso esingu-7.83, umdlali ohamba phambili enkundleni. Amandla akhe anikeze i-Australia kuphela isigqi ababenaso. Kodwa izibhamu eziyi-16, esisodwa esiqondile? Lelo gebe phakathi kwevolumu nekhwalithi liyinkinga yangempela. I-Egypt yakhathazeka sekwephuzile — amakhadi aphuzi ka-Haissem Hassan ngomzuzu we-105 no-Yasser Ibrahim ngomzuzu we-120 akhuluma indaba yeqembu elidonsa kanzima ngaphansi kwengcindezi okwakungafanele balizwe. U-Marwan Attia wayeyiqhawe lokuvikela elizolile lase-Egypt ku-7.69, kwaze kwaba ukususwa kwakhe ngo-106 kwafingqa kusihlwa: izinqumo ezinqamukile, imiphumela engacacile. Isikhathi esengeziwe siphele silingana. Azikho izinhlawulo. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli esizwe sakho ahlala engawakho — akekho owathathayo. Ukwehluleka kwe-Egypt ukubulala lo mdlalo kwakuyisibonakaliso sokuba buthaka kwengqondo ngempela ezingeni leNdebe Yomhlaba? Futhi ingabe u-Jackson Irvine ungumholi ongathathwa kancane kakhulu kulo mqhudelwano? Woza uzophikisana ngakho.

BC Place, Vancouver. Umjikelezo wama-32. I-Switzerland — i-Algeria, 2:0. Umphumela ubonakala uqinisekisa, kodwa nansi into yokuqala ephikisana nayo kulobubusuku: i-Algeria yayinebhola isikhathi esiningi kuwo wonke umzuliswano wokuqala — ama-59 uma kuqhathaniswa nama-41 amaphesenti — futhi yaqeda umdlalo ngokunemba kokudlula okungama-85%. Izinombolo ezinhle. Kodwa-ke, i-xG ikhuluma iqiniso elinzima: i-Switzerland — 2.52, i-Algeria — 0.73. Lokhu akuyona inqoba engahleliwe. Lokhu kuyisifo. I-Switzerland yashaya ngokushesha nangokunemba okuhle. Ngomzuzu weshumi, u-Breel Embolo wavula inethi — futhi umdlalo wahamba ngokushesha ngendlela ye-Switzerland. U-Embolo ungamandla nokuqondile okukodwa, akadlali ukucasha nabavikeli, umane ucindezela. Ama-Swiss ashintsha kahle: anika i-Algeria ibhola, azihlala phansi ebhlokini futhi alinda isikhathi sokuhlasela. Le ndlela iyasebenza, kodwa nayo yayinezinkinga: elinye ithuba elikhulu kwamabili alizange lisetshenziswe, futhi ngesikhathi esithile lokhu kungabiza kakhulu. Inkanyezi yobusuku kwaba u-Johan Manzambi — isilinganiso esingu-8.19, ongcono kakhulu enkundleni. Omncane, oqhuma, wayehlala ethola indawo ngemuva kwabavikeli base-Algeria. Kulezi ziqephu lapho konke okubukhali kakhulu kwe-Switzerland kwazalwa khona. U-Dan Ndoye wengeza igoli lesibili ngokushesha ngomzuzwana wokuqala wesigamu sesibili — umzuzu wama-46 — futhi ngaleyo ndlela wavala umnyango ngaphambi kokuba i-Algeria ikwazi ukuwuvula kancane. I-Algeria — le yindaba ehlukile yobuhlungu. Ama-55% okubamba ibhola, ama-85% okunemba kokudlula — kanye nama-0.73 xG. Nansi inhlekelele: ibhola lalikhona, ukudala kwakungekho. Isikhathi sabo esikhulu esisodwa abasisebenzisanga. U-Riyad Mahrez — igama okufanele lesabise abaphikisi, — wahlukaniswa yisiyalo sase-Switzerland futhi wangena esikhundleni ngomzuzu wama-71, engakwazi ukuguqula umdlalo. Ama-Algeria ayedlala kakhulu ibhola eceleni futhi ayefuna kancane ukuma. Ukushintsha kwabaqeqeshi ngomzuzu wama-58–59 kwakubonakala njengomzamo wokuvusa iqembu, kodwa akuzange kuxazulule inkinga yesakhiwo. Amakhadi amabili aphuzi — u-Farès Chaïbi ngomzuzu wama-36 no-Hicham Boudaoui ngomzuzu wama-72 — kwanele ukwengeza ukungakhululeki emdlalweni wase-Algeria, kodwa akuzange kwanele ukushintsha noma yini. Umphumela uqotho: umphumela uhambisana ne-xG, i-Switzerland yafaneleka ukunqoba ngokufanele. Umshini wase-Switzerland uyaqhubeka kwiNdebe Yomhlaba — futhi ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho ngeke athathwe muntu. Manje kumazwana: ingabe i-Algeria yayikwazi ukwenza okuningi, noma ingabe ukungakwazi ukugcwalisa kuyinkinga yabo yesistimu? Futhi umbuzo wesibili: u-Manzambi noma u-Ndoye — ubani oyingozi kakhulu kumphikisi olandelayo we-Switzerland?

Kukhona ukungahambisani okunzima okufihliwe kuleli zinga lamagoli. I-Austria yafika e-SoFi Stadium e-Inglewood ingenazo izikhala zamakhona, ingenalo nelilodwa ishothi elibhekise ethini, kanti i-xG yayo ibingu-0.32 kuphela. I-Spain yakhiqiza i-xG engu-2.84, yashaya ithini izikhathi eziyishumi emizamweni engamashumi amabili nantathu, futhi ayizange ijuluke ngisho kancane. Umphumela wokugcina ongu-3-0 awuyihloniphi i-Spain — uma kukhona, uyayiphana kakhulu i-Austria. Ubusuku babunejolt yokuqala: ukuhlolwa kwe-VAR okubandakanya u-Aymeric Laporte ngomzuzu wesishiyagalolunye. Akukho ukujeziswa okuqinisekisiwe, akukho mininingwane eyembuliwe — kodwa isikhathi esithile kulezo ziqalo i-Spain yadlala ngokushesha okwesabekayo kweqembu elalizwa ukuthi kukhona okungasuswa. Abalandeli bazophikisana ngalowo mzuzu isikhathi eside ngemuva kokubuyela ekhaya. Lapho ukungezwani kuphela, i-Spain yenza lokho ekwenza kahle kakhulu: ukuminyanisa. Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nanhlanu okuphatha ibhola, amaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nanye okunemba kokudlulisela ibhola, izikhala zamakhona eziyisishiyagalolunye. UMikel Oyarzabal wavula amagoli ngomzuzu wamashumi amathathu nesithupha ngesikhathi esithulile, esibhubhisayo esichaza yena — evela ezikhaleni okungafanele zibe khona. Uqede ubusuku ngamagoli amabili, wengeza elesibili ngomzuzu wamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nesishiyagalolunye, kanye nesilinganiso esingu-9.59. Igoli likaPedro Porro ngomzuzu wamashumi ayisithupha nesithupha laklomelisa ukudlala okuhlaselayo okwamenza wathola u-8.76, kanti uMarc Cucurella no-Alex Baena bacindezela futhi bahlola ngokuqhubekayo ngo-8.5 ngamunye. I-Austria nayo ifanelwe ngamazwi aqotho. Ithuba labo elilodwa elikhulu lachithwa. Izinguquko ezine zesikhathi sokuphumula — okuhlanganisa uCarney Chukwuemeka noFlorian Grillitsch — zazinesibindi, kodwa azikwazanga ukwakha isikhala isimo se-Spain esenqaba ukusihlinzeka. Amaphutha ayishumi nanhlanu alandisa indaba yokukhungatheka, hhayi ukuzivocavoca umzimba. UStefan Posch wathola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nantathu futhi wakhishwa ngokushesha ngemuva kwalokho — umbhalo oseceleni wobusuku i-Austria ezofuna ukubukhohlwa. I-Austria yalahlekelwa kuphi ngempela? Ingxenye yokuqala. Akukho zikhala zamakhona, cishe ingxenye yesithathu yokuphatha ibhola — i-Spain yakha ingcindezi ngesivinini sokuhamba ngenkathi i-Austria ingacindezeli phezulu ngokwanele ukuphazamisa. Ngaleso sikhathi lapho befuna okwengeziwe engxenyeni yesibili, umnyango wawusuvaleka. I-xG — 2.84 kuya ku-0.32 — iqinisekisa lokho okwabona amehlo. Lokhu kwakungeyona into engalindelekile. I-Spain yayingcono ngazo zonke izindlela ezilinganisekayo. Amagoli akho aphila phakade — ku-FootLegion, akekho ongawathatha. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: ingabe uMikel Oyarzabal ungumdlali we-Spain ongathathwa kancane kakhulu kule Ndebe Yomhlaba? Futhi ingabe i-Austria isengaphupha ngomzuliswano olandelayo, noma ingabe ubusuku obubodwa kwakuwumnyango ovaleka unomphela?

Nansi into ngalo mdlalo: i-USA yawina ngo 2-0, yadlala ngaphezu kwengxenye yawo inabadlali abayishumi, kanti i-xG ikutshela ukuthi umphumela wawungamanga cishe ngokuphelele — ngendlela engcono kakhulu kubabamba izindlu. I-Levi's Stadium yayishisa kusukela ekhwelo lokuqala. Engxenyeni yokuqala, i-USA yahlola isivinini ngamaphesenti angu-62 okubamba ibhola, icindezela i-Bosnia & Herzegovina phansi futhi ilawula isigqi. Isakhiwo sasiqondile, ukushintsha kwakushesha, futhi lapho u-Folarin Balogun efaka igoli ngesikhathi sokuvala ingxenye yokuqala, kwakuzwakala kufanelekile. Kwase kufika ukusonta. Umzuzu wama-63: i-VAR. Isikrini siyakhanya, inkundla iphefumula — kanti u-Balogun, umfaki wegoli, uyahamba nekhadi elibomvu. Noma yini eyenzekile, kuzoxoxwa ngayo kuyo yonke indawo yezemidlalo yaseMelika kusukela e-Seattle kuya e-Miami. Zidwebele iziphetho zakho. Okulandelayo yindaba yangempela. I-Bosnia & Herzegovina yazwa igazi. Yasuka kumaphesenti angu-38 yaya kumaphesenti angu-65 okubamba ibhola engxenyeni yesibili, yafaka abadlali abayisithupha abashintshayo, kanti ingcindezi yaba yinto yangempela. Amashothi ayishumi esewonke, amathathu aqondile — kodwa amathuba amakhulu ayiziro, i-xG ingu-0.25 nje. Babenalo ibhola kodwa abazange balithole ummese. Kwakubikezelwa kakhulu, kwakusemaphakathi kakhulu, akuzange neze kwelule umugqa wokuvikela waseMelika owawuhlelwe kabusha. I-USA yahlala phansi, yamunca, yalinda. U-Chris Richards wayezolile. U-Weston McKennie wagijima waze wawa evikela indawo ephakathi. Kwase kuthi, umzuzu wama-82, u-Malik Tillman — umdlali ongcono kakhulu enkundleni, olinganiselwe ngo-8.24 — wafika ukuze ayiqede ngesibhakela esiphikisayo. Umuntu engekho, bephelelwe amandla, kodwa basafaka igoli. I-xG ye-USA yayingu-0.92. Amagoli amabili asuka kokuncane kunelilodwa elilindelekile. Ukwehluleka kwe-Bosnia kwakungokweqhinga: ukukhipha u-Edin Džeko ngomzuzu wama-51 kwabalahlekisela indawo yabo yokuhlasela ngaphandle kokumiselela okwangempela. Ubuthakathaka be-USA? Ukuphatha isikhathi sekhadi elibomvu — leyo mizuzu ephithizelayo phakathi kwama-63 nama-82 yayiyingozi ngempela. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli afakwa isizwe sakho agxilile unomphela — ayikho i-VAR ewasusayo. Manje, kuwe: ingabe ikhadi elibomvu lika-Balogun belifanele ukuma? Futhi ingabe i-Bosnia ingalulama kulokhu, noma ingabe lokhu kwakuyisilinganiso salesi sizukulwane?

Amagoli amabili esele imizuzu emine. Amagoli amabili phambili nge-xG ngendlela emangalisayo. Futhi ngandlela-thile iSenegal ishiya iLumen Field idonsa amanzi emhlane esikhundleni sokunqoba. Lokho kuyiphuzu elibuhlungu lalo mdlalo wama-round-of-32 eSeattle — umdlalo izinombolo ezithi iSenegal yawubusa, kanti ibhodi lamaphuzu lithi akekho owawunqoba. ISenegal ibingcono kakhulu cishe imizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye, futhi i-xG iyakukhombisa lokho: 3.54 kuya ku-1.8. Ukunyakaza okubukhali, ukushintsha okuyingozi kakhulu, ukubukhali ngehora lokuqala. UHabib Diarra uvule amaphuzu ngomzuzu wama-25 — eqinile, ngesikhathi esifanele, yigoli elilindelekile kumdlali osemuva osemncane. U-Ismaïla Sarr uphindaphinde umphumela emizuzwini eyisithupha engxenyeni yesibili, futhi ngaleso sikhathi amaLions abukeka njengeqembu elidlala umqhudelwano wokuphila kwawo. Ijubane likaSarr kanye nokuqondile kwakhe kwajezisa yonke ingxenye yesibili yokungabaza iBelgium eyayinikeza. Kodwa iphutha leSenegal? Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu elilahlekile, kanye nokuvikela okwawa ngaphansi kwengcindezi sekwedlule isikhathi. Ukwehla kakhulu, ukumema ukuhlasela esikhundleni sokuphatha ibhola — ukushintsha okuphindwe kathathu ngomzuzu wama-90 kwaphazamisa ukwakheka ngesikhathi esibi kakhulu. IBelgium ibingasebenzi isikhathi eside kakhulu. UDe Bruyne wakhishwa ngomzuzu wama-56 neqembu selishiywe ngamagoli amabili futhi lingabonakali. Amashothi ayishumi nesishiyagalolunye, amahlanu kuphela abhekise ethini — ukunyakaza okuningi, ukunemba okunganele. AmaRed Devils abenamathuba amathathu amakhulu futhi awashintsha wonke amathathu, kodwa amabili awo afike emizuzwini emine yokugcina. Lokho akuyona isistimu esebenzayo. Lokho kuwukudangala okuthola umvuzo wakho. ULukaku ubuyise elilodwa ngomzuzu wama-86 — ngoba kunjalo. Khona-ke ngomzuzu wama-90, i-VAR yanikeza iBelgium iphenathi ngemuva kokubuyekezwa okubandakanya uTielemans. Isinqumo sizophikiswana kusukela eBrussels kuya eDakar: iphutha noma ukulingisa, ubulungiswa noma ukwebiwa? UTielemans ushintshe. 2–2. Isikhathi esigcwele. I-xG ithi iSenegal ibifanele okungaphezulu. Ibhodi lamaphuzu lithi iBelgium isindile. Akukho okukutshela ukuthi uzizwa kanjani ngakho. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli isizwe sakho esiwashaye ngalobu busuku ahlala eyakho ingunaphakade — akukho VAR engawathinta lapho. Ngakho: ngabe leyo phenathi yomzuzu wama-90 kwakuwukwebiwa noma isinqumo esifanele? Futhi ingabe noma yiliphi iqembu lingaqhubeka ngempela kulo mqhudelwano lidlala ngale ndlela evulekile?

I-Atlanta ibambe umoya wayo kusihlwa — futhi isikhathi eside yawuphefumulela ngendlela engafanele iNgilandi. Nasi isimo esingajwayelekile esichaza lo mdlalo: iNgilandi ibine-xG engu-2.04, i-DR Congo ibine-0.8 — kodwa kwakungamaLeopards ahole kusukela ngomzuzu wesikhombisa kuze kube ngomzuzu wamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu. Izinombolo zazikhombisa ukubusa kweNgilandi. Ibhodi lezikolo lalikhombisa okuhlukile ngokuphelele. U-Brian Cipenga ushaye igoli ngomzuzu wesikhombisa wanika iqembu lakhe inqaba yokuvikela. Uhlelo lwe-DR Congo belucacile kusukela ekuqaleni — ukuhlala phansi, ukuhlala luqinile, ukumunca, ukushaya lapho kuphuma ibhola — futhi imizuzu engu-68 lusebenze kahle kakhulu. Unozinti wabo wenza izinto ezinhlanu. Ibhakede labo lihlale liqinile ngaphansi kokubamba ibhola okungama-60% kanye namashothi angu-16. Ukuncoma lapho kufanele khona: ukuvikela okunesiyalo, okunesibindi. Ubuthakathaka? Ithuba labo elilodwa elikhulu, baliphutha — futhi lapho isimo siguquka, babengenayo indawo yokuhlasela esele yokuliphendula. Indaba yeNgilandi ihlaba umxhwele futhi iyihlazo ngesikhathi esifanayo. Amathuba amakhulu ayisikhombisa. Ayisithupha aphutha. Ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola okungama-91% okungazange kukhiqize lutho olungena ngaphakathi kuze kube yikota yokugcina. Ikhadi eliphuzi likaJude Bellingham ngomzuzu we-19 — ukukhathazeka okujwayelekile — kwamlahlekisela inkululeko isikhathi esiningi engxenyeni yokuqala. UNoni Madueke, ithuluzi elibukhali kakhulu leNgilandi ngaphambi kokushiya kwakhe ngomzuzu wama-61, wayehlale ethola indawo, kodwa ibhola lokugcina lalihlale lidumaza wonke umuntu. Ukushintsha kabili — uBukayo Saka no-Anthony Gordon — kwashintsha isivinini futhi kwakha izimo zalokho okulandelayo. UHarry Kane. Umzuzu wama-75, ukuqeda komkaputeni. Umzuzu wama-86, igoli elishaywe kahle eduze eliqede konke. Isilinganiso esingu-8.11 — esingcono kakhulu enkundleni. Lapho iNgilandi idinga umuntu ozothwala isisindo somqhudelwano, uKane waletha ngesibindi esithulile. Ukuthi leli qembu belifanele yini ukuwina kuyaphikiswa ngempela — igebe le-xG belikhona, kodwa ukuguqula amagoli amabili kuphela kwamathuba amakhulu ayisikhombisa kuwumkhuba leli qembu elingakwazi ukuwugcina. Ku-FootLegion, lawo magoli kaKane angawakho phakade — akekho ozowathatha kuwe. Manje, kuwe: bekungukuhle yini ukuthi iNgilandi iwine, noma i-DR Congo yaphucwa umphumela ongabonisi umzamo wayo? Futhi uma iNgilandi iqhubeka nokuchitha amathuba amakhulu ngale ndlela — uKane angayithwala yedwa kuze kube kude kangakanani?

I-Azteca yabhonga — futhi nansi into ephikisanayo ezoshisa yonke impikiswano kusihlwa: IMexico yawina ngo 2-0, kodwa i-xG yayo ibingu-1.02 kuphela. I-Ecuador yadlula ibhola ngobunono, yahlukanisa ingxenye yesibili ngokuphatha ibhola okungama-68%, futhi yaqeda ngo-0.73 xG kumashothi ayisikhombisa. Isikolo simemeza ukubusa kweMexico. Izinombolo zihlebela okuthile okungakhululekile kakhulu. Ingxenye yokuqala yayingeyeMexico ngokuphelele. Ngokuphatha ibhola okungama-56%, i-El Tri yadlala phambili futhi yajezisa i-Ecuador kabili ngaphambi kwekhefu. UJulián Quiñones wavula isikolo ngomzuzu wama-22 — umdlali ovelele kakhulu ngalobu busuku ngesilinganiso esingu-8.5 — ehlanganisa umuzwa nokunyakaza ngesikhathi esifana nesidingo sezinkundla ezinkulu. URául Jiménez waphinda kabili umkhawulo emizuzwini eyisishiyagalolunye kamuva. Ngokushesha u-2-0 ngesikhathi sekhefu kwazizwa kuzuzelekile futhi kwantshontshwa ngesikhathi esisodwa. Kwase kufika ukuguquka. Ukushintsha kwabadlali ababili be-Ecuador ngesikhathi sekhefu kwaguqula yonke into. Ukuphatha ibhola kweMexico kwehle kwaba ngama-32%. Amakhona ayisishiyagalombili ezivakashi ngokumelene namathathu abasingathi — kodwa ithuba elilodwa elikhulu le-Ecuador lashaya udonga. Konke lokho kunemba kokudlula okungama-84%, konke lokho ukucindezela, futhi abakwazanga ukuguqula indawo ibe yingozi yangempela. Ibhola lijezisa lokho ngaphandle kwesihawu. IMexico nayo yayingewona amakhosi — amathuba amabili amakhulu aphuthelwa, i-xG ingaphezu kokukodwa. UCésar Montes noJohan Vásquez babambe umugqa wokuvikela ndawonye ngalokho kuhlasela kwengxenye yesibili, bobabili balinganiswe ngo-7.93. Ngaphandle kwalokho kuqeqeshwa kwezokuvikela, indaba iphela ngokuhlukile. Umgomo wokugcina waletha isiphithiphithi. UPiero Hincapié waxoshwa ngomzuzu wama-90 ngemuva kokubuyekezwa kwe-VAR — isinqumo esizobuyekezwa kuzo zonke iziteshi zaseNingizimu Melika kusihlwa. Ingabe ukungenelela kwakufanele, noma ingabe i-VAR yakhiqiza impikiswano lapho ingekho? Akukho isinqumo lapha. Umbuzo kuphela. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli eMexico ngalobu busuku aseyaphila — ngoba enkundleni umphumela ungathathwa, kodwa lapho awukwazi. Imibuzo emibili yempikiswano: Ingabe i-VAR yaphazamisa i-Ecuador noma ingabe base beqede amandla abo ngaphambi kwekhadi elibomvu? Futhi ingabe iMexico ingahamba ibanga elide emqhudelwaneni, idlala ngokuphatha ibhola okungama-43% futhi iphila ngamathuba angawadali?

I-MetLife Stadium yabamba umoya wayo imizuzu engama-44, kwase kuthi uKylian Mbappé wakhumbuza umhlaba ukuthi kungani iFrance yafika eNew Jersey njengabathandwa bomqhudelwano. Kodwa nansi into ephikisanayo okufanele uhlale nayo: isikolo sithi 3-0, futhi okokuqala ngqa asiqambi amanga. I-xG yaseFrance engu-3.17 ngokumelene ne-Sweden engu-0.67 iwukubonakaliswa okuqotho komdlalo webhola njengoba uzoke ukubone. Akukho ukuphanga okukhulu. Ukudiliza nje okucacile. Ingxenye yokuqala yaseFrance yayiminyanisa — ukubamba ibhola ngamaphesenti angama-71, ukunemba kokudlula ngamaphesenti angama-88, amakhona ayisishiyagalolunye ngaphambi kokuphela komdlalo. I-Les Bleus yacindezela phezulu futhi yadabula phakathi nendawo ye-Sweden njengokungathi ayikho. Igoli likaMbappé ngesikhathi sekhefu laliyisiphetho esingenaluzwelo kakhulu. Isikhathi saphula umoya waseSweden ngaphambi kokuba ikhefu lifike. Nokho iFrance yashiya amathuba amakhulu amane engawashintshanga kwabayisithupha abadalwe. Lokho kuchitha kuyiphethini leli qembu elingakwazi ukukukhokhela ngokumelene nabaphikisi abaqinile emizuliswaneni elandelayo. Ukuqeda kukaBarcola ngomzuzu wama-53 kwakubukhali futhi kubalulekile, igoli lesibili likaMbappé ngomzuzu wama-74 lakuqinisekisa — kodwa inani lezikhathi ibhola lokugcina eliphekwe kakhulu laliyethusa ngempela eqenjini elinekhono kangaka. I-Sweden yayingesona isigebengu. Babuyisa ukubamba ibhola engxenyeni yesibili — amaphesenti angama-47 ngemuva kokuminyanisa okungama-29 kokuqala — futhi u-Alexander Isak wabonisa ukukhanya kokudlala okunamandla kokubamba ibhola. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu ayiziro kuyo yonke imizuzu engama-90 atshengisa indaba yangempela. Indlela yabo yokuvikela yayiqondile; ukuguqulwa kwabo kokuhlasela kwakuhamba kancane kakhulu futhi kwakulindeleke kakhulu. Ukushintsha kabili ngomzuzu wama-66 kwashintsha isivinini kancane kodwa akuzange kusongele isikolo. UMbappé, olinganiselwe ku-9.9, wayevela kwenye indawo — amagoli amabili, ukucindezela okungapheli, ukunyakaza okungapheli okudonsa abavikeli ngaphandle kwesimo. UMichael Olise ku-9.33 wayeyinjini yokudala ngemuva kwezinhlanganisela ezinhle kakhulu zaseFrance. Ngasohlangothini lwaseSweden, unozinti uJacob Widell Zetterström — olinganiselwe ku-8.81, ukonga okuyisishiyagalolunye — yisona kuphela isizathu esenza lokhu kungabi yihlazo lamagoli ayisithupha. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba awawenu phakade — akekho owathathayo. Manje, imibuzo yamazwana: ingabe uMbappé ekugcineni uyakwenza lapho kubaluleke ngempela, noma ingabe i-Sweden yayiyisivivinyo esilinganiselwe kakhulu? Futhi ingabe iFrance ingakwazi ukugcina lokhu okukhiqizwayo ngokumelene neqembu elicindezela emuva?

I-AT&T Stadium e-Arlington isinikeze ipharadox ezoshisa izimpikiswano izinsuku ezimbalwa. Isikolo sisho into eyodwa – i-xG ihlebela okunye okuhluke kakhulu. INorway ibilawula cishe kuzo zonke izinkomba ezibalulekile: i-xG 2.02 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-1.36, ukubamba ibhola ngo-53%, ukunemba kokudlula ngo-88%. Babefanelwe yiwini – kodwa badlale imizuzu engamashumi amabili yokugcina, bekwazi ukuyisindisa. U-Antonio Nusa ube yinhlansi yesiwombe sokuqala – eqondile, engenalo uvalo, ehlale edlula ngemuva kwabadlali abavikilayo. Igoli ngomzuzu wama-39 laba umvuzo ofanele. Kodwa ikhadi eliphuzi ngesikhathi esengeziwe esiwombeni sokuqala lanciphisa ithonya lakhe, futhi wagcina eseshintshiwe ngomzuzu wama-71. Isifo esikhulu seNorway – ukumosha: amathuba amakhulu amane, amathathu aphuthelwe. Uma udlala neqembu elinekhono langempela lokuhlasela, lokhu kuyisimemo sokuhlupheka. I-Côte d'Ivoire ibingeyona into nje eyisimanga. Amakhona ayishumi nane – iqembu belicindezela futhi likholwa. Kodwa ihora lokuqala lomdlalo libukeka liboshiwe: ukudlula kubikezelwe kakhulu, isakhiwo siqinile kakhulu. Ukushintsha kabili ngomzuzu wama-60 kwashintsha yonke into. U-Amad Diallo wangena – futhi ngemva kwemizuzu eyishumi nane walungisa isikolo ngokuzola komdlali owazalelwa izikhathi ezinjalo. Isilinganiso esingu-9.64, umdlali ohamba phambili enkundleni. Lokhu akuyona into nje engahleliwe – lokhu kuyisitatimende. Abakwazanga ukugcina umfutho. Ngomzuzu wama-86 u-Haaland wajezisa ukudideka kwesikhashana endaweni yokujezisa – igoli alishaya ngokungenakuphikiswa. Unozinti waseNorway u-Ørjan Nyland (8.19) wenza izinto ezine ezisindisayo futhi akazange avumele i-Côte d'Ivoire ukuba ibuye futhi. Umphumela ongu-2:1 ovuna iNorway ulungile ngokuqondile, kodwa uyabukeka ngesikolo. I-xG ithi – abaseNorway babefanelwe yiwini; umdlalo uthi – abase-Ivorian babefanelwe okungaphezulu. Ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho akekho ozowathatha – ngokungafani nalokho okwenzeka enkundleni. Imibuzo yezingxoxo: ukushintsha kabili kwe-Côte d'Ivoire ngomzuzu wama-60 – ubuciko obuhle bokuhlela obubambezelekile noma ukuvuma iphutha ekuhleleni kokuqala? Futhi iNorway izohamba ibanga elingakanani kuma-play-offs uma iqhubeka nokumosha amathuba amakhulu amathathu ngomdlalo ngamunye?

Estadio BBVA, Monterrey — futhi nansi into exakayo engasoze yaphela: iqembu eline-xG engu-1.40 kuqhathaniswa no-0.23 liphuma lidlale ngokulingana. Isikolo sisho into eyodwa, umdlalo — into ehluke kakhulu. I-Morocco ibibusa ngokuphelele: 70% yokuphethe ibhola, amashothi angu-11, amathuba amakhulu amahlanu, ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola okungu-91%. Uhlelo lwamasu belucacile futhi lwenziwa ngentshiseko. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu amane kwanguhlanu aphutha — futhi lena yindaba enkulu yakusihlwa. Ukumosha okunjalo akuxolelwa kwiNdebe Yomhlaba. INetherlands ibingekho ngesikhathi sesibili. Kusukela ku-50% yokuphethe ibhola esiwombeni sokuqala — yehla yaya ku-21% ngemuva kwekhefu. Uhlelo lwase-Dutch belulula: ukuhlala phansi, ukubekezela, ukulinda. Kwasebenza kanye kuphela. Ukushintshwa kwabadlali ababili ngomzuzu wama-71 — u-Koopmeiners no-Weghorst — kwashukumisa ngokushesha ukuhlasela, futhi ngomzuzu wama-72 u-Cody Gakpo washaya igoli ngokuzola okufanele ulindele kuye. Ithuba elilodwa — igoli elilodwa. Kodwa i-Morocco ayizange iphuke. U-Issa Diop, owathola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-47 futhi edlala ngokungazeleli, ngesikhathi esengeziwe wagijima phambili walinganisa isikolo ngomzuzu wama-90. Umuntu obengaba yimbangela — waba yiqhawe. Ukuphikisana kwebhola lezinyawo okudala. Iqhawe langempela eliwolintshi — u-Bart Verbruggen: isilinganiso esingu-8.5, ukusindisa amagoli amahlanu. Ngaphandle kwakhe bekungeke kube ukulingana, kodwa inhlekelele. Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwenkundla u-Noussair Mazraoui — obengcono kakhulu e-Morocco enkundleni: ufunde ukudlulisela ibhola, wagcina ububanzi, akazange avumele ama-Dutch ukuba adlale ngokukhululeka eceleni. Ubuthakathaka be-Morocco — izinqumo engxenyeni yokugcina: ukwakha okuhle kakhulu, ukushaya amagoli okungalungile. Ubuthakathaka be-Netherlands — amaphutha angu-18, ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola okungu-79% nokungakwazi ukugcina ibhola. Lokhu akuyona isu — lokhu ukusinda. Bobabili baphila. Bobabili abajabule. Enkundleni umphumela ungathathwa — ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho akekho ozowathatha. Imibuzo yengxoxo: Ingabe u-Verbruggen — unozinti ongcono kakhulu emqhudelwaneni kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe i-Netherlands ingakwazi ngempela ukufuna ukungena kuma-play-offs, uma ngesikhathi sesibili ibona ibhola kuphela u-21% wesikhathi?

I-Gillette Stadium namuhla ilethe ipharadox eligoqwe kumphumela wokugcina. IJalimane 1:1 iParaguay — kanti izinombolo zenza lowo mphumela ubukeke ungenangqondo. xG: 1.49 uma kuqhathaniswa no-0.42. Ukubamba ibhola: 75 kuya ku-25. Amashothi: 21 kuya ku-7. AmaJalimane adlala umdlalo ohlukile isikhathi esiningi semizuzu engu-120. Kodwa akakwazanga ukuwina. Nansi imibuzo evulekile echaze lo mdlalo: iqembu elilawula kangaka libuyela kanjani ekhefini lihluliwe? UJulio Enciso wayiphendula ngomzuzu wama-42 — ukuhlasela okukodwa, ukuqeda okukodwa okungenasihawu, okuphambene ngokuphelele nendlela umdlalo obuhamba ngayo. IParaguay yachitha isigamu sokuqala icindezelwe engxenyeni yayo, yabe isijezisa umugqa wokuvikela ophakeme weJalimane ngesikhathi esisodwa sokunemba okubandayo. U-Enciso washintshwa ngomzuzu wama-57, umsebenzi wenziwe. UKai Havertz walungisa isimo ngomzuzu wama-54, futhi kusukela lapho iJalimane yaphusha ngaphandle kokuyekethisa — amakhona angu-16, amathuba amabili amakhulu adalwe, womabili aphuthelwa. Lokho ukugxeka okuqotho: amashothi angu-21, unozinti osesimweni esihle kakhulu empilweni yakhe, futhi akukho okubonakalayo ngaphandle kokulinganisa. U-Orlando Gill wayemane emangalisa — ulinganiselwe ku-9.9, wenza izinto ezenza ibhentshi laseJalimane libuke phansi. Isakhiwo sokuvikela seParaguay sasihlelekile futhi sizuzwe. Ukunemba kwabo kwamapasi okungu-63% kukutshela ukuthi bahlala phansi kangakanani, kodwa babamba isimo lapho kubaluleke kakhulu. U-Florian Wirtz, olinganiselwe ku-8.5, wayengumqondo wokudala obukhali kakhulu weJalimane — izikhathi zokusungula zangempela zafika ngaye. Ukususwa kwakhe ngomzuzu we-110 kwaba iphuzu lapho umcabango weJalimane wacisha khona. U-Joshua Kimmich ku-8.24 wayeyimetronome ethembekile, kodwa ngisho nokusabalalisa kwakhe akukwazanga ukuvula ibhlokhi ephansi eyakhelwe phezu komhlatshelo ohlangene. Isikhathi esisodwa sidinga ukukhulunywa: ukubuyekezwa kwe-VAR okubandakanya u-Jonathan Tah ngomzuzu we-104. Irekhodi elisemthethweni alinikezi imininingwane ngomphumela. Kuwo wonke amagumbi okulala aseJalimane naseParaguay namuhla, leyo sequence ibuyekezwa ngokuphindaphindiwe. Zidwebele iziphetho zakho — yilokho izimpikiswano zesikhathi esengeziwe ezenziwe ngakho. Amaphutha angu-18 eJalimane namakhadi aphuzi amathathu esikhathini esengeziwe akhombisa ukukhungatheka okukhulayo. Lapho ukubamba ibhola kuyeka ukukhiqiza amagoli, imizimba ilandela ibhola. Ukuqondiswa kweParaguay kwabamba ngisho nalapho ukukhathala kungena. Isikolo asijabulisi muntu futhi asanelisi muntu. IParaguay ikhombisile ukuthi ibhlokhi ephansi, isikhathi esisodwa sobuhlakani, nonozinti odlala ngaphandle kwesikhumba sakhe kungakwazi ukwenza cishe noma yini ingasebenzi. IJalimane ikhombisile ukuthi ukubusa ngaphandle kokusebenza kahle kumane kungumsindo. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashaye namuhla ahlala eyakho phakade — akukho unompempe, akukho VAR, akukho ukudonsa okungawathatha. Ngakho — ingabe ukusebenza kuka-Orlando Gill kwakungukubonakaliswa okuhle kakhulu konozinti kule Ndebe Yomhlaba kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe iJalimane ingakwazi ngempela ukuqhubekela phambili kulo mqhudelwano uma iqhubeka nokuchitha amathuba ngale ndlela?

Nansi into ngeBrazil kwiNdebe yeHlabathi: umbhalo uhlala uthembisa i-samba, kodwa inyani ihlala iletha into engcolileyo. Ngokuhlwa e-NRG Stadium, eHouston, igowuli likaGabriel Martinelli ngomzuzu wama-90 ekugqibeleni livalile iJapan 2:1 kumjikelo wama-32 — kwaye inani eliya kuhlala lihlupha iqela laseBrazil leli: xG 1.72 ukuya ku-0.23. Umda obanzi kangaka akufanele uvelise umdlalo olukhuni. Kodwa nantsi ke. Ingxaki yeBrazil kwisiqingatha sokuqala yayifihlakele phambi kwamehlo. Ipesenti ezingama-68 zokubamba ibhola, ipesenti ezingama-92 zokudlulisela ibhola ngokuchanekileyo — kwaye iJapan yangena kwikhefu ingaphambili. UKaishu Sano, umntu ofanayo owafumana ikhadi elityheli ngomzuzu we-12, wabetha igowuli ngomzuzu wama-29, esohlwaya impazamo enye kumgca wokuzikhusela weBrazil. IJapan ayizange yenze nto ifana nethuba elikhulu ubusuku bonke, kodwa yayidinga nje umzuzu omnye wokugxila kweBrazil ukuze iphumelele. UCasemiro wabuyisela ukulingana ngomzuzu wama-56, efika kwibhokisi ngesidima somntu owenze loo nto izihlandlo eziliwaka. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu amabini aphoswe kwamane agcina uxinzelelo lukhona de uMartinelli wayilungisa ekupheleni kwexesha elongeziweyo. Amanqaku ekugqibeleni abonisa ukongamela kweBrazil — nje ngemizuzu engama-45 emva kokuba kufanele ukuba kwenzekile. IJapan ifanele ukunconywa kakhulu. Izinto ezili-13 ezaphulwa, imizimba kuyo yonke indawo, izinto ezine ezisindisiweyo ngunozinti wabo. Isakhiwo sokuzikhusela sasinobuganga kwaye sinodisiplini. Ubuthathaka babucacile: amathuba amakhulu anguziro, ipesenti ezingama-31 zokubamba ibhola — ukusinda kwakuhlala kuyicebo, kwaye imizuzu engama-89 kwabanjalo. KwiBrazil, ingxaki yayingekho kumgangatho kodwa kwisantya. UVinícius Júnior wayesoloko esongela kodwa rhoqo eyedwa. Iqela laliyazi indlela yokwakha; lalikhohlwe indlela yokukhawulezisa de iwashi yabanyanzela. UMarquinhos noGabriel Magalhães babengabantu abazinzileyo ngobu busuku, befumana amanqaku aphezulu okuzikhusela emdlalweni kwaye begcina iBrazil iphefumla emva kokubetha kukaSano. Ebhaleni, isiphumo sihlala sinokuthathwa ngomzuzu wokugqibela — kwiFootLegion iinjongo zelizwe lakho zihlala ngonaphakade, kwaye akukho mntu uzithathayo. Ngoku, kuwe: ngaba le nto yenziwe yiBrazil ikukhathaza ngokwenene njengoko usiya nzulu kule Ndebe yeHlabathi? Kwaye thetha inyani — ngaba iJapan yayingumzuzu omnye wokuzola kude kube yenye yezinto ezinkulu ezingalindelekanga kwiNdebe yeHlabathi?

Amashumi ayisishiyagalolunye emizuzu yokuminza – umzuzwana owodwa wokusindiswa. Yilokho okungachaza okwenzeka eSoFi Stadium, e-Inglewood: iKhanada iwine umdlalo neNingizimu Afrika ngo 0:1 ngenxa yegoli likaStephen Eustaquio ngomzuzu wama-90. Nansi into eyinqaba ezoshisa izingxoxo isikhathi eside: iKhanada yayilawula ngazo zonke izindlela ezingokoqobo – futhi yacishe yahlala ingenalutho. I-xG engu-1.38 kuqhathaniswa no-0.14 weNingizimu Afrika ikhuluma yodwa. Amathuba amakhulu amane, amashothi ayisikhombisa agoliwe – futhi akukho goli kuze kube isikhathi esengeziwe. Lokhu akuyona into yokunqoba ngamaqhinga, kuyinhlekelele efihleke njengokunqoba. INingizimu Afrika ifanelwe inhlonipho enkulu ngokuhlela umdlalo. URonwen Williams – iqhawe elikhulu elinesilinganiso esingu-8.5 kanye nokuvikela okuhlanu. Umugqa wokuvikela wawunciphisa isikhala, waphoqa iKhanada ukuthi isebenze ezinhlangothini futhi yenza konke ukuhlasela kube buthuntu kancane kunalokho umphikisi ayekufuna. Ukubamba ibhola ngo-58% kwakuyisikhali esiqaphelayo: bamba ibhola, bulala isivinini. Ubuthakathaka? Phambili – cishe akukho lutho. I-xG engu-0.14, amathuba amakhulu anguziro, ikhoneni elilodwa. Leli kwakuyicebo lokusinda, hhayi ukunqoba – futhi ekugcineni alizange lisebenze. Inkinga yeKhanada – ukusebenzisa amathuba. Amathuba amakhulu amane aphuthelwe kuleli zinga – isigwebo. Iphasi lokugcina lalivame ukuntuleka ubukhali. Ukushintsha kabili ngomzuzu wama-70 – uJacob Shaffelburg noPromise David – kwengeza amandla, kodwa ushintsho lwenzeka ngomzuzu wama-75 ngokungena kuka-Alphonso Davies. Uhlangothi lwesokunxele lwaphila ngokushesha, futhi ingcindezi yaba yingozi ngempela. Izigameko ezimbili ze-VAR zengeza ukwesaba: uLiam Millar ngomzuzu we-15 no-Oswin Appollis ngomzuzu wama-37. Ingabe izinqumo zazilungile? Lona umbuzo wamakamelo enu okuhlala, hhayi owami. Futhi nokho – u-Eustaquio. Umzuzu wama-90. Igoli. IKhanada iyaphefumula. Isikolo sikhuluma ngokunqoba okuqinisekile. Umdlalo ukhuluma ngokuthi iNingizimu Afrika yacindezela umuntu owayefaneleka ngempela odongeni futhi yacishe yathatha lokho i-xG eyayingakuthembisi nhlobo. Sekuyithuba lakho: ingabe umdlalo kaRonwen Williams wawuyinto engcono kakhulu eyenziwa umdlali ngamunye womgoli kule Ndebe Yomhlaba? Futhi ingabe iKhanada kufanele ikhathazeke ngempela ngamathuba amane agoliwe aphuthelwe? Enkundleni umphumela ungasuswa ngomzuzwana wokugcina – ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho ngeke asuswe muntu.

IKansas City libone okuthile okuzokhulunywa ngakho isikhathi eside. I-Algeria 3–3 i-Austria e-Arrowhead Stadium. Amagoli ayisithupha, amagoli amabili ngomzuzu wama-90, kanye nesikolo esikutshela cishe yonke into ngaphandle kweqiniso. Nansi imibuzo okufanele uyigcine engqondweni: ithimba elibuse lo mdlalo lihamba kanjani ngaphandle kokuwina? Ngoba i-Algeria yabuse. Ngokuphelele. Amaphesenti angama-65 okuphatha ibhola sekukonke, akhuphukela kuma-71 engxenyeni yesibili. Ukunemba kokudlula okungama-94%. I-xG engu-1.62 ngokumelene ne-Austria engu-1.44 — izinombolo ziqinisekisa lokho okwabonwa amehlo. Kodwa-ke: amagoli amathathu lilinye. Ibhodi lesikolo aliqambi amanga, ngisho nalapho umdlalo wenza kanjalo. URiyad Mahrez ube yindaba yalo mdlalo — umdlali wasemuva ogijima ngokuphambana nokushintsha isivinini kudala izinkinga abavikeli abangakwazi ukuzixazulula. Ulinganise ngomzuzu wama-60, wabe esenikeza i-Algeria umkhondo ngesikhathi esengeziwe. Le ndoda ibishisa, ikala u-8.74. Kodwa ubuthakathaka be-Algeria bukhombise amandla abo: ukubamba ibhola ngokweqile. Ngamaphesenti angama-71 ebhola engxenyeni yesibili, basaphuthelwa yithuba elikhulu futhi bahluleka ukuqeda umdlalo. Ukubusa ngaphandle kwesifiso sokubulala kumane kuyibhola elihle elingayi ndawo. I-Austria ifanelwe ukudunyiswa okukhulu ngesihluku esikhulu. I-xG yabo ibingu-1.44. Amashothi ayishumi, amathathu aqondile, amathuba amabili amakhulu — womabili aguquliwe. U-Arnautović uvule isikolo ngomzuzu wama-28, wathola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu we-11, futhi wakhishwa ngesikhathi sekhefu kanye nabanye abaqalayo ababili — ukushintsha kathathu okukhombisa ukuthi umqeqeshi we-Austria wayifunde ngobuqotho ingxenye yokuqala. USabitzer ubuyisele umkhondo ngomzuzu wama-55. Bese u-Kalajdžić, enkundleni isikhathi esingaphansi komzuzu ngemuva kokungena ngomzuzu wama-90, ulinganise ngokushesha. Kuyamangalisa. Ubuthakathaka be-Austria? Bayinikele ngokuphelele inkundla phakathi ngemuva kwekhefu, behlehla kakhulu futhi besinda ngokushaya kabusha. Ngokumelene nethimba eliqinile, lokho bekuzojeziswa kakhulu. I-xG ithe i-Algeria kufanele iwunqobe lo mdlalo. Ibhodi lesikolo lithe ngenye indlela. Womabili amaqembu ashiya i-Kansas City ngemizwa eyinkimbinkimbi — nezimo zeqembu eziyinkimbinkimbi. Ku-FootLegion, okungenani, amagoli isizwe sakho esiwashayayo agcinwa phakade. Manje, kuwe: ingabe uMahrez ube ngumdlali ohamba phambili ngamunye esigabeni seqembu kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe i-Austria ingangena ngokujulile kule Ndebe Yomhlaba idlala ibhola elingamaphesenti angama-29?

Zero ebhodini. Zero amagoli. Kodwa-ke, ngabe kukhona ohluliwe kulo mdlalo? Nansi into exakayo ezohlala ihambisana nalo mphumela: i-Colombia yakha i-xG engu-1.63 uma iqhathaniswa ne-0.69 ye-Portugal. Ama-Los Cafeteros alawula ibhola – 55%, enza imizamo engu-24, akha amathuba amakhulu amabili futhi akazange awasebenzise neyodwa. Isikolo sikhombisa ukulingana. Izinombolo zithi i-Colombia yalahlekelwa yithuba lokunqoba ngokwayo. UJames Rodríguez usebenze njengomhleli oyinhloko wokuhlasela – indima ejwayelekile, isitayela esijwayelekile. Isilinganiso esingu-7.83, esihamba phambili eqenjini. Wadonsa izintambo, washintsha ijubane, wenza lokho akwenzela leli qembu isikhathi eside. Kodwa ingxenye yokugcina yahluleka kaningi: imizamo eyisithupha esangweni kwengu-24 – lokhu kuyimpumelelo embi kakhulu lapho ungaphezu komphikisi enkundleni. Ukushintshwa kukaJhon Córdoba noJefferson Lerma ngomzuzu wama-60 kwakhombisa: abaqeqeshi babona inkinga. Isixazululo safika sekwephuze kakhulu. I-Portugal isikhathi esiningi somdlalo ibingeyesibili. Imizamo eyishumi nantathu, emibili esangweni, i-xG engu-0.69 – iqembu belisinda, hhayi ukubusa. Ukushintshwa kabili ngesikhathi sekhefu – uJoão Cancelo noRúben Neves banikeza izindawo kuDiogo Dalot noJoão Neves – kwenza indawo ephakathi nenkundla yaqina, kodwa ukuhlasela akuzange kusebenze. UJoão Félix noVitinha baphuma ngomzuzu wama-70, bengazange bathole izixazululo. Phakathi kokuhlulwa nokulingana kwakukhona umuntu oyedwa: uDiogo Costa. Ukusindisa okuyisithupha, isilinganiso esingu-8.11. Ngaphandle kwakhe, isikolo besizofundeka ngendlela ehlukile. Ngomzuzu wama-31 i-VAR ihlole isigameko esiphathelene noDavinson Sánchez – imininingwane ayikavezwa, kodwa isigameko sithinte i-Colombia. Abalandeli bazophikisana isikhathi eside ngalesi sigameko e-Miami. I-Portugal ihamba nesikolo esingenamagoli, i-xG engasifanele. I-Colombia ihamba nokubusa, okungafuni ukukwamukela ebhodini. Ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho agcinwa phakade – ngokungafani nalobu busuku, lapho ingcindezi ye-Colombia ingashiyanga mkhondo. Ngitshele: ingabe i-Portugal ingadlulela phambili ngeDiogo Costa kuphela kanye nokuvikela okuhlelekile? Futhi ingabe i-Colombia izozithethelela amathuba amakhulu amabili alahlekile, uma umdlalo wokugcina uzonqunywa ngendlela encane?

Philadelphia. Lincoln Financial Field. Isikolo sisho into eyodwa – izibalo ze-xG zihleba enye into. Gcinani lowo mcabango. I-Croatia inqoba i-Ghana ngo 2-1 kumdlalo weqembu L. Amagoli ka-Petar Sučić ngomzuzu wama-31 no-Nikola Vlašić ngomzuzu wama-83 – ngegoli lokuphendula lika-Derrick Luckassen ngomzuzu wama-73. Konke kubukeka kunengqondo. Kodwa kubukeka nje. Nansi ingxenye eyisimanga yobusuku: i-xG ye-Ghana – 0.73, i-xG ye-Croatia – 0.46. Iqembu elihluliwe, lenza usongo olukhulu. I-Croatia – ayikho imizuzu emikhulu. I-Ghana – emibili, eyodwa yaphuthelwa. Isikolo nezibalo ezingaphansi zibheke ezinhlangothini ezahlukene, futhi lowo ongakuboni lokhu – ufuna nje indaba enhle. I-Croatia esiwombeni sokuqala yayiqaphele: 54% yokubamba ibhola, 91% yokunemba kwamapasi, negoli lika-Sučić – elisezingeni, elifanele, isilinganiso esingu-8.81 ekupheleni komdlalo. Kodwa i-Croatia ayikwazanga ngempela ukuvula i-Ghana. Amashothi ayisishiyagalombili, amane ebhekise egolini, akekho umzuzu omkhulu – lokhu kuwukunqoba ngaphandle kokubusa. U-Luka Modrić (8.19) usathola indawo lapho ingekho khona – umlingo wakhe owaziwayo. I-Ghana iphume ngemuva kwekhefu njengeqembu elihlukile – ukushintshwa kabili kwengeze isivinini, negoli lika-Luckassen lalitholwe ngokufanele. Kodwa kulapha lapho i-Ghana kufanele izibuze umbuzo onzima: inenzuzo ye-xG nemizuzu emibili emikhulu – ingahlulwa kanjani? Amaphutha angu-13 uma kuqhathaniswa namaputha ayisishiyagalolunye omphikisi – iqembu elingakwazanga ukulawula umdlalo ngaphandle kokusebenzisa amandla amabi. Ngemizuzu engama-76 – i-VAR ngesigameko sika-Luckassen, ngemuva kwemizuzu emithathu nje kuphela ngemuva kwegoli lakhe. Imininingwane yokuhlola ayaziwa, kodwa kwaba ngemuva kwayo lapho i-Croatia yashaya igoli lokunqoba. Ingabe lesi sigameko saphazamisa umfutho we-Ghana esiqongweni? Ingabe sasilungile? Unompempe u-Drew Fischer uzothola leyo mibuzo – futhi ilungile. U-Vlašić ngomzuzu wama-83 waqedela – futhi ibhentshi le-Croatia lasebenza lapho abadlali abaqalayo babenobunzima. Isikolo sithopha i-Croatia. I-Ghana ibifanele okungenani ukulingana. Ibhola alinandaba nobulungiswa. Ku-FootLegion amagoli eqembu lakho ngeke athathwe yi-VAR – ahlala khona unomphela. Imibuzo yokuphikisana: ingabe i-Ghana isenamathuba okudlulela phambili – noma lo mdlalo waba yisishintsho? Futhi ingabe i-Croatia nge-xG engu-0.46 ingadlulela kude, lapho ihlangana nomphikisi onzima ngempela?

I-Panama 0:2 i-England — Iqembu L, i-MetLife Stadium, i-East Rutherford Nansi imfihlakalo yesiwombe sokuqala: I-England yayiphethe ibhola ngo-72% wesikhathi, yashaya amashothi amaningi — yaphuma esiwombeni sokuqala ingashayanga lutho. Isikolo sibukeka sikhululekile. Umlando womdlalo awunjalo. I-Panama yafika e-MetLife Stadium necebo elicacile: ukuhlala phansi kakhulu, ukwenza amaphutha kusenesikhathi, ukuhlala ihlangene. Amaphutha angu-16, ukubamba ibhola ngo-33% kanye ne-xG engu-0.58 — izibalo ezikhuluma ngokwethembeka ukuthi bayibamba kanjani i-England esiwombeni sokuqala. Kodwa ubuthakathaka babubonakala: I-Panama yayinikeza ibhola kalula kakhulu lapho kushintsha khona umdlalo, ikakhulukazi ohlangothini lwesokudla. Lapho u-José Fajardo ethola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-53, ukuqondiswa kwaba yinkinga. Ukushintsha kathathu ngomzuzu wama-71 kwakubonakala njengokuphelelwa ithemba kunokuba kube isu. I-England ene-xG engu-1.49 ngamagoli amabili ashayiwe — lokhu akukhona ukubusa, lokhu ukumosha. Izikhathi ezine ezinkulu, ezimbili zazo zaphuthelwa. Ihora lokuqala — ukudlala okuhle, okwakuvame ukuma endaweni yokugcina. U-Jarell Quansah, othole ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-60, washintshwa ngokushesha — ukushintsha kabili kwakubonakala njengokuphendula, hhayi okuhleliwe. Bese — u-Jude Bellingham. Igoli ngomzuzu wama-62: ukuvela endaweni yokujezisa ngesikhathi somuntu ofunda umdlalo izinyathelo ezintathu kusengaphambili. Akagcini nje ngokudlala ibhola — uyaliqondisa. Eminyeni emihlanu kamuva u-Harry Kane ngomzuzu wama-67 — ngokuzola nangokungenakugwenywa. Amagoli amabili emizuzwini emihlanu ngemuva kwehora lokuthula. I-England yamane yaphendula ukhiye. Isiphetho: I-England — amashothi angu-17, angu-6 aqondise emgomeni, ukubamba ibhola ngo-67%. I-Panama — amashothi angu-13, angu-2 aqondise emgomeni, unozinti onokulondoloza okungu-4. Umphumela ulungile. Ukusebenza — akunjalo: izikhala endaweni yokugcina e-England zingokoqobo, futhi izimbangi ezisezingeni eliphezulu zizobajezisa. Ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho akekho ozowathatha — gcina wonke unomphela. Manje ukuze kuphikiswane: Ingabe u-Bellingham wayefanele ukuqala, uma evuke kuphela ngemuva kwehora lomdlalo? Futhi ingabe i-Panama inamathuba angempela okudlala kuma-play-offs — noma lo mdlalo wawungoweqembu eliphelayo?

ILumen Field libone ukulingana ebhodini lamaphuzu okwakubizwa ngokuthi kufanelekile — kodwa umdlalo uqobo wawuneminye imibono. I-Egypt ishaye igoli ngomzuzu wesi-5 ngegoli likaMahmoud Saber, futhi umoya wamiswa kusenesikhathi. AmaFaro alawula ibhola kuwo wonke umdlalo — amaphesenti angama-61, amaphesenti angama-87 okunemba kokudlulisa ibhola, amakhona ayisishiyagalombili. Kodwa i-xG yawo yaphela ku-0.81 nje kuphela. Konke lokho kulawula, futhi cishe akukho okuyingozi ngempela. Akukho zikhathi ezinkulu ezingama-zero emizuzwini engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye. I-Egypt yaphinda kabusha kahle phambi kwe-block ye-Iran kodwa ayizange iyithole indlela yokuyidlula. I-Iran yatshela indaba ephambene — futhi eqotho kakhulu. I-xG engu-1.83 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-Egypt engu-0.81: lokhu kulingana ngokwezibalo kuyayithopha i-Egypt. Ama-Iranians enza amathuba amakhulu amane futhi aguqula elilodwa kuphela. Amathuba amakhulu amathathu aphuthelwe ayisibalo esibi. Igoli likaRamin Rezaeian lokulinganisa ngomzuzu we-14 — impendulo esheshayo, eqondile — libonise kahle usongo oluqondile i-Iran elwaluluphethe ubusuku bonke. Ukulawula ibhola okuncane, ukunemba okubi kokudlulisa ibhola, kodwa ngokusobala yiyona eqinile. Manje, isikhathi se-VAR esizodala impikiswano: ngomzuzu we-9, uMehdi Taremi wathola iphenathi ye-Iran. UMarciniak wakhomba endaweni — kodwa buyekeza futhi ungitshele ukuthi uqinisekile ukuthi kwakukhona ukuthintana okwanele. Iphenathi ayizange iguqulwe. Ukube yaguqulwa, ngabe sibhala ukubuyekeza okuhlukile kakhulu kusihlwa. Isimo sokuvikela se-Egypt sahlala siqinile engxenyeni yesibili. UYasser Ibrahim — umdlali osebenze kahle kakhulu ku-8.19 — wayemuhle ngemuva kokungena ngomzuzu we-14, ephazamisa isigqi se-Iran ngokuphindaphindiwe. Umbuzo owodwa, noma kunjalo: uMohamed Salah waphuma ngomzuzu we-57. USalah ophilile emdlalweni weqembu oqinile uyisikhali esibaluleke kakhulu ukusibeka eceleni kusenesikhathi. Umehluko we-xG ukhona ngempela. I-Iran yayifanele okungaphezulu. I-Egypt izothatha iphuzu futhi ngeke ixolise ngalo. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli esizwe sakho ahlala phakade — akukho ukulingana, akukho VAR engawathatha. Ingabe iphenathi kaTaremi yayiyiphutha langempela noma ubuciko bokudlala? Futhi ingabe uSalah bekufanele ahlale ukuze athole igoli lokuwina?

I-BC Place ibone ukubulawa kwabantu emvuleni yaseVancouver — nokho, imizuzu engamashumi amane nanhlanu, iNew Zealand yakulinga ukuthi ukholwe ukuthi kungase kube okunye okuhluke ngokuphelele. Nansi inombolo etshela indaba yangempela: i-xG yaseBelgium yafinyelela ku-3.65 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-0.25 yaseNew Zealand. Isikolo esingu-5-1 asisiyo into yokudumisa — uma kukhona, ukonga okuhlanu okuvela kumgcini we-All Whites kwakugcine kungabi kubi kakhulu. Lokhu kwakuyisikhala sekilasi esenziwe ngezibalo ezibandayo, ezingathetheleli. Kodwa nansi into ephikisayo efanele ukunakwa kwakho: iNew Zealand empeleni yawina impi yokugcinwa kwebhola esiwombeni sesibili, i-54 kuya ku-46. Ngemuva kwekhefu bacindezela, bacindezela. Inkinga ukuthi ukucindezela ngaphandle kwamazinyo kumane nje kugijima. Amashothi ayisithupha ubusuku bonke, amathuba amakhulu ayiziro — iNew Zealand ayizange isongele ngempela umugqa wasemuva waseBelgium. Isiwombe sabo sokuqala sasingcono nakakhulu: i-38% yokugcinwa kwebhola, yaminywa. Ukushintshwa kabili ngesikhathi sekhefu kwakhombisa ukuthi umqeqeshi naye wayekwazi. Lapho u-Elijah Just ebuyisa elilodwa ngemizuzu engama-84 kwakuyisikhathi sekhwalithi yomuntu ngamunye — isilinganiso sakhe esingu-7.41 inombolo enesizungu kunazo zonke ephepheni leqembu. UKevin De Bruyne, olinganiselwe ku-9.33, wayengumqhubi we-orchestra eyayikwazi yonke inothi. Igoli lakhe ngemizuzu engama-66 kwakuyilolo hlobo lokuqeda olunembile, olungenakugwenywa olukukhumbuza ukuthi kungani ukufunda kwakhe isikhala kuhlala kuphezulu. ULeandro Trossard wayengumphathi wokubulala: amagoli amabili, womabili akhiwe, womabili anembile. Kwaphinde kwaba khona lelo sikhathi se-VAR esihlanganisa uTrossard ngemizuzu engama-21 — isinqumo saphikisana neBelgium ngaleso sikhathi. Ingabe kwabaluleka? Ushaye amagoli amabili noma kunjalo. Ingabe ubulungiswa benziwa, noma ingabe i-hat-trick engaba khona yebiwe? Lokho kungokwephabhu. Iphutha laseBelgium? Amathuba amakhulu amabili aphuthelwe kwamane. Isiwombe sesibili sabona nabo behlezi ku-46% yokugcinwa kwebhola, bememela ukuvuselelwa okufushane kweNew Zealand. Kukhululekile, yebo — futhi ukukhululeka kungazala ukunganaki. USaelemaekers noLukaku bobabili bashaya amagoli ngemuva kokuphuma ebhentshini emizuzwini yokugcina, okukutshela ukuthi ukujula kwaleli qembu kuyesabeka ngempela. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli amahlanu aseBelgium akhiyiwe eqoqweni lakho — akukho unompempe, akukho VAR okubasusa. Manje kuwe: ingabe ubuciko bukaDe Bruyne bubeka iBelgium phakathi kwabancintisana ngempela, noma ingabe lokhu kwakungukunganakwa nje? Futhi iNew Zealand — ingabe kukhona uhlelo B, noma ingabe iQembu G seliphelile kubo?

I-Estadio Akron ibiphefumula ibhola kusihlwa — futhi lokho elikukhiphile bekuyisifundo esibandayo sokuwina kabi ngenkathi libukeka lilihle. I-Spain ishaye i-Uruguay ngo 0:1 kuGroup H. Umphumela ulungile ephepheni. Kodwa nansi into exakayo: iqembu elingalithintanga ibhola licishe lalintshontsha. Umdlalo unqunywe ngomzuzu wama-42. U-Alex Baena, obekhuluma phakathi kwemigqa yonke ingxenye yokuqala, uthole indawo encane i-mid-block ye-Uruguay enqabile ukuyivala. Ukuthinta okukodwa, ukudubula okukodwa, igoli elilodwa — akukho usizo, okusho ukuthi wazenzela umzuzu. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kwesigamu sesibili, umuntu ofanayo uthole ikhadi eliphuzi. Lokho kungenzi kahle, lokho kungakhathali, kuyingxenye yephakheji kaBaena. I-Spain ithole okungcono kakhulu nokungahluziwe kakhulu kuye ngobusuku obubodwa. Ukhishwe ngomzuzu wama-66 — umsebenzi wenziwe, imizwa ilawulwa. I-xG yase-Spain engu-0.86 uma iqhathaniswa ne-Uruguay engu-0.20 iqinisekisa ukuba phezulu okulawulwayo — kodwa hhayi ukubusa. Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nesikhombisa okuba nebhola, amaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye okudlulisela ibhola ngokunembile, amakhona ayisithupha, kodwa ukudubula okukodwa kuphela okuhlosile. Ingxenye yokugcina ibiyisimo sezimoto. U-Lamine Yamal noMikel Oyarzabal bobabili bakhishwe ngaphambi kwemizuzu engama-80 — ukushintsha noma ukukhungatheka, wena unquma. I-Spain yakha uhlaka kodwa ayikwazanga ukulufaka. I-Uruguay ibiqotho ekulinganiseleni kwayo futhi inesibindi enjongweni yayo. Ngamaphesenti angama-26 kuphela okuba nebhola engxenyeni yokuqala, bazivikela ngesiyalo. Amaphutha ayishumi nane, i-low block, uhlelo. Inkinga? I-xG engu-0.20 kanye nethuba elilodwa elikhulu eliphuthelwe. Uma unganikezi lutho ekushintsheni, umzuzu owodwa wekhwalithi — futhi uBaena wawunikeza — wanele. Ingxenye yesibili yashintsha ibhalansi. Ukuba nebhola kwashintsha kwaba ngu-41-59, i-Uruguay yathola amandla ngokushintsha abadlali. U-Manuel Ugarte wakhishwa ngesikhathi sekhefu, u-Federico Valverde waphuma ngomzuzu wama-57 — laba akubona abadlali abancane. Ikhadi elibomvu sekwephuzile lika-Agustín Canobbio ngomzuzu wama-90 lengeza ukuhlukumeza, futhi ikhadi eliphuzi lika-Nicolás de la Cruz ngomzuzu ofanayo lisikisela iqembu elihlakazeka. U-Aymeric Laporte ube yidwala i-Spain elalilidinga — ulinganiselwe ngo-8.19, isikhumbuzo sokuthi ubuhlakani bokuvikela buwina imiqhudelwano njengoba nje nobuhlakani benza. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo avalelwe phakade — akekho okuthatha lokho. Manje, kuwe: ingabe ukukhipha uValverde ngaphambi kwehora bekuyiphutha noma ubuhlakani? Futhi ingabe i-Uruguay ingakwazi ukulwela indlela yayo eya kuma-knockouts, noma leli qembu selivele lenze isinqumo salo?

Amaqanda ayisishiyagalolunye, ubulungiswa obuyisishiyagalolunye — yisinqumo esiqotho esivela e-NRG Stadium e-Houston, lapho i-Cabo Verde ne-Saudi Arabia zidlalelane ngokulingana ngo 0-0, kanti izinombolo zikhombisa ohlangothini olulodwa, kuyilapho ibhodi lamaphuzu libe linyamalele. Nansi intshisekelo: i-xG ye-Cabo Verde yayingu-1.52 — cishe izikhathi ezine ngaphezu kwe-Saudi Arabia (0.40). Lokhu akusona isifaniso esilinganayo. "Ama-Blue Sharks" adlala kahle esigabeni sokuqala, adlulisa ibhola ngokunembile okungu-85% futhi adubula izikhathi eziyi-15. Futhi nokho — ezimbili kuphela ezibhekise emgomweni. Isikhathi esisodwa esikhulu, esilahlekile. Umehluko phakathi kwenhloso nokwenza kwabalahlekisela konke. Amashothi ayishumi nanhlanu, amabili emgomweni — le nombolo ichaza kahle ukuthi ukuhlasela kwaphuka kuphi: isinqumo sokugcina, ipasi lokugcina, ukungqubuzana — konke kwashabalala ngesikhathi esifanele. UVozinha emgomweni usebenze isilinganiso sakhe esingu-7.67 ngobuqotho, evimba amashothi amathathu. UDeroy Duarte naye wayethembekile ngemuva — isakhiwo sokuvikela se-Cabo Verde sisebenza. Inkinga ayikaze ibe ekuzivikeleni. I-Saudi Arabia, kufanele kuvunywe, yenza ngendlela eqondile futhi ebukhali ekuhlaseleni okuphikisayo. Amashothi amathathu emgomweni kwabayisikhombisa — i-Cabo Verde ingabe ibe nomona ngalokho. Kodwa ngisho nesikhathi sabo esisodwa esikhulu asizange sifezeke. U-Abdulelah Al-Amri waba ngumdlali ohamba phambili enkundleni ngesilinganiso esingu-8.19, kanti u-Ali Lajami — owangena kakade ngomzuzu wama-33 — waqinisekisa isilinganiso sakhe esingu-7.93 ngomdlalo oqinile. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ama-Saudi enza amaphutha ayi-16, kanti ikhadi eliphuzi lika-Nasser Al-Dawsari ngomzuzu wama-67 lagcizelela: iqembu lalivame ukuphendula kunokuba lenze kuqala. Izigameko ezimbili ze-VAR zengeze ukwesaba: u-João Paulo wahlolwa ngomzuzu wama-39, u-Moteb Al-Harbi — ngomzuzu wama-88. Zombili izinqumo zizoxoxwa ngazo isikhathi eside ngemuva kokuphela komdlalo. Ibhodi lamaphuzu lithi — ukulingana. I-xG ithi — ukuphanga. Ku-FootLegion akekho ozothatha amagoli ezwe lakho — ngokungafani nalawa maphuzu alahlekile. Umbuzo wokuxabana: ingabe umqeqeshi we-Cabo Verde kufanele aphendule ngokuguqulwa kwamashothi — noma ingabe kumane kuyisuku elinzima? Futhi ingabe i-Saudi Arabia ingahamba ibanga elide, ivikela phansi kangaka?

Umbuzo obungiphethe kusukela kumzuzu wokuqala: Ingabe ikhadi elibomvu ngomzuzu we-13 lenza isikolo esingu-5:0 singagwemeki — noma limane nje liveza okwakungagwemeki kusukela ekuqaleni? Ngokushaya kwekhwela lokugcina e-BMO Field, impendulo yabukeka inonya futhi isobala. U-Habib Diarra uvule isikolo ngomzuzu we-4 — i-Senegal yafaka ingcindezi kusukela kumizuzu yokuqala. Kwase kuthi i-VAR ihlole isigameko sika-Rebin Sulaka ngomzuzu we-12, kwalandela ikhadi elibomvu ngomzuzu we-13. Ingabe isigwebo sasinobulungiswa — umbuzo usavulekile, u-Anthony Taylor uzothola abagxeki. Iqiniso lilele kwenye indawo: i-xG yase-Iraq ekugcineni yayingu-0.18 kuphela, ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola — 69%, ukushaya okukodwa kuphela okubhekise emgqeni phakathi nomdlalo wonke. Abantu abayishumi bebhekene nomshini onokubamba ibhola okungu-69% — lokhu akuyona indlela yokudlala, lokhu ukusinda. Kodwa i-Senegal kufanele izithembise. Ngokuba nabantu abaningi kusukela kumzuzu we-13, baye ekhefini besashaya i-1:0 kuphela. Amathuba amakhulu amathathu alahlekile kwangu-amahlanu — ukumosha okukhathazayo. I-xG engu-3.03 ikhuluma ngokubusa kwangempela, kodwa ukusebenza kahle kwakungaphansi kuze kube yisikhathi esithile. Ukuqhuma kwenzeka ngemuva kwekhefu: u-Ismaïla Sarr ngomzuzu we-56, kwase kuba u-Pape Gueye ongene esikhundleni — ngomzuzu we-59 nange-71. Umuntu ongene esikhundleni wathatha umdlalo waba ngowakhe futhi wathola isilinganiso esingu-10. U-Iliman Ndiaye waqeda umdlalo ngomzuzu we-82. U-Idrissa Gana Gueye wayeqondisa umdlalo esuka phakathi nenkundla kuwo wonke umdlalo — 8.5 esilinganisweni, nakuba naye wahlolwa yi-VAR ngomzuzu we-87: imininingwane yesigameko ayaziwa, indawo yokuphikisana isasele. Unogada wase-Iraq wasindisa izikhathi eziyisikhombisa — futhi uhamba ngesithunzi. Ngaphandle kwakhe izinombolo zazingaba zihlukile. Kodwa ngamathuba amakhulu ayiziro kanye nokungasebenzi ngokuphelele ekuhlaseleni, akukho ndlela yokudlala engasiza. U-Zidane Iqbal onamakhono akhe okudala amathuba akazange athole ibhola lapho ayengalimaza khona. Isikolo sidlula kancane i-xG — amagoli amahlanu uma kuqhathaniswa no-3.03. Kodwa lokhu akuyona inhlanhla, lokhu ukukhathala kwezinyawo eziyishumi uma kuqhathaniswa nabangenayo abasha. Imibuzo kumazwana: Ingabe ikhadi elibomvu lanquma konke noma ingabe ukuhlulwa okukhulu kwakungagwemeki noma kunjalo? Futhi ingabe i-Senegal ingakwazi ukumosha kangaka uma ibhekene nabaphikisi abaqinile? Ku-FootLegion amagoli eqembu lakho lesizwe akekho ozowathatha — ngokungafani nalokho okwenzeka enkundleni.

I-Gillette Stadium eFoxborough ibone into exakile namhlanje: IFulansi yawina ngo 4-1, kodwa i-xG yaseNorway engu-1.69 empeleni yeqe eyeFulansi engu-1.31. Isikolo sakhombisa ukubusa; izinombolo zahlebela okuthile okuyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu. Le paradox kufanele ihlolwe ngokwethembeka. Ingxenye yokuqala yomdlalo ibingeyomuntu oyedwa. U-Ousmane Dembélé uqede iNorway kathathu ngaphambi kwekhefu — ngomzuzu we-7, we-20, nowe-32. Ukunyakaza kwakhe ezindaweni abanye abangaziboni, leso sinyathelo sokuqala esiqhumayo, umuzwa wokufika lapho abavikeli bengakho khona — bekuyisifundo. I-hat-trick ngomzuzu we-32 eNdebeni Yomhlaba idinga umdlali osebenza ngezinga elingenakulinganiswa. Isilinganiso esingu-9.71 asanele ukudumisa. Kodwa iNorway ifanele ukudunyiswa kakhulu kunalokho okukhonjiswa isikolo. Bakhe amathuba amakhulu amane futhi bashaya elilodwa kuphela — u-Thelo Aasgaard ebuyisela elilodwa ngomzuzu we-21, umzuzu wokungavumi okukhulu okufakwe phakathi kwegoli lesibili nelesithathu likaDembélé. Amathuba amakhulu amathathu aphuthelwe yisibalo esibuhlungu. Ukube kungenani elilodwa elengeziwe lingenile ngaphambi kwekhefu, bekuzobe kukhulunywa ngomdlalo ohluke ngokuphelele. Ukuqedela kudumaze iNorway ngezindlela ukucindezela kwabo okungazange kwenze ngazo. IFulansi, naphezu kokusebenza kahle kwayo, ibingaphelele. Amaphutha ayishumi nanye, kanye ne-xG engu-1.31 kukutshela ukuthi la magoli avela ekusebenzeni okubukhali kunokucindezela okukhulu. Amabili kwamathuba abo amakhulu amathathu aphuthelwe. Ukulawula akuzange kuphelele njengoba isikolo sasisho. Umzuzu we-VAR ngomzuzu we-48 wengeza olunye ungqimba: iphenathi enikezwe iNorway ebandakanya u-Oscar Bobb — naye obengumdlali ovelele ngesilinganiso esingu-8.19. Ukuthi ukuthintana kwakufanele isinqumo yingxoxo ezogcwalisa yonke indawo yokucima ukoma kusihlwa. U-Michael Oliver ukuqinisekisile, i-VAR yakuqinisekisa — kodwa izithombe kuzophikiswana ngazo izinsuku. INorway yathuthuka ngemuva kwekhefu, ukubamba ibhola kwenyuka kusuka ku-37% kuya ku-49%, kodwa igoli likaDésiré Doué ngomzuzu we-90 lavala umnyango ngokuphelele. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo angawakho ukuba uwagcine ingunaphakade. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: ingabe i-hat-trick kaDembélé ekugcineni ithulisa konke ukungabaza mayelana nokungaguquguquki kwakhe eziteji ezinkulu? Futhi ingabe iNorway ingasinda kuleli qembu uma iqhubeka nokwakha amathuba ngalesi silinganiso — kodwa iwashaya ngalesi silinganiso?

Imizuzu emithathu. Yilokho kuphela okwathatha ukuthi iSoFi Stadium iqhume — u-Auston Trusty ehola i-USA phambili ngaphambi kokuba abalandeli abaningi bathole izihlalo zabo, futhi ngokungazelelwe izwe elisingethe umdlalo labukeka sengathi lingababhubhisa. Nansi into exakayo: abazange. I-Türkiye yabuyela emdlalweni futhi yawina lo mdlalo ngo-3-2, futhi ngesikhathi uKaan Ayhan efaka ikhanda lakhe ngomzuzu wama-90, izinombolo zatshela indaba ibhodi lamaphuzu elalingakwazi ukuyiqukatha. Masikhulume iqiniso ngalokho okushiwo yi-xG. I-Türkiye yakhiqiza amagoli alindelekile angu-3.01 ngamashothi angu-9 kuphela — lokho kuwukuguqulwa okucacile, okusebenza kahle ngesihluku. I-USA yakhiqiza i-xG engu-2.13 kumashothi angu-18, amakhona ayisishiyagalolunye, kanye namaphesenti angu-53 okuphatha ibhola. Babusa izindawo ezibukeka kahle ephepheni futhi bashaywa noma kunjalo. Lelo gebe phakathi kwe-xG nomphumela liwumgodi abantu baseMelika abazowugaya izinsuku eziningi. Indaba ye-Türkiye yabhalwa engxenyeni yokuqala. Ngemuva kokuvulwa kukaTrusty, u-Arda Güler — umdlali weReal Madrid ononyawo lwakhe lwesokunxele olubonakala luhlala lulungiswe ngendlela ehlukile — walungisa amaphuzu ngemuva kwemizuzu eyishumi ngohlobo lokunyakaza olwenza abavikeli babukeke sengathi bami kusimende. Khona-ke u-Barış Alper Yılmaz wandisa umkhondo waba ngu-2-1 ngomzuzu wama-31. AbaseTurkey bavikela ngendlala futhi bahlasela ngobulili, befinyelela amaphesenti angu-77 okunemba kokudlula ngamaphesenti angu-47 okuphatha ibhola — beqinile, beqondile, bebulala. Ubuthakathaka babo? Amaphutha ayishumi nantathu namathuba amakhulu amabili aphuthelwe; ngezinye izikhathi ukuqondiswa kwezigwegwe kwaphazamiseka futhi ukwakheka kwenkundla kwavuleka ngendlela eyingozi. Inkinga ye-USA kwakungeyona imizamo — kwakuyingxenye yokugcina. Amathuba amakhulu amathathu aphuthelwe, amashothi ayisikhombisa aqonde emgomweni kumizamo eyishumi nesishiyagalombili, kanye nesikhathi esisodwa kuphela sokungena kwangempela esabaluleka: uSebastian Berhalter, obhukwe ngomzuzu wama-19, ngandlela thile wakhiqiza ukuqedela okuzolile kakhulu komdlalo ngama-49. Ngemuva kwalokho, ukushintshwa kwabadlali — uPulišić wangena ngama-58, kwase kuba ukushintshwa okuthathu ngama-76-77 — kwehlulekile ukuvula ukuvikela kwe-Türkiye okwakutholile isigqi sako. AbaseMelika baphushela kanzima ngokwanele ukuthi baphoqe ukuthi unozinti waseTurkey enze izinto ezinhlanu, kodwa abazange bathole inhlanganisela eyayisongela ngempela. UKaan Ayhan wayesenkundleni cishe imizuzu emibili njengomdlali oshintshiwe lapho eqeda khona ngama-90. Ukuhlekisa akubi kubi kangako kunalokho kubalandeli basekhaya. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba ahlala ekhiyiwe kuze kube phakade — akekho owawasusa. Ngakho, kuwe: ingabe u-Arda Güler wayengumdlali owenza umehluko lolu mqhudelwano olwalumdinga, noma ingabe i-USA yavele yachitha izikhathi zayo ezinhle kakhulu? Futhi ingabe i-Türkiye ingaqhubeka nokuguqula ngempumelelo kangaka uma ibhekana nabaphikisi abaqinile emizuliswaneni yokukhishwa?

Imizuzu emibili idlule. ULeroy Sané uvula isikhiya ngaphambi kokuba abalandeli abaningi bathole izihlalo zabo, bese ucabanga — iJalimane izowina lo mqhudelwano. Ngemuva kwemizuzu engamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu, i-Ecuador ihamba namaphuzu amathathu. Lokho kushintsha okusheshayo yindaba yeQembu E namuhla ebusuku. Ake siqale ngenombolo eveza konke: i-xG yaseJalimane ibingu-0.65, eye-Ecuador ibingu-1.27. IJalimane ibiphethe ibhola ngo-61%, ishaye amashothi angu-11 — kodwa yakhiqiza ingozi encane kakhulu engalingana nengxenye yegoli, yaphuthelwa elinye lamathuba amabili amakhulu. Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nanye ebhola bese uqeda ngengozi encane kunegoli elilodwa. Lena inkinga yesakhiwo, hhayi inhlanhla embi. Igoli lokuqala likaSané ngomzuzu wesi-2 laphakamisa indaba ehlukile — elibukhali, elinembile, elijezisa umugqa ophakeme we-Ecuador njengoba bekulindelekile. Kodwa uNilson Angulo walilinganisa ngomzuzu wesi-9, futhi umdlalo washintsha. I-Ecuador ibiphethe ibhola ngo-39% kuphela kodwa ibibukeka ibukhali ngalokho ebikunakho. U-Angulo uqeda ubusuku ekalwe ngo-7.69 kanye noMoisés Caicedo noPedro Vite — laba ababili abaphakathi ababeqotho futhi belwela njalo lapho iJalimane izama ukuthola izindlela eziqondile. Babengakwenzi lokho kaningi. Ukuqeqeshwa kwe-Ecuador kwakuyindaba encane eyacishe yaba yindaba enkulu. UPiero Hincapié no-Alan Franco bathola amakhadi aphuzi ngomzuzu wama-43 nowama-50 ngokulandelana — ukuqoqwa okungenamqondo okwashiya i-Ecuador isikhathi esisodwa sokuhlanya iseduze nenhlekelele. Basinda kukho. IJalimane ayizange isebenzise lokho, okukhombisa okuningi ngobuthuntu bayo bokuhlasela njengokumelana kwe-Ecuador. Ngomzuzu wama-47 ukuhlolwa kwe-VAR kwahamba ngokumelene neJalimane okuhilela uKai Havertz — imininingwane isaseyiqiniso elingaphikiswa, futhi abalandeli bazo zombili izinhlangothi bazoyiphikisa isikhathi eside ebusuku. Okunzima kakhulu ukuphikisa ukuthi ukushintsha okubili ngomzuzu wama-60 — u-Undav noThiaw bangena ngesikhathi esisodwa — akuzange kuvule lutho olubalulekile. Igoli lokuwina likaGonzalo Plata ngomzuzu wama-77 lazizwa liwufanele. IJalimane yaphusha sekwephuzile kodwa yashoda ngokunemba ukuze ihlukanise iqembu elihlangene, elihlelekile elizingela wonke amabhola esibili. I-Ecuador yayiyiqembu elingcono ngokuya ngezibalo ezibalulekile. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli afana negoli lokuwina likaPlata ahlala phakade — akekho owathatha emlandweni wezwe lakho. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: ingabe umdlalo weJalimane wokuphetha ibhola unomkhawulo wangempela, noma ingabe uwukuhlobisa okuhle nje? Futhi ingabe i-Ecuador ingakulungisa ukunganaki kwayo kwamakhadi aphuzi ngaphambi kokuba kubabize konke?

I-Lincoln Financial Field ePhiladelphia yabona okuthile okwakubonakala kulula – isikolo esingu-0:2 esasho iqiniso. Nasi isiphithiphithi engasishoyo ekuqaleni komdlalo: I-Côte d'Ivoire yaba nengxenye enkulu yokudlala ibhola, yakha amathuba amathathu amakhulu, yaba ne-xG engu-1.31 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-0.5 encane ye-Curaçao, futhi yawina ngo 2:0. Okokuqala, izinombolo kanye nesikolo kwahlangana. Akukho ukuphikisana, akukho ukungalungi – yiqembu elingcono elenza lokho amaqembu angcono okufanele akwenze. Indaba yalo mdlalo ingeka Nicolas Pépé. Amagoli amabili – elika-7th minute nelika-64th – agcizelela ukusebenza okwakhumbuza wonke umuntu ukuthi kungani i-Côte d'Ivoire yamletha lapha. Kukhona ukucaca ngoPépé uma ebukhali: akalindeli ukuthi umdlalo ummeme, ukhahlela umnyango phansi kusenesikhathi. Igoli lakhe lokuqala labeka ithoni ngaphambi kokuba i-Curaçao izinze, kanti elesibili lavimbela noma yikuphi ukubuya ngaphambi kokuba kuphefumule. Ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu ka-35 – elingadingekile, uhlobo olwalungaphazamisa intambama yakhe – kunalokho kwabonakala kulola ukugxila kwakhe. Washintshwa ngomzuzu ka-67, umsebenzi wenziwe. U-Ibrahim Sangaré eduze kwakhe naye wayezolile ngokulinganayo: isilinganiso esingu-8.19 sikutshela ukuthi walawula isivinini senkundla ngegunya elithulile. I-Côte d'Ivoire yayingaphelele, noma kunjalo. Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu laphuthelwa, kuphela amashothi ama-3 agoliwe kwangu-7, futhi ukudlala ibhola kwehle kusuka ku-70% engxenyeni yokuqala kuya ku-57% ngemuva kwekhefu – izimpawu zokuthi bavumela i-Curaçao ukuthi ibuye emdlalweni lapho babengawuqeda ngokuphelele. I-Curaçao, ngokufanelekile, yayingezona izihambi. Amashothi ayishumi nanye – aphindwe kabili kunalawo ama-Ivorians – kanye ne-43% yokudlala ibhola engxenyeni yesibili kukhombisa impi yangempela. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu ayiziro kanye ne-xG engu-0.5 kuphela kuveza iqiniso elingakhululekile: ivolumu ngaphandle kwekhwalithi. U-Juninho Bacuna no-Gervane Kastaneer bobabili bathola amakhadi aphuzi ezigabeni zokugcina – ukukhungatheka okubonakalayo. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayile namuhla angawakho ukuwagcina phakade. Manje ngitshele – ingabe lelo khadi eliphuzi likaPépé laliyiphuzu langempela lokuguquka engxenyeni yokuqala? Futhi ingabe i-Curaçao ingathola ubukhali obuyidinga kakhulu ngaphambi kokuba umkhankaso wayo weNdebe yoMhlaba ushabalale?

Imizuzu eyisithupha. Yilokho umehluko phakathi kokuhola kweJapane nokulingana kweJapane — futhi lowo mehluko ungachaza yonke imikhankaso yabo yeNdebe Yomhlaba. Gcina lokho engqondweni. I-AT&T Stadium e-Arlington ibambe umdlalo weQembu F ophele ngo 1:1, futhi isikolo sithembekile ngokwanele — nakuba isithombe se-xG sikutshela ukuthi yiluphi uhlangothi olufanele okuningi. I-Japane yakhiqiza ama-goal alindelekile angu-1.21 kuya ku-0.64 we-Sweden. Ikhwalithi ephindwe kabili engxenyeni yokugcina, kodwa iphuzu eliyingxenye kuphela elibonisiwe. Izinombolo azikho amanga, kodwa ibhola liyathanda ukuqamba amanga. I-Japane ilawule ingxenye yokuqala nge-possession engu-55%, idlala inhlanganisela esheshayo eqondile futhi icindezela i-Sweden ibhola ngalowo mandla angapheli i-Samurai Blue eyenze uphawu lwayo. U-Ao Tanaka ubengumshini waphakathi nendawo — olinganiselwe ku-7.67 — eqondisa isivinini futhi egcina isakhiwo siqinile. I-Sweden, ngaleso sikhathi, yanika u-Isak Hien ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-32 futhi ngobuhlakani yamkhipha ngemuva kwemizuzu emihlanu ngaphambi kokuba isimo sibe sibi kakhulu. Siyabonga kubhentshi laseSweden ngokufunda lokho kusenesikhathi. Ingxenye yesibili ilethe idrama. U-Daizen Maeda — ohlale eyingozi ngokugijima okunamandla ngemuva — uphule ukulingana ngomzuzu wama-56. I-Japane ibukeka isilungele ukuphumelela okuthile okubalulekile. Bese, ngemuva kwemizuzu eyisithupha, u-Anthony Elanga wajezisa iphutha lesikhashana ekuhlelekeni kokuvikela kweJapane futhi walungisa ku-1:1. Amashothi angu-11 e-Sweden ane-xG engu-0.64 kuphela akutshela ukuthi leyo mizamo ibingacacile — kodwa lelo lashaya. Nakhu lapho uhlangothi ngalunye lwazilimaza khona. I-Japane yaphuthelwa yithuba elikhulu lokuphinda kabili umkhondo ngaphambi kokuba i-Sweden ikwazi ukuphendula — ukungabaza okubulalayo. Amakhona ayisishiyagalombili e-Sweden akhiqiza cishe lutho, futhi ukunemba kwabo kwe-pass okungu-79% kwabashiya behlukene kakhulu ukuze basongele ngempela. U-Viktor Gyökeres uthole ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-85 — ukukhungatheka kubonakala, i-Sweden ifuna umnqobi abangakwazi ukuwudala. Ukushintshwa okuphindwe kathathu kweJapane sekwephuzile, okuhlanganisa no-Yuto Nagatomo onolwazi, kuphakamise ukushintshela ekuvikeleni iphuzu. Ukuphatha okuhlakaniphile noma ukuqapha okweqile? Impikiswano enengqondo. I-xG ithi i-Japane ibingcono. Ibhodi lesikolo lithi akukho uhlangothi olwalungcono ngempela. Lowo mehluko phakathi kokufaneleka nokuzuza yinkondlo enonya yesigaba samaqembu. Ku-FootLegion, wonke ama-goal isizwe sakho esiwashayayo ahlala eyakho phakade — akekho okuthatha lokho. Ingabe i-Japane yahlala ngokushesha kakhulu ngokulingana, noma iphuzu lazuza ngendlela efanele? Futhi ingabe ukungakwazi kwe-Sweden ukudala amathuba angempela kukukhathaza njengoba niqhubekela phambili kuQembu F?

Imizuzu emithathu. Yilokho kuphela okwathatha — futhi nansi umbuzo okufanele ubambelele kuwo kuze kube sekupheleni komdlalo: ingabe i-Tunisia yayingakaze ibuye ngempela ngemuva kokuqala okunjalo? U-Ellyes Skhiri ushintshe isiphambano se-Netherlands saba inethi yakhe ngomzuzu wesithathu — igoli elibi ngaphambi kokuba i-Tunisia ithinte ibhola ngendlela efanele. Emizuzwini emine kamuva, u-Brian Brobbey wenza kwaba ngu-2–0, edlula emuva ngokuqonda, ukukholwa ngokomzimba. Ngomzuzu wesikhombisa, iqembu F lase lishilo okokuqala. Manje okuphambene: i-xG ye-Tunisia yayingu-0.62, i-Netherlands 1.85. Isikolo sokugcina esingu-1–3 sithembekile kakhulu — kodwa asihambisani kahle nanoma yiluphi uhlangothi. AmaDashi akhiqize okwanele ukuze anqobe kalula, kodwa aphuthelwa yithuba elilodwa elikhulu futhi aguqula amagoli amabili kuphela avela ku-1.85 xG. Ngokubamba ibhola okungamaphesenti angu-71 kanye nokunemba kokudlula okungamaphesenti angu-93, umshini wawunamandla; ukuqedela kwanele. I-Tunisia yenqaba ukugoqa. Ngamaphesenti angu-29 kuphela ebhola, bahlala behamba phambili egumbini lenjini, kodwa igoli likaMastouri ngomzuzu wama-54 — libukhali, lizolile, ngokungazelelwe lenza kwaba ngu-1–2 — lanikeza lo mdlalo inhliziyo yangempela. Ukushintshwa okukhulu okuthathu cishe ngomzuzu wama-67 kwakhombisa ukugoqa okukhulu kwedayisi, futhi imizuzu eyisishiyagalombili isikolo sasithuthumela. Khona-ke uJan Paul van Hecke, olinganiselwe ku-8.74 ngalobo busuku futhi obekhanya kakhulu emdlalweni, waqeda umdlalo ngomzuzu wama-62 — umvikeli ofika ngesiqiniseko somgadli. U-Virgil van Dijk eceleni kwakhe wayezolile, engajahi, efunda izinsongo ngaphambi kokuba zivele. Ubuthakathaka bangempela be-Tunisia babungokwakhiwo: bahlala phansi kakhulu ngokushesha, bememela ingcindezi kunokuba baphazamise ukwakhiwa kwamaDashi phezulu enkundleni. Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu abaliphuthelwa ngemuva kwegoli likaMastouri lalingashintsha yonke into. Kunalokho, uvan Hecke wajezisa ukuvulwa kwesikhashana ngakolunye uhlangothi. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli isizwe sakho esiwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba angawakho unomphela — akekho owathathayo. Manje, kuwe: ingabe ukulwa kwe-Tunisia kwesigamu sesibili kwakuncane kakhulu, sekwephuze kakhulu? Futhi ingabe i-Netherlands ikhombise okwanele ukuze ihambe kude kulo mqhudelwano?

Zero ebhodini lezikolo. Zero amagoli. Kodwa-ke, ingabe lokhu bekuyisiphetho esingasho lutho, noma iLevi's Stadium eSanta Clara ibone okuthile okuthakazelisayo ngendlela ethulile? Gcina lowo mcabango. I-Paraguay ingene kulo mdlalo njengeqembu obekulindeleke ukuthi lihlupheke. Amaphesenti angamashumi amane nane okuphatha ibhola sekukonke, amashumi amathathu nesikhombisa kuphela engxenyeni yokuqala – abeboshwe emuva, efunda umdlalo ngokuzivikela, ethemba ukuma kwawo. Futhi lokho kuma kwabamba. U-Orlando Gill ube ngumdlali ovelele kakhulu ngalobo busuku ngesilinganiso esingu-8.19, futhi umbukela esebenza uqonda ukuthi kungani – eqinile, enesinqumo, udonga lapho i-Australia izama ukuphusha phakathi. U-Matías Galarza eceleni kwakhe ugcine injini isebenza ezindaweni eziqinile, enesilinganiso esingu-7.67. Ubuthakathaka? I-Paraguay ayizange iphume ngaphandle. Izibhamu eziyisikhombisa, i-xG engu-0.25 kuphela – ayizange isongele neze. Ikhona layo elilodwa likutshela konke mayelana nokuthi ingakanani ingcindezi abayiphushile phambili. Uma uvikeleka kahle kangako futhi usahluleka ukwenza ithuba elilodwa elikhulu ekuhlaseleni okusheshayo, umbuzo kufanele ubuzwe mayelana nesifiso sabo sokuhlasela. I-Australia ibe yiqembu elingcono ngokuya cishe ngayo yonke imethrikhi ebalulekile. Amaphesenti angamashumi amahlanu nesithupha okuphatha ibhola, izibhamu eziyi-12, ezi-5 ezibhekise emgomeni, i-xG engu-0.58 – kabili kwe-Paraguay. U-Lucas Herrington ube ngumdlali wabo ohamba phambili ngesilinganiso esingu-7.36, ephethe ibhola ngenhloso futhi egcina ingcindezi iqhubeka. Ama-Socceroos adlale kahle engxenyeni yokuqala, ephethe amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nantathu ebhola, ehlolela, ejikeleza. Kodwa nansi iqiniso elibuhlungu: abazange bakhe amathuba amakhulu. Akukho. Izibhamu eziyi-12, futhi akukho neyodwa eyenza onozinti bathuthumele ngempela. Ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola okungamaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nambili kubukeka kuhle ephepheni – kodwa uma lokho kunemba kungalokothi kuveze ukungena, kumane kuyibhola ngenxa yebhola. Izinto ezinhlanu ezisindisiwe zikanogada we-Paraguay zigcizelela ukuthi i-Australia okungenani yazama ukushaya igoli, kodwa ukuntuleka kokunemba ekugcineni kwenkundla kube yindaba yabo ngalobo busuku. Isikolo sihlonipha i-Paraguay futhi sidumaza i-Australia – igebe le-xG elingu-0.58 kuya ku-0.25 liqinisekisa ukuthi ama-Socceroos afanele okungaphezulu. Kodwa ibhola alikhokhi nge-xG. Unogada we-Paraguay kanye nebhulokhi lokuvikela bazizuzile zonke izingxenye zalelo phuzu. Ku-FootLegion, izinto ezisindisiwe, amabhulokhi, ukuzinza kwe-Paraguay – akukho okususiwe kuwe. Manje kuwe kumazwana: Ingabe ukuziphatha kwe-Paraguay kwezokuvikela kuyisikhali sangempela seNdebe Yomhlaba, noma kuzophelelwa amandla uma kubhekene nabaphikisi abaqinile? Futhi ingabe i-Australia ingakwazi ukugcina yakha okuncane kangaka engxenyeni yokugcina ngaphambi kokuba lo mkhankaso weqembu usuke kubo?

Kulo mdlalo, kwakukhona umbuzo omkhulu ngaphambi kokuba kuqalwe e-Estadio Azteca: Ingabe i-Czech Republic, enendlela yayo yokudlala eqinile yase-Europe, ingakwazi ukubhekana nomsindo wezihlalo, ukuphakama, kanye neMexico edlala phambi kwabalandeli bayo? Imizuzu engamashumi amane nanhlanu, impendulo yabukeka njengokuthi "yebo" okungakhululekile, okuklabalasayo. Isigamu sesibili saphendula ngenye indlela — futhi ngokuphimisela. Ake siqale ngezinombolo. I-xG yaseMexico: 1.79. I-xG yaseCzech Republic: 0.47. Umphumela ongu-0:3 ngamathuba amahlanu amakhulu e-El Tri — lokhu akukhona ukuphanga, lokhu kuyinto ejwayelekile. Amathuba amabili amakhulu aphuthelwe anciphisa umphumela. ICzech Republic yenza umsebenzi wayo esigabeni sokuqala — ibhulokhi elincane, ingcindezi nge-Adam Hložek, ohamba phambili kubo ngesilinganiso esingu-7.36. Kodwa nansi iqiniso elinzima: amashothi angu-13, elilodwa elibhekise esangweni, amathuba amakhulu ayisishiyagalolunye. Ukuhlasela kweCzech kwakuyindaba, hhayi iqiniso. Esigabeni sesibili balawula ibhola kakhulu — 58% — kodwa lokhu kwakuyimpahla yeqembu elalisele licwila. IMexico esigabeni sokuqala yajaha, yashoda ukubekezela engxenyeni yokugcina. Kodwa ukuhlela kabusha ngemuva kwekhefu kwaba okunembile. U-Mateo Chávez wavula isikolo ngomzuzu wama-55, u-Julián Quiñones waphinda kabili ngomzuzu wama-61 — imizuzu eyisithupha eyaphula umdlalo. Ukushintshwa kathathu kweCzech Republic ngo-Tomáš Souček no-Patrik Schick akushintshanga lutho. U-Álvaro Fidalgo, ongene ngomzuzu wama-72, washaya ngesikhathi esengeziwe — isilinganiso esingu-7.34, igoli elivela ebhentshini. U-Israel Reyes ngemuva — 7.67, uthembekile futhi uzolile umdlalo wonke. U-Edson Álvarez wathola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wama-64 — umzuzu okufanele ulandelwe kamuva. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli ezwe lakho ngeke athathwe muntu — ngokungafani nebhola, lapho isikolo sishintsha emizuzwini eyisithupha. Umbuzo wengxoxo: Ingabe uhlelo lweCzech Republic esigabeni sokuqala lwalunesibindi noma lwalungenalwazi nje uma kubhekwa i-xG, eyayilindele isikhathi sayo? Futhi ingabe iMexico ingakwazi ukwenza okufanayo ngokumelene nezimbangi ezihleleke kakhulu eqenjini?

Nansi imidlalo bekungekho muntu obekayibona izofika — kodwa mhlawumbe bekufanele siyibone. I-Estadio BBVA eMonterrey ibisingethe okwakubonakala ephepheni njengokungafani. IKorea Eseningizimu: 68% yokugcinwa kwebhola, 89% yokudlulisa ibhola ngendlela efanele, amakhona ayisithupha. INingizimu Afrika: 32% yebhola, emuva kodonga, ilwela yonke ibhola lesibili. Kodwa isikolo besifundeka 1:0 kuBafana Bafana. Ibhola, wena mqambimanga ononya futhi omuhle. I-xG ixoxa indaba eqotho: INingizimu Afrika 1.1, IKorea Eseningizimu 1.0. Cishe kuyafana. AbaseKorea balawula ukugcinwa kwebhola kodwa abazange bawuqede ngempela umgwaqo waseNingizimu Afrika. Womabili amaqembu abe nethuba elilodwa elikhulu — womabili aliphutha. Umehluko? UThapelo Maseko uguqule isikhathi sekhwalithi emsulwa ngomzuzu wama-63, futhi iKorea Eseningizimu ayizange iguqule lutho. Manje asibe nobulungiswa kuwo womabili amaqembu. Ukugcinwa kwebhola kweNingizimu Afrika kwehle kwafinyelela ku-25% engxenyeni yesibili — babebambekile futhi bephefumula kanzima. Ikhadi eliphuzi lika-Aubrey Modiba ngomzuzu wama-73 livela ekuphelelweni ithemba, hhayi ekuziphatheni kahle. Iphutha elikhulu eliphuthelwe belingaba yisivikelo esibulala umdlalo ufe nya. Ukushintsha kathathu kweKorea Eseningizimu ngesikhathi sekhefu — okuhlanganisa nokungeniswa kukaSon Heung-min, omunye wabadlali abahlaselayo abayingozi kakhulu emhlabeni webhola — kuguqule isivinini kodwa hhayi umphumela. Ngisho noSon akakwazanga ukuvula umgwaqo obambelezwe nguRonwen Williams, umdlali ovelele kakhulu emdlalweni onesilinganiso esingu-7.69 kanye nezinto ezimbili ezibalulekile ezisindisiwe. Unozinti womdlalo, akukho mpikiswano. UYoung-woo Seol bekuyisibani esikhanya kakhulu saseKorea Eseningizimu ngesilinganiso esingu-7.41, kodwa ibhola lokugcina belihlala libaphoxa lapho kubaluleke kakhulu. URelobohile Mofokeng ufanise leso silinganiso esingu-7.41 ngaphambi kokukhishwa ngomzuzu wama-80 — umsebenzi ongapheli owaphoqa iKorea Eseningizimu ukuba igcine iso elilodwa ekuhlaseleni ubusuku bonke. UMaseko ngokwakhe washintshwa ngomzuzu wama-75, ilungelo lomshayi magoli kanye nomshwalense womqeqeshi ngesinyathelo esisodwa. Iphupho laseNingizimu Afrika lihlala liphila. IKorea Eseningizimu kufanele ihlangane ngokushesha — indlela yabo yokuphuma isisheshisa kakhulu. Ebaleni imiphumela ingahlala iguqulwa. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo angawakho phakade. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: Ingabe uSon Heung-min wangeniswa sekwephuze kakhulu — bekufanele yini aqale? Futhi ingabe ubuhlakani bokuvikela baseNingizimu Afrika buyisibonelo sangempela, noma isimangaliso sobusuku obubodwa?

Kune u-4-2 ebhodini. Kodwa imizuzu engamashumi amane nantathu, iMorocco yayibukeka njengeqembu elisenkingeni yangempela. Gcina lowo mcabango. Iqembu C, iMercedes-Benz Stadium, e-Atlanta. Ephepheni bekungafani. Enkundleni, isiwombe sokuqala esisodwa sasihlanya, kwakungekhona. Amabhubesi e-Atlas ayelawula yonke into engalinganiswa ngeso – u-69% wokugcina ibhola, amashothi angu-22, i-xG engu-3.26. Izibalo zithi bebefanelwe yilokhu. Kodwa isikolo siyayihlonipha indlela. Emizuzwini eyishumi, unozinti uYassine Bounou wafaka ibhola enetheni lakhe, futhi isixuku sathula ngendlela engahlangene nokushisa kwe-Atlanta. Indlela yokuzivikela yaseMorocco, eyayivame ukuthenjwa, yahlakazeka kumdlalo obekufanele bawenze belele. I-Haiti ibimangalisa ngemikhawulo yayo. I-xG engu-0.66 ikutshela ukuthi bebengazivikela ngempilo yabo – futhi bakwenza ngesiyalo nangokuzimisela. Ukusindisa okuyisishiyagalombili kunozinti wabo. Igoli likaWilson Isidor ngomzuzu wama-43 kwakuyisiteleka esicacile, elalinganiswe njengomdlali ohamba phambili emdlalweni ohlangothini lwaseHaiti ku-7.93. Ngokwesikhashana, u-2-1 kuya eHaiti, okungenakwenzeka kwakhanya. Bese ikhwalithi yaseMorocco izibonakalisa futhi. U-Achraf Hakimi walungisa ngomzuzu wama-39, u-Ismael Saibari wakwenza kwaba u-2-2 ngesikhathi sekhefu, futhi inqaba yaqala ukuqhekeka. Ngomzuzu wama-57 ukubuyekezwa kwe-VAR okubandakanya uBrahim Díaz kwaphikisana neMorocco – kunesikhala sangempela sokuphikisana ngazo zombili izindlela, futhi ngeke ngenze sengathi akunjalo. USoufiane Rahimi washaya igoli ngomzuzu wama-78 ngemuva kokuphuma ebhentshini, uGessime Yassine walivala ngomzuzu wama-89. Amagoli amathathu avela kubadlali abangena esikhundleni emizuzwini engamashumi amabili – lokho kungukujula kweqembu, hhayi inhlanhla. Lapho iHaiti yawa khona: ayikwazanga ukugcina udonga lapho ibhentshi laseMorocco selifikile. Amakhadi aphuzi amathathu emizuzwini eyishumi nambili yokugcina akutshela ukuthi imilenze nesiyalo kwahamba ndawonye. Lapho iMorocco yadalulwa khona: ukuvikela okushintshayo. Igoli elilodwa lokuzishaya kanye nelilodwa elishaywe ngokuphikisana kakhulu kakhulu eqenjini elilawula kangaka ibhola. UBilal El Khannouss wayengumdlali ovelele wobusuku ku-8.6 – umdlali wasesiswini owenza umdlalo ubukeke uhamba kancane lapho ewenza – kodwa umugqa wasemuva udinga ukuba bukhali uma kuza abaphikisi abaqinile. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli ezwe lakho ahlala phakade – akukho VAR, akukho ukudumala okungawathatha. Manje ngitshele: ingabe isiwombe sokuqala seHaiti kwakuyisimanga esikhulu kunazo zonke kuleNdebe Yomhlaba kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe ukujula kwebhentshi laseMorocco kungakwazi ukunxephezela uma abaqalayo beqhubeka bevala ukuvikela?

I-Hard Rock Stadium isingathe umdlalo obukeka ephepheni njengokungalingani — futhi ibhodi lamaphuzu likuqinisekisile lokho. Kodwa nansi into exakayo: i-Scotland ayizange ihlazeke. Yehlulwe. Kukhona umehluko. I-Brazil iwile ngo 3-0, futhi i-xG yayo engu-4.46 ikutshela ukuthi isikolo besingaba sibi kakhulu. Amathuba amakhulu ayisithupha, amathathu achithwe — i-Seleção ishiye amagoli enkundleni ngisho noma ibhamba. I-xG ye-Scotland ibingu-1.13, encane kodwa eyiqiniso: amathuba amakhulu amabili, womabili aphuthelwe. Ama-Scots akhe kakhulu ukuze enze lokhu kube yingxoxo. Akhetha ukungayiqedi. U-Vinícius Júnior walungisa impikiswano kusenesikhathi. Igoli ngomzuzu wesikhombisa — uhlobo lwesivuli oludiliza izinhlelo zomdlalo ngaphambi kokuba zidwetshwe — bese, cishe ngokuhlinzwa, washaya futhi lapho kuphela ingxenye yokuqala. Lokho kuphindaphinda akulona ithuba; kuyiphethini. U-Vinícius akalindeli umdlalo ukuthi ummeme. Ufika ngaphambi kwesimemo. Isilinganiso sakhe esingu-9.09 kwakuyisilinganiso salo mdlalo. Kodwa ngomzuzu wama-24, i-VAR yangenelela esigamekweni esihilela yena — isinqumo sasebenza, kodwa umzuzu ufanelwe ukukhulisa amashiya. Ingabe ucingo belulungile, noma i-Brazil izuze kumavidiyo angacacile? Ifreyimu yama. Yiphikisane. U-Matheus Cunha wengeza owesithathu ngomzuzu wama-60, ebulala noma yiliphi ithemba elisele lama-Scots. Yena no-Rayan bobabili bahlonishwa ngo-8.19 — i-Brazil ibinobubanzi ngekhwalithi, okuyinto mhlawumbe esabisa kakhulu ngaleli qembu. Ukuchaneka kokudlula kwe-Scotland okungu-90% kanye nokubamba ibhola okungu-46% akuzona izinombolo zeqembu eliphanikile. U-Robertson waphuma ngesikhathi sekhefu — kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungenxa yamasu noma ngokomzimba, lokho kushintshwa kwaphazamisa uhlangothi lwabo lwesokunxele engxenyeni yesibili. Amashothi ayishumi nane akhombisa isifiso; amathuba amakhulu amabili aphuthelwe akhombisa izindleko zokungabaza. Lapho i-Brazil icindezela phezulu, abadlali basenkundleni be-Scotland balwela ukuthola umuntu wesithathu njalo. Iphutha le-Brazil? Amathuba amakhulu amathathu aphuthelwe ku-4.46 xG kusho ukuthi ukuchitha bekuyiqiniso. U-Danilo no-Fabinho bobabili bathola amakhadi aphuzi — i-Seleção ikhombise ukungahleleki ngezikhathi ezithile ekushintsheni okuzojeziswa umphikisi obukhali. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba ahlala phakade — ayikho i-VAR, ayikho impempe yokugcina ekususa lokho. Ingabe i-Scotland isengaphupha ngomzuliswano olandelayo, noma ingabe igebe likhulu kakhulu? Futhi ingabe lelo cingo lwe-VAR lomzuzu wama-24 kwakungumzuzu lo mdlalo obungashintsha ngawo?

Nansi into nge-BC Place kusihlwa: ithebula le-xG lithi iCanada 1.34, iSwitzerland 1.06 — nokho iSwitzerland ihambe nomzuzu wokuwina ka-2-1. Izinombolo zasho into eyodwa. Ibhodi lezikolo lasho enye. Siyakwamukela ebholeni. Ingxenye yokuqala bekungumbukiso weSwitzerland — futhi owokukhohlisa. Babephethe ibhola ngama-70%, bahambisa ibhola ngokubekezela okucophelelayo, futhi babebukeka bekulungele ukuphula ukulingana. Kodwa amathuba amakhulu amathathu afika ahamba, amabili aqinile esigabeni "sokumele ashaye". ICanada, ebambeke kuma-30% okuphethwa kwebhola, yayibambelele — kodwa uGregor Kobel ngemuva kwabo wayengenalutho okumele akwenze. U-0-0 owawungajabulisi muntu. Bese umdlalo uphenduka ngokuphelele. URubén Vargas washaya iCanada ngemuva nje komzuzu wokuqala — 1-0 ngaphambi kokuba abasingathi bazinze. UJohan Manzambi wengeza owesibili ngomzuzu ka-57, futhi ngokungazelele iSwitzerland yaba nomcamelo wamagoli amabili owakhiwe ngokuqedela okucophelelayo kunokubusa okungapheli. Ukuphethwa kwebhola kweCanada engxenyeni yesibili kwenyukela kuma-60%, bacindezela, bathola amakhona ayisikhombisa — futhi namanje abakwazanga ukuwuphula kuze kube uPromise David, ngemuva nje kokuza njengomsubstitute, washaya elilodwa ngomzuzu ka-76. Umthelela wokuqala owawufanele umvuzo omkhulu. Iphutha lokuvikela leSwitzerland lalingokoqobo: uma iCanada isithole isigqi sokushintsha, kwavela izikhala. UGranit Xhaka — obhukhelwe ekushintshaneni okushisayo phakathi nendawo ngomzuzu ka-32 — wabukeka elulekile njengoba ukuqina kweCanada kwakukhula. ISwitzerland yasinda ngomcamelo wayo nangobuhlakani bukaKobel: ukusindisa okuyisithupha, isilinganiso esingu-8.46, umdlali ongaphikiswa womdlalo. Msuse futhi lo mphumela cishe uyashintsha. Inkinga yeCanada? Ukushintshwa kathathu ngomzuzu ka-58 kwakunesibindi kodwa kwalahlekelwa isikhathi esiyigugu — izingcezu ezintsha zidinga imizuzu engu-15 ukuze zizitholele izinyawo, futhi ngaleso sikhathi umonakalo wawusuwenziwe. Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu elilahlekile lapho isikolo sase sikhona u-2-0 yisikhathi esibuhlungu kakhulu. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba awawenu phakade — akekho owathathayo. Manje, emazwaneni: Ingabe uKobel wayengumehluko phakathi kokuwina kweSwitzerland nokulingana kweCanada? Futhi ingabe isikhathi sokushintshwa kweCanada sabalahlekisela iphuzu ababelifanele ngokwezibalo?

I-Lumen Field, e-Seattle. I-Bosnia & Herzegovina 3:1 i-Qatar. Futhi nansi into ekufanele ukuthi uyibambe ngokuqinile: iqembu elinqobe ngamagoli amabili empeleni lathola i-xG ephansi kunelalahlekelwe. Ake lokho kuphefumule. I-Bosnia yayilawula ibhola — amaphesenti angu-55 esewonke, angu-59 engxenyeni yokuqala — futhi yayidlulisa ibhola kahle ngamaphesenti angu-88 okunemba kwephasi. U-Kerim Alajbegović wavula amagoli ngomzuzu wama-29 futhi waqeda njengomdlali ovelele kakhulu ngalobo busuku ngesilinganiso esingu-8.24. Kodwa igoli elalishintshe umdlalo ngempela lafika ngemuva kwemizuzu emihlanu: igoli lika-Mahmud Abunada lokuzishaya lenza i-Bosnia yahola ngo-2:1 ngaphambi kwekhefu. Ukuhola okwakwakhiwe ngokwengxenye ngenxa yenhlanhla embi — ngoba i-xG ye-Qatar engu-0.77 empeleni yayiphakeme kune-Bosnia engu-0.64. Abasingathi badala ithuba elilodwa elikhulu baliphutha. I-Qatar yadala amathathu yachitha amabili. Lokho kushaya phansi yikona okuyindaba yangempela yabo ngalobo busuku. U-Hassan Al Haydos washaya elilodwa ngomzuzu wama-42 — isikhumbuzo esifike ngesikhathi sokubaluleka kwakhe kuleli qembu — kodwa i-Qatar ayikwazanga ukushaya lapho kwakubaluleke kakhulu. Isikhathi esisodwa sidinga ukukhulunywa: I-VAR yabizelwa ku-Nikola Katić ngomzuzu wama-28, ngaphambi nje kwegoli lika-Alajbegović. Akukho sinqumo lapha, kodwa ukube kwahamba ngokuhlukile, wonke lo mdlalo ubungashintsha. Uhlobo lwesinqumo oluzoqhubeka nengxoxo isikhathi eside ngemuva kokuphela komdlalo. Amabhentshi womabili ahamba ngokuqinile engxenyeni yesibili. I-Bosnia yafaka u-Ermin Mahmić ngomzuzu wama-64, futhi walungisa konke ngomzuzu wama-80 — ukuqeda okuzolile okwamenza wathola isilinganiso esingu-8.19 futhi, ngemuva kwemizuzu emibili, ikhadi eliphuzi. I-Qatar yafaka u-Almoez Ali ngomzuzu wama-72, yalinganisa ukulawula ibhola ku-50-50, kodwa ubuhlakani bokushaya amagoli abuzange bufike. Amaphutha ayishumi nane, amathuba amabili amakhulu achithiwe — iqembu elizijezise lona. Ibhodi lamaphuzu lithi i-Bosnia, ngokuqinisekisayo. I-xG ithi i-Qatar yayifanele umdlalo oqine kakhulu. Lokho kuhluka phakathi kwezinombolo nomphumela yikona kanye okusenza siphambane ngebhola. Izinkumbulo zakho zamagoli akusihlwa zifanele ikhaya elihlala njalo — yiya ku-FootLegion, lapho kungekho muntu ozokususa khona. Manje, kuwe: ingabe amathuba amabili amakhulu achithiwe ayawenza angabaluleki amandla e-Qatar okuthola umphumela ongcono? Futhi ubani ombona edlulela phambili ku-Group B?

I-Guadalajara yabamba umoya wayo — kanti i-Estadio Akron yanikeza uhlobo lomdlalo olwenza izigaba zamaqembu zicasule kakhulu. Isikolo esizwakala sikhululekile, kuyilapho i-xG ihlebela iqiniso eliyinkimbinkimbi. Ukuphikisana kungokoqobo. IKholombiya yahlulela: 64% yokubamba ibhola, amashothi angu-20, ayisishiyagalolunye eqondise emapalini, 88% ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola, i-xG 1.03. Kwanele kakhulu ukuwina. Kodwa bachitha zombili izikhathi ezinkulu. Zombili. Iqembu elikwazi ukwakha ibhola ngokushelela lalingenakho ukuhlupheka kuze kube umzuzu wama-76. Ukwenza kwabo engxenyeni yokugcina yebala akuhambisananga nobuhle bakho konke ngaphambi kwalokho. UJames Rodríguez wayeyinjini yengxenye yokuqala — edonsa izintambo, ethola izikhala lapho abanye bebona khona izindonga. Kodwa wahlala phakathi nesikhathi esixoxwa kakhulu ngaso kusihlwa: ukubuyekezwa kwe-VAR okubandakanya yena ngqo ngesikhathi sokuvala ingxenye yokuqala. Unompempe uMaurizio Mariani wabheka isikrini, isinqumo sahamba ngokumelene neKholombiya. Kwakulungile yini? Wonke umhlaziyi egumbini uzophikisana. Okuqinisekile ukuthi kwaphazamisa umoya, futhi ngomzuzu wama-58 uJames wakhishwa — umbuzo wokuthi lokho kwakuyimbangela noma umphumela uzoqhubeka nokuxoxwa ngawo isikhathi eside ngemuva kwalobubusuku. IDR Congo ifanelwe ukudunyiswa ngempela, futhi lokho akuyona inothi lokududuza. Amasave ayisishiyagalombili. Ayisishiyagalombili. I-xG yabo engu-0.39 kanye namathuba amakhulu ayiziro aqinisekisa ukubusa kweKholombiya, kodwa unozinti owenza amasave ayisishiyagalombili yiqembu elenqaba ukudilika. Isiyalo sabo sokuzivikela sasingokoqobo. Inkinga yayiyisakhiwo — 75% ukunemba kokudlulisela ibhola, 36% yokubamba ibhola, akukho ukusika okubukhali — okusho ukuthi ukumelana kwabo kwakuhlala kuyisikhathi esibolekiwe. Ibhola langena kuDaniel Muñoz, umdlali wasemuva kwesokudla, ngomzuzu wama-76. Isilinganiso 8.19, esihamba phambili enkundleni. Lapho abakhi abaqokiwe bethula, umdlali wasemuva uyenyuka. UDavinson Sánchez (7.93) wayengumphathi ngemuva kwakhe — ukuqina kwezokuvikela kweKholombiya akuzange kuqashelwe ngenxa yokuthi iDR Congo yayingasongeli kakhulu, kodwa amashidi ahlanzekile awenzeki ngengozi. Ukusiza kunokujabula ngesikhathi kuphela umdlalo. Ukuwina i-xG ekusekelayo, okuzuzwe umdlali wasemuva kwesokudla, ngobusuku lapho abathakathi behluleka khona. Ku-FootLegion, imigomo yezwe lakho ihlala iphila phakade — akukho-VAR engayisusa. Ingabe uJames bekufanele avikelwe isikhathi eside, noma ingabe ukushintshwa kabili ngomzuzu wama-58 kwakuyisinqumo esifanele? Futhi ingabe iDR Congo ingathola noma yibuphi ubunikazi bokuhlasela ngaphambi komdlalo wabo olandelayo weqembu?

I-MetLife Stadium ibone into engavamile kakhulu kusihlwa — ibhodi lezikolo litshela indaba eyodwa, ukuhamba komdlalo kuxoxa enye. I-Norway iwina ngo 3:2, kodwa i-Senegal ichithe imizuzu engamashumi amane yokugcina iphethe ibhola ngo 68%, idubula izibhamu ezingu-16 kuya kwezingu-13 ze-Norway. I-xG ifundeka ngo 2.2 kuya ku 1.72 ngokuvuna i-Norway — igebe elikhona, kodwa alikufanelekeli neze umehluko. Lolo yilo oluyiphuzu elingaqondakali elilenga phezu kwe-East Rutherford. I-Norway ibingenamusa emahoreni abenayo. U-Marcus Pedersen, ongene esikhundleni sika-Julian Ryerson olimele ngomzuzu we-13, ubuyisele ukholo ngendlela emangalisayo — washaya igoli ngomzuzu we-43 ukuze athumele i-Norway ekhefini inesikhathi esingafanelekile ngokuya ngezibalo zabo zengxenye yokuqala. Kwase kufika isiphepho. Amagoli amathathu emizuzwini eyishumi ngemuva kokuqala kabusha, futhi umdlalo wawusuvele unqunyiwe ngaphambi kwehora. U-Erling Haaland ubengenasihawu: igoli ngomzuzu we-48, elinye ngomzuzu we-58, kokubili uhlobo lokushaya amagoli olumchazayo kuwo wonke amazinga. Lapho i-Senegal ibuyela ku 2:1 ngo-Ismaïla Sarr ngomzuzu we-53, u-Haaland waphendula phakathi kwemizuzu emihlanu. Umdlalo uba nzima, yena uwenza ube lula. Isilinganiso esingu 8.76 — akukho mpikiswano. Ubuthakathaka be-Norway babungokwakhiwa. Amathuba amathathu amakhulu alahlekile kwanguhlanu kuyichitha, futhi ukuwa kwabo kokuphethwa kwebhola ngesigamu sesibili kuya ku 32% kukhombisa iqembu elingakwazi ukubamba ibhola lapho livikela umphumela. Lokho kubuthakathaka kungase kubize kakhulu lapho libhekene nabaphikisi abaqinile. I-Senegal iguqule amathuba amakhulu amabili kuphela kwanguhlanu futhi yenza izibhamu ezine kuphela eziqondise egolini kwizibhamu eziyishumi nesithupha — isilinganiso okufanele sixwayise abasebenzi babo. U-Sarr ubemangalisa ubusuku bonke, isilinganiso esingu 8.5, evulela i-Norway indlela yokuhlasela ngakwesokudla. U-Moussa Niakhaté ubambe umugqa wokuvikela ngokuqinile ngo 7.83, kodwa ngisho nokuzola kwakhe akukwazanga ukuvala izikhala u-Haaland azisebenzisile kulowo mzuzu oyishumi owonakalisayo. Ukushintsha kabili ngomzuzu we-54 kukhombise inhloso futhi ekugcineni kwadala impendulo — ukushaya kuka-Sarr ngomzuzu we-90 kwenza kwaba ukuphela okunesiyaluyalu, kodwa isikhathi sase siphelile. Imiphumela ingasuswa enkundleni — ku-FootLegion imigomo yeqembu lakho ihlala ingunaphakade. Manje, ingxoxo: ingabe ubuhlakani buka-Haaland bufihla iqembu lase-Norway elibuthakathaka ngempela ngaphandle kwakhe? Futhi ingabe ukubusa kwe-Senegal ngesigamu sesibili kwakuyikhwalithi yangempela — noma ingabe i-Norway yamane yamema ingcindezi ngokuhlala phansi kakhulu?

I-BMO Field, eToronto. Iqembu L. Ibhodi lamaphuzu litshela indaba ecacile — umdlalo uqobo utshela indaba ephithizelayo. Nansi into exakayo: I-Croatia yawina ngo 1-0, kodwa yashiya amathuba amabili amakhulu engawasebenzisanga futhi yaqeda nge-xG engu-1.65. I-Panama yakhiqiza i-xG engu-0.55 kuphela — ithuba layo elilodwa elikhulu laphuthelwa, ishothi layo elilodwa eliqonde emgomeni lagcinwa. Isikolo asijabulisi nhlangothi zombili ngokugcwele. Siyabonga e-Croatia kuqala. Balawula ingxenye yokuqala ngokuphatha ibhola ngama-64%, bekhuthazela futhi benenjongo. ULuka Modrić — ngisho nanamuhla — usafunda umdlalo izinyathelo ezimbili ngaphambi kwabanye bonke. Ikhono lakhe lokwehlisa ijubane, ukuthola izikhala, ukushintsha umdlalo lalibonakala ngokugcwele, futhi isilinganiso sakhe esingu-7.67 sasiwufanele. Ukushintsha kwabadlali ababili ngesikhathi sekhefu kwakunesibindi: U-Ante Budimir no-Andrej Kramarić bobabili bangeniswa ngesikhathi sekhefu, futhi phakathi nemizuzu eyisishiyagalolunye uBudimir wayeseshaye igoli — isiphetho somgadli esasiwufanele umdlalo ngokuphelele. Kodwa i-Croatia bekufanele ngabe iwunqobile lo mdlalo. Amathuba amabili amakhulu achithwa ngemuva kwegoli lokuqala — lolo uhlobo lokumosha oluqeda amaqembu emijikelezweni yokukhishwa. Manje i-Panama. Babedluliselwe ngaphezu kwamandla abo ekuphatheni ibhola futhi bephakanyiswe nge-xG — masikhulume iqiniso ngalokho. Kodwa babengathule. Amaphutha ayishumi nesishiyagalolununye atshengisa indaba yeqembu elalilwela yonke ibhola lesibili futhi elenqaba ukudatshulwa kalula. U-Yoel Bárcenas wafanisa isilinganiso sikaModrić esingu-7.67 — iqiniso elifanele ukushiwo ngokuzwakalayo. Yena wayeyinhlansi, umthwali wosongo. Ingxenye yabo yesibili yabukeka inokuncintisana njengoba ukuphatha ibhola kwenyuka kwafinyelela kuma-50%, ukulungiswa kwamasu okungokoqobo. Ubuthakathaka? Lelothuba elilodwa elikhulu, elaphuthelwa. Uma udala okuncane kangaka ngokumelene neqembu eliphezulu, awukwazi ukumosha isikhathi umdlalo okusipha sona. Ukushintsha kusuka kuma-36% kuya kuma-50% ekuphatheni ibhola ngemuva kwekhefu kutshengisa ukuthi i-Panama yakholwa futhi yajwayela. Kodwa ukukholwa ngaphandle kokuqeda kumane nje kungumsindo. Ku-FootLegion, igoli likaBudimir ngomzuzu wama-54 lingele-Croatia phakade — akekho olithathayo. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: Ingabe ukumosha kwe-Croatia phambi kwegoli kuyisixwayiso sangempela semijikelezo yokukhishwa — noma ukushaya okukodwa komdlalo? Futhi ingabe i-Panama, ngaleli zinga lokulwa, inakho okwanele ukuhlala iphila Eqenjini L?

I-Gillette Stadium yabamba umoya imizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye — yabe isiwukhipha ingekho lutho. I-England 0–0 iGhana. Bhala phansi leyo scoreline, uyibuke, bese ubuka izinombolo ezingaphansi kwayo. Nansi iparadox ezohlala ihlupha lo mphumela: I-England ibe ne-possession engu-79%, amashothi angu-19, i-xG engu-1.28, namathuba amabili amakhulu okufanele ngabe iwasebenzisile. I-Ghana ibe ne-possession engu-21%, amashothi amabili, ne-xG engu-0.29. Izibalo zimemeza ukuthi i-England iwina. I-scoreboard ayivumelani nakancane. Asikhulume iqiniso ngalokho i-England ekwenze kabi. Amashothi angu-19, amathathu aqonde egolini — lokho kushintsha kusuka kumthamo kuya engozini kuyihlazo eNdebeni Yomhlaba. Amathuba amabili amakhulu aphuthelwe yiwona ahlabayo. Uma ubambelela iqembu ngaphakathi kwengxenye yalo imizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye, lezo zikhathi akuzona amabhonasi, ziyizibopho. Ukunemba kokudlula bekungu-93% omuhle kakhulu, amakhona ayisishiyagalolunye afika ahamba, kodwa ukuthinta okuyisinqumo akuzange kufike. Konke lokho kwakhiwa okuhle, futhi indlu ayizange yakhiwe. IGhana ifanele ukutuswa okukhulu — hhayi nje ngokusinda, kodwa nangesiyalo esidingekayo. Ama-foul angamashumi amabili nane asho indaba eyodwa; uJerome Opoku noThomas Partey, bobabili abalinganiswe ngo-7.93, basho indaba engcono. UParety uhlele ukuzivikela ngegunya langempela, kanti u-Opoku ubeyindonga ngemuva. Ithuba labo elilodwa elikhulu, abaliphuthele nalo, livele ekuhlaseleni — isikhumbuzo sokuthi iGhana ibizingela, hhayi nje ukucasha. Abadlali abaphambili be-England, uMarc Guéhi noDeclan Rice, bebengcono kakhulu — kuyahlekisa, uma kubhekwa ukuthi i-England ibingadingi ngisho nokuzivikela. Ikhadi eliphuzi likaRice ngomzuzu wama-41 belingadingekile. U-Iñaki Williams uthole ikhadi lakhe ngomzuzu wama-60 wabe eseshintshwa ngemuva kwemizuzu eyisithupha — ibhentshi laseGhana lifunda ingozi ngendlela efanele. I-xG gap yiyona ebanzi kakhulu engiyibonile phakathi komphumela ofanelekayo nomphumela wangempela kulo mqhudelwano. I-England ayizange ilahlekelwe — kodwa cishe ayizange iwufanele iphuzu, kanti iGhana cishe yebile elingenalo ilungelo lokulifuna ngokwezibalo. Yilokho okuhle, okuhlanyisayo okungalungile komdlalo. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo aphila ingunaphakade — akekho owawathathayo. Manje, kuwe: ingabe lokhu bekuyikhono elikhulu lamasu avela eGhana, noma ukwehluleka kwesibindi okuvela e-England? Futhi ingabe uBellingham, oshintshelwe ngomzuzu wama-73, kufanele ngabe uqala umdlalo olandelayo?

I-Houston yayikubona lokhu kuza — futhi i-Portugal yakwenza kwenzeka. Nansi into exakayo yakusihlwa: ibhodi lamaphuzu likhala ngo-5:0, kodwa i-xG ye-Portugal ingu-2.41 kuphela. I-Seleção yayingenasihawu, kodwa futhi yayichitha kanyekanye. Amathuba amakhulu ayisikhombisa, amahlanu ashaywa phansi. Uma ubhekene nomunye umphikisi, ukuphana okunjalo kubiza kakhulu. Khumbula leli qiniso. Kodwa ubulungiswa budinga ukwamukela: I-Portugal yadlala kahle kakhulu ngobubanzi kusukela emizuzwini yokuqala. UNuno Mendes — umdlali ohamba phambili wakusihlwa ngesilinganiso esingu-9.33 — wayeyisikhali ohlangothini lwesokunxele. Lokhu akuyona into eyenzeka kanye kuphela: yilokhu akwenza ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuze avule ukuzivikela, ehlasela phambili esuka ekujuleni, elula umphikisi, ethola inhlanganisela esemaphethelweni okungenzeka. U-Bruno Fernandes (8.46) waqondisa isivinini ngamandla akhe ajwayelekile angapheli — wayehlale efuna ibhola phakathi kwemigqa, elawula ukubamba ibhola okungama-66%, okungazange kushintshe esiwombeni sokuqala noma sesibili. URúben Dias (8.19) — ukuzola okuyisibonelo ngemuva: I-Uzbekistan yashaya amashothi amabili kuphela esangweni, futhi ukuhlela kwakhe kwenza abavikeli basemuva bakwazi ukuhlasela ngaphandle kokwesaba. Manje ngokwethembeka nge-Uzbekistan. Babengekho nje ababukeli. Ukonga okune komgoli, ukunemba okungama-81% kwamapasi — iqembu alizange linikele. Bazama ukwakha umdlalo, ukucindezela ezigamekweni ezithile. Inkinga: ibhlokhi yabo yokuzivikela yayingenayo impendulo ekunyakazeni kwe-Portugal ezindaweni ezibanzi. Kuphi ngempela i-Uzbekistan yahlakazeka? Ezigabeni zokushintsha ezinhlangothini. Njalo lapho i-Portugal ithatha ibhola enkabeni, ukushintshela ezindaweni ezibanzi kwenzeka ngokushesha kunokuba abadlali basenkundleni bakwazi ukuzilungisa. Isixazululo — ukuhlala eduze, ukuphoqa umphikisi ukuthi angene endaweni yokujezisa, hhayi ukuyizungeza — asizange sisetshenziswe ngokungaguquki. Umphumela: xG 0.25, amathuba amakhulu ayiziro. U-Cristiano Ronaldo — isilinganiso esingu-8.11 — uselapha, usafuna indima enkulu. Futhi lena yiNdebe yoMhlaba yakhe futhi. Enkundleni umphumela ungathathwa — ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho ngeke athathwe muntu. Umbuzo kumazwana: ingabe ukuphana kwe-Portugal ekuqedeni kuyisibonakaliso esikhathazayo ngaphambi kwe-play-offs? Futhi ingabe uNuno Mendes wayengumvikeli ohamba phambili emhlabeni namuhla?

Kukhona ukuphikisana okwenziwe kulo mdlalo weQembu J eLevi's Stadium — futhi ngizobuyela kukho, ngoba umphumela wokugcina ka-1:2 we-Algeria ukhuluma ingxenye yendaba kuphela. Qala nge-xG. I-Algeria: 1.81. I-Jordan: 0.65. Izibalo ziqinisekisa ukubusa kwe-Algeria — 72% yokugcinwa kwebhola, amashothi angu-17, amakhona angu-10, ukunemba kokudlula okungu-88%. Ama-Fennec Foxes acwilisa i-Jordan ngebhola elinesineke, elinembayo. U-Ramy Bensebaini ube ngumdlali ovelele kakhulu ebusuku, enesilinganiso esingu-8.19 — engapheli ekugijimeni kwakhe ngakwesokunxele, eletha ingozi kusenesikhathi nangasekugcineni. U-Ahmed Nadhir Benbouali wethusa uhlangothi lwesokudla lwe-Jordan eduze kwakhe. U-Riyad Mahrez, noma ngaphandle kwezikhathi zakhe ezishisayo kakhulu, ubeqhubeka nokudonsa abavikeli ngaphandle kwesimo ngokuthola nje ibhola — uphawu olumchaze kuwo wonke amazinga omdlalo. Kodwa-ke. I-Jordan ibihola ngo-1:0 ngesikhathi sekhefu. Lokho ukuphikisana. I-Algeria ibiphethe u-74% webhola engxenyeni yokuqala futhi ayikwazanga ukuguqula. I-Jordan, ihlezi phansi futhi ngezinye izikhathi iphelelwe ithemba, ithole igoli ngokuphambana nomdlalo. Ithuba elilodwa elikhulu — lathathwa. Lelo yiqembu elivikela impilo yalo yomqhudelwano futhi libamba isikhathi salo esisodwa. Ingxenye yesibili ibiyilungiso i-xG ebilokhu iyifuna kusukela ekuqaleni. I-Algeria ithole amagoli ayo futhi yaguqula umdlalo. Kodwa kufanele bathembeke: amathuba amathathu amakhulu adalwe, amabili aphuthelwa. Lokho kuchitha isikhathi ngokumelene nabaphikisi abaqinile kuzolimaza. Ukwenza izinqumo engxenyeni yokugcina bekuhamba kancane kakhulu, ukuqeda bekungenandaba kakhulu lapho umnyango uvulekile. Inkinga ye-Jordan ibiyisakhiwo. Ukuvikela ku-28% yokugcinwa kwebhola kudinga ukwenziwa okucishe kuphelele imizuzu engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye — futhi abakwazanga ukukubamba. Amaphutha ayishumi nanye, ukugijima njalo, ukonga okuyisithupha okuvela kumgoli obengumqhawe ngempela. I-xG ka-0.65 ikutshela ukuthi i-Jordan ibilokhu iboleka isikhathi. Imali mboleko ifike ngemuva kwekhefu. Umphumela ulungile. Isikolo sihle kancane ku-Jordan — bagibela inhlanhla nokuchitha isikhathi kwe-Algeria engxenyeni yokuqala ngaphambi kokuba isimo siguquke. Amaphuzu amathathu ama-Fennec Foxes afanele, kodwa amathuba amakhulu aphuthelwe ayinkinga okufanele ixazululwe emijikelezweni yokukhishwa. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: ingabe ukuhola kwe-Jordan ngesikhathi sekhefu kwakuyinto enkulu kakhulu yokushaya nokuthatha kulo Mqhudelwano Womhlaba kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe i-Algeria ingakwazi ngempela ukuphonsela inselelo isihloko uma ukuguqulwa kwamathuba ayo amakhulu kuhlala kubi kangaka? Enkundleni, ukuhola kungahlala kuthathwa kuwe — eFootLegion, amagoli esizwe sakho angawakho ukuwagcina phakade.

Nansi imibuzo ebiphakathi emoyeni ngisho nangaphambi kokukhala kwekhwela e-Lincoln Financial Field: Ingabe i-France ingangena emdlalweni ngaphandle kwedrama nokuzibhubhisa? Namuhla, ngokumelene ne-Iraq, impendulo ibe yebo. Futhi lokho ngokwako kuyizindaba. Umphumela u-3-0, futhi i-xG ayiphikisani nalokho: i-France 2.67, i-Iraq 0.63. Ukunqoba kube okuthembekile, okungaboleki. UKylian Mbappé uvule isikolo ngomzuzu we-14, waphinda kabili ngomzuzu we-54 – isilinganiso esingu-9.59, ubuso besilwane esizingelayo, akukho okumangazayo. Labo abamlandele isikhathi eside bayayibona iphethini: mnike isikhala emizuzwini yokuqala engamashumi amathathu – futhi umbuzo akuyona othi "uzoshaya yini", kodwa othi "kangakanani". U-Ousmane Dembélé uvale umdlalo ngomzuzu we-66 – 8.46, ubukhali, obungalindelekile, enguqulweni yakhe engcono kakhulu. Kodwa i-France ihlala iyi-France. Amathuba amakhulu amahlanu, amathathu aphuthelwe. Nge-xG engu-2.67 namagoli amathathu, umehluko mncane, kodwa ukungabi nabugovu okungenasihawu okudingekayo kuma-playoffs akukabi khona. Amaphesenti angu-56 okuphatha ibhola, amaphesenti angu-90 okunemba kwamapasi – umshini uyasebenza, kodwa indawo yokugcina yokuqeda ayikahlanzwa. Manje i-Iraq – futhi masikhulume iqiniso. Bahlulwe, kodwa abazange bahlazwe. Amaphesenti angu-86 okunemba kwamapasi, amaphutha amane kuphela – ukuqondiswa kwezigwegwe kusezingeni. Inkinga ilele kwenye into: amashothi amane, akukho nhlobo okuhloswe ngakho, ithuba elilodwa elikhulu liphuthelwe. Lokhu akuyona indlela yokuwina kunoma yiliphi izinga. Isakhiwo sokuvikela sasebenza kuze kube yilapho i-France ikhuphula isivinini – lapho izikhala zazivuleka ngokushesha. Unozinti ushaye amashothi amabili; ngemizamo engu-19 yase-France, lokhu kukhombisa ukuthi ingozi yangempela yayihlala kuphi. Ngomzuzu we-28, i-VAR ihlole isigameko esibandakanya u-Ali Al-Hamadi. Imininingwane yesinqumo ayicacile – futhi yingakho izingxabano ngaso zizohlala isikhathi eside. Angizami ukwahlulela, kodwa umbuzo uvulekile. I-France yenza isicelo sayo kuGroup I. I-Iraq kufanele iziphendulele ngokwethembeka: ingabe ukungabi namashothi okuhloswe ngakho kuyingozi noma isigwebo esihleliwe somqhudelwano? Ku-FootLegion, amagoli eqembu lakho lesizwe azohlala emlandweni phakade – akukho VAR ezowakhansela. Imibuzo kumazwana: Ingabe uMbappé ekugcineni udlala ngaphandle kokubheka emuva – noma ingabe ubusuku obubi obubodwa buzobuyisa amademoni amadala? Futhi ingabe i-Iraq inaso yini isizathu esisodwa esingasabisa noma ubani kuleli qembu?

Kunomphikiso ohlala enhliziyweni yomphumela wanamuhla ebusuku — bambelela kuwo, ngoba isikolo kanye nebhola langempela kusitshela izindaba ezihluke kakhulu. I-Argentina ishaye i-Austria ngo 2-0 e-AT&T Stadium. Akungenanga goli, amaphuzu eQembu J asetholakele, kusihlwa kukhululekile e-Texas. Ngaphandle kokuthi — i-Argentina ichithe wonke amathuba amathathu amakhulu ayo. Wonke. I-xG engu-2.65 ngokumelene neqembu elingazange lisabise neze, kodwa i-Albiceleste yacishe yakuguqula lokhu kwaba ubunzima. Amagoli afika, kodwa ukuqedela kahle? Bekungekho isikhathi eside esikhathazayo. Umdali wakho konke okuhle kwakungu-Lionel Messi, olinganiswe ngo-9.59 — lowo mkhuba waphakade wokuhamba phakathi kwemigqa, okuphoqa abavikeli ukuba benze izinqumo ezingenakwenzeka, okudala ingozi kungekho lutho. Engxenyeni yokuqala, i-Argentina ilawule u-60% wokuphatha ibhola, yacindezela ukwakhiwa kwe-Austria, futhi bekufanele ngabe isivele ingabonakali ngesikhathi sekhefu. U-1-0 ngesikhathi sekhefu kwakuzwakala njengokuphanga okukhulu emini ngokuphambene — ngokumelene nabo. I-Austria nayo ifanele ukutuswa ngobuqotho. U-Nicolas Seiwald, olinganiswe ngo-7.93, wagijima waze wawa phakathi nenkundla futhi waphazamisa isigqi se-Argentina ngempumelelo kangangokuthi ukuphatha ibhola kwashintsha — i-Argentina yehla yaya ku-47% kuphela engxenyeni yesibili, i-Austria yenyuka yaya ku-53%. Amakhona amathathu ku-Argentina elilodwa. U-David Alaba, ezolile futhi enegunya ngemuva, wasiza ekugcineni ukwakheka kokuvikela kwe-Austria kunesiyalo kulo lonke. Inkinga? Ithuba labo elilodwa elikhulu lashaya udonga. Izibhamu eziyisithupha, esisodwa esishaye umgomo, i-xG engu-0.50 — abazange babe yingozi ngempela, kodwa benza i-Argentina ingakhululeki ngezindlela isikolo esizifihlayo. Kuphi lapho i-Argentina yahluleka khona ngempela? Ukwakheka kokuvikela kwengxenye yesibili kwaphinda kwabiza ingcindezi, futhi lawo mathuba amathathu amakhulu achithiwe ahlala njengombhalo waphansi oqotho ekuwineni okuhle okungu-2-0. Isikolo sithi ukulawula; umdlalo wathi ukukhathazeka. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba ahlala phakade, angathinteki. Manje — ingabe i-Argentina ithembele kakhulu ku-Messi, noma ingabe lokho kumane kuyilokho ubuhlakani obubukeka ngakho? Futhi ingabe ukumelana kwendawo kwe-Austria engxenyeni yesibili kungaguquka kube into yangempela lapho izinkinga ziphakeme? Ake sixoxe ngakho.

I-Mercedes-Benz Stadium, e-Atlanta. Iqembu H. I-Spain 4:0 I-Saudi Arabia. Futhi nansi into exakayo: umphumela ubonakala njengokubhidlizwa, kodwa i-xG yase-Spain yayingu-2.3 kuphela. Amagoli amane avela ku-two-point-three alindelekile — umehluko wokubusa wawukhona ngempela, kodwa i-La Roja isalahlekelwe amathuba amakhulu amabili. Umdlalo wawunohlangothi olulodwa kakhulu kunalokho izinombolo ezikukhombisayo, futhi ngandlela-thile i-Saudi Arabia yakwazi ukuba ngaphandle kwezinga futhi inenhlanhla ngokwezibalo ngesikhathi esifanayo. I-Spain yayingenasihawu engxenyeni yokuqala. U-Lamine Yamal uvule umdlalo ngomzuzu we-10 ngalokho kusika okungunxantathu kusuka kwesokudla — umnyakazo oyingqayizivele, hhayi ukuzenzela. Isilinganiso esingu-8.5, futhi kusihlwa kwase kungokwakhe ngaphambi kwehora. Khona-ke u-Mikel Oyarzabal wathatha izintambo: amagoli amabili emizuzwini emithathu, owesingu-21 nowesingu-24, isilinganiso esingu-9.64. Okucacile, okuzolile, uhlobo lokuqeda oluwina imiqhudelwano. Ngasekupheleni kwengxenye yokuqala kwakungu-3-0, umdlalo usuphelile. Ukubamba ibhola kwe-Spain kwehle kusuka ku-71% engxenyeni yokuqala kuya ku-63% engxenyeni yesibili — hhayi ukuwohloka, kodwa uphawu lokuthi ukuqina kwakulawulwa kunokuba kuqhubeke. I-xG ye-Saudi Arabia yayingu-0.14. Izibhamu ezintathu, esisodwa esiya emgomweni, amathuba amakhulu ayiziro. Ama-Green Falcons asuswe ngokuphelele ku-equation yokuhlasela. Ukunemba kwabo kokudlula okungu-81% kwabukeka kuhloniphekile kodwa kwakuvame ukusetshenziswa kabusha engxenyeni yabo. Igoli lika-Hassan Tambakti ngomzuzu we-49 lengeze ukuhlazeka kokugcina. Ukuqondisa okwengeziwe, ukuzimisela okwengeziwe ukuya phambili ngokushesha — leyo kwakuyindlela engathathwanga. U-Pau Cubarsí no-Aymeric Laporte, bobabili abalinganiselwe ku-8.19, abazange bakhathazeke kusihlwa sonke. Ngomzuzu we-90 i-VAR yangenelela, ihilela u-Ferran Torres. Akukho ukucaciswa okusemthethweni okurekhodiwe — uhlobo lwesikhathi abalandeli abazophikisana ngaso izinsuku. Zithathele iziphetho zakho. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba ahlala engawakho unomphela — ayikho i-VAR engawathatha. Ingabe amagoli amabili ka-Oyarzabal kwakungukubonakaliswa okuhle kakhulu komuntu ngamunye engxenyeni yokuqala kulo mqhudelwano kuze kube manje? Futhi ingabe i-Saudi Arabia bekufanele icindezele phezulu kusukela ekuqaleni kunokuba ihlale phansi ilinde?

Iqanda. Ngemuva kwamaphesenti angamashumi ayisikhombisa okugcinwa kwebhola, amashothi angamashumi amabili nantathu kanye ne-xG engu-1.79 — iBelgium ishiya iSoFi Stadium ingenalutho. Isikolo simemeza ukulingana — izinombolo zimemeza ukungabi nabulungisa. Kodwa ekupheleni kwalokhu kuhlaziya uzoqonda ukuthi kungani i-Iran inelungelo lokuphikisana. IBelgium esiwombeni sokuqala ibiphethe ibhola ngamaphesenti angama-81 esikhathi — inyoka yangempela yamasu. UDe Bruyne ubeqondisa esuka phansi, izinhlangothi zivuleka ngokuphindaphindiwe. Kodwa nansi into exakayo: amashothi angu-23, angu-7 agoliwe, elilodwa ithuba elikhulu — futhi laphuthelwa. Bonke lobu buhle, konke lokhu kulawula — futhi iqanda esigabeni "samagoli". Indawo yepenalithi yaphenduka imnyuziyamu: imibukiso mihle, kodwa iminyango ivaliwe. Bese umdlalo washintsha. Umzuzu wama-67: uNathan Ngoy uthola ikhadi elibomvu. Ukushintshwa kathathu ngomzuzu wama-58 — uLukebakio, uVanaken, uCastagne — kwase kunyakazise iqembu, kodwa ukulahlekelwa umdlali kwakuchitha konke. URomelu Lukaku, owathola ikhadi eliphuzi ngomzuzu wesi-3 njengokungathi ubona kusengaphambili usuku olubi, wanyamalala buthule enkundleni ngomzuzu wama-73. Ishothi elingenagoli, ikhadi, ukuphuma ngokushesha. Manje i-Iran — ngobuqotho. I-0.62 xG, amaphesenti angama-30 okugcinwa kwebhola, ingxenye enkulu yomdlalo ibanjwe emagoli abo. Ephepheni — ukubhujiswa. Kodwa hhayi enkundleni. U-Alireza Beiranvand ubemangalisa: amasevu angu-7, isilinganiso esingu-9.57 — lokhu akuyona inhlanhla, lokhu yikhono. UShoja Khalilzadeh ubeqinisa ukuzivikela eduze kwakhe. Ngemuva kwekhefu i-Iran yavuka: ukugcinwa kwebhola kwenyuka kwafinyelela kumaphesenti angama-41, uJahanbakhsh wengeza ubukhali phambili. I-Iran nayo ibinelithuba layo elikhulu — futhi nalo laphuthelwa. Ngomzuzu wama-27 i-VAR ihlole isigameko sikaMehdi Taremi. Ukuthi kwakuxazululwa ini nokuthi kwakulungile yini — le mpikiswano ayikapheli. Umehluko we-xG — 1.79 kuqhathaniswa no-0.62 — uthi: iBelgium ibingcono. Ibhodi lesikolo lithi: i-Iran ibihlakaniphe kakhulu. Zombili lezi zitatimende ziqinisile ngesikhathi esisodwa — futhi yilokhu konke ibhola lezinyawo. Ku-FootLegion lo mdlalo uzohlala eqoqweni lakho kuze kube phakade — ngokungafani namaphuzu omqhudelwano, akekho ozowathatha. Imibuzo kumazwana: uBeiranvand ube ngumgoli ongcono kakhulu kulo mqhudelwano kuze kube manje? Futhi — ingabe leli qembu laseBelgium elihlaselayo lingakwazi ukushaya amagoli lapho kudingeka ngempela?

I-Hard Rock Stadium libe ngelinye lalawo midlalo akwenza ubuzwe yonke into — i-Uruguay yenza kahle kuzo zonke izibalo kodwa yahluleka ukuwina. Lokho kuphikisana yikho okuyindaba yalo mdlalo weQembu H. Izinombolo zilimaza i-La Celeste. I-xG 2.32 uma kuqhathaniswa ne-0.88. Amaphesenti angamashumi ayisithupha nanhlanu okubamba ibhola. Amashothi ayishumi nesikhombisa. Kodwa bahamba e-Miami nephuzu elilodwa esikhundleni samathathu. Umehluko phakathi kwalokho i-Uruguay ekudalile nalokho ekuguqulele yikona okuyihlazo elikhulu lalo mdlalo — akukho i-VAR edingekayo ukuze kuchazwe lokho kuhluleka. UMaximiliano Araújo ube ngumdlali ovelele we-Uruguay, enesilinganiso esingu-8.19, futhi igoli lakhe lokulinganisa ngomzuzu wama-44 likhombise kahle ukuthi kungani. Ukunyakaza okubukhali, ukuqedela okuhlanzekile, ukudabula isakhiwo sokuvikela se-Cape Verde. U-Agustín Canobbio wengeza elesibili ngokushesha ngemuva kwalokho — amagoli amabili ngesikhathi esengeziwe sokuqala, uhlobo lokushintsha okufanele luqede umdlalo. Kodwa iqiniso elibi lihlala: amashothi ayishumi nesikhombisa, amabili kuphela ashaye esangweni. Lelo zinga lokuguqula alinakuvikeleka kuleli zinga. I-Cape Verde ifanelwe ukudunyiswa okukhulu. Amaphesenti angamashumi amathathu nanhlanu okubamba ibhola, i-xG engu-0.88 kuphela — kodwa namanje amagoli amabili. UKevin Lenini uvule amagoli ngomzuzu wama-21 ngokuzola okungahambisani nesimo, enesilinganiso esingu-7.93. Bese u-Hélio Varela, ongeniswe ebhentshini ngomzuzu wama-59, walinganisa ngomzuzu wama-61. Abadlali ababili abangena esikhundleni, amagoli amabili — lokho kungukuqonda komqeqeshi okuklonyeliswa ngesikhathi sangempela. Ubuthakathaka? Amashothi ayishumi nambili e-Cape Verde akhiqize amane kuphela ashaye esangweni. Babenobuhlakani lapho kubalulekile, kodwa umehluko we-xG ukhombisa ukuthi inhlanhla yenza indima yayo. Manje, ukubuyekezwa kwe-VAR ngomzuzu wama-90 okubandakanya u-Canobbio okuthinta i-Uruguay — lowo mzuzu uzobhebhethekisa impikiswano izinsuku eziningi. Ukuthi ukubuyekezwa kutholeni, noma ngabe ubulungiswa benziwe, kusasele kuvulekile ngempela. Zikhethele wena. Okubalulekile: ukuqeda okungafanele kwe-Uruguay kunikeze i-Cape Verde umphumela izibalo ezithi abazange bawuzuze ngokugcwele. Womabili amaqembu anemibuzo okufanele ayiphendule ngaphambi komdlalo olandelayo weqembu. Ku-FootLegion, wonke amagoli izwe lakho eliwashayayo kuleNdebe Yomhlaba ahlala eyakho unomphela — akukho i-VAR engawathinta. Imibuzo emibili yamazwana: Ingabe inkinga yokuqeda ye-Uruguay iyinkinga yamasu noma ukuhluleka komuntu ngamunye? Futhi ingabe i-Cape Verde, eyakhiwe ngabadlali abangena esikhundleni nezikhathi zokuqala, ingasinda kuleli qembu?

Nansi into ngalo mdlalo e-BMO Field, e-Toronto: imizuzu engamashumi ayisithupha, iJalimane yabukeka njengeqembu elalikhohlwe ukuthi lishaya kanjani amagoli. Khumbula lokho. Sizobuyela kukho. Iqembu E, futhi i-Mannschaft yafika njengabathandwa abakhulu bebhekene ne-Côte d'Ivoire. I-xG yatshela indaba ejwayelekile — 1.89 kuya ku-1.22, iJalimane iyona enamandla ephepheni. Kodwa-ke, ngemuva kwemizuzu engamashumi amathathu, kwakunguFranck Kessié owaphula ukuthula. Igoli likakaputeni, uhlobo lwesikhathi oluchaza ukuthi kungani i-Côte d'Ivoire ihlale ifanele inhlonipho eyengeziwe kunaleyo eyitholayo. Abase-Ivorian bahlala beqinile, bacindezela ngobuhlakani, futhi lapho bewina ibhola ekushintsheni, babenobuhlakani. IJalimane? Amathuba amathathu amakhulu alahlekile engxenyeni yokuqala kuphela. Amathathu. Awusindi kulokho eNdebeni yoMhlaba. Noma kunjalo sasingacabanga. Ingxenye yokuqala yeJalimane yayiqinile ngokobuchwepheshe — 61% yokubamba ibhola, 89% yokunemba kokudlula — kodwa yayichitha kakhulu engxenyeni yokugcina. Ihamba kancane kakhulu ebhokisini, ihamba kakhulu. UHavertz noMusiala abakwazanga ukuvula umugqa wokuvikela wase-Ivorian oqinile. UNagelsmann wakufunda kahle: ngemizuzu engamashumi ayisithupha, izinguquko ezintathu ngesikhathi esisodwa — u-Undav, uLeweling, u-Amiri bonke bangena. Kunesibindi. Kunqumayo. Kuyadingeka. I-Côte d'Ivoire ayizange ivele ivikele. Bacindezela, bakholwa, bakha. Kodwa uYahia Fofana — umdlali ohamba phambili enkundleni, olinganiselwe ku-8.24 — wayekwazi ukwenza okuningi yedwa. Abase-Ivorian baphuthelwa elinye lamathuba abo amabili amakhulu, futhi lokho kwaba yingozi. Lapho ubamba umkhondo ngokumelene neqembu eline-xG ephakeme, kufanele uphelele ezikhathini zakho. Abazange. UDeniz Undav washintsha konke. Imizuzu engama-68 — igoli. Imizuzu engama-90 — elinye. Amagoli amabili avela kumdlali obambele, indoda eyangeniswa ngenxa yokuthi abaqalayo abakwazanga ukushaya igoli. Ukunyakaza kwakhe, ukuzola kwakhe, isikhathi sakhe kwanikeza iJalimane ukunqoba ngo-2-1 okusekelwa yi-xG — nakuba lawo mathuba amathathu amakhulu alahlekile engxenyeni yokuqala acishe aphinde abhale kabusha indaba yonke. Ngakho nansi impikiswano: Ingabe uNagelsmann wayehamba kancane kakhulu ngalawo mashintsho amathathu — ingabe kwakufanele enze ngokushesha futhi asindise iJalimane imizuzu engamashumi amabili yokuhlupheka? Futhi ingabe i-Côte d'Ivoire yayingenalo ulwazi lokuthi iqhubeke icindezela ngemuva kokuvumela igoli lokulinganisa? Yilwani ngezansi — ku-FootLegion, amagoli eqembu lakho ahlala phakade, noma ngabe isikolo sithini.

I-BC Place kusihlwa ibinesibindi sokubulala abakhulu — imizuzu engu-57. INew Zealand ibihola ngesikhathi sekhefu, i-Egypt ibihola ngesikhathi kuphela umdlalo, kanti i-xG — 1.96 kuya ku-1.21 evuna i-Egypt — ikutshela ukuthi umphumela wawungelona amanga ngempela. Umdlalo udinga isikhathi ukuze uvume. Ibhola likaFinn Surman ngomzuzu we-15 laliyiqiniso, lathola ukukholwa. Kodwa isithombe esithembekile: INew Zealand ihlezi phansi, yanikela ngebhola ngamaphesenti angu-44, futhi yaphuthelwa amathuba amakhulu amabili kwathathu engxenyeni yokuqala. Kuleli zinga, akulona ibanga ongasinda kulo. I-Egypt yahlonishwa ngokunemba kwamapasi angu-88% namathuba amakhulu amahlanu — kodwa yachitha amathathu kuwo. Lokho kuchitha yikona okugxekwa okusemthethweni kwelinye iqembu elihambe ngamandla angempela. Ububanzi babukhona, ukuhlanganiswa kwakukhona; kuphela ukuthinta kokugcina okubaphoxile isikhathi eside. Kwase kufika ingxenye yesibili. UMostafa Ziko walinganisa ngomzuzu we-58 — ukunyakaza kwakhe ngemuva komugqa wokuvikela weNew Zealand bekungapheli kusihlwa sonke, futhi umvuzo wawufanele ngokugcwele. Emizuzwini eyisishiyagalolunye kamuva, uMohamed Salah. Lelo gama lisathusa noma yikuphi ukuvikela emhlabeni. Ezolile, enembile, engenakugwenywa — isilinganiso esingu-8.81, futhi kwakuzwakala sengathi uhamba ngesivinini esiphakathi. UMahmoud Trézéguet wakugcwalisa ngomzuzu we-82, efika njengomdlali oshintshayo futhi ejezisa umugqa wokuvikela owayesephelelwe amandla nemibono. Isikhathi esisodwa sidinga ukukhulunywa: ngomzuzu wama-21, i-VAR yabizwa ngesigameko esibandakanya uMostafa Ziko, esithinta i-Egypt. Kwahlolwa ini ngempela kuhlala kuvulekile — abalandeli bazophikisana ngakho izinsuku. Unompempe wenza isinqumo sakhe; zenzela iziphetho zakho. Ukwehluleka okusobala kweNew Zealand ngokwecebo: lapho uCallum McCowatt eshintshwa ngomzuzu wama-66, usongo lwabo lokuhlasela olwaluluncane lwanyamalala ngokuphelele. Ayikho uhlelo B lapho ukucindezela kwehluleka, futhi abadlali base-Egypt baphatha izikhala ngesihluku. I-Egypt yayifanele le mpumelelo. INew Zealand yayifanele ukudunyiswa okwengeziwe kunalokho okushiwo umphumela wokugcina. Ibhola ngezinye izikhathi lilula futhi linonya ngesikhathi esisodwa. Ku-FootLegion, amagoli ezwe lakho aphila ingunaphakade — akukho ukuwa sekwephuzile okungawathatha. Ingabe ukuvikela okujulile kweNew Zealand ngesikhathi sekhefu kwakuyisinqumo esifanele, noma bekufanele bacindezele phezulu futhi babeke engcupheni okwengeziwe? Futhi leli qembu lase-Egypt lingahamba kude kangakanani uma uSalah ehlala elambile?