Another day, another World Cup day to look forward to. June 18th is significant at this year's World Cup as it is the day that Panama play their first ever World Cup match. You will remember that the Panamanians made it at the expense of the USA, and a goal in their final qualifying match which wasn't really a goal because it didn't satisfy possibly the most important of all the necessary criteria for a goal to be a goal: the ball didn't cross the line.
England also start their World Cup campaign on June 18th. Tunisia are their first opponents, the same opponents they faced in their first match of France '98. England won that won 2-0 and I'm sure they would be happy with a repeat, a comfortable, no fuss win to get them going. A few years further back in history, on June 18th 1986 England played Paraguay in the last 16 of the Mexico World Cup. England had needed a win in their final group match to qualify for the second round. A Gary Lineker hat-trick against Portugal was a welcome tonic after dismal performances in the first two matches. Lineker scored two more and Peter Beardsley added a third. In the win against Paraguay. Diego Maradona and the Hand of God ended England's hopes in the quarterfinals.
On June 18th South Korea play their first match in Russia, against Sweden. June 18th is a notorious date, or one of celebration, depending on your loyalties, for Korean football. It was on this day in 2002 that South Korea beat Italy 2-1 in the World Cup quarterfinals. It was a second controversial win in a row for the Koreans, but should have been the greatest day in the footballing history.
Panama's opening match in Russia is against Belgium. While England are always one of the hopeful teams, Belgium will be playing with not a small amount of pressure and expectations that their incredibly talented generation of players will play like genuine contenders to win the whole thing in Russia.
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