June 19th 2018

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Just as the Christmas holidays always seem to go by too quickly and after they're over you always wish that you enjoyed every day a little more, so does the World Cup seem to rush by and before you know it the days of three, or four, group stage matches are over and then it's the final. And the next day? Nothing. The countdown to the next one starts.

I've been going through the Russia 2018 matches day by day and I'm up to June 19th. And already Russia will be playing their second match. So enjoy June 14th-19th because the excitement of your team's first match will be over and now we'll be moving on to the different, nervous excitement of the make or break second match.

Russia's second Group A match is against Egypt. On the same day Group H teams play their first matches: Colombia vs Japan and Poland vs Senegal. On paper this could be the least exciting group, but let's hope we are surprised.

Japan and Colombia also played on June 19th in 2014. While Japan played Greece (0-0) in one of the few boring first round matches in Brazil, Colombia beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a match more typical of the fun football in brazil.

Japan also played on June 19th in 2010 when they lost 1-0 to Holland. I decided to be a little scientific and do some research into what the odds are of Japan having better luck this time round on June 19th. Apparently, the number 19 carries misfortune as it is pronounced "juku" which when written in Kanji can mean "multiple suffering." That probably explains Japan vs Greece in 2014. Multiple suffering, not for Japan playing the match, but for us watching it. Colombia may have a good day on June 19th this year.

June 18th 2018

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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.

June 17th 2018

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Sunday June 17th is one of those World Cup days which the not so die-hard may consider a ho-hum day of fixtures and may be tempted to do other things which they find exciting or think necessary like gardening or re-arranging their Panini doubles. Then they'll remember that Brazil are playing in the late match and realize what fools they've been.

Before Brazil play their opening match against Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia start the day, followed by Germany and Mexico. The first one could be one of those surprisingly memorable matches or it could be a cause for regret for not having planted those new flowers in the garden instead. The second will depend on how brave Mexico are to attack the Germans.

On June 17th, 1962 (also a Sunday) Brazil beat Czechoslovakia in the World Cup final 3-1 to win their second consecutive title. In 1994, the opening matches of that year's World Cup were played on June 17th. Holders Germany beat Bolivia 1-0 in the opening match which was about as forgettable as Germany's last World Cup match, the 1990 final. In the second match Spain and South Korea gave the Americans a little more reason not to hate soccer yet as they played out a 2-2 draw.
Spain and South Korea had played each other exactly four years earlier in Italy, on June 17th, 1990. Spain won this won 3-1.

At Japan/South Korea 2002, Mexico lost 2-0 in the last 16 to the USA, on June 17th. In South Africa, on June 17th, 2010, Mexico beat France 2-0 in what could be regarded as one of Mexico's greatest victories except they were playing a French team who's fighting spirit was aimed only at their team mates and coach and not their opponents. And on June 17th, 2014 Mexico did achieve a great result: a 0-0 draw against hosts Brazil.

So June 17th is a mixed bag for Mexico. They've had all three results so this can only mean one thing: something spectacular and unusual is going to happen, a last minute winning goal off the crossbar, decided by goal line technology.

June 16th 2018: Special day

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June 16th will be a great day at the World Cup. It is the one day that four matches are being played at different times. The highlight is the fascinating Argentina vs Iceland. I've written a lot about this already and will probably come back to it closer to the date. The other matches are: Peru-Denmark, France-Australia and Croatia-Nigeria.

June 16th 1982 was also quite a special World Cup day. Three matches were played, each with a unique story. England beat France 3-1, significant not only for England making a winning return to a World Cup after missing out on 1974 and 1978 but for Bryan Robson scoring the opening goal after 27 seconds, one of the fastest World Cup goals.

Spain, under immense pressure as the hosts could only draw 1-1 with Honduras in their opening match, the Spanish equalizer coming through a penalty in the second half.

The biggest result of the day was Algeria's 2-1 win against West Germany. This was Algeria's biggest ever result and looked to put them on track for a place in the second round. Even they came unstcuk against Austria they did beat Chile. It was the controversial "arranged" 1-0 German win over Austria that sent the Algerians out.

Saturday, June 16th, 2018. Matches start at 6am, Toronto time and will be played at three hour intervals. It'll be a good day to be "busy".

June 15th 2018

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Yesterday I looked back at what happened on June 14th (opening day of Russia '18) in Brazil'14. The second day of this year's World Cup features one of the most eagerly awaited group phase matches, Spain vs Portugal, and also one of the most fascinating. It's one of the reasons that make World Cups so exciting: Egypt vs Uruguay is not a match that would ever happen unless they meet at a World Cup, and it's intriguing to think of a clash between one of the best African teams and a team of similar standing from South America.

Add in the fact that Egypt are coached by an Argentnian, Hector Cuper, and the current Liverpool star, Mohammed Salah, on one side against the former Liverpool hero, Luis Suarez, on the other and there are some interesting sub-plots.

Egypt last played in a World Cup in 1990, and Uruguay were in their second consecutive one after returning in 1986 having missed 1978 and 1982. Neither of them played on June 15th, but it gave me a reason to look back at them both at Italia '90.

Egypt were in a tough group with England, Republic of Ireland and Holland but came very close to making it to the second round. They drew with Holland and Ireland, and lost 1-0 to England. England topped the group with 4 points. Ireland and Holland both had three and they both moved on as the second placed team and one of the best third places teams.

For Uruguay a win against South Korea and a draw with Spain saw them grab a best third placed spot. They went on to lose to Italy 2-0 in the second round.

This year, Uruguay come in as South America's second best team in qualifying and Egypt, with Salah in incredible form, look like they are ready to go one better then 1990. This could be a day, and match, to mark in your calendar.

June 14th 2018:Opening Day

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Maybe if I started doing this before midnight I would have more energy to write something deep, insightful and sensible.

Russia 2018 starts on June 14th. On June 14th, 2014, Costa Rica beat Uruguay in both countries' opening match of Brazil '14. After Uruguay took the lead in the first hal it looked like it would be a routine, expected win for them. However, Costa Rica came back with three second half goals and their performance was typical of a lot of the fun on display in Brazil.

Costa Rica went on to reach the last 16 ahead of Italy and England. There they played Greece in one of the most boring World Cup matches I have ever watched. What turned the previously carefree Ticos into this mundane football team was either the effect Greece had on them (hardly a team full of excitement) or the need for a result. They got it and made it to the quarterfinals where they only lost on penalties to Holland. Who can argue with results?

Fabio Quagliarella

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Today was going to be the start of a ramping up of World Cup news seeing as we are now in a World Cup year. But there is time for one more special story.

Aston Villa won 5-0 today against third-placed, giant-killing Bristol City.

As good as that sounds, that is not it.

This is with thanks to a friend for bringing it up. The unfortunate, emotional, sad story of Fabio Quagliarella. He was in the news last Saturday when he scored two injury time penalties in Sampdoria's 2-0 win over SPAL. But this story wasn't about last minute winners.

The former Italian international grew up watching the great Diego Maradona lead his beloved local team, Napoli, to heights of football greatness that the city and it's passionate fans had never seen before. Quagliarella dreamed of captaining Napoli one day. It took a while but at the age of 26, in 2009, he signed for Napoli and it seemed like his football, and personal, dream had come true.

It turned out to be a nightmare and after a year he was sold to Juventus and instantly branded a traitor by the whole of Naples for going to their bitter rivals. It was especially hard to take for the fans after Quagliarella had declared his love for Napoli and his desire to spend the rest of his career there. It looked like he was just another footballer tempted by money over loyalty.

It was only in March of last year that the truth came out and he could reveal the truth for his, what turned out to be, heartbreaking departure. He was terrorized by a stalker who turned out to be a local policeman, Raffaele Piccolo who Quagliarella thought was helping him deal with a password issue on his phone. Quagliarella and his family befriended Piccolo, and invited him into their home to help the family deal with the stalker. Quagliarella received letters accusing him of being a paedophile, of working with the local mafia and being a drug dealer. His father and him were threatened with being shot or their house bombed.

Finally, Piccolo was found out, partly by Quagliarella's father, and last year was jailed for four years and eight months. Quagliarella had since moved on from Juventus to Torino and now Sampdoria. At the age of 35 the chances of him returning to Napoli as a player are slim. But he is now welcome back in Naples, no longer a traitor but a victim.

And his city has love for him again, and support. On March 13th the Napoli ultras hung a banner at the start of their league match against Crotone. It read:

"You’ve lived through hell with enormous dignity. We will embrace you again, Fabio, son of this city.”