Football and Other Sports

Nigeria is one of the most powerful soccer teams of the African confederation. They were runners-up in the African Championship of Nations of 2018 and in fact they won their pass for this Football World Cup with very good numbers. They were first of Group B, where they won 4 of their 6 matches played and tied the remaining two. In this period they scored 12 goals and received 4. Only Ghana and Egypt beat Nigeria last year in terms of general statistics. This is the third consecutive participation of the Super Eagles in a Soccer World Cup and the sixth in its history. In Brazil 2014 they reached the second round, a phase of the tournament that they have also achieved in 3 of their 5 previous participations.

The Nigerian team is conceived as a very offensive team, always looking for the verticality and power of their attackers, men like Obafemi Martins or Leicester striker Ahmed Musa. Although without doubt the most decisive player of this team is Chelsea midfielder Victor Moses, a player with technical quality who also has a goal. In its opening in the World Cup Nigeria enjoyed its opportunities against Croatia, but was overtaken by the best technical approach of the Europeans, who ended up winning 2-0. Now the Nigerians are forced to win, since their rival for the last day of the group stage is Argentina and not scoring against Iceland would be practically eliminated.

It would not be unreasonable to say that Icelanders are especially comfortable with their status as non-favorites, but by now anyone who understands football has to recognize that they are not a team that is easy to beat. They gave the great surprise 2 years ago, when in their first participation in a Euro they were planted in the quarterfinals. Well, now they are playing their first FIFA World Cup and in their first game they have already been able to tie Argentina 1. It is true that Argentina was very superior, but the Icelanders have already scored 1 point against the most difficult opponent of the group and it would not be unreasonable to think that they can finish advancing to the knockout phase of the tournament. The Vikings have a team full almost entirely of strangers outside their country, with the possible exception of Gylfi Sigurdsson, an attacking midfielder who plays in English Everton. The author of the goal in the first match was Alfreð Finnbogason.

.Portugal dreams big with Cristiano.The team of "lusa" comes from reaping a valuable draw in the final minutes against a tough Spain with a great protagonist as Cristiano Ronaldo, who with the three annotations is shaping up as the clearest candidate to be the gold booty in Football World Cup Russia 2018. It is to highlight that Portugal comes from winning the Euro (2016) and, currently, it is located in the 4th box of the FIFA ranking.

In the friendlies prior to the start of the 2018 Soccer World Cup, they had drawn 0-0 against Belgium and triumphed 3-0 against Algeria. During the European qualifiers he maintained a goal average of 3.2 every 90 minutes, which was confirmed with his debut in this World Cup. It should be noted that when the "Lusos" start winning a game, they end with 3 points in 69% of the cases.

Morocco to win or die. The "lions of the atlas" team is mortally wounded after falling at the last minute against Iran with an own goal by their striker Aziz Bouhaddouz, so their chances of advancing to a second round decreased. His hope is to get a good result against Portugal, although he does not have anything easy if it is mentioned that in 4 participations he has only qualified in 1 occasion to the second round (1986).

Corresponding to Group F, the teams of Sweden and South Korea face off in their debut at this FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018. The Nizhny Novgorod stadium will host this Soccer match with more than 55,000 spectators in the stands to watch the first match of their national teams in Russia. You can not see the faces since 2005, in two friendly matches that ended in a draw without giving too much spectacle for the fans.

The Swedes are presented at the 2018 Football World Cup against all odds, eliminating in the repechage the great Italian side that did not miss an international championship in the last 60 years. A goal by Johansson, in the first game and a goalless draw in the return match, make it possible for Sweden to play in this group F, which they share with Germany and Mexico, in addition to the South Koreans, their rival today. The qualifying phase was also tough, in a group with France and Holland, managed to get among the first. The great absence of this Swedish team is that of Ibrahimovic, where surely his teammates will miss him in the field, that despite having Forsberg, Zlatan is irreplaceable.

The Group E favorites to reach the round of 16 will face off on the first day of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Brazil and Switzerland will be looking for three points to get through the group stage, and will do so after have signed great results in the preparation friendlies prior to this event. Even so, the canarinha part as a clear favorite in the forecasts to take the win, and it is not to forget that, along with Germany and Spain, is the favorite to lift the Football World Cup.

It is undeniable that Brazil has improved abysmally in the four years that have elapsed since the last Football World Cup 2014 until now. In that event, the South American team depended on Neymar, who could not help his teammates in that tragic semifinal game against Germany due to an injury that could have ended his career. The presence of veteran and uncompetitive players in key positions caused the Canarinha to make water in front of their fans with one of the most famous goals in the history of the World Cups, but the situation is very different today. Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho are fearsome players in the attack zone, without forgetting fundamental pieces like Marcelo or Casemiro, as well as a list of top-level goalkeepers that Brazilians have been waiting for for years. Thus, no wonder the superiority with which they achieved the pass to the Soccer World Cup in Russia, the same that has caused the full victories in the friendlies played in 2018, with very important wins over teams like Croatia or Germany.

In this way, Switzerland will have to sweat the last straw to beat the Brazilian team, although they already know what it is to start a World Cup with positive surprises for their interests, since in 2010 they managed to beat Spain on the first day of the World Cup phase. groups To take into account, the European team signed an almost impeccable qualifying phase, with nine victories and a single defeat that, coincidentally, condemned him to go to the play-offs, since Portugal finished with the same points and better goal difference. After beating Northern Ireland by a 1-0 aggregate win, Switzerland put on its overalls to sign major victories against Italy, Greece, Panama and Japan, as well as a creditable 1-1 against Spain on June 3. . In the absence of renowned stars, the Swiss team is characterized by its strength as a group, the same that will have to shine against Brazil if you do not want to start the 2018 World Cup with defeat.

If we look back when looking for records between both teams, we can see that Brazil and Switzerland have met on three occasions, with one win for each team and a draw. The last match dates from 2013, a friendly in which the Swiss took the victory by 1-0, while you have to travel to 2006 to observe the Brazilian triumph by 1-2 with goals from Luisao and the mythical Kaka. As far as official, Brazilian and Swiss parties are concerned, only one side has been seen once, a 2-2 for which we have to go back to the 1950 World Cup, the same one in which the famous "Maracanazo" took place.

The time has come for the Mexican national team. After having dominated the CONCACAF qualification for the Football World Cup in Russia, the biggest challenge awaits them. Juan Carlos Osorio and his pupils will seek to start the tournament with the right foot before unquestionably one of the best teams in the world.

And it is about the defending champions Germany. Those led by Joachim Löw are once again favorites to lift the title. As for talent, they arrive with one of the best squads of the entire tournament and with the confidence of knowing that they have never lost an official match against the Mexican national team.

That's right, the soccer teams of Mexico and Germany have faced each other on just five occasions throughout history, and the tricolor team has never been able to beat the Teutons. Within those five matches, Germany has two wins and three draws. Three of those matches were in official FIFA tournaments. The most recent was just a year ago in the Confederations Cup 2017, a match that Germany won by a score of 4-1.

The only match of the World Cup between these two countries took place in 1998. It is a game remembered by many among the Mexican fans, as El Tri was 15 minutes away from eliminating the Teuton team. In the World Cups, Mexico tends to play at the level of its rival and has shown in the past that it can play against the best in the world. Something similar is expected in Russia.

In the league table the Dutch team is divided by a difference of only six points. The Vice-Champion of the competition is currently Ajax, while the place where the players from Philips Stadium rank lower. This fact adds a bit of extra rivalry.

HISTORY

There was a 1: 1 draw in the last match with both teams. This meeting was held in December last year. The result was Davy Klaasen. Siem de Jong led to the draw. It is worth pointing out that PSV is not able to beat the ambassadors on its facility from two meetings. The last match between the two teams, when the Eindhoven team played host, ended up winning Ajax 2: 0 and Arkadiusz Milik was one of the hits.

LAST RESULTS

Both PSV and Ajax have impressed in recent years with their excellent form in the league. The team led by Philip Cocu has a series of seven games without a defeat. Meanwhile Peter Bosza's team are without fail for 15 matches. What's more, during this time, the Amsterdamians had 12 victories.

Let us add that Ajax to his clash will be approached with a promotion to the European League finals 1/2 after winning a match from Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen. In the next phase of this competition, the capital of the team will play Olympique Lyon, whose colors are represented by Maciej Rybus.

Real Madrid and Barcelona will be measured at the Santiago Bernabeu, a meeting that will be followed by millions of spectators around the world and to which both teams arrive in a very different state.

The favorites meringues will jump to the lawn of the Bernabeu with morale in the clouds after beating Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a full-fledged Cristiano Ronaldo, while Barcelona arrives at its worst Season with a single win in the last four games and having been unable to score a single goal to Juventus in that same round of the top European competition.

In the face of this encounter, Zidane has Pepe and Varane low in the center of defense, so Nacho will again be the companion of Sergio Ramos in the center of the back. Although the canterano has shown enough level to meet in games of maximum exigency, the defensive data the white box are not at all good, since they have conceded at least one goal in the last five meetings.

As for the area of ​​attack, Gareth Bale arrives just after his new solo injury, so once again he will be in doubt whether Zidane will seek greater control of the ball with Isco or James or try to take advantage of the speed And overflow of Lucas Vázquez or Marco Asensio to break through the bands and let Cristiano accompany Benzema in tip.

With his last defeat in February, Real Madrid is a clear favorite to take the Classic and, by the way, leave the road to the championship, as a win would leave Barcelona six points behind. In addition, the team of the capital still has to dispute its delayed party against Celta.

For its part, Barcelona arrives at the Classic submerged in a sea of ​​doubts. With the confirmed loss of Neymar, Luis Enrique will have very difficult to compose a team that is able to recover feelings, and certainly the Santiago Bernabéu is not the best scenario where to do it. Even so, the presence of Messi and Suarez and Madrid's fragility in defense could put the Catalans to advantage at any time.

Another fact to be taken into account by Barcelona is that, despite having one of the most powerful attacks on the world scene, have been left out in both games against Juventus, as well as in their defeat by 2- 0 in front of Malaga. The bets mark a 1.36 share for the chance that both teams score, but for that to happen those of Luis Enrique will have to improve the speed of their game in the medulla and that Andrés Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic regain sensations after a few matches Loose