READ POST MATCH REPORTS FOR 18 JUNE 2018
Sweden 1-0 South Korea
Sweden face South Korea in the second match of Group F in the World Cup, following Germany’s shock defeat to Mexico. The match started at 1pm BST on Monday i.e 18th June 2018. Nizhny Novgorod Stadium is packed and fans are chanting names of their favorite teams.
Mexico’s 1-0 victory over the defending champions Germany will have infused plenty of belief in today’s combatants that the route out of the pool just got that little bit easier.
Although the South Korean team started off brilliantly but undoubtedly the first half belonged to Sweden. Both teams were goal-less at half time. South Korea started off aggressively with Hwang Hee-chan and Tottenham winger Son Heung-min getting into the Swedish box on couple of occasions but failed to score. The Swedish, who started-off slowly then picked up pace, managing to pierce the South Korean defence on multiple occasions but they too failed to score. In the dying minutes of the first half, fans saw a brilliant header from Viktor Claesson off the corner kick but the ball sailed over the net.
Sweden took lead in 2nd half. Andreas Granqvist steps up to take the penalty and calmly slots the ball into the bottom right corner, with the goalkeeper diving the other way. Sweden showed terrific defensive play in the second half and won the game with ease.
Belgium 3-0 Panama
Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium proved too good for World Cup debutants Panama in the opening match in England’s Group G. After a goalless first half Belgium, ranked third in the world, finally broke Panama’s resistance when Dries Mertens steered in a spectacular 15-yard volley early in the second half.
Panama, 55th in the rankings, had a chance to snatch an equaliser but Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was quick off his line to save Michael Murillo’s shot with his legs. Manchester United striker Lukaku made certain of the victory as he scored with a diving header after a pass from Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne. Lukaku then added a third with a chipped finish after a fine through ball from Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.
Tunisia 1-2 England
Tunisia’s winless run at the World Cup was extended on Monday following a 2-1 defeat to England in their opening fixture at the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup at the Volgograd Arena – no thanks to a Harry Kane injury time header for his first brace in a major international tournament. Tunisia have now failed to win their last 11 games at a World Cup since triumphing in their first ever match against Mexico in 1978.
Ferjani Sassi stepped up to score Africa’s first goal of the 2018 World Cup and draw Tunisia level from the spot, after Harry Kane reacted first in the box to put the Three Lions ahead. England dominated on the pitch as well as in the stands, and had enough chances to take the game but were extremely wasteful in front of goal. The Tottenham Hotspur striker left it late to hand England a winning start to their 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia with an added time header.
Belgium top the Group with 3 points after beating debutants Panama in the earlier Group G game while England, who had had six shots on target in the opening period – the most in the first half of a World Cup match since the 1966 semi-final against Portugal (also six) – come second. Tunisia place third and will face Panama in their second game.
