(GFWC Matches 35/36) Stalemates in Group B as Spain Top Group

A Chapter by Steve Clark

The following articles highlight the process of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and their demise from the governance of international football and the rise of Global Futbol.

June 25th, 2018 (GFWC Matches 35/36)

Stalemates in Group B as Spain Top Group

Czech Republic 1-1 Guatemala

Guinea 3-3 Spain

Guinea and Spain played a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Czech Republic drew with Guatemala after a tough game, earning their only point for the tournament.

The Czechs started strongly but Guatemala was more attacking in the middle part of the first half. No shots were on target for the first half, and the break brought a welcome rest for the players.

In the 56^thminute, Lafata won a huge one-on-one battle in the middle of the park. Replays suggested he should have been penalised for a free. Instead, he managed to place a through ball to Krmenčik, who had three attempts at goal, all thwarted by Motta and M. Hernández.

Three minutes later, the Czech team had another chance with Dočkal, but Motta’s parry was strong enough to bypass any Czech players running in for the rebound.

Guatemala then stepped up a notch. As they attacked from midfield, Pappa passed through the ball to a leading Lopez, who was clearly playing with a sore shoulder from the previous game. He touched with his right boot over to his left and snuck the ball under a charging Vaclík. The Guatemalan crowd resounded with hollering as they could sense an upset.

Like the previous game, the Czechs switched their formation around. Vladimir Darida drove down the middle straight towards the goal. As he took a shot, it deflected off Pavelka, wrong-footing the goalkeeper as the Europeans drew level.

The continued advances were not enough to win, and the game petered out to a draw.

The Man of the Match award went to Suchý, whose marking ability stopped Lopez for much of the game. Had Darida played more of the game, it is likely he would have snatched the award.

What Czech Republic can take away: Suchý is their number 1 defender. Substituting him in the Guinea game was perhaps unwise, as it potentially led to the goal. Rosicky needs to have plenty of ball on the right midfield, as he did in the first game against Spain. Darida works as both defensive and attacking midfielder. Lafata can also play as striker and attacking midfielder when formations are swapped around. Though, instead of working on the right wing, as he did in the last twenty or so minutes, he needs to be on the left or centre.

Meanwhile, Spain and Guinea have gone out all attack in a thrilling 3-all draw, with a penalty on Iniesta by Issiaga Sylla needed late to level the scores.

Spain attacked early, but the attackers were wasteful in front of goal. Koke started with a high shot in the 10^thminute. The Spaniards had another chance, but it went begging. Iniesta then cut in from left midfield and fired at goal, needing a solid knock-over by goalkeeper Naby-Moussa Yattara. Again, Spain missed a relatively straightforward opportunity, but the crowd could feel a goal coming.

That goal came in the 24^thminute to Iniesta. Jordi Alba sliced a ball into the box between two Guinean defenders to Iniesta. The Spanish legend touched the ball around the approaching Fodè Camara and fired into the gap between the goalkeeper and the near post.

Spain then missed two more chances, the first by Busquets, and the second by Diego Costa. The latter received the ball from Iniesta near the penalty spot, only to shoot too hard and over the goal.

At halftime, Spain made a slight change and substituted Diego Costa to keep him fresh for the Round of 16 match. Vásquez was a great inclusion and had an immediate impact. His great work on collecting the ball at the edge of the box and dipping it across to Koke meant Spain increased their lead.

This sparked the Guineans into another gear, having nothing to lose. Thirteen minutes after Koke’s goal, Ibrahima Bangoura ran onto a forward pass by Doumbouya. He fired a similar shot to Iniesta, only from a slightly wider angle. De Gea was unable to save the ball, and Guinea’s comeback was well underway.

The second started with defender Abdoul Keita’s attack on the ball near right wing. He passed to Ibrahima Soumah, who turned Sergio Ramos and curled the ball into goal with his left.

With Spain on the back foot, Guinea attacked again. This time, Mohamed Yattara collected a ball that had come from Man of the Match Ibrahima Soumah’s header. He turned back towards goal and fired with hope. That hope switched to elation as Guinea had created the ultimate comeback after being two goals down to lead against the European powerhouses.

However, Spain would not be outdone. Iniesta won a penalty against Issiaga Sylla in the 82^ndminute. Busquets made sure he scored the penalty to level the game and keep Spain on top of Group B.

Spain now take on the Faroe Islands in the Round of 16, while Guinea travel to Sochi to face hosts Russia, who have not lost a game yet with 14 goals scored.

Czech Republic	1-1		Guatemala
14 6 49 17 0 1 42 74	Shots Shots on Target Possession % Tackles Fouls Corners Shot Accuracy % Pass Accuracy %		3 1 51 22 1 0 33 76
59’ #9 Dočkaloff, #18 Pavelka on 69’ #7 Hušbauer off, #22 Darida on 82’ #18 Pavelka (#22 Darida assist)		45' #20 Ruiz off, #14 Harrarte on 61’ #6 Mejía off, #15 D. Lopez on 66’ #8 Marquez off, #17 de León Ramos on 73’ #22 M. Lopez (#16 Pappa assist)

Guinea	3-3		Spain
4 4 52 9 1 0 100 76	Shots Shots on Target Possession % Tackles Fouls Corners Shot Accuracy % Pass Accuracy %		9 5 48 18 0 2 55 84
64’ #12 I. Bangoura (#21 Doumbouya assist) 68’ #12 I. Bangoura off, #19 Alhassane Bangoura on 68’ #11 Idrissa Sylla off, #14 M. Yattara on 71’ #6 I. Soumah (#23 Abdoul Keita assist) 74’ M. Yattara 74’ #9 S. Diallo off, #7 Mara on		24’ #6 Iniesta (#18 Jordi Alba assist) 45’ #19 Diego Costa off, #9 Vásquez on 51’ #8 Koke (#9 Vásquez assist) 53’ #8 Koke off, #14 Alcãntara on 80’ #10 Isco off, #20 Niguez on 82’ #5 Busquets (pen)