FMM18 World Cup Day 11

Read from the introduction.

Recap on yesterday’s games.

Re-read the opening matches for Group G and Group H.

Group H – Argentina V Japan

After a heavy defeat in their opening game, Argentina come out with a point to prove in a game that’s vital for them to have a chance of getting out of what appeared to be a relatively straight forward group. They’re determined to give themselves every chance and Japan suffer the backlash as Lucas Biglia (7th minute) and Sergio Aguero (9th minute) put Argentina into a two-goal lead inside 10 minutes. Argentina lose Nicolas Gaitan to injury in the 63rd minute before completing the victory through a Paulo Dybala goal in the 81st minute.

Group G – Mexico V Uruguay

Germany’s shock defeat to Romania yesterday has resulted in the group becoming wide open. Mexico look to take advantage and open the scoring through Hector Herrera in the 37th minute. Uruguay lose Lucas Torreira to injury in the 44th minute, but it only seems to serve as inspiration for them as Jose Gimenez draws them level two minutes after the break. With eleven minutes to go, Mexico are reduced to ten men as Jonathan dos Santos receives his marching orders. It’s only a short period to hold out with 10 men to gain a point, but Mexico are unable to manage it as Edinson Cavani scores with five minutes remaining to give Uruguay their first win of the tournament and ensure the Group G couldn’t be closer.

After the second round of matches, the Group G table looks like:

Group H – Wales V Belgium

After Belgium’s convincing opening win against Argentina, they’re in an excellent position to qualify from the group. Something they can confirm with victory against Wales. The first goal of the game arrives in the 8th minute, when Gareth Bale puts Wales into the lead. When Aaron Ramsey doubles the Welsh lead in the 37th minute, Belgian qualification after two matches starts to look less likely. Ten minutes into the second half, Belgium concede again as Ben Woodburn finds the net. Bale completes the scoring and unexpected rout in the 64th minute.

After two rounds of games, Group H looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 12.

FMM18 World Cup Day 10

Read from the introduction.

Recap on yesterday’s games.

Re-read the opening games in Group F and Group G.

Group F – England V Iran

Following on from a healthy win in their opening game, England take on an Iran side who lost heavily in their opening match. Unsurprisingly, England are heavy favourites and are expected to record a comfortable victory. Marcus Rashford gets England off to a good start when he finds the back of the net in the 14th minute. Harry Kane doubles the lead after 37 minutes and Raheem Sterling completes the scoring in the 69th minute. The more sensible media outlets start to contemplate who England might face in the final, whilst others publish the route the team will be taking when parading the trophy.

Group F – France V Ivory Coast

A good win for France in their opening match and a heavy defeat for Ivory Coast means most pundits have written this one off as only one result. The same pundits are looking rather sheepish at half time when the score is still 0-0, although Ivory Coast lost Max Gradel to injury in the eleventh minute. The second half is one minute old when Serge Aurier receives his marching orders. Surely France will record a win now? They do, courtesy of a quickfire double from Antoine Griezmann and Corentin Tolisso in the 60th and 63rd minute respectively.

After the second round of matches, Group F looks like:

Group G – Germany V Romania

Germany are expected to record a victory over Romania as the Germans look to retain the trophy. Romania hold out until half time, but a German victory is still being predicted. Six minutes into the second half, Nicolae Stanciu stuns everyone by putting Romania into the lead. Germany push for an equaliser, but with time running out, Florin Andone secures a shock win for the Romanians by adding a second in the 90th minute.

Find out what happens on Day 11.

FMM18 World Cup Day 9

Read from the introduction.

Recap on yesterday’s matches.

Re-read the previous games in Group D and Group E

Group E – Italy V Chile

It’s a perfect start for the Italians as Claudio Marchisio puts them into the lead with just four minutes on the clock. Things get worse for Chile nine minutes later as Fabian Orellana is forced off with an injury. Andrea Belotti doubles Italy’s lead in the 38th minute, giving them a two-goal lead at half time. The two-lead lasts for one minute of the second half. Giorgio Chiellini makes things even more comfortable for the Italians. With four minutes remaining, Andrea Petagna adds a fourth as the Italians dispel the myth about them being slow starters.

Group D – Denmark V Saudi Arabia

The Danes are favourites going into the match and it doesn’t take long for them to show why. Fourteen minutes to be precise. Christian Eriksen is the man who puts them in the lead. It takes them until the 71st minute to feel safe, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg adding the second. Even an injury to Nicolai Jorgensen in the 77th minute doesn’t give Saudi Arabia a way back into the game as Denmark record their second win.

After the second round of matches, the Group D table looks like:

Group E -Northern Ireland V Australia

After Italy’s win over Chile, a win for either side here would put them in a great place to qualify for the last 16. Northern Ireland draw first blood through Craig Cathcart in the 43rd minute. The second half is only six minutes old when Stuart Dallas doubles the lead. For Australia to fight back, something needs to happen quickly. Something does happen quickly. They are reduced to ten men in the 52nd minute, with Lyndon Dykes taking the long walk to a lonely early bath. Northern Ireland don’t add any further goals with the man advantage, but they’ve done enough to record an important victory.

After the second round of matches, the Group E table looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 10.

FMM18 World Cup Day 8

Read from the introduction.

Recap on yesterday’s action.

Re-read the opening games in Group C and Group D.

Group C – USA V Portugal

Things don’t get off to a great start for America as they lose DeAndre Yedlin to injury in the fourth minute. Fourteen minutes later, Andre Silva fires Portugal into the lead. Thankfully, from an American perspective, it’s as bad as it gets; unfortunately, from an American perspective, it’s as good as it gets and Portugal run out victors.

Group C – Ghana V Ukraine

It’s not a great start for Ghana as Jordan Ayew has to be replaced in the seventh minute due to injury. It has a minimal impact on Ghana, who take the lead a minute later through Godfred Donsah. One minute before half time, Andre Ayew doubles the lead for Ghana. With nine minutes remaining, Kwadwo Asamoah scores Ghana’s third. Four minutes later, Andriy Yarmolenko pulls one back for Ukraine, but it’s too little too late.

The Group C table now looks like:

Group D – Colombia V South Africa

The game takes some time to get going, but Sebastian Perez’s injury in the 33rd minute seems to act as the catalyst for the game springing into life. One minute after Perez’s injury, Colombia take the lead through Jeison Murillo and James Rodriguez doubles the lead five minutes later. A two goal lead is comfortable at half time and Colombia waste little time in extending their lead at the start of the second half with Jackson Martinez and Luis Muriel scoring in the 50th and 60th minute respectively to give Colombia a resounding victory.

FMM18 World Cup Day 7

Read from the start of the tournament.

Recap on yesterday’s games.

Re-read the opening matches in Group A and Group B.

Group B – Iceland V Costa Rica

Costa Rica performed above expectations in the 2014 World Cup and Iceland did the same at Euro 2016. Oscar Duarte is injured in the 8th minute and replaced by Costa Rica. The scoring is opened by Iceland through Kristofer Ingi Andrason in the 25th minute; the lead is doubled by Jon Dadi Johannsson a minute later. Johan Berg Hreidarsson is sent off in the 56th minute, which appears to give Costa Rica a way back into the game. There are goals after the sending off. Three of them. Aron Gunnarsson in the 72nd minute, Atli Hrafn Andrason in the 79th minute and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson in the 82nd minute as a three-goal ten minute salvo from Iceland gives them a 5-0 victory.

Group A – Zambia V Spain

Zambia’s loss in the opening game make this a must-win game for them, whilst Spain can put themselves into an incredibly strong position in the group if they win. It starts well for Spain as Juan Mata puts them in the lead in the 6th minute. Stephen Kandi needs to be substituted for Zambia a minute later due to injury. Gerard Pique adds Spain’s second goal in the 25th minute and puts them in complete control. James Aborah scores for Zambia in the 49th minute to bring them back into the game, but Dani Carvajal’s goal in the 72nd minute restores Spain’s two-goal lead. Any thoughts Zambia had of completing an unlikely comeback are ended in the 82nd minute with the sending off of Sol Kone.

After two group games, Group A looks like:

Group B – Brazil V Tunisia

Iceland have certainly laid the gauntlet down to Brazil with their earlier demolition of Costa Rica. The floodgates are expected to open against Tunisia, but it never materialises. Aymen Belaid is injured for the Tunisians in the 73rd minute and Fernandinho scores the only goal of the game in the 77th minute. It’s another win, but not by the margin many would have expected.

The Group B table now looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 8.

FMM18 World Cup Day 6

Begin reading from the introduction

Recap on yesterday’s matches.

Re-read the last Group A matches.

Group H – Japan V Wales

Wales open their first World Cup finals game since 1958 against the team they will be expected to battling for third place in the group. Japan lose Daisuke Nagatomo to injury in the 8th minute, but it doesn’t have an impact on their defence, which holds firm. Whether it has an impact on their attack is open to debate, but Wales’ run at Euro 2016 was based on a miserly defence. It’s a point apiece, but both have the two favourites to qualify from the group to play.

Group A – South Korea V Russia

Another game with five goals. However, this one is the first that can accurately be described as a five-goal thriller. Jae-Sung Choe silences the crowd in the 14th minute by putting South Korea in the lead. Shock replaces silence in the 28th minute when Heung-Min Son doubles South Korea’s lead. Suk Hyun-Jun is replaced six minutes later after getting injured, but it doesn’t have an impact on South Korea; in fact, they extend their lead in the 58th minute through In-Jae Myung. With Russia sinking without trace, Alexandr Kokorin scores a consolation goal in the 69th minute. One minute later, it appears as though it could be more than a consolation goal as Vasily Berezutskiy pulls Russia to within one goal. However, they are unable to build on this in the last 20 minutes and although suffering a scare, South Korea hold on to record the victory.

Group H – Belgium V Argentina

The opening round of matches are completed with Belgium and Argentina playing their opening fixture in Group H. They have watched the other 30 teams play their opening game (Russia and South Korea have played two), but finally their campaigns are underway. Belgium make the better start, with Yannick Carrasco opening the scoring in the 8th minute. He adds his second in the 22nd minute and completes his hat-trick in the 30th minute. A Belgium win would not necessarily be a surprise, but few would have predicted them leading by three goals inside half an hour. Things get worse for Argentina in the 38th minute with the dismissal of Nicolas Otamendi. Belgium add a fourth in the 52nd minute, with Carrasco getting the final touch again. Argentina are reduced to nine men on the hour, with Facundo Roncaglia seeing red. Sergio Aguero pulls one back in the 66th minute, but Carrasco adds his (and Belgium’s) fifth in the 75th minute to complete the rout. If Carrasco can keep up that level of goal scoring, he’ll beat Just Fontaine’s record number of goals in a World Cup (13 goals in the 1958 World Cup) in the group stages and finish the tournament with 35 goals (assuming Belgium reach the final or third-placed playoff, which would surely be a formality when scoring at least five a game).

After the opening games in Group H, the table looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 7.

FMM18 World Cup Day 5

Recap on the groups.

Recap on yesterday’s matches.

Group G – Uruguay V Germany

The World Cup holders would surely have been hoping for an easier group than the one they find themselves in. They could certainly have an easier opening match than Uruguay. Rodrigo Aguirre’s match comes to an end nine minutes in due to injury. Christian Jung strikes for the defending champions with two minutes to go until half time. The second half sees the physios called in to action again as Germany lose Uwe Stuckmann to injury on the hour, whilst Emiliano Valazquez’s game for Uruguay is curtailed in the 63rd minute. It’s victory at a price for Germany, but Uruguay have lost twice as many players but with no points to show for it.

Group F – Ivory Coast V England

It’s day five of the tournament and England grinds to halt over the course of a Tuesday afternoon as England’s campaign begins in the early evening against Ivory Coast. There are surely easier opening fixtures, but there are also tougher ones as well. It’s certainly a good test for Gareth Southgate and his team. England’s opening goal arrives in the 27th minute. Is it Harry Kane? Marcus Rashford? Raheem Sterling? No; Jordan Henderson. Sterling doesn’t get on the scoresheet, but Rashford (61) and Kane (67 & 72) do as an excellent eleven minutes in the second half ensure England will open their campaign with an emphatic win. A Max Gradel goal four minutes from time for Ivory Coast does little to dampen enthusiasm. Cue the press getting carried away about how well England will do…

The Group F table looks like:

Group G – Romania V Mexico

A game that probably goes unnoticed in England due to celebrations following their opening win. Hector Herrera puts Mexico in the lead in the 31st minute. The lead is soon under threat as Carlos Salcedo gets send off three minutes later. Mexico lose Giovani dos Santos to injury ten minutes after half time. Surely there will be more goals? There are. Herrera doubles Mexico’s lead in the 64th minute and Javier Hernandez finds himself in the right place at the right time in the 67th minute. With eight minutes to go, Herrera completes his hat-trick to record a win for a Mexican side that has strengthened as things got tougher. In what is likely to be a tough group to qualify from, it’s the type of result you can’t help but feel will come back to haunt Romania.

The Group G table looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 6.

FMM18 World Cup Day 4

Recap on the groups.

Recap on yesterday’s matches

Group E – Australia V Italy

Italy are often associated with cagey single-goal victories. They blow this out of the water with their opening game against Australia. Claudio Marchisio opens the scoring ten minutes in. Andrea Belotti doubles the lead five minute later and Leonardo Bonucci puts the Italians three up inside 23 minutes. Belotti adds a fourth in the 41st minute and completes his hat-trick in the 66th minute to conclude the scoring. Another day, another 5-0 result.

Group E – Chile V Northern Ireland

After Italy’s demolition of Australia, this could prove to be a vital game for both sides. Victory could be a big step towards knockout football, whilst defeat could make things difficult. With so much at stake, perhaps it’s unsurprising that a goalless draw is played out. Chile lose Mauricio Isla to injury in the sixth minute in the only moment of note in the match.

The Group E table looks like:

Group F – Iran V France

It appears to be a tough opening match for Iran. And things only get tougher when Anthony Martial puts France into the lead in the third minute. Martial extends France’s lead in the 31st minute. Alex Delir limps off for Iran in the 38th minute and before they have a chance to readjust, Martial adds his and France’s third one minute later. There’s enough time for Antoine Griezmann to open his account, but with 18 minutes to go when he strikes, it has no impact on the result. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that we don’t see another 5-0 result.

Find out what happens on Day 5.

FMM18 World Cup Day 3

Recap on the groups

Recap on yesterday’s games

Group D – Saudi Arabia V Colombia

Group D opens with Saudi Arabia and Colombia battling it out. Colombia will be expected to qualify from the group and get off to the dream start through Luis Muriel in the third minute. The lead is short-lived and Mohammed Hawsawi equalises for Saudi Arabia eight minutes later. That concludes the scoring and Saudi Arabia emerge with a credible point.

Group C – Portugal V Ghana

The European champions will be expected to qualify from Group C and get off to an emphatic start against Ghana. Andre Silva hits a 13 minute hat-trick (12, 17, 25), whilst goals from Joao Mario (25th minute) and Andre Gomes on the final whistle ensure that victory is never in doubt. It’s a clear statement that Portugal want to add the world title to their European one.

After the first round of matches, Group C looks like:

Group D – South Africa V Denmark

The third day of the tournament concludes with another goal-fest. As seems to be the case, the goals all go for one side as Denmark brush aside South Africa with minimal fuss. A 28 minute hat-trick from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (2, 26, 30) and a brace from Thomas Delaney (17, 79) power Denmark to the top of the group. 5-0 definitely seems to be the scoreline of the tournament so far.

With Group D’s first matches concluding, the table looks like:

Find out what happens on Day 4.

FMM18 World Cup Day 2

Recap on the groups

Recap on yesterday’s games.

Group B – Costa Rica V Brazil

The heavily-fancied Brazilians open their campaign against Costa Rica, who performed above expectations at the 2014 World Cup. There’s no fairy tale opening match for Costa Rica; Dalbert opens the scoring 13 minutes in and Fernandinho guarantees the win one minute after half time. Joel Campbell limps off with 8 minutes to go, which could have an impact on Costa Rica’s remaining two group games.

Group B – Tunisia V Iceland

Brazil are the strong favourites in the group, with second place up for grabs. Tunisia open the scoring 5 minutes in through Barratli. Abdennour is replaced by the Tunisians in the 19th minute due to injury, but the change doesn’t seem to impact the Tunisians who double their lead in the 32nd minute as Harbaoui scores. With time running out and Euro 2016 surprise package Iceland staring defeat in the face, Bjarnason score twice in 4 minutes to secure a point. Tunisia, leading 2-0 with 12 minutes to go, will definitely see it as two points dropped. Iceland started their unexpected Euro 2016 run with a draw…

The opening round of fixtures for Group B are complete.

Group C – Ukraine V USA

The third and final game of the day sees the start of Group C. Besedin puts Ukraine in to the lead after 36 minutes. Pulisic draws the Americans level in the 68th minute, but the equaliser seems to wake the Ukrainians up and Ordets and Besedin both score to give Ukraine a valuable win.

Find out what happens on Day 3.

FMM18 World Cup Day 1

Recap on the groups

Group A – Russia V Zambia

The hosts kick off the tournament against Zambia. Hopefully, it’s a good omen for the tournament as the goals flow. Unfortunately for Zambia, they all go to Russia who run out convincing winners. Dzagoev gets the hosts off to a perfect start and Glushkov doubles the lead just before half time. Zobnin extends the lead nine minutes into the second half and two goals in two minutes (Dzagoev and Berezutskiy) ensure a Russian win. Zambia lose Basit to injury with 18 minutes left, but it’s only going to have an impact on future matches by that stage. The goal difference for Russia could certainly be useful if the group becomes tight, whilst the opposite will be true for Zambia. Whilst a tournament full of goals would be welcome, closer matches would be better.

Group A: Spain V South Korea

A game that’s much tighter than the opening game. Diego Costa scores the only goal of the game for Spain in the 21st minute. With 14 minutes to go, Seung-Min Kim receives the first red card of the tournament, dashing South Korea’s hopes of finding an equaliser.

Group A’s opening round of fixtures are complete on the opening day of the tournament.

Find out what happens on Day 2

FMM18 World Cup

There will be a blog post each day at midday for the Football Manager Mobile 2018 World Cup that was played on my save. Some of the dates are slightly different to the actual World Cup (for example, there is no FMM18 World Cup game today, despite the World Cup beginning today) and the teams and groups are different. The groups are:

Group A: Russia, South Korea, Spain, Zambia.
Group B: Brazil, Costa Rica, Iceland, Tunisia.
Group C: Ghana, Portugal, Ukraine, USA.
Group D: Colombia, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.
Group E: Australia, Chile, Italy, Northern Ireland.
Group F: England, France, Iran, Ivory Coast.
Group G: Germany, Mexico, Romania, Uruguay.
Group H: Argentina, Belgium, Japan, Wales.

Read Day 1 of the tournament; the opening match is Russia V Zambia.

Leave a comment letting me know who you think will qualify from each group and/or who will win the FMM18 World Cup.