Key events
Over 17 million people tuned in to German broadcaster ARD’s coverage of the World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica on Thursday, according to data from audience measurement firm AGF, Reuters reports.
The survey sadly doesn’t specify how many people threw their shoes at the telly in disgust at the end of the game.
We will be coming to how that Japan goal was allowed to stand shortly, but late last night it was one of the main topics of conversation in the pod with Max and the gang. Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen, Jonathan Fadugba and Archie Rhind-Tutt were with Max Rushden to assess the fallout from an extraordinary night of drama. Get it in your ears.
Preamble
Well then, Morocco and Japan topping their groups was a coupon-buster yesterday and no mistake. Will we get anything similar today as our final groups, Group G and Group H, come to a climax/shuddering halt [delete as appropriate]?
The evening matches see an already qualified Brazil Reserves XI take on Cameroon. Brazil need a point to top the group, Cameroon need to build on their spirited comeback against Serbia with a win or they are not going any further. Serbia and Switzerland could be tasty. The winner probably goes through, a draw is enough for the Swiss, and they met at this stage in 2018 and it was a bad-tempered affair.
Before that, South Korea need a win against already qualified Portugal to stand any chance of progressing. Portugal need a point to guarantee top spot and avoid playing full-strength Brazil on Monday. Uruguay and Ghana have a rematch of that contentious 2010 quarter-final, with both sides knowing a win will probably see them progress.
Before then I will be bringing you reaction to yesterday’s matches, words from the people paraded in front of the press in Qatar today, and all the other World Cup bits and bobs you need. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardain.com.
