Knockout stage - Round of 32 Games

The second to last Dutch penalty was a shocker.

These stutter step penalties have to stop. All the stutter steps were horrific.

Morocco one of the best teams in the tournament and young, glad they got through. 

That was the first time I've seen the keeper make an own goal trying to save a penalty!

Hard to like the Moroccans when their captain has been charged with rape. Up there with Ghana and Cabo Verde (sadly) as some of the most dislikable teams of the tournament for that reason. 

It's a mini tragedy we never got to see Chris Wood take a pen at this WC, and show everyone how it's done.

Yep, couldn't agree more. Just put your foot through it.

Norway first UEFA side through to RO16.

How good is this French team

Mbappe is in devastating form, French have to be favourites at this stage.

France truely play the beautiful game.

They are like the Brazil team of the early 80s. 

Olise, you could watch all day on the ball.

Just hope they win it playing this style.

And not only are their first 11 good, their reserves would also be one of the best teams at the WC. Scary depth. 
But saying that I think the Swedes missed a huge opp rtunity to hurt them by not putting Elanga's speed against the Digne. 

Echo the sentiments of those in here. 

France not only a quality side but they are so good to watch. The starting front four are devastating.

Hot take? Olise is the best player in the french team (and possibly the world).

Mexico v Equador delayed due to heavy rain and lightening strikes, bet they still have the drinks breaks though

I may have misheard, but I thought itv said that they weren’t having it due to the delay. Will see though.

Mexico are another team that could well surprise a few teams, they play a very nice version of the game!

This Mexico team is very exciting & has a nice blend of hard-nosed experience & emerging talent like the brilliant Gilbero Mora..

The pressure the national team has from their public is huge & their media is incredibly brutal on bad performances, but this Mexico side has really turned up for this world cup.. 

Another thing about this game from a Mexic perspective is the "curse of the fifth game" (El Quinto Partido) which refers to the notorious inability of the Mexican Men's National Football Team to advance to the quarter-finals (their fifth match) at a FIFA World Cup. Despite consistently making the tournament, Mexico has not won a World Cup knockout match in 40 years, dating back to 1986... So they should they hold on, it wil be a massive psycholocial boost. Imagine all blacks winning the 2011 rugby world cup, just a massive sigh of relief.

Really hard to see England (or Congo tbf) beating Mexico in Mexico.

One of the YouTube guys made the observation that the number of assists Olise has in 4 World Cup games would have placed him in the top 20 for assists in the last Premier League season. 

I was actually really impressed with the French team, they seem to be playing for each other. Similar to the argentines except less one player focused. The goals were obviously great and they were desperately unlucky not to score more.

Mexicans undoing I think could be that they’re not quite as team focused, lots of players going for worldies (not that I blame them). That’s not to take away from that performance though, it was a joy to watch. I hope they go far, it would be great for them to break their curse as nixieboys has said. The noise at the stadium sounded incredible. 

France only loses if a team takes them to ET or penalties. They look too good at the moment.

Anyone else up this early watching DR Congo vs England? The Three Lions are down 1-0 and are getting bossed at the moment. DR Congo player was also left free as a bird for the goal.

Oh my gosh. 

West Ham and the Newcastle reserves giving England a tune up. 

And Wissa hits the post instead of going two up and the ref gives Harry Kane the diving gesture! Wow. Wowowowow.

Keeper nowhere near the ball. 

Declan Rice looking for his Arsenal collaborators at set pieces who are all playing for France.

Keeper has somehow kept out two Bellingham headers, while Pickford embarrassed himself at his near post for the opener.

DR Congo keeper having a fantastic game.

Kane will feel so hard done by.

Future England stars Tuanzebe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka doing all right. Fortunately for England Wissa has been training with Newcastle! 2-0 might be quite the mountain. 

It’s a muted ego England team for sure. No Slabhead for the late goal. Madueke isn’t half what Saka is. Rashford is the Villa or Barcelona vintage.

Hard to blame Kane, Bellingham or Rashford. Congo have been phenomenal blocking and saving. The Sunderland strategy from the PL this season. Survive the xG. 

Perhaps that last shot could have been a header back across, but hard to quibble with a full power Kane shot smashed goalward.

Saka on. 5-10 crucial minutes coming up for an otherwise lackluster team.

False alarm.

Madueke and Spence looked poor. They’ll be hanging on Rice’s injury. I don’t like Gordon, but he did okay here. 

Kane is one of the greats. The winner required a fair bit. No trouble. 

England going through cause of Kane, Mexico are favourites next Monday.

Hats off to DR Congo, great performance and effort, and they have a quality keeper.

Gah, DRC had it for 75mins! But England slowly grew into the game and took control of it. The second goal from Kane was one few others could pull off with such power. And I think the English subs really made an impact, Gordon in particular. 
It's going to be a very close match against Mexico, who with the home advantage, have to be favourites.

England just doing English things, barely getting out of second gear until midway into the second half.
They were lucky that Kane can still score from almost anywhere and angle.
They wont fare so well against the Mexicans in Mexico

Senegal schooling Belgium at the 60th minute mark, 2-0

Lukaku makes it 2-1

2-2!!!!
come on senegal!

Looked like a shove on the Senegal defender, reckon Belgium got away with one there. Great game for the neutral, although I feel very senegalese right now!

goes to extra time!

If VAR rules that as a pen then Senegal have been robbed!

Senegal robbed twice by VAR here. Non call on the Belgium second and a very dubious penalty here 

It wasn't clear from the ground level camera angles, and I thought the same initially, but that view from above has the Senegalese player kick Tielemans leg. 

Desperately unlucky stuff for Senegal.

no ones fault but Senegal's.... terrible game management in conceding 2 goals in last 5 minutes, despite not doing anything for 85 minutes beforehand... 

yeah there was definite contact, but was it pen worthy? I think the ref made the right call.
VAR's settings when there's contact in the box are just too sensitive, remembering that for VAR to overrule there has to be a clear and obvious error by the ref.