Pottis World Cup Diary #8: Kane Scores, Ronaldo Waves

24 matches have been completed, and we’ve seen every team once – and the first major takeaway is: The underdogs have left their mark on the opening matchday. Cape Verde holds Spain to a 0:0 draw, Saudi Arabia annoys Uruguay, Egypt takes points off Belgium, and the DR Congo stops Portugal. The times when the favorites would simply march through seem to be over for now. So far, I have been most impressed by England. The team looked strong, determined, and excellently coached by their German manager. Germany won impressively against Curaçao 7:1, but whether this game is a true benchmark will be shown in the upcoming challenges. Off the pitch, this World Cup continues to provide plenty of talking points – from entry issues to travel chaos to somewhat absurd prices. Sports-wise, the tournament is really picking up pace. The next weeks promise excitement, drama, emotions, and probably a few results that will completely turn my betting account upside down.Group K: Portugal vs. DR Congo 1:1 The surprises of this World Cup continue unabated. This time, it caught Portugal, which could only manage a 1:1 against the DR Congo. On the field was Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who had already made history before the whistle even blew. At 41 years and 132 days, CR7 became the oldest outfield player ever to start in a World Cup match. However, it became truly historic just before halftime on the other side. After a corner, Wissa headed in the first World Cup goal in Congolese football history, leading to collective jubilation among the underdogs. And Ronaldo? He was celebrated at almost every ball touch, as if he had personally carried the World Cup trophy into the stadium. In fact, he had 25 ball contacts. It felt more like five. He had hardly any impact on the match. In the end, the DR Congo celebrated a historic point gain – and Portugal had to realize that a big name alone is apparently no longer enough in this World Cup.Group L: England vs. Croatia 4:2 England kicked off the World Cup with a spectacular 4:2 against Croatia, making a real statement offensively. The Croatians held strong for a long time and provided one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament with a stunning shot from Musa to level it at 2:2. For a brief moment, it even seemed like the match might tilt. But then Harry Kane struck. Twice. And yes, I did correctly predict both of Kane’s goals. One must celebrate the parties as they come. Overall, England is currently making a very strong impression. A German coach on the sidelines, English passion on the pitch, and a Kane in scoring mood – this could indeed become a dangerous mix. The English media are certainly already checking if the route for the World Cup parade is free.Group L: Ghana vs. Panama 1:0 My dice have delivered. Ghana actually won 1:0 against Panama, giving me the next correct trend. While the match wasn’t a candidate for the World Cup museum, it was fiercely contested until the last minute. Panama fought hard but found solutions far too rarely offensively. Ghana took one of its chances and managed to maintain the narrow lead until the end. Three important points for the Africans – and another small success for my recently greatly improved betting record.Group K: Uzbekistan vs. Colombia 1:3 Colombia fulfilled its favorite role and triumphed 3:1 against Uzbekistan. The South Americans demonstrated the expected strong mix of technique, pace, and passion, controlling the game for large stretches. The Uzbeks put up a spirited fight and were even able to celebrate their first World Cup goal, but in the end, it was not enough against the individually stronger Colombians. My prediction of 2:0 was off, but at least the trend was right. One must stay humble.

Upcoming Matches

From now on, I will focus less on general country and player info and instead shine a light on the current situation: standings, form trends, direct confrontations, and the significance of each match for the further tournament progression.Group A: Czech Republic vs. South Africa – 6:00 PM Both teams have lost their opening matches and are thus under pressure. The loser of this match can start mentally preparing for the flight home. I believe the Czechs will bring their slightly better quality of play onto the pitch and win narrowly 2:1.Group B: Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – 9:00 PM After the first matchday, all four teams in Group B actually have the same points and goal tally. Neither the Swiss nor the Bosnians have convinced me so far. There probably won’t be any beauty awards in this clash – but there will be three points. My tip: Switzerland wins narrowly 1:0.Group B: Canada vs. Qatar – 12:00 AM Same situation: Both teams have one point on the scoreboard and can take a big step towards the knockout phase with a win. Home advantage or not – I believe the Canadians will withstand the pressure and win 2:0.Group A: Mexico vs. South Korea – 3:00 AM With a draw, both teams are safely in the round of 16. That’s exactly what this match smells like: Two teams that can quite clearly work out that a 1:1 is completely sufficient – and will probably play accordingly cautiously. My tip: 1:1.