Well it was on Sunday that me & Pops went to Thai Villa for dinner (I had a Pad Thai there) on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup final (Although one of my Jewish mates Leon watched it on Prime at the Command Post at 15 Alexander Street but he was here yesterday at my home since December 2016) between France & Croatia but the match ended at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia (Host nation) which France (Featuring the likes of Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann, Manchester United's Paul Pogba & young 19 year old teenage sensation from Paris St Germain on loan from AS Monaco, Kylian Mbappe) prevailed over Luka Modric (Who plays for Real Madrid) & co of Croatia in a 4 - 2 victory to lift their 4th World Cup trophy so here's the match commentary taken from NZ Herald:
France and Croatia will take unchanged lineups into the World Cup final.
France coach Didier Deschamps has retained the starting 11 which beat Belgium 1-0 in the semifinals after Blaise Matuidi returned from a suspension in the quarterfinals.
Zlatko Dalic has stuck with Marcelo Brozovic in midfield after he came into the lineup for Croatia's 2-1, extra-time semifinal win over England. That means forward Andrej Kramaric remains on the bench.
Lineups:
France: Hugo Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe, N'Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Lucas Hernandez.
Croatia lineup: Danijel Subasic, Sime Vrsaljko, Ivan Strinic, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren, Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Mandzukic, Ante Rebic, Domagoj Vida.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will help present the trophy to the winning captain after the World Cup final.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino will join Putin for the ceremony on the field at Luzhniki Stadium.
The recent World Cup tradition is for presidents of FIFA and the host nation to jointly hand over the gold-and-malachite trophy.
Four years ago, then-FIFA leader Sepp Blatter and Brazil's then-president Dilma Rousseff presented the trophy to Germany captain Philipp Lahm.
So it's France vs Croatia. Either Hugo Lloris or Luka Modric will lift the trophy this morning. After all the surprises this tournament has thrown up it seems these two teams certainly deserve their spots in the final.
Meanwhile it's a Serbian trying to steal a little bit of limelight on Croatia's big day. Novak Djokovic is two sets up over Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon final.
Here come the players under the stadium about to play the biggest match of their lives.
Here comes German great and 2014 winner Philipp Lahm with the World Cup. I learned during the week that the winning team will get to have the trophy for the post-match but then have to hand it back to FIFA. They will then be given the Winner's Trophy - a second World Cup trophy - which is the one they take home for four years.
The players walk out. Seven Nation Army is played. Here are the anthems. The French first.
The players shake hands. We're a few minutes away.
France: 1 Hugo Lloris, 2 Benjamin Pavard, 4 Raphael Varane, 5 Samuel Umtiti, 6 Paul Pogba, 7 Antoine Griezmann, 9 Olivier Giroud, 10 Kylian Mbappe, 13 N'Golo Kante, 14 Blaise Matuidi, 21 Lucas Hernandez.
Croatia: 1 Danijel Subasic, 2 Sime Vrsaljko, 3 Ivan Strinic, 4 Ivan Perisic, 6 Dejan Lovren, 7 Ivan Rakitic, 10 Luka Modric, 11 Marcelo Brozovic, 17 Mario Mandzukic, 18 Ante Rebic, 21 Domagoj Vida.
Six of the French team started the European final two years ago. Interesting to note Olivier Giroud has not had one shot on target at the World Cup.
Croatia unchanged with most of these players have played in three extra-time games.
We're underway.
1ST MINUTE, FRANCE 0 CROATIA 0: Croatia begin with possession but can't get forward too far before turning it over. An early foul by Modric on Samuel Umtiti as the French defender looks to bring it out on the edge of his own box.
2 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 0 CROATIA 0: And Modric gives away another foul in the French half. Croatia with the first attack of the game. Benjamin Pavard gives up the ball and Ivan Perisic gets into the box. But France clear.
2 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 0 CROATIA 0: Croatia on the attack again. Sime Vrsaljko gets space wide right and sends in a cross but it's blocked by Varane. France once again clear.
Croatia have a corner as Ivan Strinic gets in the French box
4 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 0 CROATIA 0: Lloris doesn't get to it but Giroud clears with his head. All Croatia early on.
2 MINUTES LATER: France 0 Croatia 0: Long ball from Ivan Rakitic finds Ivan Perisic in the box. He brings it down but loses the ball as it goes out for a goal kick. Croatia winning the midfield battle. A number if turnovers turned into attacking chances.
2 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 0 CROATIA 0: Yet to have a shot on goal. Croatia have had 66% of possession in the opening 13 minutes.
But another Croatia attack down the lefthand side with Ivan Perisic. He can't get a shot on goal as France clear for a throw-in.
5 MINUTES LATER: France 0 Croatia 0: France look to attack for the first time as a long ball finds Mbappe. He can't control the ball but Giroud wins in back. A foul on Griezmann gives France a prime spot from a free kick. About 25 metres out.
GOAL FRANCE
Griezmann's free kick finds a head and goes in
Possible own-goal? Yes. It's off the head of Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic. It's the 12th own goal of the tournament.
Griezmann was aiming at one French head among five Croatian defenders and it was a Croatian who nodded it in.
FRANCE 1 CROATIA 0
It's the fourth time in the knockout stage that Croatia are trailing.
3 MINUTES LATER: France 1 Croatia 0: Now Croatia with an attacking freekick.
This one is wide right.
Luka Modric finds the head of Vida but it goes over the crossbar.
Since 1974 just one team has comeback to win the World Cup final - Italy over France in 2006. And the losing sides have combined for just one goal in the last seven finals.
3 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 1 CROATIA 0: Things opening up as France attack once again but it's quickly shut down. Croatia go down the other end and get another attacking freekick.
1 MINUTE LATER, FRANCE 1 CROATIA 0: Modric sends it into the box and Lloris punches away. Croatia regain the ball and a cross comes in for Mandzukic who attempts a volley that goes well over that bar. That would have been some goal if he was on target.
Yellow. First card of the game goes to Kante after bringing down Perisic as the Croatian was on attack
GOAL CROATIA
Ivan Perisic!
A great goal from Croatia and they hit back once again in this World Cup. The ball bounced around in the box before falling to Ivan Perisic. He took a touch to his left before striking it through several French defenders and past Lloris.
FRANCE 1 CROATIA 1
So that was the first shot on target of the final and it's the man who equalised in the semifinal against England with the equaliser in the final. A goal worthy of a World Cup final.
8 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 1 CROATIA 1: France with a corner, their first of the game. Blaise Matuidi gets a head on it. Possible hand ball in the box?
In other news Novak Djokovic has claimed his fourth Wimbledon crown.
VAR checking the hand ball. Huge call. It's a penalty
We haven't had a massive VAR call in the finals but we have one in the final. It clearly hit Ivan Perisic's hand but not sure if he had time to pull it away.
Antoine Griezmann steps up. Can he give France the lead again?
GOAL FRANCE - Antoine Griezmann
He scores and it's France 2 Croatia 1
Antoine Griezmann went low left Danijel Subasic went the other way.
So Croatia will need to comeback again. Five minutes left before the break.
Yellow for Lucas Hernandez. Hard tackle with Croatia on attack
Croatian free kick leads to a corner.
A few more chances there for Croatia. Seems like they have another goal in them. Samuel Umtiti is down
Three minutes of injury time. Croatia have a corner but Vida can't get a head on the ball and it goes out for a goal kick.
Halftime.
What a strange half in terms of goals. France have a 2-1 lead thanks to an own goal and a VAR handball penalty. Croatia levelled it up before the penalty. They've looked the better side as France haven't really been down the other end expect for the two goals.
Both teams are out for the second half. The question from the first half - was that a deliberate hand ball from Ivan Perisic? I say no.
45TH MINUTE, FRANCE 2 CROATIA 1: Croatia on attack early wide right but French defence shuts it down. France then have their first shot on goal in play. Griezmann attempts from outside the box but straight at Subasic.
Ante Rebic fires a shot on goal that Lloris tips over the bar. Croatia corner.
A Croatian head sends the ball back across goal but Vida can't get onto the end of it and it goes out for a goal kick.
5 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 2 CROATIA 1: Varane gives up the ball and Mandzukic advances into the box. He looks for a pass across goal but can't find his man. However Croatia win a corner. Good start to the second half. The corner is cleared, the ball falls to Sime Vrsaljko who fires from distance over the bar.
It's end to end stuff. Croatia on attack but quickly down the other end Mbappe outpaces Vida and fires on goal but Subasic saves.
We have four pitch invaders on the field but they are quickly dealt to.
Odd scenes. Two of the got to the middle of the field.
Croatia have a corner as a long ball is punched away by Lloris. Though the decision is changed to offside.
N'Golo Kante coming off. Steven Nzonzi on.
GOAL FRANCE
Paul Pogba makes it 3-1. France on the counter attack through Kylian Mbappe. He passed across goal where the ball eventually found Antoine Griezmann who played it back to Pogba on edge of box. He sent it by an unmoved Subasic.
France almost score again. They have a corner.
GOAL FRANCE
Wow. Wow. Wow. Kylian Mbappe. The 19-year-old with a stunner.
From outside the box he fires low and it bounces by Danijel Subasic. Only the second teen since Pele to score in a World Cup final. France 4 Croatia 1
CROATIA GOAL
Strange mistake by Lloris. Has the ball at his feet and tries to take on a fast charging Mario Mandzukic. Mandzukic takes the ball off him and taps in for a simple goal. What an error.
France 4 Croatia 2 - 20 minutes to play
What a final this has been
Ante Rebic off. On comes Andrej Kramarić
26 MINUTES LATER, FRANCE 4 CROATIA 2: France on the attack again. They have a throw in in line with the edge of the box but Croatia win the ball back. Can they get another? Would make for a fascinating final 15 minutes.
Ivan Rakitic fires wide. They are not done yet.
Off goes Giroud. He leaves the World Cup without a goal but likely as a champion. On comes Fekir.
Marko Pjaca on for Ivan Strinic
Eight minutes to go. Looking like a second World Cup title for France as time runs out on Croatia. They have a freekick from wide left.
But Ivan Rakitic sends it over the wall and straight at Lloris. Pogba goes down injured but he seems fine.
Ivan Rakitic fires a shot over the bar. Five minutes of injury time coming up as they enter the final minute.
Pogba misses a sitter to claim his second.
Time almost up.
FRANCE WIN
We await the medal presentation as French players run around the field. Croatia just standing waiting
Finally it seems the trophy is on the way
Fifa young player award goes to Kylian Mbappe
Golden ball goes to Luka Modric
Harry Kane takes out golden boot with six goals
Golden glove to Thibaut Courtois
The rain falls as Croatia get their second placed medals
The rain is really coming down now
French captain Hugo Lloris lifts the trophy!
And what do I think of the World Cup final? It was top notch (It was even better compared to 4 years ago between Germany & Argentina because this years World Cup final didn't have to go into extra time), because the French were able to redeem themselves 2 years after losing to Portugal in the Euros & they were back to its best by lifting the World Cup trophy themselves instead (And each of their 23 men have achieved their boyhood dream to say the least).
And what a great performance from their star talisman for France in the form of Antoine Griezmann (Maybe he is a huge fan of that popular video game Fortnite because of that celebration being dished out by him) of Atletico Madrid by getting his player of the game honours (He scored a penalty but he never looked like missing because France always win when Griezmann scores a goal) after his relatively good form that he carried because he is now officially a World Cup winning player along with 22 others.
And what about the young gun of Kylian Mbappe? What a tournament he is having for the Cristiano Ronaldo fanboy as he became only the 2nd teenage player to score at a World Cup final after Pele in 1958. Because he was having a good game when he scored that incredible goal as well as picking the best young player at the tournament (2006 it was Lukas Podolski of Germany followed by Podolski's fellow countryman Thomas Muller in 2010 & one of Mbappe's French teammates Paul Pogba (Who also had a great match by scoring a goal after he had an attempt to shoot but it was deflected by one of the Croatian players) in 2014).
And it has been 20 years since France (Which used to have players such as Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry (Who used to play for Arsenal, FC Barcelona & New York Red Bulls before becoming assistant coach for Belgium), Patrick Vieira (Now coaches Nice back home in France after playing with clubs such as Arsenal & Juventus), Didier Deschamps (Who is now joined the likes of Mario Zagallo & Franz Beckenbauer to have won the World Cup as both a player & coach), Emmanuel 'Manu' Petit & Lilian Thuram) last lifted the World Cup trophy but their road to World Cup glory began with a 2 - 1 win over Australia before dispatching Peru 1 goal to nil to clinch a place in the round of 16 then their only blemish at the World Cup for the French was a goal less draw against Denmark in their final group game before they took on Leo Messi's Argentina side in the round of 16 & won 4 - 3 (It was hailed as one of the greatest FIFA World Cup matches of all time by British online newspaper The Independent) by advancing to the quarterfinals in which they took on Uruguay minus Edinson Cavani but they were victorious in the end with 2 goals being scored by Real Madrid's Raphael Varane & Griezmann then it is semi final time as they scraped past the Belgians allowing FC Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti to capitalize in order to score in what would be the match winning goal that sent France through into the World Cup final in 12 years (They lost to Italy on penalties way back then after Zinedine Zidane got sent off for a headbutt on Italian defender Marco Materazzi in a match that will always be remembered) in which they faced Croatia with Mario Mandzukic scoring their 1st own goal of the World Cup final then Ivan Perisic equalized before things have gotten out of hand by the Croatians as they gave away a penalty (Perisic the goalscorer was the culprit this time) allowing Antoine Griezmann to capitalize by scoring off a penalty to take France back into the lead just before the break but 2 incredible all time goals during the 2nd half scored by Paul Pogba & the young Kylian Mbappe had tripled to their advantage but the French conceded a goal off an embarrassment from French captain Hugo Lloris who was attempting to pass but he gave the ball away to Mandzukic allowing the Croatian player to score but in the end, France have won the World Cup after 20 years of heartbreak & disappointment.
And then onto the post match presentation where Kylian Mbappe was best young player of the tournament followed by Croatia skipper Luka Modric being awarded best player of the tournament which is in fact the golden ball but golden boot for top scorer of the tournament goes to English captain Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur & finally the golden glove award for best goalkeeper went to Belgian goalie Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea (Formerly of Atletico Madrid) before Croatia receive the runners up medals followed by the victorious French side receiving their winners medals before FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents the World Cup trophy to French captain Hugo Lloris before lifting the trophy in the air in the wet to be officially declared themselves champions of the world.
And finally my last thoughts about the 2018 FIFA World Cup before I wrap this blog up? It was astonishing, an absolutely incredible way to sign off a tournament like that because that final was especially epic, it was way better than 2014 by the way (And my favourite World Cup moment was Korea Republic's 2 - 0 upset win over the defending & reigning champions Germany (Compared to Mexico knocking over Germany in the opening group match) which knocked the Germans out of the World Cup allowing the Mexicans to progress but I feel sorry for the Germans, I mean there is no one else to blame about Manuel Neuer moving out of his own penalty area allowing the South Koreans to capitalize in order to score the 2nd goal but the worst moment of the World Cup was Neymar's diving antics (Well, he needs to hurry up here about his simulations at the World Cup (He just kept on diving in games against Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia (In during the game in which he rolled on the floor after getting fouled by a Serbian player) & Belgium) but why is he faking an injury? Just like he rolled on the floor during their round of 16 clash against Mexico after Mexican defender Miguel Layun picked the ball up, although Harry Maguire did a Neymar against Colombia in the round of 16 then one of Neymar's PSG teammates Mbappe dived like Neymar against Uruguay, so too is Griezmann against Croatia in the World Cup final allowing themselves to win a free kick before Mario Mandzukic headed into his own net) but one of the funniest moments/bloopers of the tournament had to go to French captain Hugo Lloris's goalkeeping mishap in the final allowing Mandzukic to score the last goal of the 2018 FIFA World Cup (Reminiscent of the UEFA Champions league final where Real Madrid striker & former French international Karim Benzema kicked the ball out of Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius's hands) but the real winner is Borussia Dortmund player Michy Batshuayi of Belgium after his country had scored a vital goal against England in the last group game, Batshuayi kicked the ball into the post but it immediately backfired which ricocheted off the post, smashed into his face (And man it was like a pinball to start with), therefore copping a bit of a falcon, LOL.
So that is my 214th blog of the year 2018 (MMXVIII) & my 34th of this year, VIVE LA FRANCE BABY! CHAMPION DU MONDE!! OUI, OUI, OUI!!!
P.S. And in Super Rugby news, the 14 man Chiefs (Who had Johnny Fa'auli red carded for a high tackle on Hurricanes player Wes Goosen) held on to beat the Hurricanes but miss out on hosting a home quarterfinal in Hamilton then the Highlanders defeat the Rebels in an action packed close game in Dunedin (Including that monster hit from Waisake Naholo on Rebels winger Jack Maddocks then made the pilfer to end the game meaning that the Rebels playoff chances are over) then the Crusaders managed to get better of the Blues in Christchurch.
And finally here is the confirmed list for the quarterfinal games being played in the 2018 Super Rugby season (I really don't know what teams will face because I have decided to keep a low profile of watching the rugby until tonight):
Hurricanes Vs Chiefs
Crusaders Vs Sharks
Waratahs Vs Highlanders
& Lions Vs Jaguares
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