3 key takeaways from the World Cup round of 16

Knowing how to win ‘ugly’

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That adage certainly rang true for three of the World Cup favourites in the round of 16.

With a star attacking cast of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, it is easy to see why France were the favourites during the earlier rounds. And Les Bleus stamped their credentials with 13 goals in four matches before the round-of-16 clash with Paraguay, playing some of the more eye-catching football in this tournament.

But ironically, it was against the South Americans where they needed a penalty to eke out a 1-0 win and showed why they can go all the way in North America.

Against an overly physical Paraguayan side that descended so far into football’s dark arts that describing it as an “aggressive display” would be too mild, France stayed cool in the punishing Philadelphia heat.

Even as their opponents kicked out, drove an elbow into a stomach – which went unpunished by the referee – and closed down every possible space on the field, Mbappe and Co smiled in the face of adversity and kept going.

A 70th-minute penalty was enough to secure a quarter-final date with Morocco, but the warning shot to their opponents was that France are not just here to look pretty.

It was almost as if you could hear them say “we have our ugly side too”.

England, who are looking to end a 60-year World Cup drought, also proved that they can rise to a challenge in their 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. While all the talk was about altitude – the venue sits about 2,240 metres above sea level – the Three Lions showed attitude.

Even when they found themselves surrounded by a green cauldron of fervent Mexicans. Even when they were reduced to 10 men when Jarell Quansah saw red for a studs-up tackle on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo. And especially during the 11 minutes of added time at the end.

This will go down as one of England’s finest tournament victories away from home. Their composure under pressure made everyone take notice that this English team possess the resilience and belief to overcome adversity.

Defending champions Argentina found themselves 2-0 behind to Egypt after 67 minutes on a day where nothing seemed to click for Lionel Messi and Co. With 11 minutes of regulation time to play, the South American side battled back for an improbable 3-2 victory and a spot in the quarter-finals.

While controversial decisions went in their favour and shaky defending on transition raised serious doubts about their ability to retain the title, this comeback from the brink suggested they will not relinquish their crown without a fierce fight.

Worst own goal at a World Cup

This World Cup was never going to be without a Donald Trump controversy, was it?

The American President sparked a wave of protests after he revealed that he had called FIFA president Gianni Infantino before the decision to overturn the suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun.

Balogun was sent off for a tackle during their round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, a punishment that usually carries an automatic one-match ban. FIFA suspended that ban on July 6, which then allowed him to feature in the 4-1 loss to Belgium in the last-16 clash.

European football body UEFA expressed its disbelief and said that the decision “crossed a red line”.

Trump’s intervention looked to have hurt the US mentally far more than it helped them on the field, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side turned in their worst performance of the campaign to be booted out by Belgium, who appeared fired up by the whole saga and later took to social media to mock Trump.

Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, who had his own share of controversy during his spell in charge of the football body, also weighed in. He said: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. Football must never become a playground for political power.”

Ironically, the football world seemed united in wanting the Americans to be eliminated. While that eventually happened, this saga has surely raised doubts about the red-card system and possibly opened the floodgates for politicians to directly involve themselves in sports disciplinary processes.

British politicians have already urged FIFA to grant defender Quansah – who was sent off in the win over Mexico – the same disciplinary reprieve given to Balogun while a UK parliamentary committee demanded answers over the original ruling.

Worse, this is precisely what fuels conspiracy theories and triggers claims that FIFA rigged it.

This is an own goal that FIFA and Infantino will never be able to live down.

Hydration breaks fuelling late strikes

The majority of the eight round-of-16 games yielded late goals, with 10 scored after the second-half hydration break.

Some of the late goals could be attributed to physical and mental fatigue. After a long and gruelling domestic season, the footballers were playing their fifth game in a tournament with just a few days of rest in between.

In knockout games, with goal difference not a factor unlike in the group stage, teams also tend to go for broke when they are trailing and facing elimination, which could leave gaps to be exploited.

Mandated hydration breaks, a new element this time, provide coaches the opportunity to give mini team talks and make tactical adjustments.

Along with other stoppage considerations such as video assistant referee checks and injuries, the breaks also add considerable time at the end of matches, allowing the likes of Morocco and Brazil to score in the eighth and 10th minute of stoppage time respectively.

Teams can also make five substitutions and one of the best example of impact subs from this round was in the Spain-Portugal game where Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino, who came on in the 74th and 84th minute respectively, combined for the latter to score the only goal of the game in the first minute of added time.

With four intriguing quarter-final clashes to come, it is certain that more late drama will unfold.