New Delhi: Hello and welcome to Offside, a new daily column on the Football World Cup where we look at the highs and lows of the day, or the night that passed, and what to expect in the next round of matches.At the BBC unitedJimmy Murphy, assistant coach at Manchester United during the Busby Babs era, played by the brilliant David Tennant, explained football better than anyone has ever heard: “Football is a simple game. You win the ball, you pass the ball, you score goals, the rest is decoration. Thank the good lord we’re not surrounded by natural beauty.” That was said long before this World Cup, where war, logistics, hydration breaks and immigration checks have added a layer of complexity to the beautiful game.Yesterday was one The day of the drawWhich saw all four matches go to a stalemate, something we are told last happened in 1958. But as any football fan knows, not all draws are created equal. Iran v New Zealand was a lively affair, as was Saudi Arabia v Uruguay and Belgium v ​​Egypt. Spain vs. Cape Verde, on the other hand, marked the question of playing tiki-taka with more modest players and, at times, was borderline soporific.first of all, Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia.The latter are the only team to beat world champions Argentina in 2022 and hope to claim another South American skull. Uruguay were anything but passive and had 29 shots, with Saudi keeper Al Owais making nine saves, six in the second half, although his goalkeeping error gave Uruguay a goal and a point. But more than the match, the biggest talking point was the crowd of empty seats in Miami, which FIFA tried to explain as the result of a highway crash, but which could also be blamed on A-listers being herded into VVIP areas at ishow speed.But the real deal came after the match when Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa, who inspires Pep Guardiola and is known as El Loco, scoffed at journalists who dared to ask him about his photo, where he was just staring: “I’m not a model, I don’t need to explain, the photo was taken to show how I was seen”. Are you talking to me right now?”Going further to question the quest for modern journalism, he said: “There is a limit to what we need to explain. If I wear glasses, why do I wear glasses? Why do you look someone in the eye? There is nothing wrong with wearing glasses or looking someone in the eye or looking down.”Speaking of models, Spain vs Cape Verde A match, like Arsenal vs. PSG, would make Big Pharma very happy because it was a model of boredom that could be used to make soporific sedatives. The hero, though, was Cape Verde goalkeeper Wozenhawho stood like a rock, making seven saves against a storied Spanish side that is the reigning European champion and one of the tournament favorites.Cape Verde is an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa and uses an odd recruiting tactic that’s more corporate than coaching: LinkedIn. This was the source of instructions to reach former banker Roberto “Pico” Lopes, who was born in Ireland and played for Shamrock Rovers. When he received his first message from the team in Cape Verde, like most of us, he ignored it before realizing it was a genuine call to his father’s country of birth. Not many League of Ireland players turned up for the World Cup, but Pico was there and made a crucial block in the 89th minute, and will be thankful he didn’t block the sender on LinkedIn. As for Spain, since their last World Cup goal against Japan in 2022, they have managed 49 shots and completed 2,500 passes without conceding a goal.Belgium vs EgyptMeanwhile, there was a match that could have been headlined: The Belgian big man ruined King’s birthday party. Salah turned 34, set up Egypt’s opener and briefly looked like he was about to win his native country their first World Cup before former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku crashed his party. Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, no European has more international goals than Lukaku, and he looked set to add another to his tally before his own goal came in 20 seconds earlier.The lively football of the day took place in Iran vs New Zealand, which saw Sarpreet Singh Became the first Indian-origin footballer to start a World Cup game for New Zealand. Iran, which has the misfortune of playing a World Cup hosted by a nation with which it is at war. The “Most Oppressed Team,” a term that conjures up hall-of-fame debates at a liberal arts institution about who is the most oppressed, will have to leave Los Angeles immediately for their home base in Tijuana, but not before playing a raucous draw against New Zealand, whose all-black kit was very reminiscent of their cricket gear.New Zealand had two thanks to Chris Wood, who provided both assists to Elijah Just, who kept his composure and scored. Iran had to play their match without their own media officers, analysts or the president of the federation. He also had to deal with many Iranian-Americans who want the current regime overthrown and want the current team to lose, as they see the team as “propaganda for the current regime”.But overall, it was the best match of the day, and if fate is cruel, there’s a chance the two could meet on July 3 in Texas. There is also the possibility that the US could face its former colonial power England on the 4th of July, which would put a real twist on America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations.But let’s not look to the future because we have some big things tomorrow.First is France vs SenegalOn June 17 at 12.30am IST, that will instantly bring back memories of 2002, when the African nation handed Les Bleus one of the most shocking upsets in football history, four years after winning the cup. Senegal coach Pep Theo was on the bench that day and will be favored again, but given the amount of talent Les Bleus have, it will be a tough ask. Didier Deschamps will have to choose between Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane DembeleMichael Ollis, Bradley Barkula, Ryan Churkey, Desiree Doi, Marcus Thorem and Jean-Philippe Matetta for their starting lineup. Mbappe, in particular, will be ready to display his dictatorial tendencies, a joke only football Twitter fans will get, after a disappointing season with Real Madrid.’s late-night fixture Iraq vs. NorwayOn June 17 at 3.30 am IST, Iraq will have to deal with modern football’s version of a weapon of mass destruction, the Thor-like giant Erling Haaland, who has scored 16 times in eight matches and is about the size of a fallen statue of Saddam Hussein.Of course, Iraq’s coach is Australian Graham Arnold, who has seen his team through war, fines, playoffs and the FBI. Arnold has made some notable changes, putting a notable spin on the left-right debate by aligning his left side with English-speaking players and his right side with Arabic speakers.For many Bengalis, though, the World Cup starts well. Argentina vs AlgeriaJune 17 at 6.30 am IST, when Lionel Messi will make his 200th appearance for La Albiceleste. The defending champions will face a team that is sure to upset the apple cart and draw Saudi Arabia, something coach Scaloni has been vocal about.And finally, the morning match, on June 17 at 9.30 am IST, will give Manchester United fans some vivid flashbacks as Ralf Rangnick’s Austria take on Jordan in the final match of the day.So here’s the post-Draws Day menu: France trying not to relive 2002, Iraq trying not to be eaten by Holland, Argentina trying to start another Messi chapter without stepping on a Saudi-shaped banana skin, and Austria trying to prove that Rangnick’s experience works better outside of Old Trafford. The ball is still round. The tournament, thankfully, is already refusing to be that simple.
