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Hotting up

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 As the UK enters its second heatwave of the year, things stateside are also hotting up. 

Mexico got a good win against South Korea who huffed and puffed but couldn't get the goal. They are left on 3 points with one to go, vulnerable - but group A is screaming out for Mexico and South Korea to qualify and the other two (South Africa and Czechia) to be knocked out. 

USA beat a woeful Australia  - it is very hard to gauge whether they are as good as the two wins from two suggests, some knockout football will be the judge of scruffbag Poch. 

There was much excitement for the Scotland game, followed by much disappointment. It was a bit of a no-show, as they were second best vs an energetic Morocco. This leaves Scotland in a super precarious position, on 3 points, but with a game vs an increasingly competent looking Brazil team to come. I fancy that goal difference could be the decider for them - avoid 2+ goal defeat and they might be ok. That's a horrid way to go into a football match. Brazil themselves cruised to a 3-0 win vs Haiti, complete with sex-dancing after every goal. They've found their swagger and are looking very Brazil.

I missed the game of the night - Türkiye vs Paraguay, which on paper was to be dull but was an angry feast of football. BBC reported the stat that Türkiye have had 62 shots in the tournament (in their 2 games), yet have not scored and are eliminated already. Bleak. I'm assuming that they are eliminated already because head-to-head counts before goal difference? If so, Paraguay do represent a good chance for Scotland to finish as a better 3rd place finish than them...

Now I am supping a cider whilst watching a rejuvenated Netherlands vs Sweden. They are looking as vibrant as their kit and Brobbey has bagged a brace. The second half should be good too, as Sweden, with Isak and Gyökeres (who, incidentally is a lot more likeable in a Sweden team than in an Arsenal one) are a threat. As I type that, they've just had a goal disallowed for 6 players all being marginally offside. Game on.

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