Listener questions and podcast wrap up

This is the Guardian Today we'll attempt a feat once thought impossible, overcoming high interest credit card debt. It requires merely one thing, a soFI personal loan. With it, you could save big on interest charges by consolidating into one low fixed rate monthly payment. Defy high interest debt with a soFI personal loan. Visit sofi dot com slash stuck to learn more Loans originated by SFi Bank NA member FDIC. Terms and conditions apppply NL S six nine six eight nine one Hello and welcome to Guardian Fotball Weekly Cape Verdi shock another footballing heavyweight. It's not a vintage Uruguay, but still another draw going again after holding Spain is an incredible result. They took the lead with a free kick from a mile away, Uruguay equalized and took the lead just before the break before more questionable defending allowed Hlliovearella to score his first ever goal. Also in that group, Spain went top, defeating Saudi Arabia before the first hydration break will get Sidlo's verdict from Atlanta. In group G Egypt beat NewZealand the Kiwis took lead before Ziko equalized A Mofsala finally did something. the Ki' furious not to get a free kick in the buildup, but that oneon before Trezigade made the point certain. Egypt off after Iran held a disappointing Belgium to a goldest draw. We' do Japan's excellent win over the hapless Tunisians? There's a musical correction, some reaction to the LA Diaries, your questions, and that's today's Guardian foootball Weekly anel today Wh are you looking stern, Barry Glindenny Hello Max. Hello Al in LA. Jeff Roter, Hey Jeff. Hey, Max. And joining us for a ten day stretch of the racing postmark Langland. This is exciting Mark, Hey Mark. Hi, Max. Nice to have you. The first thing you said in the whatotsupp group is no salad for me, but we'll get to that Let's start then in group H that looks like this, Spain at top on four points. Uruguay second with two, Kape Verda have two as well, Saudi Arabia with one and we'll start with that draw in Miami between Uruguay and Ka Verde two to two games, two draws against Spain and Uruguay. which Mark is An extraordinary achievement Absolutely. And I think the World Cup needs results like that. I think you spoke about it already on the show over the last few days, but there was a lot of criticism of the forty eighteenams and it will have been because you know teams like Kate Verdy, should they be in the tournament and they've delivered two of the results of the tournament so far againgainst Spain, we saw a very different performance where they were, you know, it was just basically eleven people behind the ball and goalkeeper keeping out all of the shots. in this game against Uruguay, they actually played some football. we saw that there's some talent sort going forward as well and actually Towards the end of the game, they might have lost it, but they also might have won it. Yeah know, it was really fun U that free kick Barry from Kevin Peman I mean, it's I mean, the wall is questionable. giveive you that. What do you think? If you could even call it a wall. I'm not even sure they mixed their mortar before they assembleled it Yeah. Probably right. I couldn't believe it had gone in, but what a moment Yeah, incredible goal. I think it was thirty two yards out And it wasn't so much a defensive wall as an elevator doors opening to create this gap that Dina shot through. I shudder to think what Marcella Beels had to say about that in his halfime Pp talk, but he hadenty plenty of other things to keep him occupied as well. But yeah, that was a brilliant goal but bit lucky because what were they doing to defendnder Jonalist Ei Howower talking about Kevin Pina, who obviously I had not heard of before he took that free kick saying he thought any hopes of a football career were over when his family moved from Santiago Island in Cabavere to Brockon, Massachusetts as a sixteen year old, a chance encounter with a guy called Carlos Calo Morz who played for K Verer years before to bring him back to the islands to have a go being a professional football. eleven years later he scored his country's first goal at the World Cup, which is a lovely. I mean so many lovely stories in this side. And then You've got to give them so much credit to a because that two one Once you re away school right in halfime, you think, okay, that's done. Their journey is over time thing And so to come back again takes great fortitude. And especially you know like Mark said, when their first approach had been, all right, let's park it from the opening whistle and let's be able to keep this thing nil nill to be able to have that sort of initiative to go forward. And it's incredible technique on the equalizer as well, kneling it past Musslire to be able to get him unaware and then striking it before hit the ground or, especially before you know any Uruguayan obstruct him. L You already alluded to it. It's not a vintage Uruguay. They're certainly struggling up top. You know, Louis Soire is watching on from the Site, offered his services a bit late in the cycle to be able to be part of the squad. and We had seeing him there looking like quite a nice guy. The brand reconciliation has begun in earnest. I really think it has. But I think that they really did miss him. And when you looked at the bench, it was Darwin Nunez is coming off the bench in know, terrible match fitness right now. Rodrigo Agira has been in very poor form in Mexico, I think only nine goals in his last forty seven games. So you know maybe it's the issues up top. mayaybe it's that Bela has to sit on a FIFA sponsored cooler that's probably some bad juju there too. but Tough one for your b. Yeah. I suppose Mark. It is great technique from Verarella to get past Masera, but Masillera is also there which is not necessarily where he needs to be. I was going to jump in there and just say to J, come on. like the goalkeeping error from Masillera that definitely plays its part, I think it's Fed saying in the goal of he's come at what twenty five yards. you know if he doesn't do that, there's still a lot of work for Vlla to do as it was was there was less work for him. Even the free kick like I know you've blamed the wall, but any shot that goes in from thirty yards, I always think the goalkeeper could do slightly better anyway, but he's definitely at fault for the second goal. There's been a lot of negativity about Urugis coming into the tournament and they don't look a happy team 's very and no B el seems are always, you know, chaotic in their very nature, but it just doesn't feel right for them and they've put themselves in a terrible spot now to qualify where they definitely need something against Spain in the final group game, maybe even a win. Whoever finish a second in this group will almost certainly have to play Argentina winning the group is paramount Well, you know, I think just for about Do form go out the window if Argentina play Uruguay? I don't know I did enjoy the bit Uruguay's second goal where Araahu teed up Cannobial with the The cushioned header and he slotted home with precision. But in the build up to that, Feddy Val Vverde was helping out one of the C Verdians who had gone down with cramp. He was doing the press he presser thing and he just dropped it It was It literally left him hanging so he could get involved in the move. fairough, and there was another moment where Uruguay had a gold disallowed and we were watching it going. I think you said, Mark, That's got to be disallowed for something. We couldn't work out what but something. There was a combination of almost an offs side maybe kicking out of the goalkeeepers' hands and then something else as well. and you just feel like a combination of those means that it does need to be ruled out. It was offside in the end, which actually it was very tight And it saved the officials what would have been a really tough fifty fifty call on whether that that goal should have stood. But it was Ruled out it was tight, but it still was offs side and it puts Cape Verdie in a great position now to qualify with that point. And I always felt that African teams got a really bad deal out of the kind of previous World Cups and you know was it five or six teams used to qualify? it just wasn't enough. And even this time around you've got some established nations, Cameroon, Nigeria s probably the most too prominent and It's just it's great to see actually that a number of the African teams have started very well. Morocco, Iivory Coast have surprised me with the way that they played and you know, I had Cape Verdidown was just one of the worst teams in the tournament and they're clearly not that bad. No. Well we'll get to Tunisia, which perhaps you know there's always an exception. suggested there that the Urguines look like an unhappy capamp. but apparently they are an unhappy cap and a lot of the players do not like be as this orial regime heartbringing Calvin Phillips. Yeah, and he has said like that Anyone I, you know, anyone who has to deal with me suffers kind of thing. so I think players are not on his side. Voisina didn't have as good a games as Pv Joel said, having a worse game now that his mum's there watching. and he has fifteen million Instagram followers. So who knows after this game when he has thirty million how he'll do against Saudi Arabia.ust one thing B, you mentioned that idea about substitute celebrating with the players. and I think I agree with you roundly, but I think it's okay, isn't it for For when you're an underdog, when you're a Mnow, how do you feel about it? Even your heart could melt for the Cape Vir. I'm afraid it has to be a blanket bag. So can't pick and choose. You have to be consistent. Be also did say about hydration brakes Playing four halves instead of two altars, the conception that had been culturally constructed to interpret football. It adds nothing and takes away a lot. When it was divided into four, no thought was given to the effect it might have on what made football a sport that captivates people, but rather to another type of repercussions that I neither discuss nor analyse before this decision. Football had one characteristic, now it has another People fall in love with the game because of its characteristics. So he'll be on the sports bar on Talksport soon with those kind of I thought that was quite a good joke for nothing. Anyway. Let's do Spain for Saudi Arabia, Nil. I spoke to Sid Low after this so let's have aisten to that. Sid I see' walking away from the stadium in Atlanta. I mean, that was a procession, wasasn't it? It was. It was done in inside the first quarter max they did they didn't even they didn't even have to go off for the first drinks andinceplain were al freeing it up. it was already done. It was exactly the way. I think they would have wanted it because of course, the doubts that came from the first game when they when they drew Neil Neil. the statistic that best sums it up for me that I most enjoy is that Miguelo Aabal didn't get a touch inside the first thirty minutes of the first game. This time inside the first twenty three. he's got an assistant two goals And it's a great it's a great day for him, isn't it? Beuse a lot of talk about, you know, do they need a center forward, etcetera Yeah, I think I think you know, Mil Ayathabel is a guy that no one talks about and in particular Mil Ayabel doesn't talk about him You know, he he doesn't sell himself. He doesn't make a noise. He doesn't talk about how important he is He seems to have no ego whatsoever. although I think it's very difficult to be an elite sportsan without some kind of ego. And his record for Spain is phenomenal since he became the first choice and it really took departure of Album Marata for him to be. first choice and I did write the stats in the in the match report. I haven't got them to hand, but I think I'm right in saying that's fourteen goals and seven assist and his last thirteen spayain games now Um and, you know, I think he did need that today But I think he's a phenomenal player Youourre mouth started, obviously. Is it as simple as he starts Spain good U Yes, and no. whichich is the inevitable answer. I was always going to say that to, wasn't I I think what he does is he changes the mood. I think he changes the way the others feel about it. and I think you saw that in the enthusiasm today and I think you saw that in the response of others. I think it's quite contagious in terms of his attitude in terms of approach and I think also of course he draws a lo lot of people in Brilliant interview with him today in L Pz And he says basically, I've always got three men on me And mean he's challenged on this Hes said, Oh always free. Maybe if I'm lucky too, but never just one. never And I think there's an element of truth in that that opens things up. And I think it's not entirely chance that you saw that actually what Spain created came from the other wing today, mostly, not from Lemin, but I think it's partly about people being drawn into him. being and that being part of it. I don't think he was fit enough to play for very long. I think it was the right decision to take him off a halftime, but yes He changes, I think the way that Spain feel about themselves and it changes, by the way, the way it feels in the stadium as well, enormously. Yeah, that's so interesting. And It wasn't the only change, though. Was it what did you make of the other changes? Well, I think there's a couple of things that I thought were very interesting. I think one of them was one of them was the change in structure. So it wasn't just a change in personnel. I think Spain had been leaning towards something like a four three three in the last game. She had Fabian and Pety and Rodery in midfield. When Luther went through one of the things he'd done was kind of break with Spain' tradition by playing four two three one and having an actual number ten. I think what happened in the first game amongst many other things was that four three three kind of obliged Petri to play the most advanced role of the three in the middle. So it almost still was four two three one with him as the number ten. And although that's where he's began his career, it's not where he's played really well for the last couple of years with Barcelona. And I felt that there was something very, very simple, which is that Pedri is better when the game's in front of him And I think in the first game the game was behind him. and I think with the game in front of him today, I thought he was much, much better. I think he He controls the tempo, he controls the kind of the thought process of the team, I think when he plays deeper and he's got the game in front of him. I think the introduction of Danny Old moment that they had an actual number ten, the kind of player that can see a space when there isn't really any you know around the area can drop those little passes off. And I thought that was really important as well. And the player that people haven't really talked about who I thought was very, very good today was Alex Payainer who's actually had a really terrible season Were not terrible. That's probably a bit harsh. not very good season in his first year atet too, Madrid, but I liked him a lot today Yeah. How was the atmosphere there? H the Saudi fans below me making quite a lot of noise and I think the atmosphere from the Sptish fans was they kind of needed this, you know, because there was a bit of tension off the first game. I personally think too much tension. I know the players think this and L I went here had said, you know the players were the phrase you used was Picado, which kind of me stunn, you know, they were they were stung. they were angered by the criticism. I was saying, well the criticism wasn't that bad really. but If it helps to fuel you, if it helps to make you angry, give you you know, the chance to kick against the bricks, then then you know, it works out quite nicely in the end. Happy day, Sid. H have a lovely day. Thanks for coming on. What's for you now What do you do? Fr here I'm now going to drive back to Chattanooa West Mains train basis Right, okay. well, have a nice drive. Thanks, Mate Cheerio Sid Low there On his way back to Chattanooga. you have some criticism for me, Barry on the end of that interview? Well, I just thought it was a gross dereliction of duty on your part not to ask Sid if he was going home on the Chatanooga Chuchu. Yes, the train made famous by Glenn Miller and his orchestra back in the nineteen forties. Yes. Well, I do apologize, you. It's a very catchy number. Yeah Yeah, no, I don't accent Trumpet heavy man. I knew he was driving. So like I knew he wasn't unless Chatanooga Chuu A bit like, you know, the You know, you can drive on the channel tunnel. Yeah. I does it have that I don't know. I don't know. Maybe Jeff knows Do you have any other thoughts on this game? mean, it's covered it quite well. Anthing you could add? Well I think that the Saudi Arabian performance, I thought really deserved the scoreline, right? And it's just interesting because we're now a few years into the pro League experiment, right? And we're very used to seeing that sort of level of investment for players leaving Europe, especially. All of the blderather about the Club World Cup and the idea that this would help a lot more domest leagues because then suddenly you're ging these prizeools where they're reinvesting across the league in theory. And you see it with Egypt, for example, picking up a lot of players, Al Ali, certainly over the last two years. And with Saudi Arabia, there just wasn't a lot of domestic talent who really looked like they were challenging, right And in the league, they're not the headlines when we think of Alhalal's run that they made last summer at that Club World Cup. And you look at this game everyvery loose ball with Spain's E like possible switch off with the offball movement. They didn't know how to pick it up. and there weren't really a lot of players who seemed to know how to grab a game and try to wrestle it back into their control. It just looked like they were really iant and wanted Spain to be able to have their sort of bounce backack after their opener. Yeah strateg. And yetark, they can still get through. They have to beat K Birdie, which I suppose if you'd said that to them at the start, they'd have probably taken it. Yeah, I mean it's a last thirty two tie before the last thirty two for Saudi Arabia. It's you know, must win match for them. I thought they were lucky against Uugured to get the the draw and you they completely battered really in this game. I mean Spain declared at four. So I'd be surprised if they won the game. And how do you see Spain Uruguay? Well, on the evidence of what I've seen of Uruguay so far, I think Spain will beat them You don't know. Do Spain need will want to top the group, they'll want to win the group. They're a much better team than Uruguay. This Uruguay team is not Uruguay of Y. They're not even dirty. you know, they're disappointingly disciplined Meeek and ye, I had look at that starting lineup and actually there weren't that many familiar faces in that starting lineup. I don't know if that's a reflection on me, but you know, apart from sort of A Garte Bentonkur and a couple of others. The Strikers, isn't it? Like, you know, when they had Kavvani and Suarez two elite forwards that were play you know, playing at the very top of European football and now they haven't and you know Darwin Nun' can't get in the team. he can't get in the club his club team either and just looks you know completely short of confidence and fitness. and so like you just lacking did the midfield Aarti Bentankor Valver they should still be able to sort of have got youquire more points than they've got so far. but just at the top end of the pitch, they don't really feel like they can hurt you any. How we miss the movement of Kavani. right that'll do for part one partart two, we'll do Group G High interest debt is one of the toughest opponents you'll face. Unless you power up with a so far personal lone A so far personal loan could repackage your bad debt into one low fixed rate monthly payment. It's even got super speed since you could get the funds as soon as the same day you signed Visit sofi d. com slash power to learn more That's soFi d. com slash PW ER L loans originated by Sofi Bank NA, member F theIC, Terms and conditions Apply NMLS six nine six eight nine one part two of the Guardian football weekly. So we just watched New Zealand one, Egypt three, Egypt's first World Cup win at the ninth attempt after ninety two years. which has surprised me as a statistic, Jeff. How did you feel game They built into the game, right? And they looked a little bit rattled by that first goal by New Zealand. I mean, who needs to build a meet wall when every man in the wall is meet himself. And you know, it's something that I almost wonder why New Zealand doesn't lean into more. They have players who can do a long throw like Michael Boxel, who does this in MLS with Minnesot United all the time with precision. and they just they were so Um late to be able to try to throw in and create some more of those chances. and they gave Egypt time to get back into the game, find their way through, especially Mlw as they have been as they did against Belgium as well, try to get it immediately up to that right channel and then cut inwards neither takes shot or tries to pass it to Marmoue and they get it accepted, but certainly fought a lot better in this game, I thought. Yeah. I mean, New Zealand started so well, B like the goal is great and at halfime you sort of thought L Egypt hadn't really arrived yet in this game and I thought E were going to win Yeah, there were a better team in the first half. Finn Sermmon's header was brilliant at that cort. He was completely unmarked. there was no near him. And about a yard away from him two Egyptians jumped together as if they were marking each other so that was a bit of a gift, but you know it still took scoring from sermon. and it just looked at halftime as if Asia for kind of hoping Marmouche and Mosala would dig them out of a hole and Sada certainly helped dig them out of a hole. He got a goal. Their coach made some changes at halfim, not in personnel, but just tics Yeah, they they ended the game on top deserved winners, but it did look ropey for them for a while. Yeah. was New Zealand had one chance at won nil, didn't they, which was well saved and maybe that changes things. But you know, we were looking at this group goingame Egypt, they were a pot two team and by the end they showed that. They did. I'm just relieved I was on sort of US time to watch it because having tried to stay up for all of these games in the UK the The last one of the four has always been the most difficult and New Zealand versus Egypt wouldn't have sold it you know to stay up all night. So you know it was nice to eat that with dinner cooked by producer Joel good Rast chece tast was good. Yeah. was. But yeah, so I think it's probably important to just for the UK viewers, I don't think many would have watched. It really was a game of two halves, wasn't it? Because New Zealand, I thought with a better team in the first half used their physicality, but by the end, you Egypt definitely deserved to win and by a comfortable margin and Salar's goal was important for him because he hasn't been playing well for Liverpool and he was criticized you know, for his performance in that opening game as well looked a long way off it. He wasn't amazing in this game either, but he did produce one moment of brilliance that sort of you know really turned the game in putting Egypt to one up Great team move and I just felt Egypt played in the second half, it was just too pedestrian early on. it made it easy for New Zealand to you know, stay in their shape, but Egypt moved them about much more in the second half. For the son of Gld, Barick New ealand were furious about one of their players being foulled at the top end of the pitch and maybe being trodden on as well and being injured a bit. and I don't know if it was a foul or not, but as a wider point R seems to be getting They're letting a lot go. like it does seem that the bar is very high for turning anything around and you can sort of get away with kicking people. Yeah, and I don't mind that. I thinkzbekistani ref, he was letting an awful lot go. Whoever did the Scotland game, he let a lot go as well. so ye. but I don't mind it. I'm all for referees letting letting things Yeah. Would you go with that? Jeff? seem seems like a lot of players are just rolling on the floor and the rest are just ignoring it. So long as it's consistent, right? And maybe part of it is there a lot of players are now more used to VAR. and so they understand like, okay, if I fall like this, if I fall at this timeline, it's more likely to be called off, right? And so I think that there' there's almost a counter savvyiness necessary to say like, I don't buy that, or I don't think that that was enough to justify making a call in a game of this magnitude And Trezoray made it three one and he did play for Astenville. a lot of us I know him from somewhere, but I can't remember where. Also in this group, Belgium, Nil Iran, Nil, Mark and Jeff both at this game. so we just couldn't be more across it. What did you make of it, Mark I like the fact that know, you've been for five minutes, you went to hadt even cross me in Barry's mind? we could go to a football match here. Yeah so I felt like it was better than know a neil and nil draw between Belgium and Iran doesn't sound like it would be that good. Maybe it's because you're in the stadium and just you know feeling the vibes more by being in the stadium. but Belgium missed enough chances to won the game. Iran Goli played very well. I did think that Lukaku was massively off the pace discuss around Cristiano Ronaldo and whether he she should be leading the line for Portugal. I think Lukaku gave her and this is not a compliment, a Cristiano Ronaldo sort like performance really, very static. Iag there was a time when that was a good thing. Oh there would have been And Lukaku has definitely had spells where he's looked like one of the best strikers in Europe it you know, he just well off the pace and he he's barently played all season, hasn't he? So Yeah he's had fitness issues and like he just He wasn't controlling the ball, he wasn't getting shots away. and yeah, Belgium to me just looked like a really poly coach team where it's if Kevin DBr in the first game, it was let's give the ball to Docer cross our fingers and hope he does the best In this one it was let's hoped to Breuiner can do it. But there was no sort pattern of play to what they were trying to do. you know, do they ill creatate enough chances to win the game, but this looks a very bad group, I would say. Yeah. And actually, you talk about Lukaku, Jeff. We have seen actually Chris Wooded that first half showed how to be a great target man. Bobby did it the other night off course. And the key is you you know, it feels so Sunday League, but make it stick. It's got to stick. It has to. And there is a point about six minutes in, I think that Lukaku had trudged back to defend a corner kick and was trying to run back and you could just see him head to the heavens looking up trying to be like, oh, this is so far. and you're six minutes in. right? I remember yesterday as match Nize one, Rudy Garcia had said that Lukaku would be a superub and I kind of wonder if he got lost in his own smoke screen there. And suddenly was, hey,ait, that would actually be quite clever if I started him. and I just think it really did set them back. It should also be said that Alz a Bar Excellent game and goal, right some tremendous saves. and he's usually more known for his long distribution with his arm, right? And he's one of those who can throw it into the attacking third without a bounce. but really came up and was necessary for him to come up again in a World Cup of goalkeepers. My Ua driver on the way home was he's half Iranian. He was telling me He said we played with one player and that was the goalkeeper, which I thought was a tiny bit harsh given that the Belgium are you know the top seeds in this group, but the goalkeeper definitely played well. He made one astonishing save from Maxim L Cooper and I think he made three saves from the Cooper and all but C had to make Free saes, I think a couple of them good. So Iran weren' toally useless. No, and and they're sending off, right? We've all done a miskick like that, Nathan and Goy. I can't work out actually taking him down with the the right thing or the wrong thing in hindsight because it didn't really like Belgium was going to score and so a point isn't a disaster for them. I mean, maybe he catches Teramius through, wasn't it? Yeah. It's probably late enough in the game that you take the reed. If it's kind of, you know, early in the second half, maybe you let him score ye Half wrong half right or wrong, h half right it or wrong maybe. Yeah. But Yeah, it was savvy placement too because he did as soon as the ball was taken over. and so it's still the edge of the attacking third. There's some space. I think that the ensuing free kick ended up hitting a Belgian and it didn't even get to the mixers. I mean, you're really crediting his speed of thought there. I think you just went off shit Pan station. I think so. also I can'tve we haven't gotone to My Tami had a goal called offside by his ass. Yes That W was that one where who was close to the wall as well? Yeah I don't know if that is I don know I feel about that lw. seems I mean, I understand it's just don't interfere with the wall, but it felt like that's harsh if it's this love of that. We still got the graphic. That's all I'm saying. we still got the one where he's just kind of bumping it back and it's just like They watched the rechorse free kick from four years ago. It's very similar to wasn't it? It was ye. The stadium, the noise actually when that goal went in, there was a lot of Iranium fans in the stadium felt like home game for them. Even though it was ruled out, that was still a really sort of nice moment to hear that noise when they thought they'd takaking the lead. Yeah, you were there as a fat you bought a ticket. What was the sort of match day experience? Was it worth it? Are were you allowed to ask how much you paid for your ticket Yeah it was was it four hundred dollars? Yes. You did get a disallowed goal? got a disallowed goal, a red carard Rd car Some good saves. Some good saves and also you know got to see sof far stadium, which the world's most expensive stadium, which Maybe that's on its own isn't worth four hundred dollars, but anyone that's been to Disney World or Disneyland will kind of know the feeling of just getting your credit card out every two minutes and thinking, oh my go, how much, how much be just keep tapping. So I didn't buy a can of laga for twenty dollars. I left that alone by a I bought a Coke zero, which initially flashed up as thirty two euros which did put my heart in my mouth slightly, but she put on a margarita with the and so she said, no way too expensive. She went, that's better. And then when I looked it was still eight dollars something. But no it that max near it. I was like no no don't worry, I kept the bottle can that going flat veryery tight I would say though, I felt the way that they run the organization of getting fans out of the stadium because there've been a lot of criticism in other sort of cities around the cost of that. It was I didn't think there was anything that would cost one dollar seventy five in this part of the world, but it was one dollar seventy five for a direct bus into a lot of central locations around Los Angeles and that got people out of the stadium very quickly. So that was a plus and overall enjoyed the FIFA fan experience o. So now we've got New Zealand, Belium and Egypt Iran Egypt top on four, Iran and Belgium have New Zealand have one. So they can all Get through, Job whichich is what we they should. Yeah, mayaybe let's take one of the second place finishers in a group that we disagree with and let's just send all four of them through. There's also the off the pitch shenanigans that Iran are having to deal with as well only being allowed into LA. twenty four hours before the game. The Iranian football Federation accused Mark Wayne Mulland, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security of spreading fake news about one of its members being prevented from boarding their plane to LA because of his direct ties in Verticamas to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. So' saying they're just Director of Homeland Security is saying this to try and smear Iran or smear the football team. And the inside the stadium the national anthem was booed very loudly by the Iranian supporters inside. And it is interesting because there are Iranian fans in there who are supporting the Iranian team and not the state and there are some who are supporting neither. That's sort of an interesting mix that especially you have in Los Angeles, right with so many Iranians living here. All right, that'll do for part two, partart three. We'll begin with Japan's win over Tunes year High interest debt is one of the toughest opponents you'll face. Unless you power up with a so far personal loan A so far personal loan could repackage your bad debt into one low fixed rate monthly payment. It's even got super spepeed. Since you could get the funds as soon as the same day you signed Visit sofi d. com slash power to learn more That's SoFi d. com slash PoW ER Mans originated by SofFi Bank NA, member F theIC terms of conditions supppply andMLS six nine six eight ny one. Welcome to part three of the Guardian football weekly. So the late game that happened after we recorded was Japan's forunal win over Tunisia. that means they're joint Top with their second behind the Netherlands on four points. Sweden after Eunisia have none and are out Barryt asked you if you had a minute on this game, you very confidently said I've got five if you want them. Start the clock. Bing well, this is another one of those games that was on at Stupid o'clock in the UK. so I imagine Only real Die Hars stayed up to watch it and it was a very good game. Mark and I watched it in a local hostelry. It's the thousand World Cup game ever ever right a World Cup finals game ever played. obbviously Erve Reynard coming in to manage Tunisia After Sabris L Mouie was sacked on the back of their first defeat I'd imagine her is probably thinking about his life choices or career choices You could already see he look completely fed up even by halfim time in this first game. I you' know the players's names, would he really? I don't know. Yeah. I mean, well the Tunisian captain, I think, did an interview after this game just hauling the Tunisian FA over the coal saying they're too reactive to bad results and they They have one bad result and they try and just destroy everything and rebuild U so he seemed at the end of his tether I mean Chunizia were awful And they went through qualifying, I think unbeaten without conceding any goals. They now conceding nine in their rep opening two games in this tournament Um and Japan obviously can only beat what's in front of them, but they beat them in fine style. They cut through Chunisia like a samurai sword through the autumn wind max. R. They were denied a penalty. I think in the opening minute stone oil penalty, Vara didn't seem to get involved or they didn't see any wrong with it. Then they went ahead through a goal scored by Daishi Commanda from Christop Palace don't think you knew much about it was like a low cross that kind of hit him and went in U then they had a good shop saved by the Tunisian keeper and double their lead just before halftime And that was it, the game was over as a contest really at that stage, but they did go on to run out four new winners. and V very impressive. And this without free of their best known, if not best players in Minimino, Choma and Endo. So I would fear Japan. Yeah. Actually the third goal, Jeff was useiful, wasn't it? There was just a certain point where it looked like Japan was like, we can just kind of do some schoollyard stuff around here and just pass circles around them and do some taap ins. And you know, to your point, Barry about all the players missing, I thought that Ued's movement up front was just perfect for him. and he had some gilded chances given to him granted At the same point It is really scary to see when you when you see just like once this team hits its st stride and that's always been the issue when you get to like the round of sixteen is right? Okay is Japan going to be able to put it together and granted Tunisia is not a round of sixteen opponent necessarily. But it certainly looks like they're well rehearsed to be able to take on a challenge like that. In the UK after the first game, Anj Postagogu was quite critical of Japan and said that they were play no attacking enough. Yeah, unsurprisingly he felt like they should flood the forward line and get more players forward. But he was saying that they need to believe in themselves more and that they've got talent to take the game to a team like Netherlands and we saw more of that it was against lower opposition. but interesting to see with you Aeda like how good he is because we always question the goal scored in the area D Visi. like what where does that level put you? Sometimes It can be, you know, not very far as we've seen with Vincent Jansson Vincent Yanssononzo Alvis maybe Joseseie Eld. Yeah but that you also get Luis Soire as it comes out there or a Vamp Persy. So it's not like they're always you know terrible, but it it's difficult to know but this was a step in the right direction for him as well. I did gloss over their second two goals. They were really good goals And you had minutes to spare. I. Well, look I've just seen so many gold. I can't remember them. You needed a hydration bak.. A say UA's second one the header That was just a brilliant looping header that beat two defenders out of the goldld. went incredibly slowly.'t there nothing they could do just watching it go in. Tomorrow then Argentina, Austria, France, Iraq. Norway, Senegal and Jordan Algeria. I mean this round of fixures mark was good fun last time. Messi in Bai Harllland All had good games. You imagine they'd all want to cash in again Yeah, you would. I think it would be interested to see Norway against Senegal probably of all of those games because Norway like they didn't beat much in that first game against Iraq and I felt Senegal were unlucky against France. They was a better team in the first half of that game. and then ran into an inspire, Lis say and Bapes were turned up for the last half an hour and the game got away for them. But I'd always felt Even like before the tournament actually, Senegal were at least the equals of Norway. and so it'd be interesting to see kind of where the two teams are at in that group behind France Messy is one goal away from the all time goals screing record at Wor Cups An argument shouldn't be on the pitch because and we missed this and I don't know if they showed a replay of it I didn't see it at the time. I only saw it after we'd recorded the pod on the first day, but this was his rake rake down the calf. Yeah, Last it did look naughty, didn't it? And no retrospective, I suppose that, you know TheAR didn't get involved Aa Mandy was the player that eared. Yeah it was and it was after like thirty minutes. so If he'd walked at that stage, I think Argentina were only one they up at that point. But yeah, it was naughty, veryer naughty And and Lanel deffinitely remember it wasn't discussed at halfime in the coverage I watchatch. so I'm going to go out in elim and suggest FIFA might not have shown a replay of it for what reasons that I can't fathom. Perhaps they were cutting to Gianni in the crowd because we need to see more of that. How is he getting to all these games anyway? Michael says given that he was first to get a yellow card after a case of mistaken identity and the first to be sent off for covering his mouth I think Miguel Almaron is the forest gump of the World Cup He's somehow finding himself at the centre of sport changing moments. It too bad the Trump administration has deployed troops to guard the reflecting pool in DC because he could be using his suspension to reunite with his true love the way Forest and Jenny did just a thought Love the podcast. H hope you're enjoying the US, Michael. than you, Michael. A bit of music pedantry by state by you mery Yes. Jimmy Sumerville does not have that beat boy feeling That perfect beat was a song Bronsky beat recorded after Jimmy Sunnerville had left the band, his replacement John Foster. on hit the perfect beat. never corrected I do. Yes. Would you like to apologise to the musos No? No. The LA Diaries have been entertaining the world on Instagram. One of today'ayss was me hovering over you making an omelet. I was being quite annoying I understand U Most of the time I think, you know, I haven't been But there I was. was because of Joh Bara Jim says if Barry murders you, I'm going to be a character witness for him and argue that you brought this on yourself. Pete says, I think Barry could become a gun owner soon. Colm says violence can never be excused, but not a court in the land will convict Barry for what he ends up doing to Max after the jury have been shown these diaries And Pri says, Max, you live in Melbourne How you say pale and sweaty? Thank you, Pri. Appreciate that. Anyway, the diaries continue. O work contin. We did a live TikTok yesterday, didn't we? Did we discuss that yesterday? Yes, we did. OK, It's hard to remember With so many Why can't they just be one place for content and one only? would make life easier? I've done my first live TikTok. I still don't even know what a live TikTok is I'm working on the selling suunnset. If we can get her to collaborate, she's got four million followers. How she? Yeah, wow. arrived at the apartment just before nine PM The first person I saw, not Barry, it was the second person I saw in the pub, but the first person was think Quinn as well. She's There we go Yeah she's everywhere. She's absolutely everywhere. And then we noted that Deon Dublin is in LA and he could get a job on selling sus. He has the property experience. That's the collaboration we need to bring together. I'm not sure