DISCUSSION: England vs. Panama; DRC vs. Uzbekistan; Portugal vs. Colombia

Declan Link live in NJ/NY after the England vs. Panama game, and Paul Schmidt-Troschke & Jon Bonfiglio in the studio, review the last 24hrs at the World Cup, and the end of the group stages. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Hi everyone, welcome back to World Cup Football, etc., where tonight Declan Link has taken a leave of absence after the Group L England game, as he and his merry band are no doubt dissecting the match against Panama and plotting their way past Mexico, Brazil, or Norway, and then Argentina to get into just the semifinals. Let's see how that all goes. But never fear, at least that means that they have no hope of meeting Germany or France or Spain until the final. So, you know, that's something. And uh and notwithstanding, uh, the ever president, the ever-present Paul Schmidt-Troschke is here to help walk us through everything that's happened in the last 24 hours. Hello, Paul.

SPEAKER_08 1:10

Good evening, John.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Now, before we get on with things, um, just to note that this will be our last review of group stage matches, and that uh tomorrow night we will launch into a preview of the round of 32. And prior to that, tomorrow morning, Paul and I will be doing a review of how the sides from Latin America and the Caribbean have fared through the group stages. But without further further ado, let's move straight to the match between England and Panama. First up, Paul, let's hear the thoughts of a variety of England fans in New York who were with Declan Link straight after the match.

SPEAKER_05 1:45

Hello, Declan Link here from uh the New Jersey, New York Stadium. England have just beaten Panama 2-0. Unquestionably a very uncomprehensive performance, but we're going for it lands for Wednesday. I've got one of my good mates from uh Orlando, Florida, Simon Aspary, who is QPR's original fan, would love to say a few words. And his daughter Taylor, who has experienced her first ever World Cup game, is going to add on afterwards. Here you go, Saiyan.

SPEAKER_03 2:18

Thanks, Dick. Good performance of English in the end. We got what we needed through to the next round, and it was great to see Michael uh enjoy it as much as I did. It's Taylor.

SPEAKER_05 2:29

Taylor, how was your night tonight? Because I know your dad used to talk to you uh as you were going to sleep at night, talking about 1966 and the classic England teams. How has this been?

SPEAKER_00 2:41

Yeah, I usually used to go to sleep every single night listening to all the England songs on my iPod, and with Grandma's out every single year we got out of the World Cup. This was absolutely brilliant to watch live and with my dad, so it was really, really special.

SPEAKER_05 2:59

The fact you're with your dad tonight and you probably shed a tear or two.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Yeah, I definitely shed a tear. That's part of the works for me, but I loved it. And they're gonna bring him.

SPEAKER_05 3:10

It was special giving you a hug because I knew how much it meant to you and your dad. Okay, moving on. We've got some um very technical, critical um analysis of tonight's game. Orion Keith, I bumped into him uh strangely in the England fans uh section tonight. Orion Keith, what have you got to say about England's performance? Please be positive, because I've got Gordon coming on soon.

SPEAKER_06 3:37

I'm always positive, and isn't it strange? I always bump into you every every game for England. So it's uh yeah, I it wasn't convincing, was it? The first half was not great, but we got the job done. We're trying to be positive. There were some positives. I think um Anderson worked very hard, but we really break them down in the in the first half, particularly on the wings. I was hoping the two changes on the two rings will be a bit more positive than they were, but we got the job done. Jude popped up with a with a goal, and Harry popped up with a goal. Um, probably the two that you would have expected to pop up with goals, and they did. I'm being positive, we're through, we've not conceded a goal, and we're through to the next round.

SPEAKER_05 4:18

And we didn't want to go to Toronto, we're all set for Atlanta next Wednesday. Come on, England, and last but not least, although I'm actually gonna get um my favourite son Alex Link on in a second, uh Gordon Lacino. What was your summary of tonight's game?

SPEAKER_04 4:35

I think it was workman light, and um it looked a bit dodgy at halftime, but we did the job, um, and we're off to Atlanta. So that's all I can say, really. I mean did a good job. Workman light.

SPEAKER_05 4:54

Thank you, Gordon, for your very technical analysis. I I know you're very emotional tonight as as we as we won and we're moving on, because at this stage of the of the tournament, it's all about winning, not the technical analysis. Uh Thomas Tuchel, is he your the best manager in England history?

SPEAKER_04 5:13

He's about the 18th best manager in the next one.

SPEAKER_05 5:18

Brilliant, thanks, Gordon. And last but not least, in the uh the stadium, listening to all the England fans being so ecstatic for some strange reason. I'm gonna get son number one, my favourite son on Alex Lee. What are your thoughts on tonight's game?

SPEAKER_07 5:32

Uh, very lacklustered first half and lacklustered 15 minutes of uh the second half until the world class of Duke Bellingham and Henry Kane actually came out and actually put England through because we didn't definitely did not want to go to uh Canada.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Paul, any takeaways from uh from from all of those comments that uh uh that the fans made?

SPEAKER_08 5:59

Yeah, I mean uh what I think is um is uh of uh utmost importance is of course uh to the to the fans the the psychological part that they got uh through the group stage with um uh seeing England perform um not at their best I think. Um I mean the first game was uh well was was quite quite a game to watch, of course. Then the yeah the issues with with the Ghana game. Um we spoke of course about the especially the the problems on on the wings with uh uh Marweke and and Gordon. Um but overall I think that um considering again I've said it uh many times already, but still the difference to the performances, especially in the um in the friendlies a couple of weeks before the World Cup started, um were these these friendlies were painting a completely different picture. And uh I think you also have to understand the relief in this context that um yeah England actually um managed to uh to top the group and uh yeah is now set to play um against the Democrat uh Democratic Republic of Congo, but we can still um speak about that later when um uh and on another day when we have Declan with us. Uh but definitely an interesting an interesting opponent um there already.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

Um yeah, for the for the first half of um of the game against Panama, it seemed almost as though um they England had just continued where they left off against Ghana, they're just unable to break down a compact side and uh though they hadn't uh learned anything. And um then of course Bellingham and Harry Kane uh scored, and uh you know they are world-class players. But I guess my question is to what extent can England continue to rely on two people getting them out of jail? I I did think that um, of course, both uh Anthony Gordon and uh and uh Madowcki were were uh uh replaced on this um uh in this match by uh Marcus Rashford and Bukayo uh Saka. I thought for me, Marcus Rashford was the best player on the pitch. I thought he added a really different dimension and intent to um to the England performance. But I think if you look at the the England squad or the England 11, um my question would be where are the genuine sort of world-class players there? And I'd say that clearly Jude Bellingham, Harry Kaynar, uh I think Marcus Rashford, which you've mentioned before, I think he's just moved, he's become a different player after his year at Barcelona. Um I think uh some of his touches are amazing. I would put him up as up there as being a really good player now, somebody who sort of transcends his position. I think Elliott Anderson in midfield is um is also a really great um uh really great player. Uh Saka Bukayo Saka is is also highly skillful, but he looked a yard off the pace to me. But beyond that, I just don't think that England have the quality across the board to really threaten sides. And there's going to be games in which Bellingham and Harry Kane, as I say, can't get them out of jail. Then where do where does the performance come from outside of that?

SPEAKER_08 9:18

Yeah, uh fair enough, definitely, but I think that this is an issue which um which most top teams uh right now still have. I think that um that that Portugal is is uh struggling with with the same issue. Of course, it's golden generation. Um but um yeah, I think the only the only team which really got it together both on the offense and on the defense um is France. Um and of course England right now is not really a comparison um to France. Um but I think no team is, and that's the point. I think that um even if you see Argentina, they still uh have some um some difficulties with uh with their defense, um, and at least uh the defense uh hold today, uh with Pickfoot of course uh um keeping a clean sheet. Um yeah, and surprisingly, um and that's of course a little bit worrying if teams like like Panama, especially considering their uh performance so far in this tournament, which was uh far from from great, I would say. Um yeah, if they manage to create chances uh which uh yeah, where it basically depends on on luck in the end, um or or on hope that um uh that the striker misses the ball a little bit or um gets it the wrong way, um then that's definitely not a good sign. As you said, first half, second half different. Um, but again, um both goals were shot uh within the 60th minutes. So the first was shot by Bellingham in the 61st, then was followed up uh just six minutes later um by Harry Kane uh with his um with his header. But that is indeed not enough. I think that if you if you manage to to build up such a momentum, then try to run it through the end of the game. And uh England uh did not manage to that to do that. They only managed this um so far uh best, I think, in the first game, and there was no momentum at all against Ghana, basically.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

Um clearly Argentina and France are the are the best two teams in the tournament. Of course, if they that would be a replay of the 22 2022 final, which nobody would really scoff at uh or be disappointed uh by. But um, we also have Declan Link um now in back in New York uh with a sort of personal review of the game.

SPEAKER_05 11:38

When all is said and done, it was a fair fairly lackluster performance from England in the first half, much of a muchness with regards to um not really uh exciting the fans, uh, particularly the the proper England supporters. Uh Canama are not a great team by any stretch of the imagination, and England really didn't take the game to them, which is what all the fans wanted them to happen. Um and when all is said and done, the first half was relatively non-eventful, fairly blah, and everyone was shaking their heads at halftime thinking Toronto, here we go. Uh we all absolutely understood um the dilemma that Thomas Tuchel had with regards to the right back situation. So with Kons playing there, which he has done for Aston Villa on numerous occasions, and Kwanzaa coming in at centre back, that was a bit strange. Um, it seemed like on some of the setups uh that the media had, it was a 4-1-4-1. But the reality is it seems like according to the BBC, it was more like a 4-2-3-1 with Anderson and Bellingham playing uh in front of the defence, which doesn't make any sense at all. Um so um, you know, and and and obviously we wanted the fans, well, the fans wanted us to get on the front foot and get at them, but it didn't really seem to happen in the f in the first half tonight. Second half, completely different story. Panama, as I said earlier on, are not a particularly good team. Uh Tugel got it right, and Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane stepped up. Um, and there was an air of inevitability that we were going to ultimately win the game. But the fans, particularly in the England uh supporters club level, just wanted a front foot type of performance night where we took it took it to them. So um that didn't happen, but at the end of the day, it's all about results. We've got through the group, we're uh moving on to the next stage. We've won the group and uh come on England. I'm massively happy to have avoided Senegal in the round of 32 because that would have possibly meant we're going home.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

So that was Declan Link uh just with his comments on on the game, and uh we'll no doubt speak to Declan further about the uh the match and what comes ahead in in tomorrow evening's recording. Uh but Paul also Croatia and Ghana both go through.

SPEAKER_08 14:10

Yes, um that is uh that is quite quite amazing. Um, I mean quite expectedly for Croatia, um, but I think less so less so for Ghana. Um and again, uh we we've spoken a lot about the expanded tournament. I really like to see more teams go through. Um to so I mean in the end, this this makes uh the whole thing, in my view, more egalitarian, um, because you just have more chances. Um especially you give more chances to to to smaller teams, and for everybody who is interested in um egalitarian football in fair leagues, uh we have an excellent mini-series on our Patreon page. Um, so definitely worth uh worth a listen. So um, yeah, and now with uh with Croatia, we have I think uh a very nice clash with Portugal in the um in the in the round of 32. Um so that that's an amazing game. Um watch.

SPEAKER_02 15:14

And that's also one of the reasons why I think Portugal and Colombia were really trying to win um their their match, which we'll come to in a second, because they're two pretty sort of um distinct distinct parts, but we'll come to that in a second. The the other um my other sort of final thought with Garner is that uh Carlos Quiroz, uh the footballing equivalent of the Prince of Darkness, lives to choke another World Cup team in the knockouts. So I'm looking forward to uh uh to that. Um I was thinking in group K about focusing to start off with on of course on the cut the match we just mentioned in passing that uh Colombia against Portugal, but forget that. Let's get the to the DRC's the Democratic Republic of Congo's 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, which takes them through to the knockout stages. What a performance, what a story, Paul.

SPEAKER_08 16:04

Incredible, just incredible. I mean, um I did a piece on the on the DR Congo, and um to to see them appear in a World Cup for the first time in in more than 50 years, and then going through to the group stay uh going through the group stage, um giving quite uh good performances all over um uh the three games. Uh the the start today into the Uzbekistan game was quite quite shaky. Um I think that that was probably some of the pressure of the they felt from the 116 million um Congolese people, of course, um hoping that they will see a team uh more games uh of their team in this tournament, and they managed to deliver. Yeah, but Uzbekistan scored first, uh then um the goal uh was uh declared invalid due uh to being uh an offside position, but uh they just tried it again and still were able to score first, and um yeah, then you have who else? Juan Vissa, um, in the 68th minute managing to equalize. And uh yeah, from then on, um I think that everything felt off uh every every all of the pressure, the doubt. You could you could really see that fell off the the Congolese players, and um and they just uh brought it to a very clean finish in the end, um, with Joan Visa scoring once more the last goal and um Fistol Mayele in this 78th minute. Great to see. And as I already said, Congo now plays against England, and that's not a done deal for any of them because the DRC, the DRC have an identity, they know who they are, they know what they want to achieve, and what we've seen now is that they're not cowed or awed by by any any any side.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Just um just to let any listeners know out there who didn't listen to your last Sunday column, that was your piece on the Democratic Republic of of Congo, which I thought was really interesting and obviously touches on on Congolese uh history and um sort of the the emergence. I mentioned in a in a podcast a few days ago as well that um for me it there's a kind of it's almost a sort of a moral imperative to the DRC to the Democratic Republic of Congo's performances at this World Cup, as though they've got something to prove against um against other nations that are perceived to be of of sort of get greater footballing uh prowess. And I think you cover some of that really well in in your Sunday column. And then your next column, which is uh which will be live tomorrow morning, is focusing on Cape Verde uh two, which I mean same but different in a way. There's also sort of uh the coming together, a gathering in of Cape Verde, uh, which has sort of um uh really sort of taken them forward. And it's interesting because we were gonna you're gonna do this piece on Cape Verde thinking that it was gonna be the last we're gonna see of them, but now they've got more games to play.

SPEAKER_08 19:09

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely stunning. And um, yeah, uh with this, I mean Congo uh participated once already in the World Cup. Um, but to see multiple teams now, basically with their um an inaugural appearance in this tournament going through to um to the to the knockout stage is just amazing.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Yeah, I would that when they appeared in 1974, they were called Zaire. So I think we can almost uh say that this is, I mean, it's not their first appearance, but uh as the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is their first appearance uh at the 2026 uh tournament, and they have exceeded expectations. And as we said before, they came through the intercontinental playoffs. Also, uh, let's move to Portugal, uh, Colombia. As we mentioned before, both teams wanted to win to become top to get to the uh top of the group to win the group because that way you avoided Croatia and then Spain, and instead have Ghana and then Switzerland. So that fate that's a difficult run now for for um uh Portugal, which has sort of uh really failed to impress so far. Croatia next, and then almost certainly Spain in the in the round of 16.

SPEAKER_08 20:21

Yeah, and I mean uh Colombia won that duel, so now Portugal sees itself faced with this uh yeah, quite unpleasant uh obstacles, with these quite unpleasant obstacles, um yeah, to to achieve any um any uh important or notable successes in this tournament. This game was one of the best games or best draws, I would definitely say I've seen so far. Um just both sides playing a couple of similar playstyles, actually. Um both very dynamic, uh very um, I think Portugal was a little bit more static, especially when um when on defense, but uh seeing Colombia today perform really, really amazing. They they didn't have, I think, one moment where they lost concentration or determination or or anything. The the way how Colombia manages to open up spaces um and to then create chances, therefore, it was just uh amazing and uh really frightening for any opponent who will um go up against uh against this this Colombian team. Um then, of course, also there in this team we have uh a kind of an um an old star with uh James Rodriguez, of course, and he definitely delivered today in this game. Um I mean nobody nobody managed to to score a goal, um but but still was very very impressive to see.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

He's such a unique figure because for years now he's not really given a damn about his clubs. He's sort of uh he's a journeyman, he moves between clubs, he often doesn't play. Very much at all, very few minutes on the pitch. And then a Colombian game uh turns up, and there he is, he's ready firing on all cylinders, and um he cries almost every time that the national anthem is played. For him, for James Rodriguez, Colombia is his footballing project. He has no interest in anything else, which is really, as I say, unusual, especially in uh sort of in a world of of big bucks for footballers, that he chooses um that for him, sort of almost uh football is um is uh a religious experience, I'm gonna say. And I think I do mean that because he it's not just about uh playing football, it's about who he wants to play for. And for him, it's uh it's all about putting on the yellow shirt of Colombia and representing his nation to the best of his of his ability.

SPEAKER_08 22:55

Yeah, absolutely. I I would I would conclude this game by saying that um Colombia always was for me kind of a dark horse, um, more on the on the better side. They always underperformed, especially in World Cups. I mean 2014 was an was a was an outlier, I would say. Um but this performance today was all I would say almost flawless. Um almost no missed passes, just great communication, um, or basically not really communication needed because everybody is just in lockstep um in in in regards to the tactic this team's uh this team applies, and uh it worked very well um in in this game on a on a tactical level, not of course uh regarding the results, because uh and that's still that that's quite a stark difference. Um, even though both teams uh basically have equal um ball possession, when it comes to uh shots on goal, you have 13 on the Portuguese side and 24, uh so almost double that on the um on the Colombian side, and same for goals uh for shots on goal, six on the Colombian side uh side, and only two for Portugal. Um, lastly, of course, in a game with uh uh with Portugal involved, what were your thoughts today on Cristiano Ronaldo?

SPEAKER_02 24:17

I'm I'm sort of a bit tired of uh of thinking of Cristiano Ronaldo invading my my um my brain space. I think my my perspective hasn't really changed. And I think that um the Portugal have really missed a trick. I think they've they've made um a series of decisions based around an individual and not around the team. And I think even though there are glimpses of or periods of a time when um when he sort of shines again, I just don't think that it makes um it makes a great deal of sense for for for Portugal going forward. And I think we're gonna see that reflected in an exit for them in the next round or the round of um uh or the round of 16.

SPEAKER_08 24:57

Yeah, absolutely. And um I mean you you asked me after the Uzbekistan-Portugal game um what I thought of Portugal's performance, if that is the true and final comeback of uh of this golden generation in this tournament. And I think what I said was not really, because uh a 5-0 win against Uzbekistan is duty for teams like Portugal, Spain, uh, France, etc. And I think uh it showed today that uh this was um just uh just duty win. And uh they uh they didn't manage to show or to to put themselves into a or the whole team into a shape which um which is determined and has this this killer instinct, which uh Ronaldo definitely lacks. And lastly, to him, uh he for some reason, of course, had to shoot um three kicks very far from the goal. Uh got both on goal, but of course not in any dangerous way.

SPEAKER_02 26:00

Um so yeah, yeah, of course, because it's it's it's a legacy project. Portugal's presence at this world cup is a legacy project for Cristiano Ronaldo, and that's where's where it starts and that's where it ends. And that's just you know, I mean, yeah, go go figure. Just um just a final point on um Colombia, Paul, because every everything um we've said, uh you said I agree with, but I think it's also worth saying that, worth adding that um um that the Colombian pedigree in terms of the style and the way that they're playing is not new, they've been playing this way for a few years now. And I would I would um remind everybody that in the 2024 Copa América final, which was played between Argentina and Colombia, Colombia were we just had again this sort of this inner steal throughout the tournament. And although Colombia lost that game in the end to Argentina, there was a real niggle between the sides. And uh it went extra time. It was only until the 112th minute that uh that Sab Lotaro Martinez scored the only goal in the um in the final, and uh we which obviously won it for Argentina. But what everybody took away from that tournament was that Colombia were a serious team that had to be taken uh to had to be taken seriously, and we're gonna be uh we're gonna fight everybody uh for their uh for for a win. Anybody who's gonna beat Colombia or take them on is gonna have to be really prepared to go uh to go the distance and beyond to get a result because Colombia are not gonna make it easy for for anybody, and they've been doing that for a number of years now.

SPEAKER_08 27:31

Yes, um, then I definitely have to re-watch that final because right now there is almost um the the two most amazing games for me, or the three for that matter, would uh would involve France, um France, Argentina, and Colombia, based on what I've seen so far. So to see a Colombia go up against uh especially uh especially a France um which has a I would I would I would argue very different style of play um would be just amazing. So I'll I'll see what has to happen for these sides uh to to meet eventually.

SPEAKER_02 28:05

Yeah, we'll we'll look at all of that in tomorrow evening's uh podcast with with Declan Link between now and then the uh the the Latin American uh report card from myself and uh and Paul will go live to tomorrow morning where we grade all Latin American sides and also your Sunday column, Paul on Cape Verde, will will go live as well. And um just as a final point, a reminder about our Gianni Infantino Bond villain competition, which we've had a number of entries and responses to so far. So don't forget, if you're thinking about it, uh, as well as telling us uh thinking about sending us an email response, as well as telling us which bond villain he most resembles. Please also remember to include why you think that that is the case. Justify your response, please. Answers and all correspondence to World Cup uh etc. at gmail.com, worldcup etc. forward at gmail.com. And the three best responses will receive a free one-year subscription to our Patreon premium content. Paul, as ever, thanks so much and uh look forward to to hearing your Sunday column and uh talking to you about the Latin American science tomorrow.

SPEAKER_08 29:14

Yeah, so do I. What am I done?