Favorites live up to their billing on Day 7 at the 2022 World Cup

Well, my nightly preview post got misscheduled, but there wasn’t anything too dramatic in terms of the results today anyway, with all four favorites prevailing, which is probably the first time that has happened in this World Cup.

Australia, Poland, France, and Argentina all won, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, and 2-0, respectively. How boring!

That’s not to say that nothing noteworthy occured. Australia’s win was their first in eight games and three World Cups, since 2010, and it’s their second ever clean sheet in a World Cup game, and the first since 1974. Time to rewrite those history books!

Poland’s 2-0 win featured a first-ever goal for Robert Lewandowski — finally! — but that was quite overshadowed by a ridiculous double-save from Wojciech Szczęsny in first-half stoppage time, on a rather contentious penalty awarded to Saudi Arabia. Ball don’t lie!

Olivier Giroud was kept off the scoresheet for France, but some young anonymous upstart named Kylian ... uhh, Mbappé, I think? ... grabbed a brace, including the winner in the final five minutes to consign Denmark to a 2-1 defeat. France become the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds in the process.

The Danes’ lone goal was scored by none other than Andreas Christensen. Hey, we know that guy! Sweet header from the ex-Chelsea man, belying all those missed chances he had on Chelsea corners over the years.

Last but not least, Argentina avoided the embarrassment of an early exit with a strong performance in a 2-0 win over Mexico. Lionel Messi grabbed a second goal in just as many games to get Argentina on the board, and young Enzo Fernández served notice of his talents and future exorbitant transfer fee in making sure of the three points.

Golasso, indeed!