The World Cup in Russia is the most anticipated sporting event of 2018. Leading bookmakers already provide forecasts for the winners of the quarterfinals World Cup 2018. Are you waiting for World Cup results? Here we have some predictions!
World cup groups leaders
England squad defeated the Colombian team, becoming the last participant of the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
The match, which took place in Moscow, ended with a score of 4: 3 in favor of the Engling team after a penalty shootout. This is the first in the history of the English national team victory in the world championship, won by a penalty.
World Cup schedule
For the semi-finals, England will compete against the Swedish team, the match will be held on July 7 in Samara. On the eve, on July 6, there will be two more games of the quarterfinals. Uruguay and France will meet in Nizhny Novgorod, and Belgium and Brazil will meet in Kazan. On July 7 Croatia will meet at 21:00 in Sochi, Russia.
Recall, Russia went to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time, winning the match with Spain. The main match ended in a of 1: 1 draw. However, the Russians won 4: 3 in the penalties.
Considering World Cup teams the experts made some predictions. Are you ready to hear them? Check the World Cup predictions and World Cup fixtures and the teams that are going to meet.
World cup predictions
Brazil vs Belgium
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Brazil
Footballers of the Brazilian national team won the E group at the current World Championship, having scored seven points in three games.
First, they played with Switzerland (1: 1), then with Costa Rica (2: 0) and Serbia (2: 0).
In the 1/8 finals Brazil broke the resistance of the team of Mexico (2: 0). Neymar and Roberto Firmino performed the beautiful goals.
Marcelo and Douglas Costa missed the last game because of the injuries. However, after returning to the general group, they have a chance to play against Belgium.
Belgium
Belgium is among those world cup teams that play without defeat, although, they still had some problems.
In Group G, the ‘red devils’ got convincing victory, defeating Panama (3: 0), Tunisia (5: 2) and England (1: 0).
Having scored nine points, Roberto Martinez's team reached the 1/8 finals, where they stumbled upon Japan's serious resistance (3: 2).
By the middle of the second half, with 0-2 the Belgians were close to failure, but thanks to some miracle, they were able not only to recoup but also to get victory at the last minutes of the game.
Forecast for Brazil vs Belgium
In the upcoming match, bookmakers give the advantage to Brazilians. Brazil team is in good shape and rarely loses, but there are still chances to see its defeat, and they are not as small as it might seem. Belgium is not the team that will sit on its half of the field. Team of Roberto Martinez likes to attack, so they can surprise even such a formidable opponent.
Uruguay vs France
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Uruguay
Uruguay team is going to fight for the World cup trophy too. But still, it does not know the bitterness of defeats, nor what draws. Uruguayans won in all three matches of the group stage, and then in the 1/8 finals.
Uruguay began the world championship with a difficult victory over Egypt - 1: 0. Although the South Americans dominated throughout the game, and Luis Suarez squandered the moments, they managed to score only in the end of the match - Jose Maria Jimenez came to the standard and hit the ball into the net. Then Uruguay, having a significant advantage over the game, defeated Saudi Arabia - 1: 0.
In the third group of stage meeting, Uruguayans did not spare the hosts of the World Cup team, Russia, which, moreover, played most of the match in the minority. However, two of the three goals of Uruguayans were scored with full squads.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Uruguayans had their first top rival. In difficult match, Oscar Tabares team defeated the national team of Portugal - 2: 1. Edinson Cavani scored two great goals, but also got injured. It seems not very serious, but his participation in the quarter-finals is still a question. In the same match, Uruguay missed its first goal in the tournament.
Note that at the World Championship, Uruguay did not miss goals during seven halves. At the moment, Uruguayans missed fewer goals than any other team on the World Championship. In addition, in a match against Portugal, Uruguay missed for the first time in the last eight matches.
Another interesting point, which should we pay attention to - in four matches, the Uruguayan team players earned only one ‘yellow card’. This is also the best indicator among all participants of the tournament.
France
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France also won their group, though, gaining 7 points out of 9 possible.
In the first round of the group stage, ‘Three-color’ team beat Australia (2: 1). Further, French footballers defeated Peru (1: 0). In the final round, when France was already guaranteed with a ticket to the playoffs, the team got a draw with the Danish national team - 0: 0.
In the first round of the playoffs, the French team gave the fans a chic match against Argentina, which ended with a score of 4: 3.
Interesting fact - the French team hasn’t lose 19 games in a row (17 wins and 2 draws). Also, we should note the effectiveness of Griezmann in the playoffs of major tournaments - 6 goals in the last five matches of the playoffs of the World Championships and Europe are already on his account.
Forecast for Uruguay and France
Bookmakers prefer France in this match. Most likely, for the match against France, Uruguay will make the same bet, which worked in the game against Portugal. Mostly, the team will rely on defense and will try to realize their counterattacks. But Uruguayans are unlikely to allow the game to go to ‘open football’.
France will try to crack the strong defense of the Uruguayans - much stronger than the Argentinian one. The best development of the events for the French will be a goal in the first half, which will force Uruguay to go ahead and open areas for the swift-footed Mpappa and Griezmann. However, will the French manage to score this goal?
Russia vs Croatia
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Russia
At the start of the World Cup the Russians surprised many experts and fans, showing the most unexpected games of the tournament.
Stanislav Cherchesov's players in duels with Saudi Arabia (5: 0) and Egypt (3: 1) cold-bloodedly used almost every opportunity, reliably guarding the rear.
The players reacted to the flurry of criticism before the start of the World Cup adequately. But then they proved everything by the affairs on the field.
However, there was a 'mini-failure' - the game with Uruguay (0: 3). Star attack of the opponent shot two goals against Akinfeev, and in the 36th minute, Smolnikov left Russia in the minority. The point was put by Cavani at the end of the match. After that the fans anxiously awaited the start of the playoffs, where the opponent was a formidable Spain.
When the 'Red Fury' quickly came forward thanks to an Ignashevich's own goal, many thought that this was the beginning of the end. But no, Russian players continued to fight and achieved their goal by earning a penalty, which was realized by Dzyuba.
Then there was a tense struggle, consisting of two halves and two extra-times, Akinfeev's saves, sometimes total control of the ball from Spain and torrential rain. Russian team withstood, and in the penalty shootout Akinfeev repelled two hits and became the unconditional hero of the match. Sensation, after which Croatia doesn't look like an insurmountable obstacle any longer.
Croatia
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After the group stage of the Croats, many call them the favorites of the tournament, and the fans remember 1998, when the team debuted at the world championships and immediately took the third place.
Zlatko Dalich's playes, as a hurricane, swept through the group stage, winning all three matches, scoring 7 goals and missing only one goal (penalty).
The Croatians began with a victory over the Nigerian national team (2-0), leading by our own goal in the first half and realizing a penalty in the second.
Then Argentina was defeated (3: 0). Even in the final game with Iceland, the reserve line-up of Croatia pulled out a victory in the 90th minute - 2:1.
In the game with Denmark in the 1/8 finals, everything wasn't so simple. The teams exchanged goals in the first five minutes of the game and started a fierce fight, in which it was difficult to single out a particular favorite. In the very end of the extra-time, the Croats earned a penalty and could win, but Schmeichel parried Modric's blow. It was possible to win only in a tight series of penalties.
Forecast for Russia and Croatia
The last time when the teams met in a friendly match was back in 2015. Then the Croats won with a score of 3: 1.
Stanislav Cherchesov is unlikely to abandon the tactics that brought him such a success in the game with Spain. Also, thanks to Akinfeev, they managed to withstand the onslaught of European football stars.
Apparently, acting as the second number is the tactic of this Russian national team. It is this development of events we expect from the quarterfinals: Russian players will give the ball to the Croats and will catch their chances on the counterattacks. Definitely, there will be a lot of struggle and, most likely, few goals.
Sweden vs England
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Sweden
For the Sweden the England team is just another favorite that needs to be passed. And they have already passed four powerful teams: France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany. Impressive list, is not it? Recall that the first two matches were played in the selection, they met 'Squider Azzurro' in the playoffs, and in this World Cup Sweden played with Germany. However, it should be noted that the Swedes defeated only two of the listed rivals. French lost their chances in a home qualifying match - 2: 1. The same with Italy - 1: 0. The Swedish team also defeated the Italians on their field. Sweden lost to the Germans 1: 2, and in two matches with the Netherlands the Scandinavians earned one point.
The Swedes Started their way into the quarterfinals with a minimum victory over South Korea - 1: 0. Then there was a fiasco from Germany - 1: 2, and in the decisive match an incredible triumph over Mexico - 3: 0. Also a duel of the Swedes in 1/8, when they beat very strong Switzerland - 1: 0, was quite indicative too.
The maximum result for Sweden at the moment is silver at the home World Cup-1958.
England
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The results of England after all the previous unsuccessful championships are dreams that come true for the fans of this team. England went into the quarterfinals of the World Championship. And this is after the disgrace on Euro-2016 and World Cup-2014. Southgate did a really good job with the team, essentially rejuvenating the line-up. England, finally, began to play beautifully, which has long been unusual for the team of 'three lions'.
England got to the quarterfinals in the current championship, just defeating those whom it had to beat before. In the group, the British dealt with Tunisia - 2: 1 and defeated Panama - 6: 1, and in 1/8 Southgate's players beat Colombia with penalties- 1: 1 (4: 3 pen.). By the way, the penalty shoot-out was always a weak side of English.
The best result of England at the World Cup was a victory in 1966. However, the team of 'three lions' did not reach the semi-finals of the Mundial. The last time the British made their way so far, was in 1990.
Forecast for Sweden vs England
England spent a lot of energy in a duel with Colombia, at the end of the match, the players of the English national team could hardly stand on their feet. Nevertheless, Southgate has the opportunity to conduct a rotation, which should give strength to the team. The Swedish team plays fairly closed soccer but does not abandon the attacking actions completely - at the right time Andersson's team adds in speed, as it was in a duel with Switzerland.
Tired England will find it difficult to save their gates against Sweden. But we should not forget that the English have a few classy attacking players. The match promises to become tense and productive - England will seek to match the status of the favorite, but Sweden simply has nothing to lose.
In the semifinals in St. Petersburg the winners of the matches of Uruguay - France and Belgium - Brazil will meet. The match between the winners of the games Russia - Croatia, and Sweden - England will be held in Moscow.
These are all World Cup news and predictions. Which team will take the World Cup trophy home? Are you ready to watch real football?!
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Source: Naija.ng