World Cup Countdown: Argentina humiliated, Brazil gets measure of revenge
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Mar 27, 2018
The 6-1 loss in Madrid matched the worst defeat in Argentina history. Two
other 6-1 losses came against Czechoslovakia at the 1958 World Cup and Bolivia in 2009 in World Cup qualifying. It also lost 5-0 twice.
Real Madrid's Isco led Spain with a hat
trick, finishing off a second-half blitz that extended Spain's lead from 2-1 to 6-1 in a span of 22 minutes.
Argentina, which lost goalkeeper Sergio Romero in the first half with
an ankle injury, could do nothing in the face of the Spanish assault. Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli said his team had been slapped around.
"In the second half, Spain
grabbed us by attacking very directly," he said. "Very quick goals came and that made the difference in the result."
March 27
in Madrid
Spain 6 Argentina 1. Goals: Diego Costa 12, Isco 25, 52, 74, Thiago Alcantara 55, Iago Aspas 73; Otamendi 38.
Spain -- De Gea; Carvajal, Pique
(Azpilicueta 71), Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba (Marcos Alonso 78); Koke, Thiago (Parejo 81), Iniesta (Saul 55), Isco (Lucas Vazquez 76), Asensio; Diego Costa (Iago Aspas 46).
Argentina --
Romero (Caballero 21); Bustos (Mercado 60), Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico; Biglia, Mascherano (Pavon 55), Banega (Pablo Perez 60); Meza, Lo Celso (Acuna 83), Higuain (Lautaro Martinez 58).
Gabriel Jesus scored in the first half to give Brazil a deserved 1-0 win against Germany in Berlin in their first meeting since Germany's 7-1 win in Belo Horizonte in the World Cup 2014 semifinals.
The loss snapped Germany's unbeaten streak one game short of its record of 23 games without a defeat.
Brazil was without injured Neymar but fielded otherwise close to its first team, while Germany made seven changes from the team that tied Spain, 1-1, in Friday.
March 27 in Berlin
Germany 0 Brazil 1. Goal: Gabriel Jesus 37.
Germany -- Trapp; Kimmich; Boateng (Sule 67); Rudiger; Plattenhardt; Gundogan (Werner 80); Kroos; Goretzka (Brandt 61); Draxler; Sane (Stindl 61); Gomez (Wagner 62).
Brazil -- Alisson; Alves; Silva; Miranda; Marcelo; Fernandinho; Casemiro; Paulinho; Willian; Jesus; Coutinho (Costa 72).
Diego Messi? Really?
Argentina coaching staff has one glaring weight. Many of its starters are high quality individual players, but there are too few players of quality that are able to adapt to the team cohesion.