A month into the World Cup, we’re really starting to get to the sharp end of things. All three host nations are gone, along with 37 of the other 48 teams that began the tournament back in June. That leaves eight quarter-finalists standing — so here’s our preview of those quarter final matchups. And if you’d like to watch these matches on the big screen (or, at least, a screen outside of your own home), there are a number of viewing options in Lower Manhattan, including local sports bars, watch parties and more.
France vs Morocco
July 9, 4 p.m EDT
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Post-colonial scholars everywhere will be rooting for Morocco here, but they’re likely to be disappointed. Morocco have looked excellent so far, but a month ago we tipped France to win the whole shebang, and nothing we’ve seen so far has really gone any way toward dissuading us from that view. Les Bleus have been on an entirely different level, and as the excellent soccer analysis channel ACFC pointed out a few days back, they’ve barely broken a sweat so far.
Prediction: France 3 Morocco 1
Spain vs Belgium
July 10, 3 p.m. EDT
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Perhaps the most difficult fact for US fans to digest about the drubbing they received from Belgium in the round of 16 is that while Belgium are certainly a very good side, they’re not in the very top tier of European national teams. We have a feeling that the difference between an excellent team and a genuinely world class one may well be demonstrated in this match — Spain’s progress hasn’t been quite as effortless as that of their neighbors to the east, but setting aside their hiccup against Cape Verde in the opening match, they’ve looked a cut above their opponents. We expect them to emerge victorious here and set up a semi-final for the ages against France on July 14.
Prediction: Spain 2 Belgium 0
Norway vs England
July 11, 5 p.m. EDT
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
This is perhaps the hardest of the quarter-finals to call. England’s high-altitude battle against Mexico was one for the ages, and while emerging victorious from such a demanding test will have buoyed English spirits, it may also have sapped their reserves of energy. Norway, meanwhile, saw off a decidedly tepid Brazil team earlier in the day, and did so at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, meaning they’ll have had a little more rest and a little less travel to negotiate. Will that tip the balance in their favor? We’re honestly not sure. We reckon this might go to penalties — and god help us, but for some reason our heart is telling us that England, that most angst-ridden of penalty-taking nations, will emerge victorious
Prediction: England 1 Norway 1 (England to win on penalties)
Argentina vs Switzerland
July 11, 9 p.m. EDT
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MI
Unlike France and Spain — and even England, if we’re honest, their laboring performance against DR Congo notwithstanding — Argentina’s progress through the knock-out rounds has been anything but serene. They got a decent fright from Cape Verde, and then an even bigger one from Egypt, against whom they were 2-0 down with barely 20 minutes of regulation time remaining. That they were able to dig themselves out of the latter hole was largely due to the peerless talents of Lionel Messi, but for all that he’s appeared ageless throughout this tournament, the amount of minutes he’s played must be starting to take a toll. Will Argentina get through this match? Yes, they should. Will they get any further? TBC.
Prediction: Argentina 2 Switzerland 1
Tom Hawking is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor and football fanatic. Find him at his website.
photo: iStock
