World Cup 2018 Group H Final Games: Japan 0-1 Poland; Senegal 0-1 Colombia

So so close. To lose out on the number of yellow cards will leave Senegal fuming, The Armchair shares their anger. Wanting to throw a cushion at the television The Armchair thought Senegal would be the only African team to make it out of the group stage, but they failed in the last game, narrowly. Losing that game 1-0, but losing out to Japan on the aforementioned tiebreaker. Colombia walk off with first place in the group and Poland salvaged some pride with a win in the final game, after two disappointing defeats.

THEY FINISHED 25TH: POLAND

Not good enough will be writ large across Poland’s report into their 2018 World Cup. Probably in red pen. So much support in the stadia. So many people let down by an OK side in a well-matched Group that was hard to call. They were never going to win this thing of course, but The Armchair regarded qualifying from the group as a real possibility. Lewandowski will shoulder a lot of the blame for their failure, another bad tournament for the normally impressive striker

World Cup 2018: Poland 0-3 Colombia

Got to be the biggest disappointment of the World Cup. So close to home, so far from glory, Poland were embarrassed here. Take nothing away from Colombia who were exciting, clinical, efficient, effective and a lot of other adjectives you’d associate with the successful, the victorious.

The Armchair Predicted

Poland 1-1 Colombiaq

20 and 12

World Cup 2018: Poland 1-2 Senegal

The tricky afternoon o’clock slot meant The Armchair was unable to give this game his full or even divided attention. 

Catching up with the highlights revealed Poland were unlucky to concede an own goal but complete slack with Senegal’s second. Not that The Armchair is complaining, having predicted that Senegal will have a successful tournament. This is exactly the kind of start that was envisaged.

The Armchair Predicted:

Poland 1-2 Senegal 

9 and 7

Who Will Win In The World Cup Round Of 16: Bottom half of the draw.

Predicting is thankless, and only sets you up to be shot down. So many variables in football. Injuries can transform a team’s chances. A sending off can change a game. A referee can turn a result on its head.

But here goes…

BRAZIL v MEXICO

Inconceivable that everyone’s second favourite team, unless you’re Brazilian (in which case they’re your first favourite team) won’t progress further than the Round of 16. Bad enough they didn’t win the last World Cup which was held in their back yard. To lose now….whoah. Yet Mexico won’t make it easy. BRAZIL TO WIN

BELGIUM v POLAND

The stadium awash with red and white. A corner of Russia becomes Warsaw, the Polish fans urging their team to quarter final glory. But having won their group, the Belgians have calm confidence. Their line-up is the strongest in several generations, from keeper to striker. They know this is their chance. They have seen other nations' previous so-called Golden Generations fail. They’ll not make the same mistake here. BELGIUM TO WIN.

GERMANY  v COSTA RICA

The defending champions enter familiar territory. Such a hard team to knock out in the knock outs. And where have Costa Rica come from? Geographically, Central America of course. But they were unfancied before this all kicked off. I believe this one will go to extra time. GERMANY TO WIN

SENEGAL v ENGLAND

Africa’s sole remaining representatives left in the tournament, with the backing of a continent. Against young, inexperienced, unfancied, unloved England. The team on the receiving end of boos from Russian fans wherever they’ve played. This one goes all the way to the PKs, and every Englishman knows how that ends. SENEGAL TO WIN

Who Will Win World Cup Group H?

World Cup Group H Teams

COLOMBIA

JAPAN

POLAND

SENEGAL

Never before has a World Cup Finals group delved so deep into the alphabet. And H is for Hard to call. This is the most evenly balanced group of them all, with all four having a chance to win the group or prop it up.

It's also the most diverse, with a European, African, South American and Far Eastern team.

So, don’t bet with any certainty on this group, and rest assured, my prediction has no certainty about it.

For POLAND, this is as close as the World Cup is going to get to their home soil. They will have plenty of support, plenty of motivation and in Lewandowski, plenty of goal threat. This for me, gives them the edge.

And of all the African teams, SENEGAL has the best chance of qualification. Liverpool’s Mane is here. So too a host of talent which, on its day, could beat anyone in the world.

COLOMBIA also have a lot of talent throughout the team, including star of World Cup 2014 James Rodriguez, but not quite enough killer instinct up front for my money.

And JAPAN, although they could win it, for me they are the least likely to. It’s a struggle to find any truly world class players in their ranks but they are always an entertaining team to watch.

World Cup Group H Betting

Armchair World Cup Group H Predictions

1: SENEGAL

2: POLAND

3: Colombia

4: Japan