World Cup 2018 Group G Final Games: Belgium 1-0 England; Panama 1-2 Tunisia

A couple of stats here. Panama’s goal means all teams in World Cup 2018 scored at least twice. And Belgium beat England for the first time. The Armchair predicted Belgium to win this group, and so they did. But the game against England was no classic. With both sides already qualified they chose to rest players and the quality suffered but Belgium showed they have greater strength in depth. England won’t even mind losing as, on paper, it makes their route to the final seem easier. In the other game, Panama took a surprise lead, but Tunisia eventually turned things round to deliver the expected result.

THEY FINISHED 27TH: TUNISIA

Two games, two defeats but goals in both, and Panama to go. 

Something to celebrate there.

Tunisia will be favourites to win the final dead rubber in Group G. 

And 3pts there would just about tally with their pre-tournament expectations. T

hey Kane so close to snatching a just about deserved draw against England, but were dispatched by the Belgians in no uncertain terms.

World Cup 2018: Belgium 5-2 Tunisia

The Armchair always takes an inordinate amount of interest in the affairs of the team he has invested money in to win the competition, and is always pleased to see the number 5 in their goals scored column. Not so the two against, nor the reported injuries to Lukaku and Hazard. But the win was enough to secure a path to the Round of 16, and the goal tally suggests here’s a group of players who are up for it, and who could go all the way…

The Armchair Predicted

Belgium 3-0 Tunisia

17 and 10

World Cup 2018: England 2-1 Tunisia

The Armchair was kicking his cushions for most of the second half because he hadn’t predicted a 1-1 in this game. It’s the scoreline at which the last four of England’s tournament openers have finished.

And this looked destined to continue that sequence. England fluffed great chances - Lingard and Sterling in particular. Maguire looked dodgy in the first half, misplaced passes aplenty.

But it would churlish not to credit England with a great first half performance, and to bemoan the dodgy penalty Tunisia were given and the ones England weren’t.

Tunisia got their equaliser and would have settled for the draw but for the poaching skills of Kaptain Kane. With more finishers like him in the team, this would have been a thrashing.

The Armchair Predicted:

England 2-0 Tunisia

8 and 6

Who Will Win World Cup 2018 Group G

World Cup Group G Teams

BELGIUM

ENGLAND

PANAMA

TUNISIA

And so to your blogger's home nation, and surely one of the easiest groups in which to predict the two qualifiers.

It will be disastrous if Belgium and England don’t both beat the other two teams and then decide the group winners in their final game.

It would be better for neutrals if Belgium played England first, putting more pressure on the loser in their following two games.

Belgium’s squad is one of the best. Has been for a few years now, but it meant nothing in Euro 2016. Could mean more here with more experience, and better coaching.

England are young and, for once, England Expects Nothing from its World Cup squad, apart from Group qualification.

Hats off to Panama for qualifying for their first World Cup. But let’s not write them off with words like plucky first timers. They have zero pressure on them. Who knows?

And Tunisia. They’ve qualified for World Cups before, but you get the feeling their big game will be against Panama to see who can wrap up 3rd Place.

World Cup Group G Betting

World Cup GROUP G Predictions:

1: BELGIUM

2: ENGLAND

3: Tunisia

4: Panama