A Bayern Munich fans’ guide to round two of the World Cup
There were a few surprises in round one of the World Cup, where Bayern Munich were well represented. Will the theme continue in the second round of games?
The first round of World Cup games was overall rather disappointing for Bayern Munich. Most of Die Roten‘s representatives experienced a bitter defeat, while the rest won’t be completely satisfied with their results either. They will all need to step up their game before the second round of matches.
Germany
Die Mannschaft suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico in their World Cup opener. Hirving “Chucky” Lozano finished off a superb counterattack to give El Tri a huge advantage over the reigning world champions in Group F.
Joachim Low and his men have quite the mountain to climb, every game from hear on out practically a must-win. And unless some serious changes are made to tactics, personnel and attitude, the Germans could be looking at an early exit from Russia.
Their next test comes Saturday, June 23rd, at 2 pm EST, when they take on an Emil Forsberg-led Sweden. The Swedes have already picked up three points thanks to their win against South Korea, putting Germany in an even tougher situation.
Though there will almost certainly be some changes to Joachim Low’s starting XI, Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Joshua Kimmich are still surefire starters at the back. Up front, it’s unlikely Thomas Muller gets moved to the bench, but he could be shifted to his more comfortable position in the center of the park. Thanks to the dreadful display from Sami Khedira against the Mexicans, one of Leon Goretzka or Sebastian Rudy could also be handed a start to help provide more defensive cover.
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Colombia and Poland
Both James Rodriguez’s Colombia and Robert Lewandowski’s Poland were quite disappointing in their World Cup openers. Largely considered the two favorites for this tough group, both nations failed to establish dominance, instead suffering frustrating losses.
James Rodriguez failed to start for Colombia against Japan, only coming on with around 30 minutes remaining. Robert Lewandowksi played the full 90 minutes for Poland but was rather starved of service and largely anonymous for most of the match against Senegal.
The odds of both Colombia and Poland making it out of the group have decreased significantly. That’s why the upcoming match between the two of them is so crucial. They play Sunday, June 24th at 2 pm EST. The winner will have a good chance of making it through to the next round, while the loser will almost certainly be eliminated. A draw would do neither team a favor, but would definitely make things interesting heading into the third round of matches.
France
Like so many of the top teams in this tournament, France were mostly disappointing in their opening match against Australia, despite their 2-1 win. Corentin Tolisso played for 78 minutes before being removed, likely to prevent him from the possibility of a second yellow card.
Les Bleus second match comes on Thursday, June 21st, at 11 am EST. They take on a fiery Peru side, who will be eager to shock one of the World Cup favorites. The French could be in for a tough time if they don’t make some serious improvements before their second game.
Spain
The Spaniards opened their World Cup account with perhaps the most exciting game of the first round. They looked good for the most part, but a certain Cristiano Ronaldo spoiled their party with an excellent hat-trick to end the match 3-3.
Next: Germany need Thomas Muller playing in the center of the pitch
Bayern’s Thiago Alcantara surprisingly didn’t start the match and only came in for Andres Iniesta at the 70th minute. He couldn’t provide the spark La Furia Roja needed to ensure a victory. There’s a chance he starts in Spain’s next match, though, when they take on Iran. That match takes place tomorrow, June 20th, at 2 pm EST.