ADVERTS TO ASHES
The clock ticked past 90 minutes at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, and while Iran and the USA! USA!! USA!!! were still at it in their glorified friendly, The Fiv … bear with us, this is going to take some time … Football Daily breathed a sigh of relief. See, we’ve got used to electronic advertising hoardings stripping one product at a time all the way down the touchline, so it’d been nice at this Human Rights World Cup when the e-banners occasionally flicked round to display an ersatz version of yesteryear, a virtual row of lots of separate little ads in the old-fashioned style. Sure, the selection of modern McCosta companies wouldn’t quite have the Azteca 1970 glamour of Cinzano, Kleenex, Bata shoes and Mothercare, but it would be better than nothing. Sadly, suddenly, for a couple of days back there, no more! So imagine how pleased we were to see the old-school corporate shilling suddenly appear again as the crucial Group B decider reached its last knockings. Hyundai, we hardly knew ye.
For the record, nothing much else happened on the pitch after that. Bata, though! Gotta love Jonathan Meades.
Meanwhile at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Wales went gentle into that good night. Did Dylan Thomas drink 387,489 pints of whisky for nothing?! Though Gareth Bale at his end secretly knew dark was right, the match with England was the first time British teams had met at a World Cup finals, so it was beholden to him, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen (collective age in legs 873 (145 ½ years per leg)) to give it a go. Ah well, curse, bless them now with your fierce tears. And what a blessing: Bale is off to play a lot of golf, Allen to look after a lot of chickens, and Ramsey to spend the rest of his life receiving a lot of thanks from Celtic supporters. Meanwhile England, even if they beat Senegal, will have to deal with Kylian Mbappé or possibly even Lionel Messi. Sing the sun in flight!
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All of which leaves Football Daily to ponder Wednesday’s upcoming matches, and consider how we’ve not yet come to terms with the loss of our This Morning and Bargain Hunt-bothering 10am and 1pm kick-offs. Football Daily is still in a state of mourning, but even in this reduced state we can feel a frisson of excitement at the possibility of Messi being toe-punted out of the tournament for the last time by all-new World Cup scoring sensation Robert Lewandowski, 34, or Australia making it through to the last 16 for only the second flamin’ time in their history by holding off Denmark. Good luck and all to the Socceroos, though should they secure their draw, only for Tunisia to do a number on France B and nip in ahead, Football Daily begs all Aussies permission to guffaw long and loud. See, we’d have to take our kicks when we can get them, before next summer’s Ashes pans out like everyone imagines it will.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE!
Join Scott Murray from 3pm GMT for MBM coverage of Australia 1-2 Denmark, while Will Unwin will be on deck for Tunisia 1-2 France at the same time. Then Michael Butler will be your guide at 7pm GMT for Poland 0-2 Argentina, when David Tindall will also be at the wheel for Saudi Arabia 1-1 Mexico.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I don’t agree with you and I’m not going to expand on that. You have a different perspective to me. Why don’t you write down that it’s terribly boring. If you think it’s boring why don’t you go home … I don’t agree with you; I think everyone would be rather proud we’re progressing to the next round and I think people know why you’re asking these questions. I don’t think things are as bad as you say” – Louis van Gaal decides to expand after all, bristling in response to a reporter who queried the entertainment value provided by his Netherlands team, after they beat dismal HR World Cup hosts Qatar 2-0 to top their group and set up a meeting with the USA! USA!! USA!!!
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“Having just watched the Qatari national side eliminated after three consecutive Sunday pub team performances at a tournament facilitated by abused migrant workers, and in grounds which emptied long before full-time, I was thinking: presumably Qatar acquired this tournament in the hope of showing the world what the country is all about. Job done, eh?” – Chris Jersan.
“The match ball seems to be a very subtle but at the same time also very prominently featured sign of protest at this year’s HRWC. To me it looks like a rainbow viewed through a kaleidoscope. I’d love to be there (or maybe rather not) when the emir notices. Well played, Adidas” – Uli Mohr.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Uli Mohr.
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