It’s been a month for the ages for soccer in Philadelphia.
Instead of watching the Eagles in a Super Bowl, Philadelphia fans have had a different kind of football — or for American fans, soccer — to enjoy this year. Fans from all around the world descended into America’s first capital this year, ready to watch legendary soccer games in Philadelphia Stadium — the covered-up-logo version of Lincoln Financial Field. Over five group-stage matches, the city has hosted World Cup debutants, five-time champions, and one of the most talked-about attacking teams in the tournament. Now, it all wraps up on the Fourth of July, with a Round of 16 match that doubles as the centerpiece of Philly’s 250th birthday celebration.
Côte d’Ivoire bests Ecuador at the last minute, winning 1-0
On June 14, Philadelphia hosted the first of six FIFA World Cup games. Côte d’Ivoire faced off against Ecuador, proving to be a battle of wits for both countries. Ecuador controlled the opening half hour, with John Yeboah and Alan Minda rattling the Ivory Coast. Côte d’Ivoire coach Emerse Fae shook things up at halftime, and it paid off. While kickoff happened at 7 p.m., the biggest excitement came 90 minutes into the game, as Amad Diallo — who subbed in during the second half — snuck a ball past Ecuador’s goalie for the only score of the night, finishing off a run down the side from Wilfried Singo.
Brazil showcases dominance in 3-0 group stage win over Haiti
Few teams were as strong as Brazil in the group stage of the tournament. Brazil swept through this match with Haiti on June 19, doing nothing but reinforcing its status as the leader of Group C. Players such as Vinícius Júnior dominated the field from start to finish. Matheus Cunha did most of the direct damage early on with two goals in the first half, but it was Vinícius who set the tone — setting up Cunha’s opener before shooting in Brazil’s third goal himself just before the break. The result made Haiti the first team eliminated from this year’s World Cup, a rough end for the tournament’s newcomers, whose roster included 2014 Engineering graduate Duke Lacroix.
France dominates the group stage, making short work of Iraq in a 3-0 win
France controlled the match the entire time on June 22, collecting another three points in Group I. The result kept France on course for a perfect group stage and eventually a Round of 16 meeting with Paraguay. With Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, it’s going to be hard to stop France even beyond the group stage — and the numbers back that up. France didn’t just beat Iraq; they ran over several teams in group play, barely breaking a sweat. They beat Senegal 3-1 and came home with a 4-1 dub against a strong Norway team, with Dembélé bagging a hat trick.
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Two-peat: Côte d’Ivoire wins its second Philadelphia match, beating Curaçao 2-0
Côte d’Ivoire confidently knocked Curaçao out of the tournament on June 25. With Nicolas Pépé dominating the green, the Curaçao team just couldn’t keep up. Pépé scored both goals himself, sending the Ivory Coast into the knockout stage for the first time in the country’s history. The match closed out Curaçao’s first-ever World Cup appearance.
Ghana gets on the board, but falls to Croatia 2-1
Croatia held off a game Ghana side on June 27 to lock down second place in Group L in a match where both teams had something on the line. Petar Sučić put Croatia up in the 31st minute with a powerful strike, but Ghana struck back with a goal from Derrick Luckassen. Still, Croatia had the last word, with Nikola Vlašić putting another past the goalie. Despite the loss, Ghana’s four points from the group stage were enough to sneak them into the knockout rounds.
Now: Paraguay gears up for stiff competition against the French team, but will their luck run dry?
The short answer is yes. Paraguay got lucky coming into the Round of 16, barely skirting past an underperforming German team and edging them out with penalty kicks. Sure, it kept their tournament run alive, but it definitely doesn’t bode well coming into a game with a tournament favorite.
France has yet to lose in the tournament. Their roster depth, quality of play, and well-rounded team have made them one of the best teams remaining in the tournament.
