Peter ShulmanJul 11, 201810 minFrance-Belgium Match Report: A Dynasty Rises The flower of youth bloomed sweet and true in the St. Petersburg night, as the France's free-wheeling youth turn Belgium's Golden...
Peter ShulmanJul 10, 20184 minCroatia-England Preview: It's Coming Home! Or It's Coming Dom! Or to the Final, At Least.So, that's more an attempt at cleverness that a prediction ("dom" is "home" in Serbo-Croatian), because this Croatia team is running on...
Peter ShulmanJul 9, 20186 minClash of Conquistadors of the Counter: Belgium-France PreviewOne's practically ready to show a Monty Python parody to sum up the fears of getting countered: "Oh, noooooo, we couldn't possibly take...
Peter ShulmanJul 7, 20185 minDe Bruyne Scythes the Samba Kings: 7 Takeaways from Belgium-BrazilOne for the ages this one, and I have to eat some crow. I thought Brazil would win--and by golly, they almost did. But credit Belgium...
Peter ShulmanJul 6, 20184 minVarane Invincible!: 6 Takeaways from Uruguay-France1. A great, great first half to watch! Furious pressing by Uruguay, quick combination play by France, and a few of those...
Peter ShulmanJul 6, 20185 minPreview: 7 Reasons England Repels the Swedish InvasionAt last, Sweden will meet a team that is as bound to its coach--and each other--as they are, and that will negate their biggest advantage....
Peter ShulmanJul 5, 20183 minBelgium-Brazil Preview: It's Flank Steak at Fogo De ChaoBelgium has a golden generation, but somehow a left back did not emerge, and they're going to pay against the Brazilian wide men. Brazil...
Peter ShulmanJul 5, 20184 minFrance-Uruguay Preview: Step Inside the SqueezerClub teammates face off in a match that will test whether France can withstand Uruguay's defensive grinder, while one wonders how Suarez...
Peter ShulmanJul 5, 20186 minBelgian Supersubs & Counter for the Ages Sink Noble JapanAgony and revival in a cardiac finish at Rostov Arena, where a little luck, an undeniable Fellaini header, and a lungbusting 100-meter...
Peter ShulmanJul 4, 20183 minSweden, the Ford F-350 of World Cup Sides, Knockout the Swiss. Two sides with stunningly unproductive attacks launched balls anywhere but on frame in St. Petersburg, only to be separated by a...
Peter ShulmanJul 4, 20186 minColombia-England: 8 Takeaways on A Nasty Moscow NightExtra sour in the Moscow Mule, as England escape in a tawdry affair by both sides, more of an old school festival of nasty than the happy...
Peter ShulmanJul 2, 20186 minMatch Report: Brazil Ducks El Tri Knockout Punch, a la Ali in Zaire Mexico cornered their prey and moved in for the kill at the opening bell, but a rock solid defensive core took every punch. Then Willian...
Peter ShulmanJul 2, 20186 minBunkered: Spain, Portugal Out; Croatia Saved in PKsFrance moves on, but the rest were nearly divided into those who packed it in, and those who are packing up. Only Super Subasic flipped...
Peter ShulmanJun 30, 20184 minFrance-Argentina Match Review: Youth Springs Eternal**But the old guys almost pulled it out, somehow? How did that even happen? Well, that went exactly as I expected, except all the parts...
Peter ShulmanJun 30, 20184 minFrance-Argentina Preview: End of The Hero's JourneyYour work here is done, young Jedi. Three touches for eternity, and on to the youthful, enigmatic Les Bleus. Were I to be in some...
Peter ShulmanJun 29, 20186 minUruguay-Portugal Preview: They Deserve Each OtherIf ever two teams deserved each other more, it’s hard to remember, and as fans we can at least avoid the spectacle of two potential...
Peter ShulmanJun 28, 20182 minColombia Stumble by a Deserving SenegalColombia-Senegal Match Report: Mr. Hyde gets by a worthy Senegalese side People often asks me who I'm for, and I've finally gotten around...
Peter ShulmanJun 28, 20187 minBelieve Your Eyes: Germany, Mexico ThrashedGroup F proved that it's hard to shake preconceived notions, but Low, Muller and Germany come into clear focus in the finale. I highly...
Peter ShulmanJun 26, 20185 minTitanic to Messi(anic) through Rojo-Tinted GlassesFrom aspirational to beatific to snakebit to utterly lost and ever so strangely found, Argentina stumble across on the right foot of...
Peter ShulmanJun 26, 20182 minFrance-Denmark: A Misdemeanor against FutbolOur lead photo, goes to the referee, Sandro Ricci, the game's most interesting character. And Stu Holden gets the line of the day: “Ten...