Day nine of this World Cup was always going to be a sorting day, the kind that separates the contenders from those who simply packed their bags hoping...
Day nine of this World Cup was always going to be a sorting day, the kind that separates the contenders from those who simply packed their bags hoping for a miracle. Scotland, I'm afraid, fell spectacularly flat. There was no fight, no fire, just a pale imitation of the side that had scraped through qualification. They bottled it when it mattered most, and the silence from the Tartan Army at the final whistle told you everything you needed to know. For a nation that lives and breathes this tournament, seeing them capitulate without so much as a whimper is galling.The USA, by contrast, have their knockout place secured, and while their performances haven't exactly set the pitch alight, there is a cold efficiency about them that suggests they could cause an upset. They are organised, they press well in transitional phases, and if their star forward can find some clinical finishing, they might just park the bus with a lead. Over in the other group, Turkey's tears tell a story of a nation that dared to dream and saw it snatched away in the cruellest fashion. A late equaliser conceded, a penalty missed, and then the referee's whistle shrilled. Heartbreaking, but also a lesson in how fine the margins are at this level. Squeaky bum time has a way of exposing every weakness.And then there is Miguel Almíron. A red card for covering his own mouth during the anthems In a tournament where gestures are scrutinised more than offside traps, this is a new one. The rules are the rules, but this feels petty, a decision that will be debated in pubs from Glasgow to Ankara. It reeks of a governing body that has lost its sense of humour. Meanwhile, the hydration breaks continue to divide opinion. I loathe them. They break the rhythm, turn the game into four quarters, and I'm convinced the momentum shifts we've seen have as much to do with coaches passing notes as water bottles. But in the heat, health has to come first. You cannot have VAR in some cities and not others, so you cannot have drinking breaks only in the hot ones. It's a mess, but a necessary one.On a lighter note, with the anniversary of Antonin Panenka's iconic penalty in 1976, every player taking a spot kick in this tournament is trying to channel that chipped genius. The man himself still chuckles about Sepp Maier's 35 year feud, and the dartboard with his face on it. This is the beautiful game in all its madness: joy, spite, tactical tweaks, and a whole lot of heart. Where next for Scotland Back to the drawing board. For the rest of us, the drama keeps coming.
