England to Humble Norway - World Cup Quarter-Finals Preview

England battled through against co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16, but their quarter-final opponents Norway, have no fear after knocking out Brazil. We preview that clash and all of the other quarter-finals in today's video.

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Video Transcript

The weekend's action was fairly action-packed as it turned out.

If you wanna see my review of that, that is already out on thefootballchronicle.com social media channels.

But let's dive into the remaining fixtures in the round of 16 that are on this week, and also turn our eyes to the quarter-finals as well.

We've got a few of the quarter-finals already confirmed.

I will give my predictions for the round of 16, and therefore also predict the quarter-finals as well.

A big prediction video here for you guys.

I'm sure they'll all be 100% accurate, and you'll know exactly who is going to be in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

It is getting towards squeaky bum time.

This is really the business end of the competition.

But who is first of all gonna make the last eight and then the last four?

Let's dive in.

So the first match that's on today on Monday is of course the Iberian derby, Portugal against Spain.

This is gonna be a real interesting game.

Of course, Portugal only going through by the narrowest, the most controversial of margins against Croatia last time out.

I will die on this hill.

I absolutely wholeheartedly believe that Croatia equalizer should've stood, but in the end it did not unfortunately for the Croats.

But the Portuguese, they are not gonna be complaining, but they've got a tough tie here against Spain.

Spain absolutely wiping the floor with Austria.

3-0 victory for the Spanish in that one.

Not just the fact they won, but also the way they won as well.

They won with real conviction.

But they're gonna face a much sterner test against Portugal this time out.

Portugal started slow of course, but they've got progressively better as the competition has gone on.

But I don't think they've got better by enough of a margin to be able to beat Spain in this one.

I'm gonna back the Spanish to win.

It's gonna be a narrow one.

I'm gonna go with a 2-1 victory for the Spanish.

I feel like they've just got enough in this to be able to overcome Portugal, but it might well go to extra time, it might well go to penalties, but I'm still gonna back Spain all the way in this one.

The other two co-hosts, Canada and Mexico, are both out in the round of 16.

But will the United States be joining them?

Well, they face a stern test against Belgium tonight, 1:00 AM kickoff, technically tomorrow here in the UK.

So how are they going to get on?

Well, if you look at this match on paper, you would have to say that Belgium have the better squad, and Belgium finally kicked into gear towards the end of the group stage.

But my word, were they fortunate against Senegal.

They were not particularly great in most of that game.

A very late comeback there, and a very controversial penalty right at the end there to win it unfortunately for the Senegalese.

But the USA, they weren't particularly amazing in their round of 32 clash either.

They only just squeaked through in the end, albeit they were down to 10 men for a good portion in that game.

Of course, that red card has been rescinded now, effectively it's been a suspended ban.

Maybe they could do the same for Gyri Kwanzaa.

Of course, he got sent off in that Mexico clash, but of course they won't do that, will they?

FIFA doesn't want England to win the World Cup now, do they of course?

But that's a whole nother controversy for another time.

Let's not talk about that.

And kinda because of that, I do hope that Belgium do it, to be honest with you.

Nothing against the American fans or anything like that, but I just think when you're having things go for you like that, I just think it's totally unfair and it makes a bit of a mockery of the competition.

How is that fair?

But with that all in mind, I'm gonna back the co-hosts to get through here, but it's gonna be an all-out clash between these guys.

I think it's gonna be 2-2 in regulation time, and the USA will win it in extra time.

Belgium have been so close to being knocked out a number of times in this competition already, and I think their luck, unfortunately for them, will run out in this game.

But it wouldn't surprise me at all if they win this one.

Like I said, in theory, the better team, it must be said.

Then tomorrow the first game we have is Argentina against Egypt.

I mean, Egypt have done so well to get to this part of the competition.

They have never won a single World Cup game before this tournament.

They managed to win a few of them now, of course.

They came through the round of 32 as well against Australia on penalties.

Argentina, they get through after an absolute all-time classic against Cape Verde in the round of 32.

And despite how narrow that was, I don't think this is going to be quite as narrow as that, unfortunately for the Egyptians.

I think Argentina have just got too much quality, to be honest.

I feel like they're gonna learn from their mistakes against Cape Verde, although weren't many of them, to be fair.

I'm gonna back Argentina to win this a bit more comfortably by three goals to one.

I'll give Salah a goal to end the contest, of course, but the Egyptians will be going home unfortunately for them.

And the final round of 16 clash, I mean, this is an all-time classic in the making right here.

Switzerland against Colombia.

Switzerland win their first knockout World Cup game last time out since 1938.

It's been such a long time.

Colombia, meanwhile, they're into the round of 16, and I would say they're probably the favorites in this one.

Wasn't exactly a classic against Ghana, but they could and should've won by more than 1-0.

Ghana really poor in that one.

And I look at the talents of the two teams, and I think both have got goals in them, to be honest with you.

But I'm gonna give Colombia the edge by three goals to two.

Let's make it entertaining.

The Swiss going out on a high, but unfortunately for them they do not advance.

But Colombia make the quarter-finals.

That would be their joint best performance in the World Cup.

They've only made the quarter-finals once before, of course, in 2014.

James Rodriguez still in the side for Colombia, of course.

He's still in the squad for the Colombians.

So then if we look at the brackets, we already have two of these games already confirmed, France against Morocco and Norway against England.

And if my predictions are correct, which they obviously will be, then we'll have the United States against Spain, and also Colombia against Argentina, an all South American clash there.

The only two South American sides left in the competition interestingly as well.

So we'll go in the order that these games will be played.

The first one is France against Morocco.

I mean, Morocco were really good last time out against Canada, a 3-0 victory for them.

France, they just about scraped through against Paraguay, but they were the real team on top.

Paraguay doing everything to try and put off France, some really dirty play in there unfortunately for France.

But I don't think it's gonna knock their confidence.

I think it's actually gonna help their confidence, to be honest.

'Cause they've come through a game like that, and they're still going.

And I think there's gonna be goals in this as well.

I think this is gonna be an absolute goal fest again, to be honest with you.

And I'm gonna give France the edge.

You'll be very surprised to know, of course.

So I'm gonna go with France to win this one by four goals to three.

Again, let's make it entertaining.

Maybe that'll be extra time, maybe regulation time.

I'm gonna go with regulation time, though.

Let's make it a fun game between these two teams.

Two really good attacking sides that they've got good defenses I suppose, but not the best defense.

The attacks are definitely more impressive for these two teams.

And then you've got the USA against Spain.

I mean, no surprise I'm gonna go for Spain to get through in that one.

Much the better side.

The USA doing really well to make it through to the quarter-finals, their best performance since 2002.

So I'm gonna go with Spain to win that one by two goals to nil And that will mean that it's Spain against France in the semis.

But what will the other semifinal be?

Well, we've got Norway against England, and despite the shirt that you can see, yeah, this was a Father's Day present from my son.

maybe it's a sign.

I mean, I'm not gonna be wearing it for that day.

I'm not gonna be supporting Norway.

Definitely supporting England on Saturday for that quarterfinal clash.

Both of these teams really overcame some adversity in the round of 16, particularly England, of course.

I mean, down to 10 men for a good portion of that second half, still managed to win by three goals to two in the Azteca.

That cannot be underestimated.

Seriously impressive performance by England to get through there.

Norway also really impressive as well, knocking out Brazil.

Brazil.

Knocking out Brazil in the round of 16.

This is already their best ever performance in the World Cup.

Their previous best was the round of 16, which they achieved twice, most recently in 1998.

So they're in uncharted territory, but they'll also have the freedom of not having to worry really about any kind of expectations.

You know, they're expected to lose this game.

Bit like Mexico, they were expected to lose that game.

It's a real battle between the top I've just noticed the, the top scorers by the way.

Seven goals a piece for Haaland, Mbappe, Messi, and also six goals for Harry Kane.

Those four have been absolutely on fire in this competition, but we know that at least one of Haaland or Kane will not make it through to the semifinals.

And you know me, I gotta back my boys.

I gotta back England to get the win here.

I don't think it's gonna be an easy game by any stretch of the imagination.

Norway are fantastic this World Cup, and like I said, they've got the freedom.

They're able to just play their own game, and I think they're gonna be dangerous because of that.

So I do think they're gonna score, but I think England have just got too much in attack for them to be able to withstand.

I'm gonna go with England to get through narrowly by my favorite score line, two goals to one.

And the final match in the quarterfinals, we've got Argentina against Colombia.

I'm gonna go with Argentina in this one.

I mean, Colombia done really well this competition, but they don't have the star power of Argentina.

Argentina have the quality to be able to get through.

I'd love it if Colombia get through.

I'd love it if they get through, love it, because I think we can beat Colombia in the semifinals, but Argentina in the semifinals, that is a big, big test and of course a real grudge match between England and Argentina.

We don't like each other.

It's fair to be said.

There's a bit of history there.

Not exactly ancient history either, only like 40-odd years ago.

So yeah, there we go, guys.

I'm not referring to the hand of God by the way, something else, although that is part of it, of course, too.

My predictions are all correct because they will be, of course.

I've got France against Spain in one of the semifinals and also England against Argentina in the other one.

I'll give that victory to Argentina by two goals to nil.

Like I said, I think they've just got too much for Colombia, unfortunately for them.

Like, share, comment, subscribe if you wanna see more like this, and of course, plenty more predictions and reviews for this World Cup here on thefootballchronicle.com as always, guys.

See you soon.

Have a good one.

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