No goalless draw yet, still a “boring” FIFA World Cup 2018

Of the 24 matches played till Friday evening (last match in consideration; Brazil vs Costa Rica), as many as 10 were won by teams which scored a solitary goal. In four other matches the scoreline was 2-1. Four matches have ended in a draw; and only five matches have been won decisively although the tournament had started with a goal feast when hosts Russia defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0.

Interest is peaking on Friday on whether the tournament will witness 26 matches on the trot without a ‘goal-less draw’. This year, the figure stands at 24 after the Brazil- Costa Rica clash which ended in 2-0 victory for Brazil. Every World Cup since 1954 has had matches ending ‘goal-less’ but none of the 26 matches in the 1954 World Cup held in Switzerland witnessed one.

In 2018 too, the first 24 matches have seen at least a goal scored.

After the hosts Russia thrashed Saudis in the opening encounter, very next day met the Iberian rivals Spain and Portugal. The six-goal fiesta failed to provide a winner, but the entertainment quotient boomed to an all-time high on the very second day of the Russia World Cup. But ever since the 3-3 draw at Sochi, 2018 FIFA World Cup has failed to provide the entertainment it promised on the first two days.

Except for the 3-3 Portugal-Spain draw, the rest two tied clashes too finished with a score line of just one goal each. After Russia’s 5-0 thumping of the Saudis, 3-0 Belgium victory over Panama and Croatia thrashing Argentina by the same margin has been the biggest margin of victory so far. Russia’s 3-1 victory over Egypt and Croatia’s 2-0 win against Nigeria fall next in line for victory with biggest margin.

24 matches without a goalless draw, yet football fans are complaining about the World Cup being “boring”. “A lot of boring games so far though,” said a football fanatic on twitter, replying to FIFA’s tweet which informed that more than 20 matches this season has ended without witnessing a single goalless draw.

“Too many matches ending 1 - 0 or 0 – 1,” complained another Twitterati asking, “what kind of world cup is this?”

On the contrary, in the 1954 World Cup, only two matches had finished at 1-0 and one at 2-1, the World Cup had also produced results like; Hungary 9-0 Korea Republic and there were tied clashes like; England 4-4 Belgium. In a 12-goal fiesta in 1954, Austria had overpowered Switzerland 7-5.

Although it can be argued that times has changed, and that teams have strengthened their defence line to a much better level, it can also not be denied that the strikers in the current world play at more competitive levels in the leagues around the world, where high-score encounters are usual. The Messis, the Ronaldos, the Iniestas, the Modrics and the Neymars are all who have made a name for themselves through club football and have led their teams to various milestones in their respective leagues. Is it too much to ask the same players to replicate their heroics at the club level in international football?

However, only the group games have been and are being played up until now. Once the tournament reaches the knock-out phase, the story may change, and fans may not again complain about “boring games”.