So now at the completion of the group stage, we were down to the last 16 teams. There was a one day rest between the final group game in Group G, and the start of the knockout stage. After having two weeks of relentle s football, the intermi sion seemed to take a lifetime.Last 16Saturday June 30th Day 16The first last 16 game, saw Group C winners France, play Group D runners up Argentina. Frances Antoine Griezmann slammed the cro sbar with an early free kick. France were then awarded a penalty. A devastating burst of pace from Kylian Mbappe saw him get from the centre circle to Argentinas penalty area in the blink of an eye, before Marcos Rojo hauled him down. Griezmann calmly put the penalty away for 1-0. Argentina, responded with one of the best strikes of the World Cup, as Angel Di Maria scored a scorching left foot shot from almost 30 yards out. Argentina went in front at the start of the second half when Lionel Me sis shot hit Gabriel Mercado and went in. Di Marias wonder Bradley Beal Jersey goal was to be upstaged for Frances equaliser, as defender Benjamin Pavard scored arguably the sweetest hit volley you will ever see from the edge of the box. The technique was just perfect. Argentina were rattled after that, and Mbappe scored two goals to make it 4-2 to France and e sentially kill off the tie. The first, the keeper should have done better, the second Argentina were exposed for defensively keeping a high line as Mbappes pace again was too hot to handle, this took Mbappes World Cup tally to 3. An injury time header from Sergio Aguero made it 4-3, but France hung on and would play the winner of the evening game.In the evening, Group A winners Uruguay, were pitted against Group B runners up Portugal. Uruguay came out of the blocks the quickest and took the lead. Edinson Cavani, on the right hand side of the pitch found his strike partner Luis Suarez wide on the left. Suarez pulled out a lovely ball back in to Cavani in the box, and he headed Uruguay in front, (I say headed the ball, it seemed to come off of his nose), regardle s, it was a terrific goal. Portugal keeper Rui Patrico got down well to keep out a Luis Suarez free kick and Uruguay looked quite comfortable for the rest of the half. Come the second half, Portugal looked livelier, and they levelled things up through a header from Pepe. This was the first goal Uruguays rock solid defence had conceded in this World Cup. Uruguay was to bounce back however, and Cavani scored his second goal with a beautifully placed curling shot past Patricio. Portugal had Shabazz Napier Jersey a late chance to level things up, but Manchester Citys Bernardo Silva could only shoot over as Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal fumbled a ball in. It stayed 2-1 to Uruguay who will meet France in the first quarter final.(Edinson Cavani seen here scoring a super second goal, curling the ball first time from the edge of the box. Picture from samaa.tv)Sunday July 1st Day 17Group B winners Spain, met Group A runners up, the hosts Ru sia John Wall Jersey in the afternoon encounter. Spain coach Fernando Hierro surprisingly left Andres Iniesta on the bench. An own goal by Ru sian defender Sergei Ignashevich gave Spain the lead. Ignashevich had been holding Sergio Ramos while the goal went in off him and would have conceded a penalty regardle s. Ru sia were literally handed a way back into the game; Gerard Pique stupidly handed the ball from a corner and Artem Dzyuba scored his 3rd World Cup goal from the resulting penalty to make it 1-1. Spain controlled po se sion for the rest of the game without penetrating the Ru sian defence as much as they would have liked. Ru sia keeper Igor Akinfeev, did make a fine stop late on from Iniesta however and the game went to extra time. Spain had a penalty appeal turned down after VAR had informed the referee to have a look again. The appeal had come from Sergio Ramos being bundled over, the ref a sumed there had not been enough contact so did not give the penalty, but the real foul had been on Pique. Spain were right to feel aggrieved. So, it went to penalties, Koke and Iago Aspas both mi sed for Spain, and the hosts pulled off a huge upset, winning 4-3 in the shootout. Akinfeev the hero saving Aspas penalty.(The Ru sian players mob keeper Igor Akinfeev after his crucial penalty save in the shootout. Picture from standard.co.uk)The second match saw Group D winners Croatia, go head to head with Group C runners up Raul Neto Jersey Denmark. This game started as if it was going to be the best one the tournament had seen with two quickfire goals. Huddersfields Martin Jorgensen (Zanka) gave Denmark the lead in the first minute, with a scrappy goal after a mle in the penalty area. Another disjointed goal drew Croatia level through Mario Mandzukic, who netted after the ball hit two Danish players. After the frantic start the game fizzled out, the score stayed 1-1 and it headed to extra time. As the game was heading for the second penalty shootout of the day, Luka Modric played a magnificent through ball for Ante Rebic. Rebic rounded Danish keeper Leicesters Kasper Schmeichel and was just about to put the ball into a gaping goal when Jorgensen upended him. Jorgensen was not sent off for the foul and only God knows why. Schmeichel, went on to save what was a poor penalty by Modric, so, we had ourselves another penalty shootout. With both keepers in inspired form, both teams only scored two of their first four spot kicks. Croatian keeper Danijel Subasic then saved Nicolai Jorgensens penalty and Ivan Rakitic scored to put Croatia through 3-2 on penalties. Croatia would now meet Ru sia in the quarter finals.Monday 2nd July Day 18Group E winners Brazil faced off with Group F runners up Mexico. A rather average first half, saw Brazil looking more threatening, as Neymar and Manchester Citys Gabriel Jesus drew decent saves from Mexico stopper Guillermo Ochoa. Neymar turned on the style in the second half, which was a nice change as he had spent more of the competition rolling around on the ground thus far. Neymar, made a good run before he found Willian with a smart backheel; Willian played the ball into the box and Neymar got on the end of it to give Brazil the lead. With Me si and Cristiano Ronaldo both out of the Cup, this was a highlight we had been patiently waiting for from Neymar. Neymar, then turned provider for the second goal, as he raced through Mexicos defence, and Michael Jordan Jersey squared the ball for substitute Liverpools Roberto Firmino, to score an easy tap-in at the end and it finished 2-0. Mexico just seemed to have lost that verve from earlier in the tournament and did not put up as stiff competition as what was expected.Belgium, the Group G winners, squared off with