We round up the key Fantasy talking points from Wednesday’s four fixtures in our Scout Notes summary.
The graphics and numbers in this article are from our Premium Members area, which now includes all Opta player and team data from not just World Cup qualifying but also the ongoing tournament itself.
AUSTRALIA 1-0 DENMARK
- Goals: Mathew Leckie
- Assists: Riley McGree
Of the three Group D nations hoping to join France in the round of 16, only Denmark had significant Fantasy investment. So it was a shock to see one of the pre-tournament dark horses lose to Australia and finish bottom of their group.
Attacking full-back Joakim Maehle ($4.5m) departs without any goal involvement, alongside the point totals of Christian Eriksen ($8.0m) and Andreas Skov Olsen ($6.0m) being just eight and three respectively.
The Danes had an early chance to score when a Martin Braithwaite ($6.5m) flick led to Mathias Jensen’s ($6.0m) shot being saved but – apart from a few stoppage time corners that threatened to break Australian hearts – they offered very little. Such a disappointing eight days for Kasper Hjulmand’s side.
Meanwhile, the Socceroos only just scraped World Cup qualification yet find themselves in the knockout phase. They gave France an early scare in Matchday 1, followed by consecutive wins and clean sheets that show they are a capable team.
The only goal arrived in the 60th minute, as Riley McGree ($4.5m) passed to Mathew Leckie ($4.5m) down the inside-left channel. Leckie than twisted Maehle inside out before shooting across Kasper Schmeichel ($5.0m) into the bottom corner.
Just like the whole Australia squad, this duo has low prices and extremely low ownership. Nobody exceeds $5.0m, whilst the only player in over one per cent of squads is back-up goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne ($4.0m).
AUSTRALIAN OPTIONS
By taking part in the second match of the next round, Fantasy managers can select budget-friendly enablers like Leckie, Harry Souttar ($4.0m) or Mathew Ryan ($4.5m) knowing that they can simply be moved to the bench if they blank.
Just stay away from their right-backs. All three matches have seen a different one tried out!
Australia XI (4-4-2): Ryan; Degenek, Rowles, Souttar, Behich; Leckie (Hrustic 89), Irvine, Mooy, Goodwin (Baccus 46); Duke (MacLaren 82), McGree (Wright 74)
Denmark XI (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Kristensen (Bah 46), Andersen, Christensen, Maehle (Cornelius 69); Hojbjerg, Jensen (Damsgaard 59), Eriksen; Skov Olsen (Skov 69), Braithwaite (Dolberg 59), Lindstrom
TUNISIA 1-0 FRANCE
- Goals: Wahbi Khazri
- Assists: Aissa Laidouni
A famous Tunisia victory wasn’t enough to take second place, holding off a late French siege that included a disallowed Antoine Griezmann’s ($8.5m) stoppage-time equaliser.
Near the hour mark, Wahbi Khazri ($4.5m) received the ball 30 yards out before dribbling into the box and sliding it past Steve Mandanda ($4.5m). It was thoroughly deserved, as the Tunisians were dominant for most of this match – albeit against a heavily-rotated France side.
Didier Deschamps made nine changes to his starting XI, naming the likes of Kylian Mbappe ($11.5m), Olivier Giroud ($7.5m), Benjamin Pavard ($5.0m), Theo Hernandez ($5.0m) and Adrien Rabiot ($6.5m) on the bench. None of their eight most-owned Fantasy assets began the match, so ultimately there isn’t much to analyse – such a lacklustre performance will hardly give Deschamps any selection dilemmas.
Naturally, once some of the big names were brought on for a brief cameo, France immediately looked better. Mbappe tried his hardest to bring joy to a 45.8 per cent ownership, finding time to register a match-leading three goal attempts and two shots on target.
His long pass to Ousmane Dembele ($8.0m) soon led to an unsuccessful Rabiot back post attempt, before Griezmann scored a volley that VAR deemed offside.
The good news for those intending to have Mbappe, Giroud and France defenders is that the gap between Matchday 2 and their round of 16 match is eight days, meaning they will be well-rested.
Tunisia XI (3-4-3): Dahmen; Talbi, Meriah, Ghandri; Kechrida, Skhiri, Laïdouni, Maaloul; Ben Romdhane (Chaaleli 74), Khazri (Jebali 60), Ben Slimane (Abdi 83)
France XI (4-3-3): Mandanda; Disasi, Konaté, Varane (Saliba 63), Camavinga; Fofana (Griezmann 73), Tchouaméni, Veretout (Rabiot 63); Coman (Mbappe 63), Kolo Muani, Guendouzi (Dembele 79)
POLAND 0-2 ARGENTINA
- Goals: Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez
- Assists: Nahuel Molina, Enzo Fernandez
- Penalty miss: Lionel Messi
- Penalty save: Wojciech Szczesny
Despite a first-half penalty miss from Lionel Messi ($10.5m), Argentina scored twice after the break to banish all memories of their Matchday 1 defeat to Saudi Arabia. The South Americans take top spot, where Australia await in the round of 16.
Opponents Poland also progressed but it was a nervy finish for Robert Lewandowski ($10.0m) and his team-mates as, until the Saudis scored a consolation goal in the other game, they were only ahead of Mexico due to a lower number of yellow cards.
Messi’s captainers will be disappointed with his three-point return, whilst the 19.5 per cent and 12 per cent ownerships of Angel Di Maria ($8.5m) and Rodrigo De Paul ($5.0m) also witnessed blanks.
There were clean sheets for popular defensive assets like Emiliano Martinez ($5.5m) and Cristian Romero ($5.5m), although Lisandro Martinez ($6.0m) was demoted to the bench and Marcos Acuna ($4.5m) failed to reach the 60-minute mark.
The latter had two goal attempts in the opening stages, blazing a right-footed shot high and wide whilst a sweet left-foot attempt went closer. Yet he soon picked up a yellow card, finishing the match with a negative score.
The 39th-minute penalty was slightly harsh on Poland – given because Wojciech Szczesny ($5.5m) brushed Messi when dealing with a dangerous cross. Therefore it felt like justice when the goalkeeper saved Messi’s spot kick, just days after doing the same to Salem Al-Dawsari ($4.5m).
Early in the second half, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister ($7.0m) broke the deadlock. Di Maria slipped full-back Nahuel Molina ($5.5m) down the right flank, whose cross was met with a slightly-scuffed shot that went in off the post.
He missed a chance to make it 2-0 but it wasn’t long until Enzo Fernandez ($6.0m) assisted Julian Alvarez ($6.5m), to see the Manchester City forward fire home and seal the victory.
It could easily have been three or four, with Messi, Alvarez and substitute Lautaro Martinez ($8.0m) all finding ways to miss. Then, the final chance came to Nicolas Tagliafico ($5.5m), dinking it beyond Szczesny but not the covering defenders.
FIFA Fantasy managers can select four players from one nation during the round of 16 and many will make full use of this Argentine quota. Messi, a midfielder and at least one defensive name is encouraged against Australia. Poland, meanwhile, were dire and are about to face France. A full-strength France, too.
Poland XI (4-4-2): Szczesny; Cash, Glik, Kiwior, Bereszynski (Jedrzejczyk 72); Frankowski (Kaminski 46), Bielik (D Szymanski 62), Krychowiak (Piatek 83), Zielinski; Swiderski (Skoras 46); Lewandowski
Argentina XI (4-3-3): E Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Acuña (Tagliafico 59); De Paul, Enzo Fernández (Pezzella 79), Mac Allister (Almada 83); Messi, J Álvarez (Lautaro Martinez 79), Di María (Paredes 59)
THE REAL DI MARIA
SAUDI ARABIA 1-2 MEXICO
- Goals: Salem Al Dawsari | Henry Martin, Luis Chavez
- Assists: Hattan Bahebri | Cesar Montes, Henry Martin
Rampant Mexico were unable to get that extra goal, meaning both they and Saudi Arabia have been eliminated. Several early chances arrived for Alexis Vega ($5.5m) and Orbelin Pineda ($5.5m) but it wasn’t until the 47th minute that they finally scored for the first time at this World Cup.
A corner was flicked towards Henry Martin ($5.0m) for a close-range tap-in, with an outstanding long-range Luis Chavez ($4.5m) free kick soon making it 2-0.
Al Dawsari’s stoppage-time strike didn’t change the fact that Mexico needed one more. Chance after chance arrived but with no success and plenty of full-time tears from both sets of players.
Clean sheets didn’t come for Fantasy managers, with no goal or assist coming from a player with over 1.1 per cent ownership.
Saudi Arabia XI (4-3-3): Al Owais; Al Ghannam (Bahebri 88), Al Amri, Al Tambakti, Al Bulayhi (Sharahili 37); Al Hassan (Madu 46), Kanno, Abdulhamid; Al Brikan, Al Shehri (Alobud 62), Al Dawsari
Mexico XI (4-3-3): Ochoa; Sanchez (K Alvarez 86), Moreno, Montes, Gallardo; Pineda (C Rodriguez 77), E Álvarez (Funes Mori 86), Chávez; Lozano, Martin (Jimenez 77), Vega (Antuna 46)
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