FIFA World Cup™ on FOX Programming Highlights: Saturday Evening, June 16

Soccer 06/16/2018

Today’s Schedule & Results (all times ET):

France def. Australia, 2-1 (WATCH: 90’ in 90” France vs. Australia)
Argentina ties Iceland, 1-1 (WATCH: 90’ in 90” Argentina vs. Iceland)
Denmark def. Peru, 1-0 (WATCH: 90’ in 90” Peru vs. Denmark)
Croatia def. Nigeria, 2-0 (WATCH: 90’ in 90” Croatia vs. Nigeria)
10:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
11:00 PM – MATCH DAY 1 (FS1)
12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)

Today’s Top Story:

FOX Sports Scores More Than 3.2 Million Viewers for Spain-Portugal 2018 FIFA World Cup™ Group Stage Match

This Afternoon’s Top Quotes:

FOX Sports World Cup studio analyst and former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo on Hannes Halldórsson’s PK save for Iceland against Messi:

“He was focused. He felt where Messi was going to kick the ball. Both feet on the ground and he gets the impulse he needs. Both hands on the ball. Deflects it. Great save by Halldórsson.”

FOX Sports World Cup studio analyst Moises Munoz on what’s next for Messi after the disappointing performance today:

“There are more games to come. Messi is going to have a chance to vindicate himself. He’s a star. It’s going to go positive. He was frustrated after the game. I saw footage of Messi going back to the hotel after the game, and he was the only player who took pictures with the fans. So that’s talking about a star who knows where he is. He’s going to have to step up. He can do it. He’s the No. 2 player in the world. He’s going to do better.”

FOX Sports World Cup game analyst Cobi Jones on Croatia’s first goal vs. Nigeria:

“I know my former teammate Alexi Lalas likes to say it all the time: ‘Set pieces, set pieces.’ Well, this is a perfect acknowledgement of that. Set pieces for Croatia. The service is brilliant. It’s hard. It’s low. It’s at pace. It’s a double combination. It’s actually off Etebo’s back leg. Just a little bit of a touch, and no chance whatsoever for Uzoho.”

Jones on Croatia’s lead going into the first half:

“Overall, I look at these two sides and who’s played their game plan better: I’d say Croatia, because they’ve negated the speed and pace that Nigeria has.”

Rules Analyst Dr. Joe Machnik on the yellow card and the referee’s decision to award Croatia a penalty kick in the 71st minute:

“This is one of the problems that’s been in soccer for a long time. The holding, pulling and pushing in the penalty area, especially on corner kicks. It’s about time we see a referee make a call. Usually, the call goes against the attacking team, and the free kick comes out, and that’s the easy way. Lots of times the correct call is a penalty kick, and this referee has the guts to make it.”

Jones on the referee awarding the penalty kick against Nigeria:

“I have to agree with Dr. Joe. That’s an obvious penalty. You have both arms wrapped around the striker. You just can’t do that anymore.”

Jones on Modric’s PK, putting Croatia up, 2-0:

“When you’re the captain of your team, the expectations are there for you to step up at times when you’re needed, and here it is for Luka Modric. Calmly and collected, he steps up and eyes are down. He just slides that into the far post.”

Jones sums up how Croatia beat Nigeria:

“For Croatia, not the prettiest game. As you [play-by-play announcer Glenn Davis] said, ‘They’re not going to say they played a fabulous match’, but tactically, yes. They denied Nigeria from playing their counter-attacking game and using their speed and pace. They [Croatia] slowed the game down. They passed Nigeria into submission and took advantage of the set pieces and put themselves in pole position.”

Jones evaluates Nigeria’s game today:

“For Nigeria, there will be questions. With that youth on the team, why did they seem so subtle, so passive in their attack? Why were they giving off that energy and not being aggressive in their game?”

Munoz on Nigeria’s expectations after losing 2-0 to Croatia:

“We expected more from them. More speed. More agility. But they didn’t have enough. It’s a young team. Lack of experience. You can see that with the penalty. We’re expecting more from them.”

Munoz on the Croatian team’s stars working together and how far they can go in the tournament:

“It’s going to be up the players, but definitely the head coach, Zlatko Dalic. He is going to need to make the four stars, four players – Modric, Rakitic, Perisic and Mandzukic – work together. It’s probably going to be their last World Cup together, so they have to work with the other teammates to go far. I think they can go to the quarterfinals.”

FOX Sports World Cup game analyst Mariano Trujillo on Denmark’s goal vs. Peru:

“What a counter attack. Finally, Denmark was able to stretch Peru in the middle of the field. They found space. Through-ball for Poulsen and nice control. Then, with the inside of the left foot, puts the ball on the inside of Gallese – he can’t stop the ball. This is painful, heartbreaking for the Peruvians because they were dominating the game. This is how you win games – d being effective inside the goal.”

FOX Sports lead World Cup studio analyst Alexi Lalas on Peru’s performance against Denmark today:

“This was a wonderful performance by Peru. The soccer gods didn’t smile on them, but they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, they were a better team today. This is a team you want to watch going forward. At times, they spread themselves too thin going forward. Overall this was a wonderful performance.”

Watch (and Listen): Jorge Perez-Navarro’s call of Denmark’s goal vs. Peru

Munoz, a former Mexican National Team goalkeeper, on what Mexico needs to do vs. Germany tomorrow:

“Just like the coach said, they’re going to go no holds barred on Germany. I hope he plays Vela with Lozano on the right, and I don’t care who’s in front – if it’s Chicharito or Raul Jimenez, but I want to see Tecatito, also. With those guys, he’ll have a lot of guys going deep into Germany’s back. I would really love a present for Father’s Day – a Mexico win. I believe he has a lot of good players to rely on. Don’t forget about Guillermo Ochoa. Osorio is going to start Ochoa. He had a very good competition in the last World Cup, denying Brazil all the way. He’s a great team leader.”

Crespo on Mexico not worrying about Germany and focusing on the other two teams in the group:

“I think tomorrow’s not the game to win against Germany. I think it’ll be against South Korea and Sweden. Get points, it’s ok. But tomorrow’s not the game, it’s the next games.”

Lalas on Mexico playing up or down to its opponent’s skill:

“I think Mexico plays up to the opponent, so I’m not worried about Germany. Yes, it’s Germany, and they can beat anybody. The problem for Mexico is when they play other teams in this group that they think are perceived as inferior. That’s going to be a problem going forward for Mexico.”

This Afternoon’s Top Videos:

Tomorrow’s Schedule (all times ET):

7:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP LIVE (FOX)
8:00 AM – Costa Rica vs. Serbia (FOX)
10:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
11:00 AM – Germany vs. Mexico (FS1)
1:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
2:00 PM – Brazil vs. Switzerland (FS1)
4:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
7:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
10:30 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)