FIFA World Cup™ on FOX Programming Highlights: Sunday Afternoon, June 24
Today’s Schedule & Results (all times ET):
- England def. Panama, 6-1 (WATCH: 90 in 90: England vs. Panama)
- Japan ties Senegal, 2-2 (WATCH: 90 in 90: Japan vs. Senegal)
- Colombia def. Poland, 3-0 (WATCH: 90 in 90: Poland vs. Colombia)
- 7:00 PM – WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 10:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
Today’s Top Stories:
This Afternoon’s Top Quotes:
FOX Sports lead studio analyst Alexi Lalas says Colombia showed their potential tonight:
“This is a team that is feeling it now after tonight. We actually saw what Colombia can be, everyone stepping up, James, Falcao – what a wonderful moment for him to get that goal. So, I’m on the Colombian wagon now.”
FOX Sports studio analyst Clarence Seedorf said Colombia’s Falcao finally had a great performance:
“Falcao, we were waiting for his goal. He was one of the big strikers missing in this tournament still to get his goal. He got it. Great performance from the team – James, Falcao, they gave that extra. I loved the Colombia team today. Poor Poland.”
FOX Sports lead game analyst Stu Holden felt Colombia delivered a much better match against Poland than their first match:
“I was worried about them after that first game. I know they went down a man early, but the way in which they responded – this team is as gifted, and as technical, and talented as a lot of others out there. They are strong at the back. Good performance from Yerry Mina and Davinson Sanchez, two relatively inexperienced players at the international level, but they looked like a complete team tonight.”
FOX Sports lead game analyst Stu Holden on Juan Cuadrado’s goal: WATCH
“This pass from James Rodriguez is filthy. Filth of the highest order. Just look: he bends it into the path of Cuadrado. I mean that is just ridiculous. And still the composure here. To finish this off for his eighth international goal. Cuadrado has been a menace on the right side. He’s been running up and down, defending, and then, he too, gets his reward. So cool and calm, much like Falcao.”
Holden on Radamel Falcao’s goal for Colombia in the second half: WATCH
“A deserved reward for Radamel Falcao. He’s been excellent this game. Selfless running, in and out, finding a little half gap. And what about this pass? It comes in from Quintero. Delicious. Look at this. First time. He takes this one. The run from Falcao to stay on side. And then he has the composure. You’ve seen him do it so many times in his career. In these spots, the first touch sets it up in front of his body. On the outside of the boot, cool, calm, collected. There was never a doubt. What a finish! Another excellent pass from Quintero. He’s been the orchestrator in the middle of the park tonight. Another example of vision and execution, and a finish of the highest order from Radamel Falcao. Enjoy it.”
FOX Sports lead play-by-play announcer John Strong and Holden call Colombia’s first goal against Poland:
Strong: “Yerry Mina sending the Kazan Arena into raptures!”
Holden: “The set piece was on and how many reverse passes have we seen from Quintero? Another lovely one. You can see when he cuts it back, Poland trying to squeeze up. Then James Rodriguez just sets it up with a delightful little cross. Get up there, big man, attack it! Yerry Mina smashes it home. Powerful header. Nothing Szczesny can do about it.”
What a ball by James! What a finish by Yerry Mina!
Colombia take the 1-0 lead late in the first half. ?? pic.twitter.com/Yb9GMUCgd6
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 24, 2018
Lalas assesses Japan after the team’s 2-2 draw with Senegal:
“This is not a great Japanese team, but I think this is a team that recognizes that mistakes are going to be made … but their heads don’t go down, and they find a way to come back.”
FOX Sports studio analyst Moises Munoz added on Japan:
“They kept on fighting, kept on pushing forward, and they got their reward by tying this game. That puts them in a great spot to move on.”
Lalas says Senegal has to feel good about its chances to advance out of the Group Stage:
“I think that they’re flying right now. I think that they’re confident. I think that they came into this tournament with something to prove.
“They have gotten here and they have just continued on with what they are doing. They have proven that they not only deserve to be here, but this is a team that should be feeling confident that they are going to go through.”
Prior to Japan vs. Senegal, former Dutch player and coach Clarence Seedorf praises Senegal coach Aliou Cissé:
“I think we like diversity. It’s good to have an African, black coach doing what he’s doing and being successful. I wish them more success. Especially from his side, jumping from playing to coaching and then coming to a World Cup, performing properly.”
Seedorf says, for Senegal, M’Baye Niang is to Sadio Mane what Philippe Coutinho is to Neymar for Brazil:
“I see Niang as the Coutinho of Senegal. All eyes on Mane, and he will do his thing. I think they’re going to be a great combination.”
FOX Sports game analyst Warren Barton on Japan’s response to tie the match, 2-2:
“That’s what Japan have – they’ve got experience in these key moments of games. They didn’t revert from what they do best – keep the ball, retain it in midfield.”
Barton on Senegal’s second goal:
“There was confusion; there was movement; there were bodies. Senegal do what they do best – they put you under pressure.
“The reason they get so much love is the way that they play. They’re not a team that sits back, defends, trying to grind out results. When they go forward, they go forward with pace, energy, enthusiasm.”
Barton on Japan’s equalizer:
“There’s a pass with a purpose.
“All you do is just wrap your foot around that and hit that into the side netting … Nothing the goalkeeper can do – good movement; good awareness.”
Lalas adds that Senegal’s attack can be lethal:
“Up top, Mane, Niang and Sarr, these are three players that can put the fear of God into you at certain points, and they’ve got to do that on a consistent basis.”
Former England international Kelly Smith on her first impressions of Senegal:
“They’ve surprised me a little bit. You can just see the team spirit and chemistry with the dancing – I want to be a part of that.
“They’ve really come out strong.”
Lalas says Senegal is a team people enjoy watching:
“No stress for this Senegal team. You want to sing with them; you want to dance with them; you want to party with them; but ultimately, you want to watch this team.”
Seedorf says England and Belgium are in a good position, personnel-wise, heading into the final match of the Group Stage:
“It’s quite ideal for both coaches. They can rotate, put players in that they may need further ahead in the tournament, to get some rhythm. Because when you’re out for weeks and not playing, it’s not easy, when you have the call from the team, to perform. It’s an opportunity for those who have had less minutes to come in and do their thing.”
Munoz adds:
“They’re both through, so this is not going to be the game you wanted to see as a third game between these two nations – Belgium and England – two teams that have been doing great in this tournament, but they need to face bigger opponents.”
Lalas congratulates Panama on its first World Cup and first World Cup goal:
“The power of the World Cup – sometimes the scores don’t matter. The opportunity to be on the world’s stage, to show who you are as a culture and as a country … Wonderful celebration, wonderful to see. Congratulations to Panama for making it to the World Cup. Congratulations on a historic first goal. Just a wonderful, wonderful scene.”
A celebration years in the making!
Panama fans around the world got hyped after their first-ever FIFA World Cup goal. pic.twitter.com/eGlRYgwz5y
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 24, 2018
Tomorrow’s Schedule (all times ET):
- 9:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP LIVE (FOX and FS1)
- 10:00 AM – Uruguay vs. Russia (FOX / JP Dellacamera and Tony Meola)
- 10:00 AM – Saudi Arabia vs. Egypt (FS1 / Glenn Davis and Cobi Jones)
- 12:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 1:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FOX and FS1)
- 2:00 PM – Iran vs. Portugal (FOX / Derek Rae and Aly Wagner)
- 2:00 PM – Spain vs. Morocco (FS1 / Mark Followill and Warren Barton)
- 4:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 7:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 10:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP MATCH DAY – 1 (FS1)
