FIFA World Cup™ on FOX Programming Highlights: Wednesday Morning, June 27
Today’s Schedule & Results (all times ET):
- Sweden def. Mexico, 3-0 (WATCH: 90 in 90: Mexico vs. Sweden)
- Korea Republic def. Germany, 2-0 (WATCH: 90 in 90: Korea Republic vs. Germany)
- 2:00 PM – Serbia vs. Brazil (FOX)
- 2:00 PM – Switzerland vs. Costa Rica (FS1)
- 4:00 PM – WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 7:00 PM – WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 7:00 PM – WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
This Morning’s Top Story
ICYMI Tuesday on FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT
This Morning’s Top Quotes:
FOX Sports lead studio analyst Alexi Lalas and lead studio host Rob Stone react to a wild morning of World Cup matches:
Lalas: “For sheer entertainment and drama, at least so far – best World Cup yet.
“Every game, something’s going on.”
Stone: “This is shaping up to be the best World Cup in the history of this tournament. You want reality TV? Here’s your reality TV.”
Lalas: “Every single day is providing this drama and this entertainment. In our studio, around the world, here at Red Square, everybody riveted, glued to the television sets watching what’s going on.”
Following an early exit, FOX Sports’ Clarence Seedorf and Lalas think it may be time for a change in German leadership:
Seedorf: “We have to applaud him [Joachim Löw], but I think it’s time for a change for him as well. I don’t think his impact on this team has been the same during the tournament. I do believe that he has been a game-changer for Germany, but there also comes a time for him and his reputation.”
Lalas: “This doesn’t need to be a reboot again. The German system is going to keep producing players and it’s going to keep producing a national team, but it needs to be freshened up in terms of leadership at the top. The system doesn’t change, but certainly Joachim Löw can move on and they can bring somebody else in.”
FOX Sports studio analyst Kelly Smith says Germany got what they deserved:
“Lots and lots and lots of missed opportunities, and they deserved what they got.
“It’s really surprising, because you think of Germany as being this big powerhouse within the game. The [South Korea] keeper was outstanding today – you’ve got to give credit to him, but they [Germany] had chance after chance after chance. It just didn’t seem like it was going to be their day.”
FOX Sports studio analyst Guus Hiddink adds:
“I didn’t like the German approach of the game – it’s as if they were thinking oh, in the last five minutes, it will happen. There was no desire, there was no good technical plan.”
Seedorf thinks Sweden is a dangerous team down the line:
“They were more aggressive than I expected, but they were [also] organized in defense. They didn’t give any space to the Mexican team and came out dangerous with their set pieces.
“Mostly what I’ve seen today is that this team could be dangerous for anybody, because they stepped it up. I saw some quality plays, some good possessions. Sweden definitely has something to look forward to.”
FOX Sports studio analyst Moises Munoz expresses disappointment in Mexico’s performance:
“I was expecting a lot more from Mexico. We were asking for ball possession, and they did have more, but it didn’t take them anywhere. They were not as aggressive as Sweden…Sweden just did what Mexico was supposed to do in this game – take control of the ball, take control of the game, go deep into the opposition’s area and be dangerous.”
FOX Sports lead play-by-play announcer John Strong calls the end of the South Korea-Germany match:
“For the first time in their illustrious history, Germany are out in the Group Stage of a World Cup.
“Celebrations for South Korea … A great escape for Mexico … A disaster here in Russia for Germany.”
FOX Sports lead game analyst Stu Holden credits South Korea for a match well-played:
“Full credit today to South Korea. The way they have defended Germany, the way that they played on the break, the way they capitalized on their goals.
“Ecstasy for South Korea. They had nothing but pride to play for once Sweden had taken the lead, and they have done themselves proud here.”
Holden was not impressed with Germany’s first-half performance:
“I don’t feel Germany have really gotten out of third gear yet in this game – a couple flashes here and there. We have to give credit to South Korea for the way that they have worked defensively to keep them out and keep this game scoreless to this point. But it’s somewhat of a worrying trend, though, for this German team.”
Strong on Germany’s sloppy play:
“Have you ever seen so many missed connections and so many missed passes by a German team?”
Lalas reacts to no changes to Mexico’s starting lineup:
“The tinkerer was evidently playing us the last couple years. Juan Carlos Osorio has come to this World Cup with a set team, a set formation, a set identity. I want to see that continue. I want to see that dynamic, swashbuckling team that counters into space; ruthless into transition; collective swarming on the defense. That’s what this team, so far, has been.
“They’re feeling it right now in the way that they’re playing, and that’s where that confidence is coming from.”
Lalas says even though they advanced out of the Group Stage, Argentina still has issues:
“This was a hot mess going into the game, and it’s still a hot mess. It’s just a hot mess that’s going on to the Round of 16.
“There are some signs of life, and there are certainly some signs of leadership and ownership from a lot of people, and most importantly from this man right here [Messi].”
“I don’t know if he’s [Jorge Sampaoli] doing any coaching, but it doesn’t really matter at this point if Messi is leading this team and if he can provide those moments of greatness.”
Seedorf says it doesn’t matter if Sampaoli is doing any coaching or not:
“When you are in this situation with a coach that has this issue with the team, the most important thing is that the players stick together, because if you have an issue with the players, then you’re done.”
Munoz looks ahead to France vs. Argentina in the Round of 16:
“This is probably good news for Argentina. They are going to face France – France that has not been the France we know they can be. They have not really shown up in this tournament. They have the players to do so.
“We’re going to see – probably – the best two faces of those two teams in this next match.”
This Morning’s Top Videos:
Tomorrow’s Schedule (all times ET):
- 9:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP LIVE (FOX and FS1)
- 10:00 AM – Senegal vs. Colombia (FOX / JP Dellacamera and Tony Meola)
- 10:00 AM – Japan vs. Poland (FS1 / Mark Followill and Warren Barton)
- 12:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 1:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FOX and FS1)
- 2:00 PM – England vs. Belgium (FOX / Derek Rae and Aly Wagner)
- 2:00 PM – Panama vs. Tunisia (FS1 / Jorge Perez-Navarro and Mariano Trujillo)
- 4:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TODAY (FS1)
- 7:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP NOW (Twitter)
- 11:00 PM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FS1)
- 12:00 AM – FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT (FOX / airs at midnight in all U.S. time zones)
