England’s dramatic comeback and audience figures

England secured a dramatic victory over DR Congo in the World Cup, with a peak audience of 16.3 million people tuning in to watch the match on Wednesday. The 17:00 BST kick-off was viewed by an average of 14 million people on BBC TV, marking it as the most-watched moment on the BBC this year. Additionally, there were 10.4 million streams across BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and its app.

The live coverage page for the match garnered over 20 million views globally, including 14 million in the UK. This made it the biggest day for the BBC Sport website and app since the previous World Cup. Harry Kane played a pivotal role, scoring two goals in the final 15 minutes to reverse a 1-0 deficit after DR Congo had taken the lead in the seventh minute.

The World Cup accounted for more than a third (34%) of all hours streamed on BBC iPlayer during the final week of the group stage. The Football Daily visualised podcast also proved popular, generating over two million streams during the group stages. Across social media, BBC Sport has accumulated 889 million video views throughout the tournament so far.

Key moments and managerial perspective

The match saw England struggling initially, described as playing like a team fearful of their own abilities. During the first hydration break, England was 1-0 down, with players appearing disheartened. Coach Thomas Tuchel attempted to calm his players, conveying tactical adjustments and the need for collective movements.

Despite creating chances and forcing saves from Lionel Mpasi, England remained 1-0 down by the final hydration break. Tuchel again addressed his players, delivering instructions and restructuring their approach. It was at this point that Kane delivered a crucial performance, scoring the equalising and winning goals.

Kane’s first goal came from a cross by Anthony Gordon, which he headed across goal, beating Mpasi. His second, also from a pass by Gordon, was a powerful shot into the net. These goals not only secured the win but also, according to reports, saved Tuchel’s job and potentially those of his superiors at the Football Association. Kane now has five goals in this World Cup and 84 for England.

Looking ahead to the last 16

With this victory, England will now face Mexico in the last 16. The match is scheduled to take place at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Monday. This game will kick off at 01:00 BST and will be broadcast live on BBC One, radio, and online.

This upcoming fixture will be the Three Lions’ first overnight game of the tournament for UK viewers. This presents a challenge for young fans, with parents considering how to manage watching the game on a school night. Tuchel addressed this dilemma, suggesting parents write an excuse for school, stating: “There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.”

Previous England World Cup group games had later kick-off times, with matches against Croatia and Ghana starting at 21:00, and the Panama game at 22:00. The Croatia opener drew a 15.4 million peak audience, and the win over Panama had a 13.76 million peak, both shown on ITV. The draw with Ghana attracted a peak audience of 15.4 million on the BBC, with an additional 8.3 million requests on the BBC Sport app and BBC iPlayer.

Alex Kay-Jelski, BBC Director of Sport, noted that these audience figures demonstrate the BBC’s role in bringing the nation together for major sporting events. He expressed pride in delivering significant moments to audiences, regardless of how they choose to follow the tournament, as England’s World Cup journey continues.

Source: bbc.com

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Germany exited the World Cup at the Round of 32 stage after a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. The match, held in Boston, saw Germany have an extra-time goal disallowed, which would have given them a 2-1 lead. The decision by the video assistant referee (VAR) led to the game ending 1-1 after both normal and extra time, with Paraguay ultimately securing a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout.

The disallowed goal came from Jonathan Tah, who believed he had put Germany ahead. However, VAR intervened, and referee Jalal Jayed ruled out the goal. The reason given was that Waldemar Anton was judged to have fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. This incident proved pivotal, as Paraguay then advanced to the last 16.

Fifa’s Explanation and Coach’s Reaction

Following the match, Fifa clarified the decision, stating that coaches and players had been informed prior to the World Cup about how such fouls would be penalised. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of Fifa‘s referees committee, explained that officials were instructed to punish incidents where players attempt to block opponents without making an attempt to play the ball, particularly when goalkeepers are involved.

Collina elaborated that while maintaining a position is not inherently a foul, a deliberate movement by an attacking player with the clear intention of obstructing an opponent’s movement and preventing them from defending should be penalised. He emphasised that this is especially pertinent when the tactic aims to prevent the opposing goalkeeper from defending the goal, and that the information provided to teams meant such decisions should not be a surprise.

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed his disagreement with the decision, stating, "In my opinion, this foul was not a real foul; it was actually a joke that his goal was disallowed." This defeat marked Germany‘s first loss in a World Cup penalty shootout as four-time winners of the tournament.

The penalty shootout saw Jonathan Tah miss his spot-kick, firing it over the bar, which allowed Jose Canale to score the decisive kick for Paraguay. This outcome meant Germany‘s campaign concluded at the Round of 32.

Germany’s Performance and Nagelsmann’s Future

Florian Wirtz, who featured for Germany for 110 minutes of the tie, provided an assist during the match. Paraguay initially took the lead through Julio Enciso‘s header before half-time. Germany equalised in the 54th minute when Wirtz‘s delivery from deep into the area led to Kai Havertz scoring with a header.

Despite the elimination, Julian Nagelsmann stated he would not be resigning from his position as head coach. He affirmed his commitment, saying, "I am not someone who runs away." Nagelsmann indicated that he had already spoken with officials from the German FA, who had offered comfort rather than discussing contract extensions immediately after the defeat.

Nagelsmann acknowledged that public opinion in Germany might not be positive towards him following the exit. He reflected on the team’s performance, noting that they had not done much in the tournament to warrant celebration and found it difficult against an "ultra-defensive" Paraguay side. He described the exit as "very bitter" when considering the opponent.

For Paraguay, the victory was a significant achievement. Their president declared a national holiday following the win. The team’s head coach, Gustavo Alfaro, praised his squad, referring to them as "26 warriors," and spoke about the importance of football for the nation. Paraguay will now proceed to face two-time champions France in the last 16. This match is scheduled to take place in Philadelphia on Saturday at 22:00 BST.

The match between Paraguay and France is set to be a significant event, occurring on 4 July, Independence Day, in Philadelphia, a city historically linked to the Declaration of Independence. This fixture marks Paraguay‘s progression in the tournament after their victory over Germany.

Source: bbc.com

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