One Team In, One Nearly Out (6/16)

B2-Finland got more than one shot (albeit the game-winning goal) this time, getting 11 against B4-Russia, but had a goal overturned by VAR (offsides) as RUS prevailed 1-0 at home.  These two and B3-Belgium have 3 points with BEL playing tomorrow.

A1-Turkey's defense was no match against A3-Wales' Gareth Bale as he tore apart the defense with great needle and over the defense passes leading to two assists, a near goal pursing the GK, and drawing a penalty.  Alas, he missed the PK (teams are just 1/3) but WAL won 2-0, the last goal the last play of the match.  In the other Group A match, A2-Italy started fast and furious against A4-Switzerland in winning their second straight 3-0 match with two strikes outside the box.  ITA is now unbeaten in their last 29 matches and have not allowed a goal in their last 10 in being the first team to qualify for the Round of 16.  TUR is last with a horrible -5 GD.

After having just one VAR in the first 11 matches, there have now been 3 in the past 4.  ITA had their goal taken away with an inadvertent handball by the scorer.  Apparently, if the ball had dropped to another ITA player who scored, it would have counted - only the player with the handball can't score when it accidentally hits his arm/hand.

37 picked RUS, 14 WAL, and 39 ITA.  7 went 3-0 while DenMarkMyTerritory and Otsego1 went 0-3.  Club Med now leads by 2 with 12 points over 10 others tied for second.  Six are tied for last with 6 pts.  Also, note that in the Standings page, if your nickname has a pound symbol (#), you need to view your pick via the Picks page.  HTML doesn't work well with certain symbols like # (but I still allow it in the nickname) and the standings are automated.