International Magpie Roundup: Nov. 28

The World Cup has arrived and there are six Magpies playing in the group stages: Kieran Trippier, Nick Pope, and Callum Wilson for England, Garang Kuol is with Australia, Fabian Schar is part of the Swiss team, and Bruno plays for Brazil.

Here’s a recap of all that went on Monday, Nov. 28, with more updates to come in the following days as games keep getting played with the World Cup still in the group stages.

Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

Fabian Schar (Switzerland) & Bruno (Brazil)

Match: SWI vs BRA (World Cup)

After 90 minutes of play, and a potential combined 180 rounds of the clock available for Bruno and Fabian Schar to do some Qatar Cardio, only the former did it and just for 30-and-change minutes.

As is always the case with Tite, Bruno sat on the bench to start the game and only entered the pitch by the 58th minute—when the game was still locked into a goalless draw, though—to help the Canarinha earn three more points ont heir way to the knockout stages.

As was never the case with Murat Yakin, Schar sat on the bench to start the game... and never took part on it. As happened four days ago, and as it will probably happen for the third time in a row when the Swiss play for the final time in Qatar.

Not saying Switzerland deserve elimination, but I mean, when you don’t play your best and most grizzled veteran defender you should know what you’re getting into and the risks you’re taking, am I right?

A draw would be enough for Switzerland to go through as they’re currently sitting in second with three points to Brazil’s three and Cameroon/Serbia’s one. We’ll see how that goes, though, with the Serbs posing a very serious threat for the Swiss’ aspirations in this winter WC.

Munuel Akanji was nice, Nico Elvidi was not. Schar, we might never know.

Casemiro, Bruno partner-in-crime yesterday, was the one bagging the only goal of the game in the 83rd. It took two efforts from Brazil, as their first one (by Vinicius Jr.) got removed from the scoreboard after VAR ruled it off.

Final game in a few days with Bruno waking up today as a quarterfinalist and Schar praying the good lord up above not just to qualify, but to at last log a couple of garbage-time minutes of play in what could be the last game for the Swiss contingent.