International Magpie Roundup: Dec. 2

The World Cup arrived with 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.

Of course, this being Newcastle players, we’re entering the knockout stages today and they all are still alive and well into the next round of the completion. Ah, feels good for the Toon...

Here’s a recap of all that went on Friday, Dec. 2, 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 Juan Luis Diaz/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Bruno (Brasil)

Match: BRA vs Cameroon (World Cup)

Coach Tite flipped the Brazilian XI on his head and not even then could he find a place for our beloved Bruno. What a shame! Defeat well earned!

I was about to close shop and turn the TV off when Vincent Aboubakar scored Cameroon’s game-winning goal in the 92, so much so that I missed the second yellow card he got before the ball was even kicked back in play for the final minutes of the game.

Anyway, Brazil lost but still advanced to the Round of 16 in first position—by just one goal, though—with Bruno getting to the pitch by the 55th minute in replacement of Man. Utd’s Fred.

Bruno was active all across the pitch completing 24 of the 29 passes he attempted and participating with 42 total touches. He completed one of two attempted crosses and was accurate on the two long balls he launched while also finishing the game with a successful dribble attempt, one shot on target, and two off of it.

Bruno won’t start for Brazil barring a catastrophic rash of injuries impacting the Canarinha, but he will be able to tell his some about his participation in a World Cup when both get old.

Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Fabian Schar (Switzerland)

Match: SWI vs Serbia (World Cup)

So let me get this straight. Schar didn’t start the first two games, the Swiss struggled to win. Schar started this one, the Swiss cruised and were just one goal away from leading the group when all was said and done. Seems like something is brewing here, folks.

Fabian Schar started along with Manuel Akanji in the center of the no-cheese Swiss-D, played the 90 minutes, and is now a Round-of-16 type of player. Not bad if you ask me.

This was a crazy game with four goals of the five scored in the first half. Xherdan Shaqiri, who has been playing football since 1976, put Switzerland ahead by the 20th minute. Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic disgustingly flipped the scoreboard in favor of the Serbs six and 15 minutes later, respectively. Breel Embolo brought it all to a halt in the 44th with his equalizer.

Righter after the break was over and with 48 minutes of regulation gone, Remo Freuler scored another goal that would ultimately turn into the game-winning effort. Tons of yellow cards later the ref decided enough was enough and we all saw the Swiss through the group stages after having been eliminated earlier.

Bruno and the yellow lads playing South Korea next with Schar facing Portugal in the first round of the knockout stages.