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My predictions for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

With the 2018 FIFA World Cup men's soccer tournament beginning Thursday, I'll take this opportunity to predict the outcome of every match of this year's World Cup tournament.

For the group stage, each match in each pool is listed in chronological order (although the last two matches of each group are played simultaneously), and my prediction for each mach is listed using the following format: (Team A) (Team A predicted score)-(Team B predicted score) (Team B), and the individual match predictions are followed by predicted pool standings. For the predicted pool standings, standings for each team use the following format: (Wins)-(Draws)-(Losses) (Points); for teams that I predict to advance out of group stage, their elimination stage seeding is listed as (group ranking)(group letter), and any tiebreaking criteria used is noted as well.

For the elimination stage, predictions for individual matches follow an identical format to those for the group stage, with three exceptions: if a particular match goes into extra time, but penalty kicks after extra time are not needed, "AET" is listed in parenthesis for the match in question, and, if a particular match goes into extra time, and penalty kicks after extra time are needed, the result of the penalty kicks after extra time are noted in parentheses for the match in question; additionally, matches are not listed in chronological order.

GROUP STAGE

Group A - Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay

Russia 6-1 Saudi Arabia
Egypt 0-4 Uruguay
Russia 2-1 Egypt
Uruguay 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Uruguay 3-2 Russia
Saudi Arabia 1-3 Egypt

Uruguay 3-0-0 (9) - Advances 1A
Russia 2-0-1 (6) - Advances 2A
Egypt 1-0-2 (3)
Saudi Arabia 0-0-3 (0)

Group B - Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran

Morocco 1-3 Iran
Portugal 2-2 Spain
Portugal 4-1 Morocco
Iran 0-2 Spain
Iran 1-5 Portugal
Spain 1-1 Morocco

Portugal 2-1-0 (7) - Advances 1B
Spain 1-2-0 (5) - Advances 2B
Iran 1-0-2 (3)
Morocco 0-1-2 (1)

Group C - France, Australia, Peru, Denmark

France 2-0 Australia
Peru 0-0 Denmark
Denmark 3-1 Australia
France 1-2 Peru
Denmark 2-1 France
Australia 0-3 Peru

Peru 2-1-0 (7) - Advances 1C (Goal Difference +4)
Denmark 2-1-0 (7) - Advances 2C (Goal Difference +3)
France 1-0-2 (3)
Australia 0-0-3 (0)

Group D - Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria

Argentina 2-5 Iceland
Croatia 1-2 Nigeria
Argentina 3-1 Croatia
Nigeria 2-3 Iceland
Nigeria 2-2 Argentina
Iceland 3-0 Croatia

Iceland 3-0-0 (9) - Advances 1D
Nigeria 1-1-1 (4) - Advances 2D on Tiebreaking Criteria (Goal Difference 0)
Argentina 1-1-1 (4) - Eliminated on Tiebreaking Criteria (Goal Difference -1)
Croatia 0-0-3 (0)

Group E - Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

Costa Rica 1-0 Serbia
Brazil 3-1 Switzerland
Brazil 3-0 Costa Rica
Serbia 0-8 Switzerland
Serbia 1-6 Brazil
Switzerland 3-1 Costa Rica

Brazil 3-0-0 (9) - Advances 1E
Switzerland 2-0-1 (6) - Advances 2E
Costa Rica 1-0-2 (3)
Serbia 0-0-3 (0)

Group F - Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Germany 6-0 Mexico
Sweden 2-2 South Korea
South Korea 2-3 Mexico
Germany 4-1 Sweden
South Korea 1-12 Germany
Mexico 1-1 Sweden

Germany 3-0-0 (9) - Advances 1F
Mexico 1-1-1 (4) - Advances 2F
Sweden 0-2-1 (2)
South Korea 0-1-2 (1)

Group G - Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

Belgium 1-1 Panama
Tunisia 0-5 England
Belgium 3-1 Tunisia
England 3-2 Panama
England 0-0 Belgium
Panama 2-2 Tunisia

England 2-1-0 (7) - Advances 1G
Belgium 1-2-0 (5) - Advances 2G
Panama 0-2-1 (2)
Tunisia 0-1-2 (1)

Group H - Poland, Senegal, Columbia, Japan

Columbia 1-2 Japan
Poland 3-0 Senegal
Japan 2-0 Senegal
Poland 1-1 Columbia
Japan 2-4 Poland
Senegal 1-5 Columbia

Poland 2-1-0 (7) - Advances 1H
Japan 2-0-1 (6) - Advances 2H
Columbia 1-1-1 (4)
Senegal 0-0-3 (0)

ELIMINATION STAGE

Round of 16

Uruguay 1-2 Spain
Peru 0-0 Nigeria (PK - Peru 3-4 Nigeria)
Brazil 3-2 Mexico (AET)
England 0-1 Japan
Portugal 4-0 Russia
Iceland 4-2 Denmark
Germany 6-2 Switzerland
Poland 1-1 Belgium (PK - Poland 2-3 Belgium)

Quarterfinals

Uruguay 3-1 Nigeria
Brazil 5-2 Japan
Portugal 1-2 Iceland (AET)
Germany 2-3 Belgium (AET)

Semifinals

Uruguay 1-3 Brazil (AET)
Iceland 2-0 Belgium

Third-Place Playoff

Uruguay 0-4 Belgium

Final

Iceland 2-2 Brazil (PK - Iceland 11-10 Brazil)

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