Two games that went according to the script and one that needed about 20 rewrites and editors to confirm even the basic plotlines.

PORTUGAL 2, CROATIA 1

I'm not doing a fourth Third Yellow deep dive for this one. VAR got everything technically correct - multiple goals chalked off for offside, the penalty for the bearhug, all of it.

Yes the ending of the game is weird for those that don't know about the inner ball sensor (cricket fans know this as "Snicko") that I think was also used in one of the Brazil games, but once VAR believes Croatia's #20 Igor Matanovic has nudged the ball, the offside decision is as easy at it comes because Josko Gvardiol is easily two yards offside on the redirect.

Why this takes like 10 minutes to figure out? I don't know, I'm sure the computer mapping technology needs a minute to generate the offside line but the ball sensor information should be pretty instantaneous. No, the header from Renato Viega is never going to be a deliberate play, it's always a deflection so that doesn't cancel out the offside.

Croatia should have lost this game in the first half because they were bad, but Portugal were extremely wasteful, putting just one of their first nine shots on target, missing two big chances depending on where you get that from, and failing to capitalize on their nearly 70% possession. Credit to Croatia for growing into the game after the halftime interval and taking the lead through Ivan Perisic in the 53rd.

Eventually Portugal did get their breakthrough, Ronaldo's first knockout goal in a World Cup comes at his sixth tournament and from the penalty spot. Just about the only thing VAR didn't intervene on was their winner from Goncalo Ramos in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

It's a heartbreaking way to go for Luka Modric and the Croat old guard to go out and they nearly drew from that magical fountain of youth of a squad that have gone runner up and third place the last two tournaments, but this time around it felt like Croatia were a step or two below that level.

SPAIN 3, AUSTRIA 0

Spain are very quietly just cruising through this World Cup and don't even look like they've hit a top gear yet. Mikel Oyarzabal with a brace getting the opener in the first half and sealing the game in the 89th while Pedro Porro's tally midway through the second half really put this one out of reach.

Austria did not record a shot on target to make Unai Simon's fourth shutout (in four games at this World Cup) incredibly easy and he's got an record shutout minutes streak going as well. Yes Cape Verde held them to a draw and Uruguay self destructed, but dare I say La Furia Roja is flying a bit under the radar at the moment.

Maybe they'll hit that higher gear against Iberian rivals Portugal in the next round.

SWITZERLAND 2, ALGERIA 0

It is amazing to me that the Swiss have no knockout wins in the "modern" era...my lifetime? Let's go with that. Okay losing to Argentina in the Round of 16 in 2014 in extra time 1-0, very respectable...1-0 to Sweden in 2018 with a couple of players serving accumulation suspensions, not unreasonable...okay 6-1 to Portugal in 2022 is rough but it makes sense cause Ronaldo didn't start that game.

Because Switzerland were just very, very good. Not entirely overwhelming, a little wasteful especially Fabian Rieder's 81st minute chance with the whole net in front of him. Breel Embolo's opener was a classic target man hockey redirect in front of goal, and then already down 1-0 coming out of halftime Algeria got caught in possession straightaway in their own box and fluffed a clearance to hand Switzerland a second which they absolutely could not afford to do.

The Swiss are riding a midnight black darkhorse right now and I don't think that surprises anyone.

UPCOMING MATCHES

Spain and Portugal will settle all claims to the Iberian Peninsula on July 6th at Jerry World Dallas Stadium in Arlington Texas. Switzerland awaits the winner of Ghana-Colombia on a July 7th match in Vancouver.