World Cup 2018: 10 Most Dramatic Moments From The Group Stage
The group stages are over, but these moments will live on forever.
Every World Cup is filled with dramatic moments, and we've already enjoyed our fair share of surprises in this summer's big event. This tournament, like so many before it, has once again proven that the World Cup is anything but predictable.
On paper, it's easy for fans to try and work out how the games might play out and which teams should qualify from each group, but once the players take to the pitch, anything can happen. So far this summer, we've already seen plenty of shocking results, crazy red cards, last-minute winners, and VAR madness.
In the last couple of weeks, all sorts of unexpected incidents have been added to the ever-expanding list of surprising World Cup moments, and while we've still got plenty of great football to look forward to, it's a good time to look back and see how we got here.
The group stages are over and now the elimination games are set to begin. The 2018 World Cup surely has plenty more exciting and dramatic moments to share with us in the days to come, but here are the most memorable incidents from the group stage.
10. Carlos Sánchez's Red Card
Back at the 1986 World Cup, Uruguay's José Batista got himself sent off in a match against Scotland after just 56 seconds. Batista's record will probably stay standing for many years to come, but Colombia's Carlos Sanchez came pretty close to beating it.
The former Aston Villa midfielder saw red after just three minutes, blatantly using his arm to stop a shot in Colombia's opening group stage game with Japan. Sánchez got his World Cup off to the worst possible start and left his team with a real mountain to climb. Shinji Kagawa, whose shot had been blocked by Sánchez, scored the resultant penalty anyway, so he'd have been better off letting the shot go past him and staying on the pitch.
Despite 10-man Colombia's brave efforts and the exceptional free kick scored by Juan Fernando Quintero late in the first half, Colombia succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in their first game and had to rally well to get themselves back into the tournament. Shockingly, Sánchez received death threats for his actions but was on hand to help Colombia win their third game and top the group.