Sunday Sport: Things Getting Messi.

If Argentina ties again, things could get Messi.  

That's what they said, at least, after the many shocks which were given to fans of Association Football's World Cup competitions on Saturday.  Argentina, felt to be a perennial top favorite, failed to win against Iceland, even based on the shoulders of Lionel Messi, felt by many to be the top world player, especially by the critics who are also Barca fans. 

Iceland was felt to be a pushover, but with the power of that Viking clap, and without the distractions of Messi's colourful tattoo, they played hard and finished with a 1-1 tie.  This is their first appearance in FIFA World Cup competitions, and only their second appearance at any international competition in their history (they were invited to the UEFA competition two years ago).   No team has ever won their first ever game in the competition, and very few, if any, have tied their opening game.  This makes this draw historic in many respects. 

Also shocking was the result of the game between Australia and France.  Shocking is not the right term, but France was expected to overpower Australia very strongly, and was expected to win by several goals.  Antoine Griezmann, well known to readers of this blog, drew first blood, with a penalty kick goal 58 minutes into the game.  At 62 minutes Australia responded with its own penalty kick goal, sacre bleu!  At 80 minutes the game winning goal was made by Pogba, but it appeared to this writer that without the accidental assist of an Australian, the ball would not have made it into the goal. 

Today's games include Mexico vs. Germany, Costa Rica vs. Serbia, and Brazil vs. Switzerland.

Oh yes, then there's that golf thing.  The U.S. Open of Golf, that is, currently taking place in New York and ending today.    

Open organizers have been highly criticized for providing a course which was too slick and loose, allowing too much differentiation based on conditions of various parts of the greens, and not because of the skill of golfers. 

Pro Golfer Zach Johnson said “When you have a championship that comes down to either luck or a fortuitous bounce or sheer luck, that's not right and we are there already,” the two-time major champion said. “It’s unfortunate that our nation’s tournament is already shot at a venue that they lost 14 years ago.” The Shinnecock Hills was last used for the Open in 2004.  Dustin Johnson is still at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the U.S. Open. But he now has company.  

Johnson finished off a 7-over 77 with a bogey on No. 18 and sits at 3 over for the tournament. He's tied for the lead after 54 holes with defending U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau.  Englishman Justin Rose is a shot back a 4 over.