Thursday 22 June 2017, 22:14

All to play for in Group B as Sanchez rewrites records

  • 'As you were' in Group B after 1-1 draws in St Petersburg and Kazan  

  • All four teams remain in semi-final contention

  • Cameroon-Australia: As it happened; Germany-Chile: As it happened

THE DAY REPLAYED - Group B at Russia 2017 remains delicately poised after a day of 1-1 draws that left all four teams in exactly the same positions they held on Thursday morning. More importantly, none of the quartet are yet assured of a place in the last four or consigned to elimination, though Chile and Germany remain well placed to qualify due to the three-point cushion separating them from Australia and Cameroon.

The mutual respect that exists between the joint-leaders was evident throughout a high-quality Kazan encounter in which Alexis Sanchez made history. The Budweiser Man of the Match's sixth-minute opener was the FIFA Confederations Cup's 400th goal and, more significantly, took him past Marcelo Salas as La Roja's all-time leading scorer.

It was not, however, enough to secure the South Americans victory, as Germany hit back late in the first half through a beautifully crafted Lars Stindl equaliser.

Earlier in the day, Cameroon and Australia emerged from Saint Petersburg with a result that suited neither team, but nonetheless keeps alive their respective hopes of making the last four. The Socceroos staged a second-half comeback to claim a share of the spoils, restoring parity through Mark Milligan's clinically dispatched penalty after Budweiser Man of the Match Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa had lobbed the Indomitable Lions in front.

While both sides remain winless and rooted to the foot of the table, neither is giving up hope of a third-match upset that could propel them into the semi-finals.

Next matches #MEXRUS & #NZLPOR blogs updating now