Richard routs the R32; Sophie loses three in a day

A commanding finish to the Round of 32 for Richard. His Argentina survived a scare to beat Sophie’s Cape Verde 3-2, and his Switzerland saw off Sophie’s Algeria 2-0 - two more through, +10 to 81, and a lead now stretched to twenty-four. Remarkably, four of Richard’s six teams are in the last 16 (Argentina, Mexico, Switzerland, Paraguay).

It was the opposite kind of day for Sophie, whose three teams in action all went out: Cape Verde to Argentina, Australia to Ella’s Egypt on penalties, and Algeria to Switzerland. She’s stranded on 53. The flip side of that shootout lifted Ella to second on 57 - Egypt through, to sit alongside her Spain.

The table: Richard 81, then Ella 57, Pete 56, Henry 53, Sophie 53, Emily 50, Nichola 42 and Tega 39. The Round of 16 starts today: Henry’s Canada v Tega’s Morocco, and Richard’s Paraguay v Nichola’s France. Two ties to relish are coming: Richard’s Argentina v Ella’s Egypt, and Sophie’s Portugal v Ella’s Spain.

Odds watch

Four teams in the last 16 firm Richard as sweepstake favourite (~3.57, 28%), but the market’s top stays a tight three-way where it counts: the title board reads Spain 24% (Ella), Argentina 22.5% (Richard), France 19% (Nichola), so Ella (~4.15) and Nichola (~5.27) keep him honest. Tellingly, Sophie losing three teams barely moved her price (~18) - they were makeweights; her real hope always rode on Portugal, who now face Ella’s Spain. Tega drifts to ~119, Morocco her last one standing.