France and Morocco reach the quarters; Nichola surges up the market

The Round of 16 opened with two teams booking quarter-final places - and the first +10 bonuses of the tournament. Nichola’s France beat Richard’s Paraguay 1-0 to reach the last eight, and Tega’s Morocco demolished Henry’s Canada 3-0 to join them. Both jumps are worth ten points apiece, the reward for going deep.

They reshape the chase - and expose a lovely twist. Nichola climbs to 52, Tega to 49, yet the pair sit seventh and eighth on the table despite owning two of the best-placed teams left in the tournament. In the last R32 tie, Emily’s Colombia beat Richard’s Ghana 1-0 (+5 to 55). Richard, with Paraguay and Ghana both out, is untouched at the summit on 81 - still twenty-four clear.

The table: Richard 81, Ella 57, Pete 56, Emily 55, Henry 53, Sophie 53, Nichola 52, Tega 49. Today’s last-16 tie: Emily’s Brazil v Pete’s Norway.

Odds watch

France reaching the quarters and topping the title board (26%) has turned the market into a two-horse race up front: Richard ~3.47 (29%) and Nichola ~3.84 (26%) are now clear of the pack, with Ella’s Spain (~5.09) slipping to third. But the round’s real story is the table-market inversion: Nichola and Tega are seventh and eighth on points yet own France (the favourite) and Morocco (a quarter-finalist)

• Tega’s price alone has rallied in from ~119 to ~40 on Morocco’s run. Under this ladder, one team going deep is worth more than a fat mid-table total.