Father’s Day; Mexico 2, Portugal 2; Chile 2, Cameroon 0; Germany 3, Australia 2

I didn’t watch yesterday’s games. I was in Goshen, Indiana, attending a Father’s Day event. I gave my father-in-law a card, and he gave me a book of Abraham Lincoln’s speeches that he bought during a recent trip to Washington, D.C.

I, Karin, and Karin’s sister, Lily, walked for an hour down a pleasant creekside path in Goshen. I wondered how it would be to live in that city. Where would I work? There are some Mennonite colleges in the area. Could I be a good Mennonite? I doubt it. I have too much feeling for the nations.

These are the games I missed:

Mexico 2, Portugal 2;

Chile 2, Cameroon 0.

One thing made the news: Video Assistant Replay, which is being tested during this Confederations Cup. It led to the annulment of this Portuguese goal (and, I believe, to the validation of a Chilean goal that the referee initially had annulled).

Its use did not seem intrusive. I opposed VAR before this tourney, but now I’m coming to favor it.

Today Germany and Australia played. The Germans got an early goal. The Australians equalized near the end of the first half. The Germans – few of them habitual first-teamers – responded with a flurry of excellent play, quickly scoring two more goals. But not long afterward the Australians punched in another goal, keeping the Germans from leaving them in the dust. All around, it was a good show.