Why are World Cup underdogs doing so well?

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Why are World Cup underdogs doing so well? Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was named man of the match in the goalless draw with SpainByUmir Irfan Football tactics correspondentPublished27 minutes agoThis 48-team World Cup has produced some intriguing match-ups and several impressive performances by lower-ranked sides against the world's top teams. Cape Verde, Curacao, Ghana and South Africa - ranked 64th, 81st, 65th and 54th respectively - have taken points from Spain (3rd), Ecuador (29th), England (4th) and South Korea (28th) so far.

Are these early tournament surprises a matter of luck, or clever planning and execution? A deeper delve into what happened in the games that produced those unexpected results reveals a number of common patterns. Don't take the baitCape Verde's 0-0 draw against Spain was perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament so far and it was also perhaps the most tactically impressive.

The Details

The third-smallest nation in World Cup history stifled Spain through their 4-5-1 defensive shape. Key to their success was the fact gaps between their midfield line and defensive line were very small. Against such a challenge, high-possession sides look to pass the ball backwards, hoping to entice the opposition to step up the pitch.

When Spain passed it back, expecting the midfielders to engage and create space between them and the defenders, Cape Verde didn't take the bait, instead keeping their shape compact. The Spain defenders then carried the ball forward looking to trigger a reaction but the Cape Verde players, again, held their shape until late. Spain, as a result, found it difficult to find players inside the block.

Their remaining solutions were therefore either around Cape Verde or over the top of them. Image caption, Cape Verde ensured there was minimal space between their defensive and midfield lines. If a player was nearby, they applied pressure, but if Spain passed it backwards, they didn't venture forward in order to stay compactThis exact pattern was seen in Ghana's defensive set-up against England too.

What Experts Say

England under Tuchel have placed an even greater emphasis on dropping deep to entice pressure before quickly attacking the space that opens up. Ghana prepared for this by setting up in a compact formation. Jordan Ayew took a position higher up the pitch to man mark Elliot Anderson but the rest of the side, like Cape Verde, set up in two lines just outside of their penalty areas, giving up no space between the lines.

Image caption, Here we see Ghana hold a similar shape - a vertically compact 4-5-1. They allow Guehi and Konsa to have uncontested possession, instead focusing on preventing more dangerous players from affecting the game from more dangerous positionsBoth sides' refusal to apply pressure when the opposition attempted to tease them out is best illustrated by a statistic that looks to quantify how intensely a team presses. 'PPDA' stands for 'opposition passes allowed per defensive action'.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.