Football
Matthew Stanger 6y

Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku, but no Harry Kane in World Cup team of the round

The second round of group stage games in the 2018 World Cup is complete, and already we've seen some standout performances. Matt Stanger picks the team of the round in Russia.

Goalkeeper: Brazil's late win against Costa Rica was a cruel blow for Keylor Navas, who produced some fine saves to shut out the Selecao until the 91st minute. The goalkeeper's position at Real Madrid is under threat amid renewed speculation regarding David De Gea, but Navas reminded everyone of his quality despite Costa Rica's group stage exit.

Centre-back: As well as keeping Robert Lewandowski quiet on Sunday, Yerry Mina headed in the opening goal that kickstarted Colombia's 3-0 win over Poland. The commanding centre-back joined Barcelona in January, but has already been linked with a summer exit from Camp Nou after struggling to nail down a regular place. With Liverpool among the clubs credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, Mina took the opportunity to show exactly what he can do.

Centre-back: John Stones profited from England's set-piece expertise, scoring two smart headers in the Three Lions' 6-1 thrashing of Panama. The 24-year-old wasn't always first choice at Manchester City last season, but he has made a solid start to his first World Cup campaign and will be looking forward to a tougher test of his ability against Belgium.

Centre-back: Even in the age of football fans poring over player profiles on the internet, the World Cup still has the power to turn relative unknowns into stars. Step forward, Moussa Wague. The 19-year-old defender lashed in Senegal's second goal in the 2-2 draw with Japan, having already made a promising impression in the victory over Poland. Wague's Belgian club, K.A.S. Eupen, should expect to field plenty of phone calls when the tournament is over.

Right-wing: Nigeria didn't manage a single shot in the first half against Iceland, but Ahmed Musa inspired the Super Eagles to a crucial 2-0 victory thanks to two fine second-half strikes. As Nigeria's top scorer at World Cups, the 25-year-old will now be aiming to seal his team's progression to the round of 16 by taking down Argentina. Musa will have fond memories of the last time he faced Lionel Messi & Co. at a major tournament, scoring twice against them in the 2014 group stage.

Midfield: Having scored only three goals from 100 shots in his 70 Premier League matches for Arsenal, Gunners supporters probably grimaced when Granit Xhaka shaped to strike a loose ball against Serbia. This time, however, the midfielder crashed his effort into the corner to restore parity for Switzerland on their way to a 2-1 victory. A key player for his country, Xhaka now faces a nervous wait to hear the outcome of FIFA's disciplinary investigation into his goal celebration.

Midfield: While all around him Argentina players were losing their heads, Croatia's Luka Modric kept his composure to choreograph a 3-0 win for his side that guaranteed their place in the round of 16. The 32-year-old was imperious in the centre of the pitch, pulling the strings in attack and unleashing a thundering strike to settle the match. Dejan Lovren was so impressed that he claimed his compatriot should be in the 2018 Ballon d'Or running alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Midfield: It was difficult to judge Colombia in their opening defeat to Japan. Not only did they have a man sent off after just three minutes, but they were also deprived of James Rodriguez until the hour mark due to a niggling calf injury the playmaker picked up in training. With James back in the line-up against Poland, and looking to make up for lost time with two clever assists, the Cafeteros lived up to their pre-tournament billing with a pulsating 3-0 win.

Left-wing: After coming off the bench to score twice in Russia's opening game with Saudi Arabia, Denis Cheryshev claimed his third goal of the World Cup in a 3-1 win over Egypt. The former Real Madrid winger has seized his opportunity following Alan Dzagoev's injury, and should be certain of holding on to his place for a showdown with Spain or Portugal in the round of 16.

Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo followed up his devastating hat trick against Spain with a bullet header to give Portugal a narrow 1-0 win over Morocco. With the Iberian rivals tied on points and goal difference at the top of Group B, the Real Madrid star will spearhead a shootout for first place and potentially a more favourable second-round fixture.

Striker: Tied with Ronaldo on four goals -- one behind Harry Kane (who can consider himself unlucky to miss out on this XI) in the Golden Boot race -- Romelu Lukaku scored his second brace of the World Cup as Belgium blitzed Tunisia. The striker looked sharp throughout, making two excellent runs for his well-taken strikes, as Roberto Martinez's side clicked into gear. There have been reports that Lukaku will be rested for the final group match against England, but judging from this display, he'll be desperate to start.

Manager: Jose Pekerman's preparations went up in smoke when Carlos Sanchez was sent off just three minutes into Colombia's opening game against Japan. The Argentine quickly overcame that setback, though, masterminding a 3-0 win over Poland to put Colombia back in contention for top spot in Group H.

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