And that’s the first game of Group C done! I deem this game: pretty good! Whether it will be the single best one of a whopping four today remains to be seen, but with good fans, good play, drama, & excitement, it’s not a bad reward for being up at 5AM!

Not to be overshadowed by the technological upstart VAR, here’s goal-line technology making an appearance as well! We take it for granted nowadays, but it’s not hard to imagine that goal not being called by refs on the field. #AWCHQ #FRAAUS ⚽️

Apparently this is one of those games where nobody but the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with their hand! Maybe make that more clear in the #WorldCup welcome packet, FIFA! #AWCHQ #FRAAUS ⚽️

Of all the young stars who might be difference-makers in this game, and the one to shine early in the second half is: VAR!

Second half of #FRAAUS is underway! Where were Australia’s players in that Adidas commercial? They must have flashed by so quickly I didn’t notice them. What will Pogba and his bleu Adidas do in the next 45 minutes of this #WorldCup? #AWCHQ ⚽️

First half of #FRAAUS well underway in Kazan, fast on the field and loud in the stands. So many free kicks! The ball popped and they had to get a new one! #AWCHQ ⚽️

Good morning & welcome to the Armadillo World (Cup) HQ, live and spoiler-free from the (butt) crack of dawn. A very sunny France v. Australia match has just kicked off, day 3 is underway! #AWCHQ #FRAAUS ⚽️

Games start early tomorrow! France’s opener against Australia kicks off at 5AM Central Time. But will it be worth getting up that early? On a Saturday? Why not DVR it (or rely on Fox’s replay streams) and sleep in, then see what the Armadillo says? #AWCHQ #FRAAUS ⚽️

That’s it for day 2! My recommendation is an easy one today. Unless you’re Egyptian, Uruguayan, Moroccan, or Iranian – and maybe even if you are any of those – skip the first two games and watch Portugal v Spain! #AWCHQ #PORESP ⚽️

Jeez, are you kidding me?! Just when I thought this great game was going to end on a muted note, more late excitement! Wow, did we get our money’s worth from this one. Going out to buy some McDonald’s, Gazprom, & whatever Hisense is, to thank the sponsors. #AWCHQ #PORESP ⚽️