World Cup proving a slow-burner

This has been a World Cup of great moments rather than great games, writes Brendan O’Brien.

No real violence — that we have heard of — so far but other concerns harboured about this World Cup in Russia have, unfortunately, come to pass. Just a week into the tournament and we’ve had tales of racism, drugs, and the inevitable squalls over sponsorship that always seem to ruffle the feathers of the bigwigs in blazers from Zurich.

It’s the sources of these stains that have surprised.