2018 World Cup

[gmabel830]

Agueroooooooooo

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[gmabel830]

Iceeeeeeeeeeland! Game on!

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[Lorenzo]

What? That was a stone-cold penalty against Australia. It didn't take long at all, either. I'd say VAR worked perfectly there.

Edit: How in the hell does Umtiti not see red for that atrocious handball penalty?

It wasn’t clear to me especially at first. Defender hit the ball first I thought. When I see the replay it is hard to tell how much contact after was made even with the slowed down replay. But I concede without the contact the player probably scores. yeah you point out the handball. Clear as day no VAR needed yet they go to it and they don’t even get it right. He should be off.

If you saw the Argentine Iceland match the whole game is held hostage and fixated around whether or not they are going to VAR. I don’t like it. It sucks for sports to come to this. Take the refs off the pitch and just replay after everyone falls. Pretty soon it will be like American football where you have to question everything.

 

[HeHasRosen]

The world cup is my favorite sporting event in creation. I still have yet to watch a game. I try and it only hurts more. Im hoping i can get over the US not being in it but so far im still not over it. That being said im hoping to root for and get behind a team like Iceland. Chances cant be any worse the what the US usually does. A small part of me is pulling for Mexico. Being mexican you would think its a no brainer, but being a US soccer fan around a ton of Mexico fans, well you can imagine how that goes.

Anyway just sharing some thoughts as a huge US national fan. At least i have 2026 to look forward to. 8 years is a long time though...

 

[BACH]

Yup precisely what I expected from VAR. it’s even worse than I thought it would be. Premier league...No thanks!

Edit: penalty aside France win but do not look so good compared to where they should be.

They need a better process. Did you watch the Peru - Denmark game. They played on for a while before the ref decided to use VAR.

 

[Lorenzo]

They need a better process. Did you watch the Peru - Denmark game. They played on for a while before the ref decided to use VAR.

Of all of the penalties that have been missed that was the one that VAR salvaged, but as you point out they made a mess of it with the delay. what if there is a score on the counter or heaven forbid another critical referee decision in the process of waiting for a decision to go to VAR? they have to be more precise with this. Certainly this world cup is an experiment with VAR and I hope they get it right in the future. For me VAR should be used sparingly to right an obvious wrong, one that is not going to be a debate.

 

[Lorenzo]

The world cup is my favorite sporting event in creation. I still have yet to watch a game. I try and it only hurts more. Im hoping i can get over the US not being in it but so far im still not over it. That being said im hoping to root for and get behind a team like Iceland. Chances cant be any worse the what the US usually does. A small part of me is pulling for Mexico. Being mexican you would think its a no brainer, but being a US soccer fan around a ton of Mexico fans, well you can imagine how that goes.

Anyway just sharing some thoughts as a huge US national fan. At least i have 2026 to look forward to. 8 years is a long time though...

I understand what you are saying here. I too cannot root for mexico because I don't know that they would root for us unless their lives depended on it. Iceland are actually better than USA for me(if they were to meet head to head). but that tells you where we stand when you watch Iceland play against a side like Argentina. I think watching without the USA involved is a relief. I don't have to be emotionally attached to a side that had 0% chance of making it out of a group. In the end I can just enjoy these games while US Soccer now has to reflect on their inability to change from their systemic culture that is a failure.

 

[Lorenzo]

Mitrovic put in a sleeper hold an no penalty given. rightfully Serbia score on a free kick.

 

[gmabel830]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL Mexico!

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[Lorenzo]

great first half by mexico. they have truly dominated. my only fear would be not scoring enough goals. germany look un interested so far.

 

[Lorenzo]

germany were poor in the first half. mexico ran out of gas and parked it in the second half. still germany looked human in the final third. I thought they would equalize. I loved the match, but there is still concern for both sides. germany with the enormous expectation and bullseye on their shirts, mexico have to find a way to be more clinical.

 

[Dback Jon]

Great win for Mexico

 

[HeHasRosen]

Germany pulled a USA today. Came in way to over confident. Extreme arrogance if you will.

Hats to Mexico though, those guys give their all and played with passion. The US could learn something from todays outing by El Tri.

 

[Stout]

Wow. I did not expect that result! Great job by Mexico. I thought it was suicidal tactics, parking the bus in the 2nd half, and making subs to do so, but it worked for them.

 

[gmabel830]

2 points for Brazil, Argentina and Germany combined... could have won some big coin betting on that, I bet

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[Stout]

England spared some blushes. Southgate's weaknesses covered up by last-gasp header. Couldn't finish all those chances early on, from Tunisia's extremely loose play, and couldn't get it going when Tunisia packed it in.

Hmm. Couldn't get it going when a team packs it in...where have we heard that before? lol

That said, it's all forgiven because they did get the result. They'll get out of the group, but I don't see them going further than that.

 

[Lorenzo]

England spared some blushes. Southgate's weaknesses covered up by last-gasp header. Couldn't finish all those chances early on, from Tunisia's extremely loose play, and couldn't get it going when Tunisia packed it in.

Hmm. Couldn't get it going when a team packs it in...where have we heard that before? lol

That said, it's all forgiven because they did get the result. They'll get out of the group, but I don't see them going further than that.

I missed the game. It does not make sense to me why England struggled so much with Tunisia. But this seems to be a common theme right now with many matchups. I will say I'm not the only one whining about VAR. my complaints are childs play compared to what is being said about it in England now that they feel they have been screwed.

 

[Lorenzo]

2 points for Brazil, Argentina and Germany combined... could have won some big coin betting on that, I bet

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yup, if I was a betting man I would have and would still bet against germany advancing to the knockout. they are due for a fail and the way they acted in the first half vs mexico shows a side that is convinced they don't need to try to win. dangerous! something you don't usually see from them. I think germany made a massive mistake leaving off their best young player in favour of a lazy player like Ozil...we will see what happens but not looking good for them the way they got dominated by mexico.

 

[Lorenzo]

Wow. I did not expect that result! Great job by Mexico. I thought it was suicidal tactics, parking the bus in the 2nd half, and making subs to do so, but it worked for them.

I thought they played with fire and deserved a draw. they really battered germany in the first half, but showed too much respect in the second half. they took off the man of the match prematurely for me. they should have gone after the second goal with Carlos Vela for at least another 15 mins...perhaps it was a tactical decision because of the group stage, but mexico's problem is always their inability to score goals. outside of beating a world power they really did nothing to change my mind that they can win a world cup because they cannot score enough goals to win big games.

 

[Milgod]

England spared some blushes. Southgate's weaknesses covered up by last-gasp header. Couldn't finish all those chances early on, from Tunisia's extremely loose play, and couldn't get it going when Tunisia packed it in.

Hmm. Couldn't get it going when a team packs it in...where have we heard that before? lol

That said, it's all forgiven because they did get the result. They'll get out of the group, but I don't see them going further than that.

Very harsh. The first 25 minutes showed what they can do and it would have been a big win if not for Lingard having an off day in front of goal. England just need to make sure they don't allow themselves to slow down. Taking Young out for Rose and rest Dele will help.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Cool!

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[Stout]

Very harsh. The first 25 minutes showed what they can do and it would have been a big win if not for Lingard having an off day in front of goal. England just need to make sure they don't allow themselves to slow down. Taking Young out for Rose and rest Dele will help.

Slightly harsh, perhaps, but let's not pretend England are prolific--Tunisia made a HUGE tactical error to try to start the game on the front foot. England aren't clinical either, save for Kane, and they showed it by missing those golden chances they were absolutely gifted. When Tunisia went defensive to try to play on the counter, England had no answer for it. That late set-piece goal got them out of some very hot water. Now England fans--many of whom would have wanted to crucify Southgate without that last-gasp goal--want to pretend they're serious contenders for the WC. They'll advance, but certainly not to the final.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

[emoji23]

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[Milgod]

Slightly harsh, perhaps, but let's not pretend England are prolific--Tunisia made a HUGE tactical error to try to start the game on the front foot. England aren't clinical either, save for Kane, and they showed it by missing those golden chances they were absolutely gifted. When Tunisia went defensive to try to play on the counter, England had no answer for it. That late set-piece goal got them out of some very hot water. Now England fans--many of whom would have wanted to crucify Southgate without that last-gasp goal--want to pretend they're serious contenders for the WC. They'll advance, but certainly not to the final.

I've not met one fan who thinks England will get to the final let alone win. Tunisia went into the game to spoil the party. They did a good job overall. You say England aren't clinical, but those misses were out of character for Lingard (especially on recent form). England were as good as the vast majority of the 'serious' contenders so far.

 

[Stout]

I've not met one fan who thinks England will get to the final let alone win. Tunisia went into the game to spoil the party. They did a good job overall. You say England aren't clinical, but those misses were out of character for Lingard (especially on recent form). England were as good as the vast majority of the 'serious' contenders so far.

Can't argue on your last sentence. Spain could EASILY have drawn with Iran, or even lost, today. So many of the top teams aren't impressing.