The Official 2014 World Cup Thread

[Dback Jon]

Algeria advances, 12 die in post-match celebrations

 

[Dback Jon]

Greece, Croatia, Portugal and France all qualify

 

[Dback Jon]

Jordan - Uruguay for final spot today - Uruguay has 5 goal cushion.

 

[Dback Jon]

Uruguay advances

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Greece, Croatia, Portugal and France all qualify

Ronaldo was flat out dominant. The game really got good in the 2nd half.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Egypt wins seven of their eight matches and doesn't qualify, where as Mexico screws up again and again and again yet somehow does. Go figure.

 

[SO91]

Big day today.

 

[Chaplin]

Ghana and Germany. UGH

Group of Death

AND Portugal.

 

[Dback Jon]

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Dback Jon]

Brutal draw for the US

 

[dreamcastrocks]

So sad, I wouldn't be surprised if we only get 1 point.

 

[HoodieBets]

My guesses as to who is coming out are

Brazil
Mexico

Spain
Netherlands

Columbia
Japan

Uruguay
Italy

France
Switzerland

Nigeria
Argentina

Portugal
Germany

Belgium
Russia

 

[Zeno]

Tough draw but we did get a favorable schedule. The best team in the group isn't until the third game and they could have their advancement wrapped up by then.

Ghana is beatable--they haven't beaten a team from outside of Africa since 2010--they lost to powerhouses like Mali (at home no less) & Zambia.

Portugal has Ronaldo and he is capable of brilliance at any time but he also disappears too. If Israel, Macedonia, Gabon and Northern Ireland are capable of drawing them in a match--why can't the US?

I am not overconfident but I am not all doom and gloom either. I think a full strength German side is too much for the US but I see no reason we can't get a result from each of the other games.

 

[slinslin]

It's ridiculous how weak the groups of Brazil, Argentina, France, Belgium and Colombia are.

 

[Chaplin]

There are a lot of weak groups--more than I remember there ever being.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Tough draw but we did get a favorable schedule.

We have to travel over 6000 miles in 10 days and one of them it may be brutally hot. I think he got a horrible schedule and venues.

 

[Stout]

Sure, we're in a really tough group (which sucks), but we aren't in THE group of death. I'd say that's group B with Spain, Netherlands, Chile and Australia. Needless to say, the Aussies are SCREWED.

So, I think you could say we're in A group of death, but not THE group of death lol

 

[Gaddabout]

We have to travel over 6000 miles in 10 days and one of them it may be brutally hot. I think he got a horrible schedule and venues.

It's actually 9,000 miles if you include travel to Brazil.

I think us U.S. fans overrated Ghana because they've knocked us out twice. We get them first and they've been in poor form and injured.

I think the world underrates Portugal because they performed poorly in a challenging qualifier. They still have Ronaldo. One great striker = dangerous in WC. But the rest of the team doesn't look as scary as they once did, IMO. I dunno.

Get Germany last. Hopefully they're resting players at that point. It's basically like playing an all-star team of Dortmund and BM. They all know each other so well and play like a club team. Damn. It's just brutal.

 

[SO91]

Sure, we're in a really tough group (which sucks), but we aren't in THE group of death. I'd say that's group B with Spain, Netherlands, Chile and Australia. Needless to say, the Aussies are SCREWED.

So, I think you could say we're in A group of death, but not THE group of death lol

My boys from Chile are gonna have a tough time getting through, and if they manage to, they'll most likely have to play Brazil...again.

 

[cardfaninfl]

With the group of World Cup veterans the USMNT will probably take to Brasil, is there a team (including Mexico) that those guys would rather play for the first game, other than Ghana? Double revenge game.

Of the European teams, Portugal and France (IMO) are the least threatening. Honestly, I was extremely happy the USA drew Portugal and Ghana.

As pointed out, if you have to play Germany - the third game of the group stage is the perfect scenario to escape with a point, move to the knock-out rounds, and have Germany placed in the opposite half of the brackets.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Ugh.... Brutal.

I think we can get the #2 slot.

 

[Stout]

Ugh.... Brutal.

I think we can get the #2 slot.

I think we can too, but we don't have any room for error. We had a great 2002, but people forget that we screwed it up after seizing control, and needed a different team to help us advance. That won't cut it this time around. We have to come out prepared and all guns blazing against Ghana, and we have to play stout (no pun intended) against Portugal. We need to sew it up before the Germany game, because if we wait until then and need to get a result, we're screwed.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Bring em on.

 

[Shzm13]

Battle for 2nd place in Group A between Croatia and Mexico should be interesting. If Mexico gets back to 2011-2012 level, they should have no problem advancing.

Spain will win group B, and Chile might give overrated Netherlands a scare, maybe even upset them.

Colombia will cruise to top spot in group C, Japan should get the runner up. Ivory coast has a chance, but Japan is more technically sound.

Group D, the REAL group of death features 3 world cup champions. Has this ever happened before?? England has sucked recently, but they are still very talented. Italy and Uruguay will advance.

Group E, Switzerland will cruise, and either Honduras or Ecuador should advance overrated France.

Group F, Argentina will cruise, Bosnia should handle Iran and Nigeria.

Group G, Both Germany and Portugal will cruise through the group. They'll finish 1 and 2, order is a tossup. No chance for the Yanks.

Group H, Belgium and Russia move on.

 

[Gaddabout]

Group D, the REAL group of death features 3 world cup champions. Has this ever happened before?? England has sucked recently, but they are still very talented. Italy and Uruguay will advance.

England just has to solve their goaltending problems, which are 100 percent between the ears for Joe Hart. If they do that, they'll beat Italy.