World Cup 2022

[zephonic]

Who's watching?

 

Netherlands are playing the USA on Saturday. I gotta say I've found the USA a lot more convincing than my guys. We may have wider selection of talent, but in terms of team play and cohesion the US got it where it counts.

 

I love the USA, but when it comes to soccer, Dwayne Perkins said it best:

 

 

[ProfD]

Admittedly, soccer is not my wheelhouse.  I'm only interested enough to root for my country.  Go Team USA.😁😎

[Stokely]

I love soccer, in fact I can sit through a good soccer match longer than I can almost any NBA or NFL or college football game these days.   I grew up mostly watching the NFL and when you get down to it, a game with dozens of penalties (many of which can be called on almost every play) is just not a great design.  Other than offsides, soccer is really quite simple and like hockey things can swing in a huge hurry.  Ok, hockey things *really* swing quickly    Replay has made offsides really easy to verify, and also cut down a LOT on the ridiculous flopping that used to be rampant.   

Stoppage time I hate.  Just go to the college soccer system, stop the clock if anything takes an unusual amount of time.   Watching the winning team take *forever* to do a throw in is not what I want to see.  

The US has a very good midfield, a bit iffy on defense (fantastic goalie) and really has issues scoring, like some other teams I've watched this WC.  Just really awful shots on the end of some excellent setup play.

I feel dirty watching the WC though, knowing that Qatar killed thousands making those stadiums in horrible conditions.   Recently an official admitted the number is around 600, which means you can probably multiply by 10.

FIFA is an awful, horrible corrupt organization.  Not that the American sports orgs are all that fantastic, but FIFA puts them to shame.  Their only competition in the crap sweepstakes (IMO) is boxing and the Olympic selection committee.

[Doerfler]

This is not OT. 

 

I watched the second half of Croatia-Belgium earlier today. Lukaku had probably the unluckiest day of his entire career, couldn't find the back of the net 4 times, maybe would have had a hat trick on a different day. Croatia advances, Belgium's golden generation is officially over. 

[yannis D]

I do.

What is interesting in this world cup is that several "new" football countries are emerging (Morroco, Sénégal, Japan, Australia) and traditional superpowers (Germany) are out.

 

 

 

[zephonic]

3 hours ago, Stokely said:

The US has a very good midfield, a bit iffy on defense (fantastic goalie) and really has issues scoring, like some other teams I've watched this WC.  Just really awful shots on the end of some excellent setup play.

 

Yes, if the US had an international-level striker, it would be a force to be reckoned with. As it stands, I still think they have a good chance at holding the Netherlands back. The Dutch have a wider pool of talent but so far it hasn't really come together as a team. 

 

But there have been a lot of surprises this tournament, so who knows...

 

2 hours ago, Doerfler said:

I watched the second half of Croatia-Belgium earlier today. Lukaku had probably the unluckiest day of his entire career, couldn't find the back of the net 4 times, maybe would have had a hat trick on a different day. Croatia advances, Belgium's golden generation is officially over. 

Lukaku was crying after the game, I really felt for him. I've heard some Belgian commentators say that there's a lot of tension and disagreement in the team, no unity.

 

2 hours ago, yannis D said:

What is interesting in this world cup is that several "new" football countries are emerging (Morroco, Sénégal, Japan, Australia) and traditional superpowers (Germany) are out.

 

Yes, to me it appears that solid team work and spirit is what paid off for these countries, I've loved watching them. 

 

As happy as I am with Japan's victory, I will say that 2nd goal was questionable IMO. It definitely looked over the line to me.

[Doerfler]

29 minutes ago, zephonic said:

As happy as I am with Japan's victory, I will say that 2nd goal was questionable IMO. It definitely looked over the line to me.

The ball was completely out of bounds, don't know how it wasn't called.

[miden]

Thanks for the nod to the Aussies above - yes a good team ethos has got them through, but I fear the mountain on Sunday (our time) will be just a tad too high, this time.

 

Argentina with Messi are a force to be reckoned with!

[nursers]

1 minute ago, miden said:

Thanks for the nod to the Aussies above - yes a good team ethos has got them through, but I fear the mountain on Sunday (our time) will be just a tad too high, this time.

 

Argentina with Messi are a force to be reckoned with!

Indeed - progression beyond that match would be a miracle but great work to date.

[zephonic]

idk, Saudi Arabia beat Argentina. Granted, some questionable stuff there, but still…anything could happen!

[jejefunkyman]

As a French guy, I'm a big soccer fan, which is the number one sport in my home country anyway, as well as in the country where I'm currently located (Germany).

Therefore I'm heavily watching the World Cup (even though I'm not so happy that it takes place in Qatar...).

Now that the French team has overcome the World Champion's curse (not getting through the group phase), I'm really wandering what will happen next 😉

It will not be so easy against Poland as I expect they will play mostly defensive, and rely on their very good goal keeper to maybe reach the extra time and penalty kicks session. This is definitely not the favorite configuration in which the French team likes to operate 😬

So I expect it to be a very stressful game, but let's see!!

Otherwise there are some very interesting games in the next round, like Morocca against Spain, Netherlands vs USA, Japan vs Croatia, England vs Senegal... well all the games look interesting actually lol...

Hopefully this will keep on being fun 😉

 

[Stokely]

I hate the way Poland plays. I expect they feel they have to as otherwise they'd be torched in a more open game so they turtle back and kick mostly-ineffective balls up to Lewandowski, who is generally surrounded because he's alone and it's so incredibly predictable.   One of their only goals was on a horrible defensive mistake.   The US used to play this way way back when but again it was because they couldn't compete in a more open game--it's a bit surreal to see them out tearing up and down the field.

Japan definitely has some great coaching because they have turned around two games in the 2nd half.

 

[jejefunkyman]

9 minutes ago, Stokely said:

I hate the way Poland plays. I expect they feel they have to as otherwise they'd be torched in a more open game so they turtle back and kick mostly-ineffective balls up to Lewandowski, who is generally surrounded because he's alone and it's so incredibly predictable.   One of their only goals was on a horrible defensive mistake.
 

 

Sure, but that's also a possible way of playing soccer, as they say lol. Ask Jose Mourinho 🤣 Anyway, definitely not my cup of tea... The best chance for France to overcome it is to score a goal very quickly.

I like the way Japan plays 🙂

[Stokely]

I think France is likely to kill Poland, similar to what Argentina did.   I think at best for Poland that they keep it 0-0 while weathering a million shots and eventually one (or several) I think will go in.  Then again some of these games have been really hard to predict.  I thought England was going to destroy the USA for example.

[jejefunkyman]

1 hour ago, Stokely said:

I think France is likely to kill Poland, similar to what Argentina did.   I think at best for Poland that they keep it 0-0 while weathering a million shots and eventually one (or several) I think will go in.  Then again some of these games have been really hard to predict.  I thought England was going to destroy the USA for example.

 

Fingers crossed 🙂

[Stokely]

(spoilers in case anyone is recording)

 

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There have been some crazy exciting endings to these group matches.  Watching Uruguay right now facing defeat because Korea scored a late goal in the other game, and frankly can't root for them as long as they have Luiz "the cannibal" Suarez on the squad.  

[zephonic]

South Korea is through! Go figure, this tournament is nuts, so much fun.

[Stokely]

Son made that happen with a great play, it was a great run by his countryman and the pass reached him at the exact right time and place.  Really iffy defending considering there were only two Koreans anywhere near the box.  Portugal of course was through anyway.

Brazil has yet to allow a shot on goal after two games, let alone an actual goal.   They are obviously through, but as the announcer just said, if they win today they don't face Portugal so that is some motivation.  Cameroon has to go for it as they need a win.

There definitely seems to be a bit more drama in the group stage this WC.  I think mainly because--other than Brazil--the traditional heavyweights have stumbled against some up-n-comers.  I have some friends in Germany who won't be happy at all right now...

[zephonic]

Cameroon's Aboubakar earns doofus of the tournament award. Scores the goal for his team only to be send off with red because he takes off his shirt...

[zephonic]

[UnderGroundGr]

I have seen all World Cup tournaments since Spain 1982. I do not watch this one, because the 6500 dead workers and for the reason that Fifa did not give the tournament to Qatar. Football has nothing to win from all this. Only Fifa took a lot of money under the table...

[Doerfler]

congrats, Menno. 

[zephonic]

Thanks, Dave! I think the US team shows a lot of potential, I expect them to do well in ‘26!

 

[ElmerJFudd]

I really enjoyed US vs Netherlands this morning. The US team did their best against a world class competitor.  It showed how the US has developed and where they still need to improve.  There are more people than ever in the US playing, watching and loving this sport.  Including me (my kid is on a team). And I haven’t really paid attention since Pelé!  

[Bill H.]

I know practically nothing about soccer, but watched the match over my morning coffee anyway (a sanctioned beverage for soccer viewing in Qatar  ). For someone who knows nothing about the sport, it was weird watching teams spending most of the game kicking the ball back and forth instead of driving to the net. If I was running the FIFA I'd institute a shot clock rule  so probably a good thing I'm not. 

 

Congrats Menno!☕

[UnderGroundGr]

I am European and i am not understanding how you call a game football when it been played 90% with hands...😀

[zephonic]

If the Soccaroos had played the entire match the way they did in the last 30 minutes, it would have been a different game. Unbelievable mistake from their goalie and defense to allow Argentina's second goal. 

 

Now we have to face Argentina for the 1/4 Finals. Hup Holland!

[Jon E]

27 minutes ago, UnderGroundH said:

I am European and i am not understanding how you call a game football when it been played 90% with hands...😀

American football is a game, soccer is a sport. Average weight of players in NFL is 111.5 kg, soccer players in 2018 World Cup 77.2 kg. Must be to much popcorn and pepsi 😉

[16251]

Footnote:  I read today that 7 of 8 open-air stadiums in Qatar have air conditioning. What are we doing here folks?  OK back to world cup.

[CowboyNQ]

1 hour ago, zephonic said:

If the Soccaroos had played the entire match the way they did in the last 30 minutes, it would have been a different game. Unbelievable mistake from their goalie and defense to allow Argentina's second goal. 

 

Now we have to face Argentina for the 1/4 Finals. Hup Holland!

A rare mistake too.  He has been consistently excellent.  Sport is a cruel mistress.

 

Our soccer team punched well above its weight this tournament with most of its players coming from our home professional league, which is several orders of merit below the top competitions around the world.  In my country soccer is something of a boutique sport.  It’s either the third or fourth most popular football code here depending on whom you ask.

 

For Australia, this campaign marked the first time in our history we’ve won two matches during the World Cup finals and the first time we’ve had two clean sheets during the group phase.

 

Argentina were  always going to be a tricky bridge to cross and ultimately were far too classy for our mob.

 

Looking forward to watching the remainder of the tournament.