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Post by Dr Strange on Jun 18, 2018 17:06:13 GMT
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Post by jamesdoig on Jun 19, 2018 6:22:28 GMT
The Socceroos were too defensive for most of the match - hardly had a shot on goal, and knackered themselves out trying to close down the French. They'll need a much more attacking mindset for the must-win games coming up.
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Post by mattofthespurs on Jun 19, 2018 7:14:16 GMT
This has been a cracking World Cup thus far. VAR, which I am generally against, has proved to be very useful with the notable exception of the Tunisia England match. It has enlivened several matches that would normally be placed in the dull bracket. Hope it continues to live up to the standards set so far.
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Post by ripper on Jun 19, 2018 10:19:58 GMT
This has been a cracking World Cup thus far. VAR, which I am generally against, has proved to be very useful with the notable exception of the Tunisia England match. It has enlivened several matches that would normally be placed in the dull bracket. Hope it continues to live up to the standards set so far. It's produced some very unpredictable results up to now, and from the games so far, no team has really stood out. England vs Tunisia seemed to be rather one-sided in its use of VAR. Having said that, with the chances England had, it should have been all over by the end of the first half. They really need to take those chances as they are unlikely to get that many against better teams. Still, a win is a win, and we haven't won an opening game since 2006, so that is something positive.
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Post by ripper on Jun 20, 2018 10:19:45 GMT
I was so looking forward to seeing Mo Salah last night in Egypt's match with Russia. Poor guy, it was so obvious that he was nowhere near being ready to play. I'm glad he scored that penalty, but for that injury he suffered, it could have been so different for Egypt.
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Post by dem bones on Jun 20, 2018 11:01:59 GMT
Vault results service. Breaking news. Monday 18 Group FSweden 1 South Korea 0: Took a stonewall penalty to separate them, but the post-Zlatan Swedish motorcycle club never looked in danger. Decent game but short on memorable incident bar superb performance by SK's ancient keeper. Group GBelgium 3 Panama 0: Red Devils made to work of for it. Three class second half finishes saw off exhausted but far from disgraced first-timers who took the yellow card honours 5-3. England 2 Tunisia 1: All things considered, a dream start for Gareth Southgate's lads, albeit with nightmare flashbacks to tournament openers past. England overcame swarms of midges, arbitrary use of VAR, and well-drilled opponents who'd come for, and so nearly achieved a point. Usual Jekyll & Hyde performance: Kane gang looked world beaters for opening 20 mins but profligate finishing, fine saves and soft penalty turned the game. Tunisians settled, showed what a dangerous side they could be with more attacking ambition - their must-win clash with Belgium should be a belter.
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Post by dem bones on Jun 21, 2018 12:03:03 GMT
WC catch up for we philistines. As you were, the rest. Tuesday 19 Group HColumbia 1 Japan 2: Poland 1 Senegal 2: Despite today's results, seems to me Group H is wide open. Polish fans sportingly applauded their NOISY, riot of colour counterparts. Players equally generous in gifting the Lions two ridiculous goals. Strange, strange game. Much fancied Pole's mystifying anti-performance suggestive of a side who'd studied the Nigeria coaching manual before taking the pitch. With 85 minutes on the clock, Poles finally twitched to life and Grzegorz Krychowiak's headed wrecking ball of a consolation suggests they're by no means out of it. Japan's triumph might have been considered a bit of a shock result had not Columbia gone a man and a goal down within 3 minutes, after which theirs was always going to be a tough ask. The gallant fight they made for it against attractive Blue Samurai made for today's most entertaining 90 minutes. Group AEgypt 1 Russia 3: Hosts doing pretty well for countries all-time worst team. Denis Cheryshev now joint top scorer with Ronaldo - and his three have come from open play. Crocked Mo nabbed their consolation from the spot. Wed 20 Group ASaudi Arabia 0 Uruguay 1: Only caught first half but enough to note a decent performance from the Green falcons - perhaps chief of Saudi FA's dark mutterings of "recriminations" when players return home had something to do with it. Trademark poachers goal from the Walrus-faced assassin. Sky blues have been so underwhelming over the 140 minutes I've watched them that it's kind of inevitable they'll progress to the semis. Group BMorocco 0 Portugal 1: This was more like it. Ronaldo's diving header on 4 minutes settled the match allowing both sides could get on with the serious stuff. 90+ minutes of quality gamesmanship. A masterclass in systematic fouling, diving, time-wasting, imaginary card-waving and bickering. Man of the match award hotly contested, but Pepe sneaks it for textbook 'dying swan' histrionics. On evidence of their performance to date, Morocco are a goal poacher short of being real force to contend with. Iran 0 Spain 1: Mirror image of earlier intimidation fest, this time settled by slightly fortuitous strike from an atypically benign Diego 'The Angel of Luzhniki' Costa, who for most part assumed a Zen-like indifference to the riots breaking out around him, even spurning golden opportunity to stomp prone opponent of choice during magnificent (and, incredibly, sportingly contested) goal-mouth scramble. Poor finishing apart, Iran were excellent. Next up for them - a winner-takes-all decider vs. CR7's mob unlikely to end in hugs and sporting handshakes. Today Group CAustralia V Denmark: Just kicked off ... France V Peru : Group DArgentina V Croatia: *** R.I.P. Ernie Hunt
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Post by ripper on Jun 21, 2018 23:25:12 GMT
Iran were so unlucky not to come away with a point.
Oh dear, it has all gone horribly wrong for Messi and Argentina. A single measly point from 2 games is surely a major surprise and they are staring an early exit in the face.
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Post by dem bones on Jun 23, 2018 11:46:07 GMT
Footballitis update. Thursday 21 Group CAustralia 1 Denmark 1: When Danes stormed to early lead via the Eriksen's 100 mph guided missile, it looked like Aussies were in for a pasting, but fancy dan footwork counts for zero if you fail to add killer second. Socceroos turn to profit from controversial penalty decision, coolly converted by golden boot dark horse , Mile Jedinak, the man with no nerves. France 1 Peru 0: Much improved display by the moneybags all stars, particularly in first 45. Two wins when they've yet to click portends ill for everyone else. Shame to see likeable Inca's knocked out with game to spare. Group DArgentina 0 Croatia 3: A dark arts master-class. Dirtiest match of the tournament by miles, with Croats deservedly coming out on top in both football and sadistic studs-up challenges. That both sides finished with a full complement of players confirms suspicion that Ref's are under instruction to issue a red only in event of an actual murder or player necking a non-sponsored energy drink. Footage of the final ten minutes is pure misery porn as ghoulish camera op pans in, lingers lovingly on distraught faces among Argentinian support as their idols capitulate. Friday 22 Group DIceland 0 Nigeria 2: They slepwalked around the pitch for 90+ minutes against Croatia, but Super Eagles are an entirely different proposition in their magic shirts and deservedly bagged the points versus the sons of Óðinn. Icemen battled gamely, but when Gylfi of the apocalypse launched his spot kick into orbit, you knew it wasn't to be their day. Two goal of the tournament contenders from Ahmed Musa. Glorious support from both sets of fans. Result means Argentina not out of it yet. Group EBrazil 2 Costa Rica 0: Football not always the best, but hard to beat for entertainment value. Second half was exciting as any we've seen to date as besieged Costa Rica somehow repelled the onslaught until stoppage time. Referee versus Neymar sub-plot was pure pantomime. Serbia 1 Switzerland 2: My scoreless bore draw radar insisted this would be an entertainment free stalemate but just goes to show how wrong you can be as two cautiously attack-minded sides served up thrilling contest. Serbs well on top first half and deservedly took lead through a trademark Aleksandar Mitrovic unstoppable header. More selective use of VAR controversy when the scorer was later denied stonewall penalty as two defenders attempted to have sex with him. Swiss made most of reprieve to come back strong. Granit Xhaka struck them level with spectacular thunderbolt and game seemed destined to end drawn until big-boned Stoke relegation hero Xherdan Shaqiri galloped half the length of pitch to slot home in injury time, his politically-charged "double eagle" celebration sparking a diplomatic incident. Today Group FMexico V South Korea: Germany V Sweden: Group GBelgium V Tunisia:
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Post by mattofthespurs on Jun 24, 2018 14:52:05 GMT
Glorious, glorious, glorious.
Every single match.
My first World Cup was 1978.
This is blowing them all away.
Having so much fun.
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Post by ripper on Jun 25, 2018 19:02:48 GMT
Glorious, glorious, glorious. Every single match. My first World Cup was 1978. This is blowing them all away. Having so much fun. It is turning out to be a very decent World Cup so far. It is nice to be in the position after 2 games of England already qualified and not having to sweat on the final group game. My first was 1970--I was around for the '66 finals but too young to remember. I do, however, recall even now the loss to West Germany in the QF. I cried my eyes out. My mum's comment to me was "Never mind, there's always next time." England's next WC appearance was 12 years later.
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Post by jamesdoig on Jun 25, 2018 21:59:40 GMT
My first was 1970--I was around for the '66 finals but too young to remember. I do, however, recall even now the loss to West Germany in the QF. I cried my eyes out. My mum's comment to me was "Never mind, there's always next time." England's next WC appearance was 12 years later. I was 8 in 1974 when Australia played for the first time - I tried to say up until 2am when the games were telecast, but fell asleep each time - we were in the same group as West and East Germany, so got hammered anyway.
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Post by ropardoe on Jun 26, 2018 8:07:41 GMT
Yesterday I got a '66 World Cup question on Richard Osman's House of Games right: identify which person on the photograph of the England team scored a hat-trick. I knew who it was - Geoff Hirst (sp?) - and I knew which he was on the photo (which is more than three of the four celebrity contestants knew). So maybe there's still hope for me.
Anything spooky happened yet (aside from Gareth Southgate's mysterious shoulder)?
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Post by dem bones on Jun 27, 2018 11:24:12 GMT
Anything spooky happened yet (aside from Gareth Southgate's mysterious shoulder)? Disappointingly quiet on the spectral front. Nearest I could find to anything of Fortean interest is Are aliens watching the World Cup? Giant UFO spotted over Russian stadium. No games on Friday so will instigate operation Ghost host. You can safely ignore rest of this post (marathon catch-up). Saturday 23 Group FGermany 2 Sweden 1: Another epic, arguably the most dramatic second half of any game to date. Result never in doubt because it's what Germany do. There's a moment in every bastard World Cup where they lull us into a false security - they're doomed for sure! - only to cruelly turn a game on its head despite being rubbish for most of it. Roy Keane on top form with his analysis of red-carded Jerome Boateng 's dreadful performance. "They say he's got 650 pairs of shoes. He can't be right upstairs." Mexico 2 S. Korea 1: Came to just in time to catch Son Heung-Min's astonishing injury time consolation and brief highlights package so can't comment. Group GBelgium 5 Tunisia 2: So much has happened over past few days that this goal fest seems weeks ago. Lively first half, Lukaku's second on stroke of half time pretty much finished off Tunisians who'd sparked into life at two down. Sunday 24 Group GEngland 6 Panama 1: THE MIRACLE OF NIZHNY NOVGOROD. Job well done by England lads, but how piss poor must current USA squad be to finish below this lot in CONCAF qualifying group? Eternal gratitude to Panama fan base for so comprehensively drowning out the England supporters band. Group HJapan 2 Senegal 2: Fascinating clash of attractive, attack-minded sides. Bearing in mind what happened in later game, Japan likely the happier of the two with result. Colombia 3 Poland 0: It turns out that what the Colombians can do with a full complement of players is much the same as what they did in Brazil four years ago where they were bloody brilliant. Poland out with a game to spare after a wretched campaign. Frank Lampard - still recovering from shock of England comprehensively beating a team they were expected to comprehensively beat - reckons there's nothing in Group H foe three lions to worry about, so that's OK then. Monday 25 Group ARussia 0 Uruguay 3: Hosts shrugged off their impressive goal-laden exploits of last week to come up well short versus the flesh-eating nuisance and pals. Denis Cheryshev kept up his goal a game record by bagging one in own net. Russians finished a man short but game long settled before his dismissal. Egypt 1 S. Arabia 2: Nothing but pride resting on this one so huge credit to both sides for giving it their all. Saudi's performances since that opening day hammering have improved no end. Great penalty save by Pharaohs' ancient goalie El Hadary, but reprieve short-lived when Saudi's were awarded second spot kick on stroke of half-time. Group BMorocco 2 Spain 2: Only caught measly highlights package. It's perhaps to be expected that Spain's performances would dip a little after the Portugal classic, but having been fortunate to scrape past Iran, they nearly blew their chance to finish top by gifting group wooden spoonists two incredibly sloppy goals. After today's setback, Russia will be desperate to prove early form no flash in the pan, so Iberians need to get their act together. Iran 1 Portugal 1: Truly we are being spoiled. Another perversely entertaining master-class of Olympic-standard gamesmanship (see Argentina - Croatia, any game involving Panama). 95 minutes of mouth-watering tit-for-tat off-the-ball assaults, play-acting, diving, imaginary card waving, choreographed mass-dissent, baffling decisions, and Ronaldo in hissy fit mode. Unconfirmed reports suggest the Ref - poor guy never stood a chance - has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic VAR-induced lunacy. Denmark 0 France 0: The football equivalent of a Len Goodman's Partners In Rhyme box set - and I don't mean in a good way. Unquestionably the most unrelentingly boring world cup watch since England V Algeria at South Africa 2010. Those who opted for Australia 0 Peru 2 - a game I wanted both sides to win - made the right decision. Not sure I agree with James' earlier comment. It's not like the Aussie's don't attack enough. They've created several decent chances over the three games. It's just their current squad lacks anyone to finish them off. Argentina 2 Nigeria 1: Again no magic shirts for Super Eagles so outcome inevitable. Argentines looked dead and buried after the Croatia annihilation so fair play to them for belatedly discovering team unity to overcome exciting Nigerian battlers - for whom Victor Moses was inspired - if only they'd turned up for opening game! Very little between the teams for much of well contested game, but Africans panicky finishing allowed chances to go begging. Messi and Rojo showed how it's done. BBC had advertised France-Denmark as their late-night replay, mercifully switched it to this one instead. Croatia 2 Iceland 1: "Birkir is temporarily sent off the pitch to plug his bleeding nose. It’s not for appearances or his health, but because trolls are rumoured to grow from the turf wherever a drop of Birkir’s blood falls ..."Björn “The Brute” Sigurðarsson goes on. He is sacrificing a goat as he takes to the field, and wears the bloody horns. We checked: nothing in the rules about wearing bloody sacrificial goat horns." @rvkgrapevine Sadly, for all their warrior efforts exemplified by Birkir "Horror Hooves" Bjarnason (the scariest man ever to wear an Alice band), the Icemen couldn't magic up thre two goal win that would have seen them progress at Argentinians expense. Fuck the logistics. If FIFA have any soul, they will take back the 2202 WC from Qatar (zero football pedigree) and let Iceland (immortals) host it instead. It really is the least they can do. Today Group EBrazil V Serbia: Costa Rica V Switzerland: Group FGermany V S. Korea: Mexico V Sweden:
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Post by johnnymains on Jun 28, 2018 10:54:16 GMT
Germany 2 Sweden 1: Result never in doubt because it's what Germany do. Yup, was expecting Germany to pull it out the bag - as always - but how they fucked up.
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