Football World Cup - Qatar 2022

And Ghana v South Korea was entertaining as well. 3-2 to the Black Stars.

Brazil beat Switzerland 1-0 and Portugal knocked over Uruguay 2-0.

2 Groups decided today.

In Group A, Senegal were too good for Ecuador 2-1 and the Netherlands put Qatar out of their misery 2-0. The Dutch topped the Group and Senegal finished 2nd.

In Group B, the USA held on to beat Iran 1-0 and England smacked Wales 3-0. So England topped the Group and the USA finished 2nd.

So in the 1st decided round of 16 matches the Dutch play the USA and England and Senegal face off. The latter should be a cracker.

Holy shit, we beat Denmark!!!! We are through to the round of 16 for the 2nd time in our history!!!

After digesting the highlights:

In Group C, Argentina were way too good for Poland to win 2-0 and finish top of the group. Mexico beat the Saudis 2-1 but conceded a late, late goal that left them 3rd in the Group on GD. Poland thus finished 2nd. Heartbreak for Mexico.

In Group D, Aus again played well to best Denmark 1-0 to confirm 2nd in the Group, while Tunisia upset France 1-0, but Les Bleus still finished top of the Group.

So Argentina play Australia (ugh) and France play Poland in the Round of 16.

We were always going to meet Argentina if we made it through the group stage. France will he pleased that they are meeting Poland rather than Mexico.

Wow, this World Cup just keeps on giving.

In Group E, Germany did what they needed and defeated Costa Rica 4-2, but needed a Spain win to send them through. That didn't happen, with Japan beating Spain 2-1.

I have to say Japan's 2nd goal looked dodgy, with a ball seemingly out on the goal line before being crossed to set up the winner. Anywho, Japan and Spain go through with Germany eliminated.

In Group F, Belgium needed to beat Croatia but failed in a 0-0 draw, to be eliminated. Morocco remarkably topped the Group when they beat Canada 2-1.

So World no. 2 Belgium, World no. 10 Denmark and World no. 11 Germany all miss out on advancing, with World no. 4 Italy missing the World Cup all together.

4 games (in Groups G & H) remaining in the Group stage.

So in Round of 16, Japan plays Croatia and Morocco plays Spain.

At the moment Australia is the lowest FIFA ranked team to make the Round of 16. We currently sit at no. 38.

But tonight's games could change that. Ghana is currently 2nd in Group H. If they win v last placed Uruguay, they would go through. They are currently ranked no. 61.

Cameroon is also ranked lower than Aus, at no. 43 but they would need beat Brazil and hope Switzerland go down to Serbia by 1 goal to advance. All a bit of a long shot.

Serbia (ranked no. 21) can advance with a win over Switzerland if Brazil beats Cameroon.

Switzerland (ranked no. 15) can go through with a win (or possibly a draw) over Serbia.

28th ranked South Korea will go through with a win v Portugal if Ghana don't win.

Uruguay (ranked no. 14) can still advance by beating Ghana if Portugal beats South Korea.

So lots of possible outcomes from the games tonight.

Ghana v Uruguay is some revenge match, especially with Suarez still involved. Will we see the first outfield red card of the tournament?

What a cracking tournament this has been so far.

skully wrote:What a cracking tournament this has been so far.

And they’re going to fark it up completely with 16 groups of 3 next time, collusion opportunities on a daily basis.

Really??

Yeah, expanding to 48 teams without the extra games associated with 12 groups of 4.

Plenty of drama in Group H.

Uruguay thought they were home leading Ghana 2 - 0 while Portugal & South Korea were 1 - 1.

Then South Korea scored a great goal in the final minutes to win their game. This left Uruguay & South Korea tied on 4pts each & the same goal difference. However, South Korea had scored more goals in the tournament giving them the edge.

The Uruguay - Ghana game still had 7 or 8 minutes to go when the Korean game finished. A goal to Uruguay would see them go through. Plenty of action in that time but no goals.

So Portugal won the group with South Korea second.

VAR is giving some really weird decisions. Japans 2nd? goal was clearly out of play, and the 4th
german goal [not that it mattered] was clearly offside.

LOL @ Uruguay (or more particularly that qunt Suarez). That late late goal by South Korea burned the South Americans.

In Group G, Cameroon beat a dominant Brazil 1-0 (scorer Aboubakar was on one yellow but over-celebrated (shirt off) and got a 2nd yellow to be sent off!!), thanks largely to a fantastic game from the African team's keeper, who was impassable. But Cameroon go home despite the win. In the other game Switzerland were too good for Serbia. So Brazil topped and Switzerland were 2nd.

From Wally's earlier description Portugal topped Group H with South Korea 2nd, so in the Round of 16 Portugal play Switzerland and Brazil play South Korea.

So, in the end, Aus's miracle wasn't to be. Argentina too good, but Aus not helped by keeper Ryan's howler to gift the Argies their 2nd goal. Keepers who faff about with the ball at their feet has always been one of my greatest annoyance in the world game. Just immediately belt the thing as hard as you can.

2-1 is no disgrace but our glorious 2022 WC run is over.

In the other R16 game, the Netherlands were too strong for the USA, 3-1.

Of course a fair % of this morning's TV crowd are now looking at doing the same thing tomorrow for soapies v Senegal, which I think is in Africa which is WC-ese for 'underestimate at your peril'

Mbappe - 2 outstanding goals plus an assist

2 great strikes.

So it's France v England in the Quarters.

Cracking goal at last from Kane. The direct approach is much better than all this p*ssing about
in your own half. Wonder who decided that, the players or the coach?

Cant see them beating the frogs however. They look streets ahead.

Only Mbappe does, to be fair. Keep him quiet and we’ve more than a chance.

Geez, Brazil looked very slick v South Korea.

The Japan v Croatia game had to be decided on penalties.

So Croatia now faces the might of Brazil in the Quarters.

Morocco knock out Spain on penalties. Wow.

Nobody’s scored against Morocco in 390 minutes of football plus countless stoppage time and even a penalty shoot-out, apart from one of their own players who netted for Canada! Won’t be an easy opponent for anyone they face.

Portugal drop Ronaldo and seemingly rediscover their spark.