Match Thread (for non Canada games)

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Costa Rica and Japan going through would be very nice.

[Gian-Luca]

Costa Rica’s players should all play the  lottery the way this is going

[InglewoodJack]

We talk about how disappointing our World Cup is, Germany has a single win in the last two world cups, and will have been sent home in group stage for the second year in a row. Humiliating for them and Spain if these results hold.

Germany is my favourite soccer powerhouse, so I would’ve probably followed them through the knockouts.

[scullion44]

I normally root for Concacaf but nah I’ll be right pissed off if this Costa Rica team make the RO16

[gwsmith63]

Quite the afternoon. 😯

[74 Whitecap]

So Japan beats Spain and Germany, and loses to Costa Rica - that might just be the most improbable set of group stage results by one team in the history of the World Cup.

[Addona]

F*%$.  My dream of drawing Japan in the round of 16 could have been there!

 

[Allez les Rouges]

Anybody bet on Japan winning Group E? What are you gonna do with that money?

[Free kick]

47 minutes ago, 74 Whitecap said:

So Japan beats Spain and Germany, and loses to Costa Rica - that might just be the most improbable set of group stage results by one team in the history of the World Cup.

Costa Rica and Uruguay advanced from a group that included Italy and England.  In 2014 or 2010, cant recall

Edited December 1, 2022 by Free kick

[king1010]

1 hour ago, Free kick said:

Costa Rica and Uruguay advanced from a group that included Italy and England.  In 2014 or 2010, cant recall

2014

[Unnamed Trialist]

Starting with the final whistle: all those serious faces and the non-celebration from Spain was the best bit of ensemble cast acting I've seen since Reservoir Dogs--or maybe Stop Making Sense. The only team to qualify so far that did not celebrate on the pitch, not with the fans, not amongst themselves visibly. It is extremely hard to grin from ear to ear in your head and keep your face straight.

But you just drew Morocco in R16 and not Croatia; and just avoided a quarter final vs. Brazil, with Portugal more likely; and wouldn't see Argentina in semis, but France or England. A genius loss.

Then the interviews, expert self-flagellation, not a smile. You are telling me that the loss to Japan was worse than going through the group? Luis Enrique, whew, whew, whew.

Then the fans, bewildered thinking they were out; then trying to do the same as the Spain players and staff, sitting there quietly, nonplussed, watching the Japanese celebrate madly. But all of them making their plans for a few more weeks, with their studied notary public demeanours.

Thing is, hard to argue they could have been that astute, since there were about 3-4 minutes where Spain was out of the World Cup, when Costa Rica went up. Then Germany saved them by drawing it almost immediately, but another CR goal would have put Spain on the back home. Really only the German 3rd made it seem safe, but still Spain hemmed Japan in the whole time, the Japanese fans half-prayed, half-laughed their butts off. Spain moved it around, made a few stabs, only Dani Olmo playing hard as hell to score (and my son "Olmo is so fucking stupid!!", to which I reminded him that Olmo was Catalan too). The most skilled simulacrum of an all out attack with no intention of scoring in the history of the World Cup (just making that up).

I went on to the German newspapers, I appreciate they are blaming themselves. So naive. All they needed was a Spain goal to go through, as they had the GD with Japan. What were they thinking?

Edited December 2, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[Gian-Luca]

16 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Starting with the final whistle: all those serious faces and the non-celebration from Spain was the best bit of ensemble cast acting I've seen since Reservoir Dogs--or maybe Stop Making Sense. The only team to qualify so far that did not celebrate on the pitch, not with the fans, not amongst themselves visibly. It is extremely hard to grin from ear to ear in your head and keep your face straight.

But you just drew Morocco in R16 and not Croatia; and just avoided a quarter final vs. Brazil, with Portugal more likely; and wouldn't see Argentina in semis, but France or England. A genius loss.

Then the interviews, expert self-flagellation, not a smile. You are telling me that the loss to Japan was worse than going through the group? Luis Enrique, whew, whew, whew.

Then the fans, bewildered thinking they were out; then trying to do the same as the Spain players and staff, sitting there quietly, nonplussed, watching the Japanese celebrate madly. But all of them making their plans for a few more weeks, with their studied notary public demeanours.

Thing is, hard to argue they could have been that astute, since there were about 3-4 minutes where Spain was out of the World Cup, when Costa Rica went up. Then Germany saved them by drawing it almost immediately, but another CR goal would have put Spain on the back home. Really only the German 3rd made it seem safe, but still Spain hemmed Japan in the whole time, the Japanese fans half-prayed, half-laughed their butts off. Spain moved it around, made a few stabs, only Dani Olmo playing hard as hell to score (and my son "Olmo is so fucking stupid!!", to which I reminded him that Olmo was Catalan too). The most skilled simulacrum of an all out attack with no intention of scoring in the history of the World Cup (just making that up).

I went on to the German newspapers, I appreciate they are blaming themselves. So naive. All they needed was a Spain goal to go through, as they had the GD with Japan. What were they thinking?

I am glad I am not the only one who thinks this works out extremely well for Spain. Get rid of Germany and avoid Croatia. It did remind me a bit of West Germany losing to East Germany in 1974 which gave the East Germans a much tougher group for the second round.

[RJB]

It's a shame that Costa Rica couldn't hold on. What would have been to see them and Japan go through at the expense of two European powerhouses. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by RJB

[Gian-Luca]

Apparently Japan had 17.7% possession against Spain, lowest total recorded at a World Cup - and they won. 

[Free kick]

Mexico fails to advance to R16 for the first time since 1978

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Free kick

[jonovision]

Not a lot of fun to be had today with no chance of Portugal being knocked out. 

Is there any set of results that could give us Portugal-Brazil? I'd love to see how fast all the flags and jerseys get swapped in my neighborhood if Brazil won such a matchup.

Edited December 2, 2022 by jonovision

[Gian-Luca]

Extremely weak, non confident pk attempt by Ghana

[youllneverwalkalone]

Glad Uruguay seem to have this one in hand. Thought they would be the better match, but really like watching Korea play.

[Gian-Luca]

10 hours ago, Free kick said:

Mexico fails to advance to R16 for the first time since 1978

 

 

The caveat to this historical stat is that they didn’t make either the 1982 or 1990 World Cups

Edited December 2, 2022 by Gian-Luca

[Gian-Luca]

South Korea score off a Portugal corner in added time and are about to knock out Uruguay 

[Gian-Luca]

Uruguay are out 

[ray]

Maybe not "upsets" but a big change in the traditional order of European/South American dominance at this World Cup.  That Canada were not part of it (not even a tie) stings all the more.

[Free kick]

I am surprised at the number of teams who got four points and were still eliminated.  Six teams in fact and maybe even seven by the end of the day.  Yet here I was thinking that all we would need to advance would be 4 points (i.e.; a draw versus either Cro or Bel and a win against Mor).  

Edited December 2, 2022 by Free kick

[Treppy2]

There are more Asian teams in the Round of 16 than South American teams. Don't think too many of us saw that coming.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 hour ago, Gian-Luca said:

Uruguay are out 

Real shame.